《Venomous Empress Reborn》


 Chapter 1089 - <div class=

    Chapter 1089: Campaign (3) S~ea??h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Translator: Henyee Translations  Editor: Henyee Translations


    Empress Xiande took a sip and smiled. ¡°It¡¯s very sweet. This year, when it snows in winter, I¡¯ll go and pick some petals too. If Your Majesty likes it, I can make it for you again.¡±


    Emperor Yong Le looked at her and was silent for a moment before saying, ¡°If I¡¯m still around this winter.¡±


    Empress Xiande¡¯s hand trembled, causing the tea to spill on the back of her hand. She hissed in pain.


    Seeing this, Emperor Yong Le took the handkerchief from the side and held her hand. As he wiped it, he reprimanded, ¡°Why are you so careless?¡±


    However, the water on the back of her hand could not be wiped clean. Instead, it became wetter.


    Empress Xiande cried.


    Her tears were also dripping on the back of her hand. They were even hotter than the boiling tea. She said, ¡°Your Majesty, why do you have to say these words to make me sad?¡±


    Emperor Yong Le paused and looked at her. ¡°Qing Zhen¡­¡±


    ¡°Ever since I entered the palace, I¡¯ve been very sensible as the empress. I have no complaints about what you do. But even at this point, you are still treating me like this.¡± Her words were filled with accusation, but her tone was very calm, as if no matter how aggrieved she was, she could not flare up at Emperor Yong Le. She said, ¡°You won¡¯t say anything sweet to make me happy, and you are expecting me to remain sober-minded at all times, but do you know how painful it is to be sober-minded?¡±


    Emperor Yong Le was stunned


    After a long time, he picked up the handkerchief again and wiped the tears off the back of Empress Xiande¡¯s hand. He said, ¡°Qing Zhen, apart from my mother, you¡¯re the only woman I¡¯ve let down in my life. You¡¯re the only person who can stand by my side.¡±


    ¡°I know very well what it feels like to be sober-minded, but I have no choice.¡±


    Empress Xiande stared at the flower tea in her cup and said, ¡°Have you already made up your mind?¡±


    ¡°I have. There are many heroes in the world, but I can¡¯t be one. I¡¯m already satisfied with being able to keep the Daliang Dynasty peaceful until now. As for the rest of the road, Jingxing needs to walk on his own. I can¡¯t interfere in his future.¡¯


    ¡°Qing Zhen.¡± Emperor Yong Le sighed. ¡°I don¡¯t know when I¡¯ll fall down, and I don¡¯t know when I¡¯ll wake up. If that day comes, you have to do what I tell you to do. Live the life you want and be happy.¡±


    Empress Xiande lowered her head and rubbed the edge of the teacup. After a while, she looked at Emperor Yong Le and said with a faint smile, ¡°Your Majesty, do you still remember the first time we met? I made flower tea for you to drink.¡±


    At that time, Empress Xiande¡¯s mother brought her to the palace to see


    Empress Dowager Xiao. Empress Dowager Xiao was choosing a wife for Emperor Yong Le. That day, there were also other young ladies who were showcasing their talents.


    She sat alone in the corner, smiling demurely and looking at everything with a calm expression.


    Empress Dowager Xiao asked her if she had any talent.


    At that time, how did Empress Xiande answer? She said, ¡°I¡¯m slow-witted and don¡¯t have any talents. I sometimes make tea at home. My father and brother both like to drink the tea I made..¡±

 Chapter 1

    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    In the early summer, when evening arrived, torrential rain would always arrive suddenly.


    The sky was dark and gloomy, and dark clouds were pressing down on the dignified and imposing palace walls. The originally magnificent palace was shrouded in dark clouds, like a huge cage, trapping the people inside.


    In the spacious sleeping chamber, the curtains seemed to be very old and were covered with a thick layer of dust. It was originally a hot day, but it actually felt a little cold. The floor was scattered with clothes and accessories, as if a disaster just happened.


    The woman got down one of her knees on the ground and looked up at the person in front of her.


    This woman was only 30 years old, but her face was as old as an old woman¡¯s. Her eyes were deep and vicious, like a pool of stagnant water. She looked like a dried well that had been left behind for a long time. Tears could not flow out of her eyes, but they carried a bottomless hatred.


    ¡°Your Highness, please.¡± The eunuch beside her held a white silk cloth in his hands, his tone impatient. ¡°I still have to report to His Majesty.¡±


    Shen Miao¡¯s gaze landed on the eunuch. After a moment of silence, she slowly spoke with a hoarse voice, ¡°Little Li, when I first promoted you, you were still a dog by Eunuch Gao¡¯s side.¡±


    The eunuch raised his head slightly. ¡°Your Highness, times are different now.¡±


    ¡°Times are different now¡­¡± Shen Miao muttered, suddenly raising her head and laughing. ¡°Times are indeed different now!¡±


    Just because times were indeed different now, those servants and officials who had treated her with respect in the past could now shout at her. Because times were indeed different now, she would be beheaded. When did it all start? From when Concubine Mei entered the palace, or from when the Crown Prince was disqualified, or from when the Eldest Princess died? Or from when she was held hostage in the State of Qin for five years before returning to the palace?


    A word from Fu Xiuyi could determine whether it was a good time or a bad time. It could turn everyone in the imperial court to turn against Shen Miao and make her step down as empress.


    The door opened with a creak, and a pair of green boots with dragon patterns on them stopped in front of Shen Miao. Looking up, it was a bright yellow robe.


    ¡°Since you have been with me for twenty years, I will grant you an intact corpse,¡± the Emperor said.


    Shen Miao slowly raised her head and looked at the mighty man. Time did not leave any marks on his face, just like how handsome he was back then. He was the ruler of the world, the rightful Son of Heaven, the man she had been infatuated with for twenty years, the husband who had helped her through thick and thin. Now, he said to her, ¡°I will grant you an intact corpse.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± Shen Miao asked with difficulty.


    He didn¡¯t answer.


    ¡°Why do you want to exterminate the entire Shen family?¡± she asked.


    The late emperor had nine sons. Each of the nine sons had their own merits. When the crown prince was ill, the late emperor refused to appoint a new crown prince, so the princes fought for the throne. Shen Miao admired Fu Xiuyi¡¯s unparalleled look and insisted on marrying him,


    It was precisely because of this that she did her best to assist the Crown Prince. From a pampered girl who knew nothing to the Princess Consort who would also participate in the matters of the royal court, she came up with strategies to help the Crown Prince ascend the throne successfully. On the day Fu Xiuyi ascended the throne, she was appointed as the empress, a motherly figure of the world. How glorious.


    She thought that she was the most glorious empress. After the Crown Prince ascended the throne, Ming Qi was faced with threats coming from the Xiunu, and the neighboring countries were waiting to take over Ming Qi. In order to borrow troops, Shen Miao voluntarily went to the State of Qin to be a hostage. When she left, her daughter and son were still young. Fu Xiuyi even said to her, ¡°I will definitely bring you back.¡±


    Five years later, she finally returned to Ming Qi, but her place had long been taken by a new concubine called Mei.

 Chapter 2

    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    Concubine Mei was the daughter of a minister that Fu Xiuyi met during the Eastern Campaign. He liked her and brought her back to the palace. Concubine Mei gave birth to a prince, Fu Sheng, who was deeply favored by the emperor. On the other hand, Shen Miao¡¯s son, the crown prince, Fu Ming, was not favored by the emperor.


    Fu Xiuyi once said in front of the entire court, ¡°Fu Ming is too gentle. Fu Sheng is more like me.¡±


    Concubine Mei made Shen Miao feel a sense of crisis. In the palace, Shen Miao and Concubine Mei fought for ten years. Concubine Mei had the upper hand time and time again. She even urged Fu Xiuyi to marry his daughter, Princess Wanyu, to the Xiongnu. The Xiongnu people were aggressive and ruthless. Princess Wanyu died of illness during the marriage and was immediately cremated. Everyone knew that there was something fishy about this, but as a mother, there was nothing Shen Miao could do.


    Today eventually came.


    Fu Xiuyi issued an imperial edict saying that the Shen family was unloyal to the emperor and rebelled, the crown prince was disqualified, and the emperor would have to hang herself to death.


    All she wanted to ask was, ¡°Why?¡±


    Shen Miao said, ¡°Fu Xiuyi, don¡¯t you have a conscience? We¡¯ve been husband and wife for more than twenty years. I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve done anything wrong to you. When you ascended the throne, it was my family who helped you. When you went to war and the Xiongnu attacked, I wrote a petition for you. I knelt down and begged the ministers to help you. I went to the neighboring country to be a hostage. What did you repay me with? When Concubine Mei wanted Wanyu to marry the Xiongnu, you agreed. Wanyu died when she was only sixteen. Everyone in the court knows that you dote on Fu Sheng and his wife. Now that you¡¯ve slaughtered my entire family and are about to kill me, let me ask you, why?¡±


    ¡°Shen Miao.¡± Fu Xiuyi frowned. His expression did not change at all, as if he was a cold statue. ¡°When Father was alive, we discussed how to deal with the few large families. The Shen family¡¯s merit is too high to stay for long. I was the one who persuaded Father to keep your family alive. You should thank me for allowing your family to alive twenty more years.¡±


    Shen Miao¡¯s body shook. She had been crying too much these days, and her tears could no longer flow. She looked at Fu Xiuyi and said word by word, ¡°Why did you want to keep the Shen family alive? It¡¯s not that you¡¯re benevolent, nor is it your gift. You just wanted to use the Shen family¡¯s military power to help you ascend. Now that the country is yours, you¡¯re burning the bridge after crossing it. Fu Xiuyi, you¡¯re so heartless!¡±


    ¡°Shen Miao!¡± Fu Xiuyi shouted angrily, as if his sore spot had been poked, saying, ¡°Don¡¯t challenge me!¡± With that, he left.


    Shen Miao lay on the ground and clenched her fists. This was the man she had loved for her entire life. In the palace, she was competing with Concubine Mei for his favor. In the end, she realized that his heart had never been with her! Those sweet words he said to her were just a joke!


    She spat out a mouthful of blood.


    ¡°Sister, what¡¯s wrong? You look terrible.¡± A sweet voice was heard.


    The woman was wearing a light yellow shirt. She had a lotus face and a willowy waist. She looked like a fairy, and her posture was beautiful.


    This was Concubine Mei, who had fought with Shen Miao her entire life and was confident in winning.


    There were two women dressed in palace clothes standing behind Concubine Mei. Shen Miao was stunned. ¡°Shen Qing, Shen Yue!¡±


    They were the daughters of her second and third uncles. Why were her two cousins in the palace?


    ¡°His Majesty summoned us to the palace.¡± Shen Yue covered her mouth and smiled. ¡°Fifth Sister, don¡¯t be surprised. In the past few years, Fifth Sister wanted to help us find a good match. Now, there¡¯s no need. His Majesty treats us very well.¡±


    ¡°You¡­¡± Shen Miao¡¯s heart was in turmoil. In a flash, she seemed to have understood something that she had never thought through before.¡± Y-You didn¡¯t marry because you have been waiting for this day?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Shen Qing took a step forward. ¡°Back then, His Majesty, my father and third uncle made an alliance. As long as we could persuade you to marry His Majesty, one day, we would marry him too.¡±


    Before Shen Miao married Fu Xiuyi, the second and third families did a lot of persuasion. Now that she thought about it, when she fell in love with Fu Xiuyi, it seemed that it was also because Second Aunt and Third Aunt kept mentioning him to her, so she had a good impression of him. It turned out that they had reached an agreement early on. It turned out that the second and third families had been waiting for today to happen.


    As if afraid that Shen Miao would not understand, Shen Qing continued, ¡°His Majesty is handsome and charming. My sisters and I have loved him for a long time, but your father was the most powerful in the family back then. We had no choice but to let Fifth Sister marry His Majesty first. Fifth Sister has enjoyed a lot of good times in the palace over the years. It¡¯s about time for us to enjoy it.¡±


    ¡°Shen Qing!¡± Shen Miao suddenly stood up and said loudly, ¡°His Majesty exterminated the Shen family. How can the second and third families be safe?¡±


    ¡°Of course the second and third families will be fine.¡± Shen Yue covered her mouth and smiled. ¡°Because we helped him. The evidence of First Uncle¡¯s rebellion was forged by our two families. Fifth Sister, His Majesty even wants to promote our fathers.¡±


    Shen Miao looked at her two cousins in shock and said, ¡°Are you crazy? We are a family. How could you frame your own family¡­¡±


    ¡°Fifth Sister. We¡¯ve never regarded you as our family.¡± Shen Qing sneered. ¡°Besides, you¡¯ve enjoyed the good life for too long. Now that the crown prince is dead and the princess is gone, the Shen family is gone. You¡¯d better go to hell and reunite with them.¡±


    Concubine Mei stepped forward and said with a smile, ¡°Sister, it¡¯s time for you to leave.¡±


    After fighting for ten years, Shen Miao lost terribly. She lost so badly that her family was wiped out. She lost so badly that she became a joke!


    She said hatefully, ¡°The moment I¡¯m alive, you will still be concubines!¡±


    ¡°Eunuch Chen, do it.¡± Concubine Mei gave the eunuch a look.


    The plump eunuch immediately took a few steps forward and grabbed Shen Miao¡¯s neck tightly with one hand while wrapping the white silk around her neck with the other. He tugged hard to make sure it was tightly fastened.


    The woman who was struggling on the ground widened her eyes and swore to herself.


    Her son, daughter, parents, brothers, sisters, servants, and everyone in the Shen family had been harmed.


    Fu Xiuyi, Madam Yan, Shen Qing, Shen Yue, everyone who had harmed her and her family. If there was a next life, they would pay with their blood!


    I will make you all die!

 Chapter 3

    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    In the large mansion, there were bluestone slabs, vermilion pillars, and carved railings with complicated crabapple patterns. It had just rained overnight, and raindrops rolled off the banana leaves and fell into the soil.


    The purple-gold incense burner on the table was made into the shape of an exquisite little beast. The fragrance emitted the smell of water and wood, especially refreshing in the early autumn.


    On the four corners of the bed, there were sachets with tassels hanging on them. On the soft bed, two tall maids were carefully fanning the person on the bed.


    ¡°It¡¯ll be terrible if she has a fever. She¡¯s been sleeping for a day and a night. The doctor said that she should wake up very soon. Why is there no movement?¡± The maid in green could not hide her anxiety.


    ¡°Gu Yu, it¡¯s been an hour. Why isn¡¯t the doctor here yet?¡± The other purple-robed maid asked.


    ¡°Second Madam is very strict. This is considered a scandal, so they are all keeping it a secret.¡± Gu Yu glanced at the person on the bed. ¡°Madam and Master are not in the capital, and Eldest Young Master is not around either. Old Madam is biased towards the east courtyard. Bai Lu and Shuang Jiang have gone to look for the doctor and haven¡¯t returned yet. Are they being stopped? They¡¯re killing Miss! No, I have to go out and take a look.¡±


    As soon as she finished speaking, she heard a weak voice from the person on the bed.


    ¡°Miss, you¡¯re awake!¡± The maid in purple shouted in surprise and quickly ran to the bed. She saw the girl on the bed rubbing her forehead and slowly sitting up.


    ¡°Jingzhea€|¡± Shen Miao muttered.


    ¡°I¡¯m here.¡± The maid in purple smiled and held Shen Miao¡¯s hand. ¡°Miss, do you feel better? You slept for a day and a night. Seeing that after the fever is gone, you still haven¡¯t woken up, I was thinking of going to find a doctor again.¡±


    ¡°Miss, do you want some water?¡± Gu Yu handed her a cup of tea.


    Shen Miao looked at the two people in front of her in confusion.


    She had four first-grade maids called Jingzh, Gu Yu, Bai Lu, Shuang Jiang respectively. They were all smart and sensitive girls. Unfortunately, in the end, none of them survived.


    When she was a hostage of the State of Qin, in order to protect her from being humiliated by the Crown Prince of the State of Qin, Gu Yu died at the hands of the Crown Prince of the State of Qin. Bai Lu and Shuang Jiang, one died on the way with Wanyu, and the other died in the hands of Concubine Mei.


    As for Jingzhe, she was the most beautiful. Back then, in order to help Fu Xiuyi ascend the throne, she used her beauty to seduce a powerful official to get him to help Fu Xiuyi. In the end, she was killed by the wife of the powerful official.


    After knowing that Jingzhe was dead, Shen Miao cried for a night.


    Now that Jingzhe was standing in front of her, her eyebrows were still as beautiful as a painting, Shen Miao was stunned.


    After a moment, she smiled and closed her eyes. ¡°This hallucination before death is too real.¡±


    ¡°Miss, what are you talking about?¡± Gu Yu put the teacup aside and reached out to touch Shen Miao¡¯s forehead. ¡°Is the fever affecting your brain?¡±


    The hand on her forehead was cold and comfortable. Shen Miao suddenly opened her eyes, and her gaze was sharp. She slowly lowered her head and looked at her hand.


    It was a pair of fair and slender hands. The nails were trimmed neatly, and they were round and cute. One look and one could tell that they were the hands of a pampered rich girl.


    That was not her hand.


    Her hands were rough from handling court affairs with Fu Xiuyi. In the State of Qin, she was ordered around like a servant. Her hands were covered in calluses, and her joints were swollen and thin. She did not look like a delicate girl at all.


    ¡°Bring me a mirror,¡± Shen Miao said. Her voice was still weak, but her tone was firm.

 Chapter 4

    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    Gu Yu and Jingzhe looked at each other. In the end, Jingzhe went to get a mirror and handed it to Shen Miao.


    In the bronze mirror, the girl had a round face and a plump forehead. Her large almond-shaped eyes were slightly red, and her nose was round and her mouth was small. She still had a baby face. She was not very beautiful, but she was cute and refreshing.


    It was the face of a young girl who would be considered as a good wife by the royal family.


    The mirror in Shen Miao¡¯s hand suddenly fell to the ground, making a crisp sound. The sound of the glass breaking hit her heart like a huge storm.


    She pinched herself hard, and tears flowed down her face.


    The heavens did not let her down!


    She was back!


    Gu Yu and Jingzhe were shocked. Gu Yu quickly went to pick up the pieces on the ground and said anxiously, ¡°Miss, please be careful.¡±


    ¡°Miss, why are you crying?¡± Jingzhe wiped Shen Miao¡¯s face with a handkerchief. She saw that Shen Miao had a strange expression on her face, looking like she was crying and laughing. Shen Miao muttered, ¡°I¡¯m backa€|¡±


    She grabbed Jingzhe. ¡°What year is it this year?¡±


    Jingzhe was a little scared, but she still answered honestly, ¡°In the 68th year of Ming Qi. What¡¯s wrong, Miss? Do you feel unwell?¡±


    ¡°In the 68th year of Ming Qi, in the 68th year of Ming Qia€|¡± Shen Miao¡¯s eyes widened. In the 68th year of Ming Qi, when she was 14 years old, she met Fu Xiuyi and fell in love with him. She even forced her father to marry her!


    At this moment, Gu Yu said anxiously, ¡°Miss, don¡¯t scare us. Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re not in your right mind. Miss, you are scaring us to death!¡±


    In her previous life, Shen Miao spent most of her time working for Fu Xiuyi, but her life in the Shen family was boring. She remembered this clearly, and she remembered everything related to Fu Xiuyi.


    Shen Qing told her that Fu Xiuyi was coming to the Shen family¡¯s mansion to visit her second uncle and third uncle, and took her to see him. When they reached the garden, Shen Qing pushed her down from the rockery.


    At that time, there were other officials who were with Fu Xiuyi. They thought that she was a joke, although they had long heard that she was infatuated with the Duke of Ding, the title of Fu Xiuyi back then.e.


    In her previous life, when she woke up, she blamed Shen Qing for pushing her into the pond, but no one trusted her. Shen Miao felt extremely aggrieved. The old madam even made her stay in the temple hall and prohibited her from going out during the Mid-Autumn Festival. Shen Yue secretly let her out and brought her to the chrysanthemum banquet in Yanbei Hall.


    Shen Miao closed her eyes.


    The Shen family had three branches. The eldest branch, Shen Xin, was Shen Miao¡¯s father and the son of the old general¡¯s first wife. The first wife died in her middle age, and the old general married another one. The new wife gave birth to the second branch, Shen Gui, and the third branch, Shen Wan. After the old general died, the new wife became the old madam today. The Shen family did not split up. The three brothers supported each other and had a good relationship.


    The Shen family had been in the military for generations. In Shen Xin¡¯s generation, in addition to the eldest branch holding the military power, the second and third branches were civil servants. Shen Xin was out fighting all year round, and his wife was also with him in the army. Shen Miao had always been in the Shen family and was brought up by the old madam and her two aunts.


    In her previous life, she only felt that her aunt and old madam treated her especially well. She did not need to learn any of the rules and etiquette that Shen Yue and Shen Qing wanted to learn. Now, it seemed that they were just neglecting her.


    Every time Shen Xin and his wife returned to the house, they would feel that their daughter was more mischievous than before.


    In this life, she wanted to see how these people would repeat the same trick!


    As she was thinking, she heard the girl running in and saying, ¡°Miss, Second Miss is here to see you.¡±

 Chapter 5

    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    ¡°Miss, Second Miss is here to see you.¡±


    Jingzhe looked a little unhappy. ¡°Why did she come at this time? Miss, you¡¯re not fully recovered yet. You don¡¯t have to see her.¡±


    Gu Yu nudged Jingzhe¡¯s arm, looking very worried.


    Looking at the maids, Shen Miao felt relieved.


    The four girls around her were all personally selected and trained by Shen Xin and his wife. They were loyal and quick-witted. Shen Miao was young, so she could not tell that the other branches were scheming against her, but the maids could.


    Before she could speak, a girl walked in. She looked to be no more than 15 or 16 years old. She was wearing a light pink dress with pleats and a tassel. Her skin was fair, and her eyes were elegant and beautiful. Seeing Shen Miao, she quickly walked to the bed and said worriedly, ¡°Fifth Sister, are you feeling better? After I found out that you fell into the water, I was anxious for a long time. However, the people in the Jade Grace Garden said that you wanted to rest, so I didn¡¯t disturb you. I came over when I heard that you were awake.¡±


    Shen Miao looked at the girl in front of her. This was the daughter of the Shen family¡¯s third branch, Shen Yue.


    Of the three daughters of the Shen family, Shen Qing was outgoing and generous. Shen Yue was famous for her talents, but only Shen Miao had a dull personality and was timid and talentless. Outsiders praised her for being ¡°gentle and virtuous¡±, but in fact, they all knew that she was not good at anything. She was the most unpresentable daughter of the Shen family.


    In her previous life, before Shen Miao got married, she had the best relationship with Shen Yue. Shen Yue was gentle and considerate, and most of the time, she could help Shen Miao come up with ideas. However, at that time, Shen Miao could not tell if this idea was good or bad.


    This time, Shen Yue probably came to plead for Shen Qing.


    As expected, Shen Yue said, ¡°Fifth Sister, Eldest Sister made a mistake that day. Now that you¡¯ve already recovered, I hope Fifth Sister can forgive her. When First Sister heard that you had a fever, she blamed herself. Can you forgive First Sister this time? She didn¡¯t mean to embarrass you in front of the Duke of Ding.¡±


    It would have been better if she didn¡¯t say that. Everyone knew that the Duke of Ding was Shen Miao¡¯s Prince Charming. Shen Miao was a person who could take a beating, but when it came to Duke of Ding, she definitely wouldn¡¯t back down. If she didn¡¯t mention Prince Ding, Shen Miao might just leave this matter at that. This time, Shen Yue deliberately mentioned the Duke of Ding. Wasn¡¯t she trying to start a dispute between Shen Miao and Shen Qing?


    It was the same in her previous life. As soon as she woke up, Shen Yue rushed over to ¡°plead¡± for Shen Qing. This plea made Shen Miao furious. She was usually a soft-spoken person, but for the sake of her Prince Charming, she accused Shen Qing of pushing her into the water in front of Old Madam Shen. However, Shen Qing refused to admit it, and the people around said that they did not see Shen Qing push Shen Yue. Old Madam Shen was biased towards the second and third branches, so she naturally took the opportunity to teach Shen Miao a lesson. ¡°How outrageous. Did I ever teach you to lie and slander your sisters? Lock her up.¡±


    Later, news of this spread to the Imperial College, and Shen Miao became the laughing stock of her classmates. In her shame and anger, she stopped going to Imperial College. Later on¡­ she gradually faded away from the circle of rich girls in the capital.


    Now that she thought about it, she realized that her world had always been limited by the people in the General¡¯s mansion set for her. She thought that she was virtuous and ladylike, but she did not know that outsiders thought that she was weak and ignorant. She thought that she was brave because she liked the Duke of Ding, but they did not know that outsiders called her shameless.


    Although she successfully married Fu Xiuyi later on, she was still called unpresentable by the officials. Even her subjects thought she was stupid and ignorant.


    What a stupid past!


    Shen Yue stroked Shen Miao¡¯s shoulder worriedly and smiled.


    She knew that with Shen Miao¡¯s personality, she would definitely fly into a rage at the mention of Fu Xiuyi. However, after waiting for a long time, Shen Miao still did not react. Shen Yue looked over with a confused look and saw a smile on Shen Miao¡¯s face.


    The girl¡¯s face was still very pale, and her lips were dry. Only her dark eyes were bubbly and tempting.


    Shen Miao¡¯s eyes were the best-looking. They were large and almond-shaped. She was confused and timid like a newborn kitten.


    Now, Shen Yue seemed to have seen a trace of ruthlessness in that pair of almond-shaped eyes, something she had never seen in Shen Miao.


    Shen Yue shuddered. For some reason, she felt an indescribable fear in her heart. It was as if she was not facing a stupid fool but a person of high status.


    Why did she feel that way?


    She naturally did not know that the Shen Miao in front of her was no longer that Shen Miao people used to know. The Shen Miao in front of her was the Shen Miao who had experienced the competition for the throne, the war, the competition for favor, the loss of her son, and the death of her family.


    She was Empress Shen, who had once controlled the palace.


    After a while of silence, Shen Miao rubbed Shen Yue on the head and said softly, ¡°Second Sister, don¡¯t worry. This has nothing to do with First Sister. I accidentally fell into the water.¡±


    ¡°Fifth Sister¡­¡± Shen Yue did not expect Shen Miao to say that. She was stunned for a moment before saying with a shake of her hand,¡± Fifth Sister, you don¡¯t have to make yourself suffer. ¡±


    ¡°Of course not.¡± Shen Miao interrupted her with a smile. ¡°It¡¯s just a small matter. I¡¯m still a little dizzy and want to rest for a while. If there¡¯s anything, let¡¯s talk about it tomorrow.¡±


    At this point, Shen Yue could not say anything else. She found it strange that Shen Miao was not very friendly to her today, but that was probably because Shen Miao made a fool of herself in front of Fu Xiuyi. After saying a few more words, Shen Yue left.


    After Shen Yue left, Gu Yu said, ¡°Our miss was pushed into the water and almost lost her life. Why did she have to beg for mercy on behalf of Eldest Miss?¡± Gu Yu was indirectly reminding Shen Miao that Shen Yue was up to no good.


    ¡°She probably wants to reap the benefits of me arguing with Gu Wing.¡±


    Gu Yu was surprised that Shen Miao could finally see Shen Yue¡¯s true colors. She looked up and saw that there was a serious expression on her miss¡¯s face, making people inexplicably nervous.


    Shen Miao looked at her fingertips.


    Why did Shen Qing push her into the water? It was because she said, ¡°When my father comes back after fighting off the Xiongnu, I¡¯ll get him to marry me to the Duke of Ding.¡±


    Shen Miao felt that they were family, so she didn¡¯t hold back from Shen Qing. Shen Xin was a general in the court, and it was not impossible for him to marry his daughter to a duke.


    But why did Shen Yue want to sow discord between her and Shen Qing?


    Naturally, it was because Shen Yue also liked the Duke of Ding.


    In her previous life, when she was on the verge of death, Shen Yue and Shen Qing told her that they had loved Fu Xiuyi for a long time.


    Since the two of them were infatuated with Fu Xiuyi, Shen Miao would do them the favor.


    She would definitely make their wish come true. The blood debt that the second and third branches owed the entire Shen family in their previous life would be repaid bit by bit from now on.

 Chapter 6

    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    In the early autumn, wild geese lined up and flew across the distant sky towards the warm southern country. The summer leaves in the courtyard began to wither, and the colorful fish in the pond looked colder than usual.


    The girl¡¯s long black hair was combed into a bun with an exquisite coral hairpin. She was dressed in a dark red dress that accentuated her slender figure.


    Bai Lu gently draped the embroidered cloak over Shen Miao and said, ¡°Miss, you¡¯re not fully recovered yet. Be careful not to catch a cold.¡±


    Shen Miao shook her head.


    She was still young and was not as tall as Shen Yue and Shen Qing. Her face was round, and with her usual timid personality, she looked a few years younger than her actual age.


    But today was different.


    Shuang Jiang watched from the side, looking a little confused,


    Today, there was no smile on Shen Miao¡¯s face at all. Like a dignified statue, she stared at the sky nostalgically. It seemed as if she had completely changed overnight.


    Shuang Jiang shook her head, as if this could get rid of the ridiculous thoughts in her mind. She smiled and looked at Shen Miao. ¡°Miss, what are you looking at?¡±


    ¡®After breakfast, Shen Miao stood in the courtyard and looked at the sky in a daze.


    ¡°I¡¯m just wondering if these geese flew from the north to the south through the desert in the northwest,¡± Shen Miao said softly.


    The Northwest Desert was where Shen Xin was stationed. Mrs. Shen and Young Master Shen were both there. According to the letter sent home last month, when the capital had just turned cold, the Northwest was already snowing.


    ¡°Miss, you must be missing Master and Madam.¡± Shuang Jiang smiled and said, ¡°Master will be back at the end of the year. When he sees that you¡¯ve grown taller, he will be very happy.¡±


    Shen Miao smiled, looking somewhat sad.


    The first thing the general, who could only return to the capital once a year, would hear upon returning this year was that Shen Miao, his daughter, would ask him to marry her to the duke of Ding. How happy could he be?


    Moreover, the person Shen Miao wanted to marry was a villain who wanted to use the Shen family¡¯s military power to snatch the throne. At first, the Shen family decided to abstain from the competition for the throne between the princes, but because of Shen Miao, they were involved and ended up being slaughtered.


    Shen Miao closed her eyes.


    However, in just half a year, too many things had happened. Ever since Shen Miao came of age, her marriage had become something that the east courtyard could use against her at any time. It seemed that from this year onwards, the east courtyard was like an evil beast that had shed its disguise, forcing her into a dead end step by step.


    ¡°Miss, Miss?¡± Bai Lu shouted, trying to wake up her miss who was in a daze.


    When Shen Miao came back to her senses, she saw Gu Yu running over and saying, ¡°Miss, the people from Rongjing Hall are rushing us.¡±


    Rongjing Hall was where Old Madam Shen lived. Old Madam Shen sent her maid to see Shen Miao early in the morning. Seeing that Shen Miao was fine, she said that Shen Miao could go and pay her respects to Old Madam Shen after she recovered. In fact, everyone knew if she was asked to go to pay respect but to receive punishment.


    Shen Miao smiled and tightened her cloak. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    In the Shen mansion, the east and west courtyards were separated.


    When Old General Shen was alive, he often did sword dance and practiced martial arts in an empty courtyard in the west courtyard. Later, when Old General Shen passed away, Shen Gui and Shen Wan both became civil servants. Only Shen Xin took over the old general¡¯s mantle. That empty courtyard was given to Shen Xin along with the west courtyard. The east courtyard was spacious, and it was occupied by the third branch, second branch, and Old Madam Shen.

 Chapter 7

    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    In fact, the west courtyard was located in a more remote place than the east courtyard. Even the sunlight was not enough. It occupied an area less than half of what the east courtyard did, so there was really nothing to shout about. However, Shen Xin was quite satisfied. After getting that piece of empty land, he felt that he had gotten a huge bargain. Shen Xin and his wife were both from families of generals. They didn¡¯t desire much. As long as they had a cabin, they wouldn¡¯t fight for a castle.


    Shen Miao used to be very unhappy with the west courtyard that her family occupied. She was envious of the elegance and grandness of the east courtyard and blamed Shen Xin for it. Now, looking back, Shen Miao couldn¡¯t help but laugh at her stupidity.


    Although her courtyard was simple, it was by no means shabby. It was filled with simple elements, unlike the glittering decorations in the east courtyard.


    After turning a corner in the long corridor and passing by an extremely exquisite garden, she walked to the door of Rongjing Hall.


    Probably to create a scholar vibe, Rongjing Hall was decorated very elegantly. There was a plaque hanging at the door, and the copper handle made of pine cranes was exquisite and agile.


    ¡°Fifth Miss is here,¡± Xi¡¯er, who was beside Old Madam Shen, said.


    Shen Miao stepped into the hall.


    The scene in Rongjing Hall was harmonious. Almost everyone was present. The second madam of the Shen family, Ren Wanyun, and the third madam of the Shen family, Chen Ruoqiu, stood next to the old madam. Shen Qing sat beside the old madam with a plate of snacks, and on the other side sat the younger boy of the second madam of the Shen family, Shen Yuanbai. Shen Yuanbai was only five years old. He grabbed the snacks and was about to stuff them into the old madam¡¯s mouth, making her laugh uncontrollably.


    No one seemed to notice Shen Miao¡¯s appearance until Shen Yue smiled and said, ¡°Fifth Sister, why are you here so late? Seventh Brother is about to finish the candies.¡±


    Shen Miao nodded. ¡°I¡¯m probably not fully recovered yet. I was a little dizzy after taking two steps, so I rested for a while on the way. That¡¯s why I came late.¡±


    Everyone in Rongjing Hall fell silent.


    A moment later, Ren Wanyun smiled and said, ¡°I think Shen Miao is really unwell. She has seen the doctor twice in the past few days. Fortunately, she looks fine now.¡±


    ¡°Are you feeling better?¡± A hoarse and stern voice with a trace of impatience was heard saying.


    Shen Miao looked up at Old Madam Shen.


    The smile on Old Madam Shen¡¯s face had disappeared, and she raised her head proudly. She was already 70 years old, but she was still wearing a peach-colored dress with narrow buttons and a green turom button at the collar. Her silver hair was coiled into a bun, decorated with jade beads.


    She was a woman who was very particular about her appearance. In her previous life, when Shen Miao was in Old Madam Shen¡¯s boudoir, she had always thought that Old Madam Shen was the most noble woman. That kind of elegant and beautiful temperament in Old Madam Shen¡¯s later years made Shen Miao fascinated by her. Now, she felt that it was a little ridiculous.


    Old General Shen¡¯s first wife, Shen Xin¡¯s mother, was born into a rich family. She was a true daughter of a rich family. Unfortunately, she died of illness in her middle age. Later, when Old General Shen was marching past a place, he saved a singer from a local ruffian. The singer had nowhere to go and begged to be his concubine. She gave birth to Shen Gui and Shen Wan for Old General Shen and was later made a proper wife.


    The singer became Mrs. Shen and then Old Madam Shen. Her reputation and status had changed, but she was still a despicable person. Shen Miao still remembered that in her previous life, Old Madam Shen forced her to marry the crippled duke of Yuzhou to pave the way for Shen Qing.


    She looked at the woman in front of her. When Old Madam Shen was young, she was beautiful. Her face was sharp, and her eyes were big and watery. When she was old, she was like a drum with two eyes on it.


    Shen Miao, who had been an empress in her previous life, thought to herself and said humbly, ¡°I feel much better after drinking the medicine. Thank you for your concern, Grandma.¡±


    The next second, Old Madam Shen shouted, ¡°You unfilial daughter, kneel down!¡±

 Chapter 8

    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    ¡°Unfilial daughter, kneel down!¡±


    However, Shen Miao did not move.


    Everyone looked at her in surprise. Shen Xin was not in the mansion all year round. Shen Miao was brought up by Old Madam Shen, and Old Madam Shen was strict with her. Shen Miao had a weak and dull personality, and she had never refuted Old Madam Shen¡¯s orders. Why didn¡¯t she kneel today?


    Was it really because when it came to the Duke of Ding, she wouldn¡¯t ever budge?


    ¡°Grandmother, I don¡¯t know what I did wrong,¡± Shen Miao said calmly.


    ¡°Is Fifth Sister crazy from the fever?¡± Shen Yue was the first to speak. She looked anxious. ¡°Grandma was just angry and didn¡¯t really want to punish you. Why are you so stubborn?¡±


    With that, she accused Shen Miao of talking back to her elders.


    ¡°How dare you! This is outrageous!¡± Old Madam Shen sat up straight in anger, and her voice was sharp. Shen Yuanbai was eating the candy in his mouth. After being frightened by Old Madam Shen, he accidentally dropped it and started crying.


    ¡°Seventh Brother, stop crying.¡± Seeing that her youngest son was crying, Ren Wanyun immediately took a few steps forward and hugged him. She looked at Shen Miao with disdain. ¡°Fifth Mother, are you crazy? Who taught you to talk back to your elders?¡±


    Shen Miao looked at Ren Wanyun.


    The second madam, Ren Wanyun, had a plump figure. She was wearing an indigo long-sleeved dress. Her face was rosy and she was fair and chubby. She looked amiable and kind. She usually had a smile on her face and was in charge of the family. Everyone in the Shen family respected her for being fair and just. She was undoubtedly a good madam.


    Shen Miao used to think so too. Later on, when she got married, Shen Xin spent almost half of his family¡¯s assets on dowry. However, when Shen Miao finally arrived at the Duke of Ding¡¯s mansion, the dowry was very little. What happened? Of course, Ren Wanyun stole it.


    Ren Wanyun took away all the valuable things in the dowry. Because of that, Shen Miao was ridiculed by everyone in the Duke of Ding¡¯s manion, including the servants. All thanks to this just and fair madam.


    ¡°Second Aunt, do you also think that I did something wrong?¡± Shen Miao said softly, ¡°But I don¡¯t know what I did wrong.¡±


    ¡°Idiot!¡± Old Madam Shen couldn¡¯t help but curse, ¡°Don¡¯t you know shame? You were peeping at the Duke of Ding and embarrassed our Shen family! How dare you talk back to me? Who taught you to be so shameless!¡±


    Shen Miao sighed. Old Madam Shen was usually very arrogant, but once she opened her mouth, she sounded like a dispicable old woman. Which old madam of a rich family would curse like that? She was just like a prostitute. In her previous life, Shen Miao didn¡¯t think so, but after becoming the empress, she felt that talking to Old Madam Shen was lowering her status.


    ¡°Peeping at the Duke of Ding?¡± She tilted her head and asked in confusion.


    Shen Yue couldn¡¯t help but say, ¡°Fifth Sister, although I know you love the Duke of Ding, you really brought disgrace on the family by peeping at the Duke of Ding and falling into the water because of that. The Duke of Ding must be unhappy. Fifth Sister, you¡¯d better find a chance to apologize to him.¡±


    In previous life, Shen Yue said the same thing, and Old Madam Shen agreed. Shen Miao felt embarrassed and refused, so she was locked up by Old Madam Shen in a fit of anger.


    Shen Yue looked gentle and elegant, but her thoughts were unpredictable. Shen Miao couldn¡¯t help but glance at her.

 Chapter 9

    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    As soon as Shen Yue finished speaking, she saw Shen Miao looking at her. Her grape-like dark eyes were especially clear, as if there was something special in them.


    The next second, she heard Shen Miao¡¯s calm voice. ¡°Second Sister, what do you mean by me loving the Duke of Ding? You can¡¯t spout nonsense. Now that I am an adult, I¡¯m afraid your words will ruin my reputation.¡±


    Shen Yue was stunned.


    Everyone in the capital knew that Shen Miao loved the Duke of Ding, although Shen Miao didn¡¯t say it explicitly. But why was she denying it now?


    She smiled and said, ¡°Fifth Sister, we¡¯re all family here. It¡¯s understandable¡­¡±


    ¡°Second Sister!¡± Just as she was speaking, Shen Miao suddenly interrupted her in a loud voice and said sternly, ¡°Second Sister, be careful with your words. As the saying goes, trouble comes from the mouth. As a noble family, we have to be careful with our words and actions. In the past, I was young and insensible. I¡¯m afraid I did something that caused people to misunderstand me. However, what happened the day before was a lesson. I will restrain my words and actions in the future. Please don¡¯t say such things.¡±


    Hearing that, everyone in the room, including Old Madam Shen, was stunned.


    Shen Miao was usually gentle and timid. She never spoke loudly and was obedient. When had she ever spoken so harshly?


    A glint flashed across Chen Ruoqiu¡¯s eyes as she said gently, ¡°It¡¯s not easy to tell if you like the Duke of Ding or not. After all, no one can guess what a girl is thinking. However, you have to listen to Auntie. Your second sister is right. His Highness is noble. No matter what, you have to apologize to him.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Old Madam Shen also came back to her senses and said, ¡°Tomorrow, go and personally apologize to the Duke of Ding.¡±


    Shen Miao was so angry that she almost laughed. These words could only fool her in her previous life. She was the daughter of a military family and had a noble status. Why should she have to apologize to the Duke of Ding? If she did, wouldn¡¯t his father be embarrassed and looked down by his subordinates?


    She finally understood that the old madam just didn¡¯t like Shen Xin. She couldn¡¯t wait for Shen Xin to make a fool of himself.


    But how could there be such a good thing in the world?


    Shen Miao smiled and looked at Shen Qing, who had been silent since the beginning. She said, ¡°Big Sister, when I fell into the water that day, you were the only one by my side.¡±


    Shen Qing looked up and nodded with a calm expression. She had already thought it through. Shen Miao would definitely say that she pushed her into the water next, but Shen Qing was not afraid at all. The people in charge of the Shen family were Old Madam Shen and Ren Wanyun. On the surface, Shen Miao was a miss, but in reality, she was just a neglected daughter. As long as she insisted that she did not do anything, Old Madam Shen and Ren Wanyun would side with her. If Shen Miao lied, she would definitely be despised by Old Madam Shen and would even be severely punished. She deserved it! Who asked her, a vulgar and ignorant daughter, to want to snatch the Duke of Ding from her? Why didn¡¯t she just drown Shen Miao that day!


    ¡°First Sister, did you see the Duke of Ding that day?¡± Shen Miao asked a question Shen Qing didn¡¯t expect.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Shen Qing replied.


    ¡°That¡¯s right. The day before yesterday, I was playing with my elder sister by the pond and accidentally fell into the water. I happened to bump into the Duke of Ding, who was passing by the Shen family¡¯s mansion.¡± Shen Miao shook her head. ¡°If you said I went to peek at the Duke of Ding, then let me ask you one thing. How did I get the news that the Duke of Ding would be there? Second Uncle and Third Uncle¡¯s manservant have no reason to tell me that. How could I know that the Duke of Ding would suddenly come to the Shen mansion? I¡¯m not a prophet, am I? Or¡­¡± She said leisurely, ¡°Could it be that the Duke of Ding sent an invitation to our mansion?¡±


    Shen Qing did not understand what Shen Miao meant by that. She frowned and was about to refute when she heard her mother, Ren Wanyun, suddenly shout, ¡°Nonsense!¡± Her voice was filled with panic.


    Shen Miao glanced at the pale Ren Wanyun and the suddenly nervous Chen Ruoqiu and smiled.


    The emperor hated it when officials and princes got too close. If the Duke of Ding really sent an invitation, what would be the content of the invitation? Was it about the future crown prince?


    There were thousands of eyes and ears in the world. Who knew if there would be spies from the Tian family in the Shen family?


    With just a word from Shen Miao, this became a matter of loyalty. Shen Xin was in the Northwest, so there was naturally no problem. However, Shen Gui and Shen Wan were still working in the imperial court.


    Shen Yue and Shen Qing did not understand this, but Ren Wanyun and Chen Ruoqiu definitely did.


    Shen Miao sneered in her heart. If they wanted to trample on her reputation, she would use Shen Gui and Shen Wan¡¯s heads as a bet. She didn¡¯t know her second and third aunt would be willing to bet with her.

 Chapter 10

    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    Shen Qing looked at her mother in confusion. Although she was indignant, she kept quiet.


    Although Shen Yue did not understand what Shen Miao meant, she could still tell something from the nervous expression on Chen Ruoqiu¡¯s face, so she stood there obediently without making a sound.


    Old Madam Shen frowned. Although she had been with Old General Shen for so many years, she did not understand the twists and turns of the bureaucracy. Her entire world was within this mansion surrounded by walls, so she could not tell what Shen Miao meant. She felt that Shen Miao had taken the wrong medicine today and had offended her dignity as the head of the family. She was about to flare up.


    ¡°You are right.¡± Ren Wanyun smiled and interrupted Old Madam Shen. ¡°It was just a misunderstanding in the first place. How can the news of what happened in the front hall spread to the backyard? It¡¯s just a coincidence. The Duke of Ding is broad-minded and won¡¯t take it seriously. It¡¯s all a misunderstanding. Poor Little Girl, it must be painful to fall into the water.¡±


    Old Madam Shen opened her mouth, a little unhappy that her second daughter-in-law suddenly interrupted her. However, Ren Wanyun¡¯s family was a famous merchant family in Ming Qi. Most of the expenses in the Shen family were subsidized by her second daughter-in-law. Although she was unhappy, she did not want to offend her. With a snort, Old Madam Shen fell into silence.


    Chen Ruoqiu also realized something and quickly went along with what Ren Wanyun said. ¡°That¡¯s right. Shen Yue and Shen Qing, don¡¯t say that again in the future. It¡¯s just that Shen Miao accidentally fell into the water and was seen by the Duke of Ding. There are all kinds of coincidences in the world.¡± She smiled and looked at Shen Miao. ¡°Old Madam is just worried about you. She¡¯s not really angry with you.¡±


    Shen Miao looked at the woman in front of her. Shen Yue looked like Chen Ruoqiu and had a similar temperament. Chen Ruoqiu came from a scholarly family and was pretty. Normally, when she walked and spoke, she was gentle and elegant. She was beautiful but not frivolous. Such a woman looked easy to get along with. But what happened later proved Shen Miao wrong¡­


    Later, the Xiongnu envoy asked for a marriage alliance. There was only one princess of suitable age in the palace, and that was Wanyu. Chen Ruoqiu said that she was willing to marry the prince of Xiongnu in place of Wanyu. However, Shen Yue was not a princess, so Fu Xiuyi conferred the title of Princess Yue Ru on her. This way, she could rightfully marry the prince.


    But in the end, it was still Wanyu who was sent to Xiongnu.


    After Wanyu died on the road of marriage, her palace was given to Princess Yue Ru, who accepted everything without guilt.


    At that time, Wanyu was not even sixteen years old.


    Shen Miao closed her eyes. Chen Ruoqiu and Concubine Mei probably had already reached an agreement. They wanted to see Shen Miao think that there was hope until they broke her hope in front of her.


    Chen Ruoqiu¡¯s smile froze.


    The girl opposite her looked at her. She had a round face, round eyes, and a round nose. With such a face and a timid expression, it was easy for people to think that she was stupid and weak.


    But now, it was different. The timid expression was gone, and it was replaced by a solemn expression. It was not a seriousness induced by anxiety, but a seriousness that came from the bottom of her heart. For a moment, Chen Ruoqiu suddenly felt that Shen Miao was not the stupid daughter of the eldest branch of the family anymore, but someone of high status.


    The next second, the girl smiled at her. ¡°Now Third Aunt also thinks I am innocent, right?¡±

 Chapter 11

    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    Chen Ruoqiu was stunned. She looked at the old madam, who was obviously unhappy, and said reluctantly, ¡°Although that¡¯s the case, it¡¯s really too careless of you to fall into the pond. How do the maids around her take care of her? In my opinion, it¡¯s better to replace these maids.¡±


    Shen Miao lowered her head. ¡°Why does Third Aunt want to replace Gu Yu and the others? They were all left to me by my father and mother. Now, many people in the West Courtyard have changed. I don¡¯t know any of the second-class maids who were recruited here a few days ago. If you replace Gu Yu and the others, I won¡¯t know who to talk to in the West Courtyard.¡±


    Ren Wanyun stopped smiling.


    In the west courtyard, Shen Xin and his wife were not in the capital all year round. Almost all the servants in the courtyard had been replaced. There were people from the old madam, the second branch, and the third branch. However, because Second Madam was managing the house, there were naturally more people from the second branch. If outsiders heard this, they would think that it was because the second and third branches were up to no good that the daughter of the first branch did not know a single servant in her own courtyard.


    Ren Wanyun glanced at Chen Ruoqiu and then said to Shen Miao, ¡°Your third aunt is just joking with you. Gu Yu and the other girls are just careless. Our Shen family is kind-hearted and won¡¯t do such an inhumane thing. Don¡¯t be anxious.¡±


    Shen Yuanbai looked at his mother, then at Chen Ruoqiu, and yawned. Old Madam Shen was a little impatient with the verbal battle between her second and third daughters-in-law. Seeing this, she said, ¡°It¡¯s done. It¡¯s just some trivial matters. Second Madam, bring Yunbai over and then you all can disperse. You people are giving me a headache.¡±


    Ren Wanyun quickly carried Shen Yuanbai to Old Madam Shen¡¯s bed and said, ¡°Mother, then we¡¯ll leave first. Yuanbai, be a good boy when you play with grandma.¡±


    Chen Ruoqiu glanced at Shen Yuanbai, placed her hands on her stomach, and slowly walked out of Rongjing Hall. The second branch had a son, and Old Madam Shen thought highly of him. No matter how capable she was, she only had a daughter. In the Shen family, the things of the first branch would be snatched away sooner or later. If she had a son, she would at least be on par with the second branch¡­


    As she thought, Chen Ruoqiu raised her head and her gaze landed on the few people heading towards the west courtyard.


    The girl was wearing a dark red dress. She had always liked to wear bright colors, and without her parents by her side, she did not know how to dress up.


    Now, the dark red color made her skin look even fairer. She still looked the same, but her aura became more powerful.


    Gu Yu whispered, ¡°Miss, you¡¯re not fully recovered yet. Why are you in a hurry to go to Guangwen Hall? Since you¡¯ve already explained your condition, there¡¯s no hurry to go to school.¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Shen Miao interrupted her. ¡°Prepare the carriage immediately.¡±


    For some reason, Gu Yu shivered with fright and did not dare to ask anything.

 Chapter 12

    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    Guangwen Hall was a school in the capital.


    The officials and nobles of Ming Qi sent their sons and girls to the Guangwen Hall. The men of the Guangwen Hall were all famous scholars. The young children of the nobles who could enter Guangwen Hall would be respected.


    Shen Miao also studied at Guangwen Hall.


    Unfortunately, Shen Xin and Mrs. Shen were both from military families, and Shen Miao¡¯s elder brother, Shen Qiu, wasn¡¯t cut out for study at all. Shen Miao had been raised by Old Madam Shen since she was young. Old Madam Shen was a singer and could not read a word. Shen Miao¡¯s first lesson was taught by Third Madam Shen, Chen Ruoqiu. Chen Ruoqiu came from a scholarly family, but what she taught Shen Miao back then was all thick and complicated textbooks. Children were playful to begin with, so after studying for some time, Shen Miao began to hate reading and writing.


    Seeing that Shen Miao did not like to study, Chen Ruoqiu did not force her. She taught her how to eat, wear, and gave her a pampered life. Later, when she was old, she went to Guangwen Hall. Shen Miao could not keep up with the knowledge of the teacher¡¯s lecture no matter what. She was even worse than a first-year student. Later on, she came last in the exam. After a while, Shen Miao disliked studying even more, and she became famous for being ignorant and stupid.


    Among the three daughters of the Shen family, Shen Yue was the most famous. She was good at music, chess, calligraphy, and painting. Although Shen Qing was not as outstanding as Shen Yue, she still did a good job, especially good at embroidery. She was also the best at math. For girls who would eventually manage a house, being good at math was an outstanding quality.


    The more outstanding Shen Yue and Shen Qing were, the more Shen Miao looked like she was not good at anything.


    In the carriage, Jingzhe asked, ¡°Miss, why aren¡¯t you traveling with the first and second Miss?¡±


    Normally, Shen Miao would always ride in the same carriage as Shen Qing and Shen Yue. Shen Miao felt with her cousins around, she would feel more emboldened. As for Shen Yue and Shen Qing, they probably just wanted a stupid sister to contrast them.


    But now, Shen Miao didn¡¯t want to pretend anymore.


    ¡°We¡¯re not from the same family to begin with, and our paths are completely different. How can we go together?¡±


    Jingzhe stuck out her tongue. Not knowing why, she felt like her Miss was getting more and more incomprehensible, but she felt that this was good. Shen Miao had always been too weak-tempered and was controlled by the second and third branches. Now after falling into the water, she seemed to have picked up some intelligence. This was only right. The first branch¡¯s daughter shouldn¡¯t be inferior to everyone in terms of status.


    In the other carriage, Shen Yue lifted the curtain and looked behind. She said softly, ¡°Eldest Sister, Fifth Sister is following behind.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s deliberately throwing a tantrum at me.¡± Shen Qing snorted. In front of Shen Yue, she never hid her contempt for Shen Miao. ¡°Let her be. Anyway, I won¡¯t be the one who loses face in the end.¡±


    Shen Yue said worriedly, ¡°But she caught a cold. Besides¡­¡±


    ¡°Shen Yue?¡± Shen Qing said, ¡°Do you think I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re thinking? Stop pretending to be a good person. If you really care about her, go sit in her carriage. Why tell me?¡±


    Shen Yue bit her lip and lowered her head, not saying anything else.


    After half an hour, the carriage finally arrived at Guangwen hall.


    It was still early, and the class had not started yet. Most of the second-year students had arrived and were sitting in the classroom talking. As soon as Shen Yue and Shen Qing arrived, girls immediately greeted them warmly.


    In Guangwen Hall, Shen Yue was the top female student. She was beautiful, humble, and gentle, so she was naturally popular. Although Shen Qing was not as talented as Shen Yue, she was capable and outgoing. The noble ladies liked her very much.


    A girl in pink said, ¡°Yue, why isn¡¯t Shen Miao here today?¡± Usually, Shen Miao followed Shen Yue and Shen Qing like a maid, but today, she was missing, which was a little strange.


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid she¡¯s too ashamed to come.¡± The girl who said this was pretty, but her voice was a little loud. She had a mocking expression on her face. ¡°I heard that she fell into the water while peeping at the Duke of Ding.¡±


    ¡°Peilan, it¡¯s not like that¡­¡± Shen Yue shook her head.


    ¡°You¡¯re too protective of your sister.¡± Yi Peilan said, ¡°She¡¯s such a stupid girl. She doesn¡¯t look like a girl from your Shen family at all. But she¡¯s really an eye-opener. She looks timid usually, but she¡¯s very brave when she meets the Duke of Ding. People who don¡¯t know her might think that she¡¯s an uneducated girl raised by a peasant family.¡±


    Hearing that, Shen Qing smiled and said, ¡°Fifth Sister is just being naughty.¡±


    ¡°I think it¡¯s because General Shen and Mrs. Shen aren¡¯t around to educate her.¡± Another girl with a ponytail said, ¡°She doesn¡¯t know what proper etiquette is.¡±


    ¡°Caixuan, you¡¯re wrong.¡± Shen Yue said gently, ¡°Although First Uncle and First Auntie are not in the capital, Fifth Sister has been raised by Grandma. My mother and Second Aunt have been teaching her well.¡±


    In other words, shamelessness was something Shen Miao was born with. It had nothing to do with the education she received.


    As expected, as soon as Shen Yue said that, Yi Peilan said, ¡°It¡¯s strange. You are all raised by the same family. Yue, Qing, you two are really different from Shen Miao. She is just useless.¡± As she spoke, she giggled. The ladies around her all laughed. Even the young men couldn¡¯t help but look at her.


    The next moment, someone shouted, ¡°Look, Shen Miao is here!¡±


    Everyone looked at the door, waiting to watch a good show.


    A young girl slowly walked in from the door. She was wearing a dark red dress with a pair of red thread and a dark blue embroidered cloak. This color was too old for a girl, especially since Shen Miao was born with a round face. If she was not careful, she would look like a child who had stolen the clothes of her elders.


    Her footsteps were very slow, and the corners of her dress did not move at all. Although her steps were light, they were extremely heavy. For some reason, she gave people a feeling that she was graceful and magnanimous. Her chin was slightly raised, and her eyes were calm. As a result, her puppy-like eyes looked like a bottomless pit. All her strength was contained in them, and she was like a ferocious beast that had taken in its claws.


    Her facial features were still pleasing to the eye, and they looked cute because of their roundness. Now, there was no trace of stupidity, because she had not grown up yet. Coupled with her dignified bearing, the dress matched her quite well.


    She did not look like a girl. Instead, she looked like¡­ one of those rich ladies who were in high positions, or the madam of the powerful family.


    The school gradually quietened down.

 Chapter 13

    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    What was Shen Miao like?


    If anyone asked the students of Guangwen Hall, they would probably know. She was stupid and timid, always pretending to be a virtuous girl.


    There was nothing special about her appearance, and her temperament was not outstanding. The fact that she was infatuated with the Duke of Ding was known by people throughout the capital.


    Therefore, if one were to ask who the most outstanding woman in Guangwen Hall was, it would naturally be Shen Yue. If one were to ask who the most vulgar woman was, it would naturally be Shen Miao.


    They were both from the Shen family, but their images were completely different. Everyone was used to Shen Miao, who was like a maid beside Shen Yue. One day, when Shen Miao became someone else, everyone was not used to it.


    Yi Peilan nudged Shen Yue. ¡°Yue, is your sister crazy? Why does she look like a different person today?¡±


    Shen Yue looked at Shen Miao, feeling a little puzzled. It seemed that ever since Shen Miao woke up, her personality had changed a lot. Could it be that she had suffered a huge blow, so her mind wasn¡¯t right? Just as she was about to speak, her good friend, Jiang Caixuan, said, ¡°Shen Miao, I heard that you fell into the water. Why, have you recovered from the cold?¡±


    If it were the usual Shen Miao, she would definitely look at Shen Yue at a loss and beg her to speak up for her. However, today, she only glanced at Jiang Caixuan and said indifferently, ¡°I¡¯m alright, thank you for your concern.¡±


    Jiang Caixuan was stunned, and so was everyone in the school. Perhaps not expecting Shen Miao to be so indifferent, Jiang Caixuan felt that Shen Miao¡¯s attitude was extremely annoying. She immediately said, ¡°Since you¡¯ve recovered from the cold, don¡¯t you think it¡¯s wrong to come to the school instead of going to apologize to the Duke of Ding?¡±


    Shen Miao took a deep breath. No matter if it was the boys or girls around her, they had no intention of speaking up for her. She had no friends to begin with, and watching Shen Miao make a fool of herself was probably the only fun these noble children had in the school.


    She glanced at the crowd and then at the gloating look in Shen Qing¡¯s eyes. Just as Shen Miao was about to speak, she heard Shen Yue say, ¡°Your Highness is magnanimous and won¡¯t blame Fifth Sister for such a small matter. Fifth Sister naturally came to the school because she is thirsty for knowledge.¡±


    ¡°Thirsty for knowledge?¡± The young man on the other side couldn¡¯t help but laugh. He had secretly admired Shen Yue for a long time and usually looked down on Shen Miao. He felt that having a sister like Shen Miao was simply a tragedy for Shen Yue. He said, ¡°Shen Yue, if you want to help this sister, you don¡¯t have to use such a phrase. Thirsty for knowledge¡­ She doesn¡¯t even have the knowledge of first grade! Besides¡­¡± He sized up Shen Miao maliciously and continued, ¡°Who knows if she fell into the water on purpose or not? Falling into the water is a typical scene in plays where women want to win pity from their Prince Charming. However, she probably didn¡¯t expect the ending to be different from what the plays show!¡± After saying that, he probably found it interesting and laughed loudly.


    He was the leader of this group of youths. As soon as he said that, the surrounding youths laughed. The noble ladies around Shen Yue also found it funny. For a moment, the laughter surrounded Shen Miao, and the gazes that landed on her were filled with malice.


    Words were the most hurtful weapon. In her previous life, such a scene had happened countless times. She was used to being looked down on, insulted, and mocked, and she was even more unwilling to take the initiative to change people¡¯s mind. In the end, Shen Yue and Shen Qing became friends with all these noble children, while she became more and more distant from this circle.


    She used to think that this was the greatest misfortune, but compared to the tragedies that happened later in her previous life, these were nothing. These young men and women were about the same age as Wanyu and Fu Mingda. Were these really her enemies?


    Of course not. These noble children were either rich or noble, and there was no lack of large families among them. What happened to the large families in their previous lives? They were all killed by the late emperor and Fu Xiuyi one by one. For example, the person in front of her who mocked her, Shen Yue¡¯s admirer, the eldest son of a courtier, the Cai family, Cai Lin. A few years later, because the Cai family was involved in a corruption case, they were sent to the labor camp.


    These teenagers were not her enemy, and some of them were even on the same side with her.


    There was no need to turn an alliance into an enemy. In her previous life, when she was the Empress, Shen Miao had learned a lot.


    ¡°Cai Lin, how can you say that about Fifth Sister?¡± When everyone was done laughing, Shen Yue suddenly said, ¡°Fifth Sister is not that kind of person.¡±


    ¡°Cai Lin,¡± Shen Miao interrupted Shen Yue and said calmly, ¡°Who told you that I fell into the water because I¡¯m infatuated with the Duke of Ding?¡±


    Saying it out loud like that should have made people laugh, but when Shen Miao said this, she was calm and her tone was very indifferent, which stunned everyone.


    Cai Lin was the little tyrant here. Usually, when Shen Miao saw him, she did not dare to say anything. Moreover, there was a hint of order in her tone. For some reason, Cai Lin was scared. He continued in a much softer tone, ¡°Isn¡¯t that so?¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡± Shen Miao muttered to herself. Suddenly, she smiled and looked at Shen Yue and Shen Qing.¡± First Sister, Second Sister, it¡¯s fine if he doesn¡¯t know, but don¡¯t you know? Why don¡¯t you defend me? ¡±


    Shen Yue and Shen Qing were stunned at the same time. They suddenly remembered what their mother told them not to say anything wrong about Shen Miao falling into the water. Shen Qing was more considerate than Shen Yue and immediately said, ¡°Yes, don¡¯t spout nonsense. At that time, I was with Fifth Sister. I saw with my own eyes that Fifth Sister accidentally slipped into the water. At that time, the Duke of Ding happened to pass by, so he saw it. It has nothing to do with love.¡±


    Although no one believed her, they were not as serious as before. Shen Miao said, ¡°You spout nonsense without having any evidence. I think Guangwen Hall needs to teach you about morals more than knowledge. Moreover, love is a beautiful word. Why do you make it sound like a nasty word? I, Shen Miao, love someone, but I also have to love with dignity. Your Highness, the Duke of Ding, is a noble. How can I have designs on him? You are all wrong.¡±


    In this world, it was very difficult to change an impression at once. Moreover, everyone knew that she was infatuated with Fu Xiuyi. No one would believe that she did not love him now.


    But no matter what, she had to draw a line.


    Before she could finish her sentence, she heard a praising voice. ¡°Love with dignity. Well said!¡±

 Chapter 14

    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    A young man walked in from outside. He looked to be in his early twenties. He was dressed in a green robe and had straight eyebrows. He looked like a gentleman despite being thin. He walked in and praised, ¡°You¡¯re right. Everyone should love with dignity. I don¡¯t mean to mock you. Although in Guangwen Hall, we teach knowledge, we also need to teach morals.¡±


    The students fell silent.


    Shen Miao stared at the young man.


    Pei Lang was a teacher from Guangwen Hall. He was both talented and virtuous. He was the only man in Guangwen Hall who could enter the hall to teach as a scholar. Scholar Pei was gentle and patient. Compared to other strict teachers, he was more respected among the students. Even someone like Shen Miao, who was always at the bottom of the class, was never scolded by Scholar Pei. He would always explain patiently.


    If that was the case, this person was indeed a good gentleman. Unfortunately, Shen Miao also knew his other identity.


    He was Fu Xiuyi¡¯s most trusted aide. After Fu Xiuyi ascended the throne, he was conferred the title of chief state strategist.


    As the chief state strategist, he had indeed done a good job. Shen Miao thought that Pei Lang was an intelligent and upright person, but when the crown prince was deposed, he did not do anything.


    The personal relationship between Shen Miao and Pei Lang was not bad. Back then, it was Pei Lang who suggested that Shen Miao go to the State of Qin to be a hostage. Pei Lang said, ¡°This is all for the sake of Ming Qi¡¯s empire. If you can go and help His Majesty, in the future, the whole empire will be grateful to you.¡±


    However, in fact, when she returned to the palace five years later, Concubine Mei came out of nowhere, and these subordinates of Pei Lang, who used to respect her, started to be wary of her.


    When the crown prince was deposed, Shen Miao even knelt down and begged Pei Lang because he was Fu Xiuyi¡¯s trusted aide. As long as Pei Lang asked, Fu Xiuyi would definitely listen to him. However, Pei Lang helped her up and said to her, ¡°Your Majesty, I can¡¯t do anything about it.¡±


    ¡°Pei Lang! Are you going to watch the crown prince be deposed? You know very well that deposing the crown prince is not right!¡± She was furious and questioned him.


    ¡°This is inevitable. Your Highness, accept your fate.¡± Pei Lang sighed.


    Accept your fate.


    Shen Miao stared at the young man in front of her. He was righteous, and he was cruel. He was good-tempered, and he was also cold-blooded. As an official, Pei Lang was a loyal one. However¡­ as long as he was Fu Xiuyi¡¯s aide, he was her enemy.


    At this moment, Fu Xiuyi should not have persuaded Scholar Pei to join him yet. Then, should she cut off the possibility of Scholar Pei teaming up with Fu Xiuyi? Or should she¡­ just kill him in the cradle.


    Only then did Scholar Pei put down the book in his hand. He was sensitive enough to sense a gaze on him. He looked up and met Shen Miao¡¯s strange gaze.


    Shen Miao sat at the back, staring hard at Pei Liang. Only then did Scholar Pei feel that this gaze contained a kind of scrutiny and judgment, as if she was weighing the pros and cons and judging something.


    He paused, wanting to see Shen Miao¡¯s expression clearly again, when he saw the girl pick up the pen on the table and lower her head. Pei Lang smiled and shook his head, thinking to himself that that kind of expressions couldn¡¯t possibly belong to Shen Miao, who was the stupidest and most timid girl in Guangwen Hall.

 Chapter 15

    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    He adjusted his things and started today¡¯s lesson.


    All the second-year students were a little sleepy.


    The textbooks were boring. No matter how brilliant Scholar Pei¡¯s teaching was, his students were all just teenagers who were 14 or 15 years old. They were at an age where they would cause trouble. In addition, the weather in the autumn was making everyone lethargic and sleepy.


    If it were any other teacher, they would definitely start reprimanding them with a ruler. However, Pei Lang was the gentlest person and never punished his students. Therefore, in his class, everyone was the bravest. Apart from Shen Qing, who was usually first in the class, everyone else was doing their own thing.


    But today, Shen Miao was different.


    She stared at Scholar Pei without blinking. She sat upright and seemed to be listening attentively. This was really unbelievable. Because she hated studying the most, she was not interested in books. It was already a miracle that she was not asleep, but she was actually listening to the class seriously.


    Sitting at the same table with Shen Miao was a beautiful girl wearing a thin dress with embroidered chrysanthemums. She looked a little arrogant. Seeing Shen Miao like this, she couldn¡¯t help but look surprised. From time to time, she would glance at Shen Miao.


    Shen Miao couldn¡¯t care less. In her previous life, she wasn¡¯t interested in books. However, after she became the Empress, she had to pick up the books again in order to prove herself a qualified Empress.


    She just wanted to try harder to see what kind of person Scholar Pei was.


    Only then could she know what kind of method was more suitable to use on this person.


    In the eyes of the girl beside her, her focused expression was already very unusual. After the math class ended and Pei Xiu left, Shen Miao looked away.


    The girl beside her nudged her and said in surprise, ¡°Shen Miao, are you possessed?¡±


    ¡°Why do you say that?¡± Shen Miao asked. The girl was called Feng Anning, the daughter of a high official.


    Feng Anning had been pampered since she was young. However, in her previous life, Master Feng took the wrong side. After the new emperor ascended the throne, Master Feng was fired immediately. In order to protect their daughter, the Feng family had to marry her to a distant cousin. After that, the Feng family went downhill, and after Feng Anning got married, she did not have a good ending. That cousin was also a good-for-nothing. In less than a year after Feng Anning married into the family, he had a mistress and a son. He even called her a burden left behind by the Feng family.


    Looking at the arrogant girl in front of her, Shen Miao felt sorry for her miserable ending.


    Looking at the young men and women of Guangwen Hall now, Shen Miao felt like she was looking at her own children. It was difficult for her to be angry. Other than despicable people like Shen Qing and Shen Yue, most people were just children who had been spoiled. And these young men and women who had been pampered and raised would experience the cruelty of fate in the next ten years or so.


    Seeing that she did not speak, Feng Anning was a little unhappy and said, ¡°Are you deliberately ignoring me? Shen Miao, are you working hard for the test this month? I heard from your sister that you want to come out on top in this test to impress the Duke¡­ Impress someone!¡±


    ¡°Test?¡± Shen Miao raised an eyebrow.

 Chapter 16

    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    The Guangwen Hall test was held every October.


    It was a test for every student in the school. The especially outstanding students would be able to enter the talent exhibition. Most importantly, there would be many scholars watching that day, and the princes would also be watching from the side. If there were good students, they might be able to enter the official career path.


    In short, it was always a good thing to show off their talent to others. Therefore, every year, everyone tries their best to get famous.


    In the second year, Shen Yue was the most talented. Every year, she would be the only one who could perform well in the test. Although Shen Qing was not as good as Shen Yue in poetry, she was ranked at the top in terms of mathematics.


    The person at the bottom was Shen Miao. She did not have any talents, and she knew nothing about mathematics and poetry. Every time she made a fool of herself on the day of the test, it was very difficult for her to pass the test, let alone show her talent. In her previous life, Shen Miao was most afraid of the annual test. However, looking at Shen Yue and Shen Qing on the stage, she was envious.


    Now that she looked at it again, she felt that it was just a fight between children. She had seen all kinds of situations, and she really did not care about the test.


    She glanced at Feng Anning and said, ¡°I¡¯ve never thought about competing for a ranking since I¡¯m already at the bottom. What¡¯s there to compete for?¡±


    Feng Anning was slightly stunned. She did not expect Shen Miao to say the truth so openly. She sized up Shen Miao carefully and asked, ¡°Did you really get hurt so much that your temperament changed?¡±


    Shen Miao seemed to have changed into a different person overnight. She was calm, honest, and generous. She actually had a calmness that was not expected of someone her age.


    ¡°Yes.¡± Shen Miao smiled and didn¡¯t say anything else.


    Perhaps it was because youths of this age would instinctively feel respect or envy towards people who were more mature than them. Shen Miao¡¯s attitude actually made Feng Anning treat her better.


    After the math lesson was done, the students went to the garden outside the Guangwen Hall to rest and play. The girls were all playing chess or discussing new poems in the school, but suddenly they heard a sound outside.


    ¡°What¡¯s that sound?¡± Yi Peilan turned around.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go out and take a look,¡± Jiang Caixuan suggested. She pulled Shen Yue up and said, ¡°Let¡¯s go and see what¡¯s going on.¡±


    Shen Miao had no intention of joining in the fun, but Feng Anning turned around after taking two steps. She thought for a moment and grabbed Shen Miao¡¯s hand. ¡°Let¡¯s go and see it together!¡±


    Shen Miao was a little surprised because Feng Anning had never liked her. While still in a daze, she was already dragged out of the school by Feng Anning.


    Outside, many students had already gathered at the door. When they saw Feng Anning pulling Shen Miao over, they all looked at her in surprise. Shen Yue frowned, but she did not say anything. When Shen Qing saw this, she snorted. Ever since she found out that Shen Miao also liked the Duke of Ding, she did not even bother to pretend to be friendly with her.


    However, what was surprising was not this. Just as Cai Lin squeezed out of the crowd, she saw the people outside and shouted in surprise, ¡°It¡¯s Young Marquis Hou!¡±


    Young Marquis Hou? Shen Miao looked out.


    Outside the red gate of Guangwen Hall stood a red horse. The horse¡¯s skin was shiny and smooth, and it was obvious that it was a rare horse. The horse kicked its front hooves proudly, and its elegant figure attracted everyone¡¯s attention.


    However, it was not as dazzling as the person on the horse.


    The young man sat upright on the back of the horse. He was wearing a narrow brocade robe with black clouds embroidered on it and a dark purple mink coat. His right hand was casually playing with the whip in his hand. He had sharp eyebrows and bright eyes, and his facial features were extremely handsome. The corners of his mouth were slightly curled into a faint smile, but his eyes were very cold.


    A girl in the crowd immediately blushed. Without caring about etiquettes, a girl boldly folded a handkerchief and threw it at the boy. Ming Qi had always been an open-minded nation, especially when it came to the rules of the boys and girls.


    The handkerchief landed in the young man¡¯s arms. He reached out to take it and smiled. The girl who threw the handkerchief immediately rubbed her chest and blushed.


    The next moment, the young man¡¯s mischievous smile disappeared in an instant. The handkerchief fluttered to the ground and landed under the hooves of the red horse.


    He sat up straight. He looked both aggressive and attractive at the same time.


    What a cold and evil person.


    Yi Peilan muttered, ¡°It¡¯s Young Master Xie.¡±


    Shen Miao raised an eyebrow. It was the Young Marquis of the Xie family, Xie Jingxing.


    The families in Ming Qi today had more or less earned their titles by fighting alone with the late emperor since the founding of the country. After generations of people, some families only had names left, but their fortunes were all gone, and some were getting ever more prosperous.


    The Shen family had been leading troops to war for several generations and was recognized as an honest family, but the Xie family had a large number of soldiers, so even the current emperor couldn¡¯t do anything to them.


    Perhaps it was because the Xie family had always been rebellious. For example, they refused the order to retreat while in a war, saying, ¡°When soldiers are on the battlefield, they have a right to decide for them what to do.¡± However, the emperor was always helpless against the Xie family because they were invincible.


    The Shen family and the Xie family were enemies to begin with. Of course, it was because the late emperor deliberately estranged them and sowed discord between the two families, so that he could keep both of the families in check and stabilize the imperial court. The political opinions of Shen Xin and Marquis Xie had never been the same. Shen Xin could not stand the fact that Xie Ding was radical and treacherous on the battlefield, and his methods were not orthodox. Xie Ding could not stand the fact that Shen Xin had to read military books when fighting a war. He was old-fashioned and did not know how to be flexible. Other than quarreling in the royal court, the two families had no contact. The late emperor was obviously happy to see this.


    After Xie Ding¡¯s wife passed away, he did not marry. He only had a concubine who gave birth to two sons. In other words, Xie Jingxing had two younger brothers. Perhaps it was because Xie Ding felt sorry for his son not having a mother since he was young, so he tried his best to make it up to him. He doted on Xie Jingxing and made him a lawless hooligan.


    However, even so, Xie Jingxing was still a brilliant person. Other than being stubborn and cold by nature, he was smart, good-looking, and had a good family background. Otherwise, there wouldn¡¯t be so many girls who secretly admired him.


    Unfortunately, Shen Miao sighed in her heart. Such an outstanding young man ended up being stabbed in the heart by ten thousand arrows and skinned alive.


    Perhaps because the pity and sympathy in her eyes was too obvious, the young man suddenly looked at her, his eyes as deep as the ocean.

 Chapter 17

    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    Shen Miao lowered her head and pretended to be shy.


    Xie Jingxing died when he was 26 years old.


    The Fu family wanted to punish the Xie family. The more time passed, the more muddle-headed and incompetent the imperial family of Ming Qi became. They were not thinking about how to develop the country, but how to protect themselves. The big families were a threat. The Shen family had been honest and well-behaved, but they were still beheaded, so naturally the Xie family, known for their rebellious attitude, would be the first in the list to be eradicated.


    When the Xiongnu invaded, the Xie family led their troops to war. General Xie, who had been cocky on the battlefield his entire life, was finally wiped out. Xie Jingxing waited at the capital for his father to return, but in the end, he waited for the arrival of a coffin.


    When he was buried, the people of the capital came out to send him off. The entire country cried and mourned. This was a huge taboo for the royal family.


    Not long after, Xie JIngxing was appointed by the emperor to go to war in place of his father.


    This was not the first time Xie Jingxing had been on the battlefield. Just like the Xie family, the talent he displayed on the battlefield was enough to make enemies tremble in fear. However, He felt that there was something fishy about his father¡¯s death and the emperor asking him to go to war before he could properly bury his father.


    Xie Jingxing still accepted the imperial edict and went to the battlefield. Then, he was defeated. That day, he was exposed to the enemy¡¯s target and was stabbed in the heart by ten thousand arrows. Not only that, for some reason, his corpse was taken away, and the Xiongnu skinned and dried it, leaving it on the city gate tower as a warning.


    The tragic ending was played out again, and the entire Ming Qi was in grief.


    The father and son died on the battlefield. The people could only see the ferocity of the Xiongnu and the heroism of the general, but they could not see the conspiracy.


    At that time, the late emperor had already passed away. Fu Xiuyi ascended the throne and took over the affairs of the imperial court. He felt regret for what happened to the Xie family and conferred an honorable title on them.


    Shen Miao still remembered how sad Shen Xin was when he found out that Xie Jingxing was dead. She thought that her father shouldn¡¯t have been sad when the Xie family was in trouble. Now that she thought about it, Shen Xin probably felt sad because he knew he¡¯d end up the same.


    As soon as the Xie family fell, the Shen family would be the next to fall.


    What was laughable was that at that time, Shen Miao was still bent on getting the Shen family into the competition between the princes for the crown prince.


    Shen Miao didn¡¯t have any feelings for the Xie family, but at that time, she sighed at the fate of this young man. Such a talented and outstanding son should have left a mark in history, but who knew that he would die in such a way. Moreover, when knowing that he wouldn¡¯t be able to return in one piece, he still went to war.


    Perhaps it was to protect the dignity of the Xie family and prove that the Xie family would rather be destroyed than defeated. Xie Jingxing was someone who would do something even if it was impossible to do.


    He was a very upright and brave person.


    While Shen Miao was lost in thought, Cai Lin squeezed out of the crowd and handed a small cloth bag to Xie Jingxing. She said respectfully, ¡°Young Marquis Hou, this is the medical book you asked me to find.¡±


    The fact that this little tyrant of the school was so respectful to someone made people gape in shock. However, on second thought, it was true. Compared to Cai Lin, Xie Jingxing was even more of a tyrant in the capital. The Xie family was even more of a tyrant among tyrants. Thinking about it, it was understandable why Cai Lin treated Xie Jingxing like that.


    Feng Anning whispered into Shen Miao¡¯s ear, ¡°What do you think of Young Master Xie compared to the Duke of Ding?¡±


    Shen Miao choked. She was not used to Feng Anning suddenly being so close to her. She said seriously, ¡°I think Young Master Xie is better.¡±


    In her opinion, a black-hearted person like Fu Xiuyi could not be compared to a young man like Xie Jingxing. When Wanyu and Fu Ming were studying the history of the Ming Qi families, they read the part about the Xie family and secretly told her that they felt that Xie Jingxing was a good man and that it was a pity that he died.


    Feng Anning was a little surprised. After a while, he said, ¡°It seems like you¡¯re really heartbroken.¡±


    Xie Jingxing took the bag and tied it to the saddle. He glanced at Cai Lin and turned to leave without saying anything.


    The horse stirred up dust, but it still could not hide the charm of the youth on the horse.


    Cai Lin was a little disappointed, and the girls around her all looked disappointed. They probably wanted Xie Jingxing to stay longer. Strangely, Xie Jingxing was the only noble child who was famous among the girls and was not envied by the boys. Perhaps it was because of his different style of doing things that made people envious.


    Shen Miao plunged in thought. If the Xie family collapsed, the Shen family would also face the same ending. Since the two families were enemies, was there a way to ease the tension? If the emperor wanted to make a move, he might have to consider if he had the ability.


    Saving the Xie family and saving Xie Jingxing would give the Shen family more leverage.


    The Shen family was honest and upright, and the Xie family was domineering. The first one the royal family dealt with was the Xie family. She might be able to make a deal with the Xie family.


    a€|a€|


    Xie Jingxing rode all the way and finally stopped his horse in front of a tavern.


    He got off the horse and walked into the innermost part of the tavern. In the room, the young man in white smiled at him. ¡°Third Brother.¡±


    ¡°Take it!¡± Xie Jingxing threw the bag over. ¡°Don¡¯t bother me with this kind of stuff in the future.¡±


    If it weren¡¯t for the fact that Gao Yang asked him to look for a medical book, he wouldn¡¯t have gone to look for Cai Lin, let alone be surrounded by people like a fool. At the thought of that handkerchief, he patted his clothes in disgust.


    Gao Yang knew that Xie Jingxing had always been obsessed with cleanliness. He smiled and teased, ¡°With your personality, you should move around more. Some of those students are about the same age as you. You should learn from them.¡± He paused and smiled mischievously. ¡°Maybe there are also cute girls. You¡¯re just about the right age to get married. Why are you always alone?¡±


    Xie Jingxing turned his head impatiently, thinking of the pair of eyes he had just seen.


    Her clear eyes were filled with deep pity and helplessness, and the look on her face stunned him.


    He had followed his father everywhere when he was young and had fought in wars and killed people. He had a pair of sharp eyes. That girl probably wanted to pretend to love him, but unfortunately, she did not know that her eyes were as deep as a pool of stagnant water.


    It was really interesting.

 Chapter 18

    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    When Shen Miao returned to the Shen mansion, it was already late.


    Shen Yue and Shen Qing still didn¡¯t go with her, but Shen Miao couldn¡¯t be bothered by that. Old Madam Shen was already resting, so she went back to the west courtyard.


    When she walked to the west courtyard, she heard a soft voice. ¡°Miss, you¡¯re finally back. I was so worried when I heard that you fell into the water. Now that you¡¯re better, I¡¯m relieved.¡±


    Turning her head, she saw a middle-aged woman walking over. This woman was about 40 years old, had a slightly fat figure, and a slightly dark skin. She was wearing a green robe. Although the style looked ordinary, the material was not bad. There was a heavy silver bracelet on her wrist, and her face was filled with smiles.


    ¡°Nanny Gui,¡± Shen Miao replied flatly.


    The woman didn¡¯t seem to think that there was anything wrong with her. She said, ¡°I wanted to come over earlier, but Ran¡¯er is still sick. I have no choice but to leave Ran¡¯er to his mother and come back to the mansion myself. I¡¯ll only feel at ease when I see that you¡¯re doing well.¡±


    Shen Miao was more important to her than her own grandson. Normally, after hearing this, Shen Miao would be very touched. Then, she would say some comforting words and give some money to Nanny Gui so that she could go back and treat her grandson.


    However, in her next life, looking at the woman in front of her, Shen Miao almost laughed at herself in her heart. How could she be blind to think that such a person was a loyal servant?


    Not long after Mrs. Shen gave birth to Shen Miao, she went to war. Shen Miao was still young and could not take a long journey, so Mrs. Shen had no choice but to let her stay in the Shen family. Old Madam Shen hired a nanny for her, who was now Nanny Gui. Nanny Gui was born in a farmer¡¯s house. Back then, Mrs. Shen saw that she was hardworking and honest. Later, when she saw that Nanny Gui was good at feeding Shen Miao, she left her to be a nanny.


    But people would change.


    The western courtyard of the Shen family was sparsely populated, and the people in charge were the two families of the east courtyard and Old Madam Shen. At first, Granny Gui took care of Shen Miao responsibly, but later on, she understood the situation and went to Old Madam Shen without hesitation.


    Granny Gui waited for a long time but did not hear any tips from Shen Miao. The loving expression on her face froze for a moment. She could not help but look up at Shen Miao, only to see her looking at her indifferently.


    Her heart skipped a beat. For some reason, Nanny Guihe felt guilty.


    The next moment, Shen Miao replied emotionlessly, ¡°Oh, thank you, Nanny Gui, rest early.¡±


    Gu Yu snorted and looked at Nanny Gui mockingly. She had always looked down on Nanny Gui for being such a sycophant and bullying people in the west courtyard just because she was a nanny.


    Now, after Miss woke up from the fall, she seemed to have seen through a lot of things. Seeing how indifferent she was to Nanny Gui, Gu Yu was very happy.


    Nanny Gui smiled awkwardly. She did not know why Shen Miao was so cold to her today. She thought that perhaps Shen Miao was in a bad mood because she fell into the water, so she smiled and advised, ¡°Take care of your body. The Duke of Ding will definitely like a girl who is like a flower. One day¡­¡± She had always been good at saying nice words. Usually, when she picked up words that Shen Miao liked, she would make her happy. However, when she said these words today, she saw Shen Miao¡¯s expression change in an unexpected way.


    ¡°Nanny, be careful with your words.¡± Shen Miao said coldly, ¡°Although my father and mother are not in the Mansion now, I¡¯m still the Miss of the Western courtyard. As a servant, you should know better than anyone that you are not supposed to stick your nose into my business.¡±


    Nanny Gui was stunned and subconsciously said, ¡°Miss, how can you say that? I¡¯m doing this for your own good¡­¡±


    ¡°Are you implying that it¡¯s my fault?¡± Shen Miao sneered. ¡°Alright, should we go and ask Old Madam who is wrong? You were just accusing me of things I did do. Is my innocence worth nothing now? Or do you have no clue what you are supposed to do as a servant?¡±


    Perhaps she didn¡¯t expect Shen Miao to suddenly change her attitude. Even if she was in a bad mood, she would never take it out on her. Nanny Gui was used to being domineering in the west courtyard. Usually, Shen Miao was also controlled by her. Today, she was even humiliated by Shen Miao in front of Gu Yu and Jingzhe. She was a little angry and couldn¡¯t help but say, ¡°Miss, I¡¯ve been by your side for more than ten years. How can you think of me as a person who will harm you?¡±


    ¡°How dare you!¡± Jingzhe shouted, ¡°She is the miss. Granny Gui, how dare you speak to him like that?¡±


    Granny Gui was shocked and regretted being agitated just now. However, it was too late to take back her words. There were many servants around who were watching the commotion. She thought that Shen Miao was a little girl who was easy to coax, so she quickly softened her voice and said, ¡°Miss, I was really just worried about you. I¡¯ve been with you for so many years and have long treated you as my child. What I said just now was wrong. Miss, don¡¯t be angry. Don¡¯t be angry.¡±


    Treating her as her own child? Shen Miao sneered in her heart. She thought that Nanny Gui was a wonderful person. She usually got a lot of money from Shen Miao, but she treated the people of the east courtyard as her true masters. In the end, she even made Shen Miao¡¯s brother suffer. If there was such a wicked servant in the palace, she would have long been beaten to death and thrown out. But now¡­ Since Nanny Gui was bent on siding with the east courtyard, why not use her to make the east courtyard suffer?


    She raised an eyebrow and said indifferently, ¡°Nanny Gui seems to have realized her mistake. Let¡¯s just deduct three months of her salary.¡±


    Nanny Gui froze, and Shen Miao smiled.


    What would Nanny Gui do if she had no money?


    Naturally, she would go to the east courtyard to express her loyalty.

 Chapter 19

    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    At night, there was a cool breeze. The closer it was to autumn, the colder the weather became.


    Under the light, the girl held a book in her hand and leaned against the couch to read it slowly. The tea beside her was cold, but she did not know it.


    Bai Lu looked at her miss in a daze, as if she had changed overnight. At this moment, she was reading quietly. Shen Miao hated reading the most in the past, but now, she was so focused on the book. If Bai Lu didn¡¯t know, she would¡¯ve thought that the girl sitting there was a rich lady.


    How could a little girl have such an aura? Bai Lu did not understand and stood rooted to the ground in a daze until Shuang Jiang walked over and nudged her, whispering, ¡°Why are you standing here like a fool?¡± She walked over and draped the cloak over Shen Miao, saying gently, ¡°Miss, it¡¯s getting late. We still have to go to Guangwen Hall tomorrow. You should rest early.¡±


    Shen Miao shook her head. ¡°You guys go and rest. I¡¯ll read for a while longer.¡±


    Shuang Jiang wanted to persuade her, but she was stopped by Gu Yu, who was changing the tea for Shen Miao. After changing the tea, she pulled Shuang Jiang out of the room.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Gu Yu?¡± Bai Lu did not understand. ¡°Miss just recovered from a fever. Why didn¡¯t you persuade her to rest?¡±


    ¡°I did.¡± Gu Yu felt a headache coming on. ¡°But Miss wouldn¡¯t listen to me. She¡¯s been reading for the entire day. I guess it¡¯s her homework. What can I do if she wants to read?¡± She looked at the room worriedly. When Shen Miao was timid, she always needed someone to make the decision for her. Now that she was no longer timid, no one dared to refute her.


    Even when Shen Miao spoke softly, her voice still carried a lot of authority, even more so than General Shen.


    In the room, Shen Miao was still reading.


    She read it seriously and did not miss a single detail. If one looked at it carefully, they would find that she was holding the Ming Qi History. She knew what would happen in the next few decades, so she was prepared to find some ways to prevent the tragedy from happening. Before that, she had to get to know the current situation of these families.


    Shen Miao remembered very clearly that if nothing went wrong, there would be a catastrophe next month. The enemy of an enemy was a friend. If these families died one after another, It¡¯d eventually be the Shen family¡¯s turn.


    Before Shen Xin returned, she had to hold the fort for him and at the same time be wary of the wolves in the east courtyard.


    That night, Nanny Gui went to Rongjing Hall. She came to deliver the specialties she brought with her when she returned to the mansion, but she chatted with Mrs. Zhang who took care of Old Madam.


    Mrs. Zhang knew what she was thinking. After chatting with her for a while, Nanny Gui asked Mrs. Zhang to put in a good word for her in front of Old Madam Shen before leaving.


    As soon as she walked out of the courtyard of Rongjing Hall, she saw a maid called Xianglan walking over. When Xianglan saw her, she smiled and said, ¡°Nanny Gui, I was just looking for you.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡± Nanny Gui narrowed her eyes and smiled when she saw Xianglan. ¡°Xianglan, what¡¯s the matter?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing serious.¡± Xianglan came over and held Nanny Gui¡¯s arm. ¡°It¡¯s just that my madam heard that you know a place that sells lipsticks. It¡¯s especially good. She wanted to ask you where it is.¡±


    What she said was obviously an excuse. At that time, Ren Wanyun wanted to find Nanny Gui to talk to her in private. Nanny Gui surely understood it. She immediately went to find Ren Wanyun with Xiaolan.


    When they arrived at Rosy Cloud Garden, the servants had already been sent away.


    Ren Wanyun sat on the couch. At this moment, Second Master Shen was still outside socializing and had not returned. She was casually doing needlework on the side, probably embroidering a pouch, while eating a plate of grapes beside her.


    This was a rare item. In this weather, grapes could not be found in the capital. Only Second Master Shen was capable enough to get a basket of them and give it to the women in his courtyard.


    Nanny Gui secretly clicked her tongue. Although on the surface, it looked like the second branch of the Shen family did not treat the First branch badly, the food that Shen Miao ate was nothing compared with what other people ate.


    As she was thinking, Ren Wanyun finally put down the needle and thread in her hand and said, ¡°Nanny Gui.¡±


    Nanny Gui quickly came back to her senses and replied, ¡°Madam, I¡¯m here.¡±


    Ren Wanyun was already 40 years old. Although she took good care of herself, there were still some wrinkles at the corners of her eyes. She sat there, wearing clothes made of top-grade materials. Every move she made was like that of a madam. Even when she smiled, she looked dignified.


    She said, ¡°I heard that you¡¯re back. Now that Shen Miao has recovered from fever, you have to take good care of her.¡±


    As expected, Ren Wanyun continued, ¡°These days, Shen Miao is probably in a bad mood after falling into the water. Without her parents around, she is quite lonely. Even if I want to hear some news about her, I have to hear it from you.¡±


    She wanted Nanny Gui to tell Ren Wanyun everything about Shen Miao.


    Nanny Gui hurriedly said, ¡°Madam, Fifth Miss is lucky to have you as her auntie. However, in my opinion, Fifth Miss is indeed angry this time after falling into the water. Her personality has changed a lot these days, and she¡¯s even become distant with me. Not to mention anything else, even today, I was deducted three months of salary.¡± She frowned and said, ¡°When I heard that Fifth Miss fell into the water, I was so anxious that I didn¡¯t even care that my grandson was still sick. But I didn¡¯t expect to get scolded by her.¡±


    Ren Wanyun was a little impatient with this old woman, saying, ¡°Shen Miao is probably tormented by love. Nanny Gui, do you think her attitude towards the Duke of Ding has changed?¡±


    This was what she wanted to ask the most.


    Nanny Gui rolled her eyes and said, ¡°Fifth Miss seems to want to draw a line with the Duke of Ding. She doesn¡¯t want me to mention him today. However, I¡¯ve been with Fifth Miss for so many years and know her personality very well. Fifth Miss is unusually obsessed with the Duke of Ding. I¡¯m afraid she won¡¯t give up so easily. These words are probably just something a girl says in a fit of anger.¡±


    As soon as she finished speaking, a trace of ruthlessness appeared on Ren Wanyun¡¯s face.

 Chapter 20 - Mother and Daughter

    Chapter 20 Mother and Daughter


    After Nanny Gui left, Shen Qing walked out from behind the screen.


    She walked up to Ren Wanyun¡¯s side and leaned against her mother. She could not hide the anger in her voice. ¡°Mother, Shen Miao is unwilling to give up on the Duke of Ding. What should I do?¡±


    Among the three branches of the Shen family, the First branch was undoubtedly the most powerful. If Shen Miao begged Shen Xin to marry her to the Duke of Ding, it was very likely to happen. However, she also liked the Duke of Ding. If Shen Miao married him, what would she be?


    The Duke of Ding was such a handsome person. How could he be taken by a stupid and ignorant person like Shen Miao? Every time she thought of this, Shen Qing felt extremely indignant.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, no one in the Shen family can compete with you.¡± Ren Wanyun said, ¡°Shen Miao is stupid and there¡¯s nothing to be afraid of. I naturally have a way to make her unable to marry the Duke of Ding. As for you¡­¡± She sighed.¡± Why don¡¯t you take the people of the Autumn Water Garden more seriously? Do you really think your second sister is a good person?¡±


    ¡°Shen Yue?¡± Shen Qing frowned. ¡°She¡¯s also in love with the Duke of Ding? How is that possible?¡± Shen Qing said, ¡°Besides, if she really likes the Duke of Ding, she is in no way qualified to be his wife.¡±


    ¡°You.¡± Ren Wanyun tapped Shen Qing¡¯s forehead reproachfully. ¡°How can I rest assured? Your third aunt is very wily. Back then, she and your third uncle¡­¡± As if realizing that she shouldn¡¯t say this in front of the child, Ren Wanyun suddenly stopped. She only said,¡± Anyway, Shen Miao, don¡¯t take her to heart. I naturally have a way to deal with her. ¡°


    ¡°Thank you, Mother,¡± Shen Qing said sweetly. The mother and daughter smiled.


    In the Autumn Water Garden, Chen Ruoqiu was sitting at the table and writing.


    She was a girl from a scholarly family and was extremely talented. Even though she was already a wife, she still read a lot. Shen Yue stood behind her, wearing a yellow satin dress. Her figure was slender, looking like a little girl.


    ¡°Mother, why did you say that to Nanny Gui just now?¡± After a long time, she couldn¡¯t help but ask.


    Nanny Gui had been here once, but to everyone¡¯s surprise, not only did Chen Ruoqiu not ask Nanny Gui to stop Shen Miao from marrying the Duke of Ding, but she also asked Nanny Gui to persuade Shen Miao that the Duke of Ding was a good husband.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t this equivalent to helping her marry the Duke of Ding?¡± Shen Yue complained.


    Chen Ruoqiu put down the book in her hand and sighed softly. She held Shen Yue¡¯s hand and sat down on the couch. She said gently, ¡°Yue, didn¡¯t I tell you that no matter what you do, especially in this house, you have to do it in a roundabout way? This way, if anything happens in the future, no one will point a finger at you.¡±


    Shen Yue shook her head. ¡°Mother, I don¡¯t understand.¡±


    Chen Ruoqiu smiled. Her daughter was gentle and talented, and she was not stupid. In the end, she was still too young. It was probably because Third Master Shen doted on her too much that she did not know the dangers in the house. Unlike when she was in the Minister¡¯s Mansion, where there were a bunch of sisters, aunts, and concubines, none of them were easy to deal with. Therefore, after she got married, she had always tried her best to make Third Master love her.


    However, it was a pity that she could not give birth to a son in the end.


    Therefore, she had to educate her daughter well.


    ¡°Yue, what do you think of Shen Miao?¡± She asked softly.


    Shen Yue thought for a moment and said, ¡°She doesn¡¯t know anything. She¡¯s timid and stupid, and she¡¯s not good with words. If not for First Uncle, I¡¯m afraid no one would give her face. Even the daughter of a concubine looks more elegant than her.¡±


    If anyone heard this, they would definitely be shocked because normally Shen Yue was on the best terms with Shen Miao.


    ¡°Maybe it was like this in the past.¡± Chen Ruoqiu shook her head and said, ¡°But after falling into the water this time, I think Shen Miao has changed a lot.¡±


    ¡°Mother, why do you say that?¡± Shen Yue was confused.


    Chen Ruoqiu did not know why she felt this way, but Chen Ruoqiu had seen many people. Compared to her second sister-in-law, who thought she was smart, she could see people more clearly. Shen Miao had indeed become smarter.


    The conversation Shen Miao had with the old madam at Rongjing Hall and the way she acted were completely different from before. Could it be that the matter with the Duke of Ding had dealt her such a blow, or was it that she had the guidance of an expert?


    No matter what, She could not let her guard down.


    ¡°Maybe it¡¯s because of the Duke of Ding. But Yue, I told you before that smart women don¡¯t deal with women. They deal with men.¡± Chen Ruoqiu¡¯s voice was soft and gentle, like she was singing. ¡°Since you¡¯re also in love with the Duke of Ding, why do you have to put all your attention on Shen Miao? No matter how powerful your first uncle is, no man in the world will love a stupid and ignorant woman. the Duke of Ding is a prince. If he really married such a terrible woman, won¡¯t he be a joke to the world?¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡± Shen Yue felt a little aggrieved.


    ¡°Listen to me. Not only do you not want to alienate Shen Miao because of this, but you also have to be friends with her like before. You have to be doubly diligent so that everyone can see your talent and beauty. The more outstanding you are, the more stupid she will look.¡± Chen Ruoqiu smiled as if she was chi-chatting but her words were heart-wrenching. ¡°I asked Nanny Gui to persuade her to continue loving the Duke of Ding. The more such a stupid woman likes the Duke of Ding, the more he will hate her.¡±


    ¡°In that case¡­¡± Shen Yue seemed to understand.


    Chen Ruoqiu stroked her head and said, ¡°You¡¯re a smart child, so you should understand what I mean. Therefore, you have to persuade her to continue loving the Duke of Ding and make a fool of herself in front of him. Only then can you make the Duke of Ding notice you. Even if the world wants the Duke of Ding to marry Shen Miao, as long as you can make the Duke of Ding fall in love with you, you will be the winner.¡±


    ¡°Mother¡­¡± Shen Yue buried her head in Chen Ruoqiu¡¯s arms shyly. ¡°I understand.¡±


    Chen Ruoqiu smiled. Back then, there were many obstacles in her marriage with Third Master Shen. At that time, Third Master Shen was considered a young and talented man, and many matchmakers came to introduce girls to him.


    Why did he choose her? It was because she happened to be wearing a white dress and playing the Guqin under a tree in the temple, and Third Master Shen heard it. Third Master Shen was shocked by her beauty and talent and insisted on marrying her when he returned.


    Third Master Shen liked the Guqin the most and his favorite color was white.


    Though so many girls were competing with her over Third Master Shen, she still managed to win at the end. It was because she knew from the beginning that she needed to deal with the man rather than the girls.

 Chapter 21 - Su Mingfeng

    Chapter 21 Su Mingfeng


    No matter what the people from the east courtyard did, Shen Miao still started to deliberately distance herself from the people from the second and third branches. She was no longer clingy to Shen Yue and Shen Qing like before. At first, everyone in the Shen family thought that she was just angry because she fell into the water. However, when Shen Miao started to have her own ideas, everyone felt that something was wrong.


    As usual, Nanny Gui advised Shen Miao not to be angry with the east courtyard. Occasionally, she would beat around the bush and say that the Duke of Ding was a peerless man. However, Shen Miao seemed to have made up her mind and was determined. Every time Nanny Gui mentioned the Duke of Ding, she would scold her fiercely, which made Nanny Gui very troubled. However, the west courtyard was now filled with people from the second and third branches, so there were always some unruly people. Gu Yu and the others thought that since Shen Miao became smart, she would definitely get rid of some of the spies planted by the madams. Unexpectedly, Shen Miao ignored them.


    Shen Miao naturally had her own plans.


    These days, she was getting more and more diligent when she went to Guangwen Hall. Although everyone still took her as a stupid girl, she didn¡¯t mind. She only focused on her own thing every day. The more open she ignored those people, the less enthusiastic they were.


    This morning, after the poetry class ended, Shen Miao felt a tightness on her chest, so she walked around the garden of Guangwen Hall.


    Although Guangwen Hall was a school, it covered a large area. Because there were three grades, Shen Miao, who was in the second grade, unknowingly walked up to the first grade area.


    She happened to see a child sitting on the steps, wiping his tears.


    This child looked to be about eight or nine years old. He was fair and chubby. Perhaps because his body was a little too chubby, he looked like a fat ball at a glance. He was wearing an indigo-blue silver-colored gown, small boots, and a round collar around his neck. He looked like a doll that had walked out of a painting


    Shen Miao was slightly stunned. Then, she walked over and said softly, ¡°Why are you crying?¡±


    The child did not expect someone to suddenly come. He was so frightened that he fell down the stairs. Instead of crying, he sat up and looked at Shen Miao in a daze.


    He was really adorable. Shen Miao couldn¡¯t help but laugh.


    The child called her ¡°Sister¡± in a baby voice.


    Shen Miao¡¯s heart was about to melt. In her previous life, she gave birth to Wanyu and Fu Ming, but before Wanyu and Fu Ming were five years old, she became a hostage in the State of Qin. When she came back, the two children had already learned to call her ¡°Mother.¡± Shen Miao did not know what her two children looked like after they were five years old. Although the child in front of her was eight or nine years old, he looked like he was ignorant of the world and reminded her of her children.


    Shen Miao squatted down and rubbed his head. ¡°Why are you crying?¡±


    ¡°Teacher asked me a question, but I couldn¡¯t answer it, so he hit my palm.¡± The child reached out and revealed his red palm. He said aggrievedly, ¡°It really hurts.¡±


    Shen Miao wanted to tease her, so she asked, ¡°What question did the teacher ask you?¡±


    ¡°He wanted me to write the idiom ¡°the fox is sad at the death of the hare¡±, but I don¡¯t know how.¡± The child looked sad.


    At this age, it would indeed be a little inexcusable if he didn¡¯t even know that idiom. Putting aside Shen Miao, Fu Ming had already started to learn how to deal with government affairs at this age.


    The child thought that he hadn¡¯t complained enough and continued, ¡°If my father finds out about it when I go back, he¡¯ll definitely scold me again. What¡¯s the point of living? I might as well kill myself.¡±


    Shen Miao was shocked by the child¡¯s sad tone. She was angry and amused at the same time. Thinking that this child might be from a rich family, she asked, ¡°Which family are you from?¡±


    The child looked at Shen Miao. Shen Miao was only 14 years old now, and she looked like a child. However, for some reason, she had an indescribable aura, as if she had the ability to calm people down. ¡°I¡¯m the second young master of the Earl of Pinan in the capital, Su Minglang. My father is Su Yu, the Earl of Pinan, and my eldest brother is Su Mingfeng, the heir of the Earl of Pinan.¡±


    §Ö§ã


    He then told her everything about his background.


    Shen Miao was stunned. The Su family? The Earl of Pingnan?


    Be it in her previous life or this life, the Su family and the Shen family had nothing to do with each other, because they had opposing political views in the court. The Su family and the Xie family were on good terms. The Earl of Pingnan, Su Yu, and the Marquis of Lin¡¯an, Xie Ding, were very good brothers. Su Mingfeng and Xie Jingxing were also friends since they were young. How good was their relationship? After Su Mingfeng died, only Xie Jingxing dared to collect his corpse.


    Yes, Su Mingfeng died. Or rather, the entire Su family was destroyed. The late emperor found evidence of the Su family embezzling money and selling horses and weapons in private. Once the matter of weapons was involved, a death sentence was naturally the punishment.


    The imperial edict came suddenly and quickly. Without a trial, the entire Su family was executed on the spot.


    When Xie Jingxing found out about it, it was already too late. No one in the Su family survived. None of the people who were good friends with them in the past stood up. It was Xie Jingxing who personally went to collect the corpse for the master of the Su family. After that, Xie Ding apologized to the late emperor.


    Shen Miao remembered very clearly that when Shen Xin came back at the end of the year and found out about this, he was shocked.


    The Su family would be destroyed in two months. Soon, this ignorant child in front of him would die under that cold imperial edict.


    Her expression suddenly became a little cold, and her eyes were sharp.


    The child couldn¡¯t help but shudder. When Shen Miao looked at the child again, her tone was as gentle as before. ¡°Su Mingfeng? Are you the heir of the Su family?¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡± The child raised his head and replied.¡±


    Shen Miao smiled. She bent down slightly and leaned closer to the child, saying softly, ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that your father will punish you if he knows that you can¡¯t answer the question the teacher asked you? I have a way to make him not punish you.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡± The child blinked and asked.


    ¡°You have to promise me that you won¡¯t tell him that it is me who told you this.¡±


    ¡°Alright, I promise.¡± The child thought for a while and nodded.

 Chapter 22 - A Fable

    Chapter 22 A Fable


    The Su family was a large family that was in charge of the horses and weapons in the military. All the high-ranking officials who were in charge of weapons, food, and horses seemed to be especially superior to others.


    The horses managed by the Su family were quite valuable in the army. Ever since the founding of the Ming Qi Kingdoms, they had always been the one providing excellent war horses. The same was true for Su Yu. In his opinion, the Su family would definitely be prosperous for a long time. Perhaps loyal officials all thought that as long as he was loyal, the royal family would definitely not treat them badly.


    However, since ancient times, being with a king was like being with a tiger. Who could tell what was going to happen the next second?


    zei


    Su Yu and his wife were quite loving. Although he had a few concubines, all of them only gave birth to daughters. There were only two sons in total, so they were always strict with their sons.


    His eldest son, Su Mingfeng, had already become an official at a young age. Like his father, he was also in charge of the war horses. In the past six months, he had even done better than Su Yu. Some time ago, Su Mingfeng had discussed with the veterinarians at the Imperial Hospital to change some of the things in the stables. The number of war horses that died every year because of the horse plague was reduced by half. This was a great achievement. After the military statistics and feedback from the imperial court next month came out, he would be rewarded handsomely by the emperor.


    The reward was secondary. The honor that came with the reward represented was most important. Su Yu was already over the age of 50. Now that Su Mingfeng was at a good age, it was time for him to inherit his father¡¯s business and expand the family reputation. If Su Mingfeng was more outstanding, he might become a trusted talent for the next emperor.


    Su Yu was naturally happy that his eldest son was so outstanding, but his youngest son gave him a headache. His youngest son, Su Minglang, was probably only born when his wife was quite old. His wife doted on him a lot, so he was spoiled. Not to mention being as outstanding as his brother, he was even a little behind his peers.


    Su Minglang was not the eldest son, so he naturally did not have to inherit the family business. However, Su Yu was a stubborn person, and he would not tolerate his son being worse than others. Therefore, every time Su Minglang came back from Guangwen Hall, he would get a good beating while his mother would protect him from the beating, causing a great commotion in the house.


    On this day, Su Yu was discussing something with Su Mingfeng in the study. The father and son had endless topics to talk about. Mr. Su was very pleased with his excellent elder son. As they spoke, they talked about the reward that would be given to Su Mingfeng next month.


    ¡°In my opinion, His Majesty will definitely promote you this time. I just hope that your career will be more stable. Now that the Xiongnu is on the move, we need to pay more attention to military strength. Mingfeng, as long as you are valued by His Majesty, our Su family will only be better and better in the future. Your brother is young, and the Su family still needs you to carry the burden.¡±


    Su Mingfeng nodded in agreement. Because he was in his youth, it was inevitable that he showed some haughtiness upon receiving praise. Encouraged by his father¡¯s words, Su Mingfeng was bent on making a name for himself in the court.


    The father and son were in a good mood when they heard the servant call from outside the door, ¡°Master, Second Young Master is back.¡±


    It was the time when Second Young Master Su Minglang came back from school. Every day, when Su Minglang came back from school, he would be called to Mr. Su¡¯s study to be tested. Today was no exception.


    Mr. Su felt a headache coming on. He looked at his outstanding eldest son and then at his stupid second son. Every time Su Minglang came to the study, he would only make Su Yu angry.


    It was the same today.


    Su Minglang slowly entered the study. He curled his lips and called, ¡°Father, Brother.¡±


    Su Mingfeng smiled and rubbed his brother¡¯s head. ¡°Minglang, how have you been doing in school today?¡±


    Su Minglang pursed his lips and did not speak. Every time he did this, it was an indicator that he didn¡¯t do well at school and was reproached by the teacher again.


    Mr. Su said to Su Minglang with a straight face, ¡°Put out your hand.¡±


    Su Minglang shuddered and reached out his hand aggrievedly. There were a few red marks on his fair and tender palm. Mr. Su looked like he had expected this. On the other hand, Su Mingfeng felt sorry for his brother and asked, ¡°Why did the teacher hit you so hard? You are just a child.¡±


    ¡°You guys are the ones who spoil him all day!¡± Mr. Su flew into a rage and said angrily, ¡°What went wrong today?¡±


    Su Minglang paused for a moment before saying with shame, ¡°I couldn¡¯t write the idiom ¡°the fox is sad at the death of the hare¡±.


    ¡°What do you want me to say to you!¡± Mr. Su looked like he was about to faint. ¡°You can¡¯t even write that idiom! Look at all the young masters your age. When your brother was your age, he started to learn military tactics. You¡¯re embarrassing our Su family!¡±


    Just as Su Mingfeng was about to persuade him, he heard his second brother sob and say, ¡°Although I can¡¯t write the idiom ¡®the fox is sad at the death of the hare¡¯, I can write the idiom ¡®After the cunning hare is killed, the hound will be cooked¡¯. Aren¡¯t they the same thing?¡±


    ¡°Nonsense.¡± Mr. Su didn¡¯t know what to say. Su Mingfeng smiled and said, ¡°Second Brother, they mean different things.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the difference?¡± Su Minglang looked up and asked.


    ¡°What I mean is that when a hare dies, the fox will feel sad because it feels that it will have the same fate. When a cunning hare dies, the hound will be useless and be cooked.¡± Su Mingfeng was a good brother and answered his brother¡¯s question patiently.


    Su Minglang shook his head and said in confusion, ¡°Since it is about what happens after the hare dies, shouldn¡¯t they be the same? After all, the hare is dead.¡±


    Su Mingfeng was about to explain when he saw his father suddenly pause and repeat softly, ¡°The hare is dead?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Su Minglang spread out his hands, his round face still looking innocent and stubborn. ¡°In the end, the hare dies. Doesn¡¯t this mean that as long as the hare dies, the fox and the hound will both be in trouble? Since everyone is going to be in trouble, it means the same thing.¡±


    When a cunning hare died, the hound would be cooked. There must be a reason why fables were fables.


    When a hare died, a fox was smarter than a dog and could probably see its ending. However, who was the hound? What was the ending of a hound that helped its master hunt a hare?


    Su Yu¡¯s expression gradually darkened.

 Chapter 23 - Who Taught You to Say That?

    Chapter 23 Who Taught You to Say That?


    Something big happened in early October.


    The eldest son of the Earl of Pingnan, Su Mingfeng, suddenly fell seriously ill and had to recuperate at home. The Earl of Pingnan felt sorry for his beloved son and stayed at home with his wife to take care of Young Master Su. The matters at the military ranch were temporarily put aside. His Majesty gave some things to express his condolences and asked a new person to take over.


    The citizens in the capital sighed at this. Young Master Su had made great contributions not long after he entered the government. Just as he was about to rise to the top and his future was bright, he suddenly fell seriously ill. If he was for three to five years, he would probably lose his place in the imperial court.


    The common people looked at it this way, but the people in the imperial court didn¡¯t. Some smart people said, ¡°How is this illness? He is clearly trying to get himself out of trouble. I originally thought that the Su family was about to go down. I didn¡¯t expect them to see the situation clearly and take drastic measures to save themselves.¡±


    When these things reached Shen Miao¡¯s ears, she was standing in the courtyard trimming the branches and leaves of the begonias. She had been studying at Guangwen Hall for the past few days. Because of Young Master Su, everyone had a new topic of conversation, so they didn¡¯t pay much attention to her.


    ¡°Miss, you really like these flowers now.¡± Gu Yu smiled and said, ¡°These begonias look really good.¡±


    The dark red petals of the crabapple flower looked lively on the austere autumn day. When she was the empress, she was busy keeping the situation under control, helping Fu Xiuyi rope in powerful officials, going to the State of Qin to be a hostage, and fighting with Consort Mei. Most of the time, she lived in political battles and had no time to enjoy a leisurely life.


    ¡°Do you know why the begonias are blooming so colorfully?¡± she asked.


    Although Gu Yu did not understand why her Miss would ask such a question, she still smiled and replied, ¡°These begonias were brought back by the chief butler. I heard that they are very precious. Madam also praised it before. It¡¯s this kind of begonia that looks especially good on autumn days.¡±


    Shen Miao shook her head gently.


    Just like the gloomy and grim place in the palace, however rare and expensive the flowers were, once they were planted in the soil of that place built upon blood and skull, they would not thrive.


    Since the Su family already understood this, what would they do?


    She smiled.


    At the Earl of Pinan¡¯s mansion.


    Young Master Su¡¯s courtyard was tightly guarded. Other than his personal servant and family, no one else could enter. From outside, people could only smell the heavy Chinese medicine wafting out. Old Master Su shut his door to all the outsiders.


    As Su Mingfeng¡¯s good friend, Young Marquis Xie naturally had to visit him.


    The Xie family¡¯s carriage stopped outside the Su family¡¯s mansion. The servants were struggling to move the herbs down from the carriage. The herbs were all stored in boxes, which was enough to show how much Young Marquis Xie cared for his friend.


    In the study, Su Mingfeng was dressed in green clothes. Apart from being a little thin, his expression was still as energetic as ever. There was no sign of him being seriously ill.


    Opposite him, the young man in embroidered clothes frowned and asked loudly, ¡°Are you hiding from trouble?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Su Mingfeng looked at his good friend and sighed. ¡°Now that you¡¯ve seen the Su family¡¯s momentum getting better and better, the Su family has already lasted for several generations. In terms of position, we really shouldn¡¯t be promoted anymore. However, not only did His Majesty not suppress us, he even supported us more.¡±


    ¡°And you just made a great contribution,¡± Xie Jingxing reminded him.


    ¡°It¡¯s precisely because I made a contribution that Father and I were overjoyed and forgot the hidden danger behind it. Rewards will bring us more disaster than anything else. I believe you understand what I¡¯m saying. The Su family was originally in the middle of the hierarchy, so it was inevitable that we couldn¡¯t see things clearly. Now that we¡¯re suddenly enlightened, we have no choice but to stop. It¡¯s really dangerous.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± Xie Jingxing nodded. ¡°But you have to stay at home for a few years for nothing.¡±


    ¡°I only hope that the Su family will be safe,¡± Su Mingfeng said. ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about me. How about you? The Su family and the Xie family are bound together for good or ill. The Su family has already decided to pull back from the cliff. Your Xie family¡­¡± He did not continue.


    Xie Jingxing raised his eyebrows. ¡°If I don¡¯t join the government, what can he do to me? He has to care about the opinion of his subjects.¡±


    Xie Jingxing was different from Su Mingfeng. For the sake of the Su family, Su Yu had sent his son to become an official early. However, Xie Jingxing did not become an official.


    ¡°You¡¯re so far-sighted.¡± Su Mingfeng couldn¡¯t help but laugh.


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t trying to guard against him,¡± Xie Jingxing said lazily. It was true that he was not trying to guard against the royal family. He simply didn¡¯t want to do what his father told him to.


    ¡°However,¡± he frowned and suddenly changed the topic, ¡°how did you suddenly figure this out? I reminded you several times before, but you didn¡¯t take it seriously.¡±


    Su Mingfeng lowered his head in shame. ¡°I was just being too cocky at first, so I didn¡¯t think so much. This time, it¡¯s all thanks to my second brother.¡±


    ¡°Your second brother?¡± Xie Jingxing, who was originally leaning lazily on the chair, sat up straight when he heard this. A strange look flashed across his eyes. ¡°That chubby meatball?¡±


    It was not news that Su Minglang was a fool. How could he remind the Su family of these things? Was Su Minglang not in his right frame of mind?


    Su Mingfeng told him the whole story. In the end, he said, ¡°If it weren¡¯t for Second Brother¡¯s accidental remark this time, we might have been involved in something catastrophic.¡±


    ¡°Accidentally?¡± Xie Jingxing muttered to himself.


    At this moment, he heard a tender voice. ¡°First Brother, Mom asked me to bring you some snacks.¡±


    Su Minglang walked in with a plate of pastries that looked like flowers. He was round and fat like a meatball, and there were many cake crumbs at the corner of his mouth. It was obvious that he had already eaten a lot on the way over.


    Over the past few days, because of his unintentional reminder, the Su family had changed their strategy. Even Old Master Su, who was the most dissatisfied with him, felt that his younger son would definitely be of great use. Madam Su even made a lot of delicious food for him. In just a few days, Su Minglang had gained a lot of weight.


    Seeing that Xie Jingxing was still there, he couldn¡¯t help but lower his voice. For some reason, he was always a little afraid of this friend of his brother¡¯s.


    Su Minglang placed the snacks on the table and said, ¡°Brother, I¡¯m leaving.¡± He turned around and was about to run when his collar was grabbed.


    He turned around and saw the young man in luxurious clothes squatting down and touching his head gently. His peach blossom eyes were smiling and lively, but his eyes were extremely cold.


    He asked, ¡°Who taught you to say that?¡±


    Su Minglang¡¯s eyes widened.


    ¡°If the cunning hare dies, the hound will be cooked,¡± said Xie Jingxing.

 Chapter 24 - So Its You

    Chapter 24 So It¡¯s You


    The days always passed very quickly. As the weather became colder, the students of Guangwen Hall began to prepare for the test at the end of the month.


    Boys wanted to become officials, while girls wanted to show off their talent. They all wished they could be liked by families of equal social status.


    This was something that the noble families had to do. Even a delicate girl like Feng Anning had started to work hard these days. There was no need to mention Shen Qing and Shen Yue, especially Shen Yue. She spent all her time playing the Guqin and reciting poetry in the east courtyard, hoping that she would be in the limelight again.


    Shen Yue and Shen Qing were already 15 years old. According to tradition, it was time for them to be on the lookout for their future husband. In Ming Qi, girls would normally get married at the age of 16 and engaged at the age of 15. Shen Qing and Shen Yue hadn¡¯t because they set the bar too high.


    In the end, both families turned their gazes to Prince Ding.


    Among the nine sons of the late emperor, only Prince Ding had yet to be engaged. He was in his early twenties, and it was time for him to get married. However, for various reasons, he still hadn¡¯t decided on his future wife. At the test this time, Prince Ding would also be the examiner. Therefore, many girls were eager to please Prince Ding and couldn¡¯t wait for him to fall in love with them at first sight.


    Shen Miao had no such thoughts.


    In this life, she was still a woman who didn¡¯t know any talents. She couldn¡¯t stand on the stage and debate with people over political matters. Besides, she didn¡¯t want to have anything to do with Prince Ding anymore.


    In her previous life, Prince Ding used her family, harmed her children, and slaughtered her entire family. She had to settle this score sooner or later. Since they were blood enemies, how could they be husband and wife?


    Feng Anning asked her, ¡°Why aren¡¯t you reading? It¡¯s almost the end of the month. If you make a fool of yourself again, you¡¯ll be a laughing stock forever.¡± After Shen Miao fell into the water, Feng Anning thought she became smarter. She thought that Shen Miao was enlightened suddenly, but now it seemed that she was no different from before. She was still that stupid and ignorant girl.


    Shen Miao said, ¡°I don¡¯t understand it anyway, so why bother?¡±


    When Yi Peilan heard this, she chuckled and said sarcastically, ¡°As useless as ever.¡±


    Shen Yue was talking to Shen Qing and pretended not to hear the conversation. They did not intend to help their sister out. These days, Shen Miao stopped pleasing them like before, which made them quite unhappy. They could not wait to see Shen Miao make a fool of herself.


    However, Shen Miao pretended not to hear Yi Peilan. She stood up and said, ¡°I¡¯ll take a walk in the garden.¡±


    After she left, Yi Peilan pursed her lips. ¡°You ran away because you admitted you are useless.¡±


    ¡°Are you done talking?¡± Feng Anning frowned. ¡°Do you think you did well at school?¡± Yi Peilan did not want to become enemies with Feng Anning, so she stopped talking


    Shen Miao came to the garden and walked slowly.


    Guangwen Hall was also a place with excellent views. The garden was filled with lush trees, bamboo, ponds, and rockeries. It was built very delicately. When one walked in, they could smell the fragrance of the forest and feel relaxed.


    She just wanted to be alone for a while. After all, she was just surrounded by a bunch of kids. In her previous life, she had even become a mother. When she was the empress, most of the time, other than facing all kinds of concubines, she stayed in her own Palace.


    As she walked, she saw a snow-white meat ball in front of her.


    The little boy in an ivory satin robe was standing under the bamboo. There was still a knot on his head, making him look a little comical.


    ¡°Su Minglang,¡± she whispered.


    When the meatball heard this, he hurriedly turned around. When he saw Shen Miao, a trace of surprise flashed across his eyes. Though he wanted to run up to her, he hesitated and stood still, looking at Shen Miao without saying anything.


    This child really looked like a four or five-year-old child. Shen Miao felt a headache coming on. Did he treat her as his mother?


    Su Minglang looked at Shen Miao and pursed his lips, as if he wanted to say something, but he didn¡¯t. Then, his eyes turned red and he whispered, ¡°I¡¯m sorrya€¡±


    Sorry? Shen Miao was stunned for a moment. Then, she saw the boy was on the verge of crying


    A second later, a man¡¯s voice was heard.


    ¡°So it¡¯s you.¡±

 Chapter 25 - A Young Man

    Chapter 25 A Young Man


    ¡°So it¡¯s you.¡±


    A handsome young man walked out of the bamboo forest. He was also wearing an ivory robe with silver thread on the sides. Compared to the white meat ball, he was dressed extremely elegantly.


    He stopped in front of Shen Miao and looked down at her.


    This young man was extremely tall, and Shen Miao barely reached his chest. It was as if he was looking at a child. The corners of his mouth were habitually curled into a mischievous smile, but because of his handsome face, it was not repulsive at all. If it were an ordinary girl, her heart would probably be racing and her face would be red.


    However, Shen Miao was not an unsophisticated girl now. She glanced at him and did not say anything.


    The young man smiled, and an exquisite short knife appeared in his hand. He aimed the end of the sheath at himself and raised Shen Miao¡¯s chin with the handle, forcing her to look up.


    Shen Miao had no choice but to look at him.


    The young man was about 18 or 19 years old, but he had sharp eyebrows and starry eyes. His eyes seemed to be filled with autumn water, and his faint smile was very attractive. However, the depths of his gaze made people tremble. It was a pair of sharp eyes that could almost see through people¡¯s hearts. No matter how playful he looked on the exterior, he was probably as hard to penetrate as a piece of rock on the inside.


    She took a deep breath and took a step back, moving away from the knife and saying gently, ¡°Young Marquis Xie.¡± Xie Jingxing smiled and said in an ambiguous tone, ¡°Do you know me?¡± ¡°There is no one in the capital who doesn¡¯t know Young Master Xie¡¯s name,¡± Shen Miao said indifferently. Her words seemed to be filled with sarcasm, but when she said it, she was surprisingly serious, making it difficult to distinguish her tone.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know you.¡± Xie Jingxing glanced at her and then at the trembling meat ball on the ground. ¡°You asked Su Minglang to send a message to his family.¡±


    ¡°A message?¡± Shen Miao looked at him and suddenly smiled. ¡°I¡¯m just teaching him a way to not be reprimanded by his father. Young Marquis Xie, you¡¯re thinking too much.¡±


    ¡°Thinking too much?¡± The young man ruminated on these words. Suddenly, he leaned forward, almost forcing Shen Miao to the huge tree trunk behind her. His expression was unreadable, but his tone was very clear. ¡°If I didn¡¯t think too much, I would have been deceived by you.¡±


    Shen Miao frowned.


    Although Ming Qi wasn¡¯t a strict nation, it was still considered inappropriate for an unmarried man and a woman to do such a thing in broad daylight, especially when it was taking place in the Guangwen Hall. If anyone saw them, she did not mind if her reputation was ruined, but she was afraid that Shen Xin would be embarrassed because of her. In her previous life, the Shen family was destroyed because of her. Only then did she see through her parents¡¯ good intentions. In her next life, she would protect the family. How could she allow others to say anything bad about the Shen family?


    At this thought, Shen Miao said impatiently, ¡°Young Master Xie, what exactly do you want?¡±


    Xie Jingxing looked at the girl in front of him.


    He had always believed in his tuition and he had been right most of the time. This was all trained from living for more than ten years in the army. He had killed people on the battlefield, fought with scheming people in the capital, and dealt with evil relatives back at home. He seemed to have grown up arrogantly not because of luck, but because he never took anything lightly. Although others couldn¡¯t tell, he could tell for a fact that Su Minglang was enlightened by someone.


    However, he did not know what the purpose of doing it was.


    He planned to meet this person.


    However, when he really saw this person, he was surprised.


    Xie Jingxing thought that the person who had this wisdom was either the son of some royal court or a young man who was about to become an official. However, when he saw this person, he almost thought that Su Minglang was deliberately playing tricks on him.


    The girl in front of him was not tall and only reached his chest. Her face was not attractive and was at most cute. She looked to be only 11 or 12 years old. She had a round face, round eyes, and small lips. She stood there alone like a lost deer in the forest. However, standing there straight and dignified, she spoke at a slow and measured pace, as if she was a concubine raised in the palace.


    Looking up and down, Xie Jingxing felt that she was just an ordinary little girl until they exchanged a few words.


    She looked childish, but her tone was calm. Not only did she not show any panic, but she even looked impatient. This was the first time this happened to Young Master Xie. When other women saw him approaching like this, they would already be red with embarrassment, but she looked indifferent and bored.


    She was probably too young and didn¡¯t know anything. But why did she know what to say to the Su family?


    He placed one hand on the tree trunk behind Shen Miao. From the distance, he looked like he was about to hug Shen Miao. Xie Jingxing lowered his head and leaned very close to Shen Miao.


    ¡°You¡¯re not afraid of me.¡±


    ¡°Young Marquis Xie is not a man-eating demon. What¡¯s there to be afraid of?¡± Shen Miao said indifferently. ¡°If there¡¯s nothing else, I¡¯ll have to go back to the school.¡± With that, she was about to leave.


    ¡°Stop.¡± Xie Jingxing raised his hand. Shen Miao¡¯s hair brushed past his palm, making him feel like ants were crawling on it. He retracted his hand and took a few steps back to lean against the tree. He crossed his arms, looking arrogant again.


    ¡°What is your purpose of warning the Su family?¡±


    His words were as sharp as his eyes. He never attempted to hide his sharpness and impulsiveness.


    Shen Miao sighed in her heart.


    Xie Jingxing was smarter than she thought. He could find this place with just a word from Su Minglang. In her previous life, she only thought that he was someone who didn¡¯t care about politics.


    When dealing with smart people, honesty was always the wise approach.


    ¡°Nothing else. I was just trying to protect myself.¡±


    With that, she bowed to Xie Jingxing and turned to leave.


    Xie Jing understood what she meant.


    Behind her, the young man smiled and played with the knife in his hand.


    ¡°Su Minglang, what¡¯s her name?¡±.

 Chapter 26 - The Marquiss Residence

    Chapter 26 The Marquis¡¯s Residence


    The Marquis¡¯s Residence in the capital was indeed magnificent. The late wife of the Marquis was the late emperor¡¯s favorite, Princess Yuqing. After becoming the emperor¡¯s son-in-law, the military power of the Marquis was supposed to be taken back. However, the late emperor didn¡¯t, which showed how important Princess Yuqing was to him.


    Princess Yuqing was born with outstanding beauty and a gentle temperament. After marrying to the Marquis, she was naturally doted on by the Marquis. Unfortunately, in the end, the Marquis still took in a concubine, who was now Madam Fang.


    If Princess Yuqing was a natural-born daughter of a rich family, then Madam Fang was just a pretty girl from a humble family. Originally, the Marquis owed the Fang family a favor. Later, when the Fang family was in trouble, they asked the Marquis to marry their daughter.


    Madam Fang was humble and not jealous, so the Marquis of Lin¡¯an just pretended she didn¡¯t exist. Probably because the children of noble families all had a few concubines, the Marquis of Lin¡¯an didn¡¯t think there was anything wrong with him having one.


    Unfortunately, men and women looked at things differently, especially when it came to concubines. The Marquis of Lin¡¯an felt that it was not a big deal to take in a concubine. A concubine was just a plaything. The person in his heart was still Princess Yuqing, but Princess Yuqing didn¡¯t think this way.


    Princess Yuqing grew up under the favor of the late emperor. After marrying into the marquis¡¯s mansion, she lived a pampered life. She was the only wife of her husband and was used to such a life. Unexpectedly, a concubine suddenly came. At that time, Princess Yuqing was about to give birth to Xie Jingxing. Before she gave birth, she was shocked by this news.


    Every day, Madam Fang would come over to pay her respects to Princess Yuqing. She always dressed and behaved properly. It would have been fine if she didn¡¯t come, but the moment she came, Princess Yuqing felt extremely annoyed. Growing up well-protected by her parents, Princess Yuqing was quite unsophisticated and didn¡¯t know any dirty tricks she could play to get rid of people.


    o ap


    It was the nanny who thought of a way to force Madam Fang to leave without telling the princess. Unexpectedly, she didn¡¯t succeed and was even discovered by the Marquis of Lin¡¯an.


    The Marquis of Lin¡¯an was an upright person and he could not stand women playing tricks, so he immediately reprimanded Princess Yuqing. This was the first time Princess Yuqing had quarreled with the Marquis of Lin¡¯an since she married him. She was a person who could not stand being wronged. In the end, she left the mansion in a fit of anger.


    She thought that the Marquis would come to visit her in a few days. Unexpectedly, a month went by and he still didn¡¯t show up. Consumed by anger and jealousy, she fell seriously ill one day.


    The Marquis of Lin¡¯an still loved his first wife deeply and wanted to come over to visit Princess Yuqing. However, he received an imperial edict to go to war overnight and left without even saying goodbye to her.


    Not long after Lin An left, Madam Fang found that she had a body.


    As the main wife, without the Marquis of Lin¡¯an around, Princess Yuqing had to protect Madam Fang and her child. Otherwise, if anything happened to Madam Fang, the rumors in the capital would probably be that she took advantage of her husband¡¯s absence to harm the concubine.


    ruil


    After a long time, she was mentally and physically exhausted. Princess Yuqing¡¯s body was gradually getting worse and worse. Seeing this, the nanny was anxious. However, Princess Yuging did not allow her to inform the royal family of her illness. She got up and wrote a letter to the Marquis of Lin¡¯an, asking him to come back and see her.


    She waited and waited, but no one came.


    Three days after Princess Yuqing was buried, the Marquis returned in triumph. He did not even see the corpse of his beloved wife and was extremely sad.


    At that time, the late emperor was furious and removed his title as the Marquis of Lin¡¯an. When the new emperor took over, he returned the title to him. Unfortunately, the love story between a talented Marquis and a beautiful princess could never be played again.


    The Marquis of Lin¡¯an never married another wife. Madam Fang was still as humble as before and gave birth to a few children. The Marquis of Lin¡¯an cared a little about her children but spent all his energy on grooming Xie Jingxing.


    However, Xie Jingxing did not appreciate it. Ever since he came of age, he had always been distant from the Marquis of Lin¡¯an. The love and hate entanglement between Princess Yuqing and the Marquis of Lin¡¯an was almost known by everyone in the capital. If he wanted to know, he could always find out.


    SOL


    The Marquis of Lin¡¯an felt guilty towards his son and always tried his best to satisfy him. On the other hand, Xie Jingxing seemed to like going against his father a lot, which always gave his father a headache. However, no matter what, he had inherited the beauty and talent of Princess Yuqing. Apart from his mischievous behaviors, he was a wonderful and pretty boy. Naturally, he was also Prince Charming of rich girls in Ming Qi.


    It was the same today for this son and father.


    Xie Jingxing strode into his study.


    His courtyard was where Princess Yuqing used to live when she was recuperating. It was far from the main courtyard and was quiet. Xie Ding once wanted him to move to a place near the main courtyard, but he rejected him. The reason was that he really did not want to see some people.


    His attitude towards the Marquis mansion had always been so cold.


    The maids beside him pushed open the door and walked in with a snow-white porcelain bowl, saying, ¡°Madam Fang made crystal lotus seed porridge. She said it was cooked for a few hours. Master, eat some to warm up.¡± He did not like his maids calling him ¡°Young Marquis¡±, but ¡°Master¡±, as if this could separate him from his father.


    Xie Jingxing glanced at the bowl. The porridge was cooked until it was sparkling, and the soup was bright and sticky. It had been cooked for quite a while, and it emitted a fragrance that made people salivate.


    He said coldly, ¡°Dump it.¡±


    The maid agreed as usual and left.


    As soon as she left, a person appeared behind the door. He lowered his head slightly and said in a low voice, ¡°Master, I¡¯ve found out. She¡¯s Shen Miao, the daughter of Shen Xin.¡¯


    ¡°Shen Xin?¡± Xie Jingxing frowned.


    Shen Xin and Xie Ding had been at odds with each other for many years, and the Shen family and the Xie family did not like each other either.


    S


    The Xie family and the Su family were good friends. The Shen family might want to deliver the message to the Xie family through the Su family. However, they were enemies, so why did the Shen family do that? Moreover, what did a little girl like Shen Miao know? Xie Jingxing thought that the Shen family must have deliberately asked Shen Miao to be the messenger. Shen Xin was now far away in the northwest. Could it be the second and third branches of the Shen family that made the instruction? Shen Gui and Shen Wan were also extremely ambitious people. Now that the imperial court was in turmoil, they probably wanted to take advantage of the situation.


    ¡°The Shen and Xie families have always been at odds with each other. The fact that the girl from the Shen family suddenly expressed goodwill means that she is up to no good.¡± He raised his eyebrows and said coldly, ¡°Continue investigating!¡±

 Chapter 27 - Tailoring

    Chapter 27 Tailoring


    No matter what kind of turmoil there was in the capital, it always looked peaceful on the surface. The annual chrysanthemum banquet was coming soon, and because the test of Guangwen Hall happened to be not long after the chrysanthemum banquet, it was put together this year.


    This was different from the past years. In this way, the test became a banquet for noble families.


    Early in the morning, Old Madam Shen sent her maid, Xi¡¯er, to the west courtyard. She said that she had hired a tailor to help Shen Miao pick out the clothes for the chrysanthemum banquet.


    Shen Miao nodded in agreement.


    In the past, Shen Miao would dress casually for the test. Because she was always on the bottom, if she wore something eye-catching, people would laugh at her. Now that the test was held during the Chrysanthemum Banquet, it was understandable that she had to dress up somehow.


    All the officials and their wives would be present at the chrysanthemum banquet, and most of them were there to find their daughters or sons-in-law. Therefore, all the girls would dress up and attend, hoping to stand out. Although Old Madam Shen did not like Shen Miao, she still had to do it just to be fair. Moreover, Old Madam Shen only cared about her own interests. If she could use Shen Miao to exchange for a helpful marriage, she would be more than happy to do so.


    Bai Lu looked a little happy. As she accompanied Shen Miao to the Rongjing Hall, she said, ¡°I didn¡¯t expect the chrysanthemum banquet to arrive so soon. Don¡¯t you like chrysanthemum banquets the most? When the time comes, you can see the beautiful flowers.¡±


    Shen Miao liked the chrysanthemum banquet, but not for the flowers. At such banquets, she was always isolated and ridiculed by people for being dull and stupid.


    She liked the chrysanthemum banquet because of Fu Xiuyi.


    Fu Xiuyi was also present at the chrysanthemum banquet a year ago. That day, she was mocked and isolated again. The chrysanthemum garden was filled with colorful flowers. Everyone was looking for the most colorful one. She walked to the corner and saw a pot of white chrysanthemums in the distance.


    White chrysanthemums were mostly used for funerals, so they were naturally not likable.


    Perhaps because they were in the same boat, Shen Miao felt that she was just like the white chrysanthemum. She was alone and not liked. Just as she was sighing in her heart, she saw a man in luxurious clothes walk up to the Chrysanthemum.


    He reached out to pick up the flower branch and stroked the petals with his hand. Someone beside him asked him, ¡°Ninth Brother, what¡¯s so good about this flower?¡±


    The man smiled. ¡°I pity it for being weak and helpless.¡±


    It was this sentence that made Shen Miao like the man. When the man turned around, she was even more fascinated by his handsome appearance.


    Later, Shen Miao found out from the ladies that the person was the current emperor¡¯s ninth son, Fu Xiuyi.


    Fu Xiuyi was obviously talking about chrysanthemums, but she felt that she could relate to him. She thought that if such a gentle person married her, he would definitely pity her like a lonely flower.


    Unfortunately, she was wrong. Fu Xiuyi took pity on the delicate flower, the world, and Consort Mei, but unfortunately, he had never taken pity on her. In his opinion, everything she did was based on the ¡°responsibility¡± of a wife. Those days of respecting each other were nothing more than a show that Fu Xiuyi put on with her.


    Shen Miao was so lost in thought that she didn¡¯t notice that she had already arrived at the entrance of Rongjing Hall.


    Old Madam Shen was wearing a green and white dress with long buttons. She was already in her seventies, but she was still wearing such a loud green dress, making her face look like a female ghost.


    Shen Yue and Shen Qing were both standing beside their mothers. The second branch originally had two daughters from the concubine, but at such a banquet, the daughters of the concubine were never allowed to go out to steal the thunder. As for the third branch, apart from Chen Ruoqiu, the main wife, Shen Wan only had no concubine.


    Therefore, only the legitimate daughters of the branches were invited to the banquet.


    Shen Miao greeted Old Madam Shen. Ren Wanyun looked at Shen Miao and smiled. ¡°Miao, come and pick the fabric. I¡¯ll get Mrs.Li to tailor it for you later.¡±


    Shen Qing smiled and said, ¡°Second Sister and I have already chosen. We¡¯re all waiting for you to choose.¡±


    It was Xi¡¯er, the maid, who came to inform Shen Miao too late, but they spoke as if Shen Miao was late on purpose. However, Shen Miao couldn¡¯t be bothered with them and walked to the table where all kinds of fabrics were placed.


    Mrs. Li was a middle-aged woman in her thirties. Every year, everyone in the Shen family would buy new clothes from her shop. When she was young, she had learned some embroidery from the royal tailor in the palace and was very good at making clothes.


    There were five or six bolts of cloth spread out in front of her.


    The scene from her previous life was still vivid in her mind. At the chrysanthemum banquet that day, Shen Qing was wearing a crabapple-colored dress. She looked passionate and generous like a delicate flower. As for Shen Miao, she was wearing a bright yellow dress with a golden collar and jewelry given by Old Madam Shen, looking like a crowd, but she wasn¡¯t aware of it.


    Shen Yue smiled and said, ¡°Fifth Sister, your skin is fair. Why don¡¯t you choose that light yellow dress? Moreover, it can make you look lively and cute. It really suits you.¡±


    Shen Qing nodded vigorously. ¡°That¡¯s right. From the looks of it, the yellow one is the most suitable among these for Fifth Sister.¡±


    Chen Ruoqiu smiled and did not speak, and Ren Wanyun looked at Shen Miao mockingly.


    Shen Miao didn¡¯t know how to pick clothes.


    Her mother was not in the house all year round, and without a mother, children inevitably lost a lot of advantages. The other people in the Shen family were all scheming, so they naturally would not teach her how to dress up. Therefore, Shen Miao got used to dressing and wearing everything her aunties gave her.


    For example, the bright yellow material indeed matched her skin color, but it made her look too childish and cheap. Coupled with the golden jewelry, she looked like a daughter of a landlord.


    Gu Yu and the other maids wanted to persuade her to throw away the jewelry, but she was stubborn and didn¡¯t listen. That was why she ended up making a fool of herself at the banquet.


    What a joke.

 Chapter 28 - Gold and Silver

    Chapter 28 Gold and Silver


    She pointed at one of the pieces of silk brocade and said, ¡°This will do.¡±


    It was made of lotus green material. Generally speaking, most daughters wouldn¡¯t choose this material. Because of the color of the lotus, ordinary girls would easily look too old-fashioned when wearing this color. If they didn¡¯t have a noble aura, wearing this color would make them look even worse.


    A glint flashed across Chen Ruoqiu¡¯s eyes as she smiled and said, ¡°Why did you choose such a color? All girls have to wear fresh clothes, like your two sisters. I¡¯m afraid this color is a little old-fashioned.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Ren Wanyun added. Although she also liked to see people from the first branch make a fool of themselves, Shen Miao was simply too much. If outsiders saw her, they would think that the girls from the Shen family were all old-fashioned and dull.


    Shen Yue and Shen Qing smiled secretly. Shen Qing said, ¡°I think this lotus color is pretty good. I thought Fifth Sister never wore such a color? It¡¯s good to try. I heard that this color is also very noble.¡±


    ¡°If not for the fact that I¡¯ve already picked the materials, I would definitely want to try the green lotus,¡± Shen Yue said with a smile.


    Mrs. Li looked at the two daughters of the Shen family, then at the calm Shen Miao, and sighed in her heart. Everyone in the capital knew that the daughter of Shen Xin was stupid and dull. However, they didn¡¯t know that the two kind-looking and gentle cousins were actually so vicious. They actually intentionally wanted to make Shen Miao embarrass herself.


    She felt a little sorry for Shen Miao. General Shen was protecting the country outside, but her daughter was schemed against by her family in the mansion. At the thought of this, she said tactfully, ¡°This lotus color indeed looks a little too solemn. If it¡¯s a chrysanthemum banquet, why don¡¯t you choose something more fresh? Miss, why don¡¯t you choose this jade-white one?¡±


    Shen Miao glanced at Mrs. Li. She was a rare honest person. In her previous life, Mrs. Li had also reminded Shen Miao. However, at that time, Shen Miao listened to her two cousins and aunts, and did not listen to Mrs. Li at all. Hearing that, she thanked Mrs. Li politely. ¡°No need. I like this green lotus material.¡±


    Hearing that, Shen Qing and Shen Yue, who had been frowning, heaved a sigh of relief. Shen Yue smiled and said, ¡°Fifth Sister, you have good taste.¡±


    Mr. Li sighed in her heart, but she did not say anything else.


    From the beginning to the end, Old Madam Shen had been lying on the couch with her eyes closed, pretending to be asleep, as if she did not hear anything. As long as it was something related to money, she was always happy to pretend not to know. Today, the cost of hiring the tailor and buying the fabrics were all from the house, and the money from the house was managed by Ren Wanyun.


    SO


    After Mrs. Li left, Ren Wanyun smiled and said, ¡°When the girls of our Shen family go out, they can¡¯t look too ill-dressed. I¡¯ve bought some jewelry for them. They can be used on the day of the chrysanthemum banquet.¡± As she spoke, she instructed Xianglan to bring out a few boxes. One was for Shen Qing, and the other was for Shen Miao.


    Shen Miao¡¯s box was heavy. Ren Wanyun looked at her and said in an especially loving tone, ¡°I especially got the jewelry shop to make this for you. I hope you like it.¡±


    On the couch, Old Madam Shen frowned, as if she wanted to open her eyes. However, after a pause, she continued to pretend to be sleeping. ¡°Thank you, Second Aunt.¡± Shen Miao thanked her, taking the box.


    ¡°Then let¡¯s go back and take a look.¡± Shen Yue pulled Chen Ruoqiu and winked at Shen Miao. ¡°Fifth Sister¡¯s jewelry must be the most expensive one.¡±


    Shen Miao smiled and remained silent.


    When she returned to the west courtyard, Shen Miao threw the box aside and did not look at it. Seeing this, Jingzhe asked curiously, ¡°Miss, why don¡¯t you open it and take a look?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s there to see? What difference does it make?¡± Shen Miao replied without hesitation.


    Jingzhe wanted to say something but hesitated. Every time she got jewelry from the second and third branches, her Miss would love it. Unfortunately, even as servants, they could tell that the jewelry was too shiny. Ever since Shen Miao was born, she had been brought up by the second and third branches, so she loved these tacky gold and silver the most.


    Shen Miao thought for a moment and reached out to open the box.


    As soon as she opened it, a golden light flashed. Inside were bracelets and collars made of gold and silver. The rubies on them were large, but the quality was very poor.


    Jingzhe couldn¡¯t help but look angry.


    Shen Miao almost laughed out loud. Before she got married, her jewelry was all like this. Even girls from the countryside wouldn¡¯t wear such gold and silver necklaces. Every time she wore loud clothes and gold jewelry, she looked like an ugly old madam.


    Weai


    Looking at her Miss, Jingzhe was surprised to find that she didn¡¯t look as excited as before. Just as she was surprised, Shen Miao closed the box and passed it to her. ¡°Find a pawn shop to sell this and buy a silver hairpin. It doesn¡¯t have to be an expensive one.¡±


    ¡°Miss¡­¡± Jingzhe said in surprise,¡± If the people in the east courtyard find out, they will inevitably reproach you.¡±


    ¡°Since I can¡¯t wear these jewelry anymore, what¡¯s the point of keeping them? It¡¯s better to exchange them for real money,¡± Shen Miao replied indifferently. Everything had to be practical. This was what she understood when she was the empress. In the Shen family, the girls were given two taels of silver a month. However, how much were Shen Yue and Shen Qing subsidized by her family? Shen Miao did not know, but she was certain that she did not have that kind of subsidy.


    She was the General¡¯s daughter, but her money was nothing compared to what her two sisters had. She used to think that it was because Second Aunt and Third Aunt were willing to help their daughter, but now?


    Ren Wanyun was in charge of all the money in the house, but Shen Gui and Shen Wan¡¯s salary in the government was barely enough to support themselves.


    On the other hand, Shen Xin was rewarded handsomely everytime he returned from a war in triumph by His Majesty, and he always gave the reward to the house.


    So, it was obvious that the Old Madam had been stealing the money.


    Shen Miao had to find a way to take back her share of the family asset.

 Chapter 29 - Preparation Before the Banquet

    Chapter 29 Preparation Before the Banquet


    The chrysanthemum banquet of the 68th year of Ming Qi finally came.


    The Guangwen Hal became a competition of talents. Any talented person could go on stage and challenge their classmates at will.


    Therefore, both male and female students had to be on the same stage. In other words, they were not divided into male and female groups like before. If they liked, women could challenge the strategies and horsemanship that men were good at, and men could also challenge the Guqin, chess, calligraphy, and painting that women were good at. However, this kind of scene was rare.


    Early in the morning, the Shen family was busy. In the west courtyard, Shuang Jiang carefully put a silver hairpin on Shen Miao¡¯s hair and smiled. ¡°Miss, it¡¯s done.¡±


    Shuang Jiang was the best at combing hair. Previously, Shen Yue even wanted her to go over to comb her hair, but Shuang Jiang refused because she was loyal to Shen Miao. Shen Yue could do nothing about it.


    ¡°Miss, your dress is really beautiful.¡± Bai Lu smiled, but then she said with some hesitation, ¡°It¡¯s just that your hair is too


    plain.¡±


    Shen Miao¡¯s hair was black and thick, and it was combed into an exquisite bun by Shuang Jiang. She looked elegant and unique. Even after she reached the age of marriage, Shen Miao still looked like a girl. However, the style today made her look like she had grown up a lot. She finally had the aura of a young lady.


    However, because there was only a silver hairpin on her head, Shen Miao made people feel like she was from a poor family.


    Gu Yu couldn¡¯t help but get angry. The Shen family was rich and powerful, but Shen Miao didn¡¯t even have a single piece of jewelry to match her clothes. The entire Shen family was supported by Shen Xin, but they treated his daughter like she was an orphan.


    Taking a look at Gu Yu, Shen Miao could tell what was on her mind. Ever since she was young, the second and third branches of the Shen family had been brainwashing Shen Miao, making her believe that silver and gold were the best. This way, they could tell the outside world that Shen Miao had a natural inclination for shiny gold jewelry, and that they didn¡¯t interfere with her choice at all.


    Looking at Shen Miao with gold and silver jewelry, everyone thought that the fifth miss of the Shen family was greedy and vulgar.


    Although gold was good, it was not for wearing


    Afraid that Shen Miao would be sad, Gu Yu quickly changed the topic and said, ¡°But Mrs. Li is a really good tailor. Miss looks terrific in this dress.¡±


    Mrs. Li probably felt pity towards Shen Miao, so the dress she made for her was surprisingly exquisite. Mrs. Li thought that Shen Miao had a baby face, so the green color wouldn¡¯t look compatible, so she embroidered large beautiful and vivid begonia flowers at the hem of the dress.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Shen Miao stood up. ¡°We can¡¯t wait too long.¡±


    When she walked out of the courtyard, she saw that most of the begonias in the garden were in full bloom. She stopped in her tracks and plucked a small one, putting it into her hair.


    ¡°Miss, you¡¯re really pretty,¡± Gu Yu praised.


    Nanny Gui had just come out of the kitchen with some snacks she brought for Shen Miao to eat on the way. When she came out, she was shocked by Shen Miao.


    She had served Shen Miao for so many years, and Shen Miao was also raised by her. It could be said that she had watched Shen Miao grow up, but today, she felt that Shen Miao was a stranger to her. Her aura was calm and dignified, and with that noble lotus green color, it was not an exaggeration to say that she looked like a princess. Standing there rooted to the ground, Nanny Gui almost dropped the snacks in her hand.


    Bai Lu said with a smile, ¡°Nanny Gui, what are you looking at?¡±


    Nanny Gui was stunned. Out of habit, she was about to say something nice when she suddenly remembered that today was the chrysanthemum banquet. Shen Miao was so outstanding that she would definitely suppress Shen Yue and Shen Qing. She swallowed the praise that was about to come out of her mouth and said with a worried expression, ¡°Miss, the color of this dress is really too solemn. Miss is still young. Why do you have to wear such a color to look old? Why don¡¯t I go and get you the peach-colored coat? It will make you look cute. Also, I remember that Second Madam gave you a lot of hairpins. With that hairpin you are wearing, people will say the girls in the General¡¯s Mansion are neglected.¡±


    Gu Yu pursed her lips. The peach-colored coat was a gift from Ren Wanyun. The color was tacky, and with the gold and silver jewelry, Shen Miao looked like a girl from a rich family in the countryside. If she went to the chrysanthemum banquet today dressed like that, Shen Miao would definitely be laughed at by everyone. Nanny Gui was obviously up to no good. Just as she was about to reprimand her on behalf of Shen Miao, she heard Shen Miao say softly, ¡°Nowadays, the country is prosperous and the people are living and working in peace, but His Majesty advocates frugality. In the world, extravagance and waste are the worst. What¡¯s wrong with being a little plain? If people see us, they will only say that the General¡¯s family is upright and honest. As for clothes, you don¡¯t have to worry about it.¡± Shen Miao smiled. ¡°Today, people are competing with each other over talent. It has nothing to do with clothes.¡±


    Nanny Gui wondered when Shen Miao started to have so many thoughts of her own. Shen Miao usually did not like to study and was stupid. Now, hearing that, Nanny Gui suddenly found herself unable to refute and was lost for words.


    Bai Lu couldn¡¯t help but laugh out loud. She quickly shut up and put on a straight face, but it was obvious that she was happy.


    Nanny Gui stood there like a mute and was even laughed at by the maids. She was frustrated, but she couldn¡¯t figure out why she was at a disadvantage every time she talked to Shen Miao after she returned to the mansion recently.


    Nanny Gui handed the snacks to Gu Yu and said, ¡°This is for Miss to eat on the way. It¡¯s still quite a distance from the Chrysanthemum Banquet.¡± She then said to Shen Miao, ¡°If you¡¯ll excuse me, I have to take care of something in the courtyard.¡±


    ¡°GO,¡± Shen Miao replied flatly.


    After Nanny Gui left, Gu Yu and Bai Lu couldn¡¯t help but put on a broad smile. The more domineering Shen Miao acted, the less the people in the Shen family dared to bully her.


    When they walked to the door, they saw two carriages parked there. The first was ready to set off, but the second was empty.


    Shen Qing¡¯s maid, Chun Tao, was standing in front of the first carriage.

 Chapter 30 - Making Things Difficult

    Chapter 30 Making Things Difficult


    When Chun Tao saw Shen Miao, she quickly approached the carriage and said something to the people in it. Then, Shen Miao saw the curtain of the carriage being lifted.


    Inside the first carriage, there were Shen Yue, Shen Qing, Ren Wanyun, and Chen Ruoqiu. When the four of them saw Shen Miao, they could not help but be stunned. Chen Ruoqiu¡¯s eyes flashed, but Ren Wanyun frowned. ¡°Fifth Sister, why are you dressed so plainly?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Shen Qing couldn¡¯t wait to say, ¡°That outfit doesn¡¯t look good. I think you¡¯d better wear something bright. I still have a bright yellow dress in my room. Chun Tao, take Fifth Sister to change into that dress. Why aren¡¯t you wearing any jewelry too? People who don¡¯t know might think that the General¡¯s Mansion is treating you badly.¡±


    As a matter of fact, Shen Qing was jealous.


    She was born with a pretty face and looked like a very well-behaved daughter of a rich family. However, what she cared about the most was that her skin was not very fair and was a little wheat-colored. Who did not want their skin to be snow-white? She did not dare to say anything about Shen Yue¡¯s fair skin, but Shen Miao¡¯s skin was fair too. Today, Shen Miao was wearing a green dress, making her skin look even whiter. This way, among the three daughters of the Shen family, Shen Qing would be the one with the dullest skin, so she was naturally unhappy.


    Shen Yue carefully sized up Shen Miao. She saw that the hairpin Shen Miao was wearing was quite exquisite. Coupled with the lotus-green dress, Shen Miao actually looked very dignified, and she did not wear those gold and silver jewelry. Shen Yue smiled and said, ¡°Fifth Sister, putting aside the clothes, you have to wear jewelry. After all, you are the face of our family. Grandma will be unhappy to see you dressed like this. Moreover, why do you have such a hairstyle? You are still young, that hairpin doesn¡¯t fit you.¡±


    Gu Yu was so angry that her face turned pale. However, as a servant, she could not go against them. She gritted her teeth in hatred, thinking to herself that the second and third branches of the Shen family were all up to no


    good.


    After they finished speaking, they saw that Shen Miao did not say a word. She just smiled at them, thinking about something. Finally, Shen Qing felt a little uncomfortable under that gaze and shouted at the maid standing by the carriage, ¡°Chun Tao, what are you waiting for? Hurry up and take Fifth Sister to change her clothes.¡±


    ¡°No need.¡± Shen Miao interrupted her and put on a sad expression. ¡°There¡¯s a reason why I dressed up like this today. I like the jewelry Second Aunt gave me very much. It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t want to wear it.¡±


    The few of them looked at each other, not knowing what Shen Miao meant. Gu Yu and Jingzhe also looked at each other in confusion.


    ¡°My father is now far away in the northwest, leading the soldiers in a bloody battle. The Xiongnu have not retreated, and the soldiers are dressed in heavy and cold armors. I am ashamed that I live in the capital surrounded by gold and silver jewelry and get to enjoy poems and flowers.¡± Shen Miao lowered her head and her voice slightly. ¡°Last night, a Bodhisattva entered my dream and asked me to pray. I made up my mind that I won¡¯t wear luxury clothes or jewelry until my father returns.¡±


    No one expected Shen Miao to suddenly say such a thing. She was usually so timid that she would have a hard time articulating herself, let alone say something so deep. Shen Yue and Shen Qing were both so shocked that they were speechless. Chen Ruoqiu rubbed her forehead and was deep in thought. On the other hand, Ren Wanyun looked a little embarrassed. If Shen Miao prayed for her father, shouldn¡¯t the rest of the Shen family do the same? However, Ren Wanyun definitely wouldn¡¯t agree to her daughter going to the chrysanthemum banquet dressed like that. Ren Wanyun gritted her teeth and advised lovingly, ¡°Even so, you¡¯re still a young lady. Why do you have to be so serious? It¡¯s just a banquet. Relax¡­¡±


    Shen Miao suddenly bowed to Ren Wanyun. ¡°Second Aunt, please allow me to fulfill my filial piety.¡±


    Shen Miao was standing at the entrance of the Shen family¡¯s mansion, and there were many passers-by coming back and forth. When Shen Miao bowed, the passers-by could not help but look at her curiously.


    Ren Wanyun was put on the spot. How could she stop Shen Miao from fulfilling her filial wish?


    She was already in the wrong for not praying for his brother-in-law who was fighting in the battle, now of course, she couldn¡¯t stop Shen Miao from doing so.


    Ren Wanyun¡¯s face turned pale. She did not expect Shen Miao to come up with that answer. What made her even more frustrated was that she could not refuse. Ren Wanyun quickly asked Chun Tao to help Shen Miao up and said, ¡°It¡¯s good that you want to pray for your father. Of course Auntie won¡¯t stop you. Now, get on the carriage and let¡¯s head out together.¡±


    Shen Qing was still a little unhappy, but she could not refute her mother. However, Shen Yue and her mother seemed to have noticed something, and when they looked at Shen Miao again, their gazes were different.


    ¡°However,¡± Ren Wanyun smiled and said, ¡°Our carriage is too full to accommodate another person. I asked the butler to prepare another one for you. It¡¯s spacious too. You can follow us in the second carriage. We¡¯ll go in together later.¡±


    Every year, Shen Miao would sit in the same carriage with them, but this year, they obviously did it on purpose.


    Ren Wanyun also had her own thoughts. Shen Qing was at the age of marriage, but Shen Xin¡¯s official position was higher than Shen Gui¡¯s, so the families would first consider Shen Miao. Shen Miao was not smart, if she was left alone, she¡¯d probably make a fool of herself. By contrast, Shen Qing would look more generous and lady-like.


    Therefore, she specially prepared two carriages. Since Chen Ruoqiu and her daughter had the same idea as her, she naturally wouldn¡¯t reject them.


    ¡°Alright, as you wish.¡± Shen Miao smiled.


    Ren Wanyun was still a little surprised. She did not expect Shen Miao to agree so easily. Shen Miao had always been timid. Previously, she was always sticking to Shen Yue and Shen Qing, thinking that it would be too embarrassing to sit in an empty carriage. She did not expect that Shen Miao would agree without a moment of hesitation.


    In this way, it seemed like all the things she prepared to say were unnecessary.


    ¡°If there¡¯s nothing else, I will get on the carriage.¡± She bowed to the four of them and got into her carriage.


    The carriage was considered spacious, but it was not as exquisite as Ren Wanyun¡¯s.


    Gu Yu said angrily, ¡°Not only did they make Miss sit alone, but they even asked Miss to follow them. These people are definitely up to no good.¡±


    Jingzhe looked at Shen Miao worriedly and sighed.


    Shen Miao looked at the snacks in her hand and clenched them tightly while lost in a deep thought.


    They wanted to distance themselves from the first branch and make Shen Miao a joke so that her father, Shen Xin, would be embarrassed.


    However, in this life, Shen Miao would let them get what they wanted.

 Chapter 31 - Expose The Trick

    Chapter 31 Expose The Trick


    The chrysanthemum banquet was held in Yanbei Hall, which was not far from Prince Gong¡¯s mansion. This was a banquet personally set up by the empress of the Ming Qi. This mansion was originally an exquisite garden that was constructed by the previous dynasty. It covered thousands of acres and was built in a grand and exquisite manner. If not for the fact that it was too far from the capital, the empress would even want to make it a royal garden.


    However, this place was surrounded by mountains and rivers. Although it was far, it was a good place to admire the scenery. Especially in October, all kinds of chrysanthemums would bloom in unison, making the whole place look like a paradise.


    It took about two hours to get to Yanbei Hall by carriage, so some snacks would normally be prepared.


    Gu Yu opened the basket given by Nanny Gui and asked Shen Miao, ¡°Miss, why don¡¯t you eat something? It¡¯s a long journey. You¡¯ll only have energy after eating.¡±


    Shen Miao looked at the things in the basket.


    Ice goat cheese, spring onions roll, spicy drumstick¡­ At first glance, they looked tempting. The color was bright, and it smelled delicious.


    Unfortunately, the smell of these things was too strong. For example, ice cheese and spicy drumsticks were more likely to stain one¡¯s mouth. If one was not careful, they would even dirty their clothes. Nanny Gui really ¡°carefully¡± prepared these foods.


    The battle between the women in a big family was all about setting up traps that looked innocuous on the surface. However, when Shen Miao was in the palace of Ming Qi, she faced traps and tricks ten times more vicious than this. She shook her head and asked Gu Yu to close the basket, saying, ¡°No need, Jingzhe has prepared some.¡±


    Jingzhe carefully took out a small cloth bag from behind her. The cloth bag was filled with small and exquisite pastries. Shen Miao couldn¡¯t trust the kitchen of the Shen family, so she got Jingzhe to ask the butler to buy some from outside. The butler thought that Jingzhe just wanted to taste some sweet food and didn¡¯t think too much. He was just a little surprised that a maid like Jingzhe was willing to spend so much to buy pastries from Guangfu Restaurant.


    Guangfu Restaurant was one of the top pastry shops in the capital. It was also frequently visited by the concubines in the palace. In her previous life, Shen Miao was not very interested in the pastries in Guangfu Restaurant, but Wanyu liked them very much.


    The pastry Shen Miao was holding was only the size of her finger and looked like a flower. Shen Miao gave some to Gu Yu and Jingzhe to eat. At first, the two girls did not dare to eat it, but when they saw that Shen Miao insisted, they could not decline. They carefully took it and took a bite. Then, they said in surprise, ¡°Miss, this snack is really delicious.¡±


    Shen Miao smiled. In fact, the pastries weren¡¯t all that delicious. They were just made cute and exquisite, so it gave girls a feeling that they were delicious. When Wanyu was engaged, Shen Miao even spent a lot of money to hire a pastry chef from Guangfu Restaurant to go with her, hoping that in the bitter cold land of the Xiongnu, Wanyu could still eat the pastries she liked.


    Who knew¡­ who knew that halfway through, Wanyu would get murdered.


    Shen Miao closed her eyes.


    Consort Mei was the one who instigated the marriage. Chen Ruoqiu and her family colluded, but the one who gave the order was Fu Xiuyi. In this life, none of these people could escape. Shen Muao wanted them to pay back a thousand times for killing Wanyu!


    Gu Yu was eating snacks with relish when she looked up and saw Shen Miao¡¯s cold gaze. In an instant, Gu Yu seemed to see the shadow of Shen Xin. Shen Xin was someone who had killed people on the battlefield and had seen blood. When he was angry, he was fierce. At this moment, Shen Miao¡¯s gaze was exactly the same as Shen Xin¡¯s.


    She almost choked on the dessert and tried her best to swallow it. She asked carefully, ¡°Miss, are you feeling unwell?¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯m not.¡± Shen Miao lowered her eyes. ¡°I was just thinking about something.¡±


    Fu Xiuyi would also be present at the chrysanthemum banquet today. Not only Fu Xiuyi, but also a few of his brothers. Now that the nine princes each had grown up, they naturally divided into camps. Fu Xiuyi acted


    with the crown prince.


    Who knew that in the end, the crown prince would be deposed and Fu Xiuyi would become the crown prince? She did not plan to help the crown prince. These people from the Ming Qi Royal Family were the most heartless. They looked at these families who had helped their ancestors build their empire as if they were looking at an old dog. These hounds were the ones who helped them catch the hare back then. Now that the hare was in their hands, they were still worried that the hounds would bite them to death. Therefore, they squeezed out the last drop of blood from the hounds and then killed them and cooked them.


    What right did the heartless and cruel royal family have to ask everyone to be loyal?


    Why don¡¯t I just watch the hounds fight each other first? Shen Miao thought with a smile.


    At this moment, many noble families had arrived at Yanbei hall.


    Although the test was for both male and female students, the banquet hall was still divided in male and female sections. The young boys and their father were busy getting to know each other. They naturally wanted to use this opportunity to seek some alliances. Moreover, these boys would one day take over the family from their father, so it was good to make more friends.


    In the women¡¯s section, it wasn¡¯t as full of activity. The girls just chatted with each other, talking about who they were into and wanted to marry. Yi Peilan fiddled with the flowers on the table and said, ¡°Are you confident about today¡¯s test?¡±


    ¡°I am not.¡± The girl beside her smiled and said, ¡°There are so many people here today, and I¡¯m really nervous. I just hope that no one will pick me and challenge me. I¡¯ll be happy if I can leave today without making a fool of myself.¡±


    Yi Peilan curled her lips. ¡°At least give it a try. You have to know that Prince Ding will be here today. Besides, the young master of the Li family you like is here too. Young Master Li is so outstanding. He will definitely go on stage. Why don¡¯t you seize this opportunity to perform well?¡±


    The girl nudged Yi Peilan and said shyly, ¡°Nonsense.¡±


    Hearing that, Jiang Xiaoxuan said with a smile, ¡°That¡¯s right. Bai Wei, don¡¯t be afraid. As long as Shen Miao is here, you won¡¯t have a chance to make a fool of yourself.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Yi Peilan also smiled brightly. ¡°Isn¡¯t Shen Miao responsible for making people laugh? I wonder why she still has the courage to come. At the thought of what happened last year, I want to laugh. I wonder what kind of clothes she will wear this year. A bright red dress like last year¡¯s?¡±


    A few girls giggled.


    ¡°Enough.¡± Feng Anning suddenly said, ¡°Is it funny?¡±


    Yi Peilan was stunned for a moment before saying, ¡°Feng Anning, you seem to be very strange recently. Why? Have you become friends with that fool?¡±


    Feng Anning looked angry. Just as she was about to speak, she heard someone on the other side say, ¡°Hey, the Shen family is here.¡±

 Chapter 32 - Stunning The Crowd (1)

    Chapter 32 Stunning The Crowd (1)


    Madam Yi, Yi Peilan¡¯s mother, was usually on good terms with Ren Wanyun. Master Yi and Shen Gui took care of each other in the bureaucracy. Occasionally, Ren Wanyun would bring Shen Qing to visit the Yi family. Yi Peilan was the closest to Shen Qing and was also on good terms with Shen Yue.


    The women present and the men on the other side looked over.


    Shen Gui and Shen Wan had been busy with government affairs recently and could not come, but it wasn¡¯t because of the two of them that the people looked over.


    The mighty general, Shen Xin, had a lot of prestige in the imperial court. When the late emperor was alive, the Shen family had a lot of special privileges. Whoever controlled the military power had the right to speak. Therefore, even if Shen Xin was not in the capital all year round, the Shen family was still respected by everyone. The reason why Shen Gui and Shen Wan could have a smooth sailing in the imperial court was also because of their elder brother.


    The men looked at the Shen family as a family that represented power. The women looked at the Shen family as if they were a joke.


    Shen Xin only had one legitimate daughter, and as her legitimate daughter, Shen Miao¡¯s status was naturally different. It could be said that she was even comparable to a princess. However, such a legitimate daughter of a rich family was a complete fool. She was stupid, ignorant, timid, and made a lot of jokes because she liked Prince Ding.


    Not to mention, in front of her two outstanding cousins, she looked even more like a country girl.


    ¡°I wonder what kind of show she will put on today. With Prince Ding present, Shen Miao will definitely dress up ¡®nicely¡¯.¡± Yi Peilan covered her mouth and smiled.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you think it¡¯ll be funnier during the test? With how stupid Shen Miao is, she¡¯ll probably take the initiative to go on stage. That¡¯ll be awesome!¡± Jiang Xiaoxuan laughed


    too.


    Bai Wei sighed and shook her head pretentiously. ¡°I wonder what kind of sin General Shen committed in his previous life to have such a daughter.¡±


    As they spoke, a maid led a group of people in.


    Walking at the front were Ren Wanyun and Chen Ruoqiu. Ren Wanyun was wearing a thin gold robe. She was plump to begin with, and with her hair combed into a bun, she looked even more noble and dignified, like the mother of a family. Chen Ruoqiu was different. Although Shen Yue was already sixteen, Chen Ruoqiu was still like a young woman. She was wearing a light green dress and looked like a gentle woman from a scholarly family.


    Behind them were Shen Yue and Shen Qing.


    Shen Yue was wearing a light pink dress. Her long hair was tied into a bun and was accessorized with some pink pearls. The color of the pearls was extremely good, and they emitted a faint luster that attracted people¡¯s gazes. Beside her, Shen Qing was wearing a peach-colored dress. It was also a dazzling color. The jade bracelet on her wrist was bright and translucent.


    The two of them were young. One was gentle and beautiful, and the other was generous. The clothes they were wearing were obviously of the best quality. An adult among the men couldn¡¯t help but praise, ¡°The daughters of the Shen family are quite good-looking.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s one more.¡± Cai Lin couldn¡¯t help but mock, ¡°General Shen¡¯s daughter. She¡¯s really ¡°pretty¡±.¡±


    The man did not seem to know about the rumors outside and did not know anything about Shen Miao. Hearing that, he thought it was true and said, ¡°General Shen¡¯s daughter will naturally be pretty.¡±

 Chapter 33 - Stunning The Crowd(2)

    Chapter 33 Stunning The Crowd(2)


    ¡°Heh.¡± Cai Lin couldn¡¯t help but laugh. He pointed at the Shen Family and said, ¡°There she is¡­¡±


    Before he could finish, he swallowed his words.


    He saw that there was someone walking behind Shen Qing and Shen Yue. Though alone, Shen Miao didn¡¯t look disappointed or sad, but rather, she had a dignified look on her face.


    She was wearing a dark gold cloud embroidered shirt and a moon-shaped phoenix tail dress. The hem of the dress was embroidered with large begonia flowers, and as the girl walked, flowers bloomed with every step she took.


    As she walked closer, everyone could see her face clearly. She was a girl of 14 or 15 years old. Her hair was simply accessorized with a hairpin. At the end of the hairpin, there was a small begonia that gave a bit of cuteness to her simple outfit.


    Her skin was fair to begin with, and in the lotus-green dress, her skin was made even fairer. Her eyes were clear and bright. There was a faint smile on her lips, but at the same time it did not seem to be a smile. Her nose was small, and her mouth was red and moist. She looked quite cute, but when people saw her, they did not think that she was a little girl.


    Some people were born beautiful, but they did not have the temperament. Some people were not beautiful, but their temperament was attractive. This girl could be considered delicate and cute, and it wasn¡¯t too much to say that she was drop-dead-gorgeous. However, people could not help but be fascinated by her temperament. She was dignified and graceful, and she exuded a noble elegance from the bottom of her heart, making people not dare to have any thoughts.


    Nas


    She walked with her chin slightly raised, and her dress did not move at all. The way she placed her hands was just right, not stiff or casual, as if she had done this thousands of times.


    Surrounded by this noble and dignified aura, Shen Miao didn¡¯t look like a girl at 14 or 15, but someone who had gone through thousands of tribulations. In front of her, Shen Yue, Shen Qing, Ren Wanyun, and Chen Ruoqiu unknowingly became the background of this girl, like they were the four maids she brought with her. And the one walking at the back was clearly their Mistress.


    ¡°Who is that?¡± Yi Peilan muttered. Even as a woman, she couldn¡¯t help but be stunned when she saw this girl. How could she have such an aura at such a young age?


    ¡°Is this¡­ a guest of the Shen family?¡± Bai Wei asked, ¡°She seems to be someone I¡¯ve never seen before.¡±


    Most of the men present were officials, so they could naturally tell at a glance that this girl was different. It was not her appearance, but her bearing. She was like someone who survived the storm and the tsunami, and now she wasn¡¯t afraid of any disasters life might throw at her.


    She was like a leopard running into a flock of sheep.


    ¡°Is that General Shen¡¯s daughter?¡± The man who spoke to Cai Lin just now looked a little excited. ¡°She¡¯s really good-looking and¡­ noble! She¡¯s better than her father!¡±


    ¡°Shen Miao?¡± Cai Lin was stunned. When he took a closer look, he exclaimed, ¡°It¡¯s Shen Miao?¡±


    A stone caused a thousand ripples. The silence was immediately replaced by an uproar.

 Chapter 34 - Prince Yu

    Chapter 34 Prince Yu


    Shen Miao? Feng Anning couldn¡¯t help but be stunned. She and Shen Miao usually sat at the same table in Guangwen Hall, so she could quickly recognize her face.


    Over the past few days, Shen Miao had become much quieter. Although she used to be very quiet too, she no longer followed behind Shen Yue and Shen Qing and said stupid and ignorant things. She looked pretty good when she was quiet. Feng Anning thought that Shen Miao had just become smarter, but she didn¡¯t expect her to look so stunning when she was dressed up.


    Because Shen Miao took some time to recuperate after falling into the water, she had also lost some weight. This way, her chin was slightly sharper, making her look more like a 14-year-old girl. It was as if the ferocious beast cub that had been curled up in its nest finally revealed its claws for the first time after sleeping for a long time.


    Scholar Pei was also among the male guests. Although he was only a scholar of the Guangwen Hall now, people respected talented people and he had a high status among the officials. If he entered the court as an official, he would definitely have a bright future. The people in the government were all smart and knew how to pave the way for the future.


    Shen Miao¡¯s gaze swept across the men¡¯s seats and stopped on Pei Lang for a moment.


    She knew that in today¡¯s test, although Pei Lang was a scholar, when they were competing in talent, there was a student who challenged him. Pei Lang performed brilliantly and caught Fu Xiuyi¡¯s attention. Later on, in order to recruit this talent, Fu Xiuyi made a lot of efforts and finally got him to be his aide.


    But in this life, Shen Miao would prevent that from happening


    Pei Lang was sensitive enough to sense that the girl¡¯s gaze seemed to be on him from afar. It was like a wild beast weighing the value of its prey, making him feel scared. When he fixed his gaze on Shen Miao, she already looked away. The adults all praised, ¡°General Shen¡¯s legitimate daughter is definitely not to be underestimated in the future.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s not bad-looking.¡± A young man in blue said, ¡°Why didn¡¯t I notice her beauty before?¡±


    ¡°Unfortunately, she¡¯s an idiot.¡± After a moment of surprise, Cai Lin came back to his senses. He was unhappy that everyone was looking at Shen Miao and ignoring Shen Yue, so he snorted.


    ¡°You¡¯re an idiot!¡± A sudden voice exploded in his ear. Cai Lin was shocked to see a boy in a red dress glaring at him angrily. He was short, but his aura was oppressive.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, this is my brother.¡± A young man in green who had rushed over smiled at Cai Lin.


    Cai Lin was about to curse, but when he saw that the person was Su Mingfeng, the heir of the Earl of Pingnan, he swallowed his words. Su Mingfeng was Xie Jingxing¡¯s good friend, so no one dared to provoke him.


    ¡°Brother.¡± Su Minglang tugged at the corner of his shirt. ¡°That sister is so beautiful. Marry her and make her my sister-in-law.¡±


    Su Mingfeng was baffled to hear that. He leaned down slightly and asked, ¡°Second Brother, do you know Miss Shen?¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Su Minglang played with his fingers innocently.


    Su Mingfeng fell silent.


    Shen Miao followed behind Ren Wanyun and the others to the women¡¯s section.


    Normally, the madams would sit with their closest friends, and it was the same for the ladies. However, Shen Miao wasn¡¯t on good terms with anyone, so she found a random seat and sat down. She was not afraid of the isolation of these girls. On the contrary, she enjoyed this quiet feeling.


    The girls were a little jealous of Shen Miao looking so pretty today. They wanted to see her make a fool of herself, so they deliberately ignored her. However, they saw that Shen Miao was sitting alone and did not look sad at all. On the table, there was a chessboard that the host prepared. She thought for a moment and took out a chess piece from the chess box.


    Though Shen Miao didn¡¯t know how to play chess, she had studied a lot of military tactics for the sake of the empire, and the tactics used in chess weren¡¯t much different.


    The daughters of the noble families watched from afar. They saw that Shen Miao was calm and composed. That coldness and superior aura clearly separated her from everyone else, as if she was on top and everyone else was on the bottom.


    ¡°Fifth Miss looks like she¡¯s changed a lot.¡± Mrs. Yi said to Ren Wanyun with a smile, ¡°She seems to have become a lady too.¡± Though she didn¡¯t want to admit it, she still felt that Shen Miao looked better than Shen Yue and Shen Qing.


    Of course, Ren Wanyun knew it as well. She was good at reading people¡¯s expressions. Along the way, everyone¡¯s eyes were not on her, nor were they on Shen Yue and Shen Qing. They were obviously on Shen Miao, who was at the back. She gritted her teeth. It seemed like Shen Miao had put in a lot of effort this time. Knowing that Prince Ding would also come for the test, she thought of ways to attract his attention and compete with her daughter.


    She raised her teacup and looked at the men¡¯s section over there with a smile. ¡°That¡¯s right. She¡¯s not young anymore. Old Madam doted on her and told me that because her father is not around, I have to help her to look for a suitable man.¡±


    Chen Ruoqiu¡¯s gaze landed on Shen Qing, who was talking to Yi Peilan. Ren Wanyun seemed to be in a hurry to get Shen Miao married before Shen Xin returned. Why? Because Shen Qing also liked Prince Ding. She wanted to help Shen Qing get rid of this greatest threat.


    Just as she was thinking, she heard a lot of noises coming from the male section. Madam Jiang said, ¡°Prince Yu is here.¡±


    Shen Miao, who was playing chess, paused and looked up at the male section with a calm gaze.


    Prince Yu, the cripple that Old Madam Shen wanted Shen Miao to marry in her previous life, was now 42 years old.


    If not for the fact that she was infatuated with Fu Xiuyi at that time, she would probably have become a skeleton in Prince Yu¡¯s mansion.

 Chapter 35 - Im Back

    Chapter 35 I¡¯m Back


    A middle-aged man walked over from afar. He did not sit with the officials and young men, but sat far away in a specially arranged seat. This man was about forty years old, and his face was dark, thin, and sinister. He was wearing a pine-colored long brocade dress that was extremely luxurious. Unfortunately, he only had one leg.


    This was the brother of the current emperor, Prince Yu.


    When he was young, he saved the emperor¡¯s life under the hands of an assassin. As a result, his left leg was injured and he had to amputate it. From then on, he became a cripple and his personality changed drastically. He was cruel, fierce, and had a violent personality. He even took in a room full of concubines. This Prince Yu was very dirty and eccentric. He had caused countless women to die.


    Princess Consort Yu died seven years ago, and her death was very strange. However, the emperor and the empress dowager both protected Prince Yu, so the Princess Consort Yu¡¯s family couldn¡¯t do anything. Recently, there was suddenly news from Prince Yu¡¯s mansion that he wanted to marry again.


    For a moment, everyone in the capital was discussing. Prince Yu had a high status and was protected by the emperor and the empress dowager, so the princess consort naturally had to be from a good family. But people from rich and powerful families wouldn¡¯t want their daughters to be with that kind of a cripple.


    Shen Miao¡¯s gaze swept past Prince Yu and then landed on Ren Wanyun.


    As expected, Ren Wanyun¡¯s face lit up. She said to Mrs. Yi, ¡°His Majesty really treats Prince Yu very well.¡±


    Mrs. Yi immediately understood what Ren Wanyun was up to. Although she despised Ren Wanyun for being too ruthless, her husband was on the same side as Shen Gui, so she naturally had to help her. She smiled and said, ¡°That¡¯s right. Although he¡¯s a little old, he treats his wife quite well.¡±


    At the side, Chen Ruoqiu lowered her head, eating the pastries. The smile on her lips was a little strange. No one would want their daughter to marry a cripple, no matter how powerful he was. It was no different from pushing their daughter into the fire. At this thought, she turned to look at Shen Miao.


    Shen Miao was focused on playing chess, as if everyone else was invisible. Chen Ruoqiu suddenly felt a little uncertain. Ever since Shen Miao fell into the water, she seemed to have changed into a different person. If Shen Miao knew what Ren Wanyun was planning, would she obediently accept it?


    As she was thinking, she saw that Shen Miao seemed to have sensed her gaze. She looked up at her with a cold gaze that made Chen Ruoqiu¡¯s heart skip a beat.


    Shen Miao then lowered her head to look at the chessboard.


    In her previous life, she made a fool of herself at the Chrysanthemum Banquet. When she returned to the house, Ren Wanyun mentioned marrying Shen Miao to Prince Yu to Old Madam Shen. Ren Wanyun said, ¡°Not only is Miao not good at anything, but she also embarrassed the Shen family. No rich family will be willing to marry a girl like her. Now, Prince Yu is looking for a wife. After Miao is married, she will be the princess consort. With His Majesty and the Empress Dowager taking care of her, she will have a rich life. Although his legs are not good and he is a little old, Shen Miao is not outstanding either. I think it¡¯s quite a good match.¡±


    Shen Miao only found out about it after she spent a lot of money to bribe the maid in Rongjing Hall. Old Madam Shen hated the first branch from the bottom of her heart. Shen Xin was the son of the first wife of Old Master Shen. When Old Master Shen was alive, he was intimate with Shen Xin, which made Old Madam Shen jealous. She couldn¡¯t deal with Shen Xin, but she could at least deal with his daughter.


    Old Madam Shen and Ren Wanyun hit it off immediately and then sent someone to Prince Yu¡¯s mansion to talk about the matter. Shen Miao was angry and afraid. At that time, she was in love with Fu Xiuyi, so she made up her mind and went to Prince Ding¡¯s mansion with a package that night to ask him to take her in. She also deliberately got people to spread the news to ruin her own reputation. She¡¯d rather be a concubine for Prince Ding than to be a princess consort for Prince Yu.


    At that time, Old Madam Shen was so angry that she lost her temper. Although Fu Xiuyi was angry, he did not treat Shen Miao badly. Perhaps he saw the value of the Shen family¡¯s military power to him. Later, when Shen Xin returned to the capital at the end of the year, he was shocked and angry with what his daughter did, but Shen Miao did not hesitate to protest with a hunger strike. In the end, Shen Xin had no choice but beg Prince Ding to marry her.


    However, no one expected that that was the beginning of the real nightmare.


    Shen Miao closed her eyes. Everything in her previous life seemed to have started from today, and today was destined to be the turning point of her life. Now, she would start to make those people who owed her pay their debts.


    ¡°Hey, what¡¯s the point of playing alone?¡± A voice suddenly sounded in her ear. Feng Anning walked up to her and sat down opposite her with an awkward expression. ¡°Why don¡¯t you play a game with me? But do you know how to play chess?¡±


    Feng Anning lowered her head to look at the chessboard. When she looked at it, she became interested. After a while, she asked with confusion, ¡°What is strategy? I¡¯ve never seen it before.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m playing chess.¡± Shen Miao said with a smile, ¡°I¡¯m fighting a war.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°The war has just begun,¡± Shen Miao said indifferently.


    Feng Anning shuddered. ¡°What are you talking about? It¡¯s creepy.¡± She looked at the men¡¯s section and her eyes suddenly lit up. She glanced at Shen Miao and smiled mischievously. ¡°Look, Prince Ding is here.¡±


    In the men¡¯s section, Prince Ding, Fu Xiuyi, was dressed in a long robe embroidered with golden pine. He was very handsome and had a cold aura. However, his actions were amiable instead of condescending.


    Shen Miao lowered her head and clenched her fists.


    She had been with him for ten years and supported him with all her hearts. In exchange, not only did she get asked to kill herself, but her entire family was also slaughtered.


    This person looked kind on the outside, but was actually very vicious inside.


    In this life, Shen Miao swore she would make him pay double! No, triple!


    Fu Xiuyi, I¡¯m back! She thought to herself.

 Chapter 36 - Bewitching Song

    Chapter 36 Bewitching Song


    Apart from Prince Ding, there were two more princes, Prince Zhou and Prince Jing. The crown prince was not in good health, so he would not attend such an occasion. Prince Zhou and Prince Jing were born of Consort Xu, and both of them were talented. Prince Zhou was more arrogant, and Prince Jing was reserved but shrewd. The two of them were also eyeing the throne covetously. Everyone knew that the crown prince was weak and would one day be replaced. In contrast, Consort Dong, the mother of Prince Ding, was much more low-key. If not for the fact that Prince Ding was outstanding, she probably would not even be able to survive in the palace.


    In the previous life, when Prince Zhou and Prince Jing were involved in the competition for the throne, they let down their guard against Prince Ding. Firstly, Fu Xiuyi was on good terms with the Crown Prince and was always on the Crown Prince¡¯s side, personally searching for precious herbs for the Crown Prince. The Empress was quite satisfied with Fu Xiuyi. Therefore, the rest of the people felt that Prince Ding was just a follower of the Crown Prince. Secondly, Fu Xiuyi was usually lofty and unworldly, and he disdained to participate in the affairs of the imperial court. Moreover, Consort Dong was a cautious person. She spent all her time chanting scriptures and cultivating Buddhism. Without the support of a powerful family, the empress thought that Prince Ding would not be able to cause any trouble.


    But in fact, the person who sat on the throne in the end was Fu Xiuyi, who they thought would not be able to cause any trouble.


    Shen Miao picked up a card and played with it. For example, Fu Xiuyi¡¯s cards had been terrible since he was born, so everyone thought that he was out from the beginning. However, they did not know that he had never thought of using the cards in his hand. His cards were all in the hands of others, and what he wanted to do was snatch them.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you have any reaction?¡± Seeing that Shen Miao was silent and that she did not seem to get excited over seeing Fu Xiuyi, Feng Anning felt a little strange. ¡°Don¡¯t you like him?¡±


    Shen Miao looked up at her.


    Feng Anning was shocked. The fierce look on Shen Miao¡¯s face made her heart skip a beat, and she almost couldn¡¯t help but kneel down. She didn¡¯t know why she felt that way, but she instinctively knew that what she had just said made Shen Miao unhappy. Feng Anning paused for a second and said, ¡°Actually, I don¡¯t like him much either. How can there be such a perfect person in the world? He doesn¡¯t look real.¡±


    This time, Shen Miao looked at Feng Anning seriously. She didn¡¯t expect this arrogant lady from a rich family to be able to see through this. There were probably many people who were infatuated with Fu Xiuyi¡¯s appearance. As long as Fu Xiuyi was willing, all the girls present would fall in love with him.


    Shen Miao said slowly, ¡°It seems like you have someone in mind.¡±


    ¡°W-What nonsense are you talking about?¡± Feng Anning¡¯s face turned red. ¡°Don¡¯t spout nonsense again.¡±


    Shen Miao stopped talking to her. She wasn¡¯t in the mood to ask about what was on the girl¡¯s mind.


    She naturally had her own things to do.


    People came one after another. Most of the seats in the Banquet had been taken.


    In the chrysanthemum field of Yanbei Hall, a huge platform was built. Though the stage wasn¡¯t lushly decorated, because the late emperor used to worship here, people present were all awe-stricken. On both sides, there were flags. Some soldiers in gowns were wearing red scarves and beating drums loudly.


    The sound of drums echoed through the sky, and the musicians played the Guqin. The song being played was called ¡°Wise Men¡¯s Song¡±, which meant that the royal family was thirsty for talents. Today¡¯s test was to choose talents for the country.


    The sound of music and drums entered everyone¡¯s ears and stirred their emotions. Most of the people present were young men, and they were in a hot-blooded state. They wanted to show their talent to everyone and build a good future for themselves in Ming Qi.


    Even the girls couldn¡¯t help but look excited. Although they couldn¡¯t enter the imperial court and become officials like boys, their fathers and brothers were the pillars of the country. Their families were indomitable, and they were also blessed by the royal family.


    On such an exciting and grand occasion, there was only one person whose eyes were cold and indifferent.


    Shen Miao¡¯s gaze landed on the person who was playing the Guqin at the center. This was what the Ming Qi Royal Family loved the most. They would make the young men work for the rotten royal family. However, in the end, once the country was settled, these men who were willing to sacrifice their lives for the country would rarely have a good ending.


    Every new emperor would get rid of the old people, especially those who were involved in the competition for the throne because they simply knew too much.


    These exciting songs would only become death songs in the future. And these young men who were immersed in their desire to serve the country would end up being brutally killed by the royal family as traitors.


    She could not save the world, but she could save her own people.


    Shen Miao gently raised her hand, and the corner of her right sleeve instantly brushed across the table. The teacup was knocked over, and a crisp sound rang out in the venue. It should have been inaudible, but compared to the rhythmic music, the crips sound was like one of the threads was pulled up from the neatly arranged threads, messing up the other threads.


    With a bang, the rhythm of the music was disrupted.


    Feng Anning suddenly came back to her senses, as if she had just woken from a deep sleep. She saw Shen Miao slowly picking up the teacup on the ground and saying with a smile. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, my hand slipped.¡±


    The musician, who was playing the Guqin on the stage, almost fainted from the disruption.


    Ming Qi had learned this kind of music from foreigners, and it was probably a little bewitching. It could stir up people¡¯s emotions a little, and this song was a war song, which could intensify the fighting spirit and loyalty in people¡¯s hearts. If someone listened the whole song, they would probably become stupid and loyal.


    Shen Miao only knew how terrifying this music was when she became the empress. The Ming Qi royal family used such music to confuse the young people, making them shed their blood for them. When the Xiongnu invaded, the royal family sent people to recruit troops from the border. They let these musicians play the drums on the stage to bewitch the young men. After listening to this song, they would give up everything to join the army.


    After being interrupted by Shen Miao, the musician became less and less enthusiastic. At the end of the music, it was no longer as impassioned as before.


    However, what Shen Miao did just now still attracted the attention of some people. In the male section, Fu Xiuyi and Pei Lang looked over.

 Chapter 37 - Drawing Lots

    Chapter 37 Drawing Lots


    Fu Xiuyi was a member of the royal family, so he naturally knew what the royal family was doing. The crisp sound of the teacup hitting the ground seemed to be unintentional, but it had already disrupted the rhythm of the musician on the stage, preventing them from continuing. He naturally wanted to see who the instigator was. Fu Xiuyi was a cautious person, so he did not think it was an unintentional doing


    The girl in purple was talking to someone beside her. Her expression was cold. From afar, she had an indescribable aura that clearly separated her from the people around


    her.


    ¡°Ninth Brother, who are you looking at?¡± Fu Xiuan, Prince Zhou, followed Fu Xiuyi¡¯s gaze and smiled meaningfully. ¡°Speaking of which, among us brothers, Ninth Brother is the only one who has never gotten married. Father has brought up your marriage many times. That girl looks like she¡¯s from a rich family. I wonder which family she is from. Does anyone know her?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s the fifth daughter of General Shen¡¯s family, my student,¡± Pei Lang replied.


    ¡°The fifth daughter of General¡¯s family?¡± Fu Xiuyuan,Prince Jing, remembered her. Perhaps because Shen Miao was too famous, even the royal family was familiar with her name. He said, ¡°Isn¡¯t that the daughter of General Shen Xin? Her name is Shen Miao, right?¡±


    ¡°How can she be Shen Miao?¡± Fu Xiuan smiled indifferently. ¡°Everyone in the capital knows that Shen Miao is pursuing our ninth brother. Didn¡¯t she fall into the water a few days ago just to see our ninth brother? If our ninth brother really likes Shen Miao, she wouldn¡¯t have to go through so much trouble. Besides, Shen Miao is an idiot. Look at the girl over her. She has a calm and noble aura. How can she be Shen Miao?¡±


    ¡°Fourth Brother, be careful with your words.¡± Fu Xiuyi shook his head, but his gaze landed on the purple-clothed girl in the ladies¡¯ section.


    In his memory, Shen Miao always liked to wear bright red and green clothes, and she loved gold jewelry. Her makeup was already thick and heavy, making her look like a clown on the stage. And the purple-clothed girl over there had smooth skin and delicate eyebrows. The noble aura she exuded clearly distinguished her from the women around her. How could she be Shen Miao?


    He was not the only one who was confused. Pei Liang was confused too.


    As a teacher who had taught Shen Miao for two years, Pei Lang undoubtedly knew her better than Fu Xiuyi. People could change their clothes, but they couldn¡¯t change their temperament. Pei Lang was a scholar, and scholars valued temperament more than others. Shen Miao seemed to have become a different person overnight.


    He didn¡¯t expect that a little girl could tell there was something wrong with the music. Moreover, Shen Miao was never a Guqin expert.


    While everyone was thinking, the musician on the stage finished playing, signaling the beginning of the test. This year¡¯s test was different from the previous years. There was no distinction between men and women, only civil and military. Although the Guangwen Hall required students to be both civil and military, and they had to be taught both the arts and martial arts, the rules of the past hundred years had always been like this. Very few women chose the martial arts, and in the arts, strategy and philosophy were basically for men. This was because these two subjects were actually ways to select talents for the imperial court.


    Martial arts included horsemanship, archery, weightlifting, and so on.


    Most of the women were tested on the four subjects of poetry, song, literature, and category. Even if Ming Qi was relatively open, it was always much harsher on women. It was not only Ming Qi, but almost all countries were like this. Women should stay at home and take care of their husbands and children.


    Ming Qi¡¯s test had always been divided into three parts: drawing lots, choosing , and challenging.


    Everyone had to draw lots, and the order would be messed up by the examiner. The women would draw lots in arts categories, while the men would draw lots in the martial arts and literature categories.


    Because this was something that couldn¡¯t be avoided. Every year, Shen Miao would be made fun of because she didn¡¯t know anything about the traditional arts.


    Choosing was the second stage. You could choose something you were good at and showcase it on stage. For example, Shen Yue often chose to play the Guqin, and Shen Qing chose calculation.


    As for the last one, it was challenging. Someone could go on stage and choose a student to be their opponent to compete in a certain subject. Such a scene was between two equal competitors. For someone like Shen Miao, challenging her was an insult to their strength. However, there were also people who wanted to see Shen Miao make a fool of herself. In the past, they deliberately chose Shen Miao to go on stage and challenge her. The outcome was naturally obvious. No matter which subject it was, Shen Miao was always defeated.


    Therefore, to Shen Miao, every year¡¯s test was a nightmare. Every year, she would be mocked by everyone as a joke.


    And it was the same this year.


    The main examiner on the stage made a speech as usual, while the other two took out two small wooden buckets from behind. Inside the wooden buckets were paper slips. On these paper slips were the subjects for the test, and the students would draw them one by one.


    One of them walked to the male section and handed the paper to the male students one by one. The other tall woman walked to the female section with a bucket and let the female students draw.


    Feng Anning blinked. ¡°May the heavens bless me. I¡¯m only looking forward to getting the GuZhen and literature. Painting and chess are really difficult.¡± She looked at Shen Miao. ¡°You don¡¯t look worried at all. Do you have a card up your sleeve? Or are you just going to just let it be again?¡±


    Shen Miao did not comment. What was the point of drawing? She did not know anything about the four arts.


    When the wooden bucket reached Shen Miao¡¯s table, Feng Anning drew first and couldn¡¯t wait to open it. SHe heaved a sigh of relief. ¡°It¡¯s Guzhen! It¡¯s Guzhen! This is great. I didn¡¯t practice the Guzhen for nothing these days. Shen Miao, what is yours?¡±


    Shen Miao retracted her hand from the bucket and opened it.


    Paintings.

 Chapter 38 - Dont Tolerate It

    Chapter 38 Don¡¯t Tolerate It


    ¡°Painting?¡± Feng Anning craned her neck. When she saw the paper in Shen Miao¡¯s hand, she was slightly stunned. Then, she asked, ¡°Do you know how to paint?¡±


    It was the truth. Shen Miao really did not know anything about the four arts.


    Seeing that Shen Miao was silent, Feng Anning quieted down. Back then, she didn¡¯t like Shen Miao. Now that Shen Miao was cold to her, Feng Anning was more willing to talk to her. She felt that the current Shen Miao had a special aura that subconsciously attracted people to her.


    While the two of them sat there quietly, Shen Yue and Shen Qing walked over. Shen Yue smiled and said, ¡°Fifth Sister, can you show me the paper in your hand? Maybe First Sister and I can help you out.¡±


    Shen Qing nodded. ¡°That¡¯s right. Second Sister and I drew literature and painting respectively. What is yours?¡±


    Shen Miao remained silent. Shen Yue smiled and snatched the paper from her hand, saying casually, ¡°Fifth Sister, don¡¯t be afraid. We¡¯re here. We can definitely help you.¡±


    Feng Anning snorted. Although she didn¡¯t like Shen Miao in the past, she didn¡¯t like Shen Yue and Shen Qing either.


    As expected, when Yi Peilan heard this, she sneered. ¡°Shen Yue, why are you telling her this? Even with your help, she will still fail.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. Let Shen Miao prepare it herself.¡± Jiang Xiaoxuan smiled.


    When the surrounding ladies heard their blatant mockery, they pretended not to hear it. On the surface, they still looked serious, but the corners of their mouths were curled up.


    Every year, Shen Miao would be a joke at the test, so she slowly got used to it and didn¡¯t think much about it.


    ¡°Don¡¯t say that about Fifth Sister.¡± Shen Yue disagreed. ¡°Fifth Sister has made a lot of effort for this test.¡± She opened the paper and exclaimed, looking at Shen Miao in surprise, ¡°It¡¯s painting. Fifth Sister, you and I drew the same thing.¡±


    Feng Anning looked at Shen Yue in confusion. What was there to be surprised about? Shen Miao knew very well that Shen Yue probably felt that her stupidity could make her look brilliant again. Moreover, Fu Xiuyi was present today. At the thought of Fu Xiuyi, her eyes darkened.


    ¡°What do you plan to paint, Fifth Sister?¡± Shen Qing asked curiously. ¡°Why don¡¯t you let Second Sister give you some hints?¡± Her words were filled with kindness, vividly portraying the image of a big sister who loved her sister. If others saw this, they would only say that Shen Qing loved her sister a lot.


    ¡°Thank you for your concern.¡± Shen Miao said coldly, ¡°But since it¡¯s a test, it¡¯s better to abide by the rules. If Second Sister wants to help me, isn¡¯t that cheating? The two of us will be expelled from the test field together. Why would Second Sister do this for me?¡±


    Hearing her indifferent tone, Shen Yue¡¯s expression changed. Yes, this kind of behavior was considered cheating, but in the past, everyone would only praise her for being kind and friendly. After being pointed out by Shen Miao, everyone looked at Shen Yue differently.


    At the test, everyone wanted to be the champion. Just because Shen Yue was on good terms with everyone in Guangwen Hall, it did not mean that no one was jealous of her. These girls present were all her opponents. Every year, Shen Yue would come out first among the girls. This made the girls angry. If they could make her leave, they would have one less strong opponent. Immediately, the female students who were originally on Shen Yue¡¯s side looked at her fiercely, including Yi Peilan and the others who were on good terms with her.


    Shen Yue shuddered. She naturally knew what was going on. She turned around and saw Shen Miao looking at her with a faint smile, her eyes filled with mockery.


    With a forced smile, Shen Yue said, ¡°Since Fifth Sister said so, I won¡¯t interfere.¡±


    Feng Anning couldn¡¯t help but sneer. She deliberately raised her voice and said, ¡°I thought you doted on your sister a lot, but it turns out that you¡¯re just pretending.¡±


    For a moment, the girls looked at Shen Yue meaningfully.


    Chen Ruoqiu also heard the commotion. She panicked a little. After all, Shen Yue was still young and did not know how to deal with the situation. At the same time, she was a little scared by Shen Miao¡¯s ability to stir up people¡¯s emotions with just a few words and make them follow her. What a glib tongue! However, she could not interfere. It was a child¡¯s matter. If she, as a mother, interfered, Shen Yue would be at a disadvantage.


    Ren Wanyun and Shen Qing were both gloating. If Shen Yue did not end up well, Shen Qing would be able to stand out.


    Shen Yue looked at Shen Miao. She thought that if her sister became smarter now, she would help her out. After all, they were all sisters of the Shen family. What good would it do if word got out that the families of the Shen family were not on good terms? Moreover, Shen Miao had always been sucking up to Shen Yue. If she offended Shen Yue, Shen Miao would no longer have any friends.


    However, she waited for a long time and did not hear a reply from Shen Miao. Shen Yue could not help but say, ¡°Fifth Sister¡­¡± ¡°Second Sister, don¡¯t you have to think about what to paint next?¡± Shen Miao said calmly. ¡°There is no need to worry about me.¡±


    Seeing that Shen Miao did not intend to help her out, and then looking at the mocking gazes of the girls around her, for the first time, Shen Yue almost lost control of herself and wanted to slap Shen Miao hard. She barely suppressed her emotions and gritted her teeth. ¡°It seems like Fifth Sister is very confident. In that case, let¡¯s see how brilliant Fifth Sister is later. It will definitely be extremely exciting!¡±


    Shen Yue emphasized the words ¡°extremely exciting¡±. After saying that, she turned to leave angrily. Shen Qing quickly followed. Feng Anning looked at Shen Miao and asked, ¡°Although it¡¯s extremely satisfying to piss her off, why didn¡¯t you leave yourself a way out? When you go on stage, she will definitely seize the opportunity to mock you.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t like to tolerate it.¡± Shen Miao looked at the chessboard in front of her. Don¡¯t tolerate it. Don¡¯t look back. Don¡¯t be soft-hearted.


    ¡°No toleration, only cruelty.¡± She took out a chess piece and placed it on the chessboard.

 Chapter 39 - Group Division

    Chapter 39 Group Division


    The examiner in charge of the examination was already standing on the stage. The female teachers were recording the participants¡¯ names and dividing groups.


    The women group would be tested first on the four arms, Guqin, chess, calligraphy, and painting


    There were 22 people in total, divided into four groups. There were seven people who were tested on the Guqin and the other three groups of five would be tested on the other three arts.


    In Shen Miao¡¯s group, there was Shen Yue, Qin Qing, Fan Liu¡¯er, and Zhao Yan.


    Fan Liu¡¯er and Zhao Yan were both a little disappointed. Fan Liu¡¯er was good at the Guqin, and Zhao Yan was good at chess. Not everyone was as good at everything as Shen Yue. Fan Liu¡¯er and Zhao Yan were not very happy that they did not get what they were good at. On the other hand, Qin Qing was as arrogant as usual. She was the only person in Guangwen Hall who was as beautiful as Shen Yue.


    Shen Miao¡¯s gaze landed on Qin Qing. Today, she was wearing a green embroidered robe with wide sleeves. There was a yellow belt at her waist, making her slender waist look even more slender. The fluttering of her clothes made her look like a fairy. Compared to the weak Shen Yue, she looked more like a lotus.


    However, after the late emperor started to clean up the big families, her family declined drastically. Eventually, she became a military prostitute. Later, it was said that she took a knife and died with a young general in the military camp.


    As if sensing Shen Miao¡¯s gaze, Qin Qing looked over in surprise. Then, she turned her head away in disgust, as if she was unwilling to look at Shen Miao.


    Shen Miao did not mind. Instead, Feng Anning, who was standing beside her, tugged at the corner of her shirt. ¡°Try your best to paint whatever you can.¡±


    Feng Anning thought it was better if Shen Miao could paint at least something instead of doing something stupid on the stage to make a fool of herself.


    Shen Miao nodded. Then, she heard a soldier on the stage bang the drum heavily to indicate the beginning of the test.


    The Guzhen group was the first to be tested.


    Feng Anning was lucky. The female students who drew the Guzhen today were all mediocre.


    At this moment, Feng Anning sat upright on the stage, looking like a lady. The song she played was refreshing like a breeze blowing at people gently.


    A young man in a blue shirt said, ¡°Terrific.¡±


    Hearing that, Cai Lin kicked the young man unhappily and said, ¡°You call that terrific? That¡¯s because you didn¡¯t see Shen Yue playing the Guqin. If she played a song, everyone here would be mesmerized.¡±


    Su Minglang pouted in disdain when he heard that. He seemed to want to say something, but when he saw his brother¡¯s warning gaze, he held back.


    The Guqin competition was over very quickly. The few examiners on the field began to discuss and judge among themselves. After the Guqin competition was over, it was time for the chess competition. The process of chess was much simpler. Five people played in pairs, and eventually Yi Peilan came out first.


    Shen Qing, Bai Wei, and Jiang Xiaoxuan happened to be in the same group. The three of them were usually good friends, but the atmosphere was quite tense at the test. The literature this time was themed chrysanthemum.


    However, until the final result was out, no one knew who would be the winner.


    In the end, it was Shen Miao¡¯s turn.


    Shen Yue glanced at Shen Miao. She probably hated Shen Miao for embarrassing her just now, so she stopped acting like a kind sister. She smiled at Shen Miao and said, ¡°When we¡¯re on stage later, Fifth Sister, take it easy on me. I¡¯m a little afraid of you.¡±


    When Fan Liu¡¯er, who was standing beside her, heard this, she couldn¡¯t help but sneer. ¡°Shen Yue, if you didn¡¯t bring her name up, I didn¡¯t even remember Shen Miao is in our group.¡±


    ¡°Now that you mention it, I can¡¯t wait to see her painting.¡± Zhao Yan said gloatingly, ¡°I remember that when Shen Miao drew the Guqin last year, she broke the strings. She probably inherited General Shen¡¯s strength. Don¡¯t break the brush when you paint this year.¡± As she spoke, she touched Shen Miao¡¯s face. ¡°Such a fair and tender face. Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re gonna paint a flower on your face later.¡±


    Shen Miao did not move and looked at her coldly. Under that extremely cold gaze, Zhao Yan¡¯s smile gradually froze. Fan Liu¡¯er also felt that Shen Miao¡¯s expression was scary. She suddenly felt a chill running down her spin.


    Qin Qing seemed to be a little impatient. She glanced at Shen Miao and said, ¡°What are you arguing about? If you want to argue, go on stage and argue. Let everyone see your ugly faces.¡±


    Hearing that, although Zhao Yan and the others were unhappy, they did not say anything else.


    At the men¡¯s section, Cai Lin looked at Shen Yue excitedly. Su Minglang tugged at Su Mingfeng. ¡°That pretty sister is here too. Look, Big Brother.¡±


    Su Mingfeng didn¡¯t know whether to laugh or cry. He didn¡¯t know why his brother was so obsessed with Shen Miao. He was in the third grade. This was the first time he went out after claiming that he was seriously ill, and he still looked very weak, so he couldn¡¯t attend the test. He also knew Shen Miao¡¯s name. After all, the entire capital knew that the mighty general had a useless daughter. ¡°She will definitely win.¡± Su Minglang clenched his fists.


    Su Mingfeng didn¡¯t know what to say but he knew that today, Shen Yue would definitely win again.


    Before going on stage, Shen Yue couldn¡¯t help but tease Shen Miao, ¡°Fifth Sister, don¡¯t be merciful. Show me what you got.¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Shen Miao replied.


    She would definitely not show mercy.

 Chapter 40 - Painting Test (1)

    Chapter 40 Painting Test (1)


    The chief examiner was Zhong Ziqi, the Grand Secretary of the Cabinet. He was a little old man with a head of white hair, but he was usually very serious and upright. He pulled open the scroll in his hand and started to read the theme for today.


    The theme for ¡°painting¡± was actually different every year. However, this year, the test and the chrysanthemum banquet happened to be together, so the theme was much simpler. For example, ¡°literature¡± was about chrysanthemums, and ¡°painting¡¯ was about chrysanthemums too.


    On the stage, there were five long tables. On the table, there was a brush, ink, paper, and inkstone. The participants walked to the table in order, and the soldier banged the drum heavily to signal the beginning of the test.


    Everyone craned their necks to look up.


    These five people were considered to be very unique. Shen Yue was a well-known talented girl. Qin Qing was beautiful, and Fan Liu¡¯er and Zhao Yan were talented too. As for Shen Miao, she was naturally that stupid and ignorant fool.


    Most of the men were looking at Shen Yue and Qin Qing, but most of the women were looking at Shen Miao.


    Bai Wei covered her mouth and said, ¡°Shen Miao seems to be quite obedient today. She didn¡¯t do anything strange.¡±


    In addition to this, Shen Miao had already gone through a total of four tests in the past. The first time, she drew chess. She played a few random pieces and was defeated. The second time, she drew literature. She knocked over the ink plate and dirtied her clothes. The third time, she drew the Guzhen. She broke the strings on the Guzhen. Everyone was wondering how Shen Miao was going to embarrass herself today.


    But today was different.


    On the spacious platform, the girl sat in front of the table. The way she held the pen was very standard, as if she had received strict training. In October, a cold wind blew through the hall, lifting the hair on her forehead. She lowered her head slightly, and one could only see her oval face and her lowered eyelashes.


    She was actually quite beautiful.


    Her green cloak fluttered. She sat upright, but her hand movement was elegant, and in every stroke she made, there was a clear sign of confidence.


    Mrs. Yi pursed her lips and said to Ren Wanyun meaningfully, ¡°Shen Miao really grew up a lot.¡±


    Ren Wanyun forced a smile and secretly clenched her fists.


    The sound of girls chatting came from behind.


    ¡°Shen Miao hasn¡¯t made a fool of herself yet. Has she really changed?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s impossible. She should be just putting on an act. Let¡¯s wait for a few minutes. She is probably just scribbling on the paper right now.¡±


    Looking at Shen Miao on the stage, Feng Anning had a strange feeling that today¡¯s chrysanthemum banquet might not be like


    before.


    In the male section, some people gradually realized the difference too.


    This group was probably the most pleasing to the eye among all the female groups. Shen Yue was dressed in pink, elegant, and beautiful. Qin Qing was dressed in green and had wide sleeves, looking proud and beautiful. Fan Liu¡¯er was pretty and charming, and Zhao Yan was dressed in a playful way.


    However, among the five of them, not only was Shen Miao not inferior, but she also stood out.


    She sat there quietly. Though her head was lowered, she gave off a feeling that she was looking down on all living beings, as if¡­ she was standing on the throne, looking down at her subjects.


    Pei Lang frowned. How could a person¡¯s temperament change so drastically? Was this person really Shen Miao?


    Fu Xiuyi could not hide the surprise in his eyes. He was not surprised by the drastic change in Shen Miao today, but the way she sat there, which reminded him of someone, the Empress.


    Fu Xiuyi knew that this idea was ridiculous. Everyone in the capital knew that Shen Miao loved him, and he hated it when such a woman adored him. However, most of the time, he got to know Shen Miao mainly through rumors. Rumors said that Shen Miao was ignorant, vulgar, rough, and stupid. Now it seemed that the rumors weren¡¯t accurate.


    ¡°That¡¯s strange.¡± A blue-shirted boy said curiously, ¡°Didn¡¯t they say that Shen Miao from the second grade is an idiot? She doesn¡¯t look like one.¡±


    Cai Lin was also stunned. Shen Miao seemed to have a magical power that could make people involuntarily notice her. It was as if she was born to be seen, especially today. He shook off the thoughts and snorted. ¡°She¡¯s just putting on an act.¡±


    ¡°Brother, she will win, right?¡± Su Minglang tugged at the sleeve of the person beside him.


    Su Mingfeng smiled, but his expression was a little strange. ¡°Shen Miao?¡±


    After the time it took to burn an incense stick, the drummer hit the drum again, indicating that time was up. Shen Yue put down her pen. She was very confident in her painting today. On her left was Qin Qing, who had also finished her painting and was washing her brush. Even the way she washed the brush was pleasing to the eye. However, no matter how charming she was, beauty was not the only thing that mattered in the test.


    She turned to look at Shen Miao, surprised that she didn¡¯t make a fool of herself today. However, no matter how well-behaved she was, Shen Miao couldn¡¯t possibly come up with a painting


    At this moment, Shen Miao put down her brush and was looking at the examiner calmly.


    Shen Yue¡¯s smile froze.


    After everyone¡¯s paintings were put away, it would take time for the examiners to score the works.


    ¡°Fifth Sister, what exactly did you pain?¡± After Shen Yue got off the stage, she couldn¡¯t wait to ask Shen Miao.


    For some reason, Shen Miao made her feel very uneasy.


    ¡°You¡¯ll know later.¡± Shen Miao smiled. There seemed to be something deeper in her smile.


    She turned around and walked to a place where no one could see her. Then she said to Gu Yu, who was beside her, ¡°Find a way to send this to the second young master of the Shi family. Look, it¡¯s the third person from the left who is dressed in green.¡±


    Gu Yu was baffled for a moment before saying, ¡°I understand.¡±


    ¡°Go.¡± Shen Miao patted her shoulder and walked back to her seat. She looked at Pei Lang from afar.


    Pei Lang looked up and met a pair of eyes. From afar, he could see the scrutiny in them.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Pei Lang.¡± Shen Miao thought to herself, ¡°I¡¯ll use you to shake the unbreakable foundation of the Ming Qi Royal Family.¡±


    After all, you owe me.

 Chapter 41 - Win

    While the examiners on the stage were evaluating the results, the students below the stage were also discussing.


    Today, Shen Miao did not make a fool of herself. Not only did she make the test a little boring, but she also made her fellow students, who usually looked down at her, pay attention to her. People were strange. As long as someone who was usually terrible performed well, they would attract more attention than those who always performed well.


    Feng Anning was a little nervous and looked at the examiners on the stage from time to time. For some reason, the examiners seemed to be arguing.


    ¡°It seems like it¡¯s going to be very intense today.¡± Fu Xiuan smiled and said, ¡°But they are just girls. Why do they have to take the test so seriously? They won¡¯t be able to become an official anyway.¡± He had always been a little conceited, and he was not afraid that the officials around him would be unhappy upon hearing that. After all, some people¡¯s daughters were the students who had just performed on stage.


    ¡°The test is a rare opportunity.¡± Fu Xiuyi said, ¡°Of course they have to seize it.¡±


    ¡°Ninth Brother is right.¡± Fu Xiuyuan picked up the teacup on the table and took a sip. He said, ¡°If there are especially outstanding women, Ninth Brother can get to know them in private.¡± Although Fu Xiuyuan looked calm, he was not easy to deal with. He was secretly testing if Fu Xiuyi would find him a wife with a strong background.


    ¡°Fifth Brother, you must be joking.¡± Fu Xiuyi shook his head. ¡°Father will make the decision for my marriage. It¡¯s not up to me to decide.¡±


    That was true. Fu Xiuyi usually did whatever his father told him to do. He rarely had the chance to decide for himself. In the eyes of outsiders, such a prince was simply too docile and not ambitious, just like Consort Dong. However, Prince Jing, Fu Xiuyuan, had a different opinion.


    ¡°In life, we have to take a gamble. Isn¡¯t it the same when it comes to choosing a wife?¡± Prince Jing said meaningfully, ¡°Until the end, no one will know what the end looks like.¡±


    Prince Zhou could tell that his brother was testing Fu Xiuyi. He rolled his eyes and stopped talking.


    Not long after, the examiner on the stage stood up and announced the results.


    As expected, Feng Anning got the first place in the Guqin category. There was nothing particularly impressive in that group to begin with, and Feng Anning was considered very outstanding. She was naturally happy. She went up to get the certificate for the test and happily got off the stage to show it to Mrs. Feng. Mrs. Feng was happy to see this. Although such glory was not something to be proud of for a woman, it was like icing on the cake. The children of noble families naturally did not lack wealth. What separated one from another was their talent and beauty.


    After the test, Feng Anning became a more desirable wife for many young men.


    In chess, Bai Wei was the winner. An examiner who specialized in recording chess moves showed the chess match to everyone. Shen Miao glanced at the chess match. In the first few moves, Bai Wei did very well, but as the match proceeded to the end, she became too careful and made a lot of unnecessary moves.


    In terms of literature, Shen Qing was only ranked second. The first was Yi Peilan. Her poem was written elegantly. Although it was a little too much for an unmarried girl to write such a poem, Guangwen Hall was never known for cultivating talents who followed the social norms..


    Shen Qing did not look pleased, but after all, literature wasn¡¯t her strong point. There was nothing she could do.


    Finally, it was time to announce the winner in the painting category.


    The examiners on the stage had different expressions on their faces. It seemed like they had argued a lot over who should win. The women all guessed that the winner should either be Shen Yue or Qin Qing. After all, the two of them were often asked to paint for prestigious officials. Qin Qing sat in her seat with an arrogant expression, as if she did not care about the outcome at all.


    In comparison, Shen Yue looked much more calm. She sat beside Chen Ruoqiu obediently. Chen Ruoqiu looked at her daughter with a gentle gaze. Her daughter was smart and sensitive, and her talent was as outstanding as hers. She was proficient in the Guqin, chess, calligraphy, and painting. Every year, she would be in the limelight during the test. Looking at her, Cehn Ruoqiu was satisfied.


    Shen Yue was naturally confident. Her painting was to the point and lifelike. It was as if she had long figured out what these examiners wanted. She could always produce the best work. Although Qin Qing looked pretty, she was useless. At the thought of that, she looked at Shen Miao on the other side. She thought that Shen Miao would make a fool of herself on the test stage, but Shen Miao managed to sit through the test. However, Shen Yue was positive that when the paintings were shown, Shen Miao would instantly be the laughing stock.


    She was going to make a fool of herself anyway.


    The examiner in charge of reading the results said loudly on the stage, ¡°Painting Group¡ªShen Miao¡ª¡±


    Shen Miao?


    Upon hearing the name, the audience burst into an uproar.


    Shen Yue¡¯s smile froze on her face. She looked at Chen Ruoqiu in disbelief and said with a trembling voice, ¡°Mother, who did the examiner just say? Did I hear it correctly?¡±


    Chen Ruoqiu pinched Shen Yue¡¯s arm. Although she was angry, she knew that under such circumstances, there would definitely be many people who wanted to see Shen Yue¡¯s reaction. If Shen Yue reacted too strongly, she would attract unnecessary attention.


    The women¡¯s section was abuzz with discussion, and the men¡¯s section was naturally in an uproar.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on? Why isn¡¯t it Shen Yue?¡± Cai Lin stood up and looked at his fellow students. ¡°Did I hear it wrong or did that old man read it wrong?¡±


    There was naturally more than one person who thought that way, especially the young men who were Shen Miao¡¯s classmates. They were all discussing in surprise.


    ¡°Look, Brother, I knew she would win.¡± Su Minglang tugged Su Mingfeng. Among this group of people, he was probably the happiest, beaming with smiles.


    Su Mingfeng didn¡¯t expect the winner to be Shen Miao either. Every time before the test, people would gamble in secret. He had betted a thousand taels of silver on Shen Yue!


    If his father knew about it, he would definitely tear him apart. Looking at his younger brother who was overjoyed, Su Mingfeng didn¡¯t know whether to laugh or cry.


    Pei Lang frowned, but he did not look at the examiner on the stage. Instead, he looked at the purple-clothed girl in the women¡¯s section.


    Her face was unusually calm as she gave the surprised crowd a sweeping glance.


    She knew she would win.

 Chapter 42 - Came to Understand (1)

    As the discussion continued, the examiner on the stage had already shown the painting to everyone to show the fairness of the outcome.


    Fan Liu¡¯er and Zhao Yan¡¯s paintings were the same kind. They were both scenes of autumn chrysanthemums blooming in the garden. To be honest, they were quite beautiful. It was just that they were too mediocre, so they naturally couldn¡¯t get first place.


    Qin Qing, on the other hand, drew a large rose arey. This was probably a kind of chrysanthemum that she was most familiar with. In the painting, there was only this chrysanthemum flower, and it was vivid and lifelike. However, the test was not only about painting skills, but also about the message the painting conveyed. Therefore, no matter how beautiful this chrysanthemum was, it was only ranked third.


    Soon, it was Shen Yue¡¯s turn. Shen Yue bit her lip and sat beside Chen Ruoqiu. She barely maintained a smile on her face, but her fists were clenched tightly. Normally, she would be smiling, accepting everyone¡¯s sincere praise. But now, with a second place, she felt like the looks people threw at her were filled with mockery.


    Shen Yue painted a withered chrysanthemum. In the wind and rain, many of the chrysanthemum petals had fallen, but the remaining ones were still firmly attached to the branches. They were upright, like a king who refused to surrender to the army.


    This message the painting was trying to convey was high and lofty. Generally speaking, from the painting, one could tell that the painter had a similar quality. The examiners liked such a talented and noble student the most. If Shen Yue couldn¡¯t even get first place in this painting, it was really impossible to imagine what Shen Miao had drawn.


    ¡°Why did such a beautiful painting only get second place?¡± Bai Wei exclaimed. ¡°I really don¡¯t understand.¡±


    Chen Ruoqiu was also puzzled. At first, she thought that Shen Yue was a little nervous today and didn¡¯t paint well. Unexpectedly, as soon as the painting was shown, she knew that her daughter had given her best shot. Just like the tests in the past, she was indeed a top-tier painter.


    The examiner on the stage ordered the two assistants to open Shen Miao¡¯s painting, and the commotion stopped.


    The paper was very big, and Shen Miao left a lot of it untouched. Her painting skills were not outstanding, so she only drew a distant scene, but it looked very grand.


    In the painting, there was sand and a blood-colored sun. A broken sword was standing in the yellow soil, and under the sword was a white chrysanthemum.


    In this painting, the chrysanthemum seemed to be just a decoration. It was so small that even the petals could not be seen.


    Everyone present was silent for a moment. Through the pen and paper, they seemed to be able to feel the desolation and misery as well as an useless struggle the painter tried to convey through the single chrysanthemum.


    That was war.


    Chen Ruoqiu and Shen Yue trembled at the same time. After seeing what was drawn on the painting, they knew that there was no way to turn the situation around.


    Shen Yue¡¯s painting was indeed interesting and elegant, unlike the mediocre ones. However, Shen Miao¡¯s painting was completely different in that it was associated with something much grander than a chrysanthemum. It was associated with war and a nation.

 Chapter 43 - Came to Understand (2)

    No wonder the examiners hesitated for so long before coming to the conclusion. They probably didn¡¯t expect such a majestic painting to be made by an idiot, Shen Miao.


    Zhong Ziqi, the Grand Secretary of the Cabinet, said, ¡°Student Shen Miao, come up and tell us why you made this painting.¡±


    Every student who got first place had to make a speech of some sort. However, today, Shen Miao was asked to tell them the reason she made this painting because no one believed that it came from her.


    Shen Qing smiled and whispered to Yi Peilan, ¡°She¡¯s going to get exposed.¡±


    ¡°But wasn¡¯t she the one who drew it?¡± Yi Peilan was a little puzzled. ¡°We all saw it just now. She drew it herself.¡±


    ¡°Her painting skills are not all that outstanding. Who knows if she was taught what to paint by someone?¡± Shen Qing looked at Shen Miao, who was walking up the stage, in disdain. ¡°I¡¯ve lived with her for so many years. How can I not know what she¡¯s capable of? I think she won¡¯t be able to tell us the reason she came up with that painting idea.¡±


    When Yi Peilan heard that, she smiled. ¡°I knew it. How can she become a talented woman so quickly? I think she did it to attract that¡ª¡± She glanced at Prince Ding in the male section. ¡°She must have spent a lot of money to hire an expert to give her an idea to paint.¡±


    Shen Qing suppressed the displeasure in her heart and said, ¡°Let¡¯s wait and see.¡±


    On the stage, Shen Miao looked at her painting quietly. She slowly reached out and stroked the painting under everyone¡¯s surprised gazes.


    ¡°The reason why I made this painting is because I heard from my father that every year on the battlefield, countless soldiers will die. The journey is long, so they can¡¯t bring the dead ones back and can only bury them on the battlefield. At that time, the northwest desert and the northern plain didn¡¯t have chrysanthemums. Chrysanthemums bloom in the warm south and in the prosperous capital. Here, people enjoy music, dance, peace, food, and clothes at the cost of the lives of the border soldiers.¡±


    1


    The discussion gradually stopped, and everyone¡¯s eyes were focused on the girl in purple.


    Her gaze was calm as she spoke like she was telling a story. ¡°My father once said that the soldiers who died in the war couldn¡¯t even receive a handful of white chrysanthemums after they died. On the battlefield, flowers wouldn¡¯t bloom, and the soldiers wouldn¡¯t even have a chance to have a proper funeral.¡±


    ¡°I think the reason why everyone is able to enjoy the chrysanthemums here in peace is because the border is guarded by brave men. I can¡¯t do anything for them. I can only paint a white chrysanthemums on the painting to comfort their souls.¡±


    The girl stood in the wind, her eyes clear, but her words were powerful and resonating, as if her words were the only clear and pleasant thing in the world.


    Shen Miao lowered her eyes.


    Didn¡¯t the people of the royal family in Ming Qi want to deal with the big families and the Shen family? Shen Miao took the opportunity to show the world that it was the soldiers who brought them peace but the emperor.


    Would the royal family still dare to crack down the Shen family now?


    If they dare, everyone in the world would point a finger at them accusingly.


    No wonder the examiners hesitated for so long before coming to the conclusion. They probably didn¡¯t expect such a majestic painting to be made by an idiot, Shen Miao.


    Zhong Ziqi, the Grand Secretary of the Cabinet, said, ¡°Student Shen Miao, come up and tell us why you made this painting.¡±


    Every student who got first place had to make a speech of some sort. However, today, Shen Miao was asked to tell them the reason she made this painting because no one believed that it came from her.


    Shen Qing smiled and whispered to Yi Peilan, ¡°She¡¯s going to get exposed.¡±


    ¡°But wasn¡¯t she the one who drew it?¡± Yi Peilan was a little puzzled. ¡°We all saw it just now. She drew it herself.¡±


    ¡°Her painting skills are not all that outstanding. Who knows if she was taught what to paint by someone?¡± Shen Qing looked at Shen Miao, who was walking up the stage, in disdain. ¡°I¡¯ve lived with her for so many years. How can I not know what she¡¯s capable of? I think she won¡¯t be able to tell us the reason she came up with that painting idea.¡±


    When Yi Peilan heard that, she smiled. ¡°I knew it. How can she become a talented woman so quickly? I think she did it to attract that¡ª¡± She glanced at Prince Ding in the male section. ¡°She must have spent a lot of money to hire an expert to give her an idea to paint.¡±


    Shen Qing suppressed the displeasure in her heart and said, ¡°Let¡¯s wait and see.¡±


    On the stage, Shen Miao looked at her painting quietly. She slowly reached out and stroked the painting under everyone¡¯s surprised gazes.


    ¡°The reason why I made this painting is because I heard from my father that every year on the battlefield, countless soldiers will die. The journey is long, so they can¡¯t bring the dead ones back and can only bury them on the battlefield. At that time, the northwest desert and the northern plain didn¡¯t have chrysanthemums. Chrysanthemums bloom in the warm south and in the prosperous capital. Here, people enjoy music, dance, peace, food, and clothes at the cost of the lives of the border soldiers.¡±


    1


    The discussion gradually stopped, and everyone¡¯s eyes were focused on the girl in purple.


    Her gaze was calm as she spoke like she was telling a story. ¡°My father once said that the soldiers who died in the war couldn¡¯t even receive a handful of white chrysanthemums after they died. On the battlefield, flowers wouldn¡¯t bloom, and the soldiers wouldn¡¯t even have a chance to have a proper funeral.¡±


    ¡°I think the reason why everyone is able to enjoy the chrysanthemums here in peace is because the border is guarded by brave men. I can¡¯t do anything for them. I can only paint a white chrysanthemums on the painting to comfort their souls.¡±


    The girl stood in the wind, her eyes clear, but her words were powerful and resonating, as if her words were the only clear and pleasant thing in the world.


    Shen Miao lowered her eyes.


    Didn¡¯t the people of the royal family in Ming Qi want to deal with the big families and the Shen family? Shen Miao took the opportunity to show the world that it was the soldiers who brought them peace but the emperor.


    Would the royal family still dare to crack down the Shen family now?


    If they dare, everyone in the world would point a finger at them accusingly.

 Chapter 44 - The Young Man in Purple

    The royal family had the most power. But what was more powerful than them were the people.


    The royal family of Ming Qi had done many dirty things in the dark, but they still pretended to be concerned about the country. They enjoyed the offerings and protection of the big families with a clear conscience, but in the end, they wanted to get rid of the big families when they became a threat.


    Shen Miao¡¯s words made everyone fall silent.


    The girls thought about their ancestors who sacrificed their lives for the nation. The boys were at the age where they were hot-blooded. They naturally admired heroes who fought bravely on the battlefield.


    But some people were not so happy.


    The three princes of Ming Qi frowned at the same time. Others didn¡¯t know, but they knew what the royal family was up to now. The Shen family was too powerful, and sooner or later, they would be eliminated by the emperor with another excuse. However, the Shen family had a good reputation among the people for so many years, and it wouldn¡¯t be easy to get rid of them. Shen Miao looked like she was mourning the soldiers, but in fact, she was praising them for their contributions and putting them in a respectful position so that the royal family couldn¡¯t do anything to harm the soldiers and generals.


    Did she do it on purpose?


    Everyone looked up at the stage. After the girl finished speaking, she fell silent. Her robe was slightly loose, fluttering in the cold wind, making her look even more delicate.


    Prince Yu followed the purple-clothed girl with his eyes. After a while, he suddenly smiled meaningfully. ¡°This Miss Shen is very interesting.¡±


    For some reason, when Prince Yu said that, Pei Lang and Fu Xiuyi frowned at the same time and had a bad feeling.


    When Prince Zhou heard that, he asked meaningfully, ¡°Uncle, do you like her? I heard she is stupid and ignorant, but that¡¯s not necessarily the case. She¡¯s sharp-tongued and pretty. If she becomes¡­¡± He smiled evilly. ¡°It will be very interesting.¡±


    Prince Yu was already in his forties. He was cruel and fierce, causing many women to die. If Shen Miao fell into his hands, she would probably die soon.


    However, Prince Jing thought further than his brother. Although the royal family wanted to suppress the Shen family, the Shen family had military power. No matter which prince obtained the help of the Shen family in private, he would gain a lot of power. However, Prince Yu no longer had the right to compete for the throne. If Shen Miao married him, it was equivalent to placing the military power in the royal family. That way, none of the princes could use the Shen family to compete for the throne.


    At the thought of this, Prince Jing, Fu Xiuyuan, nodded and said, ¡°Miss Shen is indeed smart. I think she suits Uncle very well.¡±


    Pei Lang looked worriedly at Shen Miao, who was walking down the stage. Her footsteps were steady and her expression was calm. She probably did not know that her fate was already in the hands of this group of royal princes. He sighed in his heart. However, he was just a small scholar and could not change anything. He could only feel sorry for Shen Miao.


    Prince Yu waved his hand impatiently, not looking very happy. The smile on his lips was indeed a little sinister. ¡°Nephews, I don¡¯t know what you are up to, but the Shen family is too big for me.¡± His gaze landed on his broken leg. ¡°However, Miss Shen is interesting. It¡¯s not a bad idea to have some fun with her.¡±


    Su Mingfeng glanced over. He was not close to Fu Xiuyi and the others, so he only focused on the stage. However, he was a little angry. If she was targeted by Prince Yu, she would probably die. If Shen Xin was in the capital, it would be fine. Unfortunately, Shen Xin was away at the border most of the time. Without his father and brother protecting her, how could a little girl fight against these wolves?


    As if he had expected Shen Miao¡¯s tragic ending, Su Mingfeng sighed and brought Su Minglang to his father.


    Shen Miao didn¡¯t know about the conversation in the male section. Jingzhe was very happy for Shen Miao, while Shen Yue left her seat in a huff.


    After the women¡¯s test, it was time for the men¡¯s test. The girls who had already been tested left their seats to rest. Feng Anning followed beside Shen Miao, saying in awe, ¡°What you say just now was really impressive.¡±


    Shen Miao replied indifferently, ¡°You¡¯re not bad either.¡±


    Thinking that she had gotten first place in the Guqin category, Feng Anning smiled and said, ¡°I¡¯ll go get something from the carriage. Wait for me here.¡±


    After Feng Anning left, Shen Miao walked to the plum forest in Yanbei Hall to wait for her. The plum hadn¡¯t blossomed yet, but the trees were lush.


    Gu Yu walked out. She looked around and whispered, ¡°Miss, it¡¯s already been sent to the young master of the Shi family.¡±


    ¡°Very good,¡± Shen Miao said.


    Gu Yu was still a little confused, not understanding why her miss would do that. After all, it was impossible for her Miss to know the young master of the Shi family.


    At this moment, they heard a chuckle above their heads. The three of them looked up and saw someone in purple jumping down from the branches. In the blink of an eye, he landed in front of them.


    The young man in purple was so handsome that he did not look like a mortal. He crossed his arms and leaned lazily against the tree trunk with a faint smile on his lips. His eyes were as deep as the winter night in the capital, cold.


    It was Xie Jingxing.

 Chapter 45 - His Questioning

    ¡°Miss.¡± Gu Yu and Jingzhe stood in front of Shen Miao warily. This young man was dressed in luxurious clothes and was extremely noble and beautiful, making people wonder who he was. However, he was a stranger after all. Gu Yu and Jingzhe were afraid that something would happen.


    ¡°Gu Yu, Jingzhe, guard the forest entrance,¡± Shen Miao said.


    ¡°But Miss¡­¡± The two of them were a little hesitant.


    ¡°Go.¡± Shen Miao frowned slightly. For some reason, she was very good at giving orders. Every time she ordered her maid to do something, she would carry a powerful aura that made people not dare to refute.


    Jingzhe and Gu Yu could only retreat to the entrance of the forest.


    ¡°You¡¯re interesting.¡± Xie Jingxing leaned against the tree trunk and looked at her playfully. He was a noble young master, but his gaze was as sharp as a blood blade on the battlefield, and his calm tone was cold. As expected of someone who had been to the battlefield.


    ¡°Marquis Xie, what do you want to say?¡± Shen Miao asked. She didn¡¯t think Xie Jingxing came for an idle chat. Although he was young, he was very smart. Since the Old Marquis couldn¡¯t discipline him, he was even more wild.


    ¡°That cripple, Prince Yu, seems to have taken a liking to you,so I wanted to say a word of congratulations to you,¡± he said flatly. However, calling Prince Yu a cripple was considered extremely offensive. However, when Xie Jingxing said it, there was a trace of disdain and mockery, as if Prince Yu was just a dirty thing.


    He was indeed very haughty.


    Shen Miao was deep in thought, but she did not show it on her face. Xie Jingxing suddenly took a step forward. He was extremely tall, and Shen Miao was covered in his shadow. The purple-clothed youth leaned over slightly and whispered into her ear, ¡°You really knew long ago.¡±


    The fragrance of bamboo came from the young man¡¯s body. His voice was deliberately lowered, and it sounded magnetic. Shen Miao looked up. That handsome face was in front of her, and the corners of his lips were slightly curled, adding a hint of evilness to his smile.


    However, she was not really a young girl anymore. She lowered her eyes slightly and said, ¡°So what if I know and what if I don¡¯t?¡±


    When Xie Jing Xing saw that she remained nonchalance, he did not bother to continue to put on an appearance of a rich playboy and did not have even a trace of protective feelings for a female as he pushed her away. There was a piece of paper in his hands as he smiled a bit frivolously, ¡°Knowing but not being anxious about your own matter but worry for the Second Young Master of the Shi family?¡±


    Shen Miao abruptly moved her line of sight and stared at him fixedly as she could not help but be a bit brutal with her tone, ¡°Is Marquis Xie being too meddlesome?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just a piece of paper, but you¡¯re so nervous.¡± Xie Jingxing returned to his usual frivolous self. ¡°What kind of relationship do you have with the second young master of the Shi family? Why are you helping him? Or¡­ are you up to something?¡±


    Shen Miao¡¯s face was as calm as water as she stared quietly at the paper in Xie Jingxing¡¯s hand. The paper was thin, but it was a heavy stone in her heart.


    She spent a lot of time writing this ¡®Circulation of Law¡¯ from her memory. In her previous life, Pei Lang was discovered by Fu Xiuyi because of this essay. From then on, he was accepted by Fu Xiuyi as an aide to help Fu Xiuyi build his empire.


    Now, before he could show his talent, Shen Miao had to cut off all possibilities. She had to make sure Pei Lang never worked for the royal family.


    The second son of the Shi family, Gao Yan, was a new noble family that came from a large family with an ancient inheritance in the capital. If the Royal Family wanted to suppress the old families, they naturally had to support the new families. The Shi family was the most prominent among the new ones. The eldest son of the Shi family, Gao Jin, was really talented. Later, when Fu Xiuyi ascended the throne, he was greatly supported. Because of this, the Shi family became more and more domineering, and this Gao Yan¡­ even coveted her daughter, Wanyu.


    If not for the fact that she was still the head of the imperial harem at that time and Fu Xiuyi had not started to deal with the Shen family, Wanyu would probably have been killed too. This Gao Yan was not as talented as his brother and was extremely vain. He always liked to speak of his elder brother¡¯s achievements like it was his own. He was petty and vengeful. In her previous life, Gao Yan had never entered the imperial court. In this life, the Shi family had not reached its peak yet, and Gao Jin had just entered the imperial court. Shen Miao thought she might as well help Gao Yan enter the imperial court too.


    She gave Pei Lang¡¯s ¡°Circulation of Law¡± to Gao Yan because she knew that every year, Gao Yan would ask the servant to spend money to buy an exam paper from outside. Today, she asked Gu Yu to sell this essay to Gao Yan. With Fu Xiuyi¡¯s personality, he would definitely do anything to recruit Gao Yan. And Gao Yan was a vain person, so he would definitely not tell him that he didn¡¯t write this essay.


    Replacing a talent with a fool for Fu Xiuyi was Shen Miao¡¯s idea. Unexpectedly, Xie Jingxing came out of nowhere and ruined her plan.


    Xie Jingxing finally smiled and said lazily, ¡°You don¡¯t have to look like you hate me so much. This one was copied by my servant. The real one is still in the hands of Gao Yan.¡±


    Shen Miao was slightly stunned. She did not expect this to happen. She looked at Xie Jingxing and was silent for a moment before asking, ¡°Young Marquis, you¡¯re too kind.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not that I¡¯m kind, but I¡¯ve always been praised for being not meddlesome.¡± Xie Jingxing¡¯s eyes turned cold.


    Just as Shen Miao was about to speak, she heard Xie Jingxing¡¯s voice again. ¡°Now, can you tell me why you gave this essay to Gao Yan?¡±


    Shen Miao sighed in her heart. Although she wanted to tie the Shen family and the Xie family to the same boat, it was not the right time now. Shen and Xie had been at odds with each other for a long time and could not be resolved overnight.


    She did not trust anyone. She had her own path to walk. Be it Xie Jingxing or the Xie family, they were just a chess piece in the world. No one would explain the reason to a chess piece.


    ¡°I thought that you must have an affair with him. That¡¯s why you helped him.¡± Xie Jingxing smiled mischievously and sized up Shen Miao. Her eyebrows were extremely beautiful, but they were as sharp as the wind and frost in the Northwest Desert.


    ¡°Also, if you want to help Gao Yan, you have to help the Shi family. However, instead of helping Gao Jin, you helped the good-for-nothing, Gao Yan. It¡¯s obvious that you have evil intentions.¡± He smiled maliciously, but his words hit the nail on the head.


    ¡°Shen girl, do you have a grudge against the Shi family?¡±

 Chapter 46 - : Sending Flowers (1)

    ¡°Shen girl, do you have a grudge against the Shi family?¡±


    Shen Miao looked at the young man in front of her quietly.


    He was beautiful, but in a terrifying way. Although he had a cynical expression, he had a calmness unsuitable for his age. It was not shown on his appearance, but it was in him.


    It was a pity that such a talented person died young in her previous life.


    A look of pity flashed across her eyes. When she spoke again, her tone was calm. ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°The game of chess is interesting.¡± Xie Jingxing looked at her appraisingly. ¡°You took such a big detour just to help Gao Yan take on his official career. Are you trying to mess up Ming Qi¡¯s imperial court?¡±


    Even though Shen Miao had lived for two lifetimes, she couldn¡¯t help but be slightly shocked.


    Ordinary people would take one step at a time, but smart people would take ten steps at a time. She suddenly didn¡¯t know how to answer his question.


    A moment later, she replied, ¡°What does this have to do with the Young Marquis?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t care about Ming Qi, but I won¡¯t allow anyone to touch my family.¡± There was a warning in his tone. ¡°If you have any ideas about my family, don¡¯t blame me for being rude.¡±


    1


    Shen Miao glanced at him. Xie Jingxing seemed to have always hated his family and loved to go against his father. Now, it seemed that he didn¡¯t completely hate it. He probably still cared about his family. Otherwise, in her previous life, he wouldn¡¯t have ended up dying for his family.


    It was understandable that Xie Jingxing suspected that she would attack the Xie family. The Shen family and the Xie family had never seen eye to eye. Moreover, what she did now was incomprehensible. In the eyes of outsiders, it was indeed possible that the Shen family would cause trouble for the Xie family.


    ¡°Marquis Xie, don¡¯t worry,¡± she said indifferently, her tone as if she was talking about the weather today. ¡°The Xie and Shen families have nothing to do with each other, so naturally, nothing will happen. What Marquis Xie is worried about won¡¯t happen. In the short span of a few decades, the tide will be turned around many times. The Xie family now sees the Shen family as their enemy, but one day, we will be in the same boat and face the same enemy.¡±


    1


    ¡°Are you trying to show your friendship for me?¡± Xie Jingxing raised his eyebrows.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Shen Miao said calmly.


    Xie Jingxing sized up the girl in front of him. Ever since he was born, he had seen countless women. When he was young, those women wanted to get close to his father, but later on, those women started to get close to him. Among these women, some were delicate, some were drop-dead gorgeous, some were good with swords, and some were good at strategy.


    Xie Jingxing had seen thousands of smart people, but none of them surprised him as much as the person in front of him.


    1


    Perhaps it was because of the intuition of people who had been on the battlefield, Xie Jingxing could smell blood from this girl. It was like a pool of stagnant water, but there was a huge ferocious beast lurking at the bottom. Now that the surface was calm, it was just waiting for an opportunity to attack. When the day came, there would definitely be a bloodbath.


    Although this sounded a little ridiculous. How could a young girl set off a storm? However, Xie Jingxing would never underestimate his intuition.


    Under the lotus-green embroidered cloak in the plum forest, the girl looked dignified, lonely, decisive, and indecipherable.

 Chapter 47 - Sending Flowers (2)

    ¡°There¡¯s actually a smart person in the Shen family.¡± His words were sarcastic, but he said seriously, ¡°In that case, do whatever you want. I¡¯ll just sit back and wait for a good show. Don¡¯t disappoint me.¡± He stood up and was about to leave.


    ¡°Thank you, Marquis.¡± Shen Miao stopped him.


    ¡°Is there anything else?¡± He stood still and asked without looking back.


    ¡°The two younger masters of the Xie family will be tested on stage today,¡± Shen Miao said indifferently. ¡°Isn¡¯t Marquis Xie going to do anything?¡±


    Xie Jingxing was also a third-year student of Guangwen Hall, but he was carefree. Guangwen Hall could not restrain him, so they let him be. Otherwise, Xie Jingxing would have done a test with his two second-year cousins today.


    In his previous life, Xie Jingxing did not participate in the test, so his two younger brothers stole the limelight. To be honest, Xie Changwu and Xie Changchao were very capable and were ranked at the top of the martial arts class. Because of this, they were favored by the emperor. Later, they were praised by Fu Xiuyi and worked for him.


    Shen Miao had always felt that the father and son of the Marquis of Lin¡¯an were both smart people. How could they have ended up like that in their previous life? In fact, after thinking about it carefully, she realized that there were many questions. For example, when the Shen family collapsed, the second and third branches contributed a lot to it. In this way, it seemed that something must be going on internally in the Xie family.


    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you want me to go up and compete with them?¡± Xie Jingxing turned around and said in surprise, ¡°Just like how you competed with your sister?¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t Marquis Xie in the same situation as me?¡± Shen Miao ignored the mockery in his words and said, ¡°The person who stabbed you the deepest is the person closest to you. I naturally understand that a person of noble status like Marquis Xie doesn¡¯t care about sons born to a concubine. However, what looks like an inconspicuous thing is like a poisonous snake lurking in the dark.¡± Her tone was warning, but her eyes were as clear as a child¡¯s. ¡°You have to nip them in the bud so that they won¡¯t be a threat.¡±


    ¡°Compared to letting them steal the thunder and get praised, wouldn¡¯t it be more satisfying to take them down one by one and make a fool of themselves in front of everyone?¡±


    Xie Jingxing¡¯s heart skipped a beat.


    His mother was Princess Yuqing. He didn¡¯t want to have too much to do with a concubine¡¯s sons. If he did, people would say that he wasn¡¯t magnanimous enough.


    At home, the concubine and her sons acted respectfully and lovingly, making him feel disgusted. He only wanted to watch the three of them put on a show like an outsider, but now Shen Miao¡¯s words made him feel tempted to do something.


    If he extinguished their hope, would it be more satisfying?


    Shen Miao continued, ¡°You¡¯ve tolerated it for too long. Now is the time.¡±


    Don¡¯t put up with it.


    He lowered his head and looked at the person in front of him. A faint fragrance came from the girl.


    He smiled and plucked up a begonia next to him. ¡°You¡¯re interesting. This flower is for you. It¡¯s a good suggestion. Thank you.¡±


    1

 Chapter 48 - Provocation

    After Shen Miao left the forest, Gu Yu and Jingzhe, who were guarding the place, heaved a sigh of relief. Jingzhe looked inside and was puzzled when she didn¡¯t see anyone. ¡°Where is he?¡±


    Shen Miao also looked back. The plum tree was lush and green, swaying gently with the wind. Xie Jingxing probably left from another entrance.


    She said, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    When they returned to the banquet, Feng Anning rushed over and complained, ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you to wait for me? When I turned around, you were gone. When I came back, I didn¡¯t see you here either. Where did you go?¡±


    ¡°People say the chrysanthemum in the garden is pretty, so I went to see it.¡± Shen Miao looked up at the stage. ¡°Has it started?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve been gone for too long. The male team has already drawn lots.¡± Feng Anning curled her lips. ¡°Now, it¡¯s the male team¡¯s turn.¡±


    The young men on the stage were competing. The first round of ¡°drawing¡± had passed, but Shen Miao did not care about the results. The second round was ¡°choosing¡±, choosing a subject they were good at.


    Shen Miao¡¯s gaze landed on the young man in green clothes on the left.


    This young man was dark and strong. His facial features were not bad, but because of his overly strong body, he looked very solid. Moreover, with green clothes, his skin looked even darker. Not only that, he also had a high bun and a jade hairpin. He probably wanted to imitate the style of the ancient gentlemen, but because he could not bear to part with his rich clothes, he looked a little out of place. In short, although he tried his best to look noble and gentlemanly, he actually looked like a country bumpkin.


    This was Gao Yan from the Shi family of the capital. Gao Yan was still young, only 16 years old. After Fu Xiuyi ascended the throne, Gao Yan¡¯s status rose because he took advantage of Gao Jin. He bullied people in the capital and even dared to covet Wanyu. He was simply a badass.


    At the thought of how Wanyu had been molested by Gao Yan in the palace, Shen Miao was furious. She stared at Gao Yan from afar, as if she was looking at a prey walking into a trap.


    Gao Yan was talking to Gao Jin happily at this moment.


    He was naturally happy. After receiving such an excellent essay, as long as he showed it later, he would definitely shock everyone.


    Shen Miao sneered in her heart. Go, show everyone this essay and get recruited by Fu Xiuyi! Gao Yan will surely bring disaster to the entire Shi family.


    As for Pei Lang, she turned to look at the green-robed man sitting not far from Fu Xiuyi. From now on, you will slowly repay the debt you owe in the past!


    ¡°Shen Miao, after men finish choosing. It will be women¡¯s turn to choose. Will you choose?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Shen Miao replied.


    In the test, ¡°choosing¡± was something that every student had to do. Contestants could choose what they were good at. If they were unwilling to choose, they could choose not to do so. Therefore, instead of saying that ¡°choosing¡± was a part of the test, it was better to say that it was the part where contestants could showcase their skills easier. If there was something that they were best at, they could naturally show it in the ¡°choosing¡± segment. Therefore, compared to ¡°drawing lots¡±, everyone was more enthusiastic about ¡°choosing¡±.


    ¡°Why?¡± Feng Anning was a little disappointed. She said, ¡°Aren¡¯t you very good at painting now? You should be good at other subjects too. Why don¡¯t you show them?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no need.¡± Shen Miao started to play chess on the table again. Without looking up, she said to Feng Anning, ¡°Let those who want the limelight get the limelight. What¡¯s more, I got first place in painting just because I was lucky.¡±


    ¡°You¡­¡± Feng Anning didn¡¯t know what to say.


    ¡°Fifth Sister.¡± A voice interrupted their conversation. Shen Yue stood in front of them and said worriedly, ¡°Fifth Sister, are you really not going to participate in the next round?¡±


    ¡°Second Sister, do you want me to participate?¡± Shen Miao asked.


    Shen Yue was stunned by her words. For some reason, Shen Miao seemed to have made up her mind to fall out with her. Shen Yue was puzzled. Could it be that she was angry at the second and third branches because she fell into the water last time. Shen Yue bit her lip and looked a little aggrieved. She said softly, ¡°I naturally hope that Fifth Sister will participate. That painting just now was very good. Since Fifth Sister is so talented, why don¡¯t you continue to choose to paint?¡±


    What Shen Yue said was heard by all the young ladies and madams nearby. Although Shen Miao got first place, none of them were convinced since she had always been a bad student.


    Shen Yue thought so too. Therefore, she thought that as long as Shen Miao painted again, she would definitely make a fool of herself.


    Feng Anning understood what she meant and immediately sneered. ¡°Second Miss Shen, you make it sound so easy. One has to spend time thinking of an idea before one can paint. You can¡¯t paint two paintings in a row, can you?¡±


    ¡°I asked because I think Fifth Sister has improved a lot.¡± Shen Yue smiled gently. ¡°Her painting was terrific just now. What¡¯s so difficult about painting another one?¡±


    Shen Miao did not look up from the beginning to the end. She only picked up a chess piece and placed it on the chessboard. ¡°I¡¯m not interested. Don¡¯t worry about me.¡±


    Shen Yue did not expect Shen Miao to answer so indifferently in front of so many people. For a moment, her expression was a little ugly. The most infuriating thing in the world was that Shen Miao refused to take the bait.


    Shen Miao wasn¡¯t provoked even when she was challenged in front of so many people. This made Shen Yue even more certain that someone helped Shen Miao with the painting idea. She paused for a moment and suddenly continued with a smile. ¡°Since Fifth Sister insists, I won¡¯t say anything else.¡± She turned around and returned to her seat.


    In the men¡¯s section, Cai Lin had been secretly looking at Shen Yue. He saw Shen Yue suddenly look over from afar and smile at him gently.


    Cai Lin was stunned for a moment before feeling a little excited. However, Shen Yue lowered her head again, looking a little sad.


    He suddenly became nervous.

 Chapter 49 - Circulation of Law (1)

    On the stage, the men¡¯s group was still choosing.


    Confucian classics was chosen the most as it was a compulsory subject at school. As long as one had a good memory, performing well in this round wasn¡¯t a big issue. In contrast, there were very few people who chose strategy.


    Strategy was the most practical. Students were required to remark on the current state affairs. The people present were all young students. Apart from some who had already been receiving related knowledge from their parents who worked in the imperial court, most of them were still ignorant about the state affairs, let alone suggest any good strategies. Therefore, strategy was the most difficult one. However, if one was really outstanding at strategy, they would more likely become an official.


    Shen Miao looked at the chessboard in front of her.


    Back then, Pei Lang¡¯s Circulation of Law was made in the third round, which was Challenge. Men could challenge women, women could challenge men, and students could pick their challenge as well.


    One of the male students challenged Pei Lang. Pei Lang was also very talented. In just a few minutes on the stage, he finished a strategy essay. It was eloquently written and right to the point.


    At that time, the princes all saw highly of him. Pei Lang was a smart person. He said he wanted to be a scholar in Guangwen Hall and did not think too much about anything else. His attitude was firm. If not for the fact that Fu Xiuyi treated him well and Shen Miao gave him advice, Pei Lang might never become an official.


    The chessboard was crisscrossed, just like the life in her previous life. She brushed past the chessboard, pushing off the pieces.


    Shen Miao said, ¡°Let¡¯s start again.¡±


    Gao Yan adjusted his clothes and tidied his hair. He asked the servant beside him, ¡°How do I look?¡±


    ¡°Young Master, you¡¯re strikingly handsome and charismatic¡­¡± The servant blurted out praise.


    Gao Yan curled his lips smugly and was about to get up and walk to the stage when Gao Jin grabbed him and asked, ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    ¡°Go to choose,¡± Gao Yan said.


    Gao Jin frowned. He knew his brother very well. Not only was he not capable, but he also liked to be in the limelight. Now that their family was prospering, he could not allow anyone to ruin it. Gao Jin asked, ¡°What do you know?¡±


    These words made Gao Yan uncomfortable. He and Gao Jin were biological brothers from the same mother, but when people mentioned their family, the first thing they praised was Gao Jin. Gao Jin was born with delicate features, but Gao Yan was rough and black. Gao Jin could work for his father at a young age, but every time Gao Yan wanted to talk to his father about court affairs, his father would shake his head and say no. They were brothers, but because of the remarks of outsiders, they became estranged. Gao Yan was already inferior when compared to his brother. Now that he heard what Gao Jin said, he flared up. At first, he was a little worried that he would attract too much attention with the essay. Now, he no longer cared.


    He said in an unfriendly tone, ¡°Brother, although I¡¯m not as smart as you, I¡¯m not completely stupid. You don¡¯t have to stop me. After all, I can¡¯t steal your thunder.¡±


    Gao Jin could tell that there was something else in Gao Yan¡¯s words. He paused for a moment. Before he could speak, Gao Yan pushed him away and walked up the stage. He shouted from afar, ¡°I choose ¡®strategy¡¯!¡±


    Strategy?


    People in Guangwen Hall who knew Gao Yan instantly looked over. Gao Yan was not known for being talented, but he was not bad either. This was because his homework and essays were always written by others.

 Chapter 50 - : Circulation of Law (2)

    Therefore, no one was surprised that he would go on stage. In the Choose session, students would display the subject they were best at. However, because Strategy was ubiquitously considered hard, the noisy crowd instantly quieted down, all looking at the man dressed in green on the stage.


    The first few students who chose ¡°Strategy¡± had already read out their strategies in front of everyone. However, they were not very good. As soon as Gao Yan went up, Gao Jin frowned.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t expect Gao Yan to dare to pick Strategy.¡± Feng Anning said curiously, ¡°If it were Gao Jin, I think it would be better.¡±


    Shen Miao stopped playing and looked at the stage.


    After preparing everything, Gao Yan took out a page and slowly read it.


    ¡°The law is the foundation of the country, especially when it comes to supporting the empire¡­¡± He read it quite rhythmically, and the crowd gradually stopped chattering, especially the old officials at the table. They looked at the young man on the stage seriously.


    ¡°Gao Jin¡¯s younger brother is indeed not bad.¡± A trace of surprise flashed across Prince Zhou¡¯s eyes. ¡°Even the officials in the court don¡¯t have such an insightful opinion.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s indeed not bad.¡± Prince Jing nodded and praised, ¡°Besides, this child is quite young. In time, he will definitely be extraordinary.¡±


    Fu Xiuyi looked at the person on the stage quietly. Although his expression did not change, his fingers subconsciously crossed together. Every time he was deep in thought, he would subconsciously do this.


    Pei Lang, on the other hand, had been stiff since the first sentence was recited by Gao Yan. For some reason, he felt a sense of familiarity with Gao Yan¡¯s strategic essay. He had a good memory but he couldn¡¯t figure out where he read it. This sense of familiarity made him, who had always been calm, a little anxious. It was as if he could follow up with every sentence that Gao Yan recited. It was extremely familiar, as if it was his own.


    Shen Miao smiled and stopped looking at the young man on the stage. Instead, she continued to look at the chess pieces on the chessboard.


    ¡°What kind of chess game are you playing?¡± Feng Anning asked, ¡°You must be playing randomly. How can you put a chess piece so far away?¡±


    ¡°Far?¡± Shen Miao shook her head.


    Every chess piece had its own uses. How far could this seemingly useless chess piece go? Even if it looked like it was still thousands of moves away from the end of the game, this useless piece would turn out to be a change changer.


    But now, no one could tell.


    In a distant attic, one could see the scene on the stage from afar. Su Mingfeng waved his fan and said, ¡°I wonder where Gao Yan found this strategic essay. It¡¯s written very elegantly. I want to know the person who wrote this.¡±


    ¡°Why do you want to know the person?¡± Opposite him, the purple-robed youth spoke lazily. He was sitting in front of the window, leaning against it.


    ¡°He should be an experienced official.¡± Su Mingfeng continued. ¡°If we can make friends with him, we will definitely benefit a lot.¡±


    Xie Jingxing sneered and turned to look at the stage. There was a begonia in his hand.


    The begonia was still fresh, as if it had just been plucked. It carried a faint fragrance and a murderous intent as well.


    ¡°That¡¯s not necessarily the case.¡±

 Chapter 51 - The Maid (1)

    On the stage, Gao Yan finally finished reciting Circulation of Law.


    The surroundings were quiet at first, then they started discussing softly. The students did not understand the meaning of this strategy, but they knew that it was very beautifully written. However, the adults in the men¡¯s section knew the depths. This strategy seemed to be unintentional, but it could solve the loopholes in the law of Ming Qi in one go and make up for it.


    The examiner on the stage probably did not expect Gao Yan to come up with such a good essay. Once the examiner was incredulous of the student¡¯s work, he naturally had to test the student further. For example, Shen Miao¡¯s painting. To be honest, this ¡°Circulation of Law ¡± was more brilliant than Shen Miao¡¯s painting. It was both well-written and practical. The examiner asked, ¡°As you mentioned in the essay just now, Ming Qi¡¯s law should be divided. How do you want to distinguish them?¡±


    Gao Yan was delighted. In addition to the ¡°Circulation of Law¡±, in the paper he received, there was also a question that was exactly the same as what the examiner asked. He was very grateful to the person who wrote the essay for him and thought that he would definitely reward the person handsomely when the test finished. He raised his head and replied, ¡°It¡¯s divided into three levels. The commercial law, the official law, and the civil lawa€|¡±


    Below the stage, Official Gao was already grinning from ear to ear. He had reached his current state in the bureaucracy only because of the support of the emperor and the connections he had. However, he really wasn¡¯t a capable person. Fortunately, he had a good son, Gao Jin, who could help him deal with many things at a young age. Now that his second son, Gao Yan, had also shown such an extraordinary talent, he planned to go back to the ancestral hall and thank his ancestors.


    Gao Jin was smarter than his father, so he didn¡¯t believe that his brother could be so smart, but he had no clue how his brother got his hands on this piece of essay. It was impossible to bribe the examiner.


    Pei Lang picked up the teacup on the table and took a sip. His hand was still trembling. For some reason, everything Gao Yan said seemed to be imprinted in his mind. That familiar feeling made him feel very uncomfortable, and he could not calm down at all.


    Su Minglang just woke up from a nap and saw that everyone around him was looking at Gao Yan with admiration. He tugged at Mr. Su¡¯s sleeve and asked, ¡°Father, did he do a good job?¡±


    ¡°A young talent,¡± Mr. Su said directly.


    Su Minglang curled his lips, as if he could not understand. After turning around and not seeing Su Mingfeng, he asked, ¡°Why isn¡¯t Brother back yet?¡±


    Mr. Su cleared his throat. ¡°Your brother is not feeling well these days. It¡¯s not easy for him to come today, so let him rest for a while longer.¡±


    When Fu Xiuyi heard the conversation, he glanced at Mr. Su. Seeing that Mr. Su¡¯s expression did not change when he mentioned Su Mingfeng, he looked away thoughtfully.


    No matter what, Gao Yan did an extraordinary job today. He was able to answer the questions raised by the examiner smoothly, which dispelled the doubts in everyone¡¯s hearts. Without a question, he naturally got first place. In the future, when people mentioned their family, in addition to Gao Jin, everyone would also think about Gao Yan.


    Gao Yan left the stage proudly. This round of ¡°Choose¡± ended, and the ¡°Choose¡± of the women¡¯s group began.


    Feng Anning did not go on stage. She already performed well in the Guqin test and wasn¡¯t good at anything else, so there was no need for her to go on stage. Shen Qing chose chess while Shen Yue, as expected, chose Guqin.

 Chapter 52 - The Maid (2)

    Shen Yue had always liked these things that could make her look otherworldly. Chen Ruoqiu was good at playing the Guqin, so she taught her daughter everything she knew. Not only did she know how to play the Guqin, but she also knew how to compose songs and write lyrics. Every year, Shen Yue would get first place, and people enjoyed listening to her performance.


    In the women¡¯s group, once Shen Yue was there, no one would choose the Guqin to embarrass themselves. Shen Qing put a lot of effort in practicing chess, so she ended up getting first place.


    When it came to the Guqin, the crowd started discussing again.


    Shen Yue slowly went on stage. She was born delicate and graceful, and her pink clothes made her look gentle and charming. With a faint smile on her lips, she really looked like a little fairy.


    She was playing ¡°Ode to the Moon¡± today.


    ¡°Ode to the Moon¡± was an extremely difficult song. It was a song about a wanderer who missed his homeland and family in the far distance. At the beginning, it was gentle and melancholic, then it was intense and sad. In the end, it was moving.


    In her previous life, Shen Yue was also in the limelight because of this song. In comparison, Shen Miao was ridiculed. Now that she thought about it, it seemed that she had always been a stepping stone for Shen Yue.


    Shen Miao looked at the girl on the stage.


    Shen Yue had already started. As soon as she played the Guqin, the strings seemed to have a mind of their own. The tune was ethereal and fell into the ears of everyone present. Her fingers danced on the strings like butterflies flying through a sea of flowers.


    Feng Anning bit her lip. Even if she didn¡¯t like Shen Yue, she had to admit that Shen Yue¡¯s Guqin skills were outstanding. Compared to her performance, the song Feng Anning played earlier seemed lousy.


    It was a song about family and homeland, but it made Shen Miao gradually clench her fists in anger.


    Even if she was reborn, the people who had already died would not be able to revive. Wanyu and Fu Ming, her children, would never appear again. Shen Yue¡¯s song not only didn¡¯t comfort Shen Miao, but it made her more vengeful.


    Cai Lin left his seat. He tried his best to get closer to the stage so that he could see every expression of his sweetheart. He was immersed in the beautiful sound of the Guqin when he was suddenly interrupted by someone talking.


    ¡°Second Miss is really unlucky. She¡¯s never gotten second place, but Fifth Miss used some tricks to snatch her glory.¡± The person who spoke was a slender girl. Cai Lin recognized her as Shen Yue¡¯s personal maid, Shuxiang. He couldn¡¯t help but look over.


    ¡°That¡¯s right. Besides, Fifth Miss didn¡¯t even choose. She¡¯s deliberately going against Second Miss,¡± another maid said.


    ¡°Sigh, what a pity. Second Miss is kind-hearted and has suffered a lot at home. Fifth Miss only dares to treat Second Miss like this because of her father? Second Miss is really pitiful. She prepared for so long, but the fruit was snatched away by someone else.¡±


    ¡°If only someone could stand up for Second Miss. For example¡­ challenge Fifth Miss during the Challenge session.¡±


    ¡°What nonsense are you talking about?¡± Shuxiang interrupted her. ¡°Everyone knows that Fifth Miss doesn¡¯t know Guqin, chess, calligraphy, and painting. Challenging Fifth Miss is equivalent to lowering your status. I think no girls will challenge her. If the boys over there challenge her, it¡¯ll be more satisfying to watch.¡±


    Cai Lin looked at Shen Yue on the stage and was suddenly struck by an idea.

 Chapter 53 - Challenging Her

    After Shen Yue finished her song, everyone was naturally mesmerized by it. Women with outstanding Guqin skills would be liked wherever they went, especially when this woman was quite good-looking. In the men¡¯s section opposite, many of the young men in the second and third grade looked over. Although in Guangwen Hall, Qin Qing was more beautiful, she was arrogant and could not compare to Shen Yue.


    ¡°Your sister is really good at playing.¡± Feng Anning said reluctantly, ¡°I wonder where she learned it from. I¡¯ll ask my mother to find a famous Guqin master to teach me tomorrow.¡±


    They were all young and competitive. For example, when Shen Miao just became the empress, she didn¡¯t care about anything, but she cared a lot about Fu Xiuyi. As long as Fu Xiuyi treated other women nicely, she would be worried. She was the type of person who would immediately get back at someone for something they did to her, and that made her plenty of enemies. Now, her personality had not changed at all, but she would choose to do it a different way.


    ¡°Second Miss of the Shen family is truly both talented and beautiful.¡± Everyone loved beauty, and Prince Zhou was also stunned by Shen Yue. He said, ¡°What a pity.¡±


    What was the pity? Others might not understand, but the princes did. Shen Yue was beautiful and talented. If one could have this girl by his side, it might be the greatest thing in the world. Unfortunately, Shen Yue did not come from First Branch of the Shen family, but Third Branch.


    However, Shen Xin, who was leading the troops, gave birth to an idiot like Shen Miao. Even though she surprised everyone today, their impression of her didn¡¯t change much. They believed that Shen Miao was only able to perform well with the help of someone. They still saw her as a useless idiot.


    After Gao Yan got off the stage, Pei Lang gradually calmed down. This was the first time he had encountered such a scene in his life. Although he did not understand, he tried his best to relax. At this moment, when he heard Prince Zhou¡¯s words, he could not help but look at the purple-clothed girl in the women¡¯s section opposite him.


    She held the chess piece and turned her head to the side, deep in thought. Her eyes were deep and unfathomable. How could such a person be an idiot?


    However, people would not change overnight. Then, was Shen Miao just acting stupid? Why would she do that?


    Even someone as smart as him could not figure out what was going on.


    The ¡°Choose¡± of the women¡¯s group ended with Shen Yue¡¯s ¡°Ode to the Moon¡±. Shen Yue naturally got first place. However, not only was she not happy about this today, but she also felt a little embarrassed.


    She glanced at Shen Miao. Shen Miao was obsessed with the chess game and did not look at her at all. Chen Ruoqiu noticed her daughter¡¯s expression and reminded her in a low voice, ¡°Yue, you¡¯re losing your composure.¡±


    Chen Ruoqiu asked her daughter to be calm no matter what happened. No matter if she was really calm or pretending, she had to make people see her calm side. Once a woman was calm, her temperament would attract men. Chen Ruoqiu¡¯s way of teaching her daughter was indeed not bad, and she did it quite well. Unfortunately, Shen Yue was still young and had never experienced failure, so she naturally couldn¡¯t see the merit of being calm.


    Hearing Chen Ruoqiu¡¯s reminder, Shen Yue put away her anger. The maid beside her handed her a cup of tea. ¡°Miss, have some tea to moisten your throat.¡±


    Shen Yue took the tea and looked at Shuxiang. Shuxiang smiled at her. Shen Yue smiled smugly and said, ¡°I¡¯m very looking forward to the Challenge session later.¡±


    Because Shen Qing had just won first place, she was in a better mood. She smiled and said, ¡°Students are not divided by gender this year but by grades. The competition will definitely be more intense.¡±


    Challenge was the most anticipated of the three categories. Because in Draw, you might not draw the subject you were best at. In Choose, one could pick a subject they were best at. However, in Challenge, what normally happened was two people competing on the subject they were both best at, which made the competition intense and interesting to watch. Young men liked to compete. At this age, the desire to win was the strongest, so every year during Challenge, it was the most intense.


    This year, students were allowed to challenge people of different gender or grade. However, although that was the case, it was unlikely to see a man challenging a woman.


    As expected, no one challenged the literature category this year, so the highlight naturally fell on the martial arts category.


    This almost cut off the possibility of the woman participating. Although there were many daughters of martial artists present, the woman was much weaker than the man, so it was naturally impossible for the woman to win.


    In the men¡¯s section, Cai Lin was the first to stand up and walk to the stage.


    When the examiner asked him what he wanted to challenge, he pointed at the target and said, ¡°Archery.¡±


    Cai Lin, this little tyrant at Guangwen Hall, knew nothing about literature, but he was considered outstanding in the martial arts. Among them, he was the best at archery and won first place in archery last year too.


    Who was he going to challenge today? In the entire venue, there was no one better than him.


    Cai Lin raised her head and suddenly pointed at the women¡¯s section.


    When everyone saw that he was actually pointing at a woman and not a man, they were shocked. When they saw who he was pointing at, they opened their mouths in surprise and stopped talking.


    He even deliberately shouted, ¡°I want to challenge her, Shen Miao!¡±


    The girl in purple, who was immersed in the chess game, raised her head and looked straight at the person on the stage. Her expression did not change, and she didn¡¯t show any signs of panic, as if his challenging her meant nothing to her.


    Chen Ruoqiu frowned. She put in a lot of effort to teach Shen Yue to stay calm, but Shen Miao seemed to have learned to be calm and collected on her own.


    In the distant pavilion, the handsome young man spat out his tea and looked surprised. ¡°Is Cai Lin crazy?¡±


    Shen Miao stood up. On the chessboard on the table, a black chess piece crossed the border and was marching towards her.


    She picked up the white piece to capture the black piece, throwing it into the chess basket.


    ¡°I¡¯ll accept his challenge,¡± she said.

 Chapter 54 - Life and Death Contract (1)

    The autumn wind was always refreshing and pleasant. However, at this moment, because of the tense atmosphere, even the fragrance of flowers seemed to have become stronger.


    Shen Yue covered her mouth and said in surprise, ¡°This¡­ Fifth Sister is a girl. How could she know archery?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Chen Ruoqiu also said worriedly, ¡°Shen Yue, don¡¯t force yourself. Although your father is a general, you never learn these kinds of things.¡±


    1


    ¡°But¡­ the rules of this competition can¡¯t be changed.¡± Shen Qing looked anxious, but her tone was filled with schadenfreude. ¡°Once you¡¯re challenged, no matter what kind of subject you are challenged with, you have to complete the competition. However, people will normally choose an opponent who is equally good at the subject. Fifth Sister, do you have a trick up your sleeve? Otherwise, why would Cai Lin challenge you?¡±


    Ren Wanyun added with a smile, ¡°Qing, what are you talking about? Of course, Shen Miao knows nothing about martial arts. Shen Miao, if you don¡¯t want to go on stage to compete, Second Aunt will go and tell the examiner that you¡¯re still young and not suitable for this dangerous competition. They will let you off for the sake of your father.¡±


    Although Ren Wanyun sounded like she was trying to help her out, on second thought, that was not the case. After all, no one had made an exception in the test for many years. If Shen Miao was the first to do so, who knew what kind of rumors would spread among the people in the capital tomorrow? Moreover, if she relied on her father, people might say that she was using her privileges. This was not a good thing for Shen Xin who was thousands of miles away from the capital.


    And she would never allow anything to anyone to harm her father.


    ¡°Thank you, Second Aunt. There¡¯s no need.¡± She stood up from the women¡¯s section and slowly walked towards the stage. The venue gradually quietened down, looking at the girl with wide-eyed shock.


    ¡°I accept his challenge.¡±


    Cai Lin¡¯s gaze changed. He did this because he wanted to stand up for Shen Yue. In the martial arts test, it was the first time a man challenged a woman. However, he was used to being a bastard. At most, he was just going to go back and be taught a lesson by his parents. However, at the thought of being able to stand up for Shen Yue, Cai Lin was happy from the bottom of his heart.


    However, he did not expect Shen Miao to accept his challenge so readily. Not only that, but she was also so calm. Looking at the purple-robed woman walking slowly towards the stage, Cai Lin had a strange feeling in his heart.


    It was as if she was not afraid at all.


    But how was that possible? He knew better than anyone whether Shen Miao knew archery or not. People who had never practiced martial arts naturally knew nothing about archery. Everyone would panic when doing something they were not good at or had never tried.


    How could she be so calm?


    Cai Lin was deep in thought when he suddenly felt a gaze on him. He turned around and met Shen Yue¡¯s gaze. When Shen Yue saw him looking at her, she blushed and lowered her head.


    Every man wanted to be a hero. In Cai Lin¡¯s eyes, he was the hero who stood up for beauty. As for Shen Miao, she was a vicious and ugly villain.

 Chapter 55 - Life and Death Contract (2)

    Even if she didn¡¯t accept his challenge today, he would definitely find a change to humiliate Shen Miao in front of everyone one day.


    He wanted her to alwasy keep her head low in front of Shen Yue!


    Generally speaking, the challenger would be the one who set the rules, and the one being challenged would have to accept the rulesno matter what. Because no one knew what would happen next, this round was always the most eye-catching.


    Shen Miao walked to the stage.


    The examiner who in a difficult position. After all, Shen Miao was just a girl. If they competed on literary subjects, then it was not a big deal. Obviously, Cai Lin wanted her to make a fool of herself.


    ¡°We got a good show to watch today.¡± Prince Zhou clapped his hands and seemed to be very interested. ¡°I¡¯m afraid the reputation of the Shen family will fall again.¡±


    Prince Jing shook his head and sighed. ¡°General Shen is famous for fighting on the battlefield, but his daughter is just a disappointment.¡± He thought to himself that she was not only a disappointment, but also a fool. Today, it was obvious that it was wrong for her to accept the challenge. If she acted like this, it would make people laugh even more.


    Cai Lin curled his lips proudly. ¡°I thought of an interesting rule this year. It¡¯s too boring to do it the normal way. This year, how about we put an apple on each other¡¯s head and shoot it?¡±


    2


    As soon as he said that, everyone was shocked!


    The examiner was also shocked. Shen Miao was Shen Xin¡¯s daughter after all. If anything happened to her, who would bear the responsibility when Shen Xin came back at the end of the year?


    He quickly said, ¡°Student Cai¡­¡±


    Cai Lin waved his hand. ¡°Sir, the challenger has the right to set the rules. Why? Is the daughter of a general such a coward?¡±


    Shen Yue lowered her head to conceal her smile. Feng Anning frowned, but she did not know what to do.


    ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± Prince Yu said with a husky voice. A strange smile appeared on his ferocious face. ¡°It has alwasy been the case that the challnger sets the rules. Will General Sehn flee on the battlefield because the enemy is too powerful?¡± After saying that, he seemed to find it funny and laughed.


    Shen Miao¡¯s gaze suddenly turned sharp.


    These people were all mocking Shen Xin. Did they really think she was the weakness of First Branch of the Shen family? She looked at Cai Lin, who had a smug smile on his face, and then at the malicious mockery of the people present. The anger that had been accumulating for a long time finally burst out.


    Shen Miao, who had been reborn, could tolerate it, but Empress Shen, the head of the harem, couldn¡¯t.


    She said coldly, ¡°My father fought bloody battles outside to protect the country. That¡¯s why there is a chrysanthemum banquet today and a competition between students.¡± A trace of mockery flashed across her eyes. ¡°Wining the competition is nothing compared to fighting for the country. As for the rules you set, why should I be afirad?¡±


    Everyone was stunned.


    ¡°Why shoul I be afriad? Your archery skills are superb, so you¡¯ll naturally hit the apple. I¡¯m not good at archery, so if I miss, you¡¯ll be the one who¡¯ll be in danger.¡±


    1


    She smiled, and her voice seemed to come from afar, eveloping the venue.


    ¡°In that¡¯s what you want, sign the life and death contract. If you¡¯re injured or killed, I won¡¯t bear the consequences.¡±


    ¡°Do you dare, Cai Lin?¡±


    1

 Chapter 56 - Do You Dare to Kill Me?

    The huge Yanbei Hall was silent.


    The girl stood straight. She was petite, but she seemed to contain infinite strength, stepping the entire world under her feet.


    Cai Lin was speechless.


    Shen Miao was right. He should be the one in the most danger if they shot at each other like this. Because Shen Miao didn¡¯t know archery, if she missed by a little, the arrow might pierce his head. However, Cai Lin didn¡¯t think too much. He thought that as long as he shot first, with Shen Miao¡¯s personality, she would definitely be so scared that her legs would go weak and she would beg him for mercy.


    As for what happened after that, Cai Lin did not even think about it. In his heart, Shen Miao would naturally be frightened out of her wits after he shot the arrow. How could she have the strength to shoot him? Moreover, she was a woman who had never even drawn a bow before. She might not even be able to draw a bow and make a fool of herself in front of everyone.


    That was what Cai Lin thought, but he didn¡¯t expect Shen Miao to be so collected. She looked at him quietly. That calmness that exceeded her age made Cai Lin angry. Shen Miao¡¯s gaze was like she was looking at a child who was playing with her.


    They were both at the age where they were the most impulsive. Without hesitation, Cai Lin said, ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t I dare? Let¡¯s sign a death contract!¡±


    ¡°Sigh!¡± Lord Cai, who was in the men¡¯s section, sighed anxiously. He wished he could rush up to the stage and beat up his idiotic son. Previously, he thought that Cai Lin just wanted to have some fun, but he did not expect him to choose Shen Miao. Lord Cai was not worried about his son¡¯s safety, but he was afraid that Cai Lin would really embarrass Shen Miao or hurt her. He didn¡¯t want to make enemies with Shen Xin yet.


    Shen Yue said anxiously, ¡°How can Fifth Sister sign a life and death contract? It¡¯s just a test. Why did it end up like this?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. Why is Fifth Sister so insensible?¡± Ren Wanyun frowned. ¡°She is being too hot-headed. What if something goes wrong?¡±


    She did not mention that Cai Lin was the one who challenged Shen Miao. They all blamed Shen Miao for being too hot-headed. Chen Ruoqiu shook her head and sighed. ¡°She¡¯s too competitive sometimes, always wanting to win.¡±


    They were ¡°concerned¡± about Shen Miao and were ¡°anxious¡± for her. Naturally, there were people in the male section who were interested in this competition.


    Prince Yu stared at the girl in purple on the stage with interest, as if he was a wild beast watching its prey. It was disgusting.


    ¡°This Miss Shen is really brave but not smart.¡± Prince Zhou pointed out, ¡°She actually signed a death contract. Doesn¡¯t she know that if anything happens, Shen Xin won¡¯t be able to help her?¡±


    ¡°She probably just wants to protect the Shen family¡¯s reputation.¡± Fu Xiuyi looked at Shen Miao on the stage and said, ¡°After all, no one wants their family to be looked down upon.¡±


    ¡°Being angry won¡¯t help.¡± Prince Jing shook his head. ¡°She¡¯s too hot-headed. No wonder they say she¡¯s ignorant and stupid.¡±


    Pei Lang picked up the tea on the table and took a sip. He also felt that Shen Miao¡¯s actions were too rash. If Shen Miao really wanted to protect her family¡¯s reputation, she should think of a way to withdraw from the competition. Although she might be criticized for the time being, it was better than making a fool of herself in public.


    ¡°Father, she will definitely win.¡± Su Minglang clenched his fists and expressed his stance to his father.


    Mr. Su glanced at his youngest son. For some reason, he felt that Su Minglang paid special attention to Shen Miao. Since Su Minglang reminded the Su family to retreat from the imperial court last time, Mr. Su had been much more patient with his youngest son. Now that he didn¡¯t want to rain on his youngest son¡¯s parade, he said, ¡°Right, she will definitely win.¡±

 Chapter 57 - Do You Dare to Kill Me? (2)

    Su Mingfeng did not know Su Minglang and Mr. Su¡¯s attitude. If he knew, he would definitely sneer at them. This was because at this moment, he was sitting in the pavilion and looking at the test platform from afar. He could not help but say, ¡°Miss Shen is really bold. She even signed a life and death contract. Is it because General Shen always tells her about what happened in the military camp that she thinks she is a soldier too? She¡¯s too stupid.¡±


    Su Mingfeng never tried to hold back anything when he spoke to his best friend, but today, he did not hear his best friend agree. He could not help but look back at him.


    The young man in purple held the begonia in his hand and tilted his head to the side in deep thought. The sunlight was just right, and the breeze made the tassel on his dagger flutter slightly. His face was handsome and resembled a hero.


    ¡°Xie, what are you thinking about?¡± Su Mingfeng couldn¡¯t help but ask.


    Xie Jingxing suddenly stood up with a smile. ¡°Interesting. How about we make a bet?¡±


    ¡°What bet?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s bet¡ª¡± Xie Jingxing pointed at the stage and smiled. ¡°Who will win?¡±


    ¡°Of course, Cai Lin will win.¡± Su Mingfeng frowned. ¡°Do you think there¡¯s another possibility?¡±


    ¡°I bet Shen Miao will win,¡± he said.


    The preparations were already underway on the stage.


    The Guangwen Hall really got someone to make a death contract. The blood-colored handwriting on the snow-white piece of paper was especially eye-catching. Shen Miao wrote her name, looking like she was certain to win.


    When she wrote the surrender letter for Fu Xiuyi to the Xiongnu, when she willingly became a hostage of the State of Qin, when Wanyu got married, when the crown prince was deposed¡­ Shen Miao had signed a death contract countless times. No one could understand the suffering she went through.


    In contrast, Cai Lin was not so relaxed.


    This was the first time he had signed a life and death contract. Cai Lin was just a child who was protected too well by his family and was not even mature enough. Shen Miao¡¯s calmness made him even more afraid.


    1


    The pen weighed more than 500 kilograms. It was difficult for him to put down his name, and his handwriting was crooked, forming a sharp contrast with Shen Miao¡¯s name.


    After writing, he couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Shen Miao, aren¡¯t you afraid that I¡¯ll miss in the first round? If I¡¯m afraid that you¡¯ll shoot me in the second round, I can naturally shoot you to death in the first round.¡±


    Shen Miao was about to get the apple when she turned around and stared at Cai Lin. ¡°Young Master Cai, you thought so? I don¡¯t think that way.¡±


    She continued, ¡°Everyone knows that Young Master Cai is an excellent marksman. If you miss, it definitely won¡¯t be an accident. It can only be done on purpose. Everyone knows that I know nothing about archery. It¡¯s understandable if I miss my mark.¡±


    Cai Lin was stunned for a moment, looking at Shen Miao dumbfoundedly. He was suddenly overwhelmed by hopelessness.


    1


    Yes, if he missed, people would think he did it on purpose, but if Shen Miao missed, it was only natural.


    He thought he was pushing Shen Miao to the edge of the cliff, but he didn¡¯t know that he was on the edge too.


    It was all wrong.


    ¡°In order to avoid being shot by me in the second round, Young Master Cai can naturally kill me in the first round. The life and death contract is set. If you kill me, it will only be the outcome of the competition. You don¡¯t have to take any responsibility other than being despised by the entire world.¡±


    ¡°Now I give you a chance to kill me, do you dare?¡±

 Chapter 58 - Its My Turn

    ¡°Now I give you a chance to kill me, do you dare?¡±


    Cai Lin stared at the girl in disbelief, as if it was the first time they had met.


    He was used to being tyrannical in Guangwen Hall and had always been pampered. Today, he just wanted to teach Shen Miao a lesson. Unexpectedly, not only was Shen Miao not afraid, but she also went against him. At this moment, he was the one who seemed to be at a disadvantage.


    Would Cai Lin dare?


    Not to mention whether he had the guts to do so, even if he did, would he be able to? The young master of the Cai family could do whatever he wanted in a moment of anger, but what would happen to the Cai family afterwards? If he really killed Shen Miao today, Shen Xin would definitely make the entire Cai family pay with their life.


    Besides, he didn¡¯t dare.


    He was just a trash talker and had never been to the battlefield. Although he was good at shooting, he only shot grass, fruits, or animals.


    However, there was no reason to retreat now. Shen Miao didn¡¯t retreat. If he, a man, retreated, he would probably be too ashamed to leave home tomorrow.


    1


    At the thought of this, Cai Lin said arrogantly, ¡°Let¡¯s wait and see. You might be scared out of your wits later,¡± he said rudely. It was unknown if he was trying to hide his panic. The calmer Shen Miao was, the more uneasy he was. He wanted to see her panic, as if that was the only way to make him confident. Therefore, he hoped that his words could scare Shen Miao.


    If it were an ordinary girl, she would naturally feel scared or even cry. However, when Shen Miao heard this, she only glanced at him indifferently, making Cai Lin feel that he was like an idiot.


    Shen Miao had already gone to the examiner to get the apple. The apple was about the size of an adult man¡¯s fist. Shen Miao stood at the east side of the stage and placed the apple on her head.


    The venue gradually became noisy.


    ¡°She must be pretending to be calm, but she¡¯s actually terrified.¡± Yi Peilan smiled and said, ¡°I really can¡¯t wait to see her cry.¡±


    ¡°Ever since Ming Qi¡¯s test, no woman has been challenged by a man with martial arts.¡± Jiang Xiaoxuan raised her little finger and tilted her head. ¡°I can¡¯t wait to see Shen Miao break down begging.¡±


    ¡°No, why is Shen Miao still standing there on the stage? What if Young Master Cai misses his shot?¡± Ren Wanyun said. She felt a little troubled. If anything really happened to Shen Miao, she would be the first to be punished by Shen Xin.


    ¡°Second Sister-in-law, what are you worried about?¡± Chen Ruoqiu said casually, ¡°It¡¯s just a child¡¯s play. Young Master Cai is not a child who doesn¡¯t know anything. As long as Shen Miao begged for mercy, he naturally won¡¯t make things difficult for her. I just hope that Shen Miao won¡¯t be too stubborn.¡±


    Ren Wanyun was the one managing the Shen family. If anything happened, she would be responsible for it. However, Chen Ruoqiu¡¯s words hit the nail on the head. It was all Shen Miao¡¯s fault. If Shen Miao had begged for mercy and apologized to Cai Lin, things would not have ended up like this.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡± Chen Ruoqiu said, ¡°I think that Young Master Cai just wants to scare Shen Miao. He will stop when he sees fit.¡±


    ¡°Mother, don¡¯t worry.¡± Shen Qing also said to Ren Wanyun, ¡°Cai Lin is very good at shooting. He won¡¯t miss no matter what.¡±


    Shen Qing was still thinking about how Shen Miao would stop her from becoming the princess consort. Now, she couldn¡¯t wait for Shen Miao to embarrass herself. She heard that some people would pee their pants when they were shocked. She wondered what would happen to Shen Miao.


    If Cai Lin really missed his shot and Shen Miao was disfigured because of that, It wouldn¡¯t be a bad thing either.


    Shen Yue did not think as far as Shen Qing. She just wanted to see Shen Miao kneel and beg for mercy, as if that could help her regain her dignity. She glanced at Cai Lin from afar, but he did not look at her.


    Cai Lin held a longbow in his hand and faced Shen Miao, who was 30 feet away. Cold sweat broke out on his forehead.


    Shen Miao stood there quietly. The wind blew at the corners of her cloak. Her purple clothes fluttered and her eyes were bright. That dignified aura and that calmness after a storm made Shen Miao look dazzling.


    Cai Lin slowly drew the bow. He thought to himself, As long as Shen Miao begs for mercy, I can take the opportunity to humiliate her. She doesn¡¯t have to make things difficult for both of them.


    Unfortunately, his wish was in vain. Shen Miao¡¯s expression was calm, as if she did not care about him.


    Shen Yue frowned.


    Why didn¡¯t Shen Miao cry and beg? Why did Shen Miao look even calmer than Cai Lin?


    Many people had already realized this, and their impression of the originally useless girl was slowly changing. Not every girl could stand calmly in front of a person with a bow and arrow.


    Cai Lin¡¯s hands began to tremble. Normally, he could easily shoot an apple 30 feet away, but today, it was especially difficult.


    Shen Miao¡¯s words lingered in his ears. ¡°I give you a chance to kill me, do you dare?¡±


    Would he dare? Would he dare?


    With a whoosh, the arrow let the bow.


    However, it only swayed in the air for a moment before falling down without even touching Shen Miao¡¯s shirt.


    Everyone laughed.


    A classmate of Cai Lin¡¯s teased, ¡°Cai Lin, don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re pitying her. Usually, you can shoot a target 100 feet away, but today, you can¡¯t?¡±


    Cai Lin wiped the sweat off his forehead and immediately started shooting. The second arrow only landed at Shen Miao¡¯s feet.


    The third one brushed past Shen Miao¡¯s hair and knocked down the apple on Shen Miao¡¯s head. Shen Miao¡¯s hair was scattered, and her black hair flowed down her shoulders.


    However, when the arrow brushed past her face, she did not show any emotion.


    She had black hair, a purple dress, and fair skin.


    Cai Lin¡¯s hands went weak, and the longbow and arrows fell to the ground.


    Even a fool could tell that the person who was scared was Cailin, but Shen Miao.


    1


    I give you a chance to kill me, do you dare?


    He doesn¡¯t dare


    I dare


    She smiled, and a hint of cruelty appeared in her bright eyes. Coupled with her innocent face, she was terrifyingly beautiful.


    ¡°Now, it¡¯s my turn.¡±


    1

 Chapter 59 - Betting Her Life (1)

    ¡°It¡¯s my turn,¡± Shen Miao said flatly, but it sounded like thunder to Cai Lin.


    Cold sweat rolled down Cai Lin¡¯s face as he looked at Shen Miao in a daze.


    Shen Miao took a few steps forward and bent down to pick up the longbow on the ground. Everyone present was watching her every move.


    This was really unexpected. They thought they would see Shen Miao faint from fright, but she was fine. Instead, Cai Lin was sweating profusely and missed the target.


    After a short silence, the people below the stage started to discuss.


    ¡°Like her father, Miss Shen is so brave!¡± The person who spoke was usually on good terms with Shen Xin. At first, when he heard that Shen Miao was stupid, he was a little increduous. Now that he saw her today, he thought that those words were just rumors. With such courage and bravery, how could she be an idiot? It was obvious that someone deliberately spread false rumors about her.


    ¡°She¡¯s indeed not bad. She didn¡¯t even blink just now when that arrow was next to her face. That girl is really like a general. If it were me, I would probably flinch.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you know who she is? How can General Shen¡¯s daughter be bad? It seems like there are a lot of false rumors about her. Sigh, no wonder people wanted to slander her. They are just jealous of her being so outstanding at such a young age.¡±


    Most of the people in the imperial court had a good relationship with Shen Xin. After all, they were connected by many interests. Moreover, they worked in the imperial court all day long and were not as gossipy as the women in the house. In the past, Shen Miao was young, but now that she was older, she would naturally reveal who she really was.


    Prince Zhou and Prince Jing looked at each other. Prince Jing shook his head and sighed. ¡°It seems that we were both wrong. She¡¯s really a bold person.¡±


    ¡°Ninth Brother, are you regretting it now?¡± Prince Zhou smiled and looked at Fu Xiuyi. ¡°Why did you reject such an extraordinary woman?¡±


    ¡°Such a change won¡¯t happen overnight. Either Fifth Miss Shen met a master or she deliberately pretended to be stupid. No matter what, Ninth Sister, you¡¯ve suffered a great loss,¡± Prince Jing said.


    Fu Xiuyi smiled and said, ¡°She is impressive, but it¡¯s a pity that she¡¯s not the person I like.¡± Fu Xiuyi did not regret rejecting Shen Miao. He was even irritated by the calmness Shen Miao exhibited. He did not believe that people could change overnight either. Could it be that she had really been pretending to be stupid in the past? Why would she do that? Just to make him dislike her?


    Pei Lang put down the teacup in his hand. For some reason, he was worried about Shen Miao just now. However, to his surprise, she didn¡¯t flinch. Not only did she not flinch, but she also frightened Cai Lin so much that he couldn¡¯t even shoot properly.


    Was Shen Miao actually so powerful?


    ¡°She¡¯s indeed a wonderful girl.¡± Prince Yu smiled in satisfaction and stared at Shen Miao¡¯s figure. ¡°I wonder¡­ what does it feels like?¡±


    Pei Lang frowned. Prince Yu was probably thinking about something nasty again. Unfortunately, he couldn¡¯t do anything.


    In the pavilion, Xie Jingxing sat by the window and said calmly, ¡°You lost.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe it!¡± Su Mingfeng¡¯s eyes were about to pop out. He looked at Xie Jingxing and then at the stage in the distance, asking, ¡°Did you already know it?¡±


    Xie Jingxing stood up and patted the dust off his body.

 Chapter 60 - Betting Her Life (2)

    ¡°All right, I lost. What do you want?¡± Su Mingfeng replied readily.


    ¡°After this competition, how about celebrating and drinking with me?¡±


    Su Mingfeng asked in confusion, ¡°But why are you celebrating? Is there anything to be happy about?¡±


    ¡°Not now, but soon.¡± Xie Jingxing raised an eyebrow. ¡°It¡¯ll be something worth being happy about.¡±


    On the stage, Shen Miao handed the apple to Cai Lin.


    Cai Lin¡¯s hand was trembling as he took the apple. He asked, ¡°Shen Miao, have you ever learned archery?¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Shen Miao smiled at him. ¡°This is the first time I¡¯ve touched a bow. I have three arrows, so I have three chances to learn it.¡±


    Cai Lin shuddered and looked at Shen Miao in disbelief. ¡°Are you messing with me?¡±


    1


    Just now, Shen Miao looked calm and composed, as if she was used to doing this with people. He thought that Shen Miao must be familiar with it. After all, Shen Xin was a mighty general, so it was possible for him to teach his daughter archery. But now, Shen Miao actually said that this was the first time she ever touched a bow.


    How dare she!


    He said, ¡°You obviously can¡¯t hit the applet. Won¡¯t I be losing my life for nothing?¡±


    1


    ¡°Young Master Cai, don¡¯t be ridiculous,¡± Shen Miao said calmly. Her voice was neither loud nor soft, and when she spoke, everyone could hear her. Everyone looked at the girl in purple who was frowning with her eyes cast down, looking aggressive.


    ¡°When Young Master Cai challenged me to go on stage just now, you didn¡¯t ask me if I knew how to shoot. When you shot at me just now, he didn¡¯t ask me if I would die. Why did you ask me if I knew archery when it was my turn?¡±


    These words made Cai Lin speechless. Indeed, he was just venting his anger for Shen Yue and deliberately challenged Shen Miao to archery. But now, he had shot himself in the foot.


    ¡°Miss Shen, my son is naughty and mischievous. I apologize to you on his behalf. Don¡¯t take it to heart. It¡¯s just that you really know nothing about archery. This will inevitably cause an accident, and it won¡¯t be good for either of you.¡± Lord Cai finally couldn¡¯t help but speak up. As soon as he spoke, he blushed. However, he really had no choice. Although it was embarrassing, it was better than losing his youngest son.


    1


    However, Shen Miao would never be fooled by an official. She had dealt with the Xiongnu, the royal family of the State of Qin, and the emperor of Ming Qi. She really did not care about officials.


    1


    Therefore, everyone watched as Shen Miao raised her chin. Lord Cai was standing below the stage, so from afar, he looked like a minister crawling under Shen Miao¡¯s feet.


    She said, ¡°Lord Cai, I bet my life on it just now. Now it¡¯s Cai Lin¡¯s turn to bet his life on it. The life and death contract has been established. It¡¯s written clearly in the paper. Even if I shoot him to death today, it will have nothing to do with me.¡±


    Without waiting for Lord Cai to speak, she continued, ¡°People have to keep their word. This rule was proposed by Cai Lin. If you go back on your word now, will you also go back on your words in the Imperial Court when the tide is against you?¡±


    1

 Chapter 61 - Blood on the Arrowhead

    ¡°You guys were the ones who set the rules, and now you¡¯re the ones who refused to abide by the rules. Do you think you can do whatever you want? Are all the officials in Ming Qi like this?¡± Her words were sharp, making Lord Cai immediately break out in cold sweat.


    There were so many of his colleagues present. Some of them were his friends, and naturally, there were also his foes. Moreover, there were members of the royal family here. If he was not careful, the entire Cai family would probably be in trouble, let alone Cai Lin.


    ¡°Miss Shen is right.¡± It was Prince Yu who spoke. He smiled at Shen Miao strangely and said, ¡°Lord Cai, Young Master Cai naturally has to abide by the rules he set up.¡±


    As soon as he said that, everyone immediately looked at Shen Miao with meaningful gazes.


    Prince Zhou and Prince Jing looked at each other. Prince Jing sighed and said, ¡°Even Uncle spoke up for her.¡±


    ¡°Perhaps we will have a young aunt soon?¡± After saying that, Prince Zhou felt that it was funny and shook his head without saying anything.


    1


    Since Prince Yu had already spoken, no matter how unhappy Lord Cai was, he did not dare to refute. Although he was angry, he could only bite the bullet and say, ¡°I¡­ I didn¡¯t think it through.¡± He glared at Cai Lin and turned to leave.


    Cai Lin watched his father leave, feeling anxious. He originally thought that Shen Miao was just good at trash talking, but when he met Shen Miao¡¯s eyes, he couldn¡¯t help but feel a chill run down his spine. She was like a calm beast. She looked like a little girl, but was she so scary?


    He lowered his voice and said, ¡°If you hurt me, the Cai family will definitely not let you off.¡± This was a threat. Cai Lin was now in a difficult position. If Shen Miao missed her mark, he would lose his life. When he was hunting with his good friend, he had seen arrows shoot into the eyes or buttocks of his prey. The way the prey struggled and died was really tragic.


    He only hoped that Shen Miao would know her limits and draw the bow gently. He whispered again, ¡°If you cooperate this time, in the future¡­ in the future, I won¡¯t find trouble with you in Guangwen Hall.¡±


    Shen Miao raised an eyebrow and looked up at him.


    Cai Lin looked nervous, as if he was afraid that she would not agree. Unfortunately, Shen Miao had seen many such people in her previous life. They were just bullying the weak and fearing the strong. Now, they were afraid, so they begged. Once today¡¯s matter was over, Cai Lin would definitely be like before and would even wait for an opportunity to take revenge.


    1


    She smiled. ¡°I gave you a chance to kill me, but you didn¡¯t dare.¡±


    ¡°Now that it¡¯s my turn to answer this question, do you want to hear my answer?¡±


    Her face was as smooth as jade, and it was slightly tender, like a young sprout growing in spring. However, her words were so ferocious that it made one¡¯s heart palpitate.


    ¡°I dare.¡±


    After saying that, she turned around and walked to the shooting stage.


    Cai Lin stood rooted to the ground in a daze. He only came back to his senses when the examiner called his name. Only then did he realize that everyone was looking at him with anticipation.


    His gaze landed on the girl in pink in the women¡¯s section. Shen Yue was talking to someone beside her and did not look at the stage. He suddenly felt a little disappointed.


    1


    He was the one who called Shen Miao now, so there was no reason for him to back down now. If he lost to a woman, the Cai family would probably become a laughing stock in the capital. Moreover, Shen Yue was watching from below the stage. If he made a fool of himself, he could forget about pursuing her.


    1


    Did she really dare to kill someone? Even if she had signed a death contract, kissing was never an easy thing.


    3


    After thinking this through, Cai Lin mustered up the courage and walked to the white line 30 feet away before placing the apple on his head.


    Everyone looked at him and then at Shen Miao, feeling a little strange.


    In the distance, Xie Jingxing asked, ¡°Do you think she will miss her mark?¡±


    ¡°Of course she will.¡± Su Mingfeng glared at him. ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about whether she has the guts to shoot Cai Lin or not. Even if she does, does she have the ability? There are very few women who practice archery. Moreover, you should know that Shen Miao is a good-for-nothing in the capital.¡±


    Xie Jingxing chuckled. ¡°Not necessarily.¡±


    ¡°Are you going to bet with me again?¡±


    ¡°Why bother? I can already see the ending.¡±


    Su Mingfeng was used to his good friend being mysterious, so he said, ¡°What ending?¡±


    Xie Jingxing said lazily, ¡°You lose.¡±


    Shen Yue looked at Shen Miao on the stage and her heart tightened. She asked Chen Ruoqiu in a low voice, ¡°Mother, will she hurt Young Master Cai?¡±


    ¡°Of course not.¡± Chen Ruoqiu looked at her daughter, who was a little unlike herself today because of Shen Miao, and couldn¡¯t help but sigh in her heart. Thinking that her daughter was still too young and couldn¡¯t remain composed, she said, ¡°It¡¯s not that easy to shoot. I heard from your uncle that drawing the bow requires strength. When has your fifth sister ever drawn the bow and shot an arrow in the mansion? I¡¯m afraid it¡¯s already difficult for her to pick up the bow. Don¡¯t let your thoughts run wild. Your fifth sister is just playing around.¡±


    Was Shen Miao really just playing around?


    Of course not.


    She raised her hand, positioned the arrow, and drew the bow in one go. Her movements were smooth, as if she had practiced it thousands of times.


    The next moment, the arrow flew towards Cai Lin with killing intent.


    The entire place fell silent. In the dead silence, the arrow that fell to the ground made a crisp sound.


    There was some blood on the arrowhead.

 Chapter 62 - The Third Arrow

    On and off the stage, everyone froze.


    It was Cai Lin who broke the silence. He reached out to touch his left cheek, where the arrow had brushed past, revealing a trace of red blood.


    Everyone was stunned.


    Shen Miao actually dared to shoot. She did not stop the arrow halfway, nor did she deliberately miss. The arrow brushed past Cai Lin¡¯s cheek.


    Cai Lin shouted, ¡°Shen Miao, what are you doing?!¡± Before he could finish his sentence, a second arrow swept over with a strong wind and brushed past his right cheek. Cai Lin immediately felt a burning pain on his right cheek. He reached out to touch it and was shocked to find that there was a smear of blood.


    He was about to go crazy. He stared at Shen Miao in disbelief. Lord Cai wanted to stop her, but Prince Yu was still around, so he did not dare to move.


    Ren Wanyun stood up immediately. ¡°Is Fifth Sister crazy? How dare she really hurt Young Master Cai?¡±


    2


    ¡°Shen Miao is really strong.¡± Mrs. Yi pretended to be surprised and said, ¡°How can ordinary women have the guts to do that? If she hurts the young master of the Cai family, won¡¯t your husband have more enemies in the Imperial Court?¡±


    These words hit the nail on the head. They had thought that Shen Miao would make a fool of herself, but who knew that not only did Shen Miao not make a fool of herself, but she also hurt Cai Lin. If they offended the Cai family, how could Shen Gui and Shen Wan not be implicated? At the thought of this, Ren Wanyun was anxious. She wanted to shout to stop Shen Miao but was stopped by Chen Ruoqiu.


    ¡°Sister, what are you doing?¡± Ren Wanyun said unhappily, ¡°Are you going to watch her get us into trouble? If Master asks, who can bear the responsibility?¡±


    Chen Ruoqiu couldn¡¯t be bothered to argue with her second sister-in-law. She was born into a family that was more noble than Ren Wanyun¡¯s. She disdained such vulgar women the most. She said, ¡°Second Sister-in-law is right, but you heard what Prince Yu said, didn¡¯t you? Otherwise, why do you think Lord Cai hasn¡¯t spoken until now and just watched his son get injured? Even if Second Sister-in-law speaks, do you think you have a say here? It¡¯s better to wait and see.¡±


    ¡°Are we just going to sit back and wait?¡± Ren Wanyun knew that what Chen Ruoqiu said made sense, but she still couldn¡¯t help but worry. ¡°What if Shen Miao really killed Cai Lin?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s there to be afraid of? Didn¡¯t you see what Shen Miao did just now?¡± Chen Ruoqiu smiled and said, ¡°She clearly knows how to draw the bow. She¡¯s just deliberately embarrassing that kid. She¡¯s deliberately taking revenge. However, she will stop when she sees fit. Otherwise, he¡¯d already be dead.¡± Chen Ruoqiu sighed. ¡°We¡¯ve offended the Cai family anyway. Let¡¯s be patient and let nature take its course.¡±


    Shen Qing and Shen Yue heard every word. They were still young and did not know anything about the bureaucracy. Shen Yue looked at Shen Miao on the stage. Today, she was calm and composed, and she was in the limelight. Shen Yue thought that if Shen Miao really shot Cai Lin to death, it would be good, because no one would dare to marry her in the future.


    The more Shen Yue thought about it, the more expectant she became. She had long forgotten about Cai Lin, who was standing up for her. She even hoped that Cai Lin would use his life to make Shen Miao infamous.


    1


    Although the people below the stage were discussing, they did not dare to make a sound because of Prince Yu. Even the Cai couple was burning with anxiety and could only watch as their son stood on the stage as a target.


    ¡°Shen Miao, what exactly do you want?¡± Cai Lin¡¯s face was burning with pain. Apart from anger, he also felt a trace of fear towards Shen Miao. He suddenly realized that there was nothing Shen Miao did not dare to do. She was clearly a lunatic. She would do anything!


    Shen Miao¡¯s voice was a little muffled, so it couldn¡¯t reach the audience, but it could reach Cai Lin¡¯s ears.


    1


    She said, ¡°To teach you a lesson.¡±


    Shen Miao suddenly raised her voice. ¡°There¡¯s still one more shot!¡±


    Everyone present stared at the arrow. Cai Lin¡¯s legs were about to go limp. He pinched himself hard to prevent himself from going limp, because he saw Shen Miao¡¯s arrow aimed at his head.


    He was very afraid. It was a fear towards the Shen family. This fear was overwhelming and occupied all his attention at this moment. He wanted to escape from this test platform, but Shen Miao¡¯s arrow was aimed at him, as if it could chase him to the ends of the earth.


    ¡°Miss Shen is too strong-willed.¡± Although the adults in the men¡¯s section admired Shen Miao¡¯s calmness, they were also disapproving of what she was doing at this moment. It had to be known that it was not a good thing for a woman to be too strong-willed. The reason why she was insisting to continue the competition now was none other than to take revenge on Cai Lin for provoking her just now. However, Cai Lin did not cause her any harm. Shen Miao had caused Cai Lin¡¯s face to bleed already. Although it was fine for boys to have a scar, it was still better to have a smooth face.


    1


    ¡°That¡¯s more like General Shen¡¯s daughter.¡± Some people cheered for Shen Miao. ¡°If General Shen finds out that his daughter gets bullied and doesn¡¯t fight back, he will probably be furious.¡±


    ¡°But look, she¡¯s aiming the arrow at Cai Lin¡¯s head. She¡¯s planning to kill Cai Lin. Isn¡¯t that too vicious?¡±


    Cai Lin¡¯s legs were trembling as he looked at the girl in the distance, as if he was looking at a ghost.


    Shen Miao said softly, ¡°The third arrow.¡±


    She loosened her grip and the arrow shot out, charging towards Cai Lin¡¯s forehead, scaring him so much that he knelt down and screamed, ¡°Help!¡±


    ¡°Lin!¡± Madam Cai and Lord Cai exclaimed in unison.


    Everyone stood up and craned their necks to see what was going on on the stage.


    Cai Lin collapsed to the ground, and the apple on the ground was pierced through by the black arrow.

 Chapter 63 - You Can Leave

    She retracted her bow and bent down to pick up the apple on the ground. She glanced at Cai Lin and suddenly smiled. ¡°You lost.¡±


    She had an innocent look, but today, she looked too calm from the beginning to the end, making people ignore her age. Now that she was smiling, she looked like a young girl again. Everyone looked at her and felt that she was not stupid. This little girl actually had bright eyes and molars, looking quite graceful and gorgeous.


    Cai Lin couldn¡¯t say a word. There was still blood on his face from the cut just now, and his tears fell, spreading the blood. His face was red and swollen, looking extremely miserable. At this moment, he couldn¡¯t care less about his reputation. There was only fear in his eyes.


    Shen Miao raised her eyebrows, satisfied to see the fear in his eyes.


    The servants quickly helped Cai Lin, who was so frightened that his legs went limp, down the stage. The examiner in charge of the test walked up to Shen Miao and asked in surprise, ¡°Miss Shen, you used to practice archery too?¡±


    Archery not only required accuracy but also a lot of strength. Shen Miao, a delicate little girl, was so good at drawing the bow. Moreover, everyone could see clearly that the last arrow hit the apple when Cai Lin was moving out of terror. It was truly impressive.


    Did she ever practice archery? Shen Miao tilted her head slightly and fell into deep thought.


    That was the first year she went to the State of Qin as a hostage. The prince and princess all liked to humiliate her. It seemed to be extremely interesting to see her, the empress, being humiliated, but she couldn¡¯t get angry at them because at that time, the State of Qin was lending troops to Ming Qi.


    Those princesses and princes had invented a new way of playing, which was the rule set by Cai Lin at the test today. When she was used as a target, the royal family of the State of Qin would deliberately shoot her hair, tear her clothes, and even accidentally shoot her arm and neck.


    At that time, every night, she would carefully set up a target in her room and practice diligently. She treated those targets as people who had hurt her. She practiced seriously and shot hard. Finally, she polished her skill to the point that she never missed her marks.


    However, during the day, when it was her turn to shoot, she would still deliberately miss or be too weak to draw the bow. She had no choice. She had to return to Ming Qi alive to see Wanyu and Fu Ming.


    That tiring life lasted for an entire year. Today, when Cai Lin mentioned it again, she suddenly returned to those humiliating days. In this life, she could kill and shoot whoever she wanted. If anyone dared to provoke her, she would make them shut up!


    1


    This was what she should do.


    She smiled. ¡°I¡¯ve seen my elder brother practice hard in the courtyard and learned over the years.¡±


    The Cai couple below the stage were so angry that they almost fainted. Their son used to be an archer, but today, not only did he miss his marks, but he even made a fool of himself in front of everyone. Shen Miao said that it was just the first time she drew the bow, but she hit the apple. What was more humiliating than that?


    Everyone turned around and saw Prince Yu clapping. ¡°Not bad.¡±


    Shen Miao glanced at him but did not say anything.


    The examiner said loudly, ¡°Is there anyone else who wants to challenge her to archery?¡±


    Shen Miao naturally won this round. If no one else challenged her, Shen Miao would be the winner.


    Hearing this, Shen Yue¡¯s expression turned ugly. In the first test, she was completely overshadowed by Shen Miao. She looked at Fu Xiuyi, who was talking to Prince Zhou and Prince Jing, from afar, and clenched her fists tightly.


    However, the next moment, someone shouted, ¡°I want to challenge Shen Miao!¡±


    In the male section, a young man stood up. This person looked to be only 16 or 17 years old and was quite good-looking. But one could tell at a glance that he was an honest person.


    Shen Miao knew who this person was. She found it funny. This was the son of the Xie family, the second young master, Xie Changwu.


    This person was extremely tactful and extremely bureaucratic. Later on, when the Xie family was declining, he, his brother, and their mother, Madam Fang, lived very comfortably with the pension granted by the new emperor. Xie Changwu and his younger brother, Xie Changchao, even became officials in the imperial court. At that time, she really did not like these two brothers, because the two brothers were on the side of Consort Mei and were on good terms with Fu Sheng. They even often helped Fu Sheng suppress Fu Ming.


    The reason why Shen Miao reminded Xie Jingxing to find a chance to get rid of his half-brothers was because she hated them and wanted to seek revenge.


    Now, before she could take her revenge, this person took the initiative to come to her. But why? She glanced at Lord Cai¡¯s seat. Lord Cai¡¯s face was dark, and Xie Changchao seemed to be comforting him.


    By the way, recently, the two brothers of the Xie family had been taking the initiative to befriend Cai Lin. Unfortunately, the person Cai Lin wanted to befriend had always been Xie Jingxing and he ignored the two brothers. Now was a good opportunity for the two brothers to curry favor.


    At the end of this year in her previous life, when Shen Miao forced Prince Ding, Fu Xiuyi, to marry her, Xie Changwu and Xie Changchao both joined Lord Cai. Then¡­ two years later, the Cai family was involved in a corruption case and was wiped out.


    There were many things that were changing, but there were also many things that remained unchanged.


    The Xie brothers wanted to use this change to please the Cai family.


    Just as Shen Miao was about to answer, a voice suddenly sounded from the side.


    The voice was lazy and carried an indescribable mockery. ¡°You don¡¯t dare to challenge me at home, but now you¡¯re challenging a young girl? Xie Changwu, you¡¯re getting worse.¡±


    1


    Xie Jingxing appeared on the stage. He crossed his arms and looked at his half-brothers below the stage with a faint smile. ¡°How about I challenge the two of you? Let me teach my younger brothers a lesson. Don¡¯t be a coward and embarrass our family by competing with a young lady outside.¡±


    He glanced at Shen Miao again and said, ¡°You can leave.¡±

 Chapter 64 - Provocation (1)

    Shen Miao stared at him without moving.


    She had reminded Xie Jingxing before, so she was naturally expecting him to go on stage. However, she did not expect to see such a scene. She did not know whether to laugh or cry. It was as if Xie Jingxing was purposefully helping her out, but that was not the case.


    Xie Changwu did not expect Xie Jing to suddenly show up. He just wanted to please the Cai family. He thought that since Shen Miao had already offended the Cai family, as long as he made Shen Miao look bad and taught her a lesson on behalf of the Cai family, the Cai family would naturally have a good impression of him. Although it looked like Shen Miao was indeed good at archery, there was a huge difference in strength between women and men. Moreover, the reason why Cai Lin failed was because he underestimated her.


    However, Xie Changwu was not someone who would underestimate his opponent. If possible, he would even do some tricks on the arrow. Shen Miao would definitely not notice the difference.


    He did not expect his brother to come out of nowhere.


    Not only were the Xie brothers stunned, but the others below the stage were also stunned. If the Marquis of Lin¡¯an was here today, he would probably be stunned on the spot too. Xie Jingxing had never participated in the annual test, but even so, everyone knew that he was good at martial arts. Although he did not compete, he had fought in the battle a few times and won himself a good reputation in the army.


    However, the reason why he did not participate in the annual test was purely because he was a person who did not care about this kind of occasion. Because he did not participate, everyone turned their attention to the two illegitimate sons of the Marquis of Lin¡¯an. Xie Changwu and Xie Changchao also worked hard, so they could always come out first every year.


    But this year, the most unworldly young marquis of the Xie family was going to compete with his two half-brothers. Who would win?


    Although Xie Jingxing was famous in the battle, people were more familiar with the two illegitimate sons. In the capital, Xie Jingxing had never displayed his talent. People knew him mostly through gossip told by the soldiers who came back from the battle.


    The young men were all envious of Xie Jingxing for being so carefree. They were happy that someone could finally teach Xie Jingxing a lesson. In addition, the two brothers of the Xie family were people people and had a good relationship with the young men, so they were all rooting for the two brothers.


    1


    On the other hand, the girls couldn¡¯t help but blush when they saw Xie Jingxing¡¯s handsome face. Looking at his extraordinary figure, they felt that he had a heroic aura that was completely different from the soft aura of the young masters in the capital. He was like a piece of ice flowing with blood. On his face, there was always an evil smile, making him look even more charming. Therefore, the girls were all focused on Xie Jingxing.


    Shen Miao scrutinized the expressions of everyone present. These people probably thought that Xie Jingxing came up to challenge her two half-brothers on a whim. However¡­ Shen Miao smiled. Xie Jingxing was not an easy person to deal with. Since he was already on the stage, there was no way he would let his two half-brothers escape unscathed. The difference between Xie Jingxing and her was that she still had some misgivings and had to take it slow to achieve her goal.


    However, Xie Jingxing feared nothing because he had the Marquis of Lin¡¯an behind him.


    But was there only the Marquis of Lin¡¯an behind him?

 Chapter 65 - Provocation (2)

    Chapter 65: Provocation (2)


    While she was thinking, Xie Changwu said from below the stage, ¡°Brother, I¡¯m afraid¡­ that¡¯s not appropriate.¡±


    1


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with that?¡± Xie Jingxing glanced at Shen Miao, then at Xie Changwu. Suddenly, he smiled and said, ¡°Or do you think Shen Miao is more challenging than me?¡±


    He braced himself and stood up. ¡°Since Brother said so, I have no reason to say no.¡±


    Xie Jingxing raised an eyebrow and said, ¡°Third Brother, come join us.¡±

 Chapter 66 - One Man Formation

    Hearing this, Xie Changchao was stunned.


    When he saw Xie Jingxing suddenly appear, he thought that Xie Jingxing was deliberately helping Shen Miao out. Anyway, this brother of his never conformed to social norms. But now, Xie Jingxing¡¯s words stunned him.Xie Changwu was the one who agreed to go on the stage. What did it have anything to do with him?


    Xie Changchao looked at Xie Changwu and asked in a low voice, ¡°Second Brother, what¡¯s going on?¡±


    Xie Changwu was usually smarter than Xie Changchao. When he heard Xie Jingxing¡¯s words, he was a little angry. Xie Jingxing wanted to challenge him but added that he alone was not enough and that Xie Changchao had to join in. What did Xie Jingxing mean? He was simply humiliating the two of them. Wasn¡¯t he a bit too arrogant to think that his brothers were not his match even if they joined forces?


    Infuriated by Xie Jingxing¡¯s words, Xie Changwu had long lost his composure. His expression turned unfriendly, and his tone seemed to be filled with anger. ¡°Brother, you¡¯re so confident. You don¡¯t take us seriously at all.¡±


    On the stage, Xie Jingxing played with the apple he had taken from the examiner. He narrowed his eyes and said lazily, ¡°That¡¯s right. I¡¯m not taking either of you seriously.¡±


    ¡°The two of you have never competed with me since you were young. I heard that you are outstanding. Show me what you are made of and teach me a lesson if you can,¡± he continued.


    Everyone present seemed to have sensed the discord between the Xie brothers. Everyone in Ming Qi had heard about what happened at the Marquis¡¯s Residence. All along, everyone had been speculating about the relationship between the brothers, and Xie Jingxing had always been indifferent and even disdained talking to his two half-brothers.


    This was the first time Xie Jingxing had embarrassed his two half-brothers in front of everyone. Everyone present started discussing, both wanting to watch the show and looking forward to the outcome.


    Shen Miao looked at the handsome young man who was acting with indifference. Xie Jingxing was really strange. He looked willful and indulgent, but at the same time he knew exactly what he wanted. The two brothers of the Xie family had no clue that they were led by the nose.


    When Xie Changwu heard this, he suddenly sneered and said word by word, ¡°It¡¯s just a friendly competition. What¡¯s wrong with that?¡± He looked at Xie Jingxing, his shrewd eyes filled with all kinds of emotions. He said, ¡°Since you want to compete with both of us at the same time, we¡¯ll grant you that wish. But Brother, don¡¯t complain about us being unfair when you lose.¡±


    In other words, if Xie Jingxing lost to the two of them, it would be Xie Jingxing who asked for it. It had nothing to do with the two of them. Xie Jingxing would even make a fool of himself.


    Xie Changchao was still a little hesitant, but when he saw the look Xie Changwu gave him, he immediately came back to his senses and said, ¡°I¡¯ll join too if that¡¯s what you want.¡±


    Xie Jingxing smiled, and his evil smile attracted the attention of many girls. He said teasingly, ¡°Do you want to sign a death contract too?¡±


    Xie Changchao and Xie Changwu froze, and their expressions turned ugly. However, Xie Jingxing said lazily, ¡°I was just joking. We¡¯re brothers. There¡¯s no need to kill each other.¡±


    The corners of Shen Miao¡¯s mouth curled up slightly. Since the Xie brothers had already gone on stage, she had nothing to do here. She straightened her dress and left the stage.


    When she reached the women¡¯s section, Shen Yue and Shen Qing did not come over to talk. Feng Anning quickly ran over and said, ¡°Your archery is actually so good. Are you going to be a general just like your father?¡±


    Shen Miao¡¯s heart skipped a beat. Now that the royal family was scheming to eradicate the Shen family, not to mention her, even her brother was in an extremely dangerous situation. Back then, her brother¡¯s life was ruined by a woman. Now that the Shen family had not fallen apart, she had to use her own method to protect the Shen family. Just like on the stage just now, if anyone dared to humiliate the Shen family, she would make them regret it.


    ¡°But who do you think will win?¡± Feng Anning suddenly changed the topic and said, ¡°Although Young Marquis Xie is famous, we¡¯ve never seen his skill with our own eyes. Perhaps the rumors are not credible. Xie Changwu and Xie Changchao both got first place last year. No matter what, Young Marquis Xie is at a disadvantage.¡±


    Would Xie Jingxing be at a disadvantage? Shen Miao laughed in her heart and shook her head gently.


    On the stage, Xie Changwu said, ¡°Let¡¯s compete over horse spear.¡±


    This time, Shen Miao laughed out loud.


    Xie Jingxing raised an eyebrow. ¡°Horse spear? Sure!¡±


    The officials quickly found three horses. The tall platform was extremely wide to begin with, and if it was controlled well, it could accommodate horses galloping on it. A spear was handed out to each of them.


    ¡°Xie Changwu and Xie Changchao are pretty good at spearing,¡± Feng Anning exclaimed. Xie Chao and Xie Changwu could perfectly as a team. They could combine two spears into one and then attack their opponent together. With this method, they were able to come out first in the horse spear every year. Xie Changwu probably chose the horse spear because he wanted to humiliate Xie Jingxing.


    However, in reality, it was different. Shen Miao lowered her eyes, deep in thought. Others might not know, but she knew very well. In her previous life, she had read a record about the formations the Xie family used on the battlefield. Xie Jingxing was not simple because he could create an formation alone.


    The formation was called Spirit Snake, requiring only a horse, a spear, and a person. Such a formation was only suitable for fighting with the head of the opposite army, and with this formation, Xie Jingxing had never failed to behead his foes.


    How could the two brothers of the Xie family fight someone who fought a battle? They would probably make a fool of themselves today.


    The drummer hit the drum heavily. When the drum sounded, the competition began.


    Xie Changwu and Xie Changchao looked at each other. The two horses ran side by side. They had undergone strict training in the first place, and the steps of the horses were almost identical. Their spear moves were also the same. From afar, it was as if one person had split into two. It was really a little terrifying.


    The young man in purple grabbed the rein, and the black horse under him suddenly raised its hooves and ran in the opposite direction. Everyone was in an uproar. His clothes were like purple clouds and lightning. He was like a storm, and his killing intent instantly overflowed.

 Chapter 67 - Sneak Attack (1)

    Usually, fancy moves and fierceness wouldn¡¯t come together. However, Xie Jingxing was different. He was handsome to begin with. When he lay on the horse with his spear in front of him, he was like a valiant god of war. The iron-blooded temperament that he had gained on the battlefield made people unable to take their eyes off him. He was like a beautiful wolf, noble and fierce.


    His purple clothes were like flowing clouds and lightning, and the horse under him was galloping. The audience seemed to be excited by the sound of the hooves. He had a strange aura that could make people awe-struck.


    Xie Changchao and Xie Changwu followed the purple-clothed youth closely. They separated, wanting to surround Xie Jingxing from both sides and attack.


    Everyone present exclaimed, and Fu Xiuyi commented, ¡°The future for that young guy from the Xie family will be bright.¡±


    1


    ¡°I don¡¯t think so.¡± Prince Zhou smiled. ¡°He¡¯s so wild that even his dad can¡¯t control him. I¡¯m afraid sooner or later he¡¯ll cause trouble.¡±


    Unlike Prince Zhou¡¯s arrogance and Prince Jing¡¯s cautiousness, Fu Xiuyi had always been very good at evaluating people. Therefore, there were all kinds of people in his team. Some were talented, some were knowledgeable, and some were just plain commoners. There were also officials who lost their posts because of something.


    Xie Jingxing was such an outstanding man that he really wanted to take him in. Unfortunately¡­ he was the son of the Marquis. After all, the Marquis wouldn¡¯t have long to live.


    Fu Xiuyi continued to look up at the young man on the platform. Xie Jingxing was agilely dodging the two Xie brothers¡¯ encirclement like a snake. No matter how hard Xie Changwu and Xie Changchao tried to surround Xie Jingxing, he could always escape.


    Only when there was a competition could people judge who was better. In the process of fighting, it was almost obvious who was stronger and who was weaker. The Xie brothers were really weak in front of Xie Jingxing.


    ¡°Oh my god.¡± Bai Wei covered her mouth and exclaimed, ¡°Young Master Xie looks like he¡¯s playing with the Xie brothers.¡±


    ¡°Right, in comparison¡­¡± Yi Peilan also exclaimed,¡± The spear moves of the Xie brothers seem comical.¡±


    Even the women could tell who was the winner, how could the men in the men¡¯s section not be able to tell? Xie Jingxing could knock them off the horse with one strike, but he didn¡¯t. He deliberately played with Xie Changwu and Xie Changchao, like a lion playing with its prey.


    ¡°Young Master Xie is really an amazing person.¡± Feng Anning said, ¡°Horse spear has always been something the Xie brothers are proud of, but now, in comparison, they are clearly not a match for Xie Jingxing. I¡¯m afraid they¡¯ll be defeated very badly today.¡±


    Shen Miao looked down at the chessboard in front of her.


    2

 Chapter 68 - Sneak Attack (2)

    Of course they would be badly defeated, and the humiliation had just begun.


    She slowly placed the white piece down, and the two black pieces were instantly eaten, leaving a small blank space on the chessboard.


    On the stage, Xie Changwu and Xie Changchao were finally angered. They had been played by Xie Jingxing for a long time like monkeys, and they were angry and humiliated. Xie Jingxing was obviously deliberately making them embarrassed today. A killing intent suddenly appeared on Xie Changwu¡¯s eyes as he glared at the man in purple in front of him.


    In an extremely sorry state, Xie Changwu finally lost the composure he had been maintaining. He roared, grabbed the spear, and charged straight at Xie Jingxing. At the moment he passed by, he fiercely stabbed the spear into the horse butt under Xie Jingxing!


    Everyone was shocked!


    In the horse spear competition, no one had ever attacked the other party¡¯s horse. Because the horse was a mount, and attacking it would very likely hurt the contestant. Falling off the horse¡¯s back COULD inflict serious damage. After all, the test was only a way to evaluate students, so damages should be avoided.


    What Xie Changwu did was really despicable.


    Xie Changchao was also shocked by Xie Changwu¡¯s actions, but he quickly came back to his senses. Without hesitation, he rode his horse towards Xie Jingxing.


    He wanted to trample Xie Jingxing who was going to fall off the horse to death!


    Are these two brothers crazy?! Everyone present thought. Not to mention whether they were violating the law, if the Marquis of Lin¡¯an found out about this, if anything happened to Xie Jingxing, the two brothers would definitely be killed.


    The women exclaimed, and the men gasped. The timid ones even covered their eyes. Feng Anning, the delicate girl, also screamed in fear.


    Shen Miao stopped and looked up at the young man on the stage.


    The Xie brothers were indeed not good opponents. The move they made was too lousy, and Xie Jingxing¡­ was destined to not let go of this opportunity.


    The black horse neighed, raised its two front hooves, and almost stood up straight. Then, it struggled crazily. The purple-robed youth made a beautiful gesture with his spear and kicked the horse¡¯s hooves. The horse fell to the ground and never stood up again.


    `Before anyone could react, Xie Jingxing tapped the ground with the tip of his foot and jumped up. His figure was ethereal. With a stretch and a flip of his spear, Xie Changwu was knocked to the ground. With his other hand, he picked up a stone and flicked it into the bend of Xie Changchao¡¯s knee. Xie Changchao could not dodge in time and fell to the ground.


    The two brothers were both knocked off their horses in just a moment. Xie Jingxing stepped on Xie Changchao¡¯s shoulder with one foot and pointed his spear at Xie Changwu¡¯s head with the other. He said with a faint smile, ¡°You even dared to sneak an attack on me. You really¡­ wanna die, don¡¯t you?¡±

 Chapter 69 - Using the Same Trick

    The young man on the stage was charming and defeated his opponents in one go. Although he was young, his demeanor was not inferior to that of an older person.


    The girls below the stage were already stunned. They normally didn¡¯t get the chance to see such a scene. However, even the past years¡¯ tests combined were far from as exciting as Xie Jingxing¡¯s performance this year. Most of the girls admired heroes, and with Xie Jingxing¡¯s looks and aura, he naturally attracted another batch of fans today.


    Some of the young men were jealous, but most of them were shocked. Su Mingfeng looked from afar and shook his head with a smile. ¡°So this is what he mean by something to be happy about. He is still as arrogant as ever.¡± However, Su Mingfeng also knew that what Xie Jingxing showed today was only the tip of the iceberg. Xie Jingxing was a person who hid his strength. Now that he revealed his ability, did he want to challenge the royal family? His expression gradually became solemn. He could not tell what his good friend was thinking.


    ¡°That Young Marquis Xie is indeed extraordinary.¡± A hint of admiration appeared on Feng Anning¡¯s face. ¡°I don¡¯t think anyone in the younger generation of the capital, or rather, the entire Ming Qi, can compare to him.¡±


    Shen Miao shook her head.


    What Xie Jingxing was best at was not competing here. He was good at fighting battles. In fact, if not for the fact that he was eventually killed by the royal family of Ming Qi in his previous life, with the power of the Xie family and the prestige of Xie Jingxing in the army, he could get at least half of the Ming Qi empire.


    However¡­ The decline of the Xie family was still a mystery. Shen Miao sighed in her heart. In her previous life, she was focused on helping Fu Xiuyi and did not know much about the Xie family. Now, she was at a loss what to do to help him.


    Xie Changchao and Xie Changwu were so angry that their faces turned livid. Xie Jingxing¡¯s attack looked light, but in fact, only the two of them knew how serious their injuries were. However, the people around them did not pity the Xie brothers at all, because Xie Changwu and Xie Changchao were the ones who launched a sneak attack first. In the test, the most important thing was fairness and justice. Not only did the audience look down on the Xie brothers, but the examiners on the stage also looked down on them. After today, the good reputation they had accumulated would disappear.


    ¡°What a good move,¡± Shen Miao said softly as she looked at the purple-clothed youth standing on the stage with his arms crossed.


    Xie Jingxing had led the two brothers of the Xie family by the nose today, which was why the two brothers of the Xie family lost their usual sense of propriety and used despicable methods to harm people.


    Today, the difference between the legitimate son of the Marquis of Lin¡¯an and the illegitimate sons was clear.


    Xie Jingxing said lazily to the two of them, ¡°It¡¯s clear who won. Who else wants to challenge me?¡±


    There was silence.


    Everyone had seen how Xie Jingxing dealt with Xie Changwu and Xie Changchao just now. He almost knocked down the two of them with a single shot, and these two were among the best. For a moment, no one said anything. Xie Jingxing casually threw the spear in his hand to the side and said, ¡°Since there¡¯s nothing else, I¡¯ll take my leave.¡± With that, he brushed his clothes and disappeared, causing the girls to shout with excitement.


    ¡°This guy is strong,¡± Prince Zhou commented. ¡°But apparently he¡¯s a tough nut to crack.¡±


    Pei Lang sighed in his heart. The Ming Qi Royal Family looked smart, but they were short-sighted at evaluating people. This young man must have done it on purpose on the stage. Although Pei Lang didn¡¯t know why, he could vaguely guess Xie Jingxing was aiming at the royal family.


    He glanced at Prince Zhou and Prince Jing. If the royal family confronted Xie Jingxing, they would probably end up miserably, because he was a lion, just like Shen Miao.


    The examiner couldn¡¯t stop Xie Jingxing from leaving wilfully, but he still announced that Xie Jingxing was the winner. The servants of the Xie brothers quickly helped the two of them down. The two of them were too embarrassed to stay any longer and left immediately in a carriage.


    In the next few rounds, because of Xie Jingxing, the rest of the challenges looked very boring. Therefore, everyone yawned.


    Shen Yue and Shen Qing looked up at Shen Miao from time to time. Today, in the Shen family, except for Shen Miao, Shen Qing and Shen Yue were upstaged. Because of Fu Xiuyi, Shen Qing had long hated Shen Miao to the core. She felt that Shen Miao had stolen someone who belonged to her. As for Shen Yue, she was unwilling to accept the fact that Shen Miao outperformed her in the competition.


    Shen Miao did not know what the two of them were thinking, or rather, she did not care. She instructed Gu Yu to come to her side and whispered a few words to her. When Gu Yu heard this, her expression turned serious, and she quickly left.


    At the same time, Prince Yu waved his hand, and a guard appeared beside him. After listening to Prince Yu¡¯s order respectfully, the guard quickly disappeared from the table.


    In the distant pavilion, Xie Jingxing appeared beside Su Mingfeng.


    Su Mingfeng clapped his hands and looked at him from the corner of his eye, asking, ¡°Are you ready to deal with your half-brothers? It¡¯s not like your normal way of doing things.¡±


    ¡°I was enlightened by someone.¡± Xie Jingxing raised his eyebrows. ¡°Some things need to be taken care of the sooner the better. I can¡¯t wait anymore.¡±


    Su Mingfeng frowned. He felt that there was a hidden meaning in Xie Jingxing¡¯s words, but he did not ask further. Even though he had been friends with Xie Jingxing for many years, he had never crossed the line of what a friend should do. His gaze suddenly landed on the audience below and said, ¡°However, the girl you helped out just now seems to be in trouble.¡±


    Xie Jingxing glanced at the women¡¯s section and saw a guard handing something that looked like an invitation letter to the second madam of the Shen family, Ren Wanyun while looking at the girl in purple.


    Ren Wanyun held the invitation and was a little excited. She said, ¡°Shen Miao, come and thank Your Highness for the invitation.¡±


    Shen Miao¡¯s gaze focused on Ren Wanyun, and her lips curled into a cold smile.


    Was he really going to use the same trick again?


    Facing Shen Yue and Shen Qing¡¯s gloating gazes, she stretched lazily, and her clear eyes suddenly darkened.


    ¡°Sure.¡± Her lips curled up. ¡°I¡¯ll definitely ¡®thank¡¯ him.¡±


    A trace of interest flashed across Xie Jingxing¡¯s eyes. ¡°There¡¯s a good show to watch.¡±

 Chapter 70 - Scheme

    In the carriage back to the Shen family, Shen Miao was still sitting in a carriage alone. Gu Yu and Jingzhe, who were beside her, were both worried for her. Everyone in Ming Qi knew that Prince Yu was notorious, but he still sent a letter to Shen Miao. Everyone could tell what Prince Yu was up to.


    1


    If Shen Xin was here, he would definitely reject the invitation on his daughter¡¯s behalf, but he was not around. The two madams of the Shen family were up to no good. In the past, Shen Miao was still young, but now that Shen Miao was old enough for marriage, they naturally couldn¡¯t wait to scheme against her.


    Jingzhe tried to hold it in, but in the end, she couldn¡¯t help but say, ¡°Miss, Prince Yu¡­ What should we do about that? Why don¡¯t we get someone to write a letter to your father? If your father knows it, he will definitely rush back.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Gu Yu was also worried. ¡°Now that Miss stole their thunder today, I¡¯m afraid the two madams will find trouble with Miss in the mansion.¡± She sighed.


    Shen Miao was young at first, so she didn¡¯t think much of it. However, the two maids, Gu Yu and Jingzhe, who were specially chosen by Mrs. Shen for Shen Miao, understood. The second and third branches were obviously jealous of the first branch, which was why they deliberately made things difficult for Shen Miao. With the narrow-mindedness of these two madams, Shen Miao had probably become their eyesore again today. If Prince Yu was involved¡­ If he had any evil intentions, it would probably be difficult for Shen Miao to deal with him. After all, most of the people in the first branch had been replaced by the other two branches.


    Shen Miao said indifferently, ¡°What¡¯s there to be afraid of? He can¡¯t hurt me yet.¡±


    Gu Yu and Jingzhe looked at each other. For some reason, the panic they had just now dissipated a little, and then they gradually calmed down.


    When they returned to the Shen family¡¯s mansion, Shen Miao only said that she was tired and needed to rest today and said that she had to go back to the west courtyard first. Ren Wanyun and Chen Ruoqiu smiled and said something to Shen Miao, reminding her to rest well. Ren Wanyun rubbed Shen Miao¡¯s head and said warmly, ¡°You have already grown into a beautiful woman. It won¡¯t be long before you get married.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Chen Ruoqiu chimed in meaningfully, ¡°Only people of noble status can match our fifth Miss.¡±


    1


    A trace of joy flashed across Shen Yue¡¯s face. Shen Qing could not wait to say, ¡°Of course. Fifth Sister will definitely get a very ¡®nobel¡¯ husband.¡± After saying that, she covered her mouth and giggled.


    However, even under the mockeries, Shen Miao¡¯s expression did not change at all. Shen Qing¡¯s smile froze. The more indifferent Shen Miao was, the angrier she was. Everyone knew why Prince Yu sent Shen Miao an invitation today. He was into her. But Shen Miao acted like she couldn¡¯t care less. Shen Qing thought to herself with a sneer, ¡°She is probably too stupid to realize what kind of danger she was in.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s my turn to get married yet.¡± Shen Miao said flatly, ¡°In terms of age, Eldest Sister and Second Sister are slightly older than me. They are supposed to get married before me.¡±


    Hearing that, the few of them were stunned. Ren Wanyun smiled and said, ¡°Because your father isn¡¯t in the capital, your aunties are very worried about you. As for your sisters, your third aunt and I are both in the capital, so naturally they can wait.¡±


    1


    ¡°Is that so?¡± Shen Miao asked softly. Her clear eyes did not seem to have any expression, but they made people¡¯s hearts tremble. It was as if she could read their thoughts with one glance. She smiled and said, ¡°I definitely have to repay you in the future for worrying about me so much.¡±


    For some reason, Ren Wanyun and Chen Ruoqiu felt a little uneasy. However, they immediately threw this ridiculous thought to the back of their minds. Although Shen Miao was smarter now, she was still just a 14-year-old girl. What could she do? Moreover¡­ at the thought of Prince Yu taking a fancy to Shen Miao, the two of them smiled smugly.


    ¡°Don¡¯t mention repaying us. We¡¯re family.¡± Ren Wanyun smiled and said, ¡°Since you¡¯re tired, go back and rest first. Your second aunt and I still have something to do. Gu Yu, Jingzhe, help Fifth Miss in.¡±


    Gu Yu and Jingzhe left with Shen Miao.


    After they left, Ren Wanyun and Chen Ruoqiu looked at each other and smiled meaningfully.


    Half an hour later, Old Madam Shen frowned and said, ¡°Are you saying that Prince Yu likes Fifth Miss?¡±


    Shen Yue and Shen Qing were both asked to leave the inner hall. It was not appropriate for them to hear the conversation. Even so, the two of them still secretly ran behind the screen and listened to the conversation despite being stopped by Mrs. Zhang.


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Ren Wanyun was all smiles. ¡°Fifth Miss performed well at the test today and attracted Prince Yu¡¯s attention. I think he is interested in Fifth Miss and wants to take her in. I think it won¡¯t be long before we have a princess consort in our mansion.¡±


    When Chen Ruoqiu heard this, the corners of her mouth curled up into a smile. Ren Wanyun made it sound nice, but Prince Yu did not say that he wanted to marry Shen Miao officially. Moreover, even if he really married her, with Shen Miao¡¯s body, she might not be able to last for a few days. After all, everyone in the capital knew how notorious Prince Yu was.


    Hearing this, Old Madam Shen¡¯s expression darkened. In her heart, she naturally did not want the first branch to do well. When the old general was alive, he had always liked the first branch. Now that the first branch was going to have a princess consort, she was really unhappy. She immediately said, ¡°With her temperament, how can Shen Miao be a princess consort? Shen Qing and Shen Yue are more qualified than her.¡±


    Old Madam Shen stayed in the mansion all year round. She did not know anything about the outside world. Hearing her words, Chen Ruoqiu and Ren Wanyun¡¯s expressions changed. Shen Yue and Shen Qing, who were hiding behind the screen, were also shocked. Old Madam Shen did not know, but the two of them knew after entering Prince Yu¡¯s mansion, they would most likely end up being tortured to death.


    Ren Wanyun hurriedly said, ¡°Mother, that¡¯s not the case. We naturally want Fifth Miss to do well. Although Prince Yu is a widower and is a little old and has a bad reputation, fortunately, he is one of the royal family.¡± She thought of something and smiled. ¡°If anything happens to Fifth Miss, Prince Yu will definitely treat our family better and the official career of your sons will be more smooth-sailing.¡±

 Chapter 71 - Her Marriage

    Since Ren Wanyun had already said so, Old Madam Shen was not so stupid as to not understand what she meant. From what Ren Wanyun said, Prince Yu was clearly a devil. In his hands, Shen Miao would only suffer. The one who really benefited was still the Shen family.


    ¡°From what you said, Prince Yu indeed seems to be a good husband for Shen Miao,¡± Old Madam Shen said matter-of-factly. She was extremely thick-skinned. When she said such words, a trace of disdain flashed across Chen Ruoqiu¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°Even Mother agrees.¡± Ren Wanyun was good at lying through her teeth. She immediately added, ¡°When I pick a husband for Fifth Miss, I naturally won¡¯t choose someone with a low status. Prince Yu is a novel. Fifth Miss marrying him is really a fortunate thing.¡±


    Old Madam Shen nodded when she heard that. Then, she thought of something and said, ¡°Then did Prince Yu send someone over to talk about marriage?¡±


    Ren Wanyun¡¯s face twitched. She knew this old woman was vicious, but she did not expect her to be so anxious to marry off Shen Miao. Of course, the sooner the better. Otherwise, it would be troublesome when Shen Xin returned. However, even if the marriage was a done deal, Shen Xin still might not agree to Shen Miao marrying Prince Yu. Therefore, she had to use some unusual tricks.


    1


    ¡°Mother, it¡¯s still too early.¡± Ren Wanyun smiled and said, ¡°Fifth Miss is still young. There¡¯s no hurry. If we marry her off like this, people will inevitably say something bad behind our backs. Let the two of them get along first. When the two of them are in love and Fifth Miss is happy, we¡¯ll talk about marriage. This way, no one will say that we forced Fifth Miss.¡±


    Chen Ruoqiu smiled and did not speak. Although she also wanted to see Shen Miao suffer, she was cautious by nature. It was better to leave this matter to Ren Wanyun. If Shen Xin really pursued the matter in the future, he would not be able to blame her. Sitting in the arena and watching the tigers fight was what Chen Ruoqiu was best at.


    Behind the screen, Shen Yue and Shen Qing were both a little afraid. They did not expect that in just a few words, Shen Miao¡¯s life would be decided. To girls, a husband meant the happiness of the rest of their lives, and Shen Miao was destined to be unhappy. However, Shen Yue and Shen Qing did not have a trace of sympathy for Shen Miao. In the imperial court, Shen Xin was better than their fathers, and in terms of status, Shen Miao was higher than them. Seeing that Shen Miao would suffer, they smiled gloatingly.


    Although Old Madam Shen knew nothing about managing a family, she was very good at scheming and using dirty tricks. Back then, she was able to become the mistress of a general because she had some dirty tricks up her sleeve. Therefore, after hearing Ren Wanyun¡¯s words, she understood what Ren Wanyun meant. She smiled and said, ¡°Oh, in that case, let¡¯s get Fifth Miss to be closer to Prince Yu first. Indeed, if we really force Fifth Miss to marry him, it won¡¯t be good for us when the general comes back.¡±


    When an amiable expression appeared on her mean face, it made people feel like she was a weasel with a smile on her face. Shen Yue and Shen Qing shuddered and quickly retreated far away from the screen.


    ¡­


    In the west courtyard, under the oil lamp, Shen Miao sat quietly. There was a snow-white piece of parchment in front of her. There was nothing on it, and the brush and ink were already prepared. She wanted to write something, but after a moment, she sighed and put away the parchment.


    It was good to plan for the future, but now that she was just a young girl, she could only rely on the information she had. However, these things were not of the greatest use to her now. She needed to take one step at a time.


    Seeing her sigh, Gu Yu and Jingzhe thought that she was thinking about Prince Yu. Gu Yu went forward and comforted her, ¡°Miss, don¡¯t worry. If he¡¯s really trying to hurt you, we¡¯ll protect you with our life. In the capital, there are people who are good friends with your father. At most¡­¡±


    Shen Miao shook her head. ¡°Prince Yu is a noble and is protected by the royal family. Even if some people are friends with my father, they won¡¯t protect me at the risk of becoming enemies with the royal family.¡±


    ¡°Why don¡¯t we write a letter to Master?¡± Jingzhe said, ¡°Master can¡¯t return because of his duty, but Young Master can. He won¡¯t be punished if he returns to the capital. With Young Master around, he can always protect Miss.¡±


    ¡°It will take Brother more than a month to rush back from the northwest. How can he make it in time? Do you think they will wait for that long?¡± Shen Miao said indifferently. They would try to make her marriage a done deal as soon as possible so that even if Shen Xin came back, he wouldn¡¯t be able to change anything.


    Shen Miao might let others manipulate her life, but Empress Shen would never!


    ¡°Then what should we do?¡± Gu Yu and Jingzhe¡¯s expressions changed drastically. Although they knew that it was a tricky matter, they did not expect it to be so serious. Whenever Prince Yu took a fancy to a girl, even if they were daughters of high-ranking officials, he would try all he could to get his hands on her and brutalize her before abandoning her. However, these officials couldn¡¯t seek justice for their daughters because Prince Yu was protected by the royal family.


    ¡°Other people are unreliable.¡± Shen Miao looked at the dancing flames. ¡°I can only rely on myself.¡±


    ¡°But Miss¡­¡± Gu Yu was a little anxious. How could Shen Miao protect herself? The madams from the second and third branches might have already formed an alliance with Prince Yu.


    ¡°I have my ways.¡± Shen Miao played with the paperweight in her hand.


    Prince Yu was protected by the royal family because he once saved the emperor. If the royal family was unwilling to protect him, he was just a miserable rat.


    Shen Miao would start with dismantling the royal family from Prince Yu. She looked out of the window and saw a faint figure moving outside. It was a fat figure. Who else could it be but Nanny Gui?


    At the same time, she would shake up the west courtyard, getting rid of people who posed a threat to her.


    1

 Chapter 72 - Secret Talk

    After this year¡¯s Chrysanthemum Banquet, the center of discussion in the capital finally changed.


    Young Marquis Xie had destroyed the prestige of his two younger brothers in an extremely domineering manner. Although he was arrogant, the demeanor he displayed during the test made people understand that he was known as the Jade-faced Asura on the battlefield for some reason.


    The other person who was discussed was Shen Miao.


    It was as if she had been reborn, or perhaps the warrior bloodline in the Shen family had been awakened in her. Shen Miao, who was no longer stupid and weak, did not bat an eyelid when she faced Cai Lin. The fierce temper that she revealed made the young men and women of her generation quite afraid.


    As a result, in Guangwen Hall, the people who were originally mocking her restrained themselves.


    When Cai Lin came to Guangwen Hall again, he faced Shen Miao and stared at her with an unfriendly expression. However, he did not act rashly.


    Feng Anning looked at Cai Lin and smiled. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect the tyrant to be afraid of you now.¡±


    Shen Miao glanced at Cai Lin, and the latter quickly looked away, looking a little afraid. She laughed in her heart. In her eyes, Cai Lin was just an arrogant and mischievous young master. She did not want to spend too much time on him. Moreover, the Cai family was not far from destruction. In the future, this noble young master would have to suffer a lot.


    ¡°However, when he heard that the Xie brothers were seriously injured, the Marquis of Lin¡¯an did not blame Young Marquis Xie.¡± Feng Anning sighed and said, ¡°It seems that it¡¯s true that the Marquis of Lin¡¯an favors his firstborn the most.¡±


    Shen Miao asked, ¡°How do you know?¡±


    ¡°I eavesdropped on the conversation between my parents.¡± Feng Anning was a little smug. ¡°But if it were anyone else, they would probably dote on Young Master Xie too. He was born to Princess Yuqing, who has the royal bloodline¡­¡±


    Shen Miao raised her eyebrows. To be honest, she felt that there was something strange about the death of Princess Yuqing.


    While she was thinking, she saw Pei Lang walk in.


    Pei Lang had a gentle smile on his face as he looked at Shen Miao. When he met her gaze, he couldn¡¯t help but be stunned.


    At the Chrysanthemum Banquet, Shen Miao¡¯s performance finally made Pei Lang take her more seriously. From then on, he began to sense that Shen Miao was not ordinary. He also felt that Shen Miao seemed to be secretly paying attention to him. Although he did not know why, it made him, a young teacher, feel a little uncomfortable, as if he was being targeted by something. However, at the thought that no matter how powerful Shen Miao was, she was just a girl, he felt that he was overthinking.


    ¡°Why are you always staring at him?¡± Feng Anning asked curiously. Then, she thought of something and was shocked. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you like him.¡±


    Shen Miao had stopped mentioning Fu Xiuyi, as if he didn¡¯t exist at all. This made people think that Shen Miao probably realized that she was not worthy of the royal family and had gradually given up. Although Pei Lang was of a lower status, he was elegant and knowledgeable. It was natural that girls liked him.


    Shen Miao felt a headache coming on. She looked away and said, ¡°Of course not.¡± She was just thinking that since Pei Lang did not exhibit ¡°Circulation of Law¡± at the Chrysanthemum Banquet, Fu Xiuyi naturally wouldn¡¯t notice him. However, this person was still a huge problem. If he worked with Fu Xiuyi in the future, he would be a blocking stone to her success.


    However, she did not have the ability to kill Pei Lang without anyone knowing now. She could only think of another way.


    ¡­


    At this moment, the Hundred Fragrance Restaurant in the capital was filled with singing and dancing. Even in the daytime, the gauze curtains and night pearls placed everywhere made the entire building glow. Occasionally, people would stop outside, but they could only look inside with envy. Ordinary people couldn¡¯t afford to patronize such a place. Here, even a small pot of tea was enough to cost them a fortune.


    At this moment, a middle-aged man in luxurious clothes was sitting by the window. This man was dressed in top-grade clothes, but he was hideous and thin. Under his robe, his left leg was empty. It was Prince Yu.


    ¡°Have you made things clear with the Shen family?¡± After a while, he asked with a dark tone.


    ¡°Your Highness, I¡¯ve already made arrangements with the second madam of the Shen family. Three days later, the women of the Shen family will go to the Wolong Temple to offer incense. At that time¡­¡±


    ¡°Three days.¡± Prince Yu frowned, a trace of displeasure flashing across his eyes. Then, he waved his hand and said, ¡°Go and prepare everything. It¡¯s been a long time since I¡¯m so interested in someone.¡±


    Over the years, he had been lecherous and cruel, and countless women had died at his hands. However, no matter how aggrieved those women were, they could not do anything. In the entire Ming Qi, people would tremble when they heard the name Shen Xin being mentioned. He couldn¡¯t wait to taste the daughter of the almighty general. That day at the Chrysanthemum Banquet, the ruthlessness Shen Miao displayed made him very interested. A wild cat that knew how to resist might be much more delicious than those wooden beauties.


    He licked his lips, and a trace of lust flashed across his eyes.


    Opposite the room closest to him, a man in white was sitting at the glass table. He was about twenty years old, handsome, and had a very gentle temperament. After listening for a while, he said to the person opposite him, ¡°It seems that the girl you saved is probably in trouble again.¡±


    1


    Opposite him, the purple-clothed youth sat lazily and said casually, ¡°Shen Xin has made the Shen family too powerful. Now, it¡¯s just a test. One day, no one in the Shen family will be able to survive.¡±


    The man in white paused for a moment and suddenly looked at the young man seriously. ¡°Why did you do that to your half-brothers? Do you want to start your plan early?¡±


    The person sitting opposite him was none other than Xie Jingxing. He smiled. ¡°Does it make a difference if I start it early or later?¡±


    ¡°If you make a move early¡­ Do they know?¡± The white-robed man asked hesitantly.


    ¡°Gao Yang, you don¡¯t understand. As of now, I have the say here.¡± Xie Jingxing said indifferently, ¡°The longer I wait, the worse it will be for me. If the mountain doesn¡¯t come to find me, I¡¯ll go find the mountain.¡± When he said the last sentence, his eyes darkened, not looking like a seventeen or eighteen-year-old boy.


    1


    The man named Gao Yang was stunned for a moment before smiling bitterly. ¡°Forget it. I¡¯m just here to check in on you. But in fact, I¡¯m not confident that I can stop you.¡± He changed the topic. ¡°But three days later, won¡¯t you also have to go to the Wolong Temple to investigate something? Perhaps, you¡¯ll save the beauty a second time.¡±


    ¡°Gao Yang, you are terribly wrong as always.¡± Xie Jingxing raised an eyebrow. ¡°That girl from the Shen family is not to be trifled with.¡±

 Chapter 73 - Commander, Mo Qing

    After school, Shen Yue walked up to Shen Miao and said with a smile, ¡°Miss Yi invited me and Eldest Sister to her house today, so I won¡¯t go back with you. Fifth Sister, you can go back first.¡±


    Yi Peilan and Shen Yue were close to each other, and they often hung out without Shen Miao. Hearing that, Shen Miao did not react much and only nodded.


    Over the past few days, the Shen family had been treating Shen Miao very warmly. It was obvious that they were planning something against, but Shen Miao couldn¡¯t be bothered with them.


    ¹ð»¨·»On the way back, they passed by the most prosperous street in the capital. Gu Yu said, ¡°There¡¯s a pastry shop ahead. Don¡¯t you like the pastries the most? I¡¯ll go buy some.¡±


    ¡°Go,¡± Shen Miao said with a smile.


    After Gu Yu got out of the car, Jingzhe lifted the curtain of the carriage and looked out. When she saw something, she let out a cry of surprise. Shen Miao followed her gaze and saw a pawn shop beside the pastry shop. At this moment, there were many people around, seemingly arguing about something.


    The pawnshop assistant seemed to be a little impatient. His voice was so loud that even Shen Miao could hear him clearly. ¡°I said ten taels of silver. It¡¯s up to you if you want to sell it or not! It¡¯s just a sword. Don¡¯t make things difficult for us.¡±


    ¡°I think they have a business dispute,¡± Jingzhe said.


    The people in the pawnshop would naturally lower the price. Obviously, this was an unacceptable price for the person who came to pawn things, but they were unwilling to leave.


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing to see.¡± Seeing that Shen Miao looked away, Jingzhe lowered the curtain. A moment later, Gu Yu came back with two big paper bags. Jingzhe pulled open the curtain and let her in. The moment she pulled open the curtain, Shen Miao¡¯s gaze landed outside the carriage. She saw the person who was arguing with the shop assistant turn around and walk out of the crowd. He was still holding a sword in his hand. Probably because he did not manage to sell his item, he looked a little disappointed.


    After Gu Yu got into the carriage, she was about to close the curtains when Shen Miao stopped her. She stared at the person holding the sword carefully. It was a young man who looked ordinary. Seeing that their miss was staring at the strange man, Gu Yu and Jingzhe were confused.


    Shen Miao frowned. Why did this person look so familiar?


    The young man shook his head and sighed. He looked at the sword in his arms and gritted his teeth. He turned around and walked towards the pawnshop again, as if he was finally going to make a decision to make that deal that he was not too satisfied with.


    ¡°Gu Yu!¡± The moment he turned around, Shen Miao suddenly shouted, ¡°Go down and stop him. Tell him that I want his sword!¡±


    ¡°Miss¡­¡± Jingzhe and Gu Yu looked at her in surprise, not knowing why Shen Miao was doing this.


    ¡°Quick!¡± Shen Miao said coldly.


    Seeing her serious expression, Gu Yu did not dare to ask further. She immediately jumped out of the car and walked towards the young man.


    As soon as the young man took a step forward, he heard someone behind him say, ¡°Mister, wait.¡±


    He turned around and saw a woman who looked like a maid smiling at him and saying, ¡°Mister, are you going to sell the sword in your hand?¡±


    The young man was stunned for a moment before saying without hiding anything, ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±


    The woman continued, ¡°Coincidentally, my Miss wants this sword in your hand. Mister, are you willing to sell it to us?¡±


    The young man glanced at her. Seeing that the woman didn¡¯t seem to be lying, he nodded his head and said, ¡°My sword isn¡¯t exquisite. If you want a better one, go to a blacksmith¡¯s shop to make one.¡± He was also surprised. Ordinary girls wouldn¡¯t be interested in swords.


    Gu Yu¡¯s expression softened slightly, and she praised in her heart. This person in front of her was obviously in urgent need of money, but he was still considerate of her. It seemed that he was an upright person.


    At the thought of this, Gu Yu¡¯s expression softened. She said, ¡°My Miss sincerely wants to buy this sword from you. Mister, why don¡¯t we talk in private?¡±


    The young man probably did not expect Gu Yu to be so stubborn. He glanced at the pawnshop and nodded. ¡°Alright.¡±


    When they arrived at an empty alley, he saw a carriage parked in the alley. Gu Yu walked up to the carriage and said softly, ¡°Miss, he¡¯s here.¡±


    The young man walked to the carriage and hesitated for a moment. In the end, he cupped his fists and said, ¡°Miss, my sword is indeed not suitable for women to use. It¡¯s too heavy and sharp, and it¡¯ll hurt you. Therefore¡­¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± Before he could finish her sentence, a woman¡¯s voice came from the carriage. This voice didn¡¯t sound old, but there was an indescribable feeling to it, as if she was someone who used to have power over everyone. For a moment, he couldn¡¯t tell her age.


    ¡°I¡¯m Mo Qing.¡± After a moment of hesitation, the young man cupped his fists.


    After saying that, there was no response for a long time. Just as the young man called Mo Qing and Gu Yu were both a little puzzled, a woman¡¯s voice came from inside. ¡°I¡¯m not interested in your sword. It¡¯s useless to me.¡±


    Hearing this, a trace of anger appeared on Mo Qing¡¯s face. He said, ¡°Miss, are you playing with me? Although this sword looks ordinary, it was forged by a famous swordsmith and has accompanied me for many years. If you called me over just to humiliate me, sorry, I don¡¯t have the time.¡±


    After saying that, he turned around and was about to leave when he heard a sigh coming from the carriage. The sigh was light, but it seemed to contain an inexplicable emotion, making people¡¯s hearts ache.


    ¡°Mo Qing, you¡¯re short of money, right?¡± The person in the carriage said.


    Mo Qing was stunned. For some reason, when she called his name, he had a strange feeling. That feeling was very familiar but not entirely so. However, the moment he heard her speak, he couldn¡¯t help but stop in his tracks, as if he couldn¡¯t refuse anything she said.


    ¡°Your sword is indeed worthless to me, but your swordsmanship is worth a hundred gold coins.¡±


    Mo Qing was stunned and shook his head. ¡°Miss, I¡¯m flattered. I¡¯m just an ordinary person.¡± He was surprised that this person knew that his swordsmanship was outstanding.


    ¡°You even have to sell the sword that has been with you for many years just to get by. With your swordsmanship, you can live a much better life than that.¡± The curtain of the carriage was suddenly lifted, and a girl in purple walked out.


    She looked young and delicate, but there was a rare noble and dignified aura around her.


    ¡°Mo Qing, are you willing to work for my family?¡±


    She asked with a smile, but there was a faint joy in her eyes.


    Mo Qing, the commander of the guards in her previous life, reamined really¡­ unchanged.

 Chapter 74 - Guard

    ¡°Miss¡­¡± Mo Qing was slightly stunned and frowned at the girl in front of him.


    He knew that some rich families did not care about human lives. Buying a servant was like buying an animal. At this moment, the girl probably thought of him as a servant, so he was naturally unhappy. However, when he looked into her eyes, the displeasure instantly disappeared.


    She was not looking at him with disdain but with respect. He subconsciously blurted out, ¡°Miss, have we met somewhere before?¡±


    Shen Miao sighed softly. ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Then why¡­¡±


    ¡°You have an extraordinary aura, and I believe you will make a name for yourself. Now that you¡¯re going to sell the sword you¡¯ve been with for many years, you¡¯re obviously at a dead end. You¡¯re in dire need of money, but even if I give you money today, it still won¡¯t solve the problem in the future. I¡¯m the daughter of the mighty general. When my father returns to the capital at the end of the year, I can introduce you to him. It¡¯s a pity that your excellent swordsmanship is wasted.¡±


    ¡°General Shen?¡± Mo Qing was stunned. He did not expect the girl in front of him to be Shen Xin¡¯s daughter. Everyone in Ming Qi knew about Shen Xin. He was a hero on the battlefield. Men aspired to make contributions for their nation. If he followed such a general¡­ Mo Qing felt like his blood was boiling.


    However¡­ According to the rumors circulating in the capital, Shen Miao was a complete idiot. Although she seemed to have saved the situation at the Chrysanthemum Banquet a few days ago, not many people had seen it with their own eyes. At this moment, it seemed like the rumors were not necessarily true.


    ¡°If Miss is really willing to introduce me to your father, I will naturally not decline. If there¡¯s a chance in the future, I will definitely repay you.¡± Mo Qing was a straightforward person.


    Seeing this, Shen Miao smiled and took out a silver from her pocket. She gave it to Mo Qing and said, ¡°I don¡¯t need you to repay me. I¡¯ll just take it that you agree to work for me. My father will only be back at the end of the year. From now on, you have to return to the Shen family with me. I want you to pretend to be a guard of the Shen family, but you have to secretly protect me.¡±


    When Mo Qing heard this, he was naturally surprised. He had also heard that on the surface, the big families were rich and powerful, but in private, they were scheming against each other with dirty tricks. Seeing that Shen Miao wanted him to protect her, he knew that the girl in front of him was probably not safe. Mo Qing was a little surprised. Since Shen Miao was Shen Xin¡¯s daughter, why was she still in such a difficult situation? He did not ask and only said, ¡°As you wish.¡±


    ¡°Take this money.¡± Shen Miao said, ¡°You have to come to the Shen family within three days. Then I¡¯ll get you a place to stay.¡±


    Mo Qing cupped his fists again. His aura was quite strong. After he left, Gu Yu and Jingzhe both frowned. Jingzhe said, ¡°Miss, we know nothing about this person. If he has evil intentions, I¡¯m afraid he will¡­¡±


    Shen Miao walked towards the carriage. ¡°What are you afraid of? It¡¯s safer to be around people like him than those at home.¡±


    Right now, the people in the west courtyard were all spies from the second and third branches, and Shen Miao had very few people on her side. Moreover, Mo Qing was by no means a stranger.


    Shen Miao sat in the carriage and sighed. She didn¡¯t expect to meet Mo Qing here.


    In her previous life, Mo Qing was the commander of the royal guards. Back then, he was recommended by Shen Xin and was an expert in martial arts. When Shen Miao went to the State of Qin to be a hostage, Mo Qing went along as a guard. If not for Mo Qing, it would probably be very difficult for her to return unscathed.


    Mo Qing was loyal to Shen Xin, so he was naturally loyal to Shen Miao. Unfortunately, after Shen Miao returned to Ming Qi, because of the battle between Consort Mei and Shen Miao, Consort Mei schemed against Mo Qing and accused him of molesting the women in the palace. Fu Xiuyi had long wanted to get rid of Shen Xin¡¯s people, and Shen Miao tried all means to stop him, but to no avail. She could only watch helplessly as Mo Qing was sentenced to death under a groundless accusation.


    Now that she saw Mo Qing again, she did not know that Mo Qing was in such a difficult situation. However, it was precisely because Mo Qing was in a difficult situation that she could recruit him so easily. Shen Miao understood Mo Qing¡¯s personality. He was the most loyal and upright. In the trip to the Wolong Temple in three days, she would feel safer with him around.


    When she returned to the Shen family, Shen Miao was the only one in the mansion because Shen Yue and Shen Qing went to the Yi family¡¯s mansion. As soon as she arrived at the west courtyard, Nanny Gui came up to her and said with a fawning smile, ¡°Miss, you¡¯re back. I asked the kitchen to make some sugar soup. Miss, do you want some?¡±


    ¡°Sure,¡± Shen Miao said.


    Seeing that Shen Miao, who had been treating her coldly these days, suddenly became friendly, Nanny Gui was delighted and quickly said, ¡°I¡¯ll bring it over now.¡±


    When Nanny Gui brought the sugar soup over, Shen Miao had already been resting for a while. Nanny Gui carefully placed the sugar soup on the table and said with a smile, ¡°Miss, I¡¯ve already prepared everything for the trip to the Wolong Temple. Do you need anything else?¡±


    Shen Miao glanced at her and said calmly, ¡°Nanny, you seem to be very enthusiastic about this.¡±


    Nanny Gui was stunned for a moment before saying with a smile, ¡°Miss, it¡¯s rare for you to go on a long trip, so I naturally have to make sure everything is in place.¡±


    ¡°With Nanny following me, I¡¯ll naturally be safe.¡± Shen Miao suddenly smiled. When Nanny Gui saw that smile, she felt a little uneasy.


    ¡°Since Second Madam is the one arranging and in charge of this trip, naturally nothing will go wrong,¡± Nanny Gui said.


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll have to trouble Nanny Gui to thank Second Aunt for me.¡± Shen Miao nodded. ¡°You can leave.¡±


    Hearing this, Nanny Gui heaved a sigh of relief and quickly left after saying a few words. For some reason, Shen Miao had become very strange. It was as if staying with Shen Miao gave her enormous pressure. However, after leaving the room, she straightened her back and glanced at the room in disdain. She said in a low voice that only she could hear, ¡°After three days, let¡¯s see if you can still be so arrogant.¡±


    In the room, Shen Miao held the bowl of sugar soup in her hand and walked to the window. She poured the sugar soup into the soil outside the window.


    ¡°Miss, are you really going to the Wolong Temple?¡± Bai Lu asked.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Shen Miao replied.


    In her previous life, at this time, she accidentally heard the maids of Rongjing Hall talking. When she found out that Old Madam Shen wanted to marry her to Prince Yu, she fled to Prince Ding¡¯s mansion the night before she went to the Wolong Temple, which led her life to a wrong path.


    Now, she wouldn¡¯t escape or hide, but follow them to the Wolong Temple. Whoever wanted to scheme against her, she would make them suffer.


    1

 Chapter 75 - Wolong Temple

    Three days passed quickly.


    Three days later, early in the morning, Ren Wanyun prepared everything and asked her maid, Xianglan, to tell Shen Miao some things. Before leaving, everyone went to Rongjing Hall.


    Old Madam Shen said something with a serious expression. She wanted everyone to follow the rules. Although it was famous, usually she did not go to the Wolong Temple because it was located in a remote area.


    Shen Qing, on the other hand, looked extremely happy. She said that she would definitely worship devoutly for Old Madam Shen and Shen Yuanbai. Hearing that, Old Madam Shen was more amiable towards her.


    Before leaving this time, they brought some guards with them. Shen Miao stood in front of the carriage and did not move for a long time. Seeing this, Ren Wanyun frowned and asked, ¡°Fifth Miss, what are you waiting for?¡±


    ¡°I just feel that we need more guards. To prevent any accidents, Second Aunt, why don¡¯t you get more guards to come along?¡±


    Ren Wanyun frowned. She did not expect Shen Miao to make such a request at this time. However, everything was settled today. Ren Wanyun smiled and said, ¡°Fifth Miss, I¡¯ve already arranged enough guards to come with us. We can¡¯t take all the guards of the Shen family away. If there are too many people, it will be more inconvenient. Let¡¯s just leave it at that.¡±


    Shen Miao shook her head firmly.


    Seeing this, Shen Yue and Shen Qing did not say anything. Shen Qing was unhappy and said, ¡°Our Shen family is not a royal family. How grand does Fifth Sister want this outing to be?¡±


    As soon as she finished speaking, Shen Miao glanced at her. That glance made Shen Qing suddenly feel a chill run down her spine.


    ¡°Let¡¯s add two more.¡± Shen Miao pointed at the two guards by the door. ¡°They¡¯ll do.¡±


    Seeing that Shen Miao only wanted to bring two more people, Ren Wanyun heaved a sigh of relief. She did not want to waste too much time on this matter. Adding two more guards wouldn¡¯t make a huge difference anyway, so she said, ¡°Fifth Sister, you¡¯re really¡­ Forget it. What can I say? Do as you please.¡± She instructed Xianglan, who was beside her, ¡°Go and get those two guards over to come with us.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Second Aunt.¡± Shen Miao smiled.


    After getting into the carriage, Shen Qing deliberately did not speak to Shen Miao. Although Shen Yue spoke to Shen Miao, she was mostly just asking questions. Shen Miao could not be bothered to answer her. On the other hand, Ren Wanyun was in a good mood along the way. She brought up what happened back when Shen Miao was little and talked like they were very close. If it happened in her previous life, Shen Miao would probably be attached to this kind-looking second aunt of hers. However, now that she looked at this woman, everything she did was hypocritic and ugly. In front of her, who was used to seeing all kinds of people, she was really not good enough.


    They set off in the morning and arrived at their destination, the Yangjing Peak, in the evening.


    Wolong Temple was located halfway up Yangjing Peak. The mountain was tall and the valley was deep. If one walked here in spring, there would be birdsong and fragrant flowers everywhere. The leaves were lush, and the scenery was pleasant. However, it was already early autumn, and the vegetation was withered, making it look a little desolate.


    Because Yangjing Peak was too far from the capital, the road to the Wolong Temple was not easy to walk on. Therefore, other than devout believers, most people wouldn¡¯t choose to come here. When Shen Miao and the others got off the carriage and arrived at the entrance of the Wolong Temple, they saw that outside the huge temple, there was only a young monk sweeping the floor.


    ¡°It¡¯s quiet here.¡± Shen Yue chuckled.


    Shen Qing sniffled, as if she wanted to complain. Suddenly, she thought of something and stopped herself.


    Ren Wanyun said, ¡°I heard that the Buddha here is very efficient. When you burn incense, you have to be sincere.¡±


    When the young monk saw them, he stood up to welcome them. Other than the servants who were moving things down the carriage, Ren Wanyun and the others followed the monk into the temple.


    The more they walked into the temple, the more they felt that the Wolong Temple was really sparsely populated. There were not many monks, let alone devotees. However, the temple was spacious, so it felt empty. If they stayed at night, it would probably be a little scary.


    When they saw the abbot, he assigned rooms for them. The girls each had a room, and they were very close to each other. When it was Shen Miao¡¯s turn, a middle-aged monk beside the abbot said, ¡°I¡¯m really sorry, but there are no more rooms for you in the southern pavilion. If you don¡¯t mind, how about staying in the northern pavilion?¡±


    1


    Everyone looked at her. Shen Miao smiled. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I mind very much.¡±


    ¡°Fifth Miss.¡± Ren Wanyun reprimanded softly, ¡°We are in a temple. Don¡¯t be so willful.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just a little strange.¡± Shen Miao continued, ¡°It doesn¡¯t look like there are a lot of visitors. Why is the pavilion full?¡±


    The middle-aged monk frowned. He had probably never seen such an arrogant lady before. However, Shen Miao was not like those unruly ladies who made a fuss.


    ¡°Young lady, although there aren¡¯t many visitors, there are many monks in the temple.¡± The old abbot smiled and explained to Shen Miao.


    ¡°But I¡¯m really afraid to stay alone. What should I do?¡± she asked.


    ¡°This¡­¡± Ren Wanyun was still comforting her.¡± Fifth Miss, just make do with this one night. If Buddha sees your sincerity, he will answer your prayer.¡±


    If it were in the past, when Shen Miao heard this, she would have been convinced. After all, she used to be amenable to persuasion but not coercion.


    But now, it was a little different.


    Ren Wanyun also felt a headache coming on. For some reason, the current Shen Miao was getting more and more annoying. In the past, Shen Miao would believe whatever she said and was very easy to coax. But today, Shen Miao went against her whenever she could.


    ¡°How about this?¡± Shen Miao smiled and said, ¡°Auntie, can you stay in the north pavilion with me? I¡¯ll feel more at ease with someone accompanying me.¡±

 Chapter 76 - Room

    ¡°This¡­¡± Ren Wanyun was a little hesitant. If she lived with Shen Miao, it would be difficult for her to get away if anything happened to Shen Miao. Without waiting for her to think of a better idea, Shen Miao continued,¡± If Aunt doesn¡¯t want to, I can make do with living in the same room as Eldest or Second Sister.¡±


    Shen Yue did not say anything. Although Shen Qing did not know what her mother was up to, she could vaguely guess that this trip was targeted at Shen Miao. Moreover, she hated Shen Miao so much that she did not even want to pretend to be friendly with her. She naturally said coldly, ¡°I¡¯m used to living alone.¡±


    ¡°In that case¡­¡± Shen Miao pondered for a moment.


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll stay in the north pavilion with Fifth Miss.¡± Before Shen Miao could finish speaking, Ren Wanyun took the initiative to speak.


    Shen Miao smiled. ¡°Thank you for showing some consideration, Second Aunt.¡±


    Ren Wanyun couldn¡¯t help but frown. In an instant, she smiled again. ¡°We¡¯re all family.¡±


    After settling the problem of where to stay, it was time to unpack the luggage. Because Shen Qing and Shen Yue said that they were a little tired, they did not eat together. When they arrived at the north pavilion, without waiting for Ren Wanyun to speak, Shen Miao said, ¡°I also feel very tired, so I¡¯ll go back to my room first.¡±


    Ren Wanyun was stunned for a moment before saying with a smile, ¡°Alright, if you¡¯re tired, rest early.¡±


    Shen Miao nodded in agreement.


    When the young monk led Shen Miao and her servants to the room, Shen Miao couldn¡¯t help but sigh.


    Indeed, in a simple temple like the Wolong Temple, this room looked especially elegant. Beside it was a forest, which was quite quiet. Although the furnishings in the room were simple, they were exquisite.


    ¡°The scenery here is really beautiful.¡± Gu Yu was a little surprised.


    ¡°Only the noble guests of the temple can stay in this room. The madam who came with you instructed us to leave the guest room to you,¡± the young monk said with his head lowered.


    ¡°Help me thank Second Aunt for her kindness,¡± Shen Miao said indifferently. She looked around. This was the innermost room in the north pavilion. In other words, this place was isolated. Even if someone shouted, they couldn¡¯t be heard.


    They had really carefully planned this to make sure she couldn¡¯t escape. As for the exquisite decoration of this room, it was probably prepared for that man.


    ¡°What incense is this?¡± Jingzhe picked up the incense on the table and sniffed it. ¡°It smells like an orchid, but even better than that.¡± Her gaze landed on the incense burner that was made of orchids. ¡°This incense burner is really unique.¡±


    When Gu Yu saw this, she smiled and said, ¡°It seems like the temple knows a lot about Miss. Without incense, Miss can¡¯t fall asleep at night.¡±


    ¡°Now I think this Wolong Temple is not bad.¡± Jingzhe chuckled and teased, ¡°No wonder Second Madam insisted on coming over to pray.¡±


    Shen Miao frowned slightly and walked to the table. She took the incense from Jingzhe and sniffed it. After smelling it, she frowned even more.


    Seeing this, the two girls asked hesitantly, ¡°Miss, is there anything wrong with this incense?¡±


    Ever since Shen Miao entered the Wolong Temple, she had never been at ease. The more perfect this place seemed, the more she could see the dangers inside. Before she went to bed, she indeed had a habit of lighting incense.


    However, Shen Miao had been the head of the harem for so many years in her previous life, so she wouldn¡¯t be fooled easily. She had seen many of these dirty tricks and things. For example, the aphrodisiac in the incense, it had been used by the concubines countless times.


    If she were an ordinary girl, she would naturally have never heard of this thing.


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing good.¡± She let go and the incense landed on the table.


    Gu Yu and Jingzhe were shocked and looked at each other. A moment later, Jingzhe said, ¡°Then should I throw this out?¡±


    ¡°No need.¡± Shen Miao¡¯s gaze landed on the tea table. Ren Wanyun and that person had spent so much effort preparing good gifts for her. It would be a pity if these gifts were wasted. A cold smile suddenly appeared on her lips. ¡°Keep it. It will be useful eventually.¡±


    ¡­


    In another room far away from Shen Miao¡¯s house, Ren Wanyun sat in front of the couch. In front of her stood a hunched old woman. It was none other than Nanny Gui.


    ¡°You know what will happen tonight. If it succeeds, you will naturally be rewarded. If it doesn¡¯t¡­¡± Ren Wanyun snorted.¡± You don¡¯t need me to remind you of the consequences. ¡±


    When she spoke, she was no longer as amiable as usual. Her gaze was really cold.


    Nanny Gui smiled obsequiously and said, ¡°Madam, don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll take care of everything. I think everything will go smoothly tonight.¡±


    Only then did Ren Wanyun¡¯s expression soften. She said, ¡°Of course I trust you. After all, you¡¯re the closest person to Fifth Miss. We¡¯re doing this for the sake of the Shen family. When Fifth Miss becomes sensible in the future, she will naturally know that you¡¯re doing this for her own good and will treat you well.¡±


    Nanny Gui nodded in agreement, but she felt disdain in her heart. When Shen Miao found out about this in the future, it would be strange if she didn¡¯t hate her to death. At the thought of what was going to happen tonight, Nanny Gui couldn¡¯t help but feel a little frightened. She didn¡¯t expect Old Madam Shen, who was usually amiable, to think of such a vicious method. After all, if this happened to any unmarried woman, she would suffer for the rest of her life.


    The next moment, she saw Ren Wanyun give Caiju a look. Caiju smiled and took a sachet over. She stuffed the sachet into Nanny Gui¡¯s hand and said with a smile, ¡°Thank you in advance, Nanny Gui.¡±


    Nanny Gui grabbed the sachet and realized that it was quite heavy. She immediately smiled and said, ¡°Madam, don¡¯t worry. I definitely won¡¯t disappoint you.¡±


    After saying a few more words, Nanny Gui stood up and left.


    ¡°Madam, are you really going to rest here tonight?¡± Xianglan asked, ¡°After all, it¡¯s close to Fifth Miss¡¯s room.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s all right.¡± Ren Wanyun waved her hand. ¡°Tomorrow morning, do whatever I say. Perhaps when the general comes back, his daughter will be long gone. There¡¯s nothing to be afraid of.¡± She smiled fiercely. ¡°Shen Miao, it¡¯s your fault for getting in my daughter¡¯s way.¡±


    1

 Chapter 77 - Dark Moon, Wind, and Night

    In the mountains of Wolong Temple, when the sky was getting dark in the evening, it started to rain. The rain brought a chill. Gu Yu closed the window and looked at Shen Miao. ¡°Miss, be careful not to catch a cold.¡±


    Jingzhe put on a cloak for Shen Miao and said worriedly, ¡°It¡¯s not easy to walk on the mountain path. If it rains tonight, I wonder if we can set off tomorrow morning after offering incense. We might have to rest here for another day.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not all that bad to stay here one more day.¡± Gu Yu smiled and said, ¡°The scenery here is very good, and it is very quiet. It¡¯s better than¡­¡± She swallowed the rest of her words.


    Shen Miao sat at the table and played chess. Now, she liked to play chess more and more. Unfortunately, the servant girls around her didn¡¯t know how to play, so she always played alone. Occasionally, Gu Yu and Jingzhe would find it strange. When their Miss played alone, she would sometimes show some strange expressions, making people feel a chill down their spines.


    The door was pushed open, and Nanny Gui walked in with a smile. She held some food in her hand and said with a smile, ¡°Miss, this is the vegetarian food of the temple. Although it¡¯s all vegetarian, it is not bad. I even went to get a bowl of crystal osmanthus soup. The first and second miss have already tasted it and said it tasted good.¡±


    ¡°Oh, leave it there,¡± Shen Miao said indifferently.


    ¡°Miss, you¡¯d better eat it while it¡¯s hot. It won¡¯t taste good if it¡¯s cold.¡± Nanny Gui picked up the bowl and was about to hand it to Shen Miao.


    ¡°Nanny, what¡¯s the hurry?¡± Jingzhe took the porcelain bowl from Nanny Gui¡¯s hand and said with a smile, ¡°Didn¡¯t Miss tell you to leave it on the table? She is feeling a little uncomfortable and will eat it later.¡±


    Nanny Gui was a little angry, but when she saw that Shen Miao did not seem to be angry with Jingzhe for interrupting, she gritted her teeth. In the past, Shen Miao had always listened to Nanny Gui more than she did to the other maids. If Nanny Gui got into an argument with the girls, Shen Miao would definitely punish the girls first.


    Just as she was deep in thought, she suddenly heard Shen Miao say, ¡°Nanny has been with me for 14 years, right?¡±


    Nanny Gui¡¯s heart skipped a beat as she looked at Shen Miao. Coincidentally, Shen Miao also looked over. Her clear eyes were as innocent as ever. Nanny Gui was in a daze.


    In the blink of an eye, the baby had grown into a fair girl. Nanny Gui sighed in her heart. Back then, Shen Xin and his wife were on the battlefield all year round and asked her to take good care of Shen Miao. Since then, fourteen years had passed.


    ¡°Nanny has been close to me since I was young.¡± Shen Miao said softly, ¡°I remember one night, I had a fever and it was raining outside. Nanny was worried and ran out to look for a doctor. In the end, you slipped on the way and broke your head, but you endured the pain and insisted on looking for a doctor for me.¡±


    Nanny Gui was stunned and her expression softened. ¡°Miss, you still remember that.¡±


    ¡°Of course I remember. I¡¯ve been with you for more than ten years. I didn¡¯t even spend so much time with my parents. I already treat you as my family.¡±


    ¡°Miss, you flatter me.¡± Nanny Gui sighed in her heart. She did not expect Shen Miao, who had been cold to her recently, to suddenly be so close to her today. As she sighed, she felt sorry for Shen Miao. Nanny Gui wasn¡¯t always a bad person. When Shen Xin and his wife made her Shen Miao¡¯s nanny, Nanny Gui¡¯s son was not married yet and she did not have a grandson. At that time, she naturally treated Shen Miao as her granddaughter. There were times when she treated Shen Miao sincerely, but¡­ people were selfish. After all, Shen Miao was not her biological granddaughter, and the second branch also promised that if she succeeded, her son and his family wouldn¡¯t have to worry about money for the rest of their life.


    On the other hand, Shen Miao couldn¡¯t help her at all. Nanny Gui shook her head and still said with a smile, ¡°Miss, it¡¯s cold at night. It¡¯s better to eat and rest early. When you¡¯re tired, light an incense stick and sleep. Tomorrow morning, you can pray for your parents.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for your concern, Nanny.¡± Shen Miao smiled, but her smile seemed to have something in it. She said, ¡°Nanny, you can leave. I¡¯ll eat later.¡±


    Nanny Gui wanted to stay for a while longer, but seeing that Shen Miao was chasing her away, she could only leave awkwardly. After she left the room, she walked to the window to eavesdrop.


    A moment later, Gu Yu said, ¡°Miss, the food is getting cold.¡±


    ¡°Set the table.¡±


    Immediately after, there was the sound of utensils being put on the table and someone sitting down to eat. Jingzhe asked, ¡°Miss, do you think this soup is good?¡±


    ¡°Not bad.¡± Shen Miao said, ¡°It suits my taste very well.¡±


    ¡°Then eat more,¡± Gu Yu said with a smile.


    After listening for a while, Shen Miao seemed to have finished eating. The sound of dishes being cleared was heard in the room, and Gu Yu walked out with a food basket. Jingzhe said, ¡°Miss, do you still want to read for a while?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m a little tired. Go and light the incense,¡± Shen Miao said in a sleepy voice.


    Nanny Gui stood up and heaved a deep sigh of relief. She turned to look at the window again and walked out of the courtyard. When she was out of the courtyard, she couldn¡¯t help but turn around and mutter, ¡°Miss, don¡¯t blame me. If Second Madam wants to deal with you, no one can stop her.¡±


    When Nanny Gui left, she didn¡¯t notice that a man was staring at her back. He looked angrily at Nanny Gui¡¯s back as she left in a hurry.


    In the house, Jingzhe looked at Shen Miao worriedly. ¡°Miss, Gu Yu has already gone out. I still don¡¯t understand what you want to do.¡±


    For some reason, Jingzhe felt a little uneasy, as if something was about to happen in this quiet mountain. She asked, ¡°Miss, is Nanny Gui going to do something harmful to you so that you have to put on a show just now?¡± Jingzhe asked nervously.


    Shen Miao looked at the burning incense stick in a daze. The soft crackling sound it made formed a contrast with the dripping rain outside.


    Pretending to eat and lighting incense were just a temporary solution. As for why she said that to Nanny Gui, it was not because she was soft-hearted.


    Once she took the path of revenge, there was no coming back. Evil people were never worthy of mercy just like the bunch of consorts she dealt with in the herem.


    She closed her eyes gently.


    ¡°Miss, what do you want to do now?¡± Seeing that Shen Miao did not answer her, Jingzhe had no choice but to change the topic.


    ¡°Waiting.¡±


    ¡°Waiting for what?¡±


    The girl¡¯s eyelashes fluttered and her lips curled up.


    ¡°When the moon is dark and the wind is strong.¡±

 Chapter 78 - Uninvited Guests (1)

    The sky gradually darkened. In the temple, the monk who rang the bell finished the last bell. The sky was as dark as ink, and the rain was hitting the bushes, emitting a fragrant soil smell.


    Shen Yue sat at the table and put down the book in her hand. She rubbed her eyes and seemed to be a little sleepy. The maid beside her asked, ¡°Miss, are you going to rest?¡±


    Shen Yue did not speak and opened the window. The person living next door was Shen Qing. Shen Qing¡¯s room was not far from hers and was still lit.


    ¡°Second Miss, do you want to sleep with First Miss?¡± The maid asked hesitantly.


    ¡°No.¡± Shen Yue turned around in disgust. ¡°Go and close the courtyard door.¡±


    On the other side, in Shen Qing¡¯s room, Shen Qing was playing with the things in her hand. She yawned lazily and looked outside. ¡°It¡¯s already so late,¡± she stood up, saying,¡± I should probably rest. ¡±


    When she passed by the table, she suddenly saw a unique incense burner and an incense stick. Shen Qing picked it up and smelled it. She felt that it was fragrant and said, ¡°Light this incense stick too.¡±


    After a while, the lights in the room went out.


    Everything fell silent. It was quiet at night in the temple deep in the mountains. Other than the sound of birds chirping and insects, there was only the crisp sound of rain hitting the tiles and dripping down the roof.


    In the extreme silence, the lights of the rooms in the north pavilion were quietly extinguished.


    In the darkness, there seemed to be the sound of someone¡¯s footsteps approaching. At this moment, if someone passed by, they would see a girl in purple sitting at the table by the window. Her face was cold and expressionless, and only her eyes were clear in the night.


    There seemed to be some movements on the tiles of the roof. Gu Yu and Jingzhe, who were standing behind Shen Miao, looked up at the same time and were immediately vigilant.


    A moment later, a meow came from outside the window.


    The two of them heaved a sigh of relief.


    However, before they could feel relieved, they heard hurried footsteps again. Then, the window was opened and a figure jumped in.


    ¡°Miss, it¡¯s me, Mo Qing,¡± the person said softly.


    Only then did Gu Yu and Jingzhe heave a sigh of relief. Jingzhe lit a thin candle, afraid that the light would shine outside. At first glance, they were very surprised to see that there was someone on Mo Qing¡¯s back. It was none other than Shen Qing.


    At this moment, Shen Qing¡¯s eyes were tightly shut, looking like she was in a deep sleep. Jingzhe and Gu Yu were both terrified, but Shen Miao glanced at Shen Qing and said indifferently, ¡°You did well.¡±


    Mo Qing looked a little embarrassed. This was the first time he had done such a thing. He did not know what Shen Miao was planning to do. He only thought that it was probably because Shen Miao was unsatisfied with the room she lived in and wanted to change it secretly in the middle of the night. However, if he was careless and was found out, he would be treated as a rapist.


    Fortunately, there were only two guards outside Shen Qing and Shen Yue¡¯s house. Before that, he followed Shen Miao¡¯s instructions and mixed something into Shen Qing¡¯s incense to make her sleep soundly.


    ¡°Carry her to the bed,¡± Shen Miao said.

 Chapter 79 - Uninvited Guests (2)

    Mo Qing did as he was told. After some thought, he pulled the blanket over Shen Qing. Even at this moment, Mo Qing still did not understand what Shen Miao was trying to do.


    ¡°Miss, now we¡­¡± Gu Yu asked tentatively. In this room, probably no one except Shen Miao knew what she wanted to do. Mo Qing thought that Shen Miao was just playing around in a fit of anger, but Jingzhe and Gu Yu could vaguely tell that she was not. Shen Miao was no longer the type to get angry just because the room was not comfortable. Moreover, she carried Shen Miao out in the middle of the night. If it was just for this matter, she would be making a mountain out of a molehill.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Shen Miao glanced at the person on the bed.


    ¡°Go?¡± Gu Yu was stunned. ¡°Where are we going?¡±


    ¡°To my sister¡¯s room, of course.¡±


    Mo Qing sighed in his heart. She was indeed just angry about not having a good room. He was a little unhappy with Shen Miao. He did not expect that Shen Miao was so vengeful despite looking calm on the surface. Just as he was thinking, his expression suddenly changed and he said in a low voice, ¡°Who is it?¡±


    This time, Gu Yu and Jingzhe panicked.


    ¡°Did anyone see you when you came just now?¡± Shen Miao¡¯s expression darkened.


    ¡°I¡¯ll go out and take a look first.¡± Mo Qing nervously drew the sword. However, just as he walked to the door, he saw a figure flash past the window. Because he did not want to cause a commotion, Mo Qing shouted in a low voice, ¡°Who is it?¡±


    The man in black easily dodged Mo Qing¡¯s sword. It was unknown what kind of movement technique he used, but he stepped on the windowsill and flew in like a swallow. As soon as he entered the room, he suddenly turned around. Before Mo Qing could react, the man dodged to the side and easily snatched the sword from Mo Qing¡¯s hand. The next moment, the sword was put to Mo Qing¡¯s neck.


    The sudden change stunned everyone. Shen Miao was also a little surprised. Since Mo Qing¡¯s martial arts could get him the position of the commander of the guards, he was naturally not weak. Back then, with his martial arts, he protected Shen Miao in the State of Qin for many years. Now, with just one move, his sword was snatched away by the man in black.


    Mo Qing probably did not expect the other party to be so much better than him. He seemed to be ashamed, but he was more worried about Shen Miao¡¯s safety. He said, ¡°I have no grudge with you. Why did you do this?¡±


    Apart from the monk, there were only guards of the Shen family in the temple tonight. However, none of the guards of the Shen family had such an advanced movement technique. Mo Qing was surprised. Could there be someone else in the Wolong Temple?


    The other party had no intention of letting go. Shen Miao found a lighter and lit the candle that was about to be extinguished.


    The man in black did not expect someone to suddenly light up a candle. Without even trying to hide it, he subconsciously revealed a murderous look.


    However, when the candle was lit, nothing in the room could be hidden. Under Shen Miao¡¯s cold gaze, a trace of surprise flashed across the person¡¯s handsome face. Then, he frowned and said coldly, ¡°Shen Miao from the Shen family?¡±


    ¡°Can you let go of my guard?¡± Shen Miao¡¯s voice was colder than the autumn rain outside. ¡°Young Master Xie.¡±

 Chapter 80 - Meeting the Young Marquis at Night (1)

    The person standing opposite her was none other than Xie Jingxing.


    Under the dim light, his face was as handsome as a painting, but he was frowning tightly. He looked like a different person.


    Jingzhe and Gu Yu had seen Xie Jingxing a few times and naturally knew who he was. In surprise, they couldn¡¯t help but step forth to protect Shen Miao.


    This was the first time Mo Qing had seen Xie Jingxing. He did not know who Xie Jingxing was, but from Shen Miao¡¯s words, he knew that the two of them knew each other. Xie Jingxing stared at Shen Miao and thought for a moment before smiling. He let go and threw the sword back to Mo Qing.


    He lazily retreated to the door and crossed his arms. ¡°Shen girl, we met again. Are we fated to meet each other?¡±


    Shen Miao ignored him and only instructed Mo Qing and the two girls, ¡°Leave quickly.¡±


    Jingzhe and Gu Yu glanced at Xie Jingxing and nodded. Just as they were about to leave, they saw Shen Miao say to them, ¡°You guys go first. I¡¯ll catch up with you later.¡±


    In the dark, Gu Yu saw the candle flickering lightly. She called out in a panic, ¡°Miss¡­¡±


    ¡°Go!¡± Shen Miao said. Her order was short and firm. Gu Yu trembled slightly. Mo Qing shook his head and jumped out of the window with a girl in each hand.


    Xie Jingxing was still watching her with interest. Shen Miao fumbled to the table and finally found the incense burner. She picked up the incense on the table and lit it before leaving the room.


    Just as she was about to move, she saw Xie Jingxing frown. He suddenly flicked his finger, and the candle was extinguished. In the darkness, a figure suddenly flashed in front of Shen Miao and gently grabbed her waist. Before Shen Miao could react, she felt like she had fallen into a gentle embrace. The person hugged her and rolled under the bed with her.


    ¡°You¡­¡± Shen Miao was shocked and angry.


    Xie Jingxing put a finger to her lips and murmured, ¡°Someone is coming in.¡±


    Shen Miao froze when she heard footsteps in the room.


    She did not expect him to come so quickly.


    Fortunately, the people in the room did not light up the candle. However, this was what she expected. She knew he liked excitement and wanted to do nasty things in the darkness.


    Someone outside said, ¡°Your Highness, it¡¯s all arranged.¡±


    ¡°You guys can leave. Guard outside. Don¡¯t disturb me,¡± a man said huskily. Shen Miao¡¯s gaze darkened. It was indeed Prince Yu.


    ¡°Shen Xin, Shen Xin¡­¡± Prince Yu¡¯s voice was filled with smugness and a little perverted excitement.¡± I want to have a taste of your daughter.¡±


    Footsteps approached the bed.


    Shen Miao gradually clenched her fists.


    Xie Jingxing lowered his head slightly. Because of the posture, his chin was pressed against Shen Miao¡¯s head. He could smell the fragrance of the girl¡¯s hair. In the darkness, he could not see Shen Miao¡¯s expression but he could tell from Shen Miao¡¯s tensed body that she was angry.


    The sound of clothes tearing could be heard on the bed. Prince Yu¡¯s voice was sinister, and he kept saying nasty things. Shen Qing seemed to have regained some of her senses and resisted slightly. However, her voice was soft, as if she was welcoming him rather than resisting him.


    The air was filled with a sex-inducing smell. The smell gradually spread, carrying the fragrance of orchids.


    Shen Miao gradually felt that something was wrong. Her heart skipped a beat. Just now, before she left, she lit the incense that contained the aphrodisiac. Now, she had reaped what she sowed. She had never encountered such a situation before, so she couldn¡¯t help but vent her anger on the uninvited guest, Xie Jingxing. If not for his sudden appearance, she would have already left.


    1

 Chapter 81 - Meeting the Young Marquis at Night (2)

    Unfortunately, there was no light and she could not see anything. Shen Miao hesitated for a moment. Because she did not dare to move, she could only cover her mouth and nose with Xie Jingxing¡¯s clothes.


    When Xie Jingxing realized that there was something wrong with the incense, he had already inhaled too much. At the same time, there was a girl in his arms. Though she wasn¡¯t the voluptuous kind, she was nonetheless gorgeous. In order to avoid inhaling the incense, Shen Miao even rubbed against his body and buried half of her head in his arms.


    Xie Jingxing took a deep breath. Ever since he was born, this was the first time he had been in such an awkward state. The big bed above them was shaking non-stop. The sound of a man and a man mixed together, making people blush and their hearts skip a beat. The commotion made people wonder if the bed would collapse.


    After listening for another half an hour, the noise on the bed gradually subsided, as if Prince Yu had fallen asleep. Shen Miao¡¯s body was extremely stiff, but at this moment, she felt Xie Jingxing roll on the ground with her in his arms. Then, he took the opportunity to fly out of the open window. It was dark, and she didn¡¯t know how he could manage not bumping into anything.


    Not long after they left, Shen Miao saw Gu Yu and the other two with anxious expressions. Seeing the two of them come out, Jingzhe almost jumped up in excitement. Afraid that someone would hear her, she whispered, ¡°Miss, I was so worried. Someone went in just now. Did you¡­¡± She stopped mid-sentence, because she saw Xie Jingxing as well.


    Shen Miao was still being carried by Xie Jingxing. Xie Jingxing was extremely tall, so it was effortless for him to carry her. Jingzhe said angrily, ¡°Put down my Miss!¡±


    Xie Jingxing raised an eyebrow and let go. With a bang, Shen Miao fell to the ground.


    ¡°You!¡± Gu Yu was angry. She did not expect Xie Jingxing to let go so roughly. She quickly helped Shen Miao up and comforted her. ¡°Miss, are you alright?¡±


    Mo Qing stared at Xie Jingxing, feeling very surprised. This young man seemed to be very skilled in martial arts. He was actually not a match for him at all. With such skills, he couldn¡¯t help but glance at Xie Jingxing. However, it was really suspicious for Xie Jingxing to appear here in the middle of the night. Just now, after he brought Gu Yu and Jingzhe out, he saw someone enter Shen Miao¡¯s room, followed by a group of guards. If he didn¡¯t hide quickly, he would probably be in trouble. Mo Qing couldn¡¯t help but look at Shen Miao again. Could it be that Shen Miao already knew a group of people would come tonight? Then what was the point of her kidnapping Shen Qing over?


    Shen Miao stood up and patted the dust off her body. She looked at Xie Jingxing calmly and said, ¡°It¡¯s getting late. We won¡¯t disturb you anymore. Bye.¡± Her attitude was very distant.


    At this moment, the rain did not stop. The raindrops landed on her body and wet her clothes. Under the light of the lanterns outside, Xie Jingxing glanced at her face sharply and suddenly smiled as if he was watching a show. He said, ¡°If you wanna go out, you have to pass through the outer courtyard which is heavily guarded. If you want to die, I will not stop you. Please go ahead.¡±


    Shen Miao glanced at Mo Qing. Mo Qing was embarrassed and said with a shake of his head, ¡°I¡¯m not confident if I can deal with so many guards.¡±


    Although Prince Yu was incompetent, his subordinates were not.


    After a moment of silence, she said, ¡°The Young Marquis seems to be very confident.¡±

 Chapter 82 - Meeting the Young Marquis at Night (3)

    Xie Jingxing smiled and stood up to leave. He had no intention of talking to them.


    ¡°Can you help us?¡± she asked.


    Xie Jingxing turned around and thought for a moment before nodding. ¡°It¡¯s not impossible, but¡­ if you beg me, I¡¯ll help you.¡±


    Gu Yu and Jingzhe¡¯s expressions changed. Xie Jingxing was such a mischievous person, and his tone was so frivolous. Any woman would blush upon hearing that. If not for the fact that they were eager to protect their Miss, Jingzhe and Gu Yu would probably be all red in the face and didn¡¯t know what to say.


    Mo Qing frowned. Shen Miao was Shen Xin¡¯s daughter. Growingup, she must have been pampered, and she looked like a stubborn person. With Xie Jingxing provoking her like this, Shen Miao would probably fly into a rage.


    However, to Mo Qing¡¯s surprise, when Shen Miao heard that, she quickly said, ¡°Alright, I beg you. Please help us.¡±


    She said this so quickly that Xie Jingxing couldn¡¯t help but choke. He carefully sized up the girl in front of him. Although she was asking for a favor, her gaze was different, and her posture was calm. She didn¡¯t look like she was inferior at all.


    Without waiting for Xie Jingxing to speak, Shen Miao immediately said, ¡°Young Marquis, are you going back on your word?¡±


    Xie Jingxing smiled and said softly to the people behind him, ¡°Come out.¡±


    In the blink of an eye, a group of people in black rushed over from all directions. There were roughly more than ten of them.


    Jingzhe and Gu Yu were shocked, and so was Mo Qing. His martial arts were not weak, but he did not know that there were so many people hiding here. Clearly, these people were more skillful than him. The fact that this young man could easily mobilize so many masters made people wonder his identity.


    Xie Jingxing said, ¡°Be careful not to alert the enemy.¡±


    The men in black lowered their heads and disappeared into the night in the blink of an eye. Their movements were surprisingly consistent. They were clearly trained for a specific purpose. Shen Miao was deep in thought when she heard Xie Jingxing say, ¡°It will take some time. Let¡¯s take the other path.¡±


    He turned around and walked in the opposite direction. From the looks of it, he was very familiar with the layout of this temple.


    ¡°Follow him,¡± Shen Miao said.


    Shen Miao didn¡¯t know what Xie Jingxing¡¯s subordinates did, but they didn¡¯t meet anyone along the way. They even went to the south pavilion where Shen Qing and Shen Yue lived. There were no guards outside. After arriving safely, Shen Miao said to Mo Qing, ¡°You can go back.¡±


    Guards of the Shen family were assigned a place to live. Mo Qing had sneaked out of the place tonight. If anyone found out, he would be suspected.


    Gu Yu and Jingzhe accompanied Shen Miao into the house, but Xie Jingxing did not leave. Jingzhe took a step forward and stopped Xie Jingxing from going to the inner room. She looked at him warily. ¡°Young Master, please don¡¯t come along.¡±


    Xie Jingxing stopped. He looked at Shen Miao¡¯s back and smiled. ¡°Shen Miao, you wasted my night. Aren¡¯t you going to explain anything to me?¡±


    Shen Miao stopped in her tracks and sighed in her heart. Xie Jingxing seemed to have the ability to read people¡¯s minds. She knew she couldn¡¯t hide anything from him. She glanced at Jingzhe and Gu Yu and said, ¡°Go and sleep in the outer room. Young Marquis, follow me in.¡±


    ¡°Miss¡­¡± Gu Yu was a little flustered.¡± This is inapproriate¡­¡±


    If word got out that she was in the same room with a strange man, Shen Miao would really be finished. This kind of thing might forever ruin her reputation.

 Chapter 83 - Meeting the Young Marquis at Night (4)

    ¡°No one knows. What¡¯s wrong with that?¡± Shen Miao did not intend to listen to the two girls. She looked at Xie Jingxing and said, ¡°Come in.¡±


    Xie Jingxing shrugged and followed Shen Miao into the inner room. Under the uneasy gazes of the two maids, Shen Miao closed the door calmly.


    Shen Miao lit the oil lamp and closed the window to block out the rain.


    Xie Jingxing stood against the wall with interest and asked, ¡°Why aren¡¯t you afraid of me?¡±


    ¡°Why should I be afraid of you?¡± Shen Miao asked.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid that I¡¯ll do something to you?¡± His smile became even more sinister, but he also looked even more handsome under the light.


    ¡°We¡¯ve just witnessed a love affair. Is there anything else I need to be afraid of?¡± Shen Miao said indifferently.


    1


    Xie Jingxing was stunned for a moment, and a look of disbelief appeared on his handsome face. Over the years, he had experienced many things. He had seen everything that others should have seen at his age, and he had also seen things that others should not have seen at his age. At least in the capital, or even Ming Qi, he was considered knowledgeable. However, this was the first time a woman mentioned the word ¡°love affair¡± to him without batting an eyelid.


    He couldn¡¯t see Shen Miao¡¯s expression in the darkness under the bed. Now that he thought about it, ever since he went out, Shen Miao¡¯s voice and attitude were both very calm. It was as if she had experienced it many times.


    ¡°Are you a girl or not?¡± Xie Jingxing crossed his arms.


    Ordinary girls would be too embarrassed to ever mention having seen others having a love affair. However, she brought it up like it was nothing. Was it because she was the daughter of the mighty general?


    Shen Miao didn¡¯t say anything.


    Although Shen Miao acted like she was much older than her age, she looked very cute and young, especially her fair face. When she was not talking, she was nothing different from any other teenage girls. Xie Jingxing thought that she was probably too young and did not know what love affair meant.


    The more he thought about it, the more he felt that this was the case. Xie Jing walked over and looked down at Shen Miao. ¡°I haven¡¯t settled the score with you for the incense just now. I almost got affected too.¡± He grabbed Shen Miao¡¯s cheeks and pinched them.


    Shen Miao was stunned for a moment. She did not expect Xie Jing to suddenly do this. He seemed to find joy in doing that and pinched her cheeks again.


    ¡°How dare you!¡± She subconsciously shouted.


    As soon as she said that, both of them were stunned.


    In the light, the young man¡¯s handsome face froze, and a complicated expression flashed across his sharp black eyes. He retracted his hand and chuckled, saying indifferently, ¡°This is the first time someone shouted at me like that.¡±


    Shen Miao was a little angry at herself for losing her composure. Xie Jingxing was always unpredictable. Just now, annoyed by him, she actually talked like an empress. This person was very smart. She didn¡¯t want to be discovered. However, she didn¡¯t know what to say, so she could only remain silent.


    Xie Jingxing broke the silence. He sat down on the chair opposite Shen Miao and poured himself a cup of tea. Suddenly, he thought of something and took out a paper bag to open it. It was an exquisite pastry, looking much better than the one made in Guangfu Restaurant in the capital.

 Chapter 84 - Meeting the Young Marquis at Night (5)

    Xie Jingxing ate the pastry and drank the tea in big mouthfuls. He said, ¡°I came in a hurry and didn¡¯t eat dinner. Tsk, this tea is really disgusting.¡± He looked like a picky young master.


    ¡°Marquis Xie, are you here for tea and pastries?¡± Shen Miao looked at him.


    ¡°Of course not.¡± Xie Jingxing suddenly smiled. He picked up a pastry and stuffed it into Shen Miao¡¯s mouth. He was too fast. When Shen Miao reacted, her mouth was already filled with a sweet taste.


    Xie Jingxing rested his chin on his hand and glanced at her. His posture was relaxed, but his words were sharp.


    ¡°You ate my food. Now answer my question.¡±


    1


    The fragrance of the pastry melted in her mouth, carrying a faint sweetness and a moderate fruit taste. When it entered her mouth, it left a fragrance in her mouth. Even Shen Miao, who did not like sweet food, could not help but find it delicious.


    ¡°What¡¯s your relationship with Prince Yu?¡±


    1


    Shen Miao looked at him. ¡°Why don¡¯t you ask me why I did what I did tonight?¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯re willing to tell me, I¡¯ll listen.¡±


    1


    ¡°An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth.¡±


    Xie Jingxing¡¯s expression changed a few times. He smiled and said in a strange tone, ¡°You¡¯re ruthless. You actually made your sister sleep with that old dog, Prince Yu.¡±


    Only someone like Xie Jingxing would dare to call Prince Yu an ¡°old dog¡±.


    ¡°When they set me up, they never thought that I was their sister,¡± Shen Miao retorted.


    Her words were cold, and she did not hide her disgust and disdain for those people. Under the dim light of the oil lamp, there seemed to be a flame in her eyes.


    ¡°What an bold girl.¡± Xie Jingxing stretched. ¡°Prince Yu will not let you off after this.¡±


    ¡°That depends on whether he has the ability or not.¡± Shen Miao was not scared.


    ¡°You¡¯ve said so much to me¡­¡± Xie Jingxing pondered for a moment. Suddenly, his body leaned forward, almost reaching the tip of Shen Miao¡¯s nose. He was so close that even Shen Miao could not help but be slightly shocked. However, she didn¡¯t want to show any signs of panic, so she sat still, pretending to be calm.


    The young man had a handsome face and a devilish smile on his lips. His voice was deliberately frivolous as he whispered into her ear, ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid that I¡¯ll tell others?¡±


    ¡°Young Marquis, do whatever you want. I¡¯m also curious if the Marquis of Lin¡¯an is planning something so that you are sent here in the middle of the night. You are telling me you are here to relax, are you?¡±


    It was no coincidence that Xie Jingxing appeared here tonight, and he even brought a group of well-trained masters. There was no such thing as a coincidence in this world. Xie Jingxing was not here to see her. The two of them just happened to bump into each other.


    1


    The young man¡¯s eyes were very beautiful, a pair of extremely beautiful peach blossom eyes. When he smiled, it was able to attract people¡¯s attention. However, when he turned cold, he emitted a cold and dangerous aura.


    For a moment, Shen Miao was overwhelmed by Xie Jingxing¡¯s aura. It was not that she had never seen people who were intimidating in her previous life. However, the person in front of her seemed to be even more dangerous than any of those she had seen.


    ¡°You¡¯ve got some nerve.¡± He smiled.


    ¡°Same to you.¡±


    Xie Jingxing stood up and glanced at her. He said indifferently, ¡°I¡¯m not interested in what happened to that old dog at all. If you dare to reveal anything about me being here tonight, I¡¯ll kill you and I mean it.¡±


    As soon as he finished speaking, he opened the window and disappeared into the rain.


    The cold rain drifted in through the window and landed on Shen Miao¡¯s face. The wind woke her up and she heaved a sigh of relief.

 Chapter 85 - Meeting the Young Marquis at Night (6)

    When dealing with Xie Jingxing, it was as if she was walking on a tightrope. This man was young but unfathomable. Every word he said seemed to be unintentional, but he was trying to sound her out. That kind of dangerous feeling made her uneasy. Although she did not treat the Marquis of Lin¡¯an as an enemy of the Shen family, Xie Jingxing might not think so.


    Tonight, Xie Jingxing should be here for something. Unlike the frivolous Young Marquis Xie in the capital, he seemed to have changed into a different person on the rainy night. Back then, she only knew that Xie Jingxing was quite capable. Now that she thought about it, the Marquis of Lin¡¯an must be hiding some secrets.


    Her gaze landed on the table. The pastries that Xie Jingxing had not finished were still on the table. If not for these, she might think she just had a dream. However, now was not the time to think about this. Xie Jingxing was not very important to her now. Tomorrow¡­ She must wait until tomorrow.


    On the back mountain, the rain drenched the entire mountain. A group of people stood under the trees.


    The young man in the lead was slender. The rain wet his clothes and hair, but he stood there like a statue, not moving at all. He just looked at the foot of the mountain in a daze.


    A moment later, a small firework suddenly bloomed somewhere at the foot of the mountain. It was more like a small cluster of light that disappeared very quickly.


    The young man turned around and said calmly, ¡°It¡¯s done.¡±


    ¡°Young Master, are you injured?¡± The middle-aged man beside him frowned.


    He lowered his head and looked at the fresh knife mark on his arm. The incense in the room was meant for men. Once he inhaled it, he would be controlled by lusts and gradually lose his mind, falling into madness. It was not that effective on women. Although he was a strong-willed person, he was not a saint after all, so he stabbed himself with a knife to keep clear-minded.


    1


    ¡°We¡¯ll talk when we get back.¡±


    ¡°Young Master.¡± The middle-aged man was a little hesitant and continued, ¡°That Miss from the Shen family has seen you tonight. Should we¡­¡±


    ¡°Tie Yi, she¡¯s just a little girl. It¡¯s not necessary.¡± The young man¡¯s beautiful peach blossom eyes flashed, and his tone was cold.


    The burly man was a little afraid of him. After thinking for a moment, he mustered his courage and said, ¡°But the Shen family might know about it¡­¡±


    ¡°The Shen family won¡¯t know.¡± The young man said coldly, ¡°The Shen family is all stupid. She¡¯s the only smart one.¡± He seemed to have thought of something and smiled. ¡°What a pity.¡±


    The middle-aged man pursed his lips but finally stopped talking.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    At the same time, in the north pavilion.


    In the room adjacent to the innermost room, Ren Wanyun sat at the table. She only lit a small oil lamp. The light was flickering like her heart.


    Xianglan said, ¡°Madam, it¡¯s already midnight. Take a rest.¡±


    Ren Wanyun shook her head, looking a little annoyed. ¡°I can¡¯t sleep.¡± For some reason, she felt a little uneasy even if Nanny Gui told her that everything was going smoothly.


    When she left the courtyard, she also heard the sound of movement from the innermost room. On a rainy night, she could not hear it clearly, but she could hear the sound of a woman crying and struggling. Ren Wanyun blushed and her heart raced when she heard the woman¡¯s cry. There had always been a rumor in the capital that Prince Yu had many ways to play and torture women. Now, it seemed that it was true. Shen Miao would definitely be tortured. While frightened, Ren Wanyu also derived a strange pleasure from hearing the woman¡¯s cry.


    Among the three branches of the Shen family, Shen Miao was always in the limelight because of Shen Xin. Shen Yue was a talented girl who was famous in the capital, and only Shen Qing was a little mediocre. Ren Wanyun still had a son. After Shen Qiu came back from the battlefield with Shen Xin, he would definitely fight with Shen Yuanbai for the family assets in the future. After Shen Miao was raped by Prince Yu, what would her arrogant sister-in-law do? Would she give her daughter a robe to hang herself to death?


    1

 Chapter 86 - Meeting the Young Marquis at Night (7)

    At this thought, Ren Wanyun felt less flustered. She looked at the sky and said, ¡°I¡¯ll rest for a while.¡±


    Seeing that she was finally willing to rest, Xianglan and Caiju looked happy. They quickly helped Ren Wanyun to the bed and said, ¡°Madam, rest well. You still need to save some energy for tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Ren Wanyun muttered. ¡°I need to save my energy for tomorrow.¡± After all, there would an exciting show tomorrow and she mustn¡¯t miss it.


    ¡­


    The rain continued all night.


    In the quiet mountain forest, the rain stopped and everything withered. After the autumn rain, it became even colder. The air was filled with a moist fragrance. Early in the morning, the bell in the temple started to ring.


    The dull sound of the bell woke the people who were sleeping soundly. Ren Wanyun opened her eyes. She slept very uneasily that night and had some nightmares. When she woke up, her forehead was covered in sweat.


    ¡°Madam, are you awake?¡± Xianglan said, stepping forward. ¡°Wipe your face. It¡¯s all sweaty.¡±


    After Ren Wanyun washed up, she looked outside. Outside the window, the sky cleared up after a night of raining, and the birds were still chirping happily.


    She smiled and said, ¡°Change into a brighter dress. And that ruby with jade beads.¡±


    She was already middle-aged and was already used to wearing dark clothes. It was rare for her to want to wear bright clothes. Cai Ju smiled and said, ¡°Madam must be in a good mood. You look much better in such bright clothes.¡±


    Ren Wanyun looked at the mirror and smiled in satisfaction. She was naturally in a good mood.


    When everything was ready, she said, ¡°Let¡¯s go. It¡¯s time to call my ¡®tired¡¯ niece to eat.¡±


    The innermost room of the northern pavilion was quiet. There was not a single girl in the courtyard. When Ren Wanyun saw this, she was quite satisfied. It seemed that Prince Yu had kicked all the maids out.


    If not for the fact that she was afraid of causing trouble, she would even want to tell the world that the person inside had lost her virginity.


    ¡°Go knock on the door,¡± she said to Xianglan, disgust flashing in her eyes.


    She looked down on women who were dirty, but she selectively forgot that she was the one who made Shen Miao like this.


    ¡°Fifth Miss.¡± Xianglan walked to the door and knocked. ¡°Second Madam is here.¡±


    There was no movement at all inside the door, as if there was no one there at all.


    ¡°Fifth Miss, Second Madam is here,¡± Xianglan continued.


    However, after knocking for a long time, no one answered.


    Ren Wanyun sighed and said with a smile, ¡°Fifth Sister is really a sleepyhead. It¡¯s already bright outside, but she¡¯s still sleeping.¡±


    She walked to the door and knocked lightly. ¡°Fifth Sister, it¡¯s time to get up and eat. After breakfast, we still have to offer incense. Don¡¯t delay the schedule.¡±


    No one in the room answered her.


    Ren Wanyun turned around, shaking her head. She said softly, ¡°Forget it, let¡¯s just push the door open and go in. Where are her maids? Why didn¡¯t they wake up Fifth Miss? I¡¯ll definitely punish them when I get back.¡± As she spoke, she was about to push the door open and enter.


    ¡°Second Aunt,¡± Someone yelled in the distance. Ren Wanyun was stunned at first, thinking that the voice came from inside the house, but then she heard Xianglan and Caiju say in unison, ¡°Fifth Miss, Second Miss.¡±


    She turned around in surprise and saw Shen Yue and Shen Miao standing together.


    Today, Shen Miao was wearing a snow-white dress and a cloak with peonies embroidered on it. She was used to seeing Shen Miao dressed in loud colors. This dress was simply elegant and otherworldly. Coupled with her slightly cold expression, it actually made her look charming.

 Chapter 87 - Meeting the Young Marquis at Night (8)

    1


    A trace of jealousy flashed across Shen Yue¡¯s eyes. She did not know since when this useless cousin of hers was actually not inferior to her in terms of looks.


    Ren Wanyun was also dazzled by Shen Miao¡¯s outfit. She frowned and said, ¡°Fifth Miss, why are you dressed in such an inauspicious way? You look so plain. people who don¡¯t know might think our family is having a funeral.¡±


    1


    ¡°Second Aunt is wearing bright clothes today,¡± Shen Miao said with a smile.


    Ren Wanyun looked at her clothes and suddenly thought of something. She looked at Shen Miao carefully. She did not know why Shen Miao came back from outside and looked calm. She wanted to confirm something, so she walked up to Shen Miao and held her arm with a smile. She asked with concern, ¡°Did you sleep well last night?¡±


    ¡°Thank you for your concern, Second Aunt. I slept well.¡± Shen Miao smiled.


    Ren Wanyun carefully observed Shen Miao¡¯s expression. Seeing that she did not seem to be faking it, she was a little surprised. When did Shen Miao learn to be so calm? Shouldn¡¯t ordinary girls cry when they encountered such a thing? Why was she so calm? Could it be that she was pretending? She clearly heard a woman crying miserably last night.


    Looking at Shen Miao¡¯s clear eyes, Ren Wanyun suddenly felt uneasy, which made her a little flustered. She smiled and leaned closer to Shen Miao, saying, ¡°It¡¯s good to know that you slept well.¡±


    At first glance, she realized that Shen Miao¡¯s neck was as fair as jade. Her skin was originally fair, and at this moment, it was like jade. There was not a trace of dirt on it, let alone scars.


    That was impossible. Prince Yu¡¯s way of treating women had always been cruel. How could Shen Miao not have any scars on her body?


    Shen Yue looked at Shen Miao and then at Ren Wanyun. She felt that something was wrong, but she did not know what it was.


    Ren Wanyun grew more and more uneasy. She grabbed Shen Miao¡¯s hand and said casually, ¡°The weather is really cold. Don¡¯t you feel cold wearing such thin clothes?¡± As she spoke, Ren Wanyun suddenly tugged at Shen Miao¡¯s sleeve. The sleeve was pulled up, revealing a fair wrist.


    Ren Wanyun was stunned on the spot. Shen Miao retracted her hand and smiled. ¡°Second Aunt seems to be checking something.¡±


    ¡°No¡­¡± Ren Wanyun forced a smile.¡± Just now, my hand¡­ was a little slippery.¡± She was a little absent-minded and did not know what to say. How could there be no scars on Shen Miao¡¯s body? Not to mention a person like Prince Yu, even ordinary men would more or less leave marks on women. Could it be that Prince Yu was not as ruthless as he looked? Shen Miao did not look like she had suffered a lot.


    She looked around and only saw Huang Ying and Qing Luan beside Shen Yue, but she did not see Shen Miao¡¯s Jingzhe and Gu Yu. She asked, ¡°Where are Fifth Miss¡¯s two maids? They¡¯ve been gone since early in the morning.¡±


    ¡°I asked them to bring me some porridge. When I woke up this morning, I felt that my throat was a little uncomfortable.¡±


    ¡°This place is far from the kitchen.¡± Ren Wanyun smiled and said, ¡°Why don¡¯t you tell me you got a sore throat? But, hold on a second, isn¡¯t the kitchen in the south pavilion?¡±

 Chapter 88 - Meeting the Young Marquis at Night (9)

    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Shen Miao looked at her. ¡°I came from the south pavilion.¡±


    ¡°What nonsense are you talking about?¡± Ren Wanyun smiled. ¡°Weren¡¯t you staying in the north pavilion last night?¡±


    Before she could finish her sentence, she saw a smile on Shen Miao¡¯s face. Ever since Shen Miao woke up after falling into the water, her expression had been very cold. Most of the time, she only smiled faintly. However, for some reason, that smile made people¡¯s hearts tremble.


    Ren Wanyun¡¯s heart sank like it was tied to an anchor.


    ¡°Madam, bad news. Miss is missing!¡± Two girls shouted in panic. They were none other than Yan Mei and Shui Bi, Shen Qing¡¯s maids.


    ¡°What did you say!¡± Ren Wanyun suddenly screamed.


    Shen Yue was stunned. Shen Qing was gone? She stole a glance at Shen Miao. She looked calm, as if it had nothing to do with her.


    ¡°How did Qing go missing?¡± Ren Wanyun grabbed Yan Mei¡¯s collar, her gaze as fierce as a mother beast.


    ¡°Oh, I know how,¡± Shen Miao suddenly said.


    Everyone¡¯s eyes fell on her.


    In the silence, Shen Miao smiled. ¡°I came from the south pavilion just now. Why? Because I slept in the south pavilion last night.¡±


    ¡°Last night, I really couldn¡¯t sleep, so I went to look for First Sister, hoping to change rooms with her. First Sister agreed. She probably thought that she would be more at ease with Second Aunt sleeping next door. This morning, I went out and met Second Sister, so I came over with her. I wanted to come over and thank First Sister for being so considerate.¡±


    With every word she said, Ren Wanyun¡¯s heart sank deeper. In the end, despair overwhelmed her. The flesh on her face trembled slightly, and her eyes were red like a wild beast that was about to go crazy.


    Seeing Ren Wanyun like this, Shen Yue was a little afraid. She probably guessed that something big had happened. However, when she saw that the second madam, who had always been at odds with her mother, had fallen into such a state, she couldn¡¯t help but gloat. She went along with Shen Miao and said, ¡°That¡¯s right. This morning, I saw Fifth Sister walk out of the room next door. She¡¯s here to have breakfast with Second Sister.¡±


    Shen Miao¡¯s voice was as soft as a feather, but it hit Ren Wanyun¡¯s heart hard, making her feel like vomiting blood.


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t me who rested here last night. It was First Sister.¡±


    Ren Wanyun held her chest and took two steps back, almost fainting.


    The person who stayed here last night was not Shen Miao, but Shen Qing, her daughter!


    If that was the case, the woman Prince Yu was sleeping with and torturing was her daughter! Those shrill and tragic cries came from her daughter! She was next door, separated from her daughter by a wall, but she let her daughter be humiliated! This¡­ How could she accept this! This was unacceptable! This was impossible!


    Ren Wanyun¡¯s heart was about to break. She looked at the tightly shut door and for a moment, she did not have the courage to open it. She did not dare to think about the scene inside.


    While her mind was in a mess, she still remembered not to let Shen Yue and Shen Miao see what was going on inside. If word got out, if it got out¡­ She forced a smile that was uglier than crying. ¡°Girls, go have your breakfast. I just asked Qing earlier. She still wants to sleep. You don¡¯t have to wait for her.¡±


    1


    Shen Miao smiled. ¡°Second Aunt, you must be joking. Just now, you didn¡¯t even know that First Sister was resting inside. Now you said you asked her. It doesn¡¯t make sense. Are you hiding something from us?¡±


    ¡°No!¡± Ren Wanyun denied it immediately. Shen Miao¡¯s gaze moved, and she shouted at the person who was walking over, ¡°Nanny Gui! Please help Second Aunt open this door.¡±


    Nanny Gui walked over with a hunched back. She had been instructed to come early today, and at this moment, she had yet to see the scene inside the room. Hearing Shen Miao say this, she thought that everyone had already known what happened. She felt guilty. From that angle, Nanny Gui couldn¡¯t see Ren Wanyun¡¯s expression. Otherwise, she would be able to see that Ren Wanyun¡¯s face was ashen.


    Because Nanny Gui was close to the door, it was too late for Ren Wanyun to stop her. With a creak, the door was slowly pushed open.


    Everything seemed to fall silent.


    An indescribable smell rushed out from inside the room.

 Chapter 89 - Returning Home (1)

    The door slowly opened, but no one went forward to take a look.


    The room where the devotees of the Wolong Temple lived was empty to begin with, so it was not as gorgeous as their own house. In addition, this house had been specially chosen and was even wider. The big bed was placed horizontally in the room, and there was not even a screen to cover it. Because of this, with one glance, everyone could see what was going on in the room.


    Shen Yue was the first to scream.


    The clothes on the ground were torn into pieces. The blanket on the bed was casually thrown to the side, and the books on the table were swept to the ground. The teapot was also broken. The room gave people the impression that an earthquake had just taken place.


    However, this was not the most jaw-dropping thing.


    The woman on the bed had a jade-like body, lying there naked. On her back were spots of red marks, and there were also some blood and bruises. It was a shocking sight. There was a blood-stained whip under the bed that had been split into two.


    ¡°Oh my god!¡± Shen Yue covered her mouth and retreated step by step. ¡°W-Who is thata€| Is she First Sister?¡± She suddenly turned to look at Ren Wanyun.


    Since Shen Miao said that she had changed rooms with Shen Qing, the person in the room should be Shen Qing. Even Shen Yue, an unmarried daughter, knew that the scene in front of her was clearly the mark of a woman being humiliated!


    Nanny Gui did not expect there to be someone else in the room. When she heard Shen Miao speak just now, she thought that everyone knew what was going on. In the end, when she opened the door and saw that there was a woman inside, she was already surprised. Could it be that another woman was also humiliated by Prince Yu last night? Shen Yue¡¯s words almost scared her out of her wits.


    Seeing Shen Qing like this, Yan Mei and Shui Bi¡¯s hearts turned cold. If something happened to their Miss, they would be in serious trouble. The two of them looked at each other and saw despair in each other¡¯s eyes. They knelt down and kowtowed to Ren Wanyun.


    Ren Wanyun was stunned.


    ¡°Second Aunt, aren¡¯t you going to go in and take a look?¡± In the silence, Shen Qing said softly. Her tone was calm, as if she wasn¡¯t concerned about what happened. Ren Wanyun turned her head and saw the girl looking at her quietly.


    2


    A storm brewed in her heart, but she quickly suppressed it. With a pale face, she quickly walked into the room and stood beside the woman who was lying on the bed.


    The woman¡¯s hair was disheveled, and there was some hair on the ground. Clearly, a lot of her hair had been pulled off. Ren Wanyun reached out with a trembling hand and turned the woman over.


    A loud thunder was heard outside, as if it was answering everyone¡¯s confusion. The rain that had stopped suddenly fell again.


    Ren Wanyun closed her eyes in pain. The woman in her arms was Shen Qing!


    1


    The closer she looked, the more shocked she was. Shen Qing¡¯s face was swollen, and it was obvious that she had been tortured badly. One of her hands was folded into a strange position, and it seemed to have been broken!


    Prince Yu was too ruthless!


    However, the person she hated the most was Shen Miao!


    2


    All the pain should¡¯ve been inflicted on Shen Miao, but now, it was her daughter who suffered. After being tortured to this state, Shen Qing was almost finished for the rest of her life. She wanted to bite off Shen Miao¡¯s neck, drink her blood, and eat her flesh!


    Ren Wanyun was the one managing the Shen family after all. Even at this moment, she could still control herself and not go crazy. Instead, she instructed Xianglan with a trembling voice, ¡°Go find a carriage. We are going back.¡±


    1

 Chapter 90 - Returning Home (2)

    ¡°But¡­¡± Xianglan looked at her in fear.¡± Madam, it¡¯s raining heavily outside. We can¡¯t travel.¡±


    The road on the mountain was bumpy to begin with, and after being washed by the rain, it was extremely muddy and impossible to move forward. If they forced their way down the mountain, they would probably get into an accident because of the slippery road.


    ¡°What about Qing?¡± Ren Wanyun finally couldn¡¯t help but scream. She slapped Xianglan and said fiercely, ¡°What about my daughter?¡±


    Outside the house, Shen Miao watched quietly.


    She was the one who should be insulted like this, but now, she was also the one who made Shen Qing suffer.


    Ren Wanyun could have saved her daughter from suffering when she heard her cry last night, but she stood by and did nothing. Every time she thought about it, she would feel a sharp pain in her heart.


    She wanted to bring Shen Qing back to the city for treatment, but she had no choice but to stay here because of the heavy rain. Ren Wanyun felt despair.


    ¡°Go find a doctor! If you can¡¯t find a doctor, you¡¯ll all die here!¡± Ren Wanyun screamed at Xianglan.


    In all these years as a servant girl, Xianglan had probably never been slapped by Ren Wanyun like this. She felt aggrieved and afraid. She covered her face and ran out quickly. When she ran out, she couldn¡¯t help but glance at Shen Miao.


    Everything was clearly planned. The person who should have been resting here last night was Shen Miao. Shen Qing had never been easy to talk to. Now that she had a grudge against Shen Miao, she would definitely not agree to change rooms with her. There must be something fishy going on with this matter.


    ¡°Caiju, call a few people over and close the door,¡± Ren Wanyun said through gritted teeth.


    The door closed, and it was as if they were in two different worlds.


    Before Shen Yue could recover from the shock, she looked at Shen Miao and said in disbelief, ¡°Fifth Sister, was First Sister humiliated by someone?¡±


    Shen Miao did not comment. Prince Yu really only planned to play with her, so he left before dawn. He also understood that for women from rich families, being humiliated by an unknown person was the most terrifying thing. However, Prince Yu was not a fool. Soon, he would find out that he humiliated the wrong person.


    She was lost in thought, not knowing that when Shen Yue saw her current appearance, her heart trembled. ¡°Fifth Sister, did you do this to First Sister¡­¡±


    Last night, Shen Qing was the one who stayed in the south pavilion, and Shen Miao was the one who stayed in the north pavilion. However, in the end, they changed rooms and this happened. If they didn¡¯t change rooms, the person lying there would have been Shen Miao. According to Shen Yue¡¯s understanding of Shen Qing, she would never give her room to Shen Miao.


    Could it be that all of this was done by Shen Miao? Shen Yue looked at Shen Miao as if she was looking at something extremely terrifying.


    Shen Miao smiled. ¡°Second Sister, you can eat whatever you want, but you can¡¯t say whatever you want. I don¡¯t have the ability to harm First Sister. You think too highly of me.¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡± Shen Yue was still a little incredulous. For some reason, she felt that something was wrong with Shen Miao and what happened last night definitely had something to do with Shen Miao.


    1

 Chapter 91 - Returning Home (3)

    ¡°If you want to worry about these things, why don¡¯t you worry about yourself?¡± Shen Miao said.


    ¡°Me?¡± Shen Yue became nervous. ¡°What should I be worried about?¡±


    ¡°Do you think your maids can still live after seeing the scene in that room?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°It seems like Second Sister is still very naive.¡± Shen Miao smiled. ¡°How long do you think a servant who knows their master¡¯s secret can live?¡±


    Huang Ying and Qing Luan, who were beside Shen Yue, immediately turned pale. They naturally knew that there were plenty of nasty things in rich families. Once they were seen by servants, the servants would only die. Only the dead could keep secrets.


    Shen Yue was shocked. Just now, she was so shocked to see what happened to Shen Qing that she forgot her maids were in danger. It was not that she was a sentimental person, but it took a lot of effort to nurture a personal maid. Of course, she was not willing to let her maids die.


    ¡°It¡¯s not just the two of them.¡± Shen Miao smiled and glanced at Yan Mei, Shui Bi, and Nanny Gui. ¡°None of them can escape.¡±


    Nanny Gui and the two maids almost fainted.


    Shen Miao turned to leave, but Shen Yue quickly stopped her. ¡°Where are you going?¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t we come to Wolong Temple to offer incense?¡± Shen Miao replied indifferently. ¡°I also have a lot of questions to ask Buddha.¡±


    With that, she left without looking back, as if whatever happened here didn¡¯t concern her in the slightest. Everything was going according to plan. She would sleep for a night, then burn incense and pray for peace.


    ¡°Wait!¡± Shen Yue suddenly said, ¡°Why aren¡¯t her two maids here?¡±


    Nanny Gui was also stunned.


    When Shen Miao met Shen Yue this morning, she asked Jingzhe and Gu Yu to go to the kitchen to get some food. They hadn¡¯t appeared until now, so they didn¡¯t know what happened to Shen Qing. Now that Shen Yue thought about it, how could it be such a coincidence? Shen Qing and Shen Yue¡¯s maids had both witnessed something ugly and couldn¡¯t escape the punishment. However, neither of Shen Miao¡¯s maids was around. She was obviously the one who sent them away on purpose.


    She already knew that this would happen today. She already knew that something would happen to Shen Qing.


    Shen Yue looked back, but Shen Miao was no longer there.


    ¡­ .


    When it was noon, the rain finally stopped.


    Xianglan searched the entire mountain but could not find a doctor. Usually, other than the occasional visitors, no one else would come here. When the monks in the temple fell ill, they would just grab some herbs and cook them. Xianglan could not find a doctor, so she could only go to the monk and ask for some calming herbs and medicine for Shen Qing.


    The room was filled with the smell of herbs and a strange smell. Even though it had been cleaned, the smell still lingered. The woman on the bed had her eyes closed, and Ren Wanyun was sitting by the window. In just a few hours, she seemed to have aged ten years.

 Chapter 92 - Returning Home (4)

    The maids in the room did not even dare to breathe loudly. After such a big thing happened, there was no guarantee if they could live to see the sun rising tomorrow morning.


    While Ren Wanyun was staring at the curtain in a daze, Shen Qing suddenly moved on the bed. She quickly called with worry, ¡°Qing?¡±


    Shen Qing opened her eyes. The moment she saw Ren Wanyun, she looked terrified and reached out to scratch Ren Wanyun¡¯s face. ¡°Let go of me. Go away! Help!¡±


    1


    ¡°QIng, I¡¯m your mother! I¡¯m your mother! Don¡¯t be afraid. I¡¯m here!¡± Ren Wanyun felt like her heart was being cut by a knife, but Shen Qing seemed to not recognize her. She just struggled with all her might and stared at the ceiling, shouting crazily.


    1


    Xianglan and Caiju quickly went forward to help hold Shen QIng down. Shen Qing seemed to have lost her mind and did not even recognize Ren Wanyun. As she struggled, the medicine that was applied to her body was all messed up. The bloody wounds came into Ren Wanyun¡¯s sight, and she immediately cried out in fright.


    ¡°Madam.¡± Xianglan and Caiju were shocked and afraid. Ren Wanyun had always been an opinionated person who could handle anything calmly. She had been through a lot over the years, but now she was pushed to this extent. The two girls who had been with Ren Wanyun for many years could not help but be shocked.


    2


    ¡°Where is Shen Miao?¡± Ren Wanyun asked aggressively.


    ¡°Fifth Miss¡­ is in the temple,¡± Cai Ju said carefully.


    ¡°Take good care of Qing. If anything happens to her, the two of you will die.¡± Ren Wanyun turned around and left in a huff.


    1


    ¡­ .


    In the temple, a huge golden Buddha statue stood tall and looked down at the believers with a benevolent expression.


    In front of the statue, Shen Miao knelt on the ground with incense in her hand, thinking about something.


    She had been kneeling here for a few hours.


    ¡°Miss, get up and take a rest.¡± Jingzhe persuaded her. ¡°Buddha must have already seen your sincerity. What you ask will definitely be answered.¡±


    What she asked would be answered? When Shen Miao heard this, the corners of her mouth curled into a bitter smile. What she asked could no longer be answered. Although she had a chance to redo the mistakes of her previous life, those who had passed away would not come back. Would her Wanyu and Fu Ming have a chance to live again as well?


    1


    They had probably long become ashes and disappeared from this world.


    Moreover, she was not a believer.


    Shen Miao looked up at the huge golden Buddha statue. It was just a cold statue, so it was impossible for it to really save all living beings. If the heavens had eyes, how could they let good people die miserably and allow the bad people to continue doing bad things?


    1


    She knelt here and kept offering incense, not to Buddha, but to the people who had died because of her.


    ¡°Shen Miao!¡± An aggressive voice suddenly barged in.


    Shen Miao smiled. She already expected Ren Wanyun to come after her.


    She rubbed her sore knees and stood up. She turned around and looked at Ren Wanyun with a smile. ¡°Second Aunt.¡±


    Seeing Shen Miao¡¯s smile, Ren Wanyun felt that it was even more ear-piercing. She quickly walked forward and raised her hand to slap Shen Miao.


    When Jingzhe and Gu Yu wanted to stop her, it was too late. However, the slapping sound they expected did not appear. Shen Miao grabbed Ren Wanyun¡¯s arm and stopped it in mid-air.


    ¡°Second Aunt, I don¡¯t know why you¡¯re so impulsive. Although you can discipline me on behalf of my father and my mother, I¡¯m afraid you need to have a good reason for doing so,¡± she said.

 Chapter 93 - Returning Home (5)

    Ren Wanyun did not expect Shen Miao to stop her slap. The girl in front of her was slender, but her arm hurt a lot when she held it. Her niece, who was originally the most obedient and easiest to coax, had actually grown taller. She could no longer look down on her like when she was young. If she was not careful, she would be schemed against by this little b*tch.


    She put down her hand unwillingly and gritted her teeth. ¡°Shen Miao, don¡¯t pretend to be stupid. You did it, right?¡±


    Now that Shen Qing was delirious, she had no way of knowing how things ended up like this. However, Ren Wanyun also knew that if she said that this had nothing to do with Shen Miao, she would never believe it. She did not know what method Shen Miao used, but if she touched Shen Qing and made her like this, she would definitely not let her off easily!


    ¡°I¡¯m very sorry that First Sister was harmed by someone, but how can Second Aunt suspect me?¡± Shen Miao smiled. ¡°After all, if I hadn¡¯t changed rooms with Eldest Sister, I would have been the one killed today. I can¡¯t do such a dangerous thing.¡±


    Then I¡¯ll be the one killed today!


    It would have been better if she didn¡¯t say that. As soon as she said that, Ren Wanyun felt her head hurt. She clenched her fists tightly, her eyes like a sinister snake. ¡°That was what you should have endured. You let Qing¡¯er be harmed in your place.¡±


    Seeing Ren Wanyun like this, Jingzhe and Gu Yu were shocked and angry. They were shocked that this Second Madam, who had always been kind, would actually fall out with them and be so cruel. They were angry that if not for Shen Miao being vigilant last night, the three of them would have suffered today. However, Ren Wanyun actually blamed them. She was simply shameless!


    ¡°Second Aunt, you can¡¯t say that. There¡¯s still Buddha.¡± Shen Miao chuckled, and her eyes seemed to be filled with a strange light. ¡°Everything in this world is decided by fate. Last night, it was not me, but Eldest Sister. Second Aunt, why do you blame me instead of the heavens?¡±


    Ren Wanyun was almost angered to death by Shen Miao. She sneered. ¡°You¡¯re quite sharp-tongued. I underestimated you in the past.¡±


    ¡°Oh, so that¡¯s how Second Aunt sees me.¡± Shen Miao smiled indifferently.


    Ren Wanyun looked at Shen Miao in front of her. The girl in plain clothes had a gentle expression, and her delicate facial features were beginning to fade. At some point, that stupid idiot, Shen Miao, had completely disappeared. The past Shen Miao was no longer in front of this person. She had been playing politics in the back mansion for so many years, and this was the first time she had fallen into the hands of a little girl, and it was at such a painful price. The more elegant Shen Miao was, the more it reminded her of Shen Qing¡¯s misery.


    ¡°Shen Miao, if you¡¯re pretending to be confused, I might as well tell you the truth.¡± Ren Wanyun suddenly smiled sarcastically. Since they had already shed all pretenses of cordiality, there was no need to pretend to be loving. She said, ¡°Do you think this matter is over? Old Madam won¡¯t let you off, and your second uncle won¡¯t either. That person¡­ won¡¯t let you off either. Your ending will definitely be tens of thousands of times worse than Qing¡¯er¡¯s. You will definitely¡­ be ridden by thousands of people and forever become a slut!¡±


    ¡°Madam, be careful with your words!¡± Jingzhe and Gu Yu said in unison. Ren Wanyun was the second madam of the Shen family. After all, Shen Gui was a member of the bureaucracy. Ren Wanyun usually looked friendly and noble, but she actually cursed such a vicious and vulgar person. It was not an exaggeration to say that she was Shen Miao¡¯s enemy. Shen Miao was still young, but her ears were already stained by these dirty words.

 Chapter 94 - Returning Home (6)

    Only then did Ren Wanyun seem to notice Jingzhe and Gu Yu. She sneered and said, ¡°You even went to the trouble of protecting two maids. I want to see how long you can protect them!¡± With that, she glanced at Shen Miao strangely, turned around, and left.


    After Ren Wanyun left, Jingzhe and Gu Yu looked at Shen Miao in panic. Gu Yu said worriedly, ¡°Miss, is it really good to fall out with her like this?¡±


    1


    ¡°We¡¯ll fall out sooner or later anyway. No matter how well we seem to get along with each other on the surface, she won¡¯t show mercy on me when I¡¯m down and out. Why should I keep putting on a show? It¡¯s useless,¡± Shen Miao said.


    She was not in the mood to play a game with Ren Wanyun. Now that Ren Wanyun had already lost her mind from anger, she would definitely take revenge crazily.


    1


    ¡°But¡­ when we return to the mansion, Old Madam will definitely side with them¡­¡± Jingzhe whispered. Old Madam Shen favored the second branch the most, not only because Shen Gui was Old Madam Shen¡¯s biological son, but also because Ren Wanyun gave birth to two sons for Shen Gui. Needless to say, the eldest son of the second branch, who had taken a post at another place, would also return to the capital at the end of the year. With two grandchildren, Old Madam Shen would definitely favor the second branch.


    Moreover, Ren Wanyun had a glib tongue. She could make everyone believe that it was Shen Miao¡¯s doing.


    ¡°So be it. I didn¡¯t expect these people to stand up for me.¡± Shen Miao smiled.


    When Gu Yu saw her smile, she felt a lump in her throat and suddenly said, ¡°If that¡¯s the case, I¡¯ll use this matter to threaten them. If anything happens to Miss, I¡¯ll tell the world about it even if I have to risk my life!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Jingzhe also looked serious. ¡°Although it is not the best idea, we definitely won¡¯t let them off easy!¡±


    Shen Miao was a little stunned. She didn¡¯t expect her maids to be so brave. After a moment of surprise, she smiled. Back then, in order to protect Shen Miao, Gu Yu admitted that she stole a jade artifact from the palace and was sentenced to death by the crown prince of the State of Qin. Jingzhe tried to rope in a powerful official for Shen Miao by using her body and was willing to be his concubine. She was beaten to death by the wife of the powerful official. The two of them were loyal to her to begin with. Unfortunately, in her previous life, she couldn¡¯t give them anything.


    In this life, she had to protect these girls no matter what.


    ¡°No need. I didn¡¯t intend to spread this news. Second Aunt won¡¯t let it spread either.¡±


    ¡°Then doesn¡¯t that mean that this matter has to be kept a secret forever? But it can¡¯t be kept secret forever. If First Miss gets married, the secret will naturally be discovered.¡± Gu Yu was a little puzzled. Unless Shen QIng stayed single all her life, once she got married, her husband would find out that she was no longer a virgin.


    ¡°Therefore, they will definitely find a way to deceive everyone. As for what they want to do to me, they will definitely ask that person for help.¡±


    ¡°That person?¡± Jingzhe asked, ¡°Who is that person?¡±


    ¡°Of course it¡¯s the person who humiliated First Sister.¡± Shen Miao chuckled. ¡°Do you really think last night was an accident?¡±


    2


    Jingzhe and Gu Yu trembled. Although they had already vaguely guessed what was going on, they did not want to believe it. They did not believe that someone would harm Shen Miao like this. This method was too vicious. They did not believe that Shen Miao would be able to predict the future, nor did they believe that it was the second branch of the Shen family who did this. Although they knew that the people in the east courtyard were up to no good, they did not expect them to be so vicious as to use such a nasty way to deal with their own family.

 Chapter 95 - Returning Home (7)

    ¡°Miss¡­ was it really Second Madam who set you up?¡± Gu Yu asked with difficulty.


    If it was just an accident, they would feel glad that Shen Miao escaped that night. However, if it was intentional, then the second branch deserved it.


    ¡°But why did Miss say that Second Madam will ask that person for help? Didn¡¯t that person¡­ just an ordinary person?¡± Jingzhe was a little puzzled. Ren Wanyun must hate that person who humiliated her daughter to the core. Why would she ask him for help?¡±


    ¡°Because that person is Prince Yu.¡±


    Jingzhe and Gu Yu gasped. They seemed to have understood everything that they didn¡¯t understand before. If that person was Prince Yu, everything would make sense. Previously, they saw that Prince Yu seemed to be interested in Shen Miao, but what kind of person was Prince Yu? Ordinary girls would avoid him when they saw him. If Prince Yu made a deal with Ren Wanyun in private, Ren Wanyun was very likely to help Prince Yu humiliate Shen Miao.


    If Ren Wanyun told Prince Yu about this, with his temperamental personality, he would definitely not let Shen Miao off.


    ¡°Miss, should I¡­ write a letter to Master now?¡± Gu Yu and Jingzhe both panicked.


    Prince Yu was too powerful for Shen Miao to deal alone. Not only did he have power, but he also had the royal family as a shield.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± Shen Miao¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°Shen Qing is just a catalyst. What I want to deal with is Prince Yu.¡±


    She turned to look at the smoke rising from the Buddhist shrine.


    Wanyu, your life was really tough. You died at a young age. You had the title of a princess, but you were worse than grass. I couldn¡¯t do anything for you. At least for now, at least in this life, I would help you get back at those who caused your death.


    In a building outside the capital, the white-robed young master played with the porcelain cup in his hand and asked curiously, ¡°In that case, that girl from the Shen family actually has a feud with Prince Yu? She used her cousin to slowly pull Prince Yu into the trap. Her methods are indeed brilliant, but as a girl, she¡¯s too ruthless.¡±


    ¡°Prince Yu?¡± The purple-robed youth opposite him smiled, his eyes as sharp as blades. He said lazily, ¡°I don¡¯t think she just wants to deal with Prince Yu.¡±


    ¡°Not Prince Yu? Then who is it?¡± The young man in white paused and looked at the person opposite him. ¡°Do you think¡­¡±


    ¡°Prince Yu is just her first target. She is eventually aiming at the royal family of Ming Qi,¡± The young man replied indifferently.


    1


    ¡­ .


    The autumn rain was cold, but after a night of autumn train, the summer heat was gone. Even the sun in the sky looked bleak.


    In the Shen family¡¯s mansion, the east courtyard was still busy. At the end of the year, it was Old Madam Shen¡¯s birthday. Old Madam Shen liked to be extravagant and had to start preparing for her birthday a few months in advance.


    Chen Ruoqiu was responsible for writing invitation letters. Although she was already in her middle age, Chen Ruoqiu still maintained her youthful figure. Perhaps it was because of her scholarly aura that she looked more beautiful than the plump Ren Wanyun. It was precisely because she was beautiful and had a gentle personality that she could charm the third master of the Shen family, Shen Wan, into a daze. After being married for many years, even though Chen Ruoqiu had no sons and only had Shen Yue as her daughter, Shen Wan did not take in any concubines other than the two concubines that Old Madam Shen thrust upon him.

 Chapter 96 - Returning Home (8)

    Among the three sons of the Shen family, they all had different personalities. Shen Xin was upright and resolute, but he was too rough and not careful enough. He valued loyalty over anything else. Shen Gui was good at pleasing people, and he was greedy and lecherous in the bureaucracy. In his family, in addition to Ren Wanyun, there were a few concubines. However, Ren Wanyun was very powerful. Although her husband had many concubines, he only had one illegitimate daughter who couldn¡¯t be a threat to Ren Wanyun at all. Third Master, Shen Wan, was more talented. Among the three sons, Shen Xin followed the old general¡¯s path of a military official, and Shen Gui and Shen Wan followed the path of a civil servant. Compared to his second brother, Shen Wan was more capable.


    However, this did not mean that Shen Wan was without flaws. He wasn¡¯t interested in beauties and only had Chen Ruoqiu as his legitimate wife, but he took power too seriously and only wanted to climb up the social ladder. For this, he even stepped on his superior.


    At this moment, Ren Wanyun was carefully writing invitations. The sun shone through the window and on her. Her facial features were as gentle as a girl¡¯s. Shen Gui was adjusting his collar when he saw her. He couldn¡¯t help but smile and walk to her side to hug her from behind.


    1


    ¡°Ah.¡± Chen Ruoqiu said with reproach, ¡°Master, what are you doing? This letter is completely wasted.¡±


    ¡°Let me see.¡± Shen Wan picked up the letter and read it. He commented, ¡°The handwriting is beautiful, just like the one who wrote it. How is it wasted?¡±


    Chen Ruoqiu blushed. When Shen Wan saw this, his heart skipped a beat.


    Even after so many years, his wife still had an attractive charm that made him unable to take a liking to other women.


    This was why Chen Ruoqiu was actually smart. She was the only one who could make her husband infatuated. She would become whatever woman Shen Wan liked. Her personality could be faked, and her clothes could be changed. As time passed, Shen Wan not only didn¡¯t get tired of her, but also he found her even more lovable.


    ¡°Second Sister-in-law should be back today.¡± Chen Ruoqiu leaned into Shen Wan¡¯s arms. ¡°I wonder if Yue is used to the food in the temple.¡±


    Shen Wan laughed. ¡°What are you worried about? Second Sister-in-law won¡¯t let Yue starve and freeze.¡± Seeing that Chen Ruoqiu still looked worried, he smiled and said, ¡°You always treat Yue like a child. Yue is already a big girl now. In a few years, she will be old enough to get married. What will you do then?¡±


    ¡°If Yue is getting married, I naturally have to choose a perfect marriage for her. She can¡¯t be like Fifth Mother¡­¡± She suddenly stopped.


    1


    That night, Old Madam Shen said to Ren Wanyun and Chen Ruoqiu that she agreed to give Shen Miao to Prince Yu to get Prince Yu to help the second and third branches of the Shen family. Later, Chen Ruoqiu told her husband about it. Shen Wan naturally agreed. He had been obsessed with power his entire life, but no matter how he climbed up, his power and reputation were not as good as Shen Xin¡¯s. He had been jealous of the first branch for many years, and he had no feelings for Shen Miao at all. If Prince Yu got Shen Miao and was happy, he would put in a good word for Shen Wan in the imperial court. As for what would happen to Shen Miao in the future, Shen Wan did not care at all.


    ¡°I wonder if Second Sister-in-law has settled this matter.¡± Shen Wan¡¯s expression became serious.


    Seeing this, Chen Ruoqiu¡¯s heart sank slightly. She knew that her husband had always placed power first. She couldn¡¯t help but feel sad for Shen Miao.


    2

 Chapter 97 - Returning Home (9)

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡± She said softly, ¡°Second Sister-in-law has always been very capable. She won¡¯t let anything go wrong.¡±


    1


    ¡°I hope so.¡± Shen Gui nodded.


    As the two of them were talking, they suddenly saw Shiqing run in with a flustered expression. ¡°Madam, Second Madam is back with the three ladies.¡±


    Seeing Shiqing¡¯s expression, Chen Ruoqiu was relieved and knew that the matter was probably settled. She smiled and looked at Shen Gui, then asked Shiqing with a concerned expression, ¡°Are the three ladies alright? Do they look tired?¡±


    ¡°No, no,¡± the poet stammered. ¡°First Miss has gone crazy.¡±


    Chen Ruoqiu suddenly stopped smiling.


    ¡­ .


    Everything was like a dream. In just a day, the Shen family was in a mess.


    Shen Qing went crazy.


    1


    Ren Wanyun usually had the aura of a manager of the house. Although she always had a smile on her face, everyone could tell how ruthless she was. The Shen family had never had any problems with her as the manager over the years. Her managing ability was also recognized by everyone.


    However, this was the first time this noble woman, who was always smiling, looked tired and crazy in front of the servants. If not for the fact that she was accompanied by maids, people would probably think that she was a crazy woman who had come out of nowhere. The girl in her arms was really crazy. She kept screaming and struggling, and the commotion even alarmed Old Madam Shen.


    First daughter of the Shen family had gone crazy, but no one knew how and why. The Shen family was very wary of this matter. Those maids who saw Shen Qing going crazy were all sold. But most likely they were buried in the middle of nowhere.


    The two girls beside Shen Qing, the two girls beside Shen Yue, and even Nanny Gui were locked up.


    As a result, Shen Miao was the only one who was unharmed.


    1


    In Rongjing Hall.


    Old Madam Shen sat on the seat, her face tense. She stared at Shen Miao, who was standing in the middle, looking like a poisonous snake.


    The one who should¡¯ve been in trouble wasn¡¯t in trouble but the one who shouldn¡¯t have been in trouble was in trouble. At the thought of this, Old Madam Shen was so angry that she felt like a rock was stuck in her chest.


    2


    Chen Ruoqiu and Shen Wan stood at the side. Shen Yue stood beside Chen Ruoqiu aggrievedly. Her two personal maids had been locked up for no reason. She had heard from Shen Miao that it would probably be very difficult to protect Huang Ying and Qing Luan.


    On the other side, Ren Wanyun was kneeling in front of Old Madam Shen. Shen Wan had something on in the imperial court today and had not returned to the mansion yet. The servant who was sent to ask him to come back had not returned yet, so he naturally did not know that something had happened to his daughter.


    ¡°Old Madam, you have to help Qing.¡± Ren Wanyun was crying so hard that even Shen Wan was a little surprised because Ren Wanyun had always been arrogant and proud.


    Ren Wanyun always abused her power as the manager of the house. Now that her daughter was in trouble, she was still lying on the ground like a dog. Seeing that, Chen Ruoqiu felt delighted.


    ¡°Shen Miao, I treat you like my own daughter. Qing also treats you very well. You two are sisters of the same bloodline. How can you be so vicious? Do you know that Qing¡¯s life has been ruined by you? You are so heartless!¡±


    Shen Yue told Chen Ruoqiu and Shen Wan about Shen Qing being humiliated by someone. All the servants were asked to leave, so Chen Ruoqiu was not afraid of being heard.


    Just as Shen Miao was about to speak, she suddenly heard an angry shout from behind her. ¡°Evil girl, you harmed your sister. Your heart is like a snake and scorpion. You deserve to be sent to jail. You deserve to die!¡±


    Shen Miao smiled coldly and turned around to face the man who was striding over.


    Her second uncle, Shen Qing¡¯s father, Shen Gui.

 Chapter 98 - Unharmed (1)

    Shen Gui, who was still wearing his official uniform, strode into the hall. He must have rushed over after hearing the news about Shen Qing.


    Seeing this, Ren Wanyun immediately cried even more miserably. ¡°Master¡­ Qing¡­¡±


    The relationship between Ren Wanyun and Shen Gui was not that deep. Otherwise, Shen Gui would not have brought concubines into the house one by one. Even so, Shen Gui and Ren Wanyun still treated each other respectfully. For no other reason than the fact that Ren Wanyun could manage the entire Shen family well and was on good terms with the wives of his fellow officials, Shen Gui was quite satisfied with Ren Wanyun as a wife.


    ¡°Shen Miao!¡± Shen Gui turned his head and glared at the girl in the hall. He knew the reason why Ren Wanyun brought the three daughters of the Shen family to the Wolong Temple this time. Unexpectedly, the one who was humiliated was his daughter, Shen Qing. The servant who came to pass the message secretly told him that it was all Shen Miao¡¯s fault. Although he found it unbelievable, he still had to take his anger out on someone. Since he could not take his anger out on the second branch, he would push all the blame to the first branch.


    ¡°You harmed your sisters and are vicious. Today, since my brother is not around, I¡¯ll teach you a lesson on his behalf!¡± As he spoke, he shouted, ¡°Bring the whip!¡±


    The servant quickly brought over a long wooden box. Shen Yue was still looking at it curiously, but when she saw the box open and the things inside were revealed, she couldn¡¯t help but gasp.


    It was a long whip that had been soaked in something for many years. It looked black and shiny, and it was half the thickness of an adult man¡¯s wrist. At a glance, one could tell how strong it was. If one was hit by the whip, they would probably be half dead.


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Old Madam Shen sat even straighter when she saw her son return. When she saw that her granddaughter was in trouble, she was angry. Since Shen Gui had spoken, she naturally had to go with the flow.


    ¡°Fifth Miss made a mistake, so it is only right for you to teach her a lesson on behalf of your elder brother. Our Shen family has always relied on rules. If she makes a mistake, we have to punish her. Fifth Miss, you should be glad that your second uncle is kind-hearted and loves you. Otherwise, it won¡¯t be as simple as just punishing you. You will be expelled from the Shen family for good.¡± At this point, her gaze suddenly changed. That¡¯s right. If she expelled Shen Miao from the Shen family, wouldn¡¯t that be even better?


    Seeing Old Madam Shen¡¯s expression, Chen Ruoqiu cursed in her heart. If Shen Miao was expelled from the Shen family, with Shen Xin¡¯s personality, he would definitely leave with her daughter. Although they couldn¡¯t bear to see the first branch doing well, they still had to rely on the first branch for many things. This old woman was really naive and stupid.


    Ren Wanyun was stunned when she heard that. She probably guessed what Old Madam Shen was thinking. She didn¡¯t want Shen Miao to be expelled from the Shen family, not because of anything else, but because she couldn¡¯t let Shen Miao off so easily. Now, she wanted to keep Shen Miao in the Shen family. Only then could she have more ways to take revenge on her. Expelling her from the family? The punishment wouldn¡¯t be that simple.


    While everyone was thinking, they heard Shen Miao sigh softly and turn to look at Shen Gui.

 Chapter 99 - Unharmed (2)

    Shen Gui was shocked by her strange actions and glared at her. If an ordinary person was glared at by him like that, they would be terrified.


    However, Shen Miao did not back off at all. Her expression was calm, making Shen Gui feel that he was the one being looked down at.


    Shen Miao said, ¡°Second Uncle is indeed kind-hearted. When First Sister was sick in bed, Second Uncle was in no hurry to check on her condition. Instead, you rushed over to help my father teach me a lesson. I guess Second Uncle loves me more than his daughter.¡±


    As soon as she said that, everyone in the room fell silent.


    A trace of sarcasm flashed across Chen Ruoqiu¡¯s eyes, and Shen Wan frowned. Old Madam Shen¡¯s expression changed, and Shen Yue opened her mouth. Ren Wanyun lowered her head and secretly clenched her fists.


    Although Shen Xin wasn¡¯t there with his daughter all year round, he still truly loved her. Shen Wanzhen loved Chen Ruoqiu, and he also loved Shen Yue like a treasure. However, Shen Gui¡­


    Shen Gui was a greedy and lecherous person to begin with. He never fulfilled his responsibility as a father. He treated his two sons better, but he did not care about his daughter, Shen Qing. In Shen Gui¡¯s eyes, it was probably best for Shen Qing to marry into a rich family in the future. The reason why Shen Gui was so angry this time was probably not because he was sad about his daughter¡¯s tragic fate, but because his plan was ruined. He was afraid that Prince Yu would be angry when he found out, and he was also angry that his daughter couldn¡¯t marry well anymore and bring him benefits.


    It was always about benefits.


    If a father who truly loved his daughter knew about this, he would definitely go back to see her first. How could he come back just to ¡°discipline¡±. Suddenly, Shen Qing became the one people felt sorry about.


    An awkward expression flashed across Shen Gui¡¯s face. He couldn¡¯t help but feel a little embarrassed. He looked at Ren Wanyun again. As expected, she had already turned her head away from him. Shen Gui was a little surprised. When he looked at Shen Miao again, his gaze was deep. Shen Miao¡¯s words were sharp, making the couple fall out with each other. Shen Qing was Ren Wanyun¡¯s life, but she was just a tool to Shen Gui. This revelation made the husband and wife, who were originally on the same side, unhappy with each other. Shen Miao¡¯s method was clearly like that of an experienced official in the bureaucracy.


    The girl in front of him had a delicate face and looked extremely obedient. However, for some reason, she seemed so magistic that people found her too dazzling to look at.


    1


    Suppressing the surprise in his heart, Shen Gui said angrily, ¡°Shen Miao, you still don¡¯t admit your mistake. In that case, if I don¡¯t teach you well today, I¡¯ll be ashamed to be your uncle.¡± He reached out to take the whip.


    Shen Yue stared at Shen Gui. She was both gloating and nervous. Would Shen Gui really whip Shen Miao?


    ¡°Second Uncle, how do you want to teach me? Kill me with this whip?¡± Shen Miao suddenly asked.


    Shen Gui was stunned.


    Shen Wan was also stunned. She probably didn¡¯t expect Shen Miao to be so vicious. Although Shen Miao had changed over the past few days, everyone had always felt that she was just pretending to be tough. But now, in front of the entire Shen family, she didn¡¯t even want to pretend and didn¡¯t care about falling out with everyone at all.


    ¡°You wicked girl, what are you talking about!¡± Old Madam Shen was the first to shout angrily, ¡°Are you going to say that your second uncle wants to murder you? This is outrageous!¡±

 Chapter 100 - Unharmed (3)

    ¡°That¡¯s right, Shen Miao. How can you say that?¡± Chen Ruoqiu finally spoke, but she still calmly fanned the flame. ¡°You harmed Qing, so how can you blame your uncle? Who told you to do that?¡±


    Chen Ruoqiu thought that if both Shen Miao and the second branch suffered losses, then Shen Yue would have more edges in the Shen family. After all, among the three brothers, Shen Wan was the weakest. If she did not use some tricks, she would eventually end up with nothing.


    Ren Wanyun cried and kowtowed to Old Madam Shen. ¡°Look at how much Shen Miao hates us. She harmed Qing, but she still doesn¡¯t admit it. She even wants to tarnish her uncle¡¯s reputation. She¡¯s too haughty and disregards us because her father is a general. Could it be that she was taught to do this by his father? How can a little girl like her know so many vicious methods? Someone must have taught her to do this. How can Shen Xin do this to us¡­¡±


    2


    Ren Wanyun was crying very loudly, putting herself in a weak position. The more unyielding she was usually, the more weak she looked at this moment, and the more believable her words seemed.


    Unfortunately, she made a mistake in involving Shen Xin.


    Shen Miao would never allow anyone to harm her father.


    She glanced at the people of Rongjing Hall. They were eyeing her covetously. They were a family. They could turn black into white and dead into alive. Surrounded by them, she was like a piece of fat meat that landed in the mouth of a hungry wolf.


    However, what could they do with their glib tongues? There were so many women in the harem who could have a glib tongue. How many of them lived and how many of them became fertilizer for the trees in the royal garden?


    ¡°Second Aunt keeps saying that I harmed First Sister. Then, can I ask you a few questions?¡±


    Ren Wanyun was stunned. When she met Shen Miao¡¯s clear eyes, for some reason, she felt a little guilty. However, when she saw the people around her, she was relieved. Everyone here was on her side. What ability did Shen Miao have to turn the tables?


    ¡°Ask away.¡± She wiped her tears.


    ¡°Alright.¡± Shen Miao smiled. ¡°Let me ask you. That day, Second Aunt lived next to First Sister and was very close to her. If something happened, how could Second Aunt not hear it?¡±


    Ren Wanyun was stunned.


    ¡°If FIrst Sister resisted, she would definitely make a sound. That day, First Sister was covered in wounds, so it was obvious that she had struggled and cried for help. Second Aunt was so close, so why didn¡¯t you hear it? Could it be that you heard it but didn¡¯t come out to help because you were too tired?¡±


    ¡°You¡­¡± Ren Wanyun was about to retort when her palms broke out in cold sweat.


    ¡°Of course, maybe Second Aunt didn¡¯t hear anything at all. Why? Because First Sister didn¡¯t call for help at all. Why didn¡¯t First Sister call for help? Maybe she knew that person.¡±


    ¡°Nonsense!¡± At this moment, Ren Wanyun could not help but interrupt Shen Miao sharply.


    Chen Ruoqiu and Ren Wanyun almost immediately understood what Shen Miao meant. They looked at Shen Miao with fear in their eyes.


    Shen Miao¡¯s words were terrifying. That day, the room where Ren Wanyun stayed was so close to the one Shen Qing stayed in. If Shen Qing called for help, how could her mother not hear it? If she heard it, why didn¡¯t she go and take a look? Could it be that Ren Wanyun did it on purpose? Ren Wanyun naturally wouldn¡¯t deliberately harm her daughter, but at that time, it should have been Shen Miao who lived there. Ren Wanyun had no reason to harm her biological daughter, but it wasn¡¯t impossible for her to harm her niece.

 Chapter 101 - Unharmed (4)

    The other possibility that she thought of was that Shen Qing didn¡¯t call for help at all. Then why? Did she do it on purpose? Why did she do it on purpose? If it was found out, she would be accused of adultery.


    It was especially difficult for women who were accused to survive in this world. Once rumors started, it would be very difficult to put them out.


    Shen Miao smiled. ¡°Second Aunt, I think a lot of things are dubious about this matter. Why don¡¯t you send me to the government to interrogate me openly? I will definitely tell them everything I know and let them decide. Maybe that way, we¡¯ll find out who is behind it all.¡±


    ¡°No!¡± Ren Wanyun and Shen Gui said in unison.


    Ren Wanyun said no because if this matter was made public, Shen Qing¡¯s innocence would be ruined. If those rumors spread, she would probably kill herself.


    Shen Gui said no, but his thoughts were completely different from Ren Wanyun¡¯s. He was afraid that this matter would implicate Prince Yu. Prince Yu would definitely be furious when he found out that he slept with Shen Qing instead of Shen Miao. If Prince Yu was implicated in this matter, Shen Gui was afraid that his career would be very difficult.


    Therefore, the angry couple stopped Shen Miao in unison.


    ¡°Then what else do you want me to do?¡± Shen Miao glanced at the thick whip in Shen Gui¡¯s hand and asked casually, ¡°Do you still want to punish me?¡±


    The people in the room were silent for a moment. Shen Yue stared at Shen Miao in disbelief.


    Even Shen Yue could tell that Shen Miao was threatening them!


    As if to make her attitude more clear, Shen Miao smiled and said, ¡°Second Uncle, there¡¯s nothing I can do if you want to punish me. However, I¡¯ve always been a stubborn person. When my father comes back, I¡¯ll definitely think of a way to sue you in the court.¡±


    What she meant was that if Shen Gui hit her today, when Shen Xin returned in the future, she would definitely complain about it.


    ¡°Second Uncle, if you want to use that whip, please do it quickly.¡± Shen Miao¡¯s clear eyes seemed to be smiling, and her words were filled with mockery. ¡°After all, there are so many people here. I can¡¯t escape.¡±


    She made the people of Rongjing Hall sound like bandits who were going to lynch her.


    Shen Gui did not expect that he would end up being threatened by his niece today. It was not that he could not think of a way to deal with her, but Shen Miao did not give him a chance to react at all from the beginning to the end. She had been talking all the time.


    A trace of surprise flashed across Shen Wan¡¯s eyes. His second brother was an old fox in the imperial court. Even his political enemies had never made him so miserable. And the person who forced him to this state was only a 14-year-old girl. Was the first branch¡­ really so indestructible? Shen Wan¡¯s eyes darkened.

 Chapter 102 - Unharmed (5)

    ¡°You¡­¡± Shen Gui¡¯s face turned red. In his heart, Shen Miao was still that timid and gullible niece. Even if she was beaten up, she wouldn¡¯t dare to tell anyone about what happened today. Unexpectedly, Shen Miao suddenly became so rebellious. Not only did she not submit, but she also made him feel embarrassed.


    If not for the fact that he was afraid of Shen Xin, Shen Gui really wanted to kill Shen Miao now.


    Seeing that her son was forced into such a situation, Old Madam Shen, who had been sitting in the hall silently, looked at Shen Miao with a trace of anger in her eyes. Then, she suppressed it and said in a low voice, ¡°Enough!¡±


    There was another silence in the hall. Shen Gui heaved a sigh of relief, and everyone looked at Old Madam Shen.


    1


    Although Old Madam Shen knew nothing about the imperial court and the outside world, she was an expert in fighting internal strife. Shen Miao¡¯s sharp response to Shen Gui impressed Old Madam Shen. However, the smarter Shen Miao was, the angier Old Madam Shen was. Because Shen Miao could threaten Shen Gui with Shen Qing¡¯s reputation, Old Madam Shen didn¡¯t dare to act rashly for the time being.


    She said coldly, ¡°Miao, your second uncle is right. However, forget about whipping because you are still too young. From today onwards, you will be grounded. Every day, you will kneel in the ancestral hall and copy Buddhist scriptures. When Shen Qing recovers, you can come out.¡±


    She actually wanted to lock Shen Miao up forever.


    When Shen Yue heard that, she was a little disappointed. She wanted to see Shen Miao being beaten up by the whip and unable to get out of bed, or being expelled from the family. Who knew that the punishment would turn out to be just confinement? When Shen Xin returned in a few months, Shen Miao¡¯s confinement would naturally be lifted. At that time, everything would be the same as before.


    1


    Ren Wanyun was also a little unhappy, but what Shen Miao said just now shocked her so much that she did not dare to act rashly. At this moment, her mind was in a mess, and she could not think of a better way. Although she was a little unhappy with Old Madam Shen¡¯s idea, she knew that this was a temporary solution, so she held back and did not say anything.


    Shen Miao didn¡¯t refute.


    ¡°Alright, alright.¡± Old Madam Shen was also quite impatient. Today, she did not manage to get rid of Shen Miao, which made her feel like there was a heaviness on her chest. Looking at Ren Wanyun¡¯s crying face, she was even more annoyed. She said, ¡°Shen Gui, bring your wife out. Rongjing Hall is not a place for her to cry! All of you, get out! Miao, go to the ancestral hall. Don¡¯t eat today!¡±


    Everyone took their leave one after another. Shen Miao did not dwell on this matter. After leaving Rongjing Hall, she walked towards the west courtyard.


    However, she did not know that everyone¡¯s eyes were on her.


    Shen Wan said in a low voice, ¡°Fifth Miss has really grown up.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Chen Ruoqiu smiled. ¡°Fifth Miss really broadened my horizons this time.¡±


    ¡°Mother¡­¡± Shen Yue said softly,¡± Fifth Sister is a little scary. ¡°The calm expression on her face made Shen Qing feel a little afraid. She didn¡¯t know that her cousin, who had always been a coward, was so capable.

 Chapter 103 - Unharmed (6)

    ¡°Yue, what are you afraid of?¡± Shen Wan rubbed Shen Yue¡¯s head. With a gentle expression, she said sinisterly, ¡°She¡¯s just a little girl and knows nothing. She will pay the price sooner or later.¡±


    1


    ¡­


    Just like Old Madam Shen had ordered, Shen Miao entered the Shen family¡¯s ancestral hall.


    2


    The Shen family was a military family, and the ancestral hall was dedicated to generations of ancestors. These ancestors had built such a prosperous family on horseback. Unfortunately, in this generation, the Shen family was not far from declining.


    Old General Shen¡¯s generation was actually very prosperous in the beginning. Unfortunately, in a war, several brothers of the Shen family died, and only Old General Shen escaped alive. Old General Shen had three sons, but only one of them was a general. Now, the Shen family still maintained its original glory on the surface, but apart from the mighty general, Shen Xin, it was a family of civil servants. It was ironic.


    1


    ¡°Miss, are you numb from kneeling?¡± Gu Yu asked.


    Jingzhe and Gu Yu also followed her into the ancestral hall. Shen Miao was worried that Ren Wanyun would do something to them behind her back. Although she had deliberately sent Jingzhe and Gu Yu away at the Wolong Temple so that the two of them could escape the fate of being killed, the Shen family was huge, and they each had their own ulterior motives. It was better to keep them by her side.


    ¡°It¡¯s really humid here.¡± Jingzhe looked at the small window and complained, ¡°It¡¯s raining now, and the ground is wet. What should we do if Miss gets sick from kneeling? Besides, what does this have to do with Miss? When Master comes back, let¡¯s see if they still dare to¡­¡±


    1


    ¡°Shut up,¡± Gu Yu reprimanded. ¡°Someone might be eavesdropping.¡±


    Shen Miao smiled and didn¡¯t mind.


    Jingzhe thought for a moment and said, ¡°But the result was really unexpected. Although it was terrible to kneel in the ancestral hall, it was much better than what I thought.¡±


    Before entering Rongjing Hall, Shen Miao did not bring her girls in. Therefore, the maids did not know what happened inside.


    Gu Yu said in admiration, ¡°Miss is more and more like Master, not afraid when she is outnumbered.¡±


    Shen Miao laughed in her heart. It was just a small Shen family, just some clowns. When Fu Xiuyi wanted to replace the crown prince, the officials were all on the side of Consort Mei and Fu Sheng. At that time, Fu Ming was placed under house arrest. Shen Miao wore the empress¡¯s court dress and argued with the officials in the throne room. Every word she uttered was right to the point, making the officials unable to retort.


    Despite being the most noble woman in the world and marrying the most noble man, she still could not even protect her son. There was no one standing beside her, and she could not retreat because there was someone to protect.


    It was precisely because she did not manage to protect people she loved in her previous life that she used more vicious methods this time. Cruel? Heartless? Hypocritical? Cunning? None of that meant anything to her now. As long as the tip of the knife was aimed at the enemy and the person who fell was the opponent, it was fine if the process was cruel. She would commit the sins and bear the sins alone.


    She closed her eyes. The memorial tablet of her ancestor was in front of her. Shen Miao muttered softly, ¡°Ancestors who fought on horseback, if your heroic spirit is still lingering, please give me the sharpest arrow and the fastest horse. Please bless me to kill my enemy with my own hands.¡±

 Chapter 104 - : Unharmed (7)

    After saying that, Shen Miao opened her eyes and saw Jingzhe blinking at her. She took out a bag of snacks and smiled. ¡°Miss, you¡¯ve been hungry for so long. You have to eat something. I still have some snacks. It¡¯s very filling.¡±


    Shen Miao wouldn¡¯t really fast just because Old Madam Shen gave the order. She took the paper bag and opened it. She was stunned. ¡°This is¡­¡±


    ¡°I found this in Miss¡¯s room at the Wolong Temple.¡± Jingzhe scratched her head and said embarrassedly, ¡°At that time, Miss gave me some snacks. I¡¯ve never eaten such a delicious snack, so I wanted to bring it back to nip it slowly. After I returned to the mansion, I went to the ancestral hall with Miss. I didn¡¯t have time to get food from outside, so this is all I have left.¡±


    Shen Miao looked at the exquisite and small pastries. It was left behind by Xie Jingxing when he talked to her at night. Thinking of this, she felt like she could see the young man¡¯s handsome face and his mysterious identity in the rain.


    Xie Jingxing¡­ Shen Miao pondered. What kind of person was he?


    ¡­


    In Rosy Cloud Garden.


    As soon as the doctor left, Shen Qing, who had drunk the calming medicine, fell asleep.


    Even though she had seen it several times, every time she saw the wounds on Shen Qing¡¯s body, Ren Wanyun couldn¡¯t help but feel like her heart was being stabbed. The doctor was on their side, so he naturally wouldn¡¯t tell anyone. He also told Ren Wanyun clearly that Shen Qing¡¯s injuries were too serious and she was no longer conscious. She probably needed to rest for a few days. As for why she wasn¡¯t conscious. It was because she was frightened.


    Ren Wanyun did not dare to imagine what kind of torture Shen Qing had suffered last night. She lived next door to Shen Qing and even heard Shen Qing calling for help. However, she thought that it was Shen Miao who was crying for mercy, so she let her daughter be raped. At the thought of this, Ren Wanyun felt so much regret.


    1


    Shen Gui glanced at Shen Qing on the bed and seemed to have a headache coming on. She turned to leave.


    ¡°Stop!¡± Ren Wanyun stopped him. ¡°Qing is already in such a state. Do you still want to see those whores?¡±


    Shen Gui was lecherous. There were a few concubines in the house, and all of them were beautiful and sexy. Ren Wanyun was powerful and managed to tame these concubines. In addition, although Shen Gui was lecherous, he knew that only Ren Wanyun could make his official career smoother and he never did anything too outrageous. Therefore, Ren Wanyun could not be bothered with him usually. Men were all the same. Concubines were just toys. There was no need for her to be angry with toys.


    But today, she was a little abnormal.


    ¡°Can you not be so unreasonable?¡± Shen Gui was a little annoyed. Today, he was rendered speechless by his niece. He did not know what Prince Yu would do when he found out the truth and whether he would vent his anger on him. At the thought of this, Shen Gui was extremely frustrated. At this moment, when he saw Shen Qing, he was more frustrated. His tone was a little impatient. ¡°It¡¯s useless for me to stay here. Why don¡¯t you let me leave so I can think about what to do next?¡±


    ¡°Think, think, think!¡± Ren Wanyun lost her usual composure and screamed, ¡°You only know how to think! What exactly is Qing to you? Now that she¡¯s become like this, as her father, you don¡¯t care about her at all! In your heart. Do you even take her as your daughter? How can there be a father as vicious as you in the world?!¡±


    As soon as she said that, even Ren Wanyun¡¯s two maids, Xianglan and Caiju, were stunned. Usually, Ren Wanyun was calm and collected. Even if something happened to Shen Qing at the Wolong Temple, she could still maintain her composure and look at the bigger picture. As for Shen Gui, she had never said anything harsh to him. Today, a rational and tactful person like Ren Wanyun actually quarreled with Shen Gui like a shrew. It was really unbelievable.

 Chapter 105 - Unharmed (8)

    Ren Wanyun did not know why she was so agitated. Seeing Shen Gui like this, the words Shen Miao said in Rongjing Hall echoed in her ears.


    When Shen Gui found out that something had happened to Shen Qing, the first thing he thought of was not to check on Shen Qing¡¯s injuries, but to discipline Shen Miao. This was definitely not something a real father would do. Shen Gui did not care about his daughter¡¯s life at all. Perhaps to Shen Gui, Shen Qing was just a valuable object. In the past, he was willing to raise her because she was valuable. Now that she was worthless, he was unwilling to even look at her.


    The effect of Shen Miao¡¯s instigation was very low in Rongjing Hall, but it finally took effect.


    ¡°You shrew!¡± Shen Gui was often flattered in the bureaucracy, and he had never been pointed at and scolded. However, although he was angry, he knew that he could not completely fall out with Ren Wanyun, so he sneered and said, ¡°You said that I¡¯m not a good father, but have you ever been a good mother? You brought QIng to the Wolong Temple, and she should be taken care of by you. You were by her side, but you let her get into trouble under your nose. Didn¡¯t you stay next door to her that night? If you really loved her, how could you not notice that something happened to her?¡±


    As soon as he said that, Ren Wanyun was immediately stunned.


    What she regretted and hated the most was last night in the north pavilion. She clearly heard a cry for help and had a chance to save her daughter, but she chose to do nothing. Now, Shen Gui was poking a knife into her heart and rubbing salt into her wound, making her stand rooted to the ground.


    1


    Seeing that she was silent, Shen Gui snorted and turned to leave, going to visit God knew which concubine.


    Ren Wanyun stood there in a daze for a moment. Suddenly, her legs went weak and she fell to the ground. She covered her face and cried softly.


    Xianglan and Caiju were both afraid and shocked. They had never seen their madam like this. Now, Ren Wanyun looked like she had lost everything overnight.


    After crying for a long time, Ren Wanyun wiped her eyes and stood up again. She said, ¡°Bring me a pen and paper. I want to write a letter to Yuan.¡±


    1


    Shen Yuan was the eldest son of the second branch. He was taking a post in Liuzhou and would return to the capital to become an official once his term was up.


    Among the three branches, Shen Yue was someone to be most proud of. In the second branch, Shen Yuanbai was young, and Shen Qing was not talented. However, Shen Yuan was blessed by the heavens. He took the scholarly examination at a young age and did things well. WIth his son around, Shen Gui would even visit his concubines less.


    ¡°Even if I can¡¯t rely on your father, I still have your brother.¡± Ren Wanyun glanced at Shen Qing, who was sleeping on the bed, and gritted her teeth. ¡°Yuan dotes on you the most. This time, I will make Shen Miao regret what she did for the rest of her life!¡±


    Xianglan quickly ran to get a pen and paper. Ren Wanyun took a deep breath and said to Cai Ju, ¡°Are those girls still alive?¡±


    ¡°The four maids and Nanny Gui are all in the woodshed. Madam, do you want us to¡­¡±


    These maids were naturally the ones who saw what happened to Shen Qing. There were Shen Qing¡¯s maids, Yan Mei, Shui Bi, Shen Yue¡¯s maids, Qing Luan, Huang Ying, and Nanny Gui.


    ¡°Make Shen Yue¡¯s maids unable to speak and give them back to Shen Yue. As for Qing¡¯s maids¡­¡± Ren Wanyun said fiercely,¡± Sell them to a brothel. I won¡¯t let them die so easily. If they fail to protect their Miss, they surely have to be severely punished.


    2

 Chapter 106 - Unharmed (9)

    ¡°I understand. Then Nanny Gui¡­¡± Caiju asked tentatively. Nanny Gui had been working for them, so she was considered a member of the Rosy Cloud Garden.


    ¡°Nanny Gui¡­¡± Ren Wanyun lowered her head and sneered.¡± I don¡¯t know what happened that night. Now that I think about it, I have to talk to Nanny Gui. After all, she is the one who knows everything.¡±


    ¡­ .


    The abandoned woodshed was filled with a rotten smell. Because it had rained for several days in a row, the ground was even covered in green moss.


    Countless people had been locked up in this woodshed in the past. Those people were all people who had made mistakes in the Shen family. The fate of these people was not good. The common thing was that after being locked up here for a while, they would quietly disappear from the Shen family, as if they had never existed in this world.


    At this moment, there were some strange sounds coming from the woodshed. It seemed like someone was struggling hard, and their feet kicked something as well as some muffled sounds.


    The lantern was casually placed to the side, illuminating the woodshed. Under the dim light, the woodshed looked even more sinister. Two tall women were holding the necks of two maids and pouring drugs into their mouths.


    The two maids kept struggling, but unfortunately, their thin figures were like chickens in the hands of the old woman. THey were unable to spit out the drug in their mouths. After a while, the two maids finally stopped struggling and held their necks in pain.


    ¡°Drag them out,¡± the old woman ordered the servants behind her. Two servants came in and dragged the two girls out.


    ¡°These two¡­¡± The old woman pointed at the other two maids.¡± Take them out too. They will be sold to a brothel. If you don¡¯t mind, you can enjoy them first.¡±


    When the two servants heard this, they looked at the two maids with lusts in their eyes. However, on the face of the two maids, there was only despair..


    After doing what they were told to do, the two women stood up and walked out.


    ¡°Madam, did Madam say what to do with me?¡± A figure suddenly pounced out from the dark corner and hugged one of the women¡¯s legs. ¡°What to do with me?¡±


    It was none other than Nanny Gui.


    ¡°Nanny, don¡¯t be anxious.¡± The old woman shook Nanny Gui¡¯s hand from her leg and said in a strange tone, ¡°Madam must have made plans especially for you since she values you so much. Just wait patiently.¡±


    With that, they left without looking back.


    The room fell into darkness again. Nanny Gui huddled in the corner, looking extremely afraid.


    No one wanted to die. She wanted to live.

 Chapter 107 - The Death of Nanny Gui (1)

    In the gloomy woodshed, the sound of rats crawling past occasionally could be heard, as if they were chewing on firewood. Coupled with the quietness of the night, it made people feel terrified.


    Nanny Gui cowered in the corner alone. All these years, although she was only a nanny, because she was close to Shen Miao, the second and third branches were willing to treat her with respect. Sometimes, Nanny Gui¡¯s life was even more comfortable than those rich families among the commoners. It was easy to go from frugal to extravagant, but it was difficult to go from extravagant to frugal. She was not used to a hard life, let alone being locked up in the woodshed together with those low-grade maids.


    The thin clothes could not withstand the cold at night, but her heart was colder than her body. Shen Yue¡¯s maids had been drugged and couldn¡¯t speak anymore, and no one knew if they could survive. Shen Qing¡¯s maids were sold to a ninth-grade brothel. Ren Wanyun¡¯s methods were so ruthless that Nanny Gui could not help but worry about her fate.


    Nanny Gui did not think that Ren Wanyun would let her off easily, because not only did she witness Shen Qing¡¯s scandal, but she also played an important role in this matter. Shen Miao was supposed to be the one who was harmed, but in the end, Shen Qing was ruined. How could a person like Ren Wanyun let her off easily?


    1


    Tap, tap, tap. As she was thinking, the sound of someone¡¯s footsteps suddenly came from outside, sounding especially clear in the night.


    Nanny Gui froze. In the dark, she looked at the door in fear.


    There was both hope and despair. Who was behind the door? Was it someone sent by Ren Wanyun to kill her? Or did she still have a chance of survival?


    The footsteps were neither fast nor slow, but they hit Nanny Gui¡¯s heart like a death warrant. Her fat body was so weak that she couldn¡¯t stand up, and sweat kept breaking out on her forehead.


    The door creaked open.


    The person was holding a green lantern. The color of the lantern was already a little strange, but here, it was like a ghost that drifted out of hell in the middle of the night to haunt people. Nanny Gui looked up shakily and saw a person in a white cloak standing at the door. She walked in and slowly closed the door.


    Only the green lantern in the room emitted a ghostly light. The person finally let go of the cloak, revealing a delicate and fair face. It was Shen Miao.


    The girl had a slender figure, and her round and gentle facial features actually looked a little strange under the green light. It was precisely because she looked calm that people did not dare to look at her directly.


    Nanny Gui was stunned for a moment before suddenly shouting in surprise, ¡°Miss!¡±


    Shen Miao placed the lantern on the ground and walked up to Nanny Gui. She squatted down and smiled. ¡°Nanny, are you alright?¡±


    ¡°Miss, you¡¯re finally here! I knew Miss would definitely come to save me! Miss has always been kind-hearted and will definitely not sit back and do nothing!¡± As if she had found a straw to clutch at, Nanny Gui grabbed the corner of Shen Miao¡¯s dress desperately. Tears flowed down her face, as if she had really suffered a lot.


    Shen Miao glanced at Nanny Gui¡¯s hand that was holding the corner of her dress tightly. She smiled and said, ¡°It seems like Nanny Gui has suffered a lot here.¡±


    Nanny Gui was stunned for a moment before she carefully sized up Shen Miao¡¯s expression. Shen Miao had a gentle smile and looked calm, but hearing what she said, Shen Miao was not affected at all. Nanny Gui was shocked to find that she, who had been with her for many years, could not tell what Shen Miao was thinking at all. She said, ¡°I¡¯ve served Miss all my life and am loyal to Miss. Miss, I¡¯m innocent.¡±

 Chapter 108 - The Death of Nanny Gui (2)

    ¡°Nanny Gui, it seems like you really see me as a hope.¡± Shen Miao said worriedly, ¡°But how should I save you? In this mansion, is there anyone who will listen to me? What ability do I have to defy the orders of the people of the east courtyard?¡±


    ¡°No, Miss will definitely have a way.¡± Nanny Gui was anxious when she heard that. Although she knew that what Shen Miao said made sense, in the entire Shen family, the second and third branches were just friends on the surface. Shen Xin and his wife were not in the capital all year round, so it was impossible for Shen Miao to be of any use alone. However, everyone had a desire to live. The only person Nanny Gui could hold on to now was Shen Miao, and she was unwilling to give up. She said, ¡°Miss, you can beg Old Madam. If you really can¡¯t, you can write a letter to your father and ask him to write a letter to the mansion. They won¡¯t disobey your father.¡±


    1


    As if feeling that she had found an excellent solution, Nanny Gui¡¯s eyes lit up and she looked at Shen Miao hopefully.


    Shen Miao chuckled and shook her head. She looked at her and said slowly, ¡°Father can indeed save you, but why should he?¡±


    Nanny Gui was stunned.


    ¡°Why should he go out of his way to save a servant?¡± Her voice seemed to be filled with sarcasm. Under the dim light, she did not seem to care about the person in front of her at all.


    Nanny Gui panicked. She did not expect Shen Miao to say that. She had watched Shen Miao grow up. A few days ago, Shen Miao was cold to her because she was throwing a tantrum. Nanny Gui knew that Shen Miao was soft-hearted, and that day at the Wolong Temple, they even had a friendly conversation. It was obvious that Shen Miao still valued her. Why did she change her mind now?


    1


    Could it be that someone said something to Shen Miao? Nanny Gui thought to herself that it must be Gu Yu and Jingzhe. They had always liked to go against her. Now that she was in confinement, those two girls must have said something to Shen Miao.


    She said in a panic, ¡°Miss, I¡¯ve been with you for so long. From the moment you were born, I watched you grow up. For so many years, your parents are often not around, so we relied on each other¡­¡± At this point, she even choked, as if she was extremely sad.¡± You also told me last time that you remembered when you had a fever at night, I went out in the rain to find a doctor for you¡­ and because of that, I fell ill¡­¡±


    As Nanny Gui spoke, she glanced at Shen Miao. The first branch of the Shen family, be it Shen Xin, his wife, or Shen Qiu and his sister, all valued friendship. Perhaps this was the inheritance of a military family. Now, Nanny Gui was also hoping to use friendship to make Shen Miao sentimental.


    However, in the light, the girl lowered her head and smiled. She did not look moved at all. She said softly, ¡°Nanny Gui, you did treat me well in the beginning. Then, how did my family treat you?¡±


    Nanny Gui hesitated for a moment before saying, ¡°Madam and Master treat me very well, and Miss also treats me very well. The monthly salary is very generous. and I¡¯ve never been scolded¡­¡±


    ¡°Not only that.¡± Shen Miao continued, ¡°I¡¯ve helped your son and grandson wherever I could. I¡¯ve never treated you as my nanny, but as my family. I trust you and am close to you. Don¡¯t you think so?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Nanny Gui said. Indeed, it was precisely because Shen Miao was young and easy to coax that she coaxed Shen Miao into submission. Shen Miao would believe whatever she said. In the west courtyard, she could almost be considered half a master.

 Chapter 109 - The Death of Nanny Gui (3)

    ¡°Then, why did you betray me when I treated you so well?¡±


    These words almost scared Nanny Gui out of her wits. She looked up at Shen Miao and said in surprise, ¡°What!¡±


    ¡°Nanny, you don¡¯t have to look so surprised.¡± Shen Miao smiled and said, ¡°Back then, I was a thousand times. No, ten thousands more surprised than you.¡±


    ¡°Miss, someone must be sowing discord between us. I¡¯ve never betrayed you. How can I betray you? Miss, you have to believe me!¡± Nanny Gui reacted very quickly. After a short moment of panic, she looked extremely aggrieved. She shouted loudly to prove her loyalty.


    ¡°That¡¯s enough.¡± Shen Miao waved her hand, looking a little impatient. ¡°In the Wolong Temple, you added an aphrodisiac drug to the food you gave me. Second Aunt has always been smart. It seems like she really treated you as her trusted aide.¡±


    When she finished speaking, Nanny Gui, who wanted to defend herself at the beginning, could not say a word.


    She looked at Shen Miao in a daze, her eyes filled with shock.


    ¡°Nanny, I want to hear it from you. Who do you think is smarter? Me or Second Aunt?¡±


    ¡°You, don¡¯t tell me you¡­¡± Nanny Gui said with difficulty.


    ¡°That¡¯s right, it¡¯s me.¡± Shen Miao¡¯s voice was so low that only Nanny Gui could hear it. She said, ¡°I was the one who should be humiliated. Why did it turn out to be First Sister in the end? It¡¯s naturally not a coincidence. I did it.¡±


    It was one thing to guess, but it was another to hear it with her own ears. Nanny Gui looked at the girl in front of her in fear. Shen Miao was half-squatting on the ground and looking at her with a smile. Her clear eyes were like the eyes of a beast under the green light. They were surprisingly bright and terrifying in the night. She was clearly obedient and fair. How could she be so terrifying?


    After being thrown into the woodshed, Nanny Gui had been thinking about why Shen Miao and Shen Qing changed rooms in the end. She also wondered if Shen Miao was involved, but she quickly dispelled this ridiculous thought. She had watched Shen Miao grow up, so she was very familiar with her. Shen Miao was stupid and soft-hearted to begin with, so she could not do such a thing. Now that Shen Miao admitted it in front of Nanny Gui, she did not even try to hide it.


    ¡°Miss¡­¡± She opened her mouth but did not know what to say. Since Shen Miao already knew about this, there was no way Shen Miao would save her.


    ¡°Second Aunt has always been ruthless. Although she values Nanny, after this incident, Nanny won¡¯t have a good future. What a pity.¡± Her words were filled with pity, as if she really sympathized with Nanny Gui.


    Nanny Gui was afraid of Ren Wanyun¡¯s ruthless methods. She immediately knelt on the ground and kept kowtowing to Shen Miao. ¡°Miss, please save me this time. I didn¡¯t mean to harm you. Second Madam used my children and grandchildren to threaten me. I was forced to do this. Miss, for the sake of Master and Madam, I¡¯ve served you for more than ten years. Please save me!¡±


    She knocked her head hard. In the past, Shen Miao respected her and would never make Nanny Gui kowtow like this. But now¡­ she was Empress Shen of Ming Qi. All the civil and military officials had knelt before her. She didn¡¯t feel a thing when Nanny Gui¡¯s head bled from knocking on the floor.

 Chapter 110 - The Death of Nanny Gui (4)

    ¡°Actually, I came here tonight to repay Nanny Gui for taking care of me all these years,¡± Shen Miao suddenly said.


    When Nanny Gui heard that, she was overjoyed and said loudly, ¡°I know that Miss is a kind-hearted person. Bodhisattva will bless Miss for the rest of her life. Those who want to harm Miss will all die a horrible death!¡±


    Shen Miao laughed in her heart. Nanny Gui was really a fence sitter.


    She also raised her voice. ¡°That day at the Wolong Temple, didn¡¯t we have a heart to heart conversation? From then on, I know that Nanny Gui is really good to me.¡±


    Nanny Gui was a little confused, not knowing what Shen Miao meant by that. Just now, she clearly hated her to the core, so why did she turn around and comfort her like this? No matter what, Nanny Gui felt that she was filled with hope and immediately replied, ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve been on Miss¡¯s side from the beginning to the end. Only Miss is my master. I¡¯ll definitely be loyal to you for the rest of my life!¡±


    There was a sudden sound outside the window, as if someone had accidentally bumped into something. Nanny Gui was shocked and looked out, but in the dark room, she couldn¡¯t see anything.


    She turned to look at Shen Miao with a sad expression. ¡°Miss, can you get me out of here now? It¡¯s too dark and humid here. I¡¯m afraid I won¡¯t be able to last long¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid. It won¡¯t last long. It won¡¯t be long before you die.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Nanny Gui suddenly looked up at Shen Miao in confusion. ¡°I don¡¯t understand what you mean¡­¡±


    ¡°The people outside were sent by Second Aunt. I think they¡¯ve already found out that I¡¯m here to visit Nanny Gui.¡± Shen Miao smiled and said, ¡°In that case, how can Nanny Gui survive?¡±


    ¡°I, I don¡¯t understand¡­¡± Nanny Gui subconsciously stood up. She felt a little uneasy, but she did not know what Shen Miao meant.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you understand?¡± Shen Miao tilted her head and thought for a moment. ¡°Do you still remember what Nanny said loudly just now?¡±


    When Nanny Gui heard that, she thought for a moment. Then, her expression changed and her face turned pale.


    Just now, she said loudly, ¡°I¡¯ve always been on Shen Miao¡¯s side. Shen Miao is my master.¡±


    Indeed, she said this to deceive Shen Miao, hoping that Shen Miao could save her. However, what would Ren Wanyun¡¯s people think if they heard this? That day, Shen Qing changed rooms with Shen Miao, so they suspected that Shen Miao had something to do with it. The reason why they did not believe it was because they did not know how Shen Miao could predict the future.


    However, what if Nanny Gui told Shen Miao about this and colluded with her to plot against Shen Qing?


    This was not the truth, but to Ren Wanyun, this was the truth!


    Shen Miao spoke again. She said softly, ¡°Nanny, this is the gift I want to repay you with. What do you think?¡±


    Nanny Gui stared fixedly at Shen Miao. Only then did she realize that from the beginning to the end, she had been led by the nose by Shen Miao. She believed whatever Shen Miao said. Her relationship with Shen Miao had already fallen apart.


    ¡°I only have one purpose in coming here, and that is to send you to hell,¡± Shen Miao said with a smile, as if she had guessed what Nanny Gui was thinking.


    Nanny Gui trembled. She wanted to cry and scream, but she could not make a sound. At some point, the baby in the swaddling clothes had become a real girl, and no one had ever discovered the other side of this girl, not even her. She wanted to resist fiercely and curse, but when she met those beast-like eyes, she could not help but tremble.

 Chapter 111 - The Death of Nanny Gui (5)

    ¡°My family doesn¡¯t keep treacherous people. Even if you turn into a ghost and seek revenge on me, I won¡¯t be afraid. I might even have to fight you again.¡± Her words were even colder than her smile. ¡°It¡¯s not that I betrayed you, but you betrayed me.¡±


    ¡°I feel sorry about your son and grandson. Second Aunt has always been ruthless. Nanny might reunite with them soon.¡±


    ¡°No¡­¡± Nanny Gui¡¯s body trembled. Tears and snot were flowing down her face, and she was crying pitifully.¡± Please, save them¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve already said that I won¡¯t go out of my way to help a servant who betrayed me.¡± Shen Miao¡¯s words were cruel and cold. ¡°Stand by and do nothing is all I can do.¡±


    She slowly leaned forward, whispering to Nanny Gui the way she did when she was young. She said indifferently, ¡°I came to see you for the last time because you brought me up.¡±


    ¡°Nanny Gui, have a safe journey.¡±


    Nanny Gui was about to say something when she saw Shen Miao stand up and put on her cloak again. The corners of the cloak floated in the darkness. The moment the door was closed, everything fell into darkness again. Despair surged from all directions.


    Outside, Bai Lu and Shuang Jiang heaved a sigh of relief when they saw Shen Miao come out.


    1


    After they left, a woman appeared in the flowers. She looked at Shen Miao¡¯s back and then at the tightly shut door of the woodshed, looking angry.


    2


    ¡­ .


    After a few days of autumn rain, the sky finally cleared up.


    Everything in the General¡¯s Mansion seemed to have returned to normal, but the medicinal fragrance coming from the east courtyard from time to time reminded people of the turmoil that happened in the Shen family a few days ago.


    Shen Qing seemed to be gradually regaining her senses. At least, she was not as crazy as before. However, Ren Wanyun was afraid that Shen Qing would lose her mind again, so she locked her up in the Rosy Cloud Garden and did not allow her to come out. She was even more afraid that Shen Qing would commit suicide, so she was guarding her at all times. In this way, all the matters in the mansion were handed over to Chen Ruoqiu. Ren Wanyun rarely left the courtyard, which gave Shen Miao a few days of peace.


    However, this did not mean that nothing happened. A few days later, Nanny Gui was finally executed. The charge was that she secretly colluded with people to harm Shen Qing.


    According to the law of the mansion, Nanny Gui was to be flogged to death. Generally speaking, servants who committed crimes were to be executed, and those who committed more serious crimes were to be flogged to death. For ordinary crimes, a bottle of lethal drugs was enough. In short, no one cared if they were dead or alive.


    However, Nanny Gui died a miserable death. Her limbs seemed to have been broken by someone. Not an inch of her bones were intact. She was bleeding from her seven orifices and looked extremely terrifying. Even the servant who was carrying the corpse did not dare to look at the corpse, but Ren Wanyun still asked Shen Miao to collect the corpse.


    The maid sent by Ren Wanyun, Xianglan, came over and said, ¡°Madam said that although Nanny Gui made a mistake and was executed, she is still Fifth Miss¡¯s servant. Therefore, Fifth Miss has to go and take the corpse to the west courtyard.¡±

 Chapter 112 - The Death of Nanny Gui (6)

    Everyone wanted to see Shen Miao panic. After all, everyone in the Shen family knew that Nanny Gui was Shen Miao¡¯s trusted aide. Now that she was dead, Shen Miao would probably be heartbroken.


    Ren Wanyun probably thought so too, thinking that Shen Miao would blame herself for Nanny Gui¡¯s death. Unexpectedly, Shen Miao walked to Nanny Gui¡¯s corpse in front of the entire west courtyard and lifted the white cloth. She looked at the corpse without a change in expression.


    Xianglan was surprised by Shen Miao¡¯s calmness, but she saw Shen Miao shout coldly, ¡°Nanny Gui used to be tyrannical in the west courtyard and bullied everyone. She was arrogant and despotic. The west courtyard won¡¯t accept such a servant. Today, listen up, all of you, everyone who learns from Nanny Gui will end up like this!¡±


    Most of the spies in the west courtyard were planted by the second and third branches. They couldn¡¯t help but feel afraid.


    Xianglan originally wanted to scare Shen Miao, but who knew that Shen Miao would use Nanny Gui¡¯s death to threaten everyone. She immediately returned to Rosy Cloud Garden and reported this to Ren Wanyun.


    When Ren Wanyun heard this, she let go of the teacup and it fell to the ground, shattering into pieces.


    ¡°Madam¡­¡± Cai Ju was a little puzzled.


    Ren Wanyun gritted her teeth. ¡°Nanny Gui is an eyesore to her. That little b*tch must have wanted to get rid of Nanny Gui a long time ago, and she used us to make it happen. Now, she even frightened people into submission with that. That little b*tch is really smart!¡±


    Ren Wanyun was not stupid. It was just that as a mother, she inevitably lost her usual calmness when her daughter was in such a state. That night, the person who went to look for Nanny Gui saw Shen Miao talking to Nanny Gui and heard some words from their conversation. Nanny Gui seemed to be loyal to Shen Miao. When she came back and told Ren Wanyun, Ren Wanyun was certain that something happened to Shen Qing that day because Nanny Gui and Shen Miao schemed against her.


    At the thought of this, her hatred for Shen Miao and Nanny Gui surged up. Shen Miao could not be touched for the time being, but no one cared about Nanny Gui, a servant. Therefore, she used the cruelest method to make Nanny Gui suffer and die. She thought that when Shen Miao saw that Nanny Gui was dead, she would definitely be sad. However, after hearing Xianglan¡¯s words this time, Ren Wanyun knew that she had been played by Shen Miao.


    Everything was set up by Shen Miao. Shen Miao was the best at killing people with a borrowed knife.


    Ren Wanyun gritted her teeth in hatred. She managed to rein in all of Shen Gui¡¯s concubines, but now, she was defeated by a little girl time and time again. Ren Wanyun was furious.


    ¡°Did you send the letter to Prince Yu?¡± Ren Wanyun asked.


    ¡°Yes, but Madam, if Master finds out, he will definitely be angry,¡± Caiju replied carefully.


    Shen Gui tried his best to hide Shen Qing¡¯s matter from Prince Yu for a while longer, hoping that Prince Yu would not find out. However, Ren Wanyun couldn¡¯t wait for Prince Yu to find out, because with his personality, if anyone dared to play tricks under his nose, they would definitely die a horrible death.


    Even if she had to argue with Shen Gui, she had to avenge Shen Qing. Shen Miao dared to threaten the entire Shen family, but did she dare to threaten Prince Yu?


    ¡°I want her to die without a grave!¡± Ren Wanyun gritted her teeth.


    ¡­ .


    ¡°Miss is playing chess again.¡± Bai Lu shook her head in confusion. ¡°What¡¯s the point of playing alone?¡±

 Chapter 113 - The Death of Nanny Gui (7)

    ¡°What else can Miss do other than playing chess?¡± Shuang Jiang glanced at Shen Miao and said angrily, ¡°Miss is grounded all day and can¡¯t even get out of the courtyard.¡±


    ¡°Shh¡ª¡± Bai Lu whispered, ¡°Stop talking. Miss is already unhappy about being grounded. Don¡¯t make her angry.¡±


    Shuang Jiang muttered, ¡°Our girl has a good temper. She won¡¯t be angry.¡±


    Speaking of which, it had been a long time since she saw Shen Miao angry. In the past, Shen Miao was quite emotionally unstable. She was happy and sad all the time, but now, her maids couldn¡¯t understand her. She seemed to have acquired many decades of life experience overnight.


    No one knew how he went from being simple and weak to being calm.


    ¡°Bai Lu.¡± Shen Miao call.


    ¡°You can go and pawn the gold jewelry in the silver jewelry box in the cabinet,¡± she said without looking back.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Bai Lu quickly replied, then was stunned. ¡°But Miss, I just pawned a box of jewelry yesterday. This is the last box.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± Shen Miao put down the chess piece. ¡°There¡¯s no need for that. After you pawn it, give the banknotes to Jingzhe and call Gu Yu in.¡±


    Bai Lu went out, but she was a little puzzled. Shen Miao was in a hurry to use the money, so Bai Lu wondered what the money was for.


    The Pleasure Restaurant was the largest restaurant in the capital. It was located on the busiest street. Opposite the Pleasure Restaurant was a group of brothels. After the officials and nobles finished eating, they would most likely go to the brothel opposite to have some fun. The brothels were divided into different levels. The best brothels were on the top floors. The girls on the top floors were the courtesans who entertained guests with performances but not with their bodies. The lowest class was the ninth-grade brothel. Such a brothel was filled with girls who sold their bodies.


    People who visited the ninth-grade brothel were mostly laborers. Often, girls who were about to die of illness would be thrown out into the street. The wandering beggars on the street would carry these girls back, perhaps to enjoy them, or perhaps their clothes could even be sold for a copper coin.


    At the window of the Pleasant Restaurant, a young man¡¯s white sleeves were spotless. He frowned and looked at the ninth-grade brothel opposite him. He saw that someone had thrown newly-arrived girls in. The girls were struggling and crying non-stop. It seemed that some rich families had sold their servant girls. Some young girls were beautiful, and in order to prevent them from seducing their husbands, the jealous madam would sell them to brothels.


    ¡°How cruel.¡± The young man in white shook his head. Although his tone was filled with pity, he had no intention of helping.


    The young man opposite him was dressed in a purple robe. He poured himself a glass of wine and said indifferently, ¡°He has already entered Prince Yu¡¯s mansion. I don¡¯t know if we can find him.¡±


    ¡°What if we can¡¯t?¡± The young man in white turned to look at him.


    ¡°Continue looking.¡± The young man in purple curled his lips into a smile. His evil smile was especially handsome, and even the Guzhen player beside him couldn¡¯t help but fall into a daze and play a wrong note.


    Seeing this, the young man in white smiled mischievously. ¡°Jingxing, you¡¯re getting more and more charming. How can I live when all the beauties fall in love with you?¡±


    He pretended to sigh. In fact, this white-clothed young man was very handsome, but compared to the purple-clothed young man, he lacked a noble aura. The young man looked lazy, but his eyes were very sharp, like the sun in the sky. He was born strikingly handsome, attracting all the attention of the crowd.


    ¡°Gao Yang, if you like beauties, I¡¯ll¡­ give you a room full of them later.¡± Xie Jingxing glanced at him.


    ¡°Forget it.¡± The young man in white called Gao Yang hurriedly waved his hand and smiled bitterly. ¡°I don¡¯t have that much energy. As for you,¡± he took a sip of wine, ¡°you¡¯re still young. How can you not have a female by your side? If you want, in Ming Qi, there will definitely be girls coming at you one after another.¡±


    ¡°My confidante.¡± Xie Jingxing smiled. ¡°Who knows if she¡¯s just a skeleton?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t make it sound so scary.¡± Gao Yang pointed at the brothel opposite. ¡°Look at how cute those girls upstairs are. What skeletons?¡±


    Xie Jingxing followed his gaze and suddenly paused, a trace of surprise flashing across his eyes.


    ¡°Why is it him?¡±


    1

 Chapter 114 - Pregnant (1)

    Many girls were sent to the ninth-grade brothel every day. Some of these girls were still very young, and some were already old. However, as long as they were sent in, it meant that there was almost no way out for them for the rest of their lives. What awaited them was deep despair and a bleak ending.


    2


    It was the same today.


    The two pretty girls were thrown in. Among the haggard women, they were like two tender onions, looking out of place.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think there¡¯s a need to dress them up.¡± The fierce-looking bawd sized the two of them up. ¡°They¡¯re pretty and have fair skin. I wonder how long they can last. Forget it, bring them to the tearoom.¡±


    The two little girls were already trembling in fear. These two people were none other than Yan Mei and Shui Bi, who were sold by Ren Wanyun to a ninth-grade brothel.


    Yan Mei and Shui Bi had been serving Shen Qing since they were young. They were considered pretty girls among maids and had never suffered much. Now that they had seen a hellish scene along the way, they were so frightened that their tears trickled down in streams. And what the bawd said shattered their only hope. She said, ¡°Watch them carefully. Don¡¯t let them kill themselves.¡±


    If they couldn¡¯t kill themselves, they could only be like those low-grade prostitutes and receive customers every day. At the thought of this, Yan Mei and Shui Bi couldn¡¯t help but feel dizzy.


    Outside the brothel, a young man was walking over. He looked quite young and did not look like a laborer. The girl at the door said, ¡°Did you come to the wrong place? This is a ninth-grade brothel. The top one is on the upper floor.¡±


    In other words, with this young man¡¯s status, he was not supposed to be here. This was a place for the poorest people to have fun.


    The young man lowered his voice and said, ¡°Do you have any new girls here?¡±


    The woman at the door was stunned for a moment before she understood. This person had probably never been to a ninth-grade brothel before and wanted to try out something new. This was not a new thing. Rich people always had all kinds of ways to play. She smiled and said, ¡°Young man, you came to the right place. There are two new girls today. They used to be maids and are pretty, but the price is a little higher.¡±


    ¡°Show me,¡± the guy said.


    The woman led the young man into the tearoom.


    The reason why the ninth-grade brothel was the dirtiest place was not only because it was a place to have fun for laborers, but also because the girls here were very cheap.


    Today, this young man ordered a pot of tea and a plate of snacks. To the brothel, he was already considered a very generous guest. The woman who led the way quickly asked someone to bring the two girls in.


    Yanmei and Shui Bi were forced to change into thin gauze clothes and came to the tearoom in humiliation. In the autumn, the two of them were trembling.


    The woman said to the young man obsequiously, ¡°Young Master, take your time enjoying them. I¡¯ll take my leave first.¡± When she passed Yanmei and Shui Bi, she said in a threatening tone, ¡°Serve this master well.¡±

 Chapter 115 - Pregnant (2)

    After the woman left, Yan Mei hesitated for a moment. Seeing that the young man did not move, she whispered, ¡°Master¡­¡± As soon as she spoke, she felt deeply humiliated. When they were in the Shen family, they were the maids of the second branch of the family. Not to mention in Rosy Cloud Garden, even in the entire Shen family, the servants were respectful to them. Now, they were about to be humiliated by strange men.


    All of this was caused by Ren Wanyun. Ren Wanyun was the one who threw them to this low-class brothel. Their ten-year master-servant relationship was wiped out in an instant.


    ¡°Do you want to leave this place?¡± The young man suddenly asked.


    Yan Mei and Shui Bi were stunned for a moment before coming back to their senses. Shui Bi was still a little incredulous, but Yan Mei immediately knelt down excitedly and said, ¡°If you can take us out, I¡¯m willing to serve you and repay you.¡±


    For Yan Mei, living with a man was better than staying here.


    Shui Bi followed suit, kneeling down. ¡°Master, please save our lives! Master¡­ Master, we will do anything you ask!¡±


    When the young man heard this, he almost choked on the tea in his mouth and turned his head away uncomfortably. This person was none other than Mo Qing, the guard of the Shen family. Today, he came to the brothel under Shen Miao¡¯s order. Although he did not understand how a girl from a noble house like Shen Miao knew so much about the brothels in the capital, he still did as he was told.


    ¡°I can free you two, but you don¡¯t have to follow me. You are free birds,¡± he said.


    When Yan Mei and Shui Bi heard this, they both stared at Mo Qing in disbelief. They did not understand why he would do that. The men who came here were naturally looking for pleasure. The young man in front of them did not look like he was a laborer. Yan Mei was naturally more alert. She asked, ¡°What do you want us to do?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s simple.¡± Mo Qing said, ¡°I heard that the two of you were originally the personal maids of the second daughter of the General¡¯s family. How did you end up in such a state?¡±


    Shui Bi bit her lip and said hatefully, ¡°We were expelled from the Shen family for making a mistake, but we didn¡¯t do anything wrong. We¡¯re just servants. We did whatever we were told to do.¡±


    Mo Qing said, ¡°Then do you hate them?¡±


    They were both silent.


    Hate? Of course they hated them. What did they do wrong? No one knew what happened that night. It wasn¡¯t their fault that Shen Qing changed rooms with Shen Miao.


    ¡°I think you guys hate her too. Yanmei, I heard that you have a sister who is a second-class maid in the Shen family¡¯s second branch. Shuibi, you¡¯re famous in the Shen family and have made many friends.¡±


    Yanmei and Shui Bi were shocked to know that this young man actually knew so much about them. That¡¯s right, Yanmei¡¯s biological sister was a second-class maid in Ren Wanyun¡¯s courtyard. Because Shui Bi was outgoing, there were many people in Rosy Cloud Garden who were on good terms with her.


    ¡°There¡¯s no such thing as a free deal in this world. I¡¯ll free you, but you have to think of a way to tell me about what¡¯s going on in the second branch of the Shen family.¡±

 Chapter 116 - Pregnant (3)

    The two of them looked up at once. Yan Mei cried out, ¡°You want to deal with Madam!¡±


    This person had already investigated the two of them thoroughly. However, what he wanted was news from the second branch. It was naturally impossible for Yanmei and Shui Bi to return to the second branch now, but their friends were still in the Shen family¡¯s Rosy Cloud Garden, so obtaining some news wasn¡¯t too hard.


    ¡°What are you going to do?¡± Shui Bi asked.


    ¡°What does this have anything to do with you?¡± Mo Qing said, ¡°Second Madam Shen sold you to a ninth-grade brothel and wanted you¡­¡±


    ¡°Are you still going to be loyal to someone who wants you to die in misery? If you want to be loyal servants, I don¡¯t have anything to say to you. Forget it.¡± He stood up and pretended to leave.


    ¡°Young Master, stop!¡± Yan Mei suddenly interrupted and said, ¡°I¡¯m willing to make this deal with you. As long as you can bring me out of here, I¡¯m willing to do anything.¡±


    ¡°Yanmei¡­¡± Shui Bi was still a little conflicted.


    ¡°Shuibi, think about how you treat Madam and how she treats you! This young master is right. Do you want to stay here forever and die in misery?¡±


    Yan Mei spoke quickly and anxiously. Hearing that, Shui Bi couldn¡¯t help but shiver and hurriedly say, ¡°I¡¯m also willing to do anything.¡±


    ¡°Then this deal is done.¡± Mo Qing smiled in satisfaction, but in his heart, he was a little surprised that it turned out no different from what Shen Miao had expected. Before he left, Shen Miao said that Ren Wanyun was a powerful person, and her methods were brilliant. She was very good at winning people over, and the servants in Rosy Cloud Garden were all very loyal. Even if they were thrown to such a place, it would be a little difficult for Yanmei and Shui Bi to immediately surrender. However, there was no need to worry too much. As long as he made them imagine the miserable life they would have in the brothel, they would be coaxed into submission and agree to everything.


    ¡°When can you bring us out of here?¡± Yan Mei asked anxiously.


    ¡°Today. I¡¯ll arrange for you to meet your friends. You have to ask them to tell me the news about the second branch the next day. Don¡¯t try to play any tricks. Even if you try to tell the second branch about this matter to atone for your mistakes, the second branch won¡¯t believe you.¡± In the end, Mo Qing still threatened, ¡°If I can get you out of this place, I can naturally get you back here. When that happens, no one can save you.¡±


    Yanmei and Shuibi saw the killing intent in Mo Qing¡¯s eyes and couldn¡¯t help but be shocked. They both knelt on the ground and kowtowed to Mo Qing. ¡°I don¡¯t dare. I will definitely do as you say.¡±


    Mo Qing put the tea cup down and walked out of the tearoom. When the bawd saw him coming out so quickly, she thought that Yanmei and Shuibi had not served him well enough, so she quickly said, ¡°Young Master, are you unhappy? Those two little brats just came today and don¡¯t know the rules. They¡¯ll be fine after some training. If you like them, we have other girls here¡­¡±


    ¡°No need.¡± Mo Qing said, ¡°I¡¯ll buy the two of them.¡±


    The bawd was stunned. No one had ever bought a girl from the ninth-grade brothel. This was against the rules, because most of the girls who were sent were guilty of doing something. The purpose of sending them here was to torture them. She said awkwardly, ¡°Young Master, according to the rules here, girls here are not for sell.¡±


    ¡°A hundred taels.¡± Mo Qing took out a banknote from his sleeve and waved it in front of the bawd. ¡°For two girls.¡±

 Chapter 117 - Pregnant (4)

    The bawd¡¯s eyes lit up, and she immediately snatched the banknote from Mo Qing¡¯s hand. As if afraid that he would go back on his word, she smiled and said, ¡°Since you like them, it¡¯s their blessing. I¡¯ll go get their contract now. However, you have to remember not to let anyone recognize these two girls. Otherwise, if the brothel is in trouble, you will also be in trouble.¡±


    Even if Yan Mei and Shui Bi didn¡¯t eat or drink and accepted customers until they died of old age, they probably wouldn¡¯t be able to make back half of 100 taels. The bawd here cared only about money, so there was no reason for her to let this chance go. However, she was also worried that if others found out, especially the owner of the two girls, she would be in trouble. Now, she had to pretend that the two girls were dead.


    When the bawd happily went to get Yanmei and Shuibi, Mo Qing felt a little regretful. A hundred taels of silver was not a small sum of money. Jingzhe had exchanged it for an entire box of jewelry to free two maids. Shen Miao was too generous. Mo Qing thought about it and shook his head disapprovingly.


    On the opposite building, a man in black appeared in front of the window and said, ¡°Master, I¡¯ve found out. That person is a guard of the Shen family. The two maids he bought were once the personal maids of the second daughter of the Shen family. It seems that someone wants to plant spies in the second branch, but the person behind it is unknown.¡±


    He actually heard the entire conversation between Mo Qing, Yanmei, and Shuibi. Clearly, this person was extremely skilled. Otherwise, even Mo Qing would have noticed that he was being eavesdropped on.


    Gao Yang narrowed his eyes. ¡°It seems like the Shen family isn¡¯t very peaceful either.¡±


    ¡°Master, do you want me to investigate who is behind it?¡± The man in black asked the purple-clothed youth.


    ¡°No need. I know who the person is.¡± Xie Jingxing raised his eyebrows.


    ¡°You know?¡± Gao Yang looked at him. ¡°Who is the person?¡±


    Who was the person? Xie Jingxing smiled, his eyes deep. Shen Miao had found a guard who was skilled in martial arts. Although he was not as good as his subordinates, he was enough to deal with the people in the Shen family. It seemed like she was planning to make a move by buying off the two maids.


    However, this had nothing to do with him.


    ¡°Mountain Wolf.¡± Xie Jingxing said, ¡°Send a message to Yu Shu and ask him to return to the capital quickly.¡±


    ¡°You¡­¡± Gao Yang looked serious. ¡°Why did you ask him to come back? ¡±


    ¡°Strike first,¡± the young man said indifferently.


    ¡­ .


    As time passed, the General¡¯s Mansion seemed to have returned to its usual peace.


    Shen Miao had been grounded for a long time, and she hadn¡¯t been to Guangwen Hall for the past few days. Gu Yu and Jingzhe were afraid that she would miss her homework, but Shen Miao didn¡¯t take it to heart. What was the use of learning useless poems and songs in Guangwen Hall?


    If there was anything to be happy about, it was probably that Yan Mei and Shuibi finally met their friends. Chun Tao, Yan Mei¡¯s sister, had been wanting to avenge her sister ever since she found out that Yan Mei had been sold to the brothel. Unfortunately, her status was low, and she was powerless. Now that she had met Yan Mei and found out that her sister was fine, she agreed without a word to Mo Qing that she would tell him what he wanted to know. Coincidentally, after Yan Mei and Shubi left, Shen Qing had no maids. Seeing that Chun Tao was smart, Ren Wanyun gave her to Shen Qing to be her maid. This way, it would be easier for her to know every move of the second branch.

 Chapter 118 - Pregnant (5)

    Now, Shen Qing¡¯s health was getting better and better, but her temper wasn¡¯t very stable. Although she was much better than before, she would still be in a daze occasionally. When she mentioned certain words, she would even tremble in fear. She probably still needed to recuperate.


    On this day, Ren Wanyun lost her temper again in the house. The ground was filled with broken teacup fragments. Now, Ren Wanyun¡¯s temper was getting worse and worse. In the past, because everything went smoothly, she was rarely angry, but now, she punished her servants every few days, making everyone live in terror.


    ¡°That heartless man!¡± Ren Wanyun said angrily, ¡°He only cares about his concubines. Even if his daughter is in such a state, he still doesn¡¯t come to visit her. How heartless!¡±


    The person she was scolding was Shen Gui. The servants in the room did not even dare to breathe loudly. Ren Wanyun was angry at Shen Gui because the letter she wrote to Prince Yu, which specified that Shen Miao and Shen Qing had changed rooms that night, was stopped by Shen Gui. Moreover, she did not know what method Shen Gui used, but even now, Prince Yu did not seem to know about this. She originally wanted to use Prince Yu to punish Shen Miao, but her plan was ruined by Shen Gui. Ren Wanyun was indignant.


    Just as she was thinking, she heard a cry from the room. Ren Wanyun¡¯s expression changed and she quickly walked in to take a look. She saw that Chun Tao was feeding Shen Qing porridge, but for some reason, the porridge was all spilled, and Shen Qing was still vomiting.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Ren Wanyun shouted sternly and glared at Chun Tao. ¡°I told you to take care of Miss. Look at what you¡¯ve done!¡±


    ¡°I deserve to die.¡± Chun Tao hurriedly knelt down and said, ¡°It¡¯s just that for some reason, Miss has been vomiting a lot these past few days. When she was eating porridge just now, she vomited again. Madam, I think you need to find a doctor for Miss. Perhaps she ate something wrong and her stomach is upset.¡±


    Over the past few days, the doctor who treated Shen Qing did not come often. Because Shen Qing¡¯s injuries were almost healed, she just needed to rest. Now that Ren Wanyun heard Chun Tao say this, she was anxious. Just as she was about to send Cai Ju to look for the doctor, she was suddenly stunned. She seemed to have realized something and looked at Chun Tao, asking slowly, ¡°Did you say that Qing has been vomiting these days?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Chun Tao was a little puzzled. ¡°But the food is clean.¡±


    Ren Wanyun covered her chest, her heart in turmoil. Chun Tao was still young and did not know about this, but she was experienced. This was clearly a sign of pregnancy.


    Her vision turned black and she almost fainted. Xianglan, who was beside her, quickly helped her up. ¡°Madam!¡±


    ¡°Get Doctor Chen over.¡± Ren Wanyun paused for a moment before saying with a hand on her heart. She looked at Shen Qing with shock.


    Chun Tao lowered her head, but no one saw the smile in her eyes.


    As Shen Qing¡¯s personal maid, she naturally had found out about this many days ago, but the first person she told was not Ren Wanyun, but Mo Qing. Mo Qing also told her that if Ren Wanyun did not find out, she should hide this matter for the time being.


    Ren Wanyun did not notice anything wrong with Shen Qing until today.


    Doctor Chen quickly rushed over. He was the one who treated Shen Qing¡¯s injuries. This was the doctor who had been given to Ren Wanyun when she got married. Doctor Chen was Ren Wanyun¡¯s trusted aide, so she naturally did not have to hide anything.


    2

 Chapter 119 - Pregnant (6)

    Ren Wanyun watched as Doctor Chen took Shen Qing¡¯s pulse. Shen Qing was still a little afraid and hid in Ren Wanyun¡¯s arms. Doctor Chen put down his hand, and Shen Qing looked a little serious. He glanced at Shen Qing and shook his head at Ren Wanyun.


    ¡°All of you, get out,¡± Ren Wanyun said to the servants in the room.


    Xianglan, Caiju, and Chuntao quickly left.


    After everyone left, Doctor Chen sighed and said to Ren Wanyun, ¡°Miss¡¯s pulse indicates that she is¡­ most likely pregnant.¡±


    1


    Although Ren Wanyun had already guessed it, when she heard the doctor say it, she still felt like the world was spinning. She looked at Doctor Chen and said with a trembling voice, ¡°Doctor, can you let Qing abort this child? Qing is still young. She can¡¯t¡­¡±


    If she just lost her virginity, Shen Qing might still have a way out in the future. However, if she had a child, she and the child would be disdained by everyone.


    ¡°Miss¡¯s body is weak and she is still young.¡± Doctor Chen said, ¡°An abortion will probably hurt her body. I¡¯m afraid it will be very difficult for her to have another child in the future¡­¡±


    If Shen Qing became infertile, even if she was married in the future, Ren Wanyun knew better than anyone what would happen to a woman who was infertile. A woman without a child would be like a soldier without a weapon on the battlefield.


    ¡°Moreover, Miss has yet to fully recover. If she miscarries, it will be very dangerous,¡± Doctor Chen said.


    ¡°No¡­ she can¡¯t abort.¡± Ren Wanyun was dumbfounded. A moment later, she looked at Shen Qing in her arms and couldn¡¯t help but feel sad. ¡°My poor Qing!¡±


    If Shen Qing had an abortion, she might die. Even if she survived, she might not be able to give birth again. No matter what, she mustn¡¯t abort the baby. But if she did not¡­ What would happen to her?


    1


    There seemed to be no way out. Ren Wanyun only felt deep despair.


    Outside the door, Chun Tao looked inside and whispered, ¡°Sister Xianglan, Miss¡­ Is Miss¡­¡±


    ¡°Shh.¡± Xianglan warned, ¡°Don¡¯t say too much. If Madam finds out, you¡¯ll be in trouble.¡±


    ¡°Sigh.¡± Caiju said worriedly, ¡°What should we do now?¡± She and Xianglan had naturally guessed what was going on. If Shen Qing had a body, what would happen to Rosy Cloud Garden?


    Chun Tao curled her lips, but her eyes flashed with smugness.


    After Doctor Chen left the Shen family¡¯s mansion, he returned to the small courtyard in the north of the city. When he walked into the courtyard, he saw his wife and child running out. He couldn¡¯t help but wipe his sweat.


    Before he went to check on Shen Qing today, he received a letter from someone who told him that when he treated Shen Qing later, he had to say that Shen Qing could not abort the baby and persuade her to keep the baby. Otherwise, his entire family would be killed. The letter even contained a hairpin from his wife. Doctor Chen was afraid and could only do as that person said.


    He was originally hired by Ren Wanyun¡¯s family to work for her, but now that he had betrayed his master, he was naturally shocked and afraid. He secretly thought about leaving the capital. Even so, Doctor Chen was still a little puzzled. According to what Ren Wanyun said, even Ren Wanyun herself only found out today that Shen Qing had morning sickness. Then how did the person who threatened him know about this?


    In the west courtyard, Gu Yu walked in and whispered something to Shen Miao, who was playing chess at the table. A moment later, Shen Miao smiled. ¡°You did well. Have you sent the money to Doctor Chen?¡±


    ¡°Mo Qing has already sent it.¡± Gu Yu said, ¡°Miss, why did you give him so much money? Since you¡¯ve already threatened to kill his family, you don¡¯t need to give him anything.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s different.¡± Shen Miao put down the chess piece in her hand and smiled. ¡°People change. If we keep threatening him, Doctor Chen will sooner or later escape from the capital with his entire family. However, if we give him a large sum of money, what do you think he will do?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Gu Yu shook her head.


    ¡°He will think that since he has already betrayed once, he might as well betray twice or the third time. Only with more money will he be able to continue helping us until the end.¡±


    Gu Yu was slightly stunned, not knowing what to say. Since when did her Miss know so much about schemes?


    1


    Shen Miao smiled and said, ¡°Ask Mo Qing to tell Chun Tao to help First Sister take care of the baby. The healthier the baby is, the better it will be for us.¡±

 Chapter 120 - Marriage Exchange (1)

    The days were getting colder and colder. The late autumn season had passed, and in the blink of an eye, it was winter. This year, the General¡¯s Mansion was especially bleak. Shen Miao was grounded in the Shen family¡¯s mansion, and Shen Qing was bedridden. Every day, only Shen Yue went to Guangwen Hall. Only Chen Ruoqiu brought Shen Yue to the Mid-Autumn Festival. Naturally, Shen Yue was in the limelight again. However, these things had nothing to do with Shen Miao.


    As time passed, Shen Qing¡¯s matter was getting more urgent. Ren Wanyun asked Doctor Chen to prescribe some pills to ease Shen Qing¡¯s morning sickness. If this continued, the truth would sooner or later be discovered.


    ¡°This can¡¯t go on.¡± Ren Wanyun frowned and pressed her forehead. ¡°I have to think of a way to get Qing to go out and hide.¡± Moreover, she would bring Shen Qing back after she gave birth to the child. In order to avoid attention, she would tell people that Shen Qing was infected with a contagious disease.


    ¡°But with Miss¡¯s current health, she will definitely suffer on the way.¡± Xianglan was a little worried. ¡°Besides, it will definitely take some time for her to recover. Her youth will be wasted in recuperation¡­¡±


    Ren Wanyun frowned. That¡¯s right. Shen Qing was already 16 years old. In another year, she would be 17 years old. In fact, it was just right for girls in the capital to get married at the age of 16 or 17. However, Shen Qing was the daughter of a government official, so the family she wanted to marry into was naturally a rich one. In another year, all the good children would probably have been taken away.


    1


    ¡°Yuan will only be able to return at the end of the year. Now, Qing¡¯s pregnancy is becoming more and more obvious.¡± A trace of ruthlessness flashed across Ren Wanyun¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°Madam.¡± Caiju, who had been silent all this while, said, ¡°I heard that the wife of the Minister of Zhongshu, Mrs. Wei, has been talking to Third Madam recently. She seems to come to matchmake her eldest son with Fifth Miss.¡±


    ¡°Shen Miao!¡± Ren Wanyun gritted her teeth. ¡°She¡¯s really lucky!¡± The Minister of Zhongshu was a fourth-grade official. Although Shen Xin was a first-grade general, the eldest son of the Wei family, Wei Qian, was a young man with extraordinary talent and good looks. At least in terms of talent, he was definitely worthy of Shen Miao. Moreover, Wei Qian had already become an official at a young age. He would probably be successful in the future.


    ¡°I heard that the Wei family wants to cozy up to the Shen family.¡± Cai Ju said, ¡°That¡¯s why they want to marry their son to Shen Miao to establish a friendship with the Shen family.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s lucky.¡± Ren Wanyun¡¯s expression was a little ferocious. All these years, although Shen Xin was very powerful, almost no one came to the Shen family to propose marriage for Shen Miao. It was because Shen Miao was too weak and stupid.


    Therefore, no matter how powerful and prestigious Shen Xin was, no one was interested in Shen Miao.


    Now that the Wei family suddenly came to propose marriage, although Cai Ju said that they wanted to curry favor with the Shen family, on careful thought, it was probably because Shen Miao¡¯s performance at the test that day was refreshing to everyone. Shen Miao was no longer the stupid girl people took her to be, which was what drove the Wei family to take action.


    Now that Shen Qing was still bedridden, Ren Wanyun certainly could not stand by and watch Shen Miao, the one who caused everything, live a good life.


    ¡°Madam, don¡¯t worry.¡± Xianglan said, ¡°Old Madam will definitely not agree to this marriage.¡±

 Chapter 121 - Marriage Exchange (2)

    In the General¡¯s Mansion, Old Madam hated the first branch the most. She couldn¡¯t do anything to Shen Xin, but she could do something to Shen Miao. Now that Shen Miao had proven herself otherwise, Old Madam Shen would definitely think of a way to dissuade those who came to talk about marriage.


    1


    ¡°My poor girl, she will probably die in the house before she gets married.¡± Ren Wanyun looked at the closed door of the room. Shen Qing was in the room every day and did not want to see anyone. A trace of resentment flashed across her eyes as she said, ¡°But Master actually wants Qing to marry that kind of person!¡±


    Shen Gui did not know that Shen Qing was pregnant, and Ren Wanyun did not intend to tell him. If he knew that Shen Qing was pregnant, he would definitely force her to abort the child.


    However, even so, Shen Gui was afraid that the truth would be exposed, so he urged Ren Wanyun to marry off Shen Qingxun. Therefore, they chose Huang Dexing, the youngest son of the young eunuch.


    2


    The Huang family was actually a level higher than the Wei family, and they naturally had endless wealth. However, compared to the Wei family, the master and madam of the Huang family were not easy to deal with, and Huang Dexing was in fact a homosexual.


    It was precisely because of this that the Huang family did not set the bar too high when it came to choosing a wife. As long as the wife was gentle and turned a blind eye to Huang Dexing¡¯s licentiousness, they did not care about anything else.


    Shen Gui thought that since Shen Qing had already been tainted, she might as well marry into the Huang family. Since Huang Dexing was not interested in women and would not touch Shen Qing, this secret would naturally not be discovered. Shen Qing only needed to enjoy the glory and wealth of being the daughter-in-law of the Huang family.


    On the other hand, Ren Wanyun did not agree to this marriage. Even if Shen Qing¡¯s body was already tainted, in Ren Wanyun¡¯s heart, she would still try all she could to find a good marriage for her daughter. Marrying Huang Dexing was like living as a widow for the rest of her life. She would definitely not marry off her daughter like that. Because of this, Shen Gui and Ren Wanyun had been arguing for a long time. The relationship between the husband and wife therefore worsened. Shen Gui rarely went to Rosy Cloud Garden. He had been staying with his concubines day in and day out.


    ¡°If only First Miss could marry who Fifth Miss is going to marry,¡± Cai Ju said angrily.


    When Ren Wanyun heard this, her eyebrows twitched and she suddenly looked at Cai Ju. ¡°What did you say?!¡±


    Cai Ju was shocked and stammered, ¡°I said that it would be good if First Miss could marry who Fifth Miss is going to marry.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right!¡± Ren Wanyun stood up immediately, and a look of ecstasy suddenly appeared on her face. She said, ¡°That¡¯s right. As long as Qing and that little b*tch change their marriage¡­¡± She muttered, ¡°Her marriage should have been my daughter¡¯s in the first place. This time, I¡¯ll let that little b*tch suffer the consequences!¡± As she spoke, she suddenly thought of something. ¡°Bring my cloak. I¡¯m going to Rongjing Hall.¡±


    ¡°Madam, why are you going to Rongjing Hall?¡± Cai Ju and Xianglan were a little puzzled. Ren Wanyun smiled sinisterly and said, ¡°Of course, to discuss marriage.¡±


    ¡­ .


    In the winter, when the sunlight shone on the flowers and plants on the window sill, it seemed to be reflected with a layer of green. However, the sunlight was thin, as if it would be broken if one was not careful. Shen Miao was wearing a beautiful dress with a narrow-shouldered lotus embroidered on it. The dark purple color made her fair skin almost transparent, and her eyes seemed to be as spotless as ink. Even if she stood by the window, a noble aura lingered around her.

 Chapter 122 - Marriage Exchange (3)

    Bai Lu and Shuang Jiang were almost in a daze. Even they, who had served Shen Miao since they were young, sometimes felt like they couldn¡¯t recgonize Shen Miao.


    ¡°Miss, you seem to like to wear lotus green clothes,¡± Bai Lu said. ¡°Although you look good in them, don¡¯t young ladies usually like bright colors like pink and blue?¡±


    1


    The color of the lotus was noble and solemn, but the young ladies of the noble families rarely wore such a color. Firstly, it was easy to look old-fashioned, and secondly, it was very difficult to look right in that color. If one wasn¡¯t careful, one would look much older than their actual ages.


    However, even though Shen Miao had a tender face, in that clothes, she exuded the aura of a nobal lady in the palace. The maids didn¡¯t know why.


    Although Bai Lu and Shuang Jiang lowered their voices, Shen Miao still heard them. She smiled. The reason why she liked to wear lotus green was probably because this color could always remind her that she had to remain calm, thoughtful, and never merciful.


    When she was in the palace in her previous life, she would wear the empress¡¯s court dress every day. The golden color could deter the concubines in the palace who were up to no good.


    When she married Fu Xiuyi when she was young, she experienced many things that others couldn¡¯t at her age. It was precisely because of this that her naive and almost stupid personality finally became as calm as a pool of stagnant water. Later, she fought with Consort Mei for favor in the harem. In order to protect Fu Sheng and Wanyu, she held tight to that bright yellow imperial court dress, but in the end, nothing was left.


    One day, she would snatch over the power from the Ming Qi Royal Family and trample those bandits under her feet.


    ¡°Miss, something¡¯s wrong!¡± Just as she was deep in thought, Jingzhe rushed back from outside and said, ¡°Miss, Mo Qing received news from Chun Tao that the Wei family came to propose marriage. Old Madam Shen accepted the invitation.¡±


    Shuang Jiang frowned and asked, ¡°Who is the person the Wei family is proposing to?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s, it¡¯s Miss.¡± Jingzhe stomped her feet anxiously. ¡°We still don¡¯t know what the situation is in the Wei family. How can Old Madam accept the invitation without asking Miss? Master and Madam don¡¯t even know. This is clearly a trap.¡±


    Jingzhe had never liked Old Madam Shen, so she naturally knew that Old Madam Shen would definitely make things difficult for Shen Miao. If the Wei family was really a good family, Old Madam Shen would definitely turn down this proposal.


    ¡°Miss, what should we do? We have to write to Master quickly.¡± Bai Lu looked anxious.


    The maids in the room were all flustered, but Shen Miao was silent. A moment later, under the surprised gazes of the maids, she chuckled and said, ¡°This is really strange. Although the Minister of Zhongshu is a fourth-grade official, the Wei family is rich. As for the son of the Wei family, Wei Qian, he¡¯s also a talent. I¡¯m flattered that such a good thing happened to me.¡±

 Chapter 123 - Marriage Exchange (4)

    ¡°Miss?¡± Bai Lu was stunned. ¡°Miss, do you mean that the Wei family is not bad?¡±


    ¡°Not bad.¡± Shen Miao said indifferently, ¡°I¡¯m afraid when Father comes back and finds out about this marriage, he won¡¯t reject it. To an official¡¯s daughter, Wei Qian is indeed a good man who can be trusted.¡±


    ¡°Miss, how did you know?¡± Jingzhe was puzzled. Shen Miao was in the mansion all day. Even when she was outside, she was only in Guangwen Hall. There was no way for her to know the situations of these official families. However, it seemed like she was very familiar with them, which puzzled the maids.


    Shen Miao who stayed in the mansion all year round naturally did not know which young master was talented. However, as Empress Shen, she knew very well who was talented and had good personalities. Wei Qian was indeed a good talent and had a good personality. Therefore, when the Wei family came to propose marriage to Shen Miao, Shen Miao was surprised to know that Old Madam Shen actually agreed.


    At this moment, Gu Yu ran in from outside and said with a surprised expression, ¡°Miss, a maid from Rongjing Hall has sent a message to you. Old Madam wants you to go to Rongjing Hall at a moment¡¯s notice.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re really fast.¡± Shen Miao narrowed her eyes and smiled. ¡°Then let¡¯s go and take a look.¡±


    In Rongjing Hall.


    Shen Yuanbai leaned against Old Madam Shen. Over the past few days, Ren Wanyun had been busy taking care of Shen Qing, so she simply left Shen Yuanbai at Rongjing Hall. Old Madam Shen loved her grandson to begin with, so she naturally doted on him a lot.


    Chen Ruoqiu and Shen Yue were not around. Ever since Ren Wanyun started taking care of Shen Qing in the mansion, Chen Ruoqiu temporarily took over the reins of the family. Naturally, the task of socializing with the rich madams fell to her. Chen Ruoqiu certainly would not let go of such a good opportunity. She brought Shen Yue out every day to socialize. She also wanted Shen Yue to show up more in front of the madams of the noble families.


    Ren Wanyun stood in the middle of the hall, her eyes dark and deep.


    Shen Miao was brought to Rongjing Hall by Old Madam Shen¡¯s maid.


    These days, she was grounded. Every day, she had to copy Buddhist scriptures and kneel in the Shen family¡¯s ancestral hall. Old Madam Shen probably did not like her and did not let her come here to pay her respects.


    ¡°Miao, after copying the scriptures, have you become calmer?¡± Old Madam Shen asked.


    Hearing that, Shen Miao almost laughed out loud. She smiled and said, ¡°Much calmer.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± Old Madam Shen cleared her throat, and her maid quickly handed her a cup of tea. She opened the lid of the tea and took a sip. Then, she looked at Shen Miao and said, ¡°Although it wasn¡¯t your fault a few days ago, you were the one who started it. Moreover, you¡¯re too stubborn. That¡¯s why I grounded you to copy the scriptures. Do you have a grudge against me?¡±


    ¡°No, I will never hold a grudge against you.¡±


    ¡°I know you¡¯re a sensible girl.¡± Old Madam Shen looked at her in satisfaction. ¡°You¡¯re the daughter of the Shen family, so of course, I¡¯ll dote on you. You¡¯re about to reach the age of marriage. Today, the Wei family came to matchmake you with their legitimate son. Do you think this marriage is good?¡±

 Chapter 124 - Marriage Exchange (5)

    Shen Miao smiled and said, ¡°My parents will decide on my marriage. It¡¯s not for me to worry.¡±


    Old Madam Shen was about to fly into a rage when she heard Ren Wanyun cough softly. She calmed down and said with a calm expression, ¡°You¡¯re really too willful. At first, you liked¡­ That¡¯s fine. Now that I see that you seem to have woken up from your fantasy and known your limits. This family is considered a good match for ours. That young master of the Wei family, Wei Qian, is also a dignified and talented man. Even your father wouldn¡¯t reject this marriage. This is the first time such a family has come to propose marriage to you. If you don¡¯t seize the opportunity, that young master of the Wei family will become someone else¡¯s husband.¡±


    Shen Miao was still unmoved. She said indifferently, ¡°Young Master Wei is indeed not bad, but it¡¯s really not what I want. Grandmother, forget it. My father and my mother will naturally make the decision for me.¡±


    ¡°You!¡± Old Madam Shen, who was not patient to begin with, finally said angrily, ¡°Are you complaining that I, your grandmother, am interfering in your marriage?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t say that.¡± In other words, Shen Miao was implying that she was the one who said that.


    Old Madam Shen was so angry that she was about to go crazy. Now, Shen Miao was becoming ever more arrogant and posing a threat all the time. Old Madam Shen hated the first branch, but she was also afraid of Shen Xin. Therefore, after so many years, although she was angry, she could only hold it in. She could not hit Shen Miao, because if she did, she would be punished by Shen Xin. At most, she could only reprimand Shen Miao. All these years, she just sat back and watched as Ren Wanyun and Chen Ruoqiu raised Shen Miao to be a useless idiot.


    However, in the end, for some reason, one day, Shen Miao, who had been raised to be useless, suddenly became smart. Old Madam Shen said angrily, ¡°Don¡¯t you have any manners?!¡±


    Shen Miao found it boring. With Old Madam Shen¡¯s patience and composure, she definitely wouldn¡¯t be able to live for more than two days in the harem. She had seen too many powerful women in her previous life. She really didn¡¯t want to take Old Madam Shen seriously.


    1


    ¡°Let me ask you again.¡± Old Madam Shen looked at Shen Miao and asked in a low voice, ¡°Who do you think about this marriage?¡±


    1


    ¡°I don¡¯t agree,¡± Shen Miao replied.


    ¡°Good, good, good.¡± After saying ¡°good¡± three times in a row, the maids quickly went forward to hold Old Madam Shen to prevent her from fainting from anger. Old Madam Shen said indignantly, ¡°In that case, it seems like you have learned nothing from copying the scriptures. From today onwards, you¡¯ll move out of your courtyard and live in the Shen family¡¯s ancestral hall. You¡¯ll be grounded to copy the scriptures every day until you learned your lesson.¡±


    A young girl like her would definitely be scared out of her wits if she faced the memorial tablets of her ancestors every day. Moreover, the ancestral hall was cold. If she stayed there for a few days, she might fall sick. Old Madam Shen said that out of anger. After saying that, she looked at Shen Miao, probably waiting for her to beg for mercy.


    However, Shen Miao didn¡¯t even frown and said, ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll go back and pack my things and move to the ancestral hall immediately.¡±


    1

 Chapter 125 - Marriage Exchange (6)

    Old Madam Shen almost choked on the tea when she heard that indifferent reply from Shen Miao.


    After finishing what she had to say, Shen Miao turned around and left.


    ¡°This wicked girl! She has no respect for her elders!¡± Old Madam Shen was furious. Because she was born a lowly person and could not say anything civil, she cursed, ¡°Little b*tch! As expected of someone from that old b*tch!¡±


    The ¡°old b*tch¡± she was talking about was naturally Shen Xin¡¯s mother, Shen Miao¡¯s biological grandmother.


    Ren Wanyun raised her head and looked out the door. Shen Miao was no longer there.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that she would definitely agree to this?¡± Old Madam Shen targeted Ren Wanyun. ¡°Did she look like she agreed? What should we do next?¡±


    Not to mention Old Madam Shen, Ren Wanyun also found it strange. With Wei Qian¡¯s conditions, even Shen Qing would be attracted and agreed to marry him, but Shen Miao actually rejected him without even thinking. Ren Wanyun pondered for a moment and said, ¡°She must still be interested in Prince Ding. She pretends not to care about him, but in fact, she hasn¡¯t given up. Otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t have rejected such an excellent young man.¡± Shen Miao didn¡¯t even blush when her marriage was brought up.


    ¡°Then what should we do now?¡± Old Madam Shen said angrily, ¡°If she doesn¡¯t agree, how can she write a letter to Shen Xin?¡±


    Originally, their plan was to coax Shen Miao into agreeing to the marriage and make her tell Shen Xin that she had a lover. Then, before Shen Xin returned to the capital, they would Swap Shen Miao and Shen Qing¡¯s husbands. After that, they would put all the blame on Shen Miao. Once a woman got married, her temper would be gone. Shen Miao would be afraid, so she would not make a fuss. Shen Xin would not know that Shen Miao and Shen Qing had changed marriages, and he would think that Shen Miao liked Young Master Huang.


    1


    However, now that Shen Miao was unhappy with the Wei family¡¯s marriage, she naturally wouldn¡¯t write a letter to her father. If Shen Miao did not agree, the entire plan would fall flat, and there would be a lot of trouble.


    1


    ¡°If she doesn¡¯t want it, we¡¯ll do it the hard way.¡± Ren Wanyun said fiercely, ¡°She¡¯s grounded in the ancestral hall anyway. We¡¯ll do whatever we want. In short, we have to get her engaged as soon as possible.¡±


    1


    Old Madam Shen glanced at Ren Wanyun and did not speak. Although she also wanted the first branch to be in trouble, if she really did it the hard way, she would be in trouble if Shen Xin found out that she was involved.


    Ren Wanyun knew what Old Madam Shen was thinking at a glance. She gritted her teeth and said, ¡°Mother, don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll take care of this. You won¡¯t be implicated.¡±


    Old Madam Shen was reassured and did not say anything else.


    ¡­ .


    On the Hundred Flowers Tower, there was a tall platform and a pavilion. The handsome young man was dressed in purple and looked like a faint sun in the sky. His eyelashes were extremely long, and his peach blossom eyes were extremely beautiful. When he looked at people, his eyes were filled with coldness and cruelty.


    ¡°Ahem.¡± A light cough broke the silence in the pavilion. A young man placed his folding fan in front of his chest and made a begging gesture. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for being late.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you¡¯d ever be late.¡± The young man in purple glanced at him.


    Su Mingfeng rubbed his nose. This good friend of his hated it when people were late. If it were anyone else, Xie Jingxing would probably have left long ago.


    ¡°It¡¯s all because of Wei Qian.¡± Su Mingfeng smiled bitterly. ¡°You know the young master of the Minister of Zhongshu. He¡¯s quite sad. He already has a girl he likes, but his family proposed to another lady for him. The other party even accepted his marriage proposal. I¡¯m afraid the marriage is about to be settled. Wei Qian was unhappy, so he asked me to drink with him. However,¡± Su Mingfeng pointed at himself, ¡°I¡¯m currently ¡®seriously ill¡¯ and can¡¯t drink, so I comforted him for half an hour.¡±


    ¡°Boring,¡± Xie Jingxing said with a cold expression. Obviously, he was very unhappy that Su Mingfeng was late because of this reason.


    Su Mingfeng felt helpless. Xie Jingxing looked cynical and always had a smile on his face, but in fact, he was very vengeful and picky. Su Mingfeng did not know what things didn¡¯t go right for Xie Jingxing these few days, but his expression was so calm. As long as Xie Jingxing looked at him calmly, Su Mingfeng would feel his hair stand on end.


    ¡°Wei Qian is really unlucky. The wife his family chose for him is an idiot. Previously, everyone knew that that idiot was after Prince Ding. Wei Qian couldn¡¯t defy his parents and had to marry her.¡± He quickly found a topic to talk about, hoping to arouse Xie Jingxing¡¯s interest. ¡°You should know who she is, right? She¡¯s Shen Xin¡¯s daughter, Shen Miao. She should consider herself lucky to be able to marry Wei Qian.¡±


    2


    Xie Jingxing suddenly opened his mouth and asked slowly, ¡°Shen Miao?¡±

 Chapter 126 - Imprisonment (1)

    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Su Mingfeng was a little surprised by Xie Jingxing¡¯s attitude. He suddenly thought of something and smiled mischievously. ¡°Isn¡¯t she the girl you saved last time at the test? She¡¯s quite brave and not too ugly. Wei Qian clearly doesn¡¯t know how lucky he is.¡±


    1


    Seeing that Xie Jingxing was deep in thought, he couldn¡¯t help but say in surprise, ¡°Hey, are you telling me you like that girl?¡±


    Xie Jingxing sneered and glanced at Su Mingfeng coldly. ¡°Are you very avaliable?¡±


    ¡°Of course I¡¯m.¡± Su Mingfeng frowned. ¡°I¡¯m ¡®seriously ill¡¯ now, and I can¡¯t go to court. All I do day in and day out is playing with my pets. You haven¡¯t been showing up often recently and are very close to that doctor called Gao Yang. Are you hiding something from me?¡±


    They had a deep friendship when they were young, but the older they grew up, the more mysterious Xie Jingxing became. Su Mingfeng sometimes felt that he knew nothing about Xie Jingxing.


    1


    Xie Jingxing threw a fruit at him. ¡°Eat it.¡±


    Obviously, he did not intend to continue. Su Mingfeng¡¯s eyes flashed and he smiled bitterly, but he did not say anything.


    ¡­ .


    Not long after the Shen family accepted the invitation from the Wei family, Ren Wanyun asked Xianglan to get Shen Gui to come to Rosy Cloud Garden.


    Ever since Shen Qing¡¯s incident, there had been a conflict between Shen Gui and Ren Wanyun, and the two of them did not talk much.


    This time, Ren Wanyun took the initiative to give in.


    Xianglan and Caiju greeted Shen Gui, who had just entered. Ren Wanyun sat at the table, looking a little depressed.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you again?¡± Shen Gui¡¯s tone was still very stiff. Back then, Shen Gui was extremely unhappy with Ren Wanyun scolding him for being heartless. Although he admired Ren Wanyun for being able to manage the mansion well, he was by no means a magnanimous person.


    Ren Wanyun glanced at him, her face very haggard. She had always been smart and high-spirited, and she had never looked like this. When Shen Gui saw this scene, his heart softened. He knew that Ren Wanyun doted on Shen Qing and was worried sick about her daughter. After all, she was his first wife, so he still had to show her respect. He shouted at Xianglan and Caiju, ¡°Why is Madam so haggard? How do you take care of her?¡±


    Ren Wanyun could also hear the gentleness in Shen Gui¡¯s tone. ¡°It¡¯s not their fault. I¡¯m the one who¡¯s worried about Qing. I haven¡¯t been able to sleep and eat these days because I am heartbroken.¡±


    ¡°Since it already happened, there¡¯s no point in thinking too much about it. You¡¯d better get well as soon as possible. We still need you to take care of the mansion.¡± Shen Gui glanced at Ren Wanyun. Previously, it was Ren Wanyun who was in charge of the mansion, so he could use the money at will. Now that Ren Wanyun had to take care of her daughter, Chen Ruoqiu became the temporary manager. Naturally, it was not as convenient as before.


    Ren Wanyun gritted her teeth. Shen Gui only cared about his official career and did not care about Shen Qing at all. She said, ¡°I think so too. It¡¯s just that I¡¯m worried about letting others take care of Qing.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why we should just marry her to the Huang family.¡± At the mention of this, Shen Gui¡¯s tone became stiff again. ¡°The Huang family is big and rich. When Qing¡¯er goes over, she will be the first wife, but you don¡¯t agree.¡±

 Chapter 127 - Imprisonment (2)

    Ren Wanyun sneered in her heart. As a father, Shen Gui was really heartless. How could the Huang family be considered a good family? Although she had long known that her husband valued benefits over anything else, thinking about it now, Ren Wanyun still felt a chill run down her spine.


    However, this was not the time for her to think about this. She wiped her eyes and said, ¡°Master is right. I was wrong. The family that you chose is naturally the best. I didn¡¯t want to marry off Qing to that family at first, but now I think it¡¯s not a bad thing for her.¡±


    Shen Gui was stunned for a moment before looking at her in disbelief. ¡°You agreed?¡± Ren Wanyun loved her daughter so much. How could she agree to this marriage so easily?


    ¡°Yes.¡± A sad expression appeared on Ren Wanyun¡¯s face. ¡°With Qing like this, no good family will want her in the future. After thinking about it, I think the Huang family is not bad. At least, after marrying over, Qing won¡¯t suffer.¡± After saying that, she tugged at her sleeve and cried softly.


    Seeing Ren Wanyun like this, Shen Gui felt relieved and believed what Ren Wanyun said. Now, Shen Qing was no longer a virgin, and the Huang family just needed a legitimate daughter of a noble family to take the position of Young Madam Huang to deceive the outside world. After Shen Qing married Huang Dexing, she would have no worries for the rest of her life. Although as a woman, she might not be able to consummate her marriage, after that kind of thing happened, who would still want her?


    At the thought of this, Shen Gui sighed and walked to Ren Wanyun¡¯s side. He patted her back and comforted her, ¡°It¡¯s good that you¡¯ve thought it through. Qing is my daughter after all. I won¡¯t harm her. Master Huang and I are friends. I¡¯ll ask him to take care of QIng. If Qing marries, she won¡¯t suffer.¡±


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll have to trouble you to mention it to Master Huang and ask the Huang family to send someone over to talk about marriage.¡±


    ¡°So soon?¡± Shen Gui was a little surprised.


    ¡°Qing is already like this. How can we wait?¡± Ren Wanyun sighed. ¡°The longer we wait, the more likely people will find out. After all, Qing hasn¡¯t been out for a long time. If she marries into the Huang family, she can at least hide it. Moreover,¡± Ren Wanyun rubbed her chest, ¡°I¡¯ve been feeling uneasy all the time ever since Qing became pregnant.¡±


    1


    Seeing her nervous expression, Shen Gui pondered for a moment and said, ¡°You¡¯re right. We can¡¯t wait. In that case, I¡¯ll write to Lord Huang today and mention this matter.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m counting on you, Master,¡± Ren Wanyun said meekly.


    Shen Gui said a few more words before leaving in satisfaction. Today, Ren Wanyun apologized and did as he said, making him feel much better. The gloominess he had been feeling for the past few days was gone.


    After Shen Gui left Rosy Cloud Garden, Xianglan closed the door and said in a panic, ¡°Madam, is it really good to hide it from Master?¡±


    Ren Wanyun made Shen Gui think that Shen Qing was really willing to marry Huang Dexing, but she did not tell him about her plans to swap Shen Qing and Shen Miao¡¯s husband. In this way, Shen Qing would marry the real good man, Wei Qian, and Shen Miao would marry Huang Dexing.


    2


    She naturally couldn¡¯t let Shen Gui know about this, because he would not take the risk in doing anything that might affect his career. However, for her daughter, Ren Wanyun would do anything.

 Chapter 128 - Imprisonment (3)

    ¡°Of course we have to hide it from him. He¡¯s so heartless. He only wants to use my daughter to gain more power.¡± Ren Wanyun sneered. Her husband¡¯s coldness and her daughter¡¯s accident had already made her look old. It was as if a few wrinkles had appeared on her face overnight. Her originally kind face was now replaced by a sinister expression. ¡°This has to be done flawlessly. Even if he finds out in the future, it will be too late.¡±


    ¡°But won¡¯t this be bad for Miss?¡± Caiju asked, ¡°Even if it succeeds, how can the Huang and Wei families, after knowing the truth, be willing to accept it?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡± Ren Wanyun held the paperweight in her hand and said, ¡°What the Huang family wants is just a girl from an official family. As for the Wei family, if they dare to make a fuss, I¡¯ll sue them for raping innocent women. There will always be a way to make them shut up. Moreover,¡± Her expression instantly turned sinister, ¡°What¡¯s wrong with Qing? Isn¡¯t she better than that little b*tch, Shen Miao? The Wei family should consider themselves lucky to have my daughter instead of Shen Miao.¡±


    At the mention of Shen Miao, Ren Wanyun trembled with hatred. Xianglan and Caiju immediately lowered their heads in silence.


    After a while, Ren Wanyun said, ¡°But the most important thing now is to get the two marriages done as soon as possible. We have to do it before Shen Xin and his wife return to the capital.¡±


    ¡°They will only return to the capital at the end of the year. There are still a few months left.¡± Xianglan took a step forward and reminded, ¡°On the other hand, Fifth Miss is too stubborn. If she finds out that she¡¯s engaged, she¡¯ll probably cause a commotion. She might even escape from the Shen family at night. What will we do then?¡±


    ¡°Escape?¡± Ren Wanyun said fiercely, ¡°That depends on whether she has the ability or not. Isn¡¯t she locked up in the ancestral hall now? From today onwards, lock up the ancestral hall!¡±


    She actually wanted to lock up Shen Miao alive!


    Xianglan and Caiju were shocked and lowered their heads. In the past, although the Shen family suppressed Shen Miao, it was not obvious on the surface. This was the first time they had used such a ruthless method on Shen Miao.


    ¡°That little b*tch has a lot of tricks up her sleeve. She has to be locked up. When the time comes, we¡¯ll just drug her and force her to marry. The Huang family is not a kind bunch. After a few days of discipline, she will be obedient.¡± Ren Wanyun did not hide the viciousness in her words. ¡°If they can¡¯t, how about Prince Yu?¡± She smiled smugly.


    ¡­ .


    The winter was getting colder and colder. There were frequent reports of victory in the Northwest Desert. The army led by Shen Xin had rendered meritorious service by defeating the enemy. On the battlefield, the enemy was terrified. The people in the capital naturally guessed that when Shen Xin returned to the capital at the end of the year, he would definitely be rewarded with countless merit points.


    The glory of the Shen family was really enviable, but it was all earned on the battlefield. Now that the Xiongnu had not retreated, and the neighboring countries were also eyeing the land covetously, the Ming Qi royal family naturally had to put the Shen family in an important position. However, in the future, it was hard to say if it would still be so. After all, the royal family always liked to stab people in the back. Especially the nine princes of the Ming Qi royal family, no one dared to underestimate them.


    If there was anything exciting in the capital recently, it would be that the daughters of the Shen family were going to get married. However, for some reason, details of this matter weren¡¯t revealed. People only knew that two families came to propose marriage. One was the Wei family, the Minister of Zhongshu, and the other was the Huang family. These two families were both rich and powerful. The two young masters were considered young and talented, and they were of equal social status with the Shen family. Shen Yue went to Guangwen Hall every day as usual, so everyone could guess that the ones who were going to get married were definitely Shen Miao and Shen Qing.

 Chapter 129 - Imprisonment (4)

    Among the current military officials, only the Marquis of Lin¡¯an could compare to him. However, the Marquis of Lin¡¯an seemed to be a smart person. He usually didn¡¯t lead troops.


    With a father like Shen Xin who held a lot of power, whoever Shen Miao married would mean that her husband¡¯s family would be able to get a helping hand. The Ming Qi Royal Family was watching. Fortunately, the two families that came to propose marriage were both civil servants and had nothing to do with the military.


    In Guangwen Hall, Yi Peilan asked Shen Yue, ¡°Are your sisters really getting married? Why don¡¯t they come to Guangwen Hall?¡±


    Ever since coming back from the Wolong Temple, Shen Miao and Shen Qing had never left the house. Shen Miao was grounded, and Shen Qing had to recuperate.


    Shen Yue smiled. ¡°I don¡¯t know. Maybe you are right.¡±


    ¡°Speaking of which, your sisters are quite lucky.¡± Jiang Xiaoxuan thought for a moment and said, ¡°Especially Shen Miao. Both Young Master Wei and Young Master Huang are not bad. Why didn¡¯t they marry you?¡±


    Shen Yue said with a forced smile, ¡°I still want to stay at home for a few more years. I¡¯m not thinking about getting married.¡± However, there was a knot in her heart. Indeed, at her age, she was meant to start considering marriage. In the Shen family, Shen Miao was two years younger than her. Now that even Shen Miao was engaged, Shen Yue was the one who was not wanted.


    She couldn¡¯t stand Shen Miao doing well. In the past, Shen Miao was inferior to her in everything. Now that a family like the Wei family took the initiative to propose marriage, it meant that Shen Miao was acknowledged as a qualified girl. If not for Chen Ruoqiu¡¯s persuasion, Shen Yue probably wouldn¡¯t be able to get over it.


    ¡°You.¡± Bai Wei tapped her forehead. ¡°You have to think for yourself¡­¡± She nodded at the other side. ¡°What do you think of him?¡±


    Shen Yue followed Bai Wei¡¯s gaze. When Cai Lin sensed Shen Yue¡¯s gaze, he turned around and was stunned for a moment before looking away uncomfortably.


    Shen Yue¡¯s eyes turned red and she bit her lower lip tightly.


    The young man who used to love her so much was now avoiding her like the plague. A proud person like Shen Yue naturally felt extremely humiliated.


    Cai Lin avoided Shen Yue¡¯s gaze and was a little frustrated. Ever since he was taught a lesson by Shen Miao at the test, when he saw Shen Miao again, he would feel a fear that came out of nowhere. It was as if his innate fear of danger made him want to avoid Shen Miao. Moreover, that day, Xie Jingxing seemed to have helped Shen Miao out. Cai Lin was a big shot in the capital, but he was in no way a match for Xie Jingxing, so he naturally would not take the initiative to go against him. No matter if Xie Jingxing did it on purpose or not, Cai Lin would not dare to provoke Shen Miao again.


    That day at the test, Shen Yue did not even look at him, which completely destroyed the young man¡¯s burning passion for her.


    Seeing that Shen Yue was embarrassed, Yi Peilan pursed her lips and changed the topic. She smiled and said, ¡°However, it¡¯s your grandmother¡¯s birthday soon. I think I should go and pick some gifts.¡±


    Old Madam Shen¡¯s birthday banquet every year was extremely grand. This kind of extravagance was even comparable to that of the royal family. Old Madam Shen felt that the grander the birthday banquet, the more she would be respected. Every year, many officials would be invited. Shen Gui and Shen Wan were naturally happy to see this. This way, they could expand their network.

 Chapter 130 - Imprisonment (5)

    Yi Peilan and the others would probably be present at the banquet next month. After all, at this time every year, the Shen family would invite all the good officials in Ming Qi.


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Bai Wei seemed to have just remembered. ¡°I almost forgot about it. Thanks for reminding me, Yue, what gift did you prepare for your grandmother?¡±


    As a talented girl in the capital, Shen Yue naturally made Old Madam Shen proud at the birthday banquet every year. If what Shen Qing prepared was something expensive, what Shen Yue prepared was unique and exquisite. Only Shen Miao would give something that made people laugh their heads off.


    ¡°It¡¯s just a portrait that I embroidered,¡± Shen Yue said humbly.


    ¡°Now that you mention it, I¡¯m starting to get curious.¡± Jiang Xiaoxuan said maliciously, ¡°Then what will your fifth sister prepare? Don¡¯t tell me she forgot about the birthday gift because she is busy embroidering her wedding dress.¡±


    Feng Anning, who was lying on the table, snorted and left.


    The conversation between the girls was heard by Pei Lang. These days, he had naturally heard the news of Shen Miao¡¯s engagement, but he had a strange feeling. The girl¡¯s eyes were like that of a beast. Would she be willing to marry just like that?


    At the same time, Shen Miao lined up the chess pieces in front of her in the ancestral hall.


    The wind in the ancestral hall was cold, and the ground was covered in green and gray stone slabs. If one knelt down, they would feel cold to the bones. Jingzhe and Gu Yu brought some soft cushions, but those cushions were useless. Shen Miao instructed them to boil some herbs and place them in the corner of the house to get rid of the humidity.


    At first, Jingzhe and Gu Yu did not believe it. Later, when they saw that the herbs were really effective, they asked Shen Miao where she learned that. Shen Miao only said that she had heard it from others, but she knew very well that it was something she had learned after becoming a hostage in the State of Qin for a few years. It was too cold and there was not enough money, so she had to find the cheapest method to get warm. Now, what she experienced in the ancestral hall was nothing.


    ¡°Miss, why are you still in the mood to play chess?¡± Jingzhe stomped her feet anxiously.


    Shen Miao lined up the chess pieces in front of her.


    ¡°Chun Tao even asked Mo Qing to send a message over.¡± Seeing that Shen Miao was silent, Jingzhe continued, ¡°Second Madam wants to change the marriage between you and First Miss. That Young Master Huang is gay. What should we do? Miss, why are you still in the mood to play chess?¡±


    1


    The Shen family had already agreed to this marriage on behalf of Shen Miao. However, no one in the west courtyard knew about it. In other words, apart from Shen Miao, everyone knew that Shen Miao was getting married.


    It would be fine if she married Wei Qian, at least he could be considered a righteous person. However, Huang Dexing was gay, so wouldn¡¯t Shen Miao be a widow if she married him? When the girls heard this, they almost went crazy. Mo Qing also said that if Shen Miao was willing, he could help her escape.


    Mo Qing didn¡¯t know that once she escaped, it meant that she automatically gave people the chance to fabricate stories at will. Moreover, Shen Miao had no intention of escaping from the beginning, so she rejected him.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t want to escape, at least ask Mo Qing to pass the message to Master. They want Miss to get married before Master returns to the capital. This way, nothing can be changed,¡± Gu Yu advised. She knew that Shen Miao had an idea now, but she didn¡¯t tell them anything. The maids could only be anxious for her.

 Chapter 131 - Imprisonment (6)

    ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Shen Miao said indifferently, ¡°Ren Wanyun¡¯s people are guarding the west courtyard now. Not even a fly can fly out. If I escape, what will happen to the people in the courtyard? Although I¡¯m not a benevolent person, some of them were specially left to me by my parents. Once I leave, Ren Wanyun will immediately kill everyone in the courtyard?¡±


    Jingzhe and Gu Yu were stunned.


    ¡°Besides, do you think sending a message is that simple? There are people guarding this place all day long. They want to lock me up. Do you think they will give me a chance? Then you¡¯re looking down on my second aunt.¡±


    In Shen Miao¡¯s opinion, Ren Wanyun was nothing to be afraid of. However, in this world, an angry mother was the most terrifying. For the sake of Shen Qing¡¯s happiness, Ren Wanyun would naturally do her best to make sure her plan was carried out. On this matter, Ren Wanyun had placed a huge bet. After all, she had probably not discussed the matter with Shen Gui. It was her own idea. If it succeeded, everyone would naturally be happy. If it failed, Ren Wanyun would probably no longer have a place in the second branch.


    ¡°But Miss, are we just going to wait?¡± Jingzhe said anxiously, ¡°I won¡¯t let you marry that homosexual!¡±


    ¡°Can you tell what¡¯s going on?¡± Shen Miao pointed at the chessboard on the table.


    On the chessboard, the white pieces and black pieces were arranged in two rows, looking a little strange.


    After a while, Gu Yu replied carefully, ¡°I have no clue about chess.¡±


    ¡°What did you see?¡± Shen Miao asked.


    Jingzhe boldly replied, ¡°White and black lining up in two rows. They¡¯re very distinct.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± A glint flashed across Shen Miao¡¯s eyes. ¡°This chess game is about putting all the chips on the table. You know my chess piece, and I know yours. Whoever is more capable will be the winner.¡±


    Jingzhe and Gu Yu looked at each other, not understanding what Shen Miao meant.


    ¡°Ren Wanyun thought that she knew all my chess pieces, but that¡¯s not the case.¡± She took out another black chess piece from behind and placed it beside the white chess piece. ¡°I still have a trump card.¡±


    ¡°The old madam¡¯s birthday is next month, right?¡± she suddenly asked.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Jingzhe replied. ¡°I heard from Chun Tao that Second Madam wants to announce Miss¡¯s marriage at Old Madam¡¯s birthday banquet.¡±


    ¡°They wanted to make it a done deal before my father returned to the capital.¡± Shen Miao smiled.


    ¡°That¡¯s right. There are still a few months until the end of the year. I¡¯m afraid it¡¯ll be too late when Master comes back.¡± Gu Yu was worried.


    ¡°Is that so?¡±


    When Shen Xin returned to the court, it would indeed be the end of the year. Unfortunately, in the 68th year of Ming Qi, because Shen Xin defeated the enemy army in the northwest, the enemy army fled and gave him a letter of surrender in advance. The Shen family army returned to the capital a few months earlier with the letter of surrender.


    Every time Old Madam Shen held her birthday, Shen Xin was not in the capital. After a while, people said that Shen Xin was unfilial. Therefore, on Old Madam Shen¡¯s 70th birthday in the 68th year of Ming Qi, Shen Xin returned to the capital early.


    That day, Shen Xin suddenly returned to the mansion. Old Madam Shen was holding a banquet at the mansion, but Shen Miao did not attend. The reason was naturally because she was hiding in Prince Ding¡¯s mansion. Shen Xin went to Prince Ding¡¯s mansion to look for his daughter. However, because of Fu Xiuyi¡¯s sweet words, she turned a deaf ear to her father and even told her father she wanted to marry Fu Xiuyi.


    Now that she thought about it, she felt ashamed.


    In this life, she did not escape the Shen family because of Prince Yu, nor did she continue to be infatuated with Fu Xiuyi. If Shen Xin came back and saw a different daughter, would she be able to redeem herself a little?


    ¡°My father has always respected Old Madam,¡± Shen Miao said indifferently.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Jingzhe replied.


    Old Madam Shen was born in the gutter and was good at putting on a show. Back then, she acted flawlessly like a kind mother. When the old general was alive, he could not find any fault with her. In the early years, he had received motherly care from Old Madam Shen, so he could not imagine how she could be a vicious woman.


    ¡°I have to thank Second Aunt this time,¡± Shen Miao said with a smile, her eyes shockingly bright. ¡°I¡¯ll expose them all.¡±

 Chapter 132 - Birthday Banquet (1)

    The third day of November was a sunny day. It was rare to see such good sun in winter, and it happened to be the 70th birthday banquet of Old Madam Shen.


    The General¡¯s Mansion had been cleaned up inside and out, and a lot of money was spent to buy new things. The birthday banquet was naturally held in the east courtyard. The east courtyard was quiet and elegant, and the flowers were trimmed in an orderly manner. The maidservants were wearing refreshing and neat dresses, and their words and actions were not tacky. All of them were delicate and obedient.


    Old Madam Shen sat in the main hall of the Rongjing Hall. Many madams and ladies had already come to greet her. After all, the Shen family was a first-class military family in Ming Qi. The high-ranking officials and nobles had to come forward to greet her.


    Although Chen Ruoqiu was temporarily in charge of the family, in the past, Old Madam Shen¡¯s birthday was all handled by Ren Wanyun. As for dealing with these noble ladies, Ren Wanyun could do better than Chen Ruoqiu. Chen Ruoqiu was from a scholarly family, but Ren Wanyun was different.


    2


    Shen Yuanbai leaned against Old Madam Shen and ate the honey candy. From time to time, the ladies would praise him for being so smart at such a young age. Old Madam Shen smiled when she heard that.


    2


    On the other hand, when Chen Ruoqiu saw that everyone was praising Shen Yuanbai and Shen Yuan, who was taking on a post far away, she felt very uncomfortable. The thing that she hated people bring up the most was sons. Everyone knew that Chen Ruoqiu had been married to Shen Wan for many years and had no sons except for a daughter, Shen Yue. However, Shen Wan was not interested in other women. Old Madam Shen once wanted to give Shen Wan a few concubines, but they were rejected by Shen Wan. Because of this, Old Madam Shen took her anger out on Chen Ruoqiu. Compared to Chen Ruoqiu, Ren Wanyun was obviously more liked by Old Madam Shen.


    3


    ¡°By the way, why didn¡¯t I see First Miss and Fifth Miss today?¡± Mrs. Yi smiled.


    Ren Wanyun was in charge of receiving these madams, so Shen Yue naturally went to get close to those young ladies from noble families, bringing them to the garden to drink tea and chat. But today, Shen Miao and Shen Qing were nowhere to be seen.


    When Ren Wanyun and Old Madam Shen heard this, their expressions darkened at the same time.


    Shen Qing was not fully recovered yet. She kept saying that she would tear Shen Miao into pieces. Of course, these words could not be heard by outsiders. Over the past few days, Ren Wanyun had been comforting Shen Qing, in case she had thoughts of killing herself. As for how she comforted her, Chen Ruoqiu could imagine it. Ren Wanyun probably promised her daughter that she would punish Shen Miao and make her life miserable.


    As for Shen Miao, Ren Wanyun did not know how she received the news that Old Madam Shen had secretly accepted the marriage invitation from the Wei family for her. From that day onwards, she fought back like crazy, threatening to run away and ruin this marriage. When Old Madam Shen heard this, she was shocked. Ren Wanyun and Old Madam Shen thought that if anything happened to Shen Miao, their entire plan would fall flat.


    Therefore, ever since Shen Miao threatened to go against the marriage, Old Madam Shen and Ren Wanyun locked Shen Miao up in the ancestral hall. The ancestral hall was in the courtyard in the southwest of the Shen family. The guards outside had increased by at least half. Old Madam Shen also found the contracts of the servants in the west courtyard, including Shen Miao¡¯s four personal maids.

 Chapter 133 - Birthday Banquet (1)

    In other words, if Shen Miao dare to do anything, these girls would die.


    Therefore, for the past few days, Shen Miao had been locked up in the Shen family¡¯s ancestral hall, copying scripcture and praying every day. Ren Wanyun hoped to use this to reshape Shen Miao¡¯s personality and prevent any accidents from happening. If Shen Miao was released today, they were afraid that she would say something shocking in front of everyone. After discussing with Old Madam Shen, they decided not to let Shen Miao out today.


    At the thought of Shen Miao, Ren Wanyun felt a headache coming on. She had been in the mansion for so many years, but now, she couldn¡¯t even tell what a little girl was thinking. People thought Shen Miao was stupid, but she managed to set Shen Qing up and ruined her life. Now they thought she was calm, but she refused the marriage and shouted to escape then Shen family. So they could only lock her up.


    Chen Ruoqiu smiled and said, ¡°Qing is not fully recovered yet, so she won¡¯t come out now. She¡¯ll come out at Old Madam¡¯s birthday banquet later. Miao is sick and can¡¯t come out. Or she¡¯ll catch a cold. There are so many ladies present. I¡¯m afraid she¡¯ll spread the disease to us, so we let her stay in her room.


    If Shen Miao was only sick, some people would definitely want to check in on her, but if her sickness was contagious, people would naturally give up the thought.


    Jiang Xiaoxuan¡¯s mother, Mrs. Jiang, also smiled. She said tentatively, ¡°I see. I thought it was because the two girls were busy embroidering the dowry and didn¡¯t want to see us. Wanyun, you have to take good care of the girls. Don¡¯t let their illnesses come in the way of their marriage.¡±


    The news of the marriages was spreading like wildfire in the capital. Unfortunately, the Shen family had never confirmed it, which made people feel a little strange. There were many people who wanted to test the waters. They wanted to find out who was marrying whom.


    Ren Wanyun¡¯s eyes flashed. She naturally knew Madam Jiang¡¯s intentions. She smiled and said, ¡°What are you talking about? If not for the fact that the two children are really sick, why wouldn¡¯t they come out to see the madams?¡±


    In the garden of the Autumn Water Garden, a group of young girls was gathered. They were playing chess, eating snacks, and chatting.


    ¡°Speaking of which, Yue,¡± Jiang Xiaoxuan said, ¡°I haven¡¯t seen your sister yet. Is she really sick?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s really sick.¡± Shen Yue shook her head, a trace of worry in her eyes. ¡°Eldest Sister is getting better, but Fifth Sister¡¯s illness is a little serious. The rash on her face has even infected the maids around her.¡± She lowered her head, speaking in a low voice, ¡°You didn¡¯t even see her maids when you came today, did you?¡±


    ¡°No wonder.¡± Bai Wei was enlightened. ¡°There are so many people guarding the west courtyard, but no one came out. I think the servants in the courtyard are afraid of infecting by others. Didn¡¯t Mr. Pei say in the school that in order to prevent the plague from spreading, the sick have to be isolated?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Shen Yue said.


    Yi Peilan touched her shoulders and shuddered. ¡°How scary. Don¡¯t get us infected.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡± Shen Yue smiled and said, ¡°As long as you don¡¯t go to the west courtyard, you¡¯ll naturally be safe. Look, I didn¡¯t get infected either, right?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re really broad-minded to stay with such a sister.¡± Yi Peilan curled her lips. ¡°Why is this Shen Miao like a jinx? Why does she always attract this kind of disease?¡±


    On the other side, anger flashed across Feng Anning¡¯s eyes. She suppressed it and cursed softly, ¡°What a hypocrite.¡±


    She was naturally talking about Shen Yue.


    Qin Qing, who was on Feng Anning¡¯s side, snorted. Her expression was still arrogant, but she looked at Shen Yue with disdain.


    Among the two of them, Feng Anning was now on good terms with Shen Miao, so she was naturally rejected by Shen Yue. As for Qin Qing, she was beautiful and arrogant. In Guangwen Hall, she was Shen Yue¡¯s opponent. Today, Shen Yue came to greet the girls, so Qin Qing was naturally ignored. Therefore, the two of them sat together away from the other girls.


    ¡°Who knows if it¡¯s because of disease.¡± Qin Qing had never hidden her disdain for Shen Yue. When Feng Anning heard this, she immediately said, ¡°So you think so too. Why don¡¯t we go and see Shen Miao?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not close to Shen Miao. If you want to go, go yourself.¡± Qin Qing refused without hesitation and added, ¡°However, no one is allowed to enter the west courtyard of the Shen family now. I don¡¯t think you can get in.¡±


    ¡°How can that be?¡± Feng Anning was indignant. ¡°She¡¯s the daughter of the Shen family. Why can¡¯t she attend Old Madam Shen¡¯s birthday banquet and has to be locked up in the west courtyard? Isn¡¯t that no different from prisoner?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s better if you don¡¯t interfere in the affairs of others.¡± Qin Qing glanced at Feng Anning. ¡°It has nothing to do with you and me.¡±


    Feng Anning bit her lip indignantly, but she could not say anything. She could only glare hatefully at Shen Yue, who was surrounded by people and chatting happily.


    However, no one saw a figure flash and quickly disappear into the bushes.


    There was a desolate courtyard in the northwest corner of the Shen family¡¯s mansion. Because the terrain was not good and there were many weeds growing, it was directly abandoned. Other than the occasional birds and wild cats that traveled past, no one usually came.


    Today, there were a few people standing under the wall.


    The person in the lead had his back to the garden and was deep in thought. Someone behind him said, ¡°Master, I passed by the east courtyard of the Shen family and heard that the west courtyard is guarded.¡±


    Another person said, ¡°I¡¯ve already checked. Though the west courtyard is guarded only by some servants. The guards are all outside the Shen family¡¯s ancestral hall. Could it be¡­¡±


    The man turned around and revealed a handsome face. ¡°The thing is in the Shen family¡¯s ancestral hall.¡±

 Chapter 134 - Burning the Ancestral Hall (1)

    The east courtyard of the General¡¯s Mansion was naturally very lively. Guests came and went, congratulating and giving gifts. Before the banquet started, it was already filled with joy.


    Old Madam Shen had always pretended to be generous in front of outsiders. Every time a girl went up to congratulate her, she would always give them some expensive gifts. Seeing this, the smiles on those ladies¡¯ faces became more sincere, but Ren Wanyun gritted her teeth.


    Ren Wanyun was in charge of the money in the government. Usually, she had to settle the affairs of the three branches. The more the old madam squandered, the less money she could fill her own pockets. Moreover, Shen Gui usually needed money to socialize in the bureaucracy. In this way, she would probably be short of money in the coming days.


    The ancestral hall in the southwest corner of the Shen family¡¯s mansion was quiet. Outside the door, there were people dressed like guards. The reason why this was the case was that these people were responsible for keeping an eye on Shen Miao to prevent her from escaping.


    The ancestral hall was in a cold place where the sun couldn¡¯t reach all year round. It was winter, and as soon as one walked in, they would feel a bone-chilling cold wind. The smell of incense filled the air as it burned non-stop.


    ¡°Miss.¡± Gu Yu rubbed her hands. ¡°Today is Old Madam¡¯s birthday, but they deliberately locked you up here. They¡¯re simply bullying you!¡±


    They didn¡¯t allow Shen Miao to go out, nor did they send anyone to ask her about who she was doing. They simply treated Shen Miao like a servant who had made a mistake.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be anxious.¡± Shen Miao stood in front of the window. Outside the window, there were trees with withered leaves. In the winter, the bare branches looked especially sad.


    ¡°Miss, how can you not be anxious?¡± Gu Yu had been holding it in for so many days. In the end, she couldn¡¯t help but say, ¡°They locked you here because they wanted to force you to marry into the Huang family. By the time Master and Madam come back, you will already be married, and your life will be ruined!¡±


    Jingzhe had been fiddling with the charcoal brazier on the ground. In the cold ancestral hall, only this charcoal brazier could give some warmth. A small bed was placed in the inner room. Shen Miao shook her head. ¡°Take the blankets and dry them outside for two hours.¡±


    ¡°Miss!¡± Gu Yu stomped her feet, a little anxious about Shen Miao¡¯s nonchalant attitude. However, when Shen Miao glanced at her, she shut up. She could only hold back her anger and take the blanket out of the room.


    ¡°Today is a rare good day.¡± Shen Miao looked out of the window. The sunlight couldn¡¯t reach the ancestral hall, but it could reach the courtyard. She couldn¡¯t leave the courtyard and was unwilling to leave the ancestral hall.


    ¡°Miss, are Master and Madam really going to come back today?¡± Jingzhe finally stopped fiddling with the charcoal.


    Shen Miao told Jingzhe that she did not have to worry about anything, because on the day of Old Madam Shen¡¯s birthday, Shen Xin and his wife would return to the capital. This sounded ridiculous because there was no messenger who came to inform the Shen family that Shen Xin would return to the capital today. Shen Miao was locked in the ancestral hall every day, so how did she get this news? However, when Jingzhe looked at Shen Miao, she could not bring herself to ask the questions that puzzled her. Shen Miao suddenly had a majestic aura that was never seen in her before.


    Shen Miao said, ¡°Later, think of a way to make the guards outside to go away from this courtyard. They won¡¯t possibly leave, but get them to stay as far away as possible.¡±

 Chapter 135 - Burning the Ancestral Hall (2)

    ¡°I understand,¡± Jingzhe said. Although she did not know why Shen Miao was doing this, she had been with Shen Miao in the ancestral hall these days. She realized that Shen Miao was not flustered by the situation. She was not flustered by the terrible situation because either she was stupid and did not know the danger she was in or she already had a plan to deal with it. As for Shen Miao, Jingzhe did not think that she was stupid. Therefore, even though she was as worried as Gu Yu, Jingzhe trusted that Shen Miao would definitely be able to handle the situation.


    Shen Miao noticed her gaze and sighed.


    Among her four maids, Gu Yu was the smartest, Bai Lu was the calmest, Shuang Jiang was the most loyal, and Jingzhe was the bravest.


    Back then, in order to help Fu Xiuyi rope in powerful officials, Jingzhe used her beauty to become the concubine of that powerful official. Although she was eventually beaten to death by the official¡¯s wife, before she died, she successfully obtained important information about that powerful official, and Fu Xiuyi used it to rope him in.


    Gu Yu, Bai Lu, and Shuang Jiang were not suitable for doing this. Only Jingzhe could have the courage to do it. However, after Jingzhe knew what she wanted to do, Shen Miao did not know if she would continue to help.


    After all, what she wanted to do was too shocking.


    ¡°Actually,¡± Jingzhe endured it and said softly, ¡°if Miss wants to, it¡¯s not impossible for Mo Qing to think of a way to bring Miss out.¡±


    Mo Qing was more skilled than the guards of the General¡¯s Mansion. Although it was difficult to confront so many guards alone, it was not impossible for him to seize the opportunity to bring Shen Miao out.


    ¡°And then?¡± Shen Miao asked. ¡°The world is huge. Will everything be perfect once I escape? The contract of the four of you is in the hands of Old Madam. If I leave, what will she do to you?¡±


    Jingzhe knelt on the ground and said, ¡°I know that Miss is willing to stay here for the sake of our lives, but if Miss is harmed because of us, I will be guilty. Back then, Master and Madam chose the four of us to be your maids because they wanted us to take care of you. How can we let you take care of us?¡±


    A trace of sadness flashed across Shen Miao¡¯s eyes. Shen Xin was indeed good at picking people. In her previous life, even when she was in her most difficult time, her maids had never betrayed her. However, people were not goods. She had to repay kindness with kindness, take revenge with hatred, and win over people¡¯s hearts, but she couldn¡¯t do so at the cost of the lives of her maids.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡± Shen Miao said, ¡°You and I will be fine. I heard that Second Sister made a Buddha Painting for Grandma. They forgot about me here, but I didn¡¯t forget about them.¡± She smiled. ¡°I also have a big gift for Old Madam, but I wonder if she has the fortune to enjoy it.¡±


    ¡­ .


    Dozens of kilometers away from the capital, horses were drinking water by the frozen stream. The grassland looked a little yellow and withered, and soldiers were taking a nap here.


    Sitting at the far end of the group of soldiers was a middle-aged man. His skin was bronze, probably caused by the sun and rain on the battlefield, but it made him look strong. His figure was like a small mountain, and his eyes were filled with righteousness. He had thick eyebrows, big eyes, and a beard. At a glance, he looked extremely fearless.


    The woman sitting beside him was stroking the head of a horse that was lowering its head and eating grass. The woman was also middle-aged. She was wearing a green robe that was shorter than an armor and a pair of embroidered gold sparrow breeches. Her hair was tied into a simple knot. Her eyes were extremely bright, and she was born delicate. However, what was attractive was her heroic aura. There was a pair of double-ringed silver bracelets on her wrist, and when she stroked the horse, the bracelets made a clanging sound.


    1

 Chapter 136 - Burning the Ancestral Hall (3)

    ¡°Madam, we¡¯ll be able to reach the capital in about two hours.¡± The middle-aged man smiled and said, ¡°After staying in the Northwest every day for so long, I find the air particularly sweet in the capital.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with the Northwest?¡± The woman glared at him and asked fiercely, ¡°I grew up in the bitter cold land of the Northwest. If you like sweet things, why did you marry me?¡±


    The man quickly said with a bitter face, ¡°Madam, you¡¯re right. The air in the capital is too sweet for rough men like me. The northwest is better. In winter, we can still go to the deep mountains to hunt.¡±


    1


    When the woman heard this, the corners of her mouth curled up as she said with a smile, ¡°You fence-sitter!¡±


    These two people were none other than the mighty general Shen Xin and his wife, Luo Xueyan. They had rushed back today to attend Old Madam Shen¡¯s birthday. Before this, they had not informed the capital of their return. Because they had obtained the letter of surrender from the enemy in advance, they wanted to return early to give everyone in the capital a surprise.


    ¡°We¡¯ve never attended Old Madam¡¯s birthday before.¡± Luo Xueyan said, ¡°In the past, when I came back at the end of the year, I would give His Majesty¡¯s reward to Old Madam as a birthday gift. We came back in a hurry today. I wonder if that wolf cloak will be enough to make Old Madam happy.¡±


    1


    ¡°Why can¡¯t that be not enough?¡± When Shen Xin heard that, he immediately asked, ¡°That¡¯s a good thing. Even on the battlefield, it¡¯s a treasure. Whoever wears it will be invincible. Back then, in order to hunt that wolf I guarded the mountain for seven days and seven nights. You said you wanted to give it to Old Madam, so I¡­ gave it to you.¡± At the end of the sentence, Shen Xin¡¯s voice gradually lowered. Clearly, he was a little unwilling. Although Old Madam Shen treated Shen Xin very well, she was not his biological mother after all. Shen Xin naturally doted on his wife more. Moreover, Luo Xueyan was usually on the battlefield with him. This wolf cloak was much more useful to her than to Old Madam.


    ¡°What do you know?¡± Luo Xueyan glared at him. ¡°You miss Old Madam¡¯s birthday every year. Even if you give all the rewards to Old Madam when you go back at the end of the year, no one will really know. The last time we returned to the capital, I heard that there were even people in the capital who said that you deliberately neglected your stepmother. I did this for you.¡±


    As soon as she said that, Shen Xin was silent for a while. Indeed, although the conditions in the capital were not as difficult as the harsh conditions in the northwest, and there were no enemies¡¯ weapons and traps, it was not really peaceful. Since the couple was not in the capital, rumors were spreading like wildfire.


    Luo Xueyan continued, ¡°You know that I am a straightforward person. In my family, we don¡¯t play power games. This wolf cloak is precious. If Old Madam likes it, she will be happy. When everyone sees this, the rumors will naturally be debunked.¡±


    After a while, Shen Xin said, ¡°You are indeed more thoughtful.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not doing this for you. I¡¯m doing this for Jiaojiao.¡± Luo Xueyan snorted and suddenly looked a little sad. ¡°You and I are not in the capital all year round. Although the Northwest is too dangerous and Jiaojiao is still young and can¡¯t be brought there, we¡¯ve never taught her anything and accompanied her all these years. We¡¯ve let her down.¡±


    3


    When Shen Xin heard this, he sighed and lowered his head.


    There were no heartless parents in the world, nor were there parents who did not love their children. However, he and Luo Xueyan were destined to fight on the battlefield, and Shen Miao could not go with them. When the two armies fought, dirty methods would be used. They could only bear the pain and separate from their daughter. At least in the capital, they did not have to worry about Shen Miao¡¯s safety.


    2

 Chapter 137 - Burning the Ancestral Hall (4)

    The more Luo Xueyan thought about it, the sadder she became. She continued, ¡°I often wonder if it¡¯s really safe to leave Jiaojiao in the capital. Without us by her side, I wonder if she¡¯s really living a happy life. Every year, when we meet her at the end of the year, she always treats us coldly. It¡¯s all our fault to begin with, so no matter how she treats us, we can¡¯t blame her.¡±


    Shen Miao wasn¡¯t close to Shen Xin, Luo Xueyan, and even Shen Qiu, because they were never by her side since she was young. She was close to Ren Wanyun, Chen Ruoqiu, and even Old Madam Shen, because these people were all with her day and night. They were the ¡°families¡± in her eyes. As for Shen Xin and his wife, they gave their daughter whatever she wanted. No matter how infamous Shen Miao was in the capital, they had never been angry at her because they knew they were to blame.


    Shen Xin patted Luo Xueyan on the shoulder. ¡°One day, Jiaojiao will understand us.¡±


    1


    ¡°Will she really understand?¡± Luo Xueyan smiled bitterly. ¡°Sometimes, I even wonder who caused Jiaojiao to be so mischievous now. The Shen family¡­¡± She suddenly stopped and looked at Shen Xin in frustration.


    Shen Xin naturally understood what she meant, and his expression changed slightly. A moment later, he sighed and held his wife¡¯s hand. ¡°Madam, you¡¯re thinking too much. Old Madam and Sister-in-law will teach Jiaojiao well. If not, Jiaojiao won¡¯t be so close to them.¡±


    Shen Miao¡¯s attitude towards her two aunts was so good that it made people jealous.


    ¡°I was thinking too much,¡± Luo Xueyan said. She was the precious daughter of the first wife of the Luo family in the northwest, which was also a military family. Although it was a third-grade military family, her family was filled with honest and upright men. Luo Xueyan was the youngest sister and had three brothers. Therefore, ever since she was born, she only had her parents and brothers in her family. She did not have much experience in the ways of the world and did not know the dangers involved.


    If she knew, she would definitely rather Shen Miao take the risk to stay with her than leave her alone in the terrifying Shen family.


    As she spoke, she heard someone call out from behind, ¡°Father, Mother.¡±


    Shen Xin¡¯s face darkened and he said angrily, ¡°When we are outside, call me¡­¡±


    ¡°General Shen!¡± The person quickly said.


    ¡°Ignore your father.¡± Luo Xueyan rolled her eyes at Shen Xin. ¡°Stop acting like a general.¡±


    The person was a young man in his twenties. He was handsome and had wheat-colored skin. When he smiled, he had two dimples, making him look like a child. This young man looked quite similar to Luo Xueyan. He was Shen Xin¡¯s son, Shen Qiu.


    Shen Qiu was 22 years old this year. When he was ten years old, he was brought to the battlefield by Shen Xin to train. It was said that a strict teacher produced a good disciple. Shen Qiu was quite brave. Over the years, he had earned some meritorious service. Now, he was a junior fourth-grade general.


    ¡°Father, Mother, what gift should I give?¡± Shen Qiu scratched his head in confusion.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you have a brain? Why are you asking us what gift you should give? As a man, if you can¡¯t even make up your mind about such a small matter, why are you going to the battlefield?!¡± Shen Xin seized the opportunity to discipline his son.


    ¡°I haven¡¯t been to Grandmother¡¯s birthday in a long time.¡± Shen Qiu said awkwardly, ¡°I don¡¯t know what to give her. I can¡¯t tell her how many enemies I killed, can I? It¡¯s not an appropriate birthday gift.¡±


    Luo Xueyan was amused by Shen Qiu¡¯s words. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Didn¡¯t His Majesty reward you with a piece of silk brocade? Give that to Old Madam. I heard that there is an extreme shortage of this silk brocade in the capital now. Even the ladies in the palace might not have it. Old Madam is naturally happy to have one.¡±


    1

 Chapter 138 - Burning the Ancestral Hall (5)

    ¡°But that¡¯s for my sister!¡± Shen Qiu hurriedly said.


    Shen Xin waved his hand. ¡°Have you ever seen your sister taking a fancy in that kind of brocade?¡±


    Even though Shen Xin did not know anything about women, he knew that his daughter did not like those elegant materials. She just liked to wear gold and silver. The tackier, the better. Although he was displeased with her choice of jewelry, there was nothing he could do.


    1


    When Shen Qiu heard that, he felt that what his father said made sense. He lowered his head, saying softly, ¡°I came back in a hurry this time and didn¡¯t bring any gifts for my sister. I feel guilty just thinking about it.¡±


    In fact, in the past, Shen Qiu and Shen Miao had a good relationship. The siblings supported each other and lived a happy life. However, later on, Shen Qiu went to war with Shen Xin every year and met with Shen Miao once a year. Later, Shen Miao¡¯s temper became worse, and the siblings were estranged from each other. No matter how close Shen Qiu was to his sister, Shen Miao treated him indifferently.


    1


    Shen Qiu did not know the reason, but Shen Miao did. Shen Miao was young and would be easily affected by a few words. Looking at her brother, she naturally felt that he had snatched all the love from their parents and was unwilling to be close to him.


    ¡°Forget it.¡± Shen Xin patted the dust off his body and stood up. ¡°Wake up the soldiers. We¡¯ll continue on their way. In two hours, we have to return to the capital!¡±


    2


    ¡­ .


    Soon, the birthday banquet was about to begin. All the madams and ladies were already seated, and there were more than ten tables. All the wives of the officials in the capital were here. Of course, everyone came not because of Old Madam Shen, but because of Shen Xin. Even so, the birthday banquet was still lively, just like in the past.


    Shen Yue was wearing a pleated dress. The white color made her look extremely graceful and gentle. She was originally delicate and pretty. Today, she was specially dressed up, so she caught the attention of everyone. Now that Shen Qing and Shen Miao both had engaged, the ladies present looked at Shen Yue thoughtfully, thinking that if their son married Shen Yue, what benefit could she bring to their family.


    After the men delivered the birthday gift, they were all on the other side, accompanied by the two brothers, Shen Gui and Shen Wan. Shen Gui and Shen Wan naturally would not give up this opportunity to win people over. They chatted and laughed happily.


    Mr. Su held his wine glass and felt a headache coming on. His family had a good relationship with the Xie family, but the Shen family and the Xie family had always been at odds with each other. However, the Shen family had sent him an invitation. Mr. Su was a good person. Since they had sent him an invitation, he couldn¡¯t turn down the invitation. He could only bite the bullet and come. In his heart, he was a little envious of his ¡°sick¡± eldest son. At least he didn¡¯t have to watch this group of old men with ulterior motives drink and test each other.


    ¡°Dad,¡± Su Minglang said. Today, he was also dressed up by his mother. Even so, he still looked like a chubby meatball. He tugged at Mr. Su¡¯s sleeve. ¡°I want to go out for a walk.¡±


    ¡°No, don¡¯t go around,¡± Mr. Su instructed. Although his eldest son didn¡¯t attend, his youngest son, who had always been uninterested in these things, insisted on coming. Mr. Su didn¡¯t know why, but since Mrs. Su agreed, he had no choice but to bring this little burden along.

 Chapter 139 - Burning the Ancestral Hall (6)

    Su Minglang sat back down, pouting. He heard that this was Old Madam Shen¡¯s birthday banquet, so he came. Thinking that he had not seen Shen Miao in Guangwen Hall for so long, he was very concerned. He originally wanted to take this opportunity to see Shen Miao, but Shen Miao hadn¡¯t shown up.


    In the women¡¯s section outside, Mrs. Jiang smiled and said, ¡°Speaking of which, Mrs. Huang and Mrs. Wei, shouldn¡¯t you guys toast Old Madam too?¡±


    After all, they would be in-laws in the future.


    Mrs. Huang dressed exquisitely with heavy makeup on. Hearing this, she just smiled. She probably knew that this marriage was just a matter of exchanging benefits. If the Shen family really cared about their daughter, they would not agree to this marriage at all.


    On the other hand, Mrs. Wei looked a little uncomfortable. The Shen family was indeed a good family. However, Shen Miao in the past was too stupid to be the madam of the family. Later, after the test, she asked around and found out that Shen Miao seemed to have been enlightened and became much smarter. That was why she came to propose marriage for her son.


    However, she did not see Shen Miao today. When she heard that Shen Miao had a rash, Mrs. Wei was a little worried. If Shen Miao got a bad disease, it would ruin her son¡¯s life. Thinking of this, she looked a little unwilling.


    When Chen Ruoqiu saw these expressions, she sneered in her heart. She was not a fool. How could she not tell what Ren Wanyun was up to? Old Madam Shen and Ren Wanyun were hiding it from others, but they could not hide it from her. However, this was even a good thing for her. Ren Wanyun was too concerned about her daughter and made a wrong move. She did not take into consideration how angry Shen Xin would be when he returned. At that time, the first and second branches would fight and hurt each other. Her daughter, Shen Yue, would be able to stand out.


    Ren Wanyun smiled and stood up. ¡°In that case, I should toast to the two madams first.¡±


    Everyone laughed even louder. Feng Anning frowned and looked a little unhappy.


    In the ancestral hall on the other side, all the maids were sent away. Shen Miao knelt in front of the memorial tablet and looked at the hourglass in her hand. The sand was about to leak out and the time was almost up.


    She burned the three incense sticks and bowed gently.


    At this moment, she heard a soft sound.


    In the years spent in the State of Qin, she had developed a habit of being extremely vigilant at all times Shen Miao stood up and said, ¡°Who is it?¡±


    ¡°Little girl, you¡¯re quite sharp.¡± A familiar voice sounded. Shen Miao turned around and saw the purple-clothed youth leaning against the window, looking at her with a faint smile. Seeing that she was looking at him, he jumped into the ancestral hall.


    1


    No matter how calm Shen Miao was, she couldn¡¯t help but be a little stunned. Xie Jingxing was actually wandering around someone else¡¯s house in broad daylight. It was naturally impossible for him to be invited over. The relationship between the Shen family and the Xie family was like walking on thin ice, unless Shen Gui and Shen Wan were crazy.


    Now, there were guards in the courtyard outside the ancestral hall. How did he get in? Shen Miao accidentally asked the question in her heart.


    ¡°The guards of the Shen family are really useless,¡± Xie Jingxing said. ¡°I walked straight in.¡±

 Chapter 140 - Burning the Ancestral Hall (7)

    Shen Miao frowned. ¡°What are you doing here?¡±


    Xie Jingxing smiled and ignored her. He seemed to be looking for something in the room. In less than the time it took to burn an incense stick, he finished searching. However, the result was obviously not satisfactory. He did not find anything.


    Shen Miao stared at his every move and was suspicious. From the looks of it, Xie Jingxing seemed to be looking for something in the Shen family. However, what was there in the General¡¯s Mansion that was worth him taking such a huge risk to personally come and search for it?


    1


    ¡°What are you looking for? Tell me. I can help you find it,¡± Shen Miao said.


    Xie Jing paused and turned to look at her inquisitively. He said with interest, ¡°Shen girl, I know you¡¯re the smartest among the Shen family, but don¡¯t play tricks with me.¡±


    ¡°Then why did you come to my house to steal something in broad daylight? Are you targeting the Shen family?¡± Shen Miao was unmoved, but she was a little angry at Xie Jingxing for not telling her anything. She only wanted to know what he was searching for.


    ¡°Steal?¡± Xie Jingxing seemed to have heard something funny. A dangerous glint flashed across his beautiful peach blossom eyes. ¡°That¡¯s mine to begin with. I¡¯m just here to take it.¡±


    1


    Shen Miao¡¯s heart skipped a beat. She seemed to have caught something important, but the idea disappeared too quickly for her to catch it.


    ¡°However.¡± Xie Jingxing took a look at the ancestral hall. ¡°There are so many people guarding this place. I thought they were protecting something, but it turns out that they are guarding you.¡± He looked at Shen Miao and crossed his arms. ¡°What did you do wrong? The ancestral hall is not a place for a rich lady to live.¡±


    ¡°What does it have to do with you?¡± Shen Miao looked at the hourglass. The last bit of sand had already flowed from the top to the bottom. It was about time. However, Xie Jingxing had not left yet. Her patience was running out, so she said, ¡°Since Young Marquis hasn¡¯t found your things, please leave. The ancestors of the Shen family didn¡¯t invite you over.¡±


    She was sarcastic. No one had ever dared to speak to Xie Jingxing like this, let alone a little girl. However, he was not angry and only teased, ¡°Indeed, the ancestors of the Shen family don¡¯t wanna see me, but do they want to see their descendants being forced to marry?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t want to marry Wei Qian, do you?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t it change a thing if they want or not?¡± Shen Miao asked.


    ¡°Wei Qian is a good man. You should consider yourself lucky to marry him. This is the first time I¡¯ve seen such a person who doesn¡¯t know what¡¯s good for her.¡± He narrowed his eyes, and the evil smile on his lips was so handsome that it made people dizzy. He said frivolously, ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you don¡¯t want to marry Wei Qian because you like me.¡±


    1


    Shen Miao was so angry that she almost laughed. She turned around and glared at Xie Jingxing. ¡°If that¡¯s what you think, I have nothing to say. I just want to advise you not to get involved in some things. Otherwise, when you regret it, it will be too late.¡±


    Her face was a little pale. Perhaps because she had not been eating and sleeping well in the ancestral hall these days, she had lost some weight, but it made the girl¡¯s outline even more obvious. Her chin had become chiseled, and her eyes were extremely clear.


    ¡°Miss!¡± Jingzhe ran in. When she saw Xie Jingxing, she was shocked. She immediately shielded Shen Miao behind her and pointed at Xie Jingxing. ¡°H-How did you get in?¡±


    Xie Jingxing shrugged and did not answer.


    ¡°Just pretend he¡¯s not here.¡± Shen Miao couldn¡¯t be bothered with him and asked Jingzhe, ¡°How¡¯s the preparation?¡±

 Chapter 141 - Burning the Ancestral Hall (8)

    ¡°I asked the maid in the courtyard to buy food and wine and gave them to the guards. They¡¯re eating and drinking now. However, it doesn¡¯t seem likely that they will leave.¡± Jingzhe was still a little afraid of Xie Jingxing. As she spoke, she looked at his expression.


    ¡°Alright.¡± Shen Miao glanced at Jingzhe. ¡°Jingzhe, can I trust you?¡±


    Hearing this, Jingzhe couldn¡¯t even be bothered with worrying about Xie Jingxing. She immediately lowered her head and said, ¡°I¡¯m loyal to you. I¡¯ll do anything you ask me to.¡±


    ¡°Then listen, whether it¡¯s you, Gu Yu, or Bai Lu, don¡¯t come in later. Don¡¯t look for me, and don¡¯t stop me.¡± She stuffed the hourglass into Jingzhe¡¯s hand. ¡°When the sand reaches here¡ª¡± She pointed at a small mark on the glass. ¡°Go out and call for help. You have to rush out to the birthday banquet in the east courtyard to shout for help in front of all the guests. I think you are smart and bold. You know what to do.¡±


    ¡°This¡­¡± Jingzhe was a little confused, not understanding what Shen Miao meant. However, when she saw Shen Miao¡¯s expression, she swallowed all her questions and said to Shen Miao solemnly,¡± I understand. ¡±


    ¡°Alright, then go out now.¡± Shen Miao instructed with a serious expression, ¡°Remember, no matter what you see or what happens, don¡¯t come in.¡±


    Jingzhe gritted her teeth and glanced at Xie Jingxing, then at Shen Miao. She nodded and left the ancestral hall.


    After Jingzhe left, Xie Jingxing looked at Shen Miao and said lazily, ¡°Why are you being so mysterious? What do you want to do?¡±


    ¡°What do I want to do?¡± Shen Miao stared at him. Xie Jingxing¡¯s standing posture was relaxed, but his beautiful peach blossom eyes were as sharp as knives. When looked at by those eyes, it was as if nothing in her mind could be hidden.


    ¡°Young Marquis, if you don¡¯t want to be implicated by me, you can leave first,¡± she said coldly.


    ¡°No one in the world can implicate me.¡± He spoke arrogantly, but it was as if he really meant it.


    ¡°Since you want to die with me, I have nothing to say.¡± Shen Miao turned around.


    Xie Jingxing frowned. Before he could understand what Shen Miao meant, he saw Shen Miao suddenly walk up to the incense burner and stop in front of the memorial tablets of the Shen family¡¯s ancestors. The next moment, even he was stunned.


    Shen Miao suddenly picked up the neatly arranged memorial tablets and threw them into the charcoal pot on the ground without a word. Wood was easy to ignite. In an instant, the flame that was originally burning faintly rose high. The fire devoured the wooden memorial tablets, and the name on them was faintly discernible in the firelight.


    ¡°Are you crazy?¡± Xie Jingxing looked at Shen Miao in surprise.


    Destroying the ancestral tablet was treasonous and the person would even be expelled from the family. Shen Miao¡¯s sudden actions were really puzzling. Was she venting her anger at being locked up? But if she did this, she would only be punished more in the future.


    Shen Miao looked coldly at the gradually charred memorial tablet in the flame. It was not that she was showing disregard for her ancestors, but the most important thing in the world was what was in front of her. Her future, Shen Xin¡¯s future, and the future of the Shen family were obviously more important. If the ancestors knew that her actions could resolve the crisis of the Shen family, they would not be furious.


    ¡°Young Marquis, it¡¯s not too late to leave now.¡± Shen Miao ignored Xie Jingxing¡¯s surprised gaze and threw another bunch of tablets into the charcoal pot. In an instant, the flames burned even more fiercely.

 Chapter 142 - Burning the Ancestral Hall (9)

    However, she did not seem to be satisfied. After thinking for a moment, she walked in and took out the few quilts that Gu Yu had taken out to dry. The quilts were all made of cotton, and they were dry and soft.


    ¡°Shen Miao!¡± Xie Jingxing shouted in a low voice, ¡°Do you want to die?¡±


    Shen Miao spread out the quilts on the ground. Most of the structure of the ancestral hall was made of wood, so it was easy to catch fire. She picked up a memorial tablet that was half-ignited by the fire and lit a corner of the quilt.


    Flames soared into the sky, and thick smoke gradually rose from the ancestral hall. Jingzhe gritted her teeth and stood outside, her eyes red. When the sand in her hand flowed to the place marked by Shen Miao, the guards in the courtyard outside were alarmed by the flames and ran over to put out the fire. Only then did Jingzhe run out.


    She ran to the birthday banquet in the east courtyard in one go. The guests in the courtyard were all enjoying themselves, and no one seemed to notice her. Jingzhe suddenly shouted, ¡°Help, help, the ancestral hall is on fire. Fifth Miss is trapped inside¡ª¡±


    The moment that was said, there was an uproar.


    Wasn¡¯t Shen Miao recuperating in her courtyard? Why was she in the ancestral hall? Why was the hall on fire?


    Ren Wanyun was also shocked. She stood up immediately, not knowing how the fire in the ancestral hall started. She was about to order someone to quickly put out the fire when she saw Jingzhe panting. For some reason, she suddenly thought of something.


    If Shen Miao died in this fire, wouldn¡¯t her plan be carried out more smoothly


    Therefore, Ren Wanyun stood up and said pretentiously, ¡°Everyone, eat and drink. I don¡¯t think the fire is too big. It¡¯s probably because a child was playing with fire next to it. I¡¯ll go and take a look first. You guys,¡± she reprimanded Xianglan, ¡°Hurry up and find guards to put out the fire!¡±


    The atmosphere of the entire birthday banquet immediately became strange. Old Madam Shen was unhappy and hated Shen Miao for ruining her mood even at this moment. However, she still had to pretend to be a kind grandmother and instruct Ren Wanyun nervously, ¡°Go and see what¡¯s going on with Fifth Sister!¡±


    However, what she pretended to be was different from what she really was. If she really loved Shen Miao, Shen Miao would not be in such a situation. Chen Ruoqiu and Shen Yue did not even leave their seats, which was enough to show Shen Miao¡¯s status in the Shen family. The ladies present were not fools. They could tell what kind of attitude the people of the Shen family had towards Shen Miao, and they felt some sympathy for her.


    At this moment, a loud and clear laugh suddenly sounded from outside. ¡°General Shen, Madam Shen, Young Master Shen, have returned to the mansion. Open the door¡ª¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Not only the women, but even the men on the other side were stunned. Shen Gui and Shen Wan looked at each other. It must be a joke that Shen Xin had returned to the mansion. There were still many months before the new year.


    In the ancestral hall, surrounded by flames, there was a circle of guards from the Shen family outside. Although they were trying to put out the fire, they didn¡¯t go in. Everyone loved their lives. With such a fierce fire, no one dared to go in and die.


    ¡°Shen girl, do you want to die?¡± Xie Jingxing frowned when he saw that the beam was also starting to burn.


    ¡°Young Marquis, you¡¯d better leave.¡± Shen Miao did not move. ¡°There are more and more people around. Even if you want to leave, you can¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°Cut the crap.¡± Xie Jingxing grabbed her arm. ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡±


    1


    ¡°Let go.¡± Shen Miao broke free from his hand, her gaze firm and stubborn. ¡°Can¡¯t you tell? I¡¯m betting my life on the future.¡±

 Chapter 143 - Settling the Score (1)

    ¡°Can¡¯t you see? I¡¯m betting my life on the future.¡±


    In the fire, Shen Miao¡¯s eyes were brighter than the flames, and the determination in them was as firm as a rock.


    ¡°What¡¯s the point of a future if you are dead?¡± Xie Jingxing said sternly, ¡°It¡¯s too risky.¡±


    Shen Miao laughed and looked at him sarcastically. ¡°I¡¯m different from the Young Marquis. The Young Marquis is very resourceful. You have to spend too much effort to get what you want. I¡¯m different. If I don¡¯t risk my life, I¡¯ll be better off dead. I¡¯m not even afraid of death anymore. Why would I be afraid of fire?¡± She paused. ¡°Leave.¡±


    Xie Jingxing frowned and looked at her, his beautiful peach blossom eyes flashing with deep thought. He was not a good person, nor did he want to do anything to save her. Now that he came back to his senses, he laughed at himself for being impatient. At the thought of this, Xie Jingxing crossed his arms and jumped onto the beam that was not yet burning. He said with interest, ¡°I forgot that you are the smartest person from the Shen family. Of course, you have the ability to escape unscathed. However, I also want to see what ability you have.¡±


    His purple clothes actually looked a little golden in the firelight, and what was more dazzling than his clothes was the smile on his lips. The young man looked arrogant, and his eyebrows were as beautiful as a painting. However, there was a coldness and cruelty in his gaze.


    At the banquet in the east courtyard, Ren Wanyun panicked when she heard that Shen Xin and his wife had returned to the mansion. She still had a trace of hope in her heart, thinking that it must be a servant who had played a prank on her. However, before she could gather herself together, she saw a servant leading a group of people in. The person in the lead laughed and said from afar, ¡°Mother, I came back to the capital to celebrate your birthday! I¡¯m a little late. Please forgive me!¡±


    Everyone looked at the group. The bearded man and the woman at the front were Shen Xin and Luo Xueyan, and the young man with a warm smile behind them was Shen Qiu.


    If it were in the past, Ren Wanyun would still be able to maintain her composure and go up to greet Shen Xin. With Ren Wanyun¡¯s glib tongue, she would definitely be able to make Shen Xin and his wife happy. However, today, they came back too suddenly, and their daughter was still trapped in the ancestral hall. For a second, Ren Wanyun didn¡¯t know what to do.


    Old Madam Shen was even more so. She had no idea what to do. She only knew how to throw her weight around in the mansion. Even when dealing with Shen Miao, she would only use underhanded methods. In front of everyone, she was flustered.


    Chen Ruoqiu was a little anxious. Although she also wanted the second branch and the first branch to suffer heavy losses, she was attending the banquet now. If Shen Xin did not return today, it would be fine if Shen Miao died in the fire. After all, the dead could not testify. They could say whatever they wanted. However, when Shen Xin returned, he would be able to see it. Anyone with a discerning eye could tell what was going on. What should she do?


    1


    Shen Qing and Shen Yue were both a little afraid of their uncle. Because Shen Xin was a general after all, he always had a decisive and fierce aura. The two delicate little girls were always terrified of him for no reason. Seeing their mother so afraid, they were even more so.


    Shen Gui and Shen Wan looked at each other with solemn eyes. All these years, they had been putting on a show and never made a mistake, so their eldest brother didn¡¯t get angry at them. However, if anything happened to Shen Miao today, what would Shen Xin do? At the thought of this, they felt a chill run down their spines.

 Chapter 144 - Settling the Score (2)

    While they were thinking, Shen Xin, his wife, and Shen Qiu had already walked up to Old Madam Shen. Seeing that the guests were silent and only staring at them with strange expressions, Luo Xueyan frowned. She was sensitive enough to sense that something was wrong, but she did not know what was wrong.


    1


    Shen Qiu took a look at the tables and then looked around seriously. He asked in confusion, ¡°Eh, Grandmother, why isn¡¯t my sister here?¡±


    Hearing that, Shen Xin and Luo Xueyan also noticed it. Shen Yue and Shen Qing were both there, and even Chen Dongling, the illegitimate daughter of the second branch, was there. Among the ladies, Shen Miao was nowhere to be seen. Shen Xin smiled and asked, ¡°Mother, where did Jiaojiao go?¡±


    1


    Old Madam Shen didn¡¯t know what to say. Ren Wanyun kept saying that she wanted to call for guards, but she was still sitting at the table. It was obvious that she did not take this matter to heart.


    ¡°General Shen!¡± Feng Anning suddenly stood up and said loudly, ¡°You¡¯re back at the right time. The ancestral hall was on fire just now, and Fifth Miss Shen is trapped in the fire!¡±


    Feng Anning was favored by the Feng family. Not to mention today¡¯s situation, even if she fell in the house, everyone would come to ask about her well-being. However, when Shen Miao was in danger, everyone in the Shen family looked calm and composed. She felt sorry for Shen Miao.


    As soon as she said that, Shen Xin and Luo Xueyan were stunned. The ancestral hall was filled with goods, and Shen Miao was trapped in the fire. Why would Shen Miao go to the ancestral hall for no reason? More importantly, why were these Shen family members still drinking and having fun at the banquet when Shen Miao was in danger?


    Ren Wanyun came back to her senses and quickly explained, ¡°Brother, Sister-in-law, I was just about to look for guards when you returned¡­¡±


    Before she could finish speaking, Shen Xin brushed past her without a word. The look he gave Ren Wanyun made her feel like she had fallen into an icehouse. It was really too terrifying and fierce.


    Luo Xueyan and Shen Qiu also came back to their senses and rushed towards the ancestral hall.


    In the ancestral hall, the fire was getting stronger and stronger, almost turning into a huge inferno. Inside it, Shen Miao covered her mouth and nose with a wet handkerchief that she had prepared in advance, but Xie Jingxing looked at her with a frown. Even in the choking dust, he looked very relaxed and did not panic at all. He said to Shen Miao, ¡°If you don¡¯t go out now, you¡¯ll really die here.¡±


    ¡°If you don¡¯t go out, you can only die with me,¡± Shen Miao retorted.


    ¡°You have a glib tongue.¡± Xie Jingxing smiled indifferently. ¡°What are you waiting for?¡±


    Before he could finish, he heard a roar from outside. ¡°Jiaojiao!¡±


    Xie Jingxing suddenly rushed to the window. He could see clearly that the people outside were none other than Shen Xin, his wife, and Shen Qiu.


    2


    Shen Xin and Luo Xueyan did not expect the fire to be so fierce. The hall was surrounded by guards, but none of them went in to save Shen Miao. They only found some buckets to splash water on the fire. However, at this rate, Shen Miao would eventually be dead.


    Shen Qiu gritted his teeth. ¡°I¡¯m going in to save my sister!¡± With that said, he was about to rush in. However, before he could take two steps, the eaves outside fell in front of him with a bang, stopping him from entering.


    ¡°Jiaojiao!¡±


    ¡°Sister!¡±


    In the room, Xie Jingxing raised his eyebrows and said, ¡°So your pet name is Jiaojiao. It doesn¡¯t match you at all.¡±

 Chapter 145 - Settling the Score (3)

    ¡°The people I¡¯ve been waiting for are here. Young Marquis, think of a way to get out yourself.¡± Shen Miao¡¯s eyes were filled with anger. She had put on this show for Shen Xin to see clearly what was going on in this seemingly harmonious Shen family and what kind of evil intentions those relatives who claimed to love her had. Generals valued friendship and loyalty. They were not stupid. They were just unwilling to see people as vicious and evil. She did not have much time to let Shen Xin slowly understand it. This was the only way to let them see clearly.


    She picked up a piece of ignited log from the ground and touched her arm with it. Xie Jingxing was stunned for a moment. Shen Miao gritted her teeth, and large drops of sweat flowed down her forehead. She threw away the log, and a burn mark appeared on her fair arm.


    Xie Jingxing could not hide the shock in his eyes. It was not that he had never met a woman who was ruthless to herself in his life. The women among those death warriors would also treat themselves like this without hesitation. However, Shen Miao was not a death warrior. She was just a delicate little girl from a powerful family. Her life should be like that of the young ladies of the royal families in the capital.


    He saw that Shen Miao had stood up and staggered out. However, her movements were extremely precise, and there were no flames where she staggered past. Xie Jingxing narrowed his eyes and saw clearly that the road was narrow. Just now, there was a small hole in the burning ancestral hall. Someone must have prepared it long ago and poured something that could not catch fire on it for Shen Miao to escape.


    Everything was arranged by Shen Miao. She really betted her life on a future, and she won. Then, the unlucky one would be the others.


    Xie Jingxing smiled and looked meaningfully at the figure that disappeared into the fire. He rushed to the other exit, which was the back door of the ancestral hall. His figure was light like a swallow. With a punch and a kick, he rushed out of the extremely dangerous fire cage.


    The people on the other side were already waiting there. Seeing him come out, they all heaved a sigh of relief. ¡°Master.¡±


    ¡°The thing is not in the ancestral hall. Shen Xin is back. Let¡¯s go,¡± he said quickly and turned to disappear into the bushes behind the ancestral hall.


    Outside, Shen Miao stumbled out.


    Seeing Shen Miao, Shen Qiu jumped up. ¡°Sister!¡±


    Shen Xin and Luo Xueyan were almost crying with joy. They had already tried to rush in, but they couldn¡¯t enter at all. Now that they saw Shen Miao run out, they were overjoyed.


    ¡°Jiaojiao!¡±


    When Shen Miao ran out, her legs went weak and she fainted. Shen Qiu quickly caught her and saw a shocking burn mark on her left arm. Shen Qiu¡¯s eyes turned red, and Shen Miao leaned into his arms. She closed her eyes and muttered, ¡°Let me out. I won¡¯t marry¡­¡±


    1


    When Shen Xin and Luo Xueyan, who had rushed over, heard this, they were immediately stunned.


    ¡­ .


    The room in the west courtyard was filled with a strong medicinal fragrance. The servants inside and outside seemed to have all become busy. This desolate courtyard seemed to have suddenly been upgraded.


    ¡°I asked two sister-in-laws to take care of Jiaojiao because I thought that I trusted you. Now, it seems like that¡¯s not the case. If not for the fact that I came back at the right time today, I¡¯m afraid no one would have known that Jiaojiao died in this fire.¡± Luo Xueyan crossed her arms and sneered. She was naturally not someone who was easy to get along with, and she was even called ¡°Raksha Girl¡± on the battlefield. She was usually polite to the people of the Shen family. But today, she was furious and naturally did not hesitate to use the harshest words.

 Chapter 146 - Settling the Score (4)

    ¡°Sister-in-law, it¡¯s not like that.¡± Ren Wanyun explained with a smile, ¡°I¡¯ve already asked the guards to put out the fire just now. I treat Jiaojiao as my own daughter. How can I watch her fall into danger? Sister-in-law, you know very well how I¡¯ve treated Jiaojiao all these years. Otherwise, why would Jiaojiao be so close to us?¡± She was also anxious. Luo Xueyan had never been angry with anyone before. She used to be easy to coax, but when she was really angry, her aura was very shocking.


    ¡°Your own daughter?¡± Luo Xueyan sneered. ¡°Our Jiaojiao doesn¡¯t have a vicious mother like you.¡± She faced Ren Wanyun and forced her to retreat step by step, but her tone was cold. ¡°I also want to ask you, Sister-in-law, since it¡¯s Old Madam¡¯s birthday, why is Jiaojiao alone in the ancestral hall?¡±


    ¡°Fifth Sister wants to go to the ancestral hall to offer incense to the ancestors¡­¡± Under Luo Xueyan¡¯s intense gaze, Ren Wanyun panicked and found a clumsy excuse.


    ¡°Ren Wanyun!¡± Luo Xueyan shouted sternly, ¡°You¡¯re lying to me with these excuses. Do you think I¡¯m stupid? You locked her up in the ancestral hall and forced her to marry. I¡¯ll settle the score one by one. I won¡¯t let this matter rest so easily. Ren Wanyun.¡± Luo Xueyan was fierce to begin with. When she was angry, she had a domineering aura. ¡°If anything happens to my daughter, I¡¯ll make you pay!¡±


    After she finished speaking, everyone in the room trembled in fear. Luo Xueyan was not in the Shen family¡¯s mansion all year round, and the servants in the house had long stopped treating her as their madam. Most of the people in the house were Ren Wanyun¡¯s spies. Every time Luo Xueyan returned, she always had a smile on her face. She was broad-minded and straightforward, and she did not fuss over small matters. Everyone thought that she was easy to talk to and had never seen her so stern.


    Shen Miao, who was sleeping in the room, turned over, facking the wall. Her eyes were bright and clear. She had tried her best to put on this show and even leave a scar on her body to make sure the plan succeeded.


    Now, Luo Xueyan no longer trusted Ren Wanyun and Chen Ruoqiu as much as before. She treated the people of the second and third branches like enemies. At least Shen Miao didn¡¯t hurt herself for nothing.


    At this moment, Shen Xin and Shen Qiu were confronting Shen Gui and Shen Wan.


    ¡°Brother, this is all a misunderstanding.¡± Shen Gui was a little flustered. He did not know that Ren Wanyun wanted Shen Miao and Shen Qing to be married off, and Shen Miao was locked up in the ancestral hall because she had made a mistake previously. Shen Gui had been holding a grudge against Shen Miao for talking back to him at Rongjing Hall that day, so he naturally had no objections to Shen Miao being locked up in the ancestral hall. Unexpectedly, at this critical moment, the ancestral hall was on fire.


    ¡°Second Uncle, this is not a misunderstanding.¡± Shen Qiu took a step forward. He clenched his fists tightly and tried his best to control his urge to go forward and flip the two of them over. He said, ¡°During Grandmother¡¯s birthday banquet, my sister was locked up in the ancestral hall alone. I want to ask what kind of mistake she made. Why are there so many guards guarding the door? These guards didn¡¯t save her and just watched from outside. Second Uncle, Third Uncle, can I understand that these guards are not there to save her but to block others¡¯ way and think of ways to kill her?¡±


    After all, Shen Qiu was young and impetuous, so he naturally wouldn¡¯t think twice before saying something. He didn¡¯t disappoint Shen Miao, and his words were even more harsh than she thought. As soon as he said that, Shen Xin¡¯s expression darkened, and Shen Gui and Shen Wan were shocked. Shen Wan hastened to say, ¡°Nephew, how can you say that? Shen Miao is our niece. How can we harm her?¡± He looked at Shen Xin. ¡°Brother, what happened today was an accident. Brother, if we wanted to harm Shen Miao, why would we bring her up? Don¡¯t you believe us?¡±

 Chapter 147 - Settling the Score (5)

    Shen Wan was a scholar to begin with. He pretended to be upright, as if he was the only righteous person in the world. However, Shen Xin did not fall for this. If it were in the past, he would probably think that this was a misunderstanding. After all, they had raised Shen Miao well for so many years, and she was even willing to be close to them. However, after what happened today, he felt that these people were just greedy people.


    1


    Therefore, under Shen Gui and Shen Wan¡¯s shocked gazes, Shen Xin cursed, ¡°Bullsh*t! Do you think I¡¯m easy to fool? I handed Jiaojiao to you, but you want to kill her, lock her in the ancestral hall, and force her to marry. Shen Gui, Shen Wan, don¡¯t think that just because I¡¯m not in the capital, you can bully my daughter. When Jiaojiao wakes up, we¡¯ll see!¡±


    Shen Gui and Shen Wan were dumbfounded. Although Shen Xin was a rough general, he had always restrained his rough temper in front of them for so many years. For a second, Shen Gui and Shen Wan didn¡¯t know what to say.


    In fact, Shen Xin was also extremely angry. When he saw his daughter in the sea of fire, his heart was filled with anger and pain. Later, what Shen Miao said before she fainted became the last straw that broke the camel¡¯s back. The less she said, the more people would dwell on it. It even made Shen Xin imagine what kind of life Shen Miao was living in the Shen family. The more he thought about it, the more he hated his two brothers. If possible, Shen Xin wanted to draw his sword and kill these two animals!


    ¡°Shut up!¡± A furious shout came from behind. Everyone turned around and saw Old Madam Shen coming over, held by her two maids.


    Old Madam Shen was so angry that she almost fainted. She had always cared about her reputation the most in her life, but today, she made a fool of herself in front of the most famous people in the capital. The guests saw how Shen Xin and Luo Xueyan were accusing her with their own eyes, so they left in a hurry. At this moment, all the guests had left, so she rushed over to condemn them. Unexpectedly, she saw Shen Xin questioning Shen Gui and Shen Wan, so she naturally spoke without hesitation.


    Shen Qiu turned around and saw Old Madam Shen. When Shen Yuan was around, Old Madam Shen favored him. Everyone said that it was because Old Madam Shen did not like to fight and kill. Shen Yuan was a civil servant, so Old Madam Shen favored him. However, Shen Qiu did not like to be close to Old Madam Shen. Later, when he came back less often, he became even more distant with her.


    This time, knowing that after Shen Miao was in trouble, the banquet still went on as usual, Shen Qiu was furious. Without seeking justice for his sister, he couldn¡¯t take it lying down.


    Old Madam Shen glanced at Shen Qiu and then at Shen Xin. In the end, she put on airs and said, ¡°Shen Xin, what are you doing? Are you putting on airs as a general in my Shen family?¡±


    1


    When Old Madam Shen was young, she was a singer. She was still gentle and virtuous on the surface, but behind the scene, she had a lot of dirty tricks up her sleeve. Before Old General Shen died, he told Shen Xin that Shen Gui and Shen Wan were civil servants, and only Shen Xin had inherited his position as a general. He wanted Shen Xin to support his two younger brothers and make sure the family was harmonious. When Old General Shen was alive, he had a deep relationship with Shen Xin. Therefore, over the years, Shen Xin¡¯s respect for Old Madam Shen had not changed at all.

 Chapter 148 - Settling the Score (6)

    Parents doted on their children, and children doted on their children, but very few doted on their parents more than their children. It was the same for Shen Xin. He naturally did not hesitate to choose his own flesh and blood.


    He cupped his fists at Old Madam Shen. ¡°Mother, it¡¯s not that I¡¯m putting on airs in the house, but what happened today is unacceptable. As a general, I can¡¯t even protect my daughter. How can I face the ancestors of the Shen family? I¡¯ll definitely get to the bottom of this matter. Today, I should be celebrating your birthday, but I really can¡¯t watch Jiaojiao fall into a predicament and pretend nothing happened. I will go and apologize to you in person when this matter is resolved.¡±


    1


    Old Madam Shen stood rooted to the ground. Shen Xin had always been obedient to her. When she was young, she had also thought of using tricks to kill Shen Xin, but the old general doted on Shen Xin like his life, so she did not even have a chance to do so. When Shen Xin grew up, she was no match for him. Fortunately, Shen Xin treated her with respect. This was the first time Shen Xin had refuted her so harshly, and she was so shocked that she couldn¡¯t say anything.


    Shen Xin turned to look at Shen Gui and Shen Wan and said in a serious tone, ¡°I will naturally find out what exactly happened. Second Brother and Third Brother, farewell.¡± He turned around and strode away. Without even looking at the others, Shen Qiu quickly followed.


    After walking out of the east courtyard, Shen Xin said to Shen Qiu, ¡°Give the wolf cloak to your sister later. I think the mansion is as dangerous as the battlefield. Your sister needs it more than Old Madam.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Shen Qiu was overjoyed. Then, he thought of something and said, ¡°Father, before Sister fainted, she mentioned something about a marriage. We have to investigate it. We weren¡¯t informed of her marriage at all back in the Northwest.¡±


    ¡°Hmph.¡± Shen Xin said in a low voice, ¡°I think there are many demons in the General¡¯s Mansion. This time, your sister almost lost her life. Find out who wants her to die and I¡¯ll punish them one by one!¡±


    ¡­.


    At the Marquis of Lin¡¯an¡¯s Residence.


    When Xie Jingxing returned to the house, he saw that there was already someone sitting at the table. The person was dressed in white and was smiling at him.


    ¡°What are you doing here?¡± Xie Jingxing put down his sword and asked.


    ¡°I heard that you went to the Shen family to look for something. How did it go?¡± Gao Yang asked with a smile.


    ¡°Nothing.¡±


    ¡°I already guessed that it¡¯s not in the Shen family.¡± Gao Yang shook his head with a trace of disappointment. ¡°If it¡¯s not in the Shen family, what are you going to do next?¡±


    Xie Jingxing sat down opposite him and poured himself a cup of tea. ¡°What else can I do?¡±


    ¡°However, after Shen Xin returned to the capital this time, there might be a turmoil in Ming Qi.¡± Gao Yang looked at him and paused for a while before continuing, ¡°At this time, will the royal family¡­¡± He placed his hand on his neck and did a cutthroat gesture.


    ¡°This day will come sooner or later.¡± Xie Jingxing took a sip of tea and commented calmly without any sympathy.


    Gao Yang shrugged and suddenly thought of something. He took out a small green bottle from his pocket. ¡°I heard from Tie Yi that your hand was injured last time. I made this for you.¡±


    ¡°What medicine do I need for a small injury?¡± Xie Jingxing frowned.


    ¡°My medicine doesn¡¯t leave a scar.¡± Gao Yang stuffed the medicine bottle into Xie Jingxing¡¯s hand. ¡°It won¡¯t be good if it leaves a scar.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not a woman.¡± Xie Jingxing threw the medicine bottle back like he was avoiding a plague. ¡°Take it back!¡±


    ¡°If you were a woman, you would be crying and begging me for it,¡± Gao Yang said. ¡°Take it. This medicine is very expensive. A bottle is worth a thousand gold.¡±


    Xie Jingxing glanced at him and smiled in disdain. However, he suddenly thought of the scene of the girl burning her arm in the sea of fire without hesitation.


    Would she be afraid of leaving a scar?


    After a moment of silence, he reached out and put the bottle in his pocket.

 Chapter 149 - Shen Qiu (1)

    Shen Xin¡¯s sudden return to the capital caused a huge sensation.


    People praised Shen Xin for being heroic and invincible. This time, he had received a letter of surrender from the enemy army in advance. When he attended the court banquet, the emperor would definitely reward him greatly. However, now that Shen Xin was already a first-rank official, he could not be promoted anymore. Everyone guessed that this reward would probably be given to Shen Xin¡¯s son, Shen Qiu.


    The other thing was that on the day Shen Xin returned to the capital, it happened to be Old Madam Shen¡¯s birthday. However, the ancestral hall suddenly caught fire, and what was more accidental was that his daughter was trapped in the ancestral hall. On that day, Shen Xin saw how cold the Shen family treated his daughter. People were afraid that the Shen family would not be peaceful in the future.


    These two things spread like wildfire in the capital. Some people only laughed when they heard it, while others were anxious.


    In the boudoir of the west courtyard of the Shen family, Shen Miao stood up with her coat on. Shen Xin and his wife had been summoned to the palace by the emperor today, but before they left, they specially mobilized the guards in the army to guard the west courtyard.


    Yesterday, Shen Xin came back in a hurry and went around to look for a doctor. Later, Shen Miao went to rest, so he didn¡¯t disturb her and hadn¡¯t had a chance to talk to her.


    ¡°Miss, do you feel better?¡± Jingzhe asked worriedly. Her gaze landed on Shen Miao¡¯s arm, and her eyes turned sour. She said, ¡°If I had been faster yesterday, Miss wouldn¡¯t have to suffer like this. Now, there are even scars¡­¡±


    The burn marks were deep, and the doctor said that she could only rest and take good care of herself. It was impossible for her not to have any scars. Women all cared about their appearances. Now that Shen Miao was scalded, Jingzhe blamed herself every time she thought about it.


    1


    ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Shen Miao looked at her and smiled. ¡°You did well yesterday. You didn¡¯t barge in because you were anxious. If you barged in, you would have ruined my plan.¡±


    Jingzhe lowered her head. Later, when Shen Miao fainted, Shen Xin and his wife flew into a rage. She thought about it and roughly understood Shen Miao¡¯s plan. It was precisely because of this that Jingzhe felt even more sorry for Shen Miao. She probably had no choice but to put herself in such a dangerous situation to let Shen Xin and his wife see the true colors of the Shen family.


    At this age, a girl should be playing like other girls. Every move Shen Miao made was related to her life. She had to plan for everything herself. A small mistake would have cost her life.


    ¡°I¡¯ll do whatever you say,¡± Jingzhe muttered.


    Shen Miao was relieved. Jingzhe was indeed the bravest of the four maids. In the future, she could still trust Jingzhe to do it. Naturally, she had to slowly nurture Gu Yu and the others. She was not the naive Shen Miao, but the empress of the world. She definitely had to have her own trusted aides. What she faced in the future was much more dangerous than what she was facing now. She already got used to it, but these girls had to learn to get used to it.


    As she was thinking, she suddenly heard a hearty laugh from outside. ¡°Sister!¡±


    Shen Miao turned around and saw Shen Qiu walking in. He had taken off his armor and was only wearing a green shirt, making him look exceptionally handsome. He had wheat-colored skin and two dimples when he smiled, making him look young and friendly. He walked closer and looked at Shen Miao carefully before asking, ¡°Sister, do you feel any discomfort?¡±


    Shen Miao suddenly closed her eyes, and memories of her previous life flooded her mind.


    In all fairness, Shen Qiu did his best to be her brother. Back then, no matter how cold she was to Shen Qiu, Shen Qiu was still as enthusiastic as ever. Later, something happened. Shen Qiu took a girl¡¯s virginity and was forced to marry that girl. From then on, everything changed. He often made mistakes in military affairs. Later, he fell off his horse and broke his leg. Later, that girl made a cuckold of Shen Qiu. In a fit of anger, Shen Qiu killed the adulterer. The adulterer turned out to be the only son of a minister. The minister sued Shen Qiu. Shen Xin spent all his money and managed to save his son¡¯s life. However, Shen Qiu still died one winter morning. Someone found his corpse in the pond.


    1

 Chapter 150 - Shen Qiu (2)

    At that time, Shen Miao was already married to Fu Xiuyi. When she heard the news, she rushed back to the mansion and saw Shen Qiu¡¯s swollen corpse.


    Even though she was not close to Shen Qiu, they were after all siblings. She was sad and in pain because of this and fell seriously ill, but Fu Xiuyi didn¡¯t give Shen Xin time to grieve and ask him to go to war at that time.


    That cold winter sun, the wet corpse outside the pond, and Shen Qiu¡¯s pale and deformed face made Shen Miao unable to breathe.


    Shen Miao covered her chest, panting heavily.


    ¡°Sister!¡± Shen Qiu was shocked. He helped her up and shouted, ¡°Go and call the doctor! Quick! My sister is not feeling well!¡±


    A hand grabbed Shen Qiu¡¯s arm. He turned around and saw Shen Miao standing up with his hand in hers. She said to the person behind her, ¡°No need, I¡¯m just a little giddy.¡±


    ¡°You are not fully recovered yet. It¡¯s better to get a doctor to take a look at you.¡± Shen Qiu shook his head and said with concern.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Shen Miao said to Jingzhe, who was hesitating, ¡°You guys can leave.¡±


    Her tone was firm and calm, making Shen Qiu stunned for a moment.


    ¡°Sister, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Shen Qiu asked. As soon as he spoke, he was a little annoyed with himself for being too harsh. He usually faced rough men in the army and forgot to be gentle to little girls. Therefore, he softened his voice and said, ¡°When I came back yesterday and saw you trapped in the fire, I was shocked. Sister, why were you in the ancestral hall? Were you locked up?¡±


    Shen Miao shook her head and smiled at him. ¡°I haven¡¯t seen you for a year, Brother. How are you?¡±


    Hearing that, Shen Qiu scratched his head and said with a smile, ¡°I¡¯m alright. I¡¯ve made a few small contributions. When His Majesty rewards me, I¡¯ll let you choose what you like.¡± Then, he seemed to have thought of something and said happily, ¡°By the way, Father hunted a rare wolf and skinned it to make a cloak. I¡¯ll get a servant to bring it to you later. That cloak is invulnerable to swords and spears, and it¡¯s impervious to fire and water. If you had that cloak, you wouldn¡¯t have been burned yesterday¡­¡±


    Before he could finish his sentence, Shen Qiu froze. Shen Miao stepped forward and wrapped her arms around him, resting her head on his chest.


    Even though they were siblings, they were not children after all. For a moment, Shen Qiu was a little embarrassed, but he was also a little happy. It had been a long time since Shen Miao was so close to him, so he was a little flattered. He was happy, but then his heart sank. Shen Miao suddenly became so close to him probably because she had suffered greatly.


    He asked anxiously, ¡°Sister, did someone bully you? If someone did, just tell me. I¡¯ll beat them to death¡­¡±


    She slowly let go and looked up to meet Shen Qiu¡¯s concerned gaze.


    ¡°Sister¡­¡± Shen Qiu was also stunned. The girl in front of him had bright eyes. When she faced him, her gaze was no longer impatient and agitated like before, but pensive. That feeling was a little unfamiliar to him. He carefully sized up the girl in front of him. After a year of not seeing her, Shen Miao had lost a lot of weight. Her originally slightly round face actually revealed a chiseled chin, making her look much more delicate. Her facial features were becoming more and more clear. At some point, there was no trace of her naivety. When she looked at him, there was a faint relief and a loneliness that one found strange.

 Chapter 151 - Shen Qiu (3)

    Shen Miao sighed in her heart. Shen Qiu had a kind of innocence that made him look like a teenage boy. This innocence made his personality very precious. He was sincere and full of vitality. It was hard to imagine that such a person would end up drowning in a pond. Back then, people said that Shen Qiu killed himself because he felt that he was too ashamed of himself. But now that she thought about it, with Shen Qiu¡¯s happy-go-lucky personality, he would not kill himself just because of someone else¡¯s criticism. Now it seemed that it might be someone else¡¯s scheme.


    ¡°Sister, why do you keep staring at me?¡± Shen Qiu was confused. ¡°Is there something on my face?¡± He felt that the current Shen Miao was strange. The Shen Miao who was not temperamental and cold made Shen Qiu feel unfamiliar, as if he was not facing a little girl.


    ¡°Brother, why aren¡¯t you going to the palace today?¡± Shen Miao asked softly.


    ¡°His Majesty only summoned Father and Mother.¡± Shen Qiu smiled and said, ¡°Sister, you haven¡¯t told me what happened yesterday. Why were you trapped in the fire in the ancestral hall?¡±


    He was concerned about Shen Miao¡¯s injuries, so he had to find out what happened.


    ¡°Will you believe what I say?¡± Shen Miao smiled. ¡°If you don¡¯t believe me, there¡¯s no need to say anything.¡±


    ¡°Of course I believe you.¡± When Shen Qiu heard that, he hurriedly grabbed Shen Miao¡¯s arm. ¡°You¡¯re my sister. If I don¡¯t believe you, who will?¡±


    ¡°I can tell you about what happened, but you must promise me one thing. You can¡¯t tell Father and Mother what I told you today. If you tell them, I¡¯ll never talk to you again.¡±


    ¡°Why can¡¯t I tell our parents?¡± Shen Qiu was a little confused, but then he realized something. ¡°Could this have something to do with Prince Ding?¡± In the letter he received from the capital in the northwest, it was also mentioned that Shen Miao had a crush on Fu Xiuyi. However, Shen Miao was a girl from a rich family after all. She did not know that princes would fight for the throne. It was best for officials not to get involved. The sooner they got involved, the sooner they would die.


    ¡°It has nothing to do with him.¡± Shen Miao didn¡¯t know whether to laugh or cry. She didn¡¯t expect Shen Qiu to think of this. She said, ¡°Before you came back, Second Aunt brought the three of us to the Wolong Temple to pray. That day, I changed rooms with Eldest Sister. Eldest Sister was raped by a villain. Second Aunt and her family thought that Eldest Sister suffered on my behalf and that I was the schemer. If I don¡¯t admit my mistake, I will be grounded and punished to copy scriptures in the ancestral hall.¡±


    When Shen Qiu heard this, he broke out in a cold sweat. He was extremely angry. What did this have to do with Shen Miao? Why did she have to be grounded?


    ¡°This is ridiculous!¡± Shen Qiu said angrily. He did not have a good impression of Shen Qing, because Shen Qing often looked down on Shen Qiu because she had a brother, Shen Yuan. She had even mocked Shen Qiu for being a military man who did not know anything about arts.


    ¡°Not only that.¡± Shen Miao continued, ¡°Coincidentally, the secretary of the palace, the Wei family, came to propose marriage to me. The Huang family, the director of the imperial court, also came to propose marriage to Eldest Sister.¡±


    Shen Qiu was stunned. ¡°Propose marriage?¡± They had received a letter from the Shen family, but they had never mentioned Shen Miao¡¯s marriage. This was too ridiculous. How could the Shen family not inform them of Shen Miao¡¯s marriage?


    ¡°The young master of the Wei family, Wei Qian, is a young and talented man. The young master of the Huang family, Huang Dexing, is a homosexual. Second Aunt wanted to trick me into marrying Huang Dexing. When I found out about this, I said that I didn¡¯t want to marry him. If they force, I will run away. Therefore, they locked me in the ancestral hall. The guards you saw yesterday weren¡¯t there to put out the fire. They were there to keep an eye on me so that I couldn¡¯t escape.¡±


    1

 Chapter 152 - Shen Qiu (4)

    Shen Qiu¡¯s expression changed as Shen Miao explained. In the end, he slammed his fist on the table. The smile on his face had long disappeared, and his eyes were red. ¡°Sister, is what you said true?¡±


    ¡°I naturally don¡¯t have to lie to you.¡± Shen Miao said, ¡°The fire came out of nowhere. I suspect¡­¡± She smiled faintly.¡± After all, if I die, Eldest Sister will be able to marry who she wants.¡±


    ¡°This is too much!¡± Shen Qiu shouted angrily and turned to leave. Shen Miao grabbed him and asked, ¡°Brother, where are you going?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll go and argue with them. Whoever sets you up will pay with their blood!¡± Shen Qiu said.


    Shen Miao looked at him and asked calmly, ¡°How do you plan to argue? Where¡¯s the evidence? Do you want to curse them all or kill them all?¡±


    The sarcasm in her tone woke Shen Qiu up a little. He turned around and looked at Shen Miao, frowning. ¡°Sister, what do you mean?¡±


    ¡°Brother, think about it. Why don¡¯t I want to tell Father and Mother about this?¡± Shen Miao said calmly, ¡°Father and Mother are both straightforward people, and Father is very impulsive. Yes, they will stand up for me, but what about what happens next? The Shen family is a big family in Ming Qi, and there are many eyes watching us. Today, Father will seek justice for me, and tomorrow, people will talk bad about Father.¡± The corners of her lips curled up. ¡°In this world, whoever has the number has the advantage. The third branch and second branch have more people than us. Do you think people will believe us or them?¡±


    Shen Qiu was shocked by Shen Miao¡¯s words. What surprised him even more was the expression on Shen Miao¡¯s face when she spoke. That calm analysis hit the nail on the head. This was not something supposed to come out of a girl of Shen Miao¡¯s age. He hesitated for a moment. ¡°Sister¡­¡±


    With a glance, Shen Miao knew what Shen Qiu was thinking. Shen Qiu was too upright, or rather, the entire first branch was too upright. In this world, good people did not have good endings.


    Shen Miao lowered her eyes and said, ¡°Brother, you are curious how I become like this, aren¡¯t you? Because that¡¯s how I survived the days in the mansion.¡±


    ¡°After experiencing so many things, no one can remain the same. Brother, I¡¯m not the person I used to be, and you¡¯re not the person you used to be. Now, let me ask you something. Do you hate them after listening to me?¡±


    Shen Qiu was stunned. He looked at Shen Miao and slowly gritted his teeth. ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Why do you hate them?¡±


    ¡°Because ¡­ how could they do this to you?¡±


    Shen Miao shook her head. ¡°That¡¯s not the reason you should hate them.¡±


    Shen Qiu was surprised. He suddenly realized that his sister was making him more and more confused. However, he felt that what Shen Miao said made sense.


    ¡°What you have to hate is that we trusted them and treated them sincerely, but what we got in return was false love that is worse than our enemies. For their own sake, they can take our lives. This is not family. This is worse than enemy.¡±


    Shen Miao looked at Shen Qiu and sighed in her heart. If possible, she even hoped that she could protect the young man in front of her well and make him a hero that everyone respected. However, she was really afraid that one day, the scene by the pond would repeat itself. She could only build a wall for Shen Qiu now.


    ¡°Sister, what do you want to say?¡± Shen Qiu finally asked.


    Shen Miao heaved a sigh of relief. Shen Qiu was not really stupid. Once he understood, some things would be much easier.


    ¡°I hate them, and Brother wants to avenge me. Even if our parents want to stand up for me, they can¡¯t possibly kill them all,¡± Shen Miao said. ¡°I want to deal with these people personally, but I need Brother¡¯s help.¡± No matter what, Shen Xin and Luo Xueyan didn¡¯t have any evidence. If they killed the second branch, they would have to pay with their lives according to the law. For her, Shen Xin might really do this. She could use her life as a bet, but she didn¡¯t want to see Shen Xin and his wife in danger.


    Moreover, the big fish had yet to take the bait.


    ¡°Sister, what do you want to do?¡± Shen Qiu asked.


    Shen Miao smiled. ¡°There¡¯s no hurry. We have plenty of time. Let¡¯s take it slowly but steadily and surely.¡±

 Chapter 153 - Change (1)

    It had been a long time since Shen Qiu and Shen Miao had a long chat. The guards outside the west courtyard were the soldiers who came back with the general. No one could enter. Two hours was not a long time, but it was not a short time either. Shen Miao had always been the one listening to Shen Qiu. Shen Qiu probably wanted to make Shen Miao happy and talk about some interesting things in the army. He even asked her what she had been through in the past year, but Shen Miao avoided the questions.


    There were some things that were not suitable to be said now. Moreover, the current Shen family had not reached the point where they could frame the first branch like in her previous life.


    After talking for a while, Shen Miao looked a little tired. Shen Qiu was worried about his sister, so he said, ¡°Sister, you¡¯re not fully recovered yet, so I won¡¯t disturb you. Rest well. When Father and Mother return to the mansion, it will probably be dark. When they come back, I¡¯ll come over with them to visit you.¡±


    Shen Miao nodded in agreement.


    Shen Qiu stood up and was about to leave when he suddenly thought of something. He hesitated for a moment and turned to look at Shen Miao. ¡°Sister, you said that Shen Qing¡¯s virginity was taken. Do you know who did it?¡±


    Shen Miao looked at him and smiled. ¡°That raper is very cunning. He escaped.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡± Shen Qiu lowered his head thoughtfully and looked at Shen Miao with a calm smile. ¡°In that case, I¡¯ll take my leave first.¡± He strode out of the house. When he walked out of the door, the youthful smile on his face suddenly disappeared, leaving only a gloomy expression. When the servants outside saw this, they couldn¡¯t help but shiver. He instructed the guards beside him, ¡°Get two people to go to the Wolong Temple to investigate.¡± He glanced at Shen Miao¡¯s door, clenched his fists, and said in a low voice, ¡°Sister, what exactly happened this year¡­¡±


    In the house, Shen Miao said to Gu Yu, ¡°Go and give some money to Chun Tao and Doctor Chen. At the most critical moment, we have to make sure the baby in Eldest Sister¡¯s stomach is safe and sound.¡± She touched the scar left behind by the burn on her arm. The scar was especially glaring on her fair skin, as if a piece of top-grade brocade had been burned for no reason. She did not feel sad at all because the outcome was satisfactory. ¡°I need to rely on this unborn nephew of mine for the rest of the show.¡±


    ¡°Miss.¡± Jingzhe asked, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell Eldest Young Master everything just now?¡± Shen Miao held back from telling Shen Qiu some of the things. For example, the raper was Prince Yu. Jingzhe said, ¡°If Eldest Young Master takes action, at least Prince Yu won¡¯t dare to act rashly. Moreover, if Master and Madam know, they will also protect Miss.¡±


    ¡°Even if I didn¡¯t tell him, he would still go and investigate it.¡± Shen Miao looked out of the window. ¡°I¡¯m afraid he¡¯s already gone to find out what happened at the Wolong Temple.¡±


    ¡°But can Eldest Young Master find out?¡± Jingzhe was worried. ¡°If he will eventually find out, then what¡¯s the point of hiding it from him?¡±


    ¡°Prince Yu does things flawlessly. If I¡¯m not wrong, the monks of the Wolong Temple have probably been replaced inside and out. Not to mention Eldest Brother, even Father can¡¯t find any evidence.¡±


    ¡°Oh my god.¡± Jingzhe covered her mouth. ¡°Then doesn¡¯t that mean that no one will find out the truth?¡± She thought that after Shen Xin and his wife returned, they would be able to stand up for Shen Miao. However, Shen Miao¡¯s words seemed to indicate that everything that happened that day at the Wolong Temple would remain unknown forever.

 Chapter 154 - Change (2)

    ¡°I don¡¯t intend to seek justice for myself through the just way,¡± Shen Miao said indifferently. ¡°There are many ways to achieve your goal in this world¡­¡±


    Justness was useless and was used to restrain the weak. During her years in the harem, she understood a lot of things. It was not that there were no good women in the harem, but those women were like flowers in the winter. They were too fragile and could not even withstand the wind before being crushed into mud. Since she was on a dark and bloody path, her methods along the way were destined to be dark and bloody.


    ¡°But Miss, what can you do?¡± Jingzhe said, ¡°At least Master and Madam can protect you and stand up for you. After all, you¡¯re just a girl. Even if you want to take revenge, there are many things that are outside your control.¡±


    ¡°If Father and Mother are furious, they will directly go against Prince Yu and intimidate him so that he will not dare to covet me¡± Shen Miao said, ¡°But it¡¯s impossible for the Shen family to be unharmed when confronting Prince Yu. What¡¯s more, I want more than just intimidating him.¡±


    Jingzhe was getting more and more confused. What Shen Miao meant was that she wouldn¡¯t let Shen Xin go against Prince Yu, nor would she let Shen Xin intimidate Prince Yu so that Prince Yu wouldn¡¯t dare to do anything to Shen Miao. However, looking at Shen Miao, she obviously wouldn¡¯t let this matter rest. What was Shen Miao up to?


    Shen Miao smiled. ¡°If anyone offends me, I will kill them all.¡±


    Jingzhe was shocked and subconsciously looked up at Shen Miao, only to see the girl bathing in the morning sun. The smile on her lips was clear and pure, but she was like a young beast baring its fangs in the dark forest.


    She was shocked, and at that moment, she actually felt terrified. She couldn¡¯t say a word and lowered her head in fear. She thought to herself that Shen Qiu was right. Why did Shen Miao seem to have changed completely in just a year? Not to mention Shen Qiu, even maids who were with her day in and day out didn¡¯t know how she changed.


    Shen Miao narrowed her eyes in satisfaction. Now that everyone was back, the chess game could begin. Shen Qing was a pawn, and Prince Yu was that knight. As for the Ming Qi Royal Family, they were like white pieces. When would they be captured? That depended on God¡¯s will.


    This time, she would play God.


    ¡­


    At the Marquis of Lin¡¯an¡¯s Residence.


    Even in the harsh winter, the entire marquis¡¯s mansion was still filled with flowers. When the late wife of the marquis, Princess Yuqing, was alive, she liked flowers the most. When she married the Marquis of Lin¡¯an, he was full of sweet words. Xie Ding doted on Princess Yuqing and renovated the entire marquis¡¯s mansion into the look of the princess hall where Princess Yuqing lived in the palace. At that time, it caused a huge sensation.


    Later on, when Princess Yuqing passed away, Xie Ding still retained all the scenery when Princess Yuqing was alive. He hired someone to protect and take care of it, so after so many years, even though it was winter, this place still did not feel desolate.


    However, although the scenery was prosperous, what was bleak was not the scenery but the people. Things were the same, but people were different. Though everything was maintained to the point of perfection, deep down, it was no longer what it was.


    Xie Changwu and Xie Changchao were practicing their spear skills in the courtyard. Ever since the test, the two of them rarely left the mansion. Firstly, it was because they were too ashamed to go out. Secondly, because their injuries were not fully healed, they could not go out to train. Speaking of which, although Xie Jingxing looked like he didn¡¯t beat up his brothers too hard, he was actually very harsh on them. Even after resting for a few months, they still felt some pain.

 Chapter 155 - Change (3)

    At the thought of this, the two brothers gritted their teeth in hatred. Xie Changchao shook his arm. That day, when Xie Jingxing stepped on his shoulder, he hurt so much that his arm was still in pain. He said, ¡°Second Brother, I heard that Shen Xin and his wife entered the palace today. This time, they made military contributions. I¡¯m afraid His Majesty will reward Shen Qiu.¡±


    The Shen and Xie families had always been enemies with each other. It was not that Xie Changwu and Xie Changchao regarded Shen Qiu as an eyesore because the political stance of the Shen and Xie families was different. In fact, they regarded all the young talents in the capital as their opponents, and Shen Qiu was undoubtedly the most outstanding among those young talents. Although Xie Jingxing was also very outstanding, he had not become an official after all. Moreover, with Xie Ding protecting him, he could do anything they wanted. However, Shen Qiu was different. If Xie Changwu and Xie Changchao became officials, everyone would probably compare them to the sons of the Shen family.


    What Xie Changwu and Xie Changchao hated the most was being inferior to others.


    ¡°What are you afraid of?¡± Xie Changwu said disdainfully, ¡°He¡¯s just a military man who only knows how to fight and kill. He knows nothing about the affairs of the imperial court. In the Shen family, only Shen Xin has outstanding military achievements, but what can he do? Now that the Shen family is at the end of its rope, it looks good, but in the end¡­¡± He suddenly stopped talking.


    ¡°Second Brother is right.¡± Xie Changchao smiled. ¡°It¡¯s the Shen family¡¯s fault for being neutral. In this world, if one chooses a neutral stance, they will only be hated by both sides. It¡¯s all thanks to the Shen family, at least in the future, we will have one less opponent.¡±


    If anyone else heard their conversation, they would probably be shocked. After all, Xie Changwu and Xie Changchao were all smiles outside, and the Xie family did not side with any prince over the competition for the throne. However, what Xie Changchao and Xie Changwu said just now hinted that they had already sided with a prince behind the Xie family¡¯s back.


    ¡°The Shen family is nothing to be afraid of. We have one at home.¡± Xie Changchao suddenly turned in another direction. That was the courtyard where Princess Yuqing used to live, and it was also the courtyard where Xie Jingxing lived now. He thought of the way Xie Jingxing pointed the spear at his head at the test field and felt a burning fury. A moment later, he said, ¡°That bastard is getting more and more arrogant.¡±


    He actually called Xie Jingxing a ¡°bastard¡± in private. Usually, when he saw Xie Jingxing, he would be very respectful to him.


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Xie Changchao went along with what Xie Changwu said and said, ¡°He¡¯s been much more well-behaved recently, so Father values him more. Could it be that a strategist is helping him?¡±


    1


    For so many years, Xie Jingxing had been stubborn and did not enter the government. Although he was a headache, his choice of not entering the imperial court made the two brothers happy. However, even so, when people mentioned Young Marquis Xie, they were full of praise for his heroic acts on the battlefield. Not only that, no matter how Xie Jingxing went against Xie Ding, Xie Ding treated Xie Jingxing with all his heart. On the contrary, his attitude towards his two illegitimate sons was neither cold nor warm. As a result, their jealousy towards Xie Jingxing became stronger and stronger.


    In the past, as long as Xie Jingxing was in the capital, something big would happen every few days. However, ever since the incident at the test venue, he seemed to have changed. He lived in seclusion every day and was busy with something. However, such an abnormal silence obviously made Xie Ding very happy. He even felt that Xie Jingxing was finally getting serious with his life.


    It was precisely because of this that Xie Changchao and Xie Changwu were even more nervous.


    ¡°Who cares if he has a strategist?¡± Xie Changwu sneered. ¡°One day, he will be stepped on by me. That woman was a princess back then, but she still didn¡¯t end up well, let alone her son.¡±

 Chapter 156 - Change (4)

    ¡°In short, we have to build a good relationship with Prince Ding during the royal banquet,¡± Xie Changchao said. After saying that, he raised his spear and stabbed it fiercely into the straw in front of him.


    At this moment, the protagonist of their discussion was sitting at a table in the room.


    The courtyard where Princess Yuqing used to live was filled with flowers and plants. Some looked lush even in winter. In front of the house where Xie Jingxing lived, the leaves of the trees almost blocked the entire window. Even in the daytime, the house still looked gloomy.


    However, in the gloom, the young man sitting upright was as dazzling as the sun. The guard in front of him handed him a letter. He read it carefully and threw it into the heater in the house. In an instant, a puff of dust flew out and the letter disappeared.


    ¡°So, how¡¯s the situation?¡± The young man in white poured tea for him in a relaxed manner, as if he was really here to drink tea with someone.


    ¡°The situation has changed.¡± Xie Jingxing did not turn around, as if he was thinking about something.


    ¡°Oh?¡± The young man in white paused and frowned at him. ¡°Didn¡¯t you already¡­¡±


    ¡°Gao Yang.¡± Xie Jingxing suddenly said, ¡°How about we take action now?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not like that.¡± Gao Yang was stunned at first. Then, he shook his head and said, ¡°Don¡¯t you always like to hide your strength and bide your time? If you aren¡¯t one hundred percent sure you will win, you won¡¯t do it. I¡¯m surprised by what you said today.¡± He asked, ¡°Did something happen to you?¡±


    ¡°I met a lunatic.¡± Xie Jingxing raised his eyebrows. ¡°She makes me realize that it¡¯s not a bad idea to take a gamble.¡± He stood up. The corners of his purple robe were embroidered with cloud patterns with golden thread. If one did not look carefully, they would not be able to tell. However, in the dark, it emitted a faint glow.


    1


    ¡°Are you talking about the daughter of the Shen family?¡± Gao Yang hit the nail on the head. ¡°I heard from Tie Yi what happened that day. Although she¡¯s bold, she¡¯s too rash. Now that Shen Xin is back, I¡¯m afraid with his personality, he¡¯ll cause a scene again.¡±


    ¡°The thing is not in the Shen family.¡± Xie Jingxing said, ¡°I¡¯ve changed my mind.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t intend to use the Shen family anymore?¡± Gao Yang was a little surprised.


    1


    ¡°There are too many variables in the Shen family.¡± Xie Jingxing shook his head. Once the young man got serious, he revealed a calmness that exceeded his age. The natural elegance and nobility made him look mysterious and dazzling.


    1


    ¡°What variables are you talking about?¡± Gao Yang asked.


    Xie Jingxing smiled. ¡°I have a feeling that the Shen family will become the greatest variable in the future of Ming Qi.¡±


    Gao Yang seemed to be in disbelief, but his trust in the young man was stronger than the doubts. He said, ¡°How do you know? How can the Shen family become a variable? Shen Qiu? Shen Xin?¡±


    ¡°There is someone smart from the Shen family.¡± Xie Jingxing said lazily, ¡°But fate is too cruel. Her struggle will be futile.¡± He said, ¡°In short, there¡¯s a change in plan. Let¡¯s think of another way.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me¡­¡± Gao Yang said with hesitation.


    ¡°I¡¯ve endured it for too long.¡± Xie Jingxing said, ¡°I endured it because I had worries, but now¡­¡± He smiled casually, as if the dark clouds had suddenly retreated and the sun was casting all its light into the room. Xie Jingxing stood with his hands behind his back and said indifferently,¡± Gao Yang, I¡¯m tired of lurking. I¡¯ll take action in the shortest time possible. ¡±


    ¡°But what are you willing to let go?¡± Gao Yang asked.


    ¡°I¡¯m willing to let go of anything.¡±


    1


    Gao Yang sighed. When he looked up again, he had already become determined. ¡°In that case, we¡¯ll do as you say. Let¡¯s keep it a secret for now. Who do you think we should start with in the Ming Qi royal family?¡±


    ¡°As usual, I¡¯ll throw a ball. Whoever the ball lands will be tackled first.¡± He smiled faintly. However, his fingers felt something in his sleeve. With a thought, he took out an exquisite bottle with his fingers. It was a medicine bottle given to him by Gao Yang. The medicine bottle was what Gao Yang called a priceless medicine. It was specially used to treat scars. Gao Yang said that with this medicine, no matter how deep the scar, it could be removed completely.


    He held the bottle in his fist. When he let go of it, the exquisite bottle had already turned to dust.


    1


    Just like what Shen Miao did, a fire would break the false balance, and the ugly truth that was exposed was the real thing. Shen Miao used her scar to prevent the possibility of her plan falling flat. What about him? What would he do?


    He glanced out of the window. He had seen the dark sky of the Marquis¡¯s mansion too many times over the years. Because of the warmth in his memory, he was willing to maintain the false balance.


    1


    Now, it was time to break the balance.


    He closed his eyes. His long eyelashes were as beautiful as butterfly wings in spring, but when he opened them, his gaze was sharper than the sharpest knife.


    At this moment, there was a map spread out on the table. It was none other than the map of Ming Qi¡¯s territory. From Youzhou to the Dingyuan City in the north, from Yuzhou in the south to Donghai, from Lin¡¯an to Luoyang, the map covered every nook and cranny of Ming Qi and in the very center of it was the most prosperous Dingjing City.


    The world was filled with heroes. He reached out and gently wiped his finger at the center of the map.


    It was as if he was deciding the rise and fall of a dynasty.


    1

 Chapter 157 - Plans (1)

    In the evening, Shen Xin and his wife finally returned to the mansion. Along with them was a carriage full of rewards sent by the emperor. In the past, these rewards would definitely be shared among the three branches, but today, Luo Xueyan asked the servants to carry the boxes into the west courtyard.


    The boxes were filled with treasures. The servants in the east courtyard watched as the boxes passed by. From time to time, the sound of items shattering could be heard from Rongjing Hall. Clearly, Old Madam Shen was furious because of this and was venting her anger.


    Shen Miao was sitting at the table and reading. She was reading Ming Qi¡¯s political books and laws. Previously, Gu Yu and the others bought her some poems and novels but they were all thrown away by Shen Miao.


    A hearty laugh came from outside the door. ¡°Jiaojiao!¡±


    Shen Miao turned around and saw Shen Xin walking in with big strides, followed by Luo Xueyan. They probably rushed over as soon as they returned to the house. Shen Qiu walked in the back and made a face at her.


    Shen Miao stood up and nodded at them. ¡°Father, Mother, Brother.¡±


    Her gentle demeanor stunned Shen Xin and his wife. Shen Miao was never close to them. In the past, when they came back, she would get impatient with them after saying a few words. It had been a long time since they saw her like this. However, in her gentleness, there seemed to be a trace of alienation. This alienation was very slight, but as parents, Shen Xin and Luo Xueyan were still sensitive enough to sense it.


    Shen Miao sighed in her heart. She couldn¡¯t cling to Shen Xin like a real 14-year-old girl, let alone pretend that nothing had happened. In her previous life, she was the one who dragged the Shen family down into the abyss. When facing Shen Xin and Luo Xueyan, she only felt a strong sense of guilt.


    Luo Xueyan paused for a moment. Her concern for her daughter quickly replaced her confusion. She took a few steps forward and grabbed Shen Miao¡¯s hand, asking anxiously, ¡°Jiaojiao, how are you feeling? Do you feel unwell?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Shen Miao replied with a smile.


    ¡°Jiaojiao, I got a few big boxes of treasures from the emperor today. When you¡¯re feeling better tomorrow, go and pick something you like. I heard that those jewelry and hairpins are the best in the capital,¡± Shen Xin said softly. Such a burly man was trying to please his daughter, which made him look a little funny.


    Shen Miao smiled. ¡°Thank you, Father, but there¡¯s no hurry. Lock those treasures in the storeroom in our courtyard. I¡¯ll go and pick them one day.¡±


    As soon as she said that, the expressions of the people in the room changed.


    In the past, when Shen Xin brought the boxes back, he would always let Shen Miao choose first and send the rest to the other branches. He had always doted on his daughter like this, and no one had any objection because after all, these rewards were earned by Shen Xin himself through shedding blood on the battlefield. However, in the past, Shen Miao would not choose first. She would let Shen Yue and Shen Qing choose first, and then she would start to choose after the second and third branches were done.


    However, today, not only did Shen Miao not decline, but she even suggested locking the boxes in the storeroom. Everyone saw the change in Shen Miao¡¯s attitude towards the other members of the Shen family.

 Chapter 158 - Plans (2)

    They could tell that something was strange about Shen Miao. Luo Xueyan held Shen Miao¡¯s hand and said softly, ¡°Jiaojiao, what happened? Tell me. Dad and Mom are back. No one will dare to bully you in the future.¡±


    ¡°No one dares to bully me.¡± Shen Miao smiled and said, ¡°Nothing happened to me.¡±


    ¡°What exactly happened on that day?¡± Shen Xin asked in a low voice, ¡°Why did you stay in the ancestral hall alone?¡± The couple went to the palace early this morning to meet the emperor, leaving only people to investigate in secret, but they did not have the time to ask the details.


    ¡°I made a mistake and was locked up in the ancestral hall. Unexpectedly, it was caught on fire¡­¡± She said matter-of-factly.


    When Shen Qiu saw this, he wanted to say something but hesitated. He knew what was going on, but Shen Miao repeatedly reminded him not to tell their parents about this.


    As expected, Shen Xin asked Shen Miao, ¡°What mistake did you make? No matter how big the mistake was, you shouldn¡¯t be locked up in the ancestral hall alone.¡±


    Shen Miao said casually, ¡°Because I talked back to Second Uncle in front of Grandma and the others.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Luo Xueyan frowned, but she didn¡¯t reprimand Shen Miao. Instead, she said, ¡°Doesn¡¯t Second Brother know how old he is? Why did he argue with a little girl?¡±


    ¡°Sister, why did you go against Second Uncle?¡± Shen Qiu couldn¡¯t help but ask.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to get married,¡± Shen Miao said.


    ¡°Marry?¡± Luo Xueyan and Shen Xin exclaimed in unison. Luo Xueyan looked at Shen Miao and asked anxiously, ¡°Marry who? Why don¡¯t your father and I know?¡±


    Shen Miao lowered her head. ¡°The Wei family proposed marriage for their son, Wei Qian. However, I don¡¯t wanna marry him, so I went against him in front of everyone.¡±


    ¡°Wei Qian¡­¡± Shen Xin pondered for a moment.¡± The Wei family is a big family, and their son seems to be a young talent too.¡± He was actually considering this marriage. Shen Xin had been an official for so many years. Although he was not in the capital all year around, he knew most of his colleagues in the bureaucracy. If the Wei family had a prodigal family, he would naturally know about it. However, Wei Qian was a rare good boy.


    ¡°What are you thinking!¡± Luo Xueyan roared, ¡°Even if he¡¯s the emperor, if Jiaojiao doesn¡¯t want to marry him, then she won¡¯t.¡±


    Luo Xueyan was a fierce woman born to a military family in the northwest and had fought for this marriage with Shen Xin. Therefore, Luo Xueyan didn¡¯t believe in arranged marriages. She said, ¡°Besides, neither of us know about this. Who knows what they¡¯re up to!¡± Ever since she saw Shen Miao trapped in the sea of fire and Ren Wanyun and the others looking calm, Luo Xueyan was filled with disgust towards the rest of the Shen family.


    Shen Xin also frowned. Logically speaking, it would not be a bad thing for his daughter to marry the son of the Wei family. After all, such a young talent as Wei Qian was rare in the capitle. But since it was such a good marriage, why did the Shen family hide it from them?


    Shen Qiu sighed. He knew what was going on and was also a little angry with Shen Miao for not telling their parents about Ren Wanyun¡¯s idea of swapping her marriage with Shen QIng¡¯s. For some reason, every time Shen Miao looked at him, her gaze seemed to be intimidating. Shen Qiu didn¡¯t want to believe that he, who was invincible on the battlefield, was actually afraid of his sister.

 Chapter 159 - Plans (3)

    ¡°But Jiaojiao,¡± Shen Xin said softly, ¡°the eldest son of the Wei family is not bad. Are you so resistant because you already have a man you like? You¡­¡± He wanted to say something but hesitated. In the letter sent by the Shen family, there was often news that Shen Miao was infatuated with Prince Ding. In this world, if Shen Miao liked any man, he and Luo Xueyan would not stop her. However, the royal family was different. Now that the prince was fighting for the throne, if the Shen family was involved, they would probably all be dragged into the fight.


    However, a little girl like Shen Miao would never understand these things. On the way back, Shen Xin and Luo Xueyan had discussed countless times how to persuade Shen Miao to give up on this idea, but in the end, they were all helpless. Shen Miao was stubborn by nature.


    Shen Miao knew what Shen Xin wanted to say at a glance. She said indifferently, ¡°I don¡¯t have a man in my heart. The reason why I¡¯m unwilling to marry is because I once heard that Young Master Wei already has someone he loves. No matter how good he is, he won¡¯t like me. Why should I be a person who breaks up a couple?¡±


    Her words made Shen Xin and his wife a little puzzled. Why did Shen Miao sound like a woman who had seen a lot? And why did she say she didn¡¯t have a man she liked?


    Shen Miao only knew about Wei Qian after becoming the empress in her previous life. In her previous life, there was no such thing as the Wei family coming up to propose marriage. Wei Qian later married his cousin and he doted on his wife very much. At that time, their love story was envied by many girls in the capital. From this, it could be seen that Wei Qian and his cousin were definitely childhood sweethearts. Wei Qian was probably displeased with her parents proposing marriage on his behalf.


    ¡°Jiaojiao, don¡¯t you like¡­ Prince Ding?¡± Luo Xueyan asked tentatively.


    ¡°Prince Ding?¡± When Shen Miao heard that, she said indifferently, ¡°Prince Ding is a noble. We don¡¯t match. Back then, I didn¡¯t know my place. Now that I¡¯ve calmed down, I know my place. I don¡¯t dare to pursue him ever again.¡±


    Luo Xueyan was stunned again. Although she had a carefree personality, she was still a woman. Women understood women the most. She thought that Shen Miao was just making it up, but when she carefully sized up Shen Miao¡¯s expression, she realized that when Shen Miao mentioned Prince Ding, she was not moved at all, as if she was talking about a stranger.


    Without waiting for Luo Xueyan to speak, Shen Xin shouted, ¡°Jiaojiao, I don¡¯t agree with you. You are the daughter of the Shen family, so you are a match for any man in the capital. No one in Ming Qi dares to despise you, even if¡­¡±


    ¡°Ahem.¡± Luo Xueyan coughed and glared at Shen Xin. Now that Shen Miao had finally given up on Prince Ding, Luo Xueyan didn¡¯t want her to have hope again.


    Shen Xin knew that he had said something wrong and quickly looked away as if nothing had happened.


    Luo Xueyan sized up Shen Miao again. Seeing that her expression was calm, she was relieved and said with a smile, ¡°Jiaojiao is still young and isn¡¯t in a hurry to get married. There are so many good men in Ming Qi, and our Jiaojiao is outstanding. She won¡¯t have to worry about not being able to find a good husband. Don¡¯t worry, our Jiaojiao¡¯s husband will definitely be a hero.¡±


    Shen Miao lowered her eyes and smiled, not saying anything. In her previous life, she was too hurt and disappointed by the man she spent decades with. In this life, she had no intention of getting married, but she couldn¡¯t possibly tell Shen Xin and Luo Xueyan about this.


    When ordinary girls heard their marriage being brought up, they would more or less be shy. Moreover, in the eyes of Shen Xin and Luo Xueyan, Shen Miao was not a calm person. However, after Luo Xueyan finished speaking, they did not see any reaction from Shen Miao. The two of them could not help but feel a little strange. In the past, although Shen Miao was not close to them, they still knew her personality. This time, Shen Miao became more and more unfamiliar. She seemed to have grown much older mentally, making Shen Xin and his wife not know how to treat their daughter anymore.

 Chapter 160 - Plans (4)

    When Shen Qiu saw his parents¡¯ puzzled expressions, he chuckled. His parents were terrifying on the battlefield, but when facing his sister, they were at a loss. However¡­ Shen Qiu¡¯s gaze gradually darkened. A person¡¯s personality would not change so drastically overnight. Something must have happened to make a pampered girl become so calm and composed.


    ¡°Father.¡± Shen Miao suddenly said, ¡°In a few days, the palace will hold a banquet.¡±


    The banquet was held by the emperor to reward the Shen family for defeating the enemy. All the civil and military officials had to attend. At the banquet, the emperor would reward the meritorious officials according to their contributions.


    In her previous life, at the banquet a few days later, the emperor wanted to promote Shen Qiu. However, because of Shen Miao, Shen Xin didn¡¯t ask for any rewards. Instead, he asked the emperor to marry Shen Miao to Prince Ding.


    It was an outrageous thing for a woman to ask a man to marry her. Shen Xin had dominated the battlefield for his entire life, but at the end of the day, he did not beg the emperor. At that time, Shen Miao was only happy to become the princess consort, but she did not see the bitter smile on Shen Xin¡¯s face.


    From the moment she married Prince Ding, it meant that the Shen family was tied to Prince Ding. Fu Xiuyi could openly squeeze out the last bit of value of the Shen family¡¯s army.


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Shen Xin smiled and asked, ¡°Jiaojiao, do you want something? I can help you ask His Majesty for it.¡±


    Shen Miao was choked with emotions. Why didn¡¯t she realize her father¡¯s love for her in her previous life? The death of the Shen family was undoubtedly caused by her enemy, but it was also caused by her stubbornness and stupidity.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want anything.¡± Shen Miao smiled. ¡°However, if His Majesty wants to reward Dad¡­¡± She paused, and when she looked up again, her eyes were clear.¡± Ask His Majesty to allow you to stay in the capital and accompany me for half a year. ¡±


    As soon as she said that, Luo Xueyan, Shen Xin, and Shen Qiu were stunned.


    Shen Miao never asked the couple to stay because they were not by her side when she was young. They were not close to each other, so Shen Miao naturally didn¡¯t want to spend time with them. Every year after the new year ended, Shen Xin and his wife would leave the capital to guard the northwest. Even if there were no enemy, they had to guard their territory to prevent enemies from invading. Actually, there was no need to do that, but the emperor still assigned the task to him every year. In addition, the old general had this habit when he was alive, so Shen Xin did the same and never refuted.


    1


    Though Shen Miao¡¯s request was a little out of line, Shen Xin and Luo Xueyan were overjoyed to hear that. At least this meant that Shen Miao still loved them.


    ¡°Of course!¡± Delighted with his daughter¡¯s change in attitude, Shen Xin agreed without even thinking about it. Luo Xueyan was also a little excited. Shen Qiu pouted unhappily. He did not want to stay in the capital. To him, there was nothing interesting in the capital. He would rather fight in the Northwest Desert than become friends with those nobel men. However, looking at Shen Miao¡¯s face, his heart softened. At least with him around, no one in the capital would dare to bully Shen Miao.


    After talking for a while, Shen Xin, his wife, and Shen Qiu left. After they left, Shen Miao closed the book on the table and walked to the window.


    ¡°Miss¡­¡± Gu Yu whispered, ¡°I talked to Chun Tao. The baby in First Miss¡¯s stomach is fine. I heard that Second Madam and Second Master are arguing about Miss¡¯s marriage. ¡±

 Chapter 161 - Plans (5)

    Shen Miao smiled coldly. Ren Wanyun¡¯s plan had fallen flat. She naturally didn¡¯t want Shen Qing to marry Huang Dexing. However, the two families had already agreed. It was not easy to go back on her word at this time.


    Ren Wanyun had shot herself in the foot. Of course, even if Ren Wanyun¡¯s plan failed, Shen Miao still would not let her off easily. A few days later at the banquet, she would use Ren Wanyun to deal Prince Yu a heavy blow in front of everyone.


    Outside the door, Luo Xueyan and Shen Xin¡¯s expressions darkened. Luo Xueyan said angrily, ¡°What¡¯s wrong with Old Madam and your brothers? Why do they want to arrange a marriage for Jiaojiao for no reason? This is the first time I¡¯ve heard of such a thing.¡±


    ¡°Madam, don¡¯t be angry.¡± Shen Xin said, ¡°I¡¯ll go and ask Old Madam immediately. If it¡¯s true, I¡¯ll immediately talk to the Wei family. I¡¯m afraid there¡¯s something fishy about them hiding it from us.¡±


    ¡°I guess Jiaojiao has suffered a lot this year.¡± Luo Xueyan said angrily, ¡°I¡¯ll call Jiaojiao¡¯s maids over to ask them what happened. And, Nanny Gui is also missing.¡± After all, she had been on the battlefield for many years and was sensitive to small details. She said, ¡°I think Jiaojiao is right. If we don¡¯t stay in the capital for half a year to teach these people a lesson, I¡¯m afraid Jiaojiao won¡¯t live long!¡± As she spoke, she glared at Shen Xin.


    1


    Shen Xin rubbed his nose. He naturally knew that Luo Xueyan was unhappy with his two brothers. Not to mention Luo Xueyan, he was also angry. He instructed the two guards beside him, ¡°Take good care of Miss these few days. If anything goes wrong, tell me immediately. If anything happens to Miss, you will be punished by military law!¡± With that said, he looked at Shen Qiu and frowned. ¡°You little brat, what are you thinking?¡±


    Shen Qiu only came back to his senses after being shouted at by Shen Xin. He said vaguely, ¡°Oh, I was thinking about something just now.¡± He had been thinking about what happened to Shen Miao. The people sent to the Wolong Temple had already reported and told him they did not find anything. Shen Qiu was not a fool. He knew that this was because the people who knew about it had all been replaced. It seemed that it was not someone in the Shen family who did it. The truth that Shen Miao was hiding made Shen Qiu even more suspicious.


    Unknowingly, her sister was becoming more and more unfathomable.


    Shen Xin vented his anger on his son. ¡°Go and investigate what happened in the mansion. I¡¯ll ask you tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°Ah.¡± Shen Qiu was put on the spot. He knew what was going on, but his sister wouldn¡¯t let him say it.


    ¡­ .


    At this moment, the Rosy Cloud Garden was in a mess.


    Shen Gui had just left after having a big quarrel with Ren Wanyun. Ever since the day Shen Xin returned on Old Madam Shen¡¯s birthday, Shen Gui had been having quarrels with Ren Wanyun. In fact, Shen Gui knew that Shen Miao was grounded. However, it was his habit to push all the blame to Ren Wanyun.


    The reason why he and Shen Wan had reached this point was because of the connections built up by Shen Xin. Although they had a certain status in the imperial court now, if Shen Xin wanted them to suffer, Shen Gui and Shen Wan would definitely suffer. This was a world where military heroes were respected. Although the civil officials mocked the generals for being uncivilized, whoever had military power was more important in Ming Qi.


    1


    In the past, the two of them had put on a flawless show in front of Shen Xin, and Shen Xin was willing to help them. Unexpectedly, this time, Shen Xin saw Shen Miao in a sea of fire with his own eyes. Shen Xin regarded Shen Miao as his life, and in his anger, he would do anything. Therefore, ever since Shen Xin returned, Shen Gui had been extremely frustrated. And at this very moment, Ren Wanyun was stupid enough to bring up breaking off the engagement with the Huang family. It was almost like adding fuel to the fire. His dissatisfaction with Ren Wanyun for the past few days exploded.

 Chapter 162 - Plans (6)

    It was the same today. He quarreled with Ren Wanyun angrily and said that Shen Qing had to marry into the Huang family. With that, he stormed out, leaving Ren Wanyun no chance to refute.


    ¡°Beast! Beast!¡± Ren Wanyun rubbed her chest, her lips trembling.


    Shen Gui did not care about his daughter¡¯s happiness and only wanted to rely on the Huang family to climb up the ladder, which made Ren Wanyun burn with anger. Now Shen Xin was back and Luo Xueyan was not an easy person to get along with. If not for the fact that this matter was extremely confidential, when Shen Xin and his wife found out that she was planning to change Shen Miao and Shen Qing¡¯s marriage, they would probably be driven to kill her. Even if Shen Xin and his wife did not find out this time, the fire in the ancestral hall was enough for the couple to be alerted. It would be difficult for Ren Wanyun to scheme against Shen Miao in the future.


    Ren Wanyun wished she could cut Shen Miao into pieces. Back then, it was Shen Miao who schemed against Shen Qing. If not for Shen Miao, Shen Qing would not have to marry a homosexual. Now that Shen Miao was protected by Shen Xin, it would probably not be easy for her to tamper with the marriage.


    ¡°Madam, calm down.¡± Xianglan calmed Ren Wanyun down and said, ¡°Don¡¯t be angry. The royal banquet will be held in a few days. If you fall ill because of the anger, you won¡¯t be able to attend it.¡±


    Ren Wanyun¡¯s gaze changed, and a sinister smile appeared on her face. ¡°You¡¯re right. In the royal banquet¡­ I want that little b*tch to live a life worse than death!¡± She turned to look at Cai Ju. ¡°Did Prince Yu receive the letter already?¡±


    ¡°He did,¡± Cai Ju said carefully.


    ¡°That little b*tch ruined my daughter¡¯s life. I will ruin hers too!¡± Ren Wanyun sneered. ¡°With Shen Xin protecting her, I can¡¯t do anything to her. If they have the ability, they can go against Prince Yu.¡± She looked like a vicious snake, sticking out her tongue sinisterly. ¡°There will always be someone who can deal with her!¡±


    ¡­ .


    In Prince Yu¡¯s mansion.


    In the magnificent main hall, beautiful Persian dancers were dancing in thin clothes. Their snow-white feet were on the soft carpet, and there were colorful bells tied to their slender ankles.


    The middle-aged man on the seat had an ugly and sinister face. His left leg was empty. At this moment, a petite girl was kneeling under him. The girl was about 11 or 12 years old. She was born with a delicate face, but her eyes were filled with fear. At this moment, she was naked and was gently massaging Prince Yu¡¯s legs.


    This young girl¡¯s snow-white body was covered in purple and green bruises. Looking carefully, there were also red whip marks. Clearly, she had experienced extraordinary pain and torture.


    Prince Yu looked at the letter in his hand and suddenly smiled. He suddenly patted the lion¡¯s head on the seat. The girl screamed in fear and fell to the ground, trembling uncontrollably.


    ¡°Shen Xin¡­¡± Prince Yu slowly said,¡± Shen Miao¡­ how dare she fool me. ¡±


    After that night, because he found new plaything, he threw this matter to the back of his mind. To Prince Yu, these girls were just fun toys, just like those cats and dogs. As for what would happen in the future, he did not care at all. Moreover, with Shen Gui hiding it, he did not find anything wrong that night.


    However, after reading this letter, it dawned on him that there was indeed something unusual that night. Shen Miao actually had so many tricks up her sleeve. Not only did she beat Ren Wanyun in her own game, but she also fooled him.


    In Ming Qi, except for the emperor, everyone had to be respectful to him. How dare a little girl like Shen Miao trick him like that? This time, Prince Yu was so angry that he wanted to kill her.


    However, now that Shen Xin was in the capital protecting his daughter, how could he make a move? Or should he get rid of Shen Xin too?


    Prince Yu rubbed his chin, a trace of ruthlessness flashing across his eyes.

 Chapter 163 - The Royal Banquet (1)

    Three days later, the royal family held a banquet and all the officials were required to attend with their family. Although it was a joyous occasion, everyone knew that this banquet was just a celebration for Shen Xin.


    The Shen family held a lot of power, and they had fierce generals like Shen Xin and Shen Qiu. If they were used well, they would be a good weapon for Ming Qi. If they were not used well, they could threaten the people sitting on that throne at any time. The Ming Qi royal family was both dependent and wary of the Shen family. However, before the enemy was cleared, the Shen family was at least safe.


    As long as the Shen family did not get involved in the competition for the throne, the royal family would not attack the Shen family for the next ten years. This was something that anyone with a brain could tell. However, previously, Shen Miao was infatuated with Prince Ding, making people think that if Shen Xin married his daughter to Fu Xiuyi, the status of the Shen family in the imperial court would become shaky. However, later on, it seemed that Shen Miao¡¯s interest in Fu Xiuyi gradually faded. The Shen family did not have to be involved in the competition for the throne, so they would naturally be safe. In the next ten years, the title of the mighty general in the capital would still be able to intimidate many people.


    Early in the morning, Luo Xueyan came over to see Shen Miao. Over the past few days, Luo Xueyan and Shen Xin had been investigating what had happened in the Shen family over the past year. However, they weren¡¯t able to find anything because it was always done meticulously by the other two branches. Even so, Shen Xin and his wife still felt that something was wrong. These days, they had become much more distant from Old Madam Shen and the others.


    Shen Miao did not tell Shen Xin and his wife that Shen Qing had lost her virginity, so it was even more impossible for Ren Wanyun and Chen Ruoqiu to take the initiative to make this news public. As for Nanny Gui¡¯s death, they said that she was kicked out of the mansion because she had sticky fingers. Ren Wanyun thought that Shen Miao would tell Shen Xin the truth, but to her surprise, Shen Miao said nothing.


    ¡°Miss, you need more hairpins.¡± Bai Lu combed Shen Miao¡¯s hair into a long bun. Now that Shen Miao had lost some weight, she gradually looked more like a young girl. It was a little inappropriate for her to dress up in a cute fashion like before. Moreover, she was going to attend the royal banquet today, so she probably had to dress up more gracefully. However, in the past, Shen Miao¡¯s jewelry was all handled by Ren Wanyun, and most of them were gold and silver jewelry. Those jewelry had long been sold and now, the jewelry box was empty.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t Master bring back a lot of rewards from the palace yesterday?¡± Shuang Jiang had an idea. ¡°Miss, why don¡¯t you choose some? There must be a lot of good things in them.¡±


    ¡°Forget it.¡± Shen Miao rejected the offer immediately. All the things in the palace were stained with blood. Now, she didn¡¯t want to wear those things at all. It was as if wearing them would remind her of those tragic years. She thought for a moment and opened a compartment in the jewelry box to pick out a hairpin.


    ¡°Eh, this hairpin is so beautiful!¡± Bai Lu said in surprise, ¡°When did Miss get such a hairpin? Did Madam give it to you?¡±


    Shen Miao picked up the hairpin and looked at it carefully. On the day of the test, Xie Jingxing used this jade begonia to exchange for the real begonia on her head. If Bai Lu hadn¡¯t mentioned that there was no jewelry in the box, she would have forgotten about it.


    The hairpin was made of jade and was a sparkling purple-red color. The craftsman who carved it was also very skilled. The begonia petals were curled up and blooming, making it look like a large piece of prosperous jade. It was cold to the touch, and it was obviously made of high-grade jade. Such a begonia hairpin was probably worth more than a thousand gold. In her previous life, Shen Miao had seen many good things in the palace, so she could naturally tell that this hairpin was extraordinary.

 Chapter 164 - The Royal Banquet (2)

    Seeing that Shen Miao was deep in thought, Bai Lu said, ¡°Miss, this hairpin is beautiful. I¡¯ll put it on for you.¡±


    Only then did Shen Miao come back to her senses.


    In the end, Shuang Jiang put some rouge on Shen Miao¡¯s face. Gu Yu walked over with a green cloak with rabbit fur and smiled. ¡°Miss, you¡¯re really beautiful. Madam will definitely be surprised to see you.¡±


    Outside the door, Luo Xueyan and Shen Xin were waiting. Shen Qiu tore off a leaf and said, ¡°Mother, why don¡¯t you let Sister find clothes and jewelry to wear from the rewards? This will save a lot of trouble.¡±


    ¡°What do you know?¡± Luo Xueyan said angrily, ¡°Who knows if those clothes have been worn by consorts? As for jewelry, forget it. Jiaojiao can wear whatever she likes. It¡¯s better not to interfere.¡±


    Shen Miao had always liked tacky clothes, which gave Luo Xueyan a headache. No matter how Luo Xueyan persuaded her, Shen Miao could not abandon her love for gold and silver jewelry. Therefore, after a long time, Luo Xueyan was used to it.


    Shen Qiu stuck out his tongue and said softly, ¡°If my sister wears something shiny again¡­¡± Before he could finish his sentence, the door was pushed open.


    ¡°S-Sister¡­¡± Shen Qiu opened his mouth and stared at Shen Miao like a fool.


    The girl was wearing a purple dress with jade patterns and a lotus green cloak with rabbit fur on the outside. The fluffy rabbit fur covering her chin, making her small face look even smaller. Her skin was fair to begin with, and when she wore a lotus green dress, she looked extremely noble.


    Luo Xueyan and Shen Xin looked at her in a daze. In an instant, they seemed to have seen the noble golden phoenix behind the throne hall.


    It was precisely because Shen Miao had always been wearing gold and silver that now, the more simple she wore, the more noble she looked. That calm attitude was something they had never seen before. Luo Xueyan subconsciously rubbed her chest. Because she came from the Northwest Desert, after she married Shen Xin and came to the capital, she was often mocked by the noble ladies here for being vulgar and impolite. Luo Xueyan had also secretly invited someone to learn how to dress. However, even if she could learn how to dress, she could not learn the gracefulness and nobleness rich ladies exuded, so she gave up.


    Now, her daughter looked more noble and dignified than any noble lady in the capital. How could she not be surprised?


    ¡°Hahahaha.¡± It was Shen Xin who broke the silence first. He looked up and laughed loudly. When he looked at Shen Miao again, his eyes were filled with pride. ¡°My daughter has grown up. My Jiaojiao is now a gorgeous beauty!¡± His words were extremely vulgar, making Luo Xueyan glare at him. When she turned around, she saw that the soldiers Shen Qiu brought back were all staring at Shen Miao with sparkling eyes. She couldn¡¯t help but feel a little smug. Then, she said, ¡°Forget it, let¡¯s get into the carriage first. It won¡¯t be good to be late.¡± After saying that, she walked up to Shen Miao to talk to her.


    Shen Miao was not used to being treated like a child, but when she saw Shen Xin and Shen Qiu¡¯s doting gazes, she paused. In the eyes of her parents and brother, she was still Shen Jiaojiao.


    Ren Wanyun noticed the begonias hairpin on Shen Miao¡¯s head and smiled. ¡°Jiaojiao, this hairpin is really beautiful. Did you choose it yourself?¡±

 Chapter 165 - The Royal Banquet (3)

    Shen Miao replied vaguely. When she walked to the door, she saw that two carriages were already parked there.


    Shen Gui and Shen Wan stood outside. When they saw Shen Miao and the others walking over, they looked a little awkward. These days, Shen Xin had never been nice to the two of them. No matter how they explained, he would not listen.


    ¡°Brother.¡± Shen Wan had to be more tactful and greeted Shen Xin with a smile.


    Shen Xin nodded and walked to his carriage. He said to Shen Miao, ¡°Madam, Jiaojiao, go in first.¡± Shen Xin and Shen Qiu did not have the habit of riding in carriages, so they rode horses after the carriage.


    Shen Gui and Shen Wan did not look happy being ignored like this. A trace of anger flashed across Shen Gui¡¯s eyes. The curtain of one of the other two carriages was lifted up, revealing the faces of Shen Yue and Chen Ruoqiu. Shen Yue said gently, ¡°Fifth Sister, do you want to sit in the same carriage as us? This carriage is big enough. Aunt can also sit with us too.¡±


    1


    ¡°No need,¡± Luo Xueyan said with a cold expression. ¡°It¡¯s safer to sit in my own carriage.¡±


    Shen Miao clapped for Luo Xueyan in her heart. In the past, Luo Xueyan and the other two madam did not have any interaction. She was straightforward and sincere, so no one had ever seen such a mean side of her. One had to know that on the battlefield, she was known for being merciless.


    In the other carriage, Shen Qing and Ren Wanyun were also listening to the talk outside. Shen Qing¡¯s face was still a little pale. She held Ren Wanyun¡¯s hand and subconsciously tightened her grip, making Ren Wanyun cry out. When Shen Qing let go, there were scratches on Ren Wanyun¡¯s wrist.


    Ren Wanyun was not in the mood to care about her hands. She pulled Shen Qing into her arms and felt Shen Qing¡¯s body trembling.


    ¡°Qing¡­¡± Ren Wanyun comforted her in a low voice.


    ¡°I have to kill her¡­¡± With Shen Qing in her arms, Shen Qing said, gritting her teeth. Shen Qing had gradually regained her senses and could recall the terrifying night at the Wolong Temple. All of this was caused by Shen Miao. What was even more terrifying was that she was already pregnant and could not abort the child. Otherwise, she might not be able to be a mother for the rest of her life. Thinking of the pain she had suffered, Shen Qing wished she could make Shen Miao feel the same pain. No, she should make Shen Miao suffer ten times more!


    2


    ¡°Mother will avenge you¡­¡± Ren Wanyun felt like her heart was being stabbed by a knife. She wished she could turn into a wolf and pounce on Shen Miao to bite her throat. Shen Qing¡¯s cry was like a knife stabbing into her heart. Facing Shen Qing, she would always think of that night. She stayed next door, but she chose to stand by and do nothing.


    1


    ¡°I will avenge you¡­¡± Ren Wanyun muttered.


    In the other carriage, Shen Yue and Chen Ruoqiu were sitting opposite each other. Just now, Shen Yue was a little unhappy to be rejected by Luo Xueyan. She looked down on vulgar military women like Luo Xueyan to begin with. Now that she was mocked by her, she was even angrier.


    2


    ¡°Yue.¡± Chen Ruoqiu frowned slightly. ¡°How many times have I told you to stay calm under all circumstances? Why do you have to lose your temper because of her?¡±


    ¡°Mother, I just can¡¯t stand it.¡± Shen Yue looked at her palm. ¡°Shen Miao used to be respectful to us. Now that Eldest Uncle and his family are back, she¡¯s acting more and more arrogantly. Isn¡¯t she deliberately doing this for us to see?¡±


    1

 Chapter 166 - The Royal Banquet (4)

    Chen Ruoqiu looked at her daughter and sighed. ¡°You¡¯re still too young and impulsive.¡± After a pause, Chen Ruoqiu continued, ¡°You don¡¯t have to think too highly of Shen Miao. Now that the first and second branches are in a deadlock, your second aunt will definitely get back at Shen Miao for offending your second aunt.¡±


    When Shen Yue heard that, she looked at Chen Ruoqiu. ¡°But after all these days, Second Aunt hasn¡¯t managed to make Shen Miao suffer.¡±


    1


    Chen Ruoqiu was slightly stunned. Indeed, Ren Wanyun had been dealing with Shen Miao for a long time. However, after so long, not only did Ren Wanyun not gain anything, but she also made a lot of mistakes. It was strange that an experienced woman like Ren Wanyun would lose to a young girl like Shen Miao.


    A moment later, Chen Ruoqiu shook off the thought and said, ¡°It¡¯s precisely because your second aunt has made her suffer that she will continue to try with all she can.¡±


    Shen Yue seemed to have understood something and said, ¡°In that case, let¡¯s just sit back and watch the show.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Chen Ruoqiu said, ¡°This is what I want to teach you. In the mansion, don¡¯t make a move unless it¡¯s necessary. If you can use something or someone to achieve your goal, don¡¯t do it yourself. If you use it well, you can benefit from it without suffering loss.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Mom.¡± Shen Yue sat up straight. ¡°I understand.¡±


    1


    As they chatted happily, they did not know that Luo Xueyan¡¯s carriage had already left them in the dust. As Shen Qiu and Shen Xin rode, the people who recognized them all looked at them with admiration.


    In the carriage, Luo Xueyan kept looking at Shen Miao and smiling happily. Even though Shen Miao was calm, she was still puzzled by the smile on Luo Xueyan¡¯s face.


    ¡°Jiaojiao is really good-looking now.¡± Luo Xueyan sighed and said, ¡°After not seeing you for a year, you have grown into a big girl. I think no one in the capital is as good-looking as you.¡±


    Luo Xueyan had always been a little domineering when she spoke. If others heard this, they would probably laugh at her. However, it was true that parents always found their children to be the best looking. In addition, Luo Xueyan was quite bad-tempered, but Shen Miao was calm and collected. People always liked things that they didn¡¯t have. Naturally, Luo Xueyan loved her daughter even more.


    Shen Miao smiled. Only her parents would be proud of her while others regarded her as an idiot.


    ¡°Last night, I discussed it with your father.¡± Luo Xueyan changed the topic and said, ¡°What you said before about letting your father stay in the capital for another half a year is not a bad idea. Your father and I are not in the mansion all year round, so we have to spend more time with you. When His Majesty asks about it today, your father will make this request.¡±


    Hearing that, Shen Miao couldn¡¯t help but be stunned. She knew Shen Xin would listen to her in the end, but she didn¡¯t expect him to do it so quickly. Before she could react, Luo Xueyan had already hugged her and smiled. ¡°In this half a year, I can spend time with you and watch you grow up.¡±


    Luo Xueyan was fierce in front of her enemies, but in front of Shen Miao, she was very amiable. If her former opponents saw her, they would probably be shocked.


    ¡°Thank you, Mom,¡± Shen Miao leaned against Luo Xueyan and said softly.

 Chapter 167 - The Royal Banquet (5)

    Today¡¯s banquet was not a so-called celebration banquet. It was definitely extremely dangerous. The capable ones had laid their chess pieces, waiting for others to fall into the trap. They all wanted to gain the upper hand in this competition.


    Of course, to Shen Miao, it meant something different. She had finally returned to the palace where she had been imprisoned for her entire life and where her children and family were buried.


    Meeting Emperor Wen Hui, the Fu family, and her old friends in the palace again, it was still unknown who would win. The corners of her lips curled up slightly, and in the depths of her clear eyes, there was a storm in the making.


    ¡­ .


    The palace was majestic. The tiles were glazed and carved with red paint. Patterns of coiling golden and burning phoenixes could be seen everywhere. It was golden and dazzling, but it was also cold and bleak.


    Glamor was always on the surface, just like the flowers on the soil. Countless men and women were buried in the depths of the palace, but in the end, the bones withered. The more glamorous the palace looked, the more dangerous it was.


    In the garden, a palace maid and a eunuch were watering the flowers. These boring tasks were done by the new eunuchs and maids. The two of them looked to be no more than 16 or 17 years old.


    The little palace maid said, ¡°A lot of people came to the front hall today. If it weren¡¯t for the fact that I made a mistake and was demoted, I would have been able to go to the front hall to serve those nobles. You probably don¡¯t know but if you get tipped by them, you can live comfortably without working for a year.¡±


    ¡°The royal banquet¡­¡± The eunuch looked forward to it. ¡°Do they really tip that much?¡±


    ¡°You are clearly very ignorant.¡± The palace maid curled her lips. ¡°You really haven¡¯t seen the world. The royal banquet is specially held by His Majesty for the mighty general. The people who come are all high-ranking officials, so they¡¯re naturally generous. If you wait a few more years and are lucky, you might be able to see it once. At that time, you will know that the tip given by those nobles is generous.¡±


    The young eunuch said enviously, ¡°The mighty general is really something. His Majesty even specially held a banquet for him. He must be in the limelight.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the point of being in the limelight when you have that kind of idiotic daughter?¡± The palace maid said with disdain.


    ¡°Idiotic daughter?¡± The eunuch asked, ¡°Are you talking about the general¡¯s daughter?¡±


    ¡°Let me tell you something.¡± The palace maid said mysteriously, ¡°General Shen is invencible, and Mrs. Shen too. Deputy General Shen is also brave and good at fighting, but the daughter of the mighty general is a complete idiot. Not only is she not good at the four arts, but she also had a vulgar taste in clothes. Every time General Shen brings her to the royal banquet, she will make a fool of herself. I served her at the royal banquet last year. Can you believe she didn¡¯t even know the basic etiquette. She even stepped on her dress and rolled down the stairs. Those ladies love to mock her the most. Even with the Shen family protecting her, everyone still looks down on her.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t expect that¡­¡± The eunuch sighed.¡± She really let her parents down.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± The palace maid continued, ¡°She is a failure of the Shen family. However, her two cousin sisters are both better than her. General Shen was embarrassed by his daughter every time. Moreover, She was infatuated with Prince Ding previously. Everyone in the court knows about it.¡±


    ¡°What a vulgar woman.¡± The little eunuch also looked disgusted.


    That palace maid stayed in the palace every day, so she only knew what happened in the palace. She had no clue that Shen Miao had impressed everyone at the test

 Chapter 168 - The Banquet (6)

    As they spoke, they saw someone coming from the other side. The two of them quickly buried their heads in their work and did not dare to speak. They heard the person walk up to them and say in a sharp voice, ¡°Are you new?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Eunuch Gao, they are new,¡± someone replied.


    The young eunuch mustered up his courage and looked up. There were three people standing in front of him. One of them was dressed as the head eunuch, and the other two were dressed as the second-class eunuch. The head eunuch was called Eunuch Gao.


    Eunuch Gao glanced at the two of them and asked, ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m Lizi,¡± the young eunuch replied respectfully.


    ¡°Him.¡± Eunuch Gao said to the person beside him, ¡°We need someone to serve wine at the banquet. He looks obedient and can probably please the nobles. Let him do it.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Lizi was also excited. In that case, wouldn¡¯t he be able to receive a lot of tips as the palace maid had said? If he could catch the eye of some master, he might be able to get out of here.


    In the palace, everyone tried their best to climb up. Even the lowest-ranking servant would dream of flying to the top overnight.


    ¡­ .


    In the front hall, many madams and ladies had already arrived. Apart from those who were related to the consorts in the palace, most of the women were sitting outside and chatting.


    ¡°Why aren¡¯t Mrs. Shen and General Shen here yet?¡± A madam with high cheekbones smiled and said, ¡°They¡¯re the protagonists today. Did they come late on purpose?¡±


    ¡°Mr. Shen must be concerned about her daughter.¡± Another round-faced madam smiled, but her tone was filled with mockery.


    2


    As a mighty general with outstanding achievements, Shen Xin not only did not take in any concubines, but he was also loyal to Luo Xueyan. All the ladies were jealous of Luo Xueyan, who had an outstanding son and was loved by her husband.


    What women loved the most was comparing themselves with each other. The happier Luo Xueyan was, the more envious the other madams would be. They wished that something unfortunate could happen to Luo Xueyan too. Therefore, they used Shen Miao to mock Luo Xueyan. Shen Miao was stupid and talentless. She was not good looking and would even make a fool of herself in the palace. This time of the year was the happiest time for these madams.


    ¡°I wonder what Miss Shen will be wearing this year.¡± A mocking smile appeared on Yi Peilan¡¯s face. ¡°Last year, her dress with gold leaves on it was very beautiful. With her gold jewelry, she looked quite ¡®noble¡¯. Could it be silver leaves this year?¡±


    These words immediately caused the surrounding ladies to agree and laugh.


    At this moment, a female suddenly said, ¡°Everyone, be careful with what you say. Now Fifth Miss Shen is different. Even Young Master Cai couldn¡¯t compete with her. If you make her unhappy, she¡¯ll challenge you to a duel next time.¡±


    As soon as she said that, the crowd fell silent. Many of the madams and young ladies here were present that day and had witnessed Shen Miao¡¯s ferocity with their own eyes. These words actually made them shiver. If they angered Shen Miao, what if she shot an arrow at them?


    The person who said this was Feng Anning. As soon as she said this, she was glared at by Mrs. Feng in disapproval. It was not wise to offend so many madams. Feng Anning rubbed her nose in displeasure. She just couldn¡¯t stand these people talking bad about Shen Miao behind her back. In front of Shen Xin, they probably didn¡¯t dare to say a word.


    Before the awkward atmosphere dissipated, they heard a eunuch shouting outside, ¡°The mighty general is here¡ª¡±


    Everyone looked at the door.


    Walking at the front were Shen Xin and Shen Qiu. Shen Xin walked like a dragon and a tiger, looking dignified. The iron-blooded aura of a soldier made the women in the hall shudder. Shen Qiu stood tall and straight with a warm smile. His two shallow dimples made him look very amiable. All the girls could not help but blush.


    The two of them did not stop in the front hall. They turned around and walked towards the main hall where the men were. Everyone¡¯s gaze naturally landed on people behind them.


    Luo Xueyan was wearing a soft armor robe. Her hair was combed into a sharp bun. Unlike those madams with heavy makeup, her outfit was extremely refreshing and simple, but because of the high-quality fabric, it did not look rough.


    Immediately after her was a slender figure in purple.

 Chapter 169 - Back and forth (1)

    The noisy front hall instantly fell silent. Everyone¡¯s eyes landed on the purple figure behind Luo Xueyan.


    The girl¡¯s cloak had been taken off, and she was wearing a purple dress with complicated patterns, accentuating her slender figure. She raised her chin slightly and looked straight ahead, as if the many noble ladies here were not worthy of her attention. Her skin was fair and even a little translucent, making her eyebrows look even more delicate. However, that pair of bright black eyes was the most attractive. Her eyes were round and clear. At first glance, she looked as pure as a newborn beast, but she was so calm that it was as if she was a woman of the world. This kind of vicissitude and immaturity made her look paradoxically beautiful.


    She followed Luo Xueyan into the hall step by step. Unlike Luo Xueyan¡¯s agile movements, the girl¡¯s hands were placed in front of her, but it did not make her look stiff. It was as if she had done that action thousands of times and was familiar with it. Her long dress fluttered slightly with her footsteps, like a blooming flower. However, the flower was in full bloom and was not ostentatious, just like her. Her movements were very natural, and every step she took was very graceful. It was pleasing to the eye and gave off a faint dignity. The women present were all from noble families, so they had naturally been taught etiquettes in the strictest possible way. They thought that they had done a good job here, but they could not help but be surprised when they saw this girl. If it were them, they would definitely not be able to walk in such a graceful and collected manner.


    Sometimes, the way could be imitated, but the expression could not. The purple-clothed girl¡¯s expression was calm, and her posture was composed, as if she was walking in her own backyard. She was not flustered, impulsive, or timid. As she walked calmly, it gave people the impression that she was looking down on all living beings.


    It was as if she was the owner of this palace.


    When this thought flashed across their minds, the women couldn¡¯t help but turn pale with fright. They wouldn¡¯t be so surprised if this girl was someone else, but she was that idiot, Shen Miao!


    Everyone had seen the change in Shen Miao at the test previously, but ever since then, Shen Miao and Shen Qing both said that they were sick and stayed in the mansion. They didn¡¯t even go to Guangwen Hall anymore. Although she defeated Cai Lin at the test, she only displayed ferocity and courage. However, her etiquette and bearing were not something that could be achieved overnight. Unexpectedly, when they saw her today, they felt that Shen Miao was like a different person from before. Not only was her dress and demeanor not wrong, but everyone even felt that Shen Miao was better than the daughters of officials in the hall!


    Shen Miao followed behind Luo Xueyan. No one saw the bitter smile on her lips.


    She finally returned to this place. She wanted to see if this place could still trap her in this life!


    Every brick and tile here was deeply engraved in her memory. Even with her eyes closed, she could still find the way. As for the complicated palace rules and etiquette, they were almost engraved in her bones. In this hall, when she closed her eyes, she could seem to see Wanyu smiling at her and asking her for pastries to eat and hear Fu Ming reading the book out loud. Love and hate were both important. Bitterness and sweetness were mixed. When she stepped into this place again, she had mixed feelings, but what burned in her heart was the flame of revenge!


    Lizi looked at the purple-clothed girl walking behind the valiant woman in a daze and was shocked. Just now, he heard from the palace maid in the garden that Shen Xin¡¯s daughter was a vulgar idiot, but now that he saw her, he realized that it was not the case at all. This girl had a noble aura around her. How could she be an idiot?

 Chapter 170 - Back and forth (2)

    Just as he was thinking, he saw the girl¡¯s gaze sweep past him and he froze. Lizi immediately became nervous. He had never seen Miss Shen before and wondered if Miss Shen was going to value him? Just as he was feeling terrified and excited, he saw Shen Miao¡¯s gaze instantly turn away. It was as if it was just a delusion just now. Lizi felt a little disappointed. For some reason, he felt that he had lost a great fortune.


    Before Lizi could figure out where this strange thought came from, a tall madam sitting at the front of the hall smiled and said, ¡°Mrs. Shen, you¡¯ve made us wait a long time!¡±


    Luo Xueyan frowned slightly, then smiled. ¡°I was delayed on the way.¡±


    ¡°Fifth Miss is really getting more and more beautiful every day.¡± The tall madam¡¯s gaze landed on Shen Miao again and she said half-truthfully, ¡°She¡¯s more like someone who¡¯s going to be engaged. Back then, she was still a little girl.¡±


    Hearing this, the smile on Luo Xueyan¡¯s face immediately disappeared. Shen Miao¡¯s engagement was simply outrageous to Luo Xueyan. It was decided by the Shen family without her and Shen Xin¡¯s knowing. She did not approve it at all, nor was she afraid of offending the Wei family. In terms of family background, the Wei family was not bad, but they were not comparable to Shen Xin. At most, they would offend the Wei family. What was more important than Shen Miao¡¯s happiness? Moreover, Mrs. Wei was not around at this moment. Luo Xueyan wanted to clarify this matter and said, ¡°What are you talking about. My daughter is still young. She is in no hurry to get engaged. I still want her to be with me for a few years.¡±


    As soon as she said that, all the madams and young ladies were stunned. After all, a few days ago, the news of Shen Miao¡¯s engagement had spread like wildfire. Later, at Old Madam Shen¡¯s birthday banquet, the other members of the Shen family almost admitted it. Why did it seem like the marriage was going to be canceled now?


    The tall madam narrowed her eyes, as if sensing that something was wrong, and her smile became more and more meaningful. She said, ¡°Oh? So Mrs. Shen wants to keep Fifth Miss Shen for a few more years? But a few days ago, didn¡¯t they say that Fifth Miss Shen is getting engaged?¡±


    ¡°Madam, you¡¯re really funny.¡± Luo Xueyan was not afraid of letting others know the internal conflict in the Shen family. She raised her eyebrows and said loudly, ¡°How come I, as a parent, don¡¯t know my daughter is getting engaged? You must be joking.¡±


    As soon as Luo Xueyan finished speaking, the madams started whispering to each other. The tall madam did not expect Luo Xueyan to say that and was stunned for a moment.


    That¡¯s right. How could parents not know if their children were getting engaged? There was only one reason why Luo Xueyan and Shen Xin did not know about Shen Miao¡¯s engagement. The Shen family hid it from them. As for why the Shen family did this, no one knew.


    While everyone was thinking, Ren Wanyun, Chen Ruoqiu, and the others arrived.


    Shen Gui and Shen Wan naturally went to the main hall first. Ren Wanyun brought Shen Qing, Chen Ruoqiu, and Shen Yue over slowly.


    This was the first time Shen Qing had gone out since she fell ill in bed. Over the past few days, she had become much more haggard and thin. She was at her best age, but she actually looked slightly old and dispirited. In order to hide her haggardness, she put on extremely thick rouge and powder, and she even wore a red dress. Shen Qing was not suitable for such a bright color. At a glance, she looked very out of place and was a little strange. In addition, she was pregnant. Although she tried her best to hide it, her steps still looked a little clumsy.


    1

 Chapter 171 - Back and forth (3)

    As for Shen Yue, she was wearing a pink dress as usual. She looked delicate and scholarly. In the past, she would definitely be able to attract everyone¡¯s attention, but today, it was different. She was overshadowed by Shen Miao who came before her. Her movements were a little stiff, and her expression was a little nervous. Her hands were clasped too tightly. In short, she could not compare to Shen Miao at all. At the thought of this, everyone¡¯s expressions became a little strange. Why did Shen Miao, the idiot, outshone her two cousins today?


    Shen Yue was young and did not notice it, but Chen Ruoqiu was sensitive enough to sense the difference in the gazes of those madams. In the past, the gazes that landed on her and her daughter would definitely be filled with envy and praise, but today, there seemed to be mockery. Chen Ruoqiu frowned. Etiquette and manners had always been something she was proud of. She was also extremely strict with Shen Yue about it. She was confident that no noble lady in the capital could do it better than her daughter, but looking at the expressions of these people, there seemed to be someone who did it better than them. Who could it be?


    1


    She naturally did not know that the one who did it better than Shen Yue was right in front of her.


    Shen Miao sat beside Luo Xueyan. Although Luo Xueyan was the protagonist of this banquet, she seemed to have been isolated by others.


    That was indeed the case. The noble families in the capital had always had their own circles. The men were fine. No matter how much they disliked each other, they had to pretend to be friendly because their careers were usually intertwined. However, women were different. Most of the noble ladies in the capital were proud and arrogant. For example, the daughters of the first wife were unwilling to play with the daughters of the concubines. The people born in the capital looked down on outsiders.


    2


    Luo Xueyan was that outsider.


    It would have been fine if she came from the rich lands in the south, but Luo Xueyan came from the bitter cold land of the northwest. When she first married into the capital, Luo Xueyan did not even know how to speak the official language, and her local accent was secretly mocked by these madams for a long time. They mocked that the desert in the northwest was very windy and robbers were a constant threat. As for supplies, they were even scarcer. Good silk was pretty much non-existent.


    Therefore, Luo Xueyan was ostracized by the noble ladies in the capital. In addition, Shen Miao was a complete idiot previously. This mother and daughter were the targets of these madams¡¯ ridicule.


    Bai Wei¡¯s mother, Madam Bai, called Chen Ruoqiu to sit beside her. She and Chen Ruoqiu were close friends, so she naturally had to sit with her. Bai Wei also pulled Shen Yue to her side. Ren Wanyun walked to Mrs. Yi and sat down. Yi Peilan looked at Shen Qing and commented, ¡°You haven¡¯t shown up for a long time. I heard that you¡¯re sick. Eh, you look like you lost a lot of weight, but why is your face a little swollen?¡±


    Shen Qing lowered her head, flustered, and said vaguely, ¡°Maybe I¡¯ve been lying in bed for too long.¡± Ren Wanyun had cooked a lot of medicine for her to stabilize her pregnancy. Although Shen Qing also hated the child in her stomach, she was more afraid that she would never be a mother again after the miscarriage, so she could only grit her teeth and drink it.


    Yi Peilan did not suspect anything and only patted Shen Qing¡¯s hand. ¡°You have to recuperate well. You¡¯re about to be engaged. Take care of your body.¡±

 Chapter 172 - Back and forth (4)

    Shen Qing trembled and lowered her head without saying anything. Ren Wanyun had told her about the marriage of the Huang family and she knew that Huang Dexing was a young and talented man, but for some reason, she was very resistant to this marriage. It was as if her intuition told her that there was some unknown danger under this glamorous marriage.


    Yi Peilan¡¯s voice was not soft, and it happened to be heard by Madam Huang, who was sitting at the side. When Madam Huang heard this, she looked at Shen Qing critically. Regarding this marriage, she just wanted to find a wife for her son. Shen Qing was still worthy of her son, but looking at her sickly appearance today¡­ She hoped that she was not an invalid. After all, she still had to carry on the Huang family¡¯s bloodline and give birth to a son.


    1


    On the other end, Madam Bai was whispering to Chen Ruoqiu, ¡°Ruoqiu, I think that Fifth Miss Shen is not a simple girl.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± Chen Ruoqiu asked curiously, ¡°Why do you say that?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid someone is guiding Miss Shen behind the scene. When she came in just now, all the ladies saw it. Her figure and etiquette are even better than the ladies in the palace. I¡¯m afraid even your daughter is upstaged by her.¡±


    Chen Ruoqiu was stunned and said, ¡°What are you talking about? Everyone knows that Shen Miao doesn¡¯t know anything about etiquette.¡±


    Bai Wei was Chen Ruoqiu¡¯s childhood friend and also came from a scholarly family. Naturally, she had high standards for etiquette. Today, she thought so highly of Shen Miao that Chen Ruoqiu found it unbelievable. At the same time, Chen Ruoqiu couldn¡¯t help but look at where Luo Xueyan was sitting.


    1


    Luo Xueyan was isolated, so she sat on the side while Shen Miao leaned against her. After all, Luo Xueyan had seen and experienced a lot. Even if no one paid attention to her, she could not be bothered at all. She just had to look like a mountain, collected and unmoved. However, Shen Miao, a little girl, was also sitting upright, giving off the impression that others did not talk to her not because they were ignoring her but because they didn¡¯t dare to talk to her.


    Chen Ruoqiu¡¯s fingers were trembling.


    While the women were deep in thought, in the main hall, Shen Xin¡¯s words caused a huge commotion.


    ¡°General Shen, are you serious?¡± Emperor Wen Hui asked.


    Emperor Wen Hui was almost 60 years old, but he did not look old at all. He had a smile on his face, but his eyes were sharp and penetrating. At this moment, he looked at Shen Xin and asked in a low voice.


    Just now, in front of all the officials, Emperor Wen Hui praised Shen Xin, but Shen Xin asked Emperor Wen Hui to allow him to stay in the capital for another half a year to accompany his wife and daughter.


    For so many years, the mighty general, Shen Xin, had been on the battlefield and was brave and invincible, but he had never made such a request. For a moment, people were deep in thought, and the expressions of the officials changed. At this critical moment, Shen Xin wanted to stay in the capital for half a year. Was it really just to accompany his family?


    2


    Emperor Wen Hui sized up Shen Xin. Before he died, the competition for the throne between the princes was already in full swing. Now that the situation was ever-changing, the interference of any force would cause a change in the entire situation. A few days ago, the news that Shen Xin¡¯s daughter, Shen Miao, was infatuated with Prince Ding spread like wildfire. Emperor Wen Hui even thought about what would happen if the power of the Shen family fell into the hands of Fu Xiuyi. Now that Shen Xin suddenly made this request, could it be that he was planning something?


    1


    He carefully sized up the man below. Shen Xin had dark skin and a firm gaze. He stood as straight as a mountain and looked at Emperor Wen Hui respectfully. He was a loyal and brave man. However, what an emperor cared most about his subjects was their value. To Emperor Wen Hui, anyone who was a threat to the country, even if they made a huge contribution, had to be eliminated once and for all.

 Chapter 173 - Back and forth (5)

    A moment later, Emperor Wen Hui laughed and said, ¡°All these years, General Shen has been guarding the Northwest. Now that you have defeated the enemy, I am deeply relieved. It is a blessing to have such a general. I will grant your request!¡±


    Shen Xin immediately thanked him. ¡°Thank you, Your Majesty!¡±


    After Emperor Wen Hui finished speaking, he walked out of the main hall, leaving everyone behind. Shen Xin¡¯s request just now was unexpected. The first to speak was actually the Marquis of Lin¡¯an, Xie Ding. This person who had been at odds with the Shen family for his entire life obviously did not understand what Shen Xin was trying to do. He mocked, ¡°General Shen, are you afraid of war? Do you want to stay in the capital for half a year to enjoy yourself?¡±


    Not only was Shen Xin not angry, but he even smiled and revealed his white teeth. ¡°Is Marquis Xie envious of me? Sigh, it¡¯s no wonder. After all, Marquis Xie doesn¡¯t have a wife or daughter¡­¡±


    ¡°You!¡± Xie Ding¡¯s face was ashen. Shen Xin looked like a big and burly fellow, but in fact, he had a sharp tongue. The death of Princess Yuqing and how his son, Xie Jingxing, treated him like a stranger were Xie Ding¡¯s Achilles¡¯ heel. Shen Xin deliberately poked his sore spot. Xie Ding really wanted to kill Shen Xin with a spear.


    Fu Xiuyi looked at Shen Xin, and his expression was quite complicated. The Shen family had exceeded his expectations time and time again. In the past, when Shen Miao was in love with him, although he was annoyed, he thought that he could use the Shen family to his advantage. Later, Shen Miao actually clarified in front of everyone that she had no such intentions, causing Fu Xiuyi to be mocked by Prince Zhou and Prince Jing. Now that Shen Xin proposed to stay in the capital for half a year, it was even more confusing. Fu Xiuyi had a strange feeling that this Shen family, which seemed to be the easiest to control, suddenly became volatile. It seemed that in the future, there would be countless variables, and it would affect the entire situation¡­


    The officials were a little confused by Shen Xin¡¯s unexpected move, but the reward he received today was really enviable. The rest of the people went forward to congratulate him sincerely or insincerely. When Shen Xin told them about the interesting things in the Northwest, he did not notice a dark gaze behind him.


    The person stared at Shen Xin like a poisonous snake hiding in the grass, waiting for an opportunity to rush up and bite him to death. The person who was looking at Shen Xin was none other than Prince Yu.


    1


    The atmosphere was quite lively. Outside, Shen Qiu blocked Wei Qian in the corridor.


    1


    Wei Qian was born with a handsome appearance. He was humble, but compared to Shen Qiu who was energetic and youthful, he looked too weak. Wei Qian asked with a frown, ¡°Deputy General Shen, what brings you here?¡±


    Shen Qiu sized up Wei Qian from head to toe. He had a cheerful and friendly personality. If he had met Wei Qian in the past, he might have made friends with him. However, ever since he heard from Shen Miao that Wei Qian already had someone in his heart, he felt angry. In Shen Qiu¡¯s opinion, his sister was very good. It was only right for Shen Miao to not like someone. How could anyone not like her?


    1


    ¡°You¡¯re Wei Qian?¡± At the thought of this, Shen Qiu¡¯s tone was not very happy.


    Wei Qian was stunned. He sensed the hostility of the person and said, ¡°Yes.¡±


    1


    ¡°I¡¯m here not for anything in particular.¡± Shen Qiu patted Wei Qian¡¯s shoulder and said, ¡°I just wanted to tell you that there was a rumor that my sister is engaged to you. Since it¡¯s a rumor, my Shen family doesn¡¯t take it to heart, and your Wei family shouldn¡¯t take it to heart too.¡± Shen Qiu took a step back and said in a cold tone, ¡°The husband my sister chose naturally has to be judged by me first!¡± After saying that, he turned around and strode away without looking at Wei Qian.


    Wei Qian was stunned on the spot. Shen Qiu was obviously trying to draw a line between him and the Wei family. However¡­ he did have a sweetheart. No matter how indignant Shen Qiu was for his sister, there was no need to make him sound like a useless fool. The Shen family was too protective of their daughter. Besides, he had no say in this marriage at all. It was entirely arranged by his parents.


    Outside the corridor, Gao Yang looked at the stunned Wei Qian and shook his head. ¡°Shen Qiu is just like his father, disregarding everyone. He even dares to offend the Wei family.¡±


    The purple-clothed youth beside him looked impatient, and his tone was displeased. ¡°Are you done watching?¡±


    ¡°Wei Qian is your man.¡± Gao Yang said, ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to stand up for him?¡±


    ¡°If you want to stand up for him, go ahead.¡± Xie Jingxing glanced at him.


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t dare.¡± Gao Yang said as if he was just a spectator of a show, ¡°That girl from the Shen family has so many people protecting her. If I¡¯m not careful, trouble will come knocking on my door. However,¡± he smiled gently, but his tone was a little gloating, ¡°With Prince Yu present today, I¡¯m afraid things won¡¯t end well. I heard that Prince Yu plans to marry a princess consort. Guess which girl from the Shen family he wants to marry?¡±


    1


    ¡°I guess he can¡¯t marry anyone.¡± Xie Jingxing raised his eyebrows and looked ahead.


    In the garden, a familiar figure jogged forward and said something to the young eunuch before stuffing a sachet into the eunuch¡¯s hand.


    That figure was Shen Miao¡¯s maid, Jingzhe.

 Chapter 174 - A spectacular show (1)

    Chapter 174: A spectacular show (1)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    ¡°He can¡¯t marry anyone.¡±


    Gao Yang followed Xie Jingxing¡¯s gaze and saw that among the flowers, Shen Miao¡¯s personal maid told the young eunuch something. The young eunuch agreed. It was probably the first time he had received so much money. He was very happy and said something to the maid respectfully before leaving.


    After the eunuch left, Jingzhe stood rooted to the ground, revealing a puzzled expression. Shen Miao had specially instructed her to hand the thing over to this eunuch, but this eunuch was clearly new to the palace and had no interaction with Shen Miao. Why did she specially instruct her to do so?


    Unable to figure out the reason, Jingzhe shook her head. In any case, she had already done what she was told, so she turned around and left.


    ¡°This Miss of the Shen family is very bold.¡± Gao Yang commented, ¡°She even dares to play tricks in the palace. Moreover, it seems like Shen Xin doesn¡¯t know anything.¡±


    Xie Jingxing did not comment. He never thought that a person who dared to burn down her ancestral hall would be a coward. As for where to execute her plan, it probably did not matter to Shen Miao.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± A strange smile appeared on his lips. ¡°We should go see the show.¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t go.¡± Gao Yang blinked. ¡°It¡¯s better to be careful now.¡±


    ¡°Up to you,¡± Xie Jingxing said lazily. Suddenly, he thought of something and said casually, ¡°If you have time, go to the Imperial Hospital and see if there¡¯s anything we want.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Gao Yang cupped his hands and walked towards the other side.


    ¡­ .


    Time passed quickly. It was finally time for the banquet to begin.


    The women sat at the tail of the hall, and the men sat at the head of the hall. On the leftmost side, close to the throne in the middle, were the princes. Prince Zhou, Prince Jing, and Prince Ding had already arrived, followed by Prince Li, Prince Xiang, and Prince Cheng.


    Prince Zhou and Prince Jing were brothers, so they were naturally on the same side. As for Prince Xiang and Prince Cheng, they teamed up with Prince Li and were on the same side. As for the crown prince, who had yet to arrive, he was supported by Prince Xuan and Prince Chu. As for the ninth prince, Prince Ding, Fu Xiuyi, he did not belong to a faction. He looked like the weakest and most neutral one.


    With the appearance of the three princes, the commotion in the hall gradually quietened down.


    Emperor Wen Hui¡¯s nine sons were all extremely outstanding. If they were born in an ordinary family, the family would probably be overjoyed to have so many outstanding sons. However, in the noble families, the more outstanding sons there were, the more intense the competition. What was worse was that these nine outstanding sons were born in the most heartless royal family in the world. This meant that whoever was most excellent would likely be the first to die.


    Now the nine sons had all grown up. Although the crown prince had been chosen, the various forces had not stopped trying. Now that Emperor Wen Hui was still around, he could still maintain the balance, but one day, he would also grow old and die. At that time, the royal family of Ming Qi, which had long been restless, would probably be in a bloody storm.


    Among the faction led by Prince Zhou, the faction led by Prince Li, and the faction led by the crown prince, the crown prince looked to be the strongest on the surface, but the crown prince was sickly. Emperor Wen Hui would not allow a weak son to sit on the throne, so the crown prince¡¯s power was unstable. If he fell seriously ill, Prince Xuan and Prince Chu, who followed him, would benefit. The faction led by Prince Li was the largest in number thus the most powerful, so many officials chose to side with him.

 Chapter 175 - A spectacular show (2)

    Chapter 175: A spectacular show (2)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    As for Prince Ding, no one took him seriously. In terms of power, he had none. In terms of background, his biological mother, Consort Dong, was also extremely low-key. If not for the fact that she gave birth to Fu Xiuyi, she would not be able to remain a consort. Although Fu Xiuyi was outstanding and humble, he was after all alone and his power was limited, so no one thought highly of him. Although Fu Xiuyi appeared to be neutral and was not interested in the competition for the throne, his brothers were still wary of him. Being wary in the palace was never wrong.


    However, the women did not see things through the lense of power. The girls present were secretly stealing glances at Fu Xiuyi¡¯s handsome face and discussed softly with flushed faces.


    Everyone in the royal family was all good-looking, and Fu Xiuyi was the most outstanding among the nine princes. He was born in the royal family but he did not put on airs, nor did he hold his chin high. To the girls, such a ¡°nice¡± and ¡°extraordinary¡± man was really magnificent.


    ¡°Prince Ding is simply irresistible,¡± the girl muttered in a low voice. Shen Miao turned around and saw that Feng Anning had already moved to her side. She smiled at her and said with a straight face, ¡°Since you¡¯re here, why didn¡¯t you look for me?¡±


    Shen Miao was a little confused by her words. She didn¡¯t know since when Feng Anning liked to stick to her. She also did not know when Feng Anning changed her attitude towards her. After all, Shen Miao was not really a young girl. She could not be friends with Feng Anning. Moreover, now, she was always wary of people¡¯s friendliness, so she did not know how to treat Feng Anning. In the end, she could only shake her head and find an excuse. ¡°I didn¡¯t see you.¡±


    Shen Miao naturally did not know that if it were her in the past, Feng Anning would definitely not even take a second look at her. However, the current Shen Miao was the empress who had bathed in the blood of the Ming Qi Palace. People admired those who were stronger than them. Feng Anning could vaguely feel Shen Miao had a powerful presence, so she gravitated towards her.


    Feng Anning curled her lips and suddenly whispered teasingly, ¡°But Prince Ding is here too. He¡¯s someone you used to like. Why don¡¯t you even look at him?¡±


    As soon as Feng Anning finished speaking, Jiang Xiaoxuan smiled and said loudly, ¡°Fifth Miss Shen, Prince Ding is here!¡±


    She wanted to embarrass Shen Miao, and she knew with the royal family around, Shen Miao did not dare to flare up. Even Luo Xueyan had to endure it. Everyone in Ming Qi knew that Shen Miao was infatuated with Prince Ding. As soon as she said that, not only the women, but even the men looked over.


    Luo Xueyan gritted her teeth. She knew that this person was deliberately trying to anger Shen Miao. Although Shen Miao said that she no longer liked Prince Ding, Luo Xueyan knew that it was not easy to give up on someone. Shen Miao looked calm on the surface, but she might be in extreme pain on the inside. Luo Xueyan was angry that Shen Xin was not around at this time. She turned to look at Shen Miao, afraid that Shen Miao would be sad because of this, and said softly, ¡°Jiaojiao¡­¡±


    In the male section, everyone¡¯s eyes were filled with excitement. The corners of Cai Lin¡¯s mouth twitched, as if he was gloating. Back then, Shen Miao humiliated him at the test. Now that Shen Miao was going to be humiliated too, he felt happy. Su Mingfeng and Su Minglang sat together. Su Minglang tugged at Su Mingfeng¡¯s sleeve and said with excitement, ¡°Brother, is Sister Shen here too?¡±

 Chapter 176 - A Spectacular Show (3)

    Chapter 176: A Spectacular Show (3)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    Su Minglang was too small and his sight was blocked by the table, so he couldn¡¯t see clearly. Su Mingfeng nodded. He did not know why his brother liked the fifth miss of the Shen family. If not for the fact that Su Minglang was too young, Su Mingfeng would have thought that his brother had some designs on her.


    However¡­ he also turned to look at Shen Miao. At such a close distance, how would Shen Miao face Prince Ding?


    In the corner of the men¡¯s section, there was a man in green. Compared to the other nobles in luxurious clothes, his clothes were extremely simple. However, this did not make him look out of place. On the contrary, because of his simple clothes, he looked like an ancient scholar. At this moment, he was also quietly looking at the purple-clothed girl who had her head lowered.


    This person was Pei Lang. Originally, Pei Lang was not qualified to attend such an occasion. However, today, someone in the family of the director of Guangwen Hall was dead, so the director asked Pei Lang to attend in place of him. Although Pei Lang was a teacher in Guangwen Hall, he was actually half a director, so he did not decline.


    Prince Zhou and Prince Jing stood beside Fu Xiuyi, and they heard Jiang Xiaoxuan¡¯s deliberately provocative words. Prince Zhou smiled and patted Fu Xiuyi¡¯s shoulder, saying meaningfully, ¡°Our ninth brother is really amazing¡­¡±


    Fu Xiuyi frowned slightly, but a faint smile appeared on his face. ¡°Fourth Brother, you must be joking.¡± Although he said that, his gaze subconsciously drifted to the girl in the seat.


    ¡°Heh.¡± The girl chuckled audibly, and the surroundings instantly fell silent.


    The chuckle was gentle and calm, like a cup of strong wine that had been brewed for a long time. It was filled with all kinds of emotions and complicated feelings. In the end, it turned into a light laugh.


    The women were surprised. They were all women of the world, but they couldn¡¯t tell the meaning behind Shen Miao¡¯s laughter at all.


    Shen Miao looked up suddenly with a piercing gaze. It was the same gaze when she was shooting an arrow at Cai Lin at the test that day. Without a warning, she shot her gaze at Fu Xiuyi.


    Fu Xiuyi was slightly stunned.


    There was no infatuation, love, admiration, or surprise in the girl¡¯s eyes, only a bottomless calmness. It was as if an old man who had experienced the vicissitude of life was looking at him through the passage of time. The gaze was neither filled with sadness or happiness, but it made people feel uneasy.


    That pair of clear eyes had an extremely beautiful shape. If Shen Miao curled them slightly, they would probably be so sweet that they reminded people of honey. However, she only watched quietly. An uneasiness suddenly surged in Fu Xiuyi¡¯s heart, as if a huge beast was staring at him from the depths of the grass. The uneasiness became stronger and stronger. The faint smile on his face had disappeared at some point, and he was staring fixedly at Shen Miao.


    ¡°Heh.¡± Shen Miao chuckled again. This time, everyone could see it clearly. The corners of her red lips curled up slightly, but the corners of her eyes did not move. It was a sneer.


    It was probably a sneer from hatred towards the person she loved but couldn¡¯t get. Everyone thought to themselves, but they were surprised that Shen Miao actually dared to express her dissatisfaction so bluntly.


    Fu Xiuyi did not move.


    In that sneer, he clearly saw a faint killing intent. Although it was deliberately concealed, the killing intent was still so strong that it surged out, pointing at him like a sharp knife. The coldness of being determined to win actually made his heart skip a beat.

 Chapter 177 - A Spectacular Show (4)

    Chapter 177: A Spectacular Show (4)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    Just because he didn¡¯t respond to her affection, she wanted to murder him? Fu Xiuyi was a little stunned. What surprised him even more was that he actually felt that the killing intent was filled with threat.


    Could this be his delusion?


    When he looked at Shen Miao again, she had already turned around and said something to Feng Anning.


    A trace of killing intent flashed across Shen Miao¡¯s eyes. After so long, even at the test venue, she only wanted to meet Fu Xiuyi from afar. She did not want to meet him so close because she was afraid that once she got close to him, she would not be able to hide her hatred!


    Jiang Xiaoxuan¡¯s provocation was answered by two chuckles from Shen Miao. The first chuckle was complicated, and the second chuckle was a sneer. However, even a fool could tell that she did not have any feelings for Fu Xiuyi! After chuckling twice, she simply started talking to the girl beside her. Her contempt and disregard made it difficult to tell if she was doing it on purpose or not.


    However, the atmosphere still turned cold because of what she did.


    A glint flashed across Prince Zhou¡¯s eyes. He smiled and approached Fu Xiuyi. ¡°Ninth Brother, it seems like you¡¯re not that invincible.¡±


    Fu Xiuyi smiled bitterly, but from that point on, he took Shen Miao seriously.


    ¡°Heh, looks like the fifth daughter of the Shen family is quite bold,¡± Su Mingfeng said with interest. Now his ¡°serious illness¡± had improved a lot, but he still couldn¡¯t work hard. Therefore, he still hadn¡¯t been reinstated.


    In his seat, Pei Lang lowered his head and took a sip of tea, deep in thought.


    Just as they were silent, they heard a hearty laugh. ¡°Haha, everyone, I¡¯m late!¡±


    The figure that was like a small mountain was none other than Shen Xin. Following closely behind Shen Xin was Shen Qiu. Seeing that this important figure was here, the bureaucrats greeted him one after another. Shen Xin bowed to Prince Zhou and the others before sitting down. He and Shen Qiu had missed the show just now. Otherwise, even if Shen Xin did not make a move, Shen Qiu would definitely teach Jiang Xiaoxuan a lesson.


    After Shen Xin, the crown prince and Prince Li arrived one after another. The crown prince was weak, but the crown princess was elegant. Shen Miao glanced at the crown princess and was deep in thought.


    The crown princess had the support of the prime minister¡¯s family. Originally, the crown prince used the power of the crown princess¡¯s family to stabilize his status. Later, when the crown princess was pregnant, Emperor Wen Hui was afraid that the crown prince would be seriously ill and the power would be in the hands of the prime minister, so he used means to make the crown princess have a miscarriage. The crown princess was deeply in love with the crown prince, but she did not know that the emperor would even kill her child. She was also afraid of telling her family and causing trouble for them, so she died of depression. Three years after the crown princess died, the prime minister¡¯s family found out the truth and wanted to avenge their daughter. In the end, they sided with Fu Xiuyi¡­


    Shen Miao looked at the cup in front of her. Everyone in the royal family was ruthless, and the men of the royal family were just a bunch of beasts. She and the crown princess were no different. They were both sacrifices of the power game.


    Now, she wanted to be a chess player. Whoever wanted to play chess with her had to be prepared to die!


    After the crown princess sat down, her friends from before she got married chatted with her. On the men¡¯s side, Prince Yu also arrived.


    When Prince Yu arrived, the people in the women¡¯s section were silent, especially the girls. They were so frightened that their faces were pale.


    In the past, Prince Yu would not attend any of the royal banquets. For so many years, he did not care about anything in the court. That was why Emperor Wen Hui, who was paranoid by nature, was especially tolerant of his brother. Of course, this was partly because Prince Yu had risked his life to protect him when Emperor Wen Hui was young. However, if not for the fact that Prince Yu had been quiet and did not interfere in the court matters for so many years, no matter how grateful he was to Prince Yu, he wouldn¡¯t let him live. After all, Emperor Wen Hui¡¯s brothers were all killed by him.

 Chapter 178 - A Spectacular Show (5)

    Chapter 178: A Spectacular Show (5)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    The sudden appearance of Prince Yu, who had never participated in the banquet, made the women feel uneasy. The men were puzzled, but the princes smiled tacitly. The woman who was on good terms with the crown princess said, ¡°I wonder why Prince Yu is here.¡±


    The crown princess naturally knew the reason. She smiled and said, ¡°Prince Yu has been alone for so many years. It¡¯s time to find someone to serve him.¡±


    As soon as she said that, the women were all shocked. Could it be that Prince Yu was going to choose a princess consort? However, becoming Prince Yu¡¯s princess consort was not a good thing. At this moment, the girls couldn¡¯t help but tremble.


    ¡°May I ask, Crown Princess,¡± The madam asked with a smile, ¡°May I know which miss is blessed with such a chance?¡±


    The crown princess refused to say anything. She just shook her head and smiled. ¡°We¡¯ll know later.¡±


    Because of the Crown Princess Consort¡¯s words, the women fell into silence. Everyone was a little afraid. The title of Princess Consort Yu was like a death warrant. Whoever was chosen would just die faster. It was not a good thing¡­


    Feng Anning leaned closer to Shen Miao and asked, ¡°Guess who Princess Consort Yu will be?¡±


    Shen Miao said, ¡°No clue.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re so boring.¡± Feng Anning pursed her lips.


    On the other side, Shen Qing was clutching the corner of her shirt tightly. The moment she saw Prince Yu, her mind was filled with the torture that Prince Yu had done to her that night. If not for Ren Wanyun holding her tightly, Shen Qing would probably scream.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid, Qing.¡± Ren Wanyun leaned close to Shen Qing¡¯s ear and said in a volume that only the two of them could hear, ¡°Prince Yu came today to help you deal with that bitch. When she marries Prince Yu mansion, he will naturally have ways to kill her¡­¡±


    On the side, Chen Ruoqiu looked at Ren Wanyun and Shen Qing and took a sip of tea.


    People thought that everyone except the empress had arrived. Suddenly, They heard cries of surprise. Feng Anning was talking to Shen Miao when she heard the commotion.


    In the depths of the palace, outside the door of the hall, a person walked over from afar. He was dressed in a purple-gold robe and black shoes. His eyes were bright and handsome, and his footsteps were neither fast nor slow.


    Xie Ding, the Marquis of Lin¡¯an, shouted in surprise, ¡°Jingxing!¡± Then as if having thought of something, he frowned and remained silent.


    Everyone was surprised. What was going on today? Not only did Prince Yu, who never attended royal banquets, but now even the Young Marquis of the Xie family, Xie Jingxing, was here.


    The women were more excited and infatuated with Xie Jingxing than with Fu Xiuyi.


    The young man¡¯s figure was straight. Although he looked like he was walking leisurely, his every step was oppressive. He had an extremely striking appearance to begin with. Under the contrast of the purple-gold robe, he actually gave off a faint feeling that he could not be looked at directly. His face was like snow, and his eyes were as black as ink. His eyebrows were like swords, and the corners of his mouth were slightly raised. He was like a red plum blooming in the snow, having a color that was as beautiful as peach blossoms. The officials present became just the background that accentuated his importance. It was no exaggeration to say that he looked like the real owner of this palace.


    He was so handsome that the world lost its color.


    This young man, who was as dazzling as the sun, had a cold and sharp gaze. Looking at his cynical smile carefully, it was filled with coldness and cruelty.

 Chapter 179 - A Spectacular Show (6)

    Chapter 179: A Spectacular Show (6)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    ¡°When did this Young Marquis Xie become so outstanding¡­¡± Feng Anning muttered.


    In the past, although Xie Jingxing was also extremely handsome, it was nothing compared to him today. It was as if he had deliberately covered up his brilliance in the past. The current Xie Jingxing had shed that layer of disguise. Compared to Fu Xiuyi, he was really the person who should stand at the peak of the dynasty and look down on all living beings!


    As soon as this thought appeared, Shen Miao was shocked by herself. She looked up at Xie Jingxing. The purple-clothed youth walked to the front of the table and met everyone¡¯s surprised gazes. He raised his eyebrows and smiled. ¡°I¡¯m here to join in the fun today.¡± As he spoke, he walked to the table and sat down. However, he was not sitting next to Xie Ding, the Marquis of Lin¡¯an, but Su Mingfeng. Su Minglang pouted and reluctantly moved to the corner.


    Seeing this, Xie Ding¡¯s expression immediately darkened. When the surrounding people saw this, although they were discussing it, they did not stop him. Xie Jingxing had always been such a carefree person. Most likely, he was really just here to join the fun today.


    ¡°Xie Ding has an extraordinary son.¡± Luo Xueyan¡¯s expression was solemn. Whether it was a dragon or a worm, she had always been good at judging people. Xie Jingxing had a great bearing when he moved, and he made people feel a little dangerous for no reason. People who had been on the battlefield were more sensitive to that kind of danger.


    ¡°This kid from the Xie family is not bad.¡± Shen Xin was very satisfied. If not for the fact that he was from the Xie family, he might even be able to become sworn brothers with him.


    The princes of the royal family looked a little gloomy.


    This young marquis of the Marquis¡¯s mansion looked too outstanding. Although he had not entered the royal court, they could tell that he was not someone to be trifled with. If they couldn¡¯t recruit him to work for them, the sooner he was dead, the better.


    The royal family did not want to see a powerful person from the marquis¡¯s mansion.


    At this moment, the eunuch shouted, ¡°The emperor is here¡ªthe empress is here¡ª¡±


    The empress finally arrived while everyone was waiting.


    Emperor Wen Hui looked like he was in a good mood, but the empress looked a little fierce. As a woman, she was quite beautiful, and one could probably see her charm when she was young. However, as she aged, her cheeks were sunken, making her look a little mean.


    Because the crown prince was sick, this empress had always been very ruthless with the methods she used. In the past, after Shen Miao married Fu Xiuyi, her time was made very difficult by this empress. She had suffered countless hardships. It was also this empress who taught Shen Miao how to survive in the palace.


    Everything in the past was fake. She came for revenge, but her final goal was to completely overthrow the entire royal family.


    One day, she would sit on that throne again.


    Shen Miao lowered her eyes and took a sip of tea.


    Not far from her, Shen Qing also smiled, as if she was celebrating with Shen Miao. At the same time, she raised her teacup and took a sip.


    The darkness in Shen Miao¡¯s eyes deepened, and the corners of her lips curled up. This smile was different from a cold smile. Her eyes were curved, and her sweet appearance was extremely eye-catching. Even in the men¡¯s section opposite, some people were stunned by Shen Miao¡¯s smile.


    Pei Lang had been staring at Shen Miao. He did not know why he did this, but it was as if there was something about this girl that had always attracted him. However, a few months ago, Shen Miao was just an idiot in Guangwen Hall. Pei Lang treated her gently only because he was her teacher, but inside, he had always looked down on her.


    The empress sat down and the banquet began. This so-called joy between the emperor and the officials was actually just an act. The emperor was still the emperor, and the officials were still officials. Everyone made harmless jokes, pretending that the harmony would last forever.


    Su Mingfeng nudged Xie Jingxing. ¡°Why are you here?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m here to watch the show.¡± The corners of Xie Jingxing¡¯s lips curled up.


    ¡°What¡¯s there to see?¡± Su Mingfeng felt a headache coming on.


    As he spoke, Prince Yu said, ¡°Brother¡ª¡±


    His voice was neither loud nor soft, but the hall immediately fell silent. Clearly, everyone was extremely afraid of this fiend.


    ¡°I¡¯ve already thought through what you promised me a few days ago about choosing a prince consort.¡± Prince Yu smiled strangely and said, ¡°Since today is a joyous occasion, why don¡¯t I announce my chosen consort?¡±


    ¡°I like Miss Shen,¡± he said extremely slowly. His eyes were like a poisonous snake, fixedly staring at the purple-robed girl.

 Chapter 180 - Pregnant (1)

    Chapter 180: Pregnant (1)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    ¡°I like her¡ªMiss Shen.¡±


    The hall burst into an uproar. Everyone looked at the three daughters of the Shen family. Among the three daughters of the Shen family, Shen Qing was already engaged, so only Shen Yue and Shen Miao were left. Shen Yue was gentle and charming, and her name was famous. Now that Shen Miao was also a slender and beautiful girl, her aura was also eye-catching. More importantly, Shen Miao had the backing of Shen Xin. Everyone could clearly see that the person Prince Yu was looking at was Shen Miao.


    For a moment, everyone looked at Shen Miao with an extremely strange gaze. Some were gloating, while others were sympathetic. Everyone knew that there was something fishy about the previous Princess Consort Yu¡¯s death. Everyone knew what kind of demon Prince Yu was. However, such a person was protected by the royal family. On one hand, there was a mighty general, and on the other hand, there was the brother of the emperor. What would the emperor do?


    After Prince Yu finished speaking, Shen Xin¡¯s expression darkened and veins popped out on his forehead. For a moment, there was a fierce aura that made the expressions of everyone around him change.


    Shen Xin was a loyal official, but if he could not even protect his daughter, how could he protect the country?


    Shen Qiu also tightened the corners of his mouth and stared fiercely at Prince Yu, as if as long as Prince Yu said Shen Miao¡¯s name, he would jump up and fight him to the death.


    As for Luo Xueyan, she was already holding Shen Miao¡¯s hand tightly. The smile on her face had long disappeared, and it was replaced by a deep and ruthless expression, like a female wolf protecting its cub.


    When the people around saw the Shen family¡¯s reaction, they couldn¡¯t help but exclaim in their hearts. The atmosphere was tense when the Shen family made such a move. Emperor Wen Hui was a paranoid person, wasn¡¯t the Shen family afraid that Emperor Wen Hui would be unhappy with them being so intimidating in front of him?


    Prince Ding also looked at Shen Miao in surprise.


    ¡°It seems like Fifth Miss Shen is an apple in General Shen¡¯s eyes.¡± Su Mingfeng whispered to Xie Jingxing, ¡°The Shen family actually did this for her.¡±


    Challenging Prince Yu was equivalent to challenging the entire royal family. No matter what, Shen Xin¡¯s attitude made it clear that he would do everything to stop Prince Yu even if Emperor Wen Hui gave the order.


    Xie Jingxing smiled lazily and did not comment.


    In the corner, Pei Lang tightened his grip on the teacup. What would the girl who could shoot arrows at her classmates without batting an eyelid do?


    Emperor Wen Hui¡¯s smile was a little unfathomable. He looked at the Shen family with a dark gaze and said, ¡°Which girl from the Shen family do you like?¡±


    Everyone was waiting for Prince Yu¡¯s answer. A mocking smile appeared on Shen Qing¡¯s face. However, before she could gloat, she suddenly felt a sharp pain in her stomach. She couldn¡¯t help but cry out in pain and fall to the ground.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±


    ¡°QIng!¡±


    Shen Qing¡¯s sudden action shocked everyone. Ren Wanyun immediately held her in her arms. Shen Qing¡¯s face quickly turned pale. Shen Yue pulled the corner of Chen Ruoqiu¡¯s shirt. Chen Ruoqiu¡¯s heart skipped a beat. For some reason, she looked at Shen Miao.


    The girl in purple sat at the table, her expression unchanged. When she met Chen Ruoqiu¡¯s gaze, she smiled and turned to look at Luo Xueyan. She asked worriedly, ¡°What happens to Eldest Sister? What¡¯s wrong? Is she poisoned?¡±

 Chapter 181 - Pregnant (2)

    Chapter 181: Pregnant (2)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    ¡°Poisoned!¡± As soon as she said that, everyone present shouted in panic.


    Shen Miao continued to look at Luo Xueyan and said, ¡°Could it be that an assassin has sneaked in?¡±


    At this moment, not only the women, but even the expressions of the princes and Emperor Wen Hui changed. At the banquet, all the civil and military officials were present. If an assassin sneaked in, the royal family would be in danger. Immediately, the guards guarding outside rushed in, their hands on the swords at their waists, watching the surroundings vigilantly.


    Soon, everyone forgot about what Prince Yu said about marrying the girl from the Shen family. After all, compared to that, the looming danger was more worthy of attention.


    Su Mingfeng opened his mouth and said in a low voice after a while, ¡°Good move.¡±


    With just one sentence from Shen Miao, everyone¡¯s attention was diverted. Standing in the chaotic crowd, Prince Yu look like a fool.


    Xie Jingxing glanced at the girl who had a worried look on her face and snorted.


    Shen Miao¡¯s eyes flickered. After spending so many years with the royal family, no one understood their paranoia better than her. Shen Qing¡¯s scream was enough to make Emperor Wen Hui, whose life was coveted by many, panic.


    ¡°Mother, let¡¯s find an imperial physician for Eldest Sister.¡± Shen Miao said, ¡°This can¡¯t go on.¡±


    Only then did Luo Xueyan come back to her senses. She looked at Ren Wanyun and frowned. Shen Qing was in so much pain, but as a mother, Ren Wanyun did not rush to find a doctor for her daughter. She did not know what kind of mother she was. Immediately, Luo Xueyan bowed to Emperor Wen Hui and said, ¡°I beg Your Majesty to invite the imperial physician to treat Qing and save her.¡±


    As soon as she said that, before Shen Qing could speak, Ren Wanyun screamed, ¡°No!¡±


    Everyone¡¯s gaze landed on Ren Wanyun.


    As soon as Ren Wanyun said that, she thought to herself that she had made a terrible move. Facing so many inquisitive gazes, she forced a smile and gritted her teeth. ¡°I¡­ I was just thinking that it¡¯s not necessary to invite an imperial physician to treat Qing¡­ Don¡¯t ruin everyone¡¯s mood. I¡¯ll just take Qing away¡­¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Luo Xueyan said seriously, ¡°Nothing is more important than her life. As a mother, do you think Qing¡¯s life is not more important than the banquet?¡±


    Everyone had a strange expression on their faces. Why was Ren Wanyun, Shen Qing¡¯s biological mother, unwilling to find a doctor to treat her daughter, but Luo Xueyan, Shen Qing¡¯s aunt, was anxious about Shen Qing¡¯s life.


    In the male section, Shen Gui stared at Ren Wanyun with a dark expression. He wished that this annoying mother and daughter had nothing to do with him. If Emperor Wen Hui was displeased with this incident that ruined the banquet, what would happen to his future?


    ¡°Eldest Madam Shen is right,¡± at last, the empress said indifferently. She glanced at Ren Wanyun and said, ¡°Eldest Miss Shen¡¯s life is more important.¡±


    Ren Wanyun panicked. If Shen Qing was checked by a doctor, wouldn¡¯t the matter of Shen Qing¡¯s pregnancy be exposed? She said, ¡°Your Highness¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine¡­¡± Shen Qing¡¯s forehead was covered in sweat, and her face was as pale as paper. She held her stomach and was in so much pain that she couldn¡¯t speak, but she knew that she could not let the imperial physician come over to check her.


    ¡°Sister, this not only concerns your safety, but also the safety of everyone in the hall. If you¡¯re really poisoned, it means that an assassin has sneaked in and everyone is in danger. Even if you don¡¯t think for yourself, you should think for His Majesty,¡± Shen Miao said calmly.

 Chapter 182 - Chapter 182: Pregnant (3)

    Chapter 182: Pregnant (3)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    After she finished speaking, Emperor Wen Hui¡¯s gaze became a little solemn.


    Shen Qing was so angry that she almost spat out blood. What could Shen Qing say? How could she not show concerns for the emperor¡¯s safety?


    The princes of the royal family also understood what Shen Miao meant. Prince Li paused and said, ¡°This Miss Shen is good at talking.¡±


    ¡°Guard.¡± Without any hesitation, Emperor Wen Hui said, ¡°Go and get the imperial physician. Something happened to Miss Shen in the palace, so I naturally have to investigate it thoroughly!¡±


    ¡°Eldest Sister, don¡¯t move.¡± Shen Miao said indifferently, ¡°The murderer might be hiding in the crowd at this moment. After the imperial physician comes, he will take Eldest Sister¡¯s pulse here. If you move, you might make the pain worse.¡±


    Before Ren Wanyun could speak, Emperor Wen Hui nodded and said, ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±


    Hearing that, they didn¡¯t dare to refute.


    Letting the imperial physician to treat Shen Qing meant that Shen Qing¡¯s pregnancy would be exposed in front of all the officials. At the thought of this, Ren Wanyun¡¯s body could not help but tremble, and her fear finally spread to Shen Qing.


    As Shen Qing endured the pain, more fear surged in her heart. ¡°Mother, don¡¯t¡­¡±


    However, what could Ren Wanyun do? Emperor Wen Hui had already spoken, so she could not disobey the decree. Ren Wanyun was at a loss as to what to do. She raised her head and looked in Shen Gui¡¯s direction, hoping that he would help her, but when she met his eyes, they were filled with blame and anger.


    For a moment, Ren Wanyun¡¯s limbs were cold and her heart was filled with despair. She did not even have the time to comfort Shen Qing, who was in her arms.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with your aunt?¡± Feng Anning whispered into Shen Miao¡¯s ear, ¡°Why does she look like she¡¯s very afraid?¡±


    Shen Miao smiled, and Luo Xueyan frowned. She found Ren Wanyun¡¯s abnormal behavior a little strange, but she couldn¡¯t figure it out. She looked at Chen Ruoqiu and Shen Yue.


    Shen Yue was frightened by Shen Qing¡¯s appearance. She grabbed the corner of Chen Ruoqiu¡¯s shirt and was a little flustered. Chen Ruoqiu also stared at Ren Wanyun without moving. After living with Ren Wanyun for so many years, Chen Ruoqiu naturally knew that her second sister-in-law had always been able to handle all kinds of situations with ease. There was only one reason why she lost her composure today, and that was that she couldn¡¯t handle it this time.


    Shen Yue whispered, ¡°Is Eldest Sister really poisoned? Mom, is Fifth Sister¡­¡±


    ¡°Yue!¡± Chen Ruoqiu stopped her sternly. She couldn¡¯t help but glance at Shen Miao. There were a few people between them, so she couldn¡¯t see Shen Miao¡¯s eyes clearly. However, when she saw that the corners of Shen Miao¡¯s mouth seemed to be slightly curled up, Chen Ruoqiu couldn¡¯t help but be shocked. She felt that what happened today was definitely related to Shen Miao, but was Shen Miao really bold enough to poison someone in the palace? However, no matter what, Shen Qing¡¯s reputation today would be ruined.


    Prince Yu¡¯s face darkened at the sudden turn of events. This was definitely not a good time to continue talking about his own matter. A mocking smile appeared on his face. Today, Shen Miao had escaped it. No matter if it was Shen Miao who poisoned Shen Qing or not, if Shen Miao thought she could get away with this little trick, then she was too naive. After the banquet, he could still talk about it with Emperor Wen Hui. There was no way Shen Miao could escape his grip.


    The imperial physician rushed over very quickly. The imperial physicians in the palace were all old people who could only enter the Imperial Hospital because of their rich experience. However, the imperial physician who came looked to be in his early twenties and was very handsome, making some of the young ladies unable to take their eyes off of him.

 Chapter 183 - Pregnant (4)

    Chapter 183: Pregnant (4)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    The moment Shen Miao saw the imperial physician, her heart skipped a beat. She carefully sized up the imperial physician. The young imperial physician was carrying a medical box. After bowing to the empress, he walked to Ren Wanyun¡¯s side. Ren Wanyun still wanted to stop him, but she heard the imperial physician say, ¡°Madam, please let go of Miss Shen so that I can take her pulse.¡± His voice was very pleasant to the ear and made people feel very comfortable.


    Under everyone¡¯s gaze, and with the sharp gaze of the empress, no matter what, Ren Wanyun did not dare to resist. Shen Qing had already fainted from the pain. She took a step back and watched helplessly as the imperial physician placed two fingers on Shen Qing¡¯s wrist.


    Just as Shen Miao was in a daze looking at the imperial physician, Feng Anning¡¯s teasing voice suddenly came from beside her. She said, ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you like that imperial physician too? If you like him, you don¡¯t have bad taste.¡±


    Shen Miao was slightly stunned and asked, ¡°You know him?¡±


    ¡°Eh?¡± Feng Anning said in surprise, ¡°This is the first time you¡¯re interested in something like this. Forget it, I¡¯ll tell you. This imperial physician is a new doctor in the imperial hospital. His medical skills are amazing. He even cured Consort De¡¯s heart disease. His Majesty thinks very highly of him and made an exception to let him enter the imperial hospital. Now, he¡¯s the youngest one in the imperial hospital. He¡¯s also very good-looking, so many girls like him very much.¡±


    Shen Miao said, ¡°You like him too?¡±


    ¡°How can I like him?¡± Feng Anning raised her head. ¡°Although his medical skills are brilliant and he¡¯s good-looking, he¡¯s at most an imperial physician. He doesn¡¯t have the support of a family, so how can he be with me?¡± Feng Anning had been pampered by her family since she was young and believed that her husband should also be an heroic figure. She really didn¡¯t care about a mere imperial physician.


    ¡°What¡¯s his name?¡± Shen Miao asked.


    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you really like him?¡± Feng Anning looked at Shen Miao suspiciously and said, ¡°His name is Gao Yang, but there¡¯s no Gao family in the capital.¡± In other words, Gao Yang was definitely not from a rich family.


    Shen Miao looked at the young imperial physician and even ignored Shen Qing and Ren Wanyun. Her heart skipped a beat because she realized that Gao Yang actually gave her a familiar feeling, as if she had seen him somewhere before. However, in her previous life, she had never seen someone like Gao Yang in the Imperial Hospital.


    If not at the Imperial Hospital, where had she seen him before?


    While she was thinking, Gao Yang had already finished taking the pulse. When he turned around, he was stunned by Shen Miao¡¯s gaze. However, he quickly regained his senses and cupped his hands at Ren Wanyun.


    ¡°Imperial Physician Gao.¡± The empress asked, ¡°Is Miss Shen poisoned?¡±


    Gao Yang glanced at the unconscious Shen Qing and then at the pale Ren Wanyun. He cupped his hands and said, ¡°Your Highness, Miss Shen was not poisoned. She just drank lotus tea.¡± After a pause, he said, ¡°The lotus tea that Miss Shen drank was not poisoned.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± Emperor Wen Hui looked at Shen Qing. ¡°Since she wasn¡¯t poisoned, how did this happen?¡±


    ¡°Your Majesty.¡± Gao Yang sighed and said, ¡°Lotus tea is cold in nature. It¡¯s fine for ordinary people to drink it, but people who are pregnant will have an upset stomach¡­ Miss Shen is already pregnant.¡±


    Miss Shen was already pregnant.


    As soon as he said that, the surroundings were in an uproar. Shen Gui opened his mouth, and his face instantly turned livid. He suddenly looked at Ren Wanyun, who fell to the ground in a daze.


    ¡°How horrendous!¡± The person who spoke was the madam of the Wei family. She stood up immediately and pointed at Ren Wanyun without caring that she was at a royal banquet. ¡°Your daughter is engaged to my son, but she is already pregnant. You actually want my son to marry a pregnant woman and raise someone else¡¯s child. Ren Wanyun, don¡¯t you have any shame!¡±

 Chapter 184 - Pregnant (5)

    Chapter 184: Pregnant (5)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    The crowd started to discuss it more fiercely because of what Madam Wei said. Shen Qing¡¯s marriage with the Wei family was spreading widely some time ago, but today, out of blue, she was pregnant. What kind of logic was this? How could a virgin girl get pregnant? Did she have an affair before marriage?


    Ren Wanyun still did not move. She seemed to have lost all her strength. She only crawled to Shen Qing¡¯s side and hugged her.


    ¡°Madam Shen, I also want to know what¡¯s going on,¡± the empress said coldly.


    Although Ming Qi was open-minded about the matters between men and women, getting pregnant before marriage and having an affair with someone was something that would embarrass the family. The Shen family was an influential family in Ming Qi. Although Shen Gui¡¯s official rank was not as high as Shen Xin¡¯s, it was not low either. The higher Shen Qing¡¯s rank was, the worse the impact of this matter would be.


    Ren Wanyun only felt bitterness and could not say a word. What could she say? That her daughter didn¡¯t have an affair with someone but was raped? But no matter what, it was a fact that her daughter lost her virginity before marriage. She could not say it was Prince Yu¡¯s doing. Prince Yu was a person who would not hesitate to retaliate. If she accused him, she would probably end up miserably.


    ¡°If Madam Shen doesn¡¯t want to tell me, then Miss Shen will.¡± The empress¡¯s gaze suddenly turned sharp as she instructed the palace maids beside her, ¡°Go and wake Miss Shen up. I have something to ask her.¡±


    Ren Wanyun was shocked, but the palace maids beside the empress had already walked forward. They were very fast, and before Ren Wanyun could stop them, the two palace maids had already woken Shen Qing up very roughly. Shen Qing¡¯s stomach was still in pain, but she heard the empress ask coldly, ¡°Shen Qing, who is the father of your child?¡±


    When Shen Qing heard this, she froze. She looked at Ren Wanyun for help. In a hurry, Ren Wanyun shook her head slightly at Shen Qing and told her not to spout nonsense. As for the future, Ren Wanyun would definitely think of a way to save her.


    Seeing that Ren Wanyun was shaking her head, Shen Qing did not understand what she meant, but she did not dare to spout nonsense. She stammered, ¡°I¡­ I¡­¡±


    Shen Miao sighed and said, ¡°Eldest Sister, you¡¯ve committed a capital crime so you¡¯d better confess and bring everything out in the open.¡±


    Ren Wanyun looked at Shen Miao fiercely, wishing she could tear her mouth apart.


    Shen Qing trembled, her eyes filled with fear. What Shen Miao meant was that she would not be able to escape death. At the thought of this, Shen Qing couldn¡¯t care less and suddenly shouted, ¡°No¡­ No¡­ My child is Prince Yu¡¯s! The child in my stomach is Prince Yu¡¯s flesh and blood!¡±


    Prince Yu¡­ Everyone looked at Prince Yu. He narrowed his eyes and looked at Shen Qing with a very gloomy expression.


    ¡°Qing, stop talking nonsense!¡± Ren Wanyun rushed over and covered Shen Qing¡¯s mouth. However, Shen QIng could not take back what she had already said.


    Shen Qing widened her eyes and stared at Prince Yu. Her thoughts were very simple. Since she was pregnant with Prince Yu¡¯s flesh and blood, she was related to the royal family. This way, no matter what, the emperor would not execute his nephew.


    Shen Miao looked at Shen Qing and found it a little funny. She could roughly guess what Shen Qing was thinking, but Shen QIng forgot that the royal family would get rid of her while keeping the child. In the harem, this method had been used countless times. Did Shen Qing really think that she could live safely with that child inside her? She would just die faster.

 Chapter 185 - Pregnant (6)

    Chapter 185: Pregnant (6)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    The empress¡¯s expression was unreadable. If Prince Yu was involved, it would indeed not be that simple.


    In the men¡¯s section, Shen Qiu and Shen Xin looked at each other. Shen Xin was a little stunned by this matter while Shen Qiu secretly clenched his fists. Previously, Shen Miao didn¡¯t tell him who raped Shen Qing, but now he knew. No wonder Shen Miao refused to tell him. It turned out to be Prince Yu. At the thought that if Shen Miao wasn¡¯t lucky, the person who would end up like Shen Qing would be his sister, Shen Qiu felt indignant.


    Prince Yu did not admit it, but he did not deny it either. This way, it was almost certain. Everyone looked at Shen Qing with sympathy and pity. Prince Yu had always liked to use all kinds of methods to abduct girls. He even dared to touch the daughters of officials. This time, the person who fell into his hands was Shen Qing.


    In the silence, Shen Miao said softly, ¡°No wonder Prince Yu asked to marry Miss Shen. He wanted to give Eldest Sister a rightful title.¡±


    These words made everyone present realize what was going on. No wonder just now, Prince Yu said that he liked the girl from the Shen family. It turned out that it was Shen Qing. In an instant, the way they looked at Shen Qing changed. In this way, it did not seem like Prince Yu was forcing Shen QIng, but Shen Qing was willing to be the princess consort.


    ¡°Fifth Miss Shen is impressive.¡± Su Mingfeng said in surprise, ¡°She¡¯s also very good at distorting the truth.¡±


    Most people were led by the nose, but not everyone was led by the nose. Those who were clear-headed still remembered that when Prince Yu said that he wanted to marry Miss Shen, he was looking at Shen Miao.


    Xie Jingxing crossed his arms and looked at the girl in purple with a faint smile. At some point, everyone at the palace banquet had been led by the nose by Shen Miao. Now that things had developed to this point, it was all in her plan. There was a possibility of her plan falling flat, but she was willing to make a bet and again, she won.


    In that case, he did not mind fanning the flame. Immediately, Xie Jingxing said, ¡°It¡¯s good that Prince Yu cares about the future princess consort.¡±


    The emperor frowned slightly. In the past, although Prince Yu also liked to mess around, at least he managed to resolve it in private instead of putting it on the table. However, if he punished this brother of his in public, he would probably make Prince Yu angry and turn against him. If he didn¡¯t punish him, he wouldn¡¯t be able to convince all the officials present. However, what Xie Jingxing said reminded him that if this relationship was consensual, it might not be a bad idea for them to be together. He glanced at the empress and she understood. ¡°So the girl Prince Yu likes is Shen QIng. However, the two of you are really too reckless. What will you do in the future?¡±


    Shen Qing heaved a sigh of relief. Ignoring the pain in her stomach, she got up and knelt on the ground, kowtowing. She begged, ¡°It¡¯s all my fault, but I can¡¯t bear to part with my child. I beg Your Majesty to forgive me on account of the child in my stomach.¡±


    The crowd was shocked. This time, Shen Qing put all her dignity behind her. The empress also looked at her in disgust, but she said indifferently, ¡°You can¡¯t escape the punishment. However, since today is a joyful occasion, and Prince Yu has been alone for so many years, I¡¯ll grant the two of you a marriage.¡±


    Shen Qing quickly said happily, ¡°Thank you, Your Majesty. Thank you, Your Highness, for granting my wish.¡± She did not know how disgraceful her actions were in the eyes of others. In the past, Shen Qing said that Shen Miao was the most unpresentable. Now, Shen Qing herself had become the most unpresentable daughter of the Shen family.


    Prince Yu looked at Shen Qing darkly, then his gaze turned to Shen Miao. Sitting on the throne, the emperor stared at him warningly. Prince Yu could only cup his hands and say slowly, ¡°Thank you, Emperor and Empress.¡±


    Shen Miao smiled and looked at Prince Yu without fear. Her clear eyes were filled with joy, but there was also a trace of beastly ferocity.


    Today was just the beginning. More blows were yet to be dealt to Prince Yu. Prince Yu must be furious at this moment that Shen Miao played him in his own game.


    When people were angry, they were most likely to make a mistake. This mistake was like the mistake of a chess piece on the chessboard. When his mistake was used to her advantage, she could easily beat him.


    She tilted her head, and her eyes were unusually bright. However, when one looked at the smile on her lips carefully, they would find it terrifying.


    It had begun, Prince Yu.

 Chapter 186 - Taking the Dark Path (1)

    Chapter 186: Taking the Dark Path (1)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    The banquet ended in this sudden accident. Emperor Wen Hui¡¯s mood was disturbed, and not long after, he left. The empress was also tired. Since the empress had left, the officials naturally knew that they could not stay for long, so they found an excuse to leave. Although on the surface, it looked like today¡¯s matter had a perfect ending. The eldest daughter of the Shen family married Prince Yu, anyone with a discerning eye knew that it was just a shocking scandal. As for the eldest daughter of the Shen family, once she married Prince Yu, it was hard to say how long she could live.


    Luo Xueyan held Shen Miao¡¯s hand tightly. She did not know why Shen Qing and Prince Yu were involved, but she was more worried about Shen Miao¡¯s safety. She felt that the danger in the capital was not less than in the Northwest Desert.


    Shen Qiu did not say a word. He had always been a cheerful person, which was why when he signed, Shen Xin thought that he was feeling sorry for Shen Qing. However, he did not know that Shen Qiu was furious. He hated the second branch of the Shen family for being vicious and shameless and hated Prince Yu for being corrupted and licentious.


    Shen Qing had long been brought away by Ren Wanyun, but Shen Gui¡¯s expression was very complicated. Everyone looked at him meaningfully. Some colleagues from the imperial court even came to hit him when he was down. They cupped their hands and smiled at him. ¡°Congratulations, Lord Shen. It¡¯s a great blessing for your daughter to be Prince Yu¡¯s consort.¡±


    If Shen Qing was to marry Prince Yu in the past, it might not have been a big deal to Shen Gui. As long as it could help his career, his daughter¡¯s happiness was not important. But now, what Shen Qing did and said today clearly angered Prince Yu. Would Prince Yu take his anger out on him? As he thought about it, Shen Gui felt a little frustrated and afraid.


    After the banquet ended, Luo Xueyan and Shen Miao walked out of the palace. When they passed by a corridor, Shen Miao reminded her softly, ¡°Be careful, there¡¯s a brick here that¡¯s loose.¡±


    Luo Xueyan was a general, so her steps were big and heavy. If she stepped on it, she might fall. Luo Xueyan took a closer look and smiled. ¡°I almost fell.¡± Then, she was stunned and looked at Shen Miao. ¡°Jiaojiao, how did you know?¡±


    Shen Miao had lived in the palace for decades and could remember everything vividly. When Luo Xueyan asked, she could only answer, ¡°I fell here once and remember it.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡± Luo Xueyan smiled brightly and said, ¡°Jiaojiao is smart. Remember not to fall where you once fell.¡±


    Shen Miao¡¯s heart skipped a beat, but she did not say anything.


    As the two of them walked, they saw two people who looked like guards dragging a young eunuch past. The little eunuch¡¯s mouth was gagged, and he seemed to be struggling with all his might. However, he couldn¡¯t break free from the tall guard. Behind the three of them was Eunuch Gao.


    ¡°Madam Shen, Miss Shen.¡± Eunuch Gao stopped and bowed to them.


    ¡°Eunuch Gao, this¡­¡± Luo Xueyan looked at the young eunuch and asked.


    ¡°The new guy doesn¡¯t know the rules and made a mistake. I¡¯m taking him to be punished,¡± said Eunuch Gao in a sharp voice.


    When the young eunuch saw Shen Miao, his gaze landed on Jingzhe, who was behind Shen Miao. He suddenly struggled crazily, as if he wanted to rush to Jingzhe¡¯s side.


    ¡°Behave yourself!¡± Eunuch Gao kicked the young eunuch in the knee. The latter grunted and fell to his knees. Eunuch Gao snorted and said, ¡°Useless. You almost offended a nobel.¡±


    Luo Xueyan frowned. She did not like these inhumane punishments in the palace. Such a scene would make her feel uncomfortable. She immediately said to Eunuch Gao, ¡°In that case, I won¡¯t disturb you anymore.¡±

 Chapter 187 - Taking the Dark Path (2)

    Chapter 187: Taking the Dark Path (2)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    Eunuch Gao quickly smiled and nodded.


    Shen Miao suddenly said, ¡°Since he made a mistake, he naturally deserves to be punished.¡±


    Everyone looked at her in surprise. The young eunuch trembled and looked at Shen Miao with a trace of hatred. Shen Miao ignored him and left with Luo Xueyan. Before she left, she said indifferently, ¡°If you don¡¯t know the rules, you have to be taught. The palace is different from the outside world. Today is different from the past.¡±


    Shen Miao and the others gradually disappeared into the distance. Eunuch Gao said to the two guards, ¡°What are you waiting for? Let¡¯s go.¡±


    Lizi¡¯s face was filled with disbelief, and his face was filled with fear. He did not know what he had done wrong. In the small garden, Shen Miao¡¯s personal maid, Jingzhe, gave him a silver ingot. She said to him that Eldest Miss Shen was not feeling well and did not want to drink the wine prepared by the palace banquet. She needed a cup of lotus tea and asked him to make an exception during the banquet later. Lizi was happy to do that and felt that if he pleased Eldest Miss Shen, he might get a chance to climb up the ladder.


    However, Lizi did not expect Shen Qing to be pregnant. The lotus tea became the trigger of the entire series of events. After investigation, they found it was Lizi who did it.


    No matter how many times Lizi explained, no one believed him. It was not hard to imagine what would happen to him in the torture room.


    Shen Miao walked quietly. She knew better than anyone what was waiting for Lizi. The palace was a place where it was easy to distort the truth. When Fu Xiuyi just ascended the throne, Lizi was a dog that Eunuch Gao could order around at will. She took pity on him and was willing to use him in the palace. Later, when Lizi became Eunuch Li, she went from the empress to the deposed empress. This eunuch she helped stepped on her when she was down and told her, ¡°Today is different from the past.¡±


    Now, she returned this sentence to him. This life was different from the past. Now, she was the daughter of a high and mighty official, and he was just a speck of dust. She did not even need to kill him with her own hands.


    She and Luo Xueyan walked in front, but they did not know that behind the winding corridor, someone looked at her back and sighed. ¡°Does this Miss Shen have a grudge against that young eunuch? Why would she kill someone for no reason?¡±


    Beside him, Xie Jingxing sneered at him. ¡°When did you become so merciful?¡±


    ¡°A doctor should have the heart of a parent.¡± Gao Yang suddenly thought of something. His expression became solemn as he said, ¡°Miss Shen is not simple. Just now, in the hall, she looked at me for a long time. Could it be that¡­ she discovered my identity?¡±


    ¡°Impossible.¡±


    ¡°Then the way she looks at me is really scary.¡± Gao Yang rubbed his chin and thought for a moment before saying, ¡°Could it be that she likes me?¡±


    Xie Jingxing stared at him expressionlessly and said, ¡°Get lost.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re really boring.¡± Gao Yang shook his head. ¡°Although something big is imminent, you have to relax. Don¡¯t pull a long face all day long¡±


    Xie Jingxing looked into the distance and said, ¡°Yu Shu is here.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Gao Yang was shocked. ¡°When?¡±

 Chapter 188 - Taking the Dark Path (3)

    Chapter 188: Taking the Dark Path (3)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    ¡°Yesterday.¡±


    Gao Yang gradually became serious. ¡°Do you want to¡­¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±


    ¡­ .


    Dingjing, Shen family, Rosy Cloud Garden.


    With a slap, clear finger marks appeared on Shen Qing¡¯s face, and her lips were red.


    ¡°Shen Gui, what are you doing!¡± Ren Wanyun shouted sternly. She hugged Shen Qing and looked at Shen Gui fiercely.


    ¡°What am I doing?¡± Shen Gui¡¯s smile was sinister, like a ferocious wolf. If not for the fact that he still regarded them as his family, he really wanted to kill the two people in front of him. He said, ¡°What did you do today?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Ren Wanyun was not to be outdone in terms of attitude. ¡°Can you blame Qing for this? You¡¯re her father. Shen Gui, you¡¯re heartless!¡±


    ¡°Daughter?¡± Shen Gui laughed in anger. ¡°I, Shen Gui, don¡¯t have such a daughter! She¡¯s shameless and adulterous! She¡¯s even pregnant with a bastard! She¡¯s really worse than a prostitute!¡±


    Shen Qing¡¯s body trembled violently, and her eyes were a little blurry. Seeing this, Ren Wanyun felt like a knife was twisting in her heart. If Shen Gui had a trace of father-daughter relationship with Shen Qing, he would not use such vicious words.


    Ren Wanyun handed Shen Qing to Chun Tao and stood up with a cold smile. She said, ¡°Shen Gui, ask your conscience. Who exactly made Qing end up like this? Is it me? It¡¯s that little b*tch, Shen Miao! Why don¡¯t you go and slap Shen Miao? Oh, you¡¯re afraid of your brother and don¡¯t dare to touch that little b*tch. Don¡¯t forget that you were also involved in the matter at the Wolong Temple. Now, you want to pin all the blames on me and Qing. I won¡¯t let that happen! If you anger me, I¡¯ll tell Shen Xin about it. None of us will have a good time!¡±


    ¡°You!¡± Shen Gui had been married to Ren Wanyun for many years, but he had never seen her like this. What made him even more uneasy was that Ren Wanyun actually used this matter to threaten him. Although Shen Gui was a tactful person, he was extremely timid by nature. This could be seen from the fact that he did not dare to provoke Prince Yu at all. Now that Shen Xin and his wife were both in the capital, he did not dare to cause trouble for Shen Miao. If Ren Wanyun really dared to expose this matter, Shen Gui believed that Shen Xin would probably kill him.


    At the thought of this, Shen Gui said angrily, ¡°You wicked woman, you¡¯re so unreasonable. I can¡¯t talk to you! I¡¯m leaving!¡± With that, he fled.


    Looking at Shen Gui¡¯s departing figure, Ren Wanyun sneered. She knew her husband the best. Shen Gui was a person who bullied the weak and feared the strong. He could not even protect his daughter.


    Without a doubt, Shen Miao gave Ren Wanyun a fatal blow. To Ren Wanyun, watching her daughter walk towards destruction step by step was more painful than killing her. At this point, even if Ren Wanyun had extraordinary ability, she could not change anything.


    ¡°Shen Miao, I, Ren Wanyun, will make you pay for this.¡± She gritted her teeth so hard that they bled.


    ¡­ .


    In the west courtyard, after Shen Xin and his wife returned to their room, Shen Qiu was still sitting there.


    He sat at Shen Miao¡¯s table with a long face. This young general usually looked like a spring breeze, but when his face darkened, he looked like a man from the battlefield. Bai Lu and Shuang Jiang were a little afraid and did not dare to go forward.


    ¡°Brother.¡± After sending her parents back to their room, Shen Miao sat down opposite Shen Qiu.


    ¡°Sister, I¡¯ve been thinking about it.¡± Shen Qiu said, ¡°I still can¡¯t let this matter go just like that. I constantly feel a heaviness on my chest.¡± He was referring to the matter between Shen Qing and Prince Yu. Although Shen Miao had hidden a portion of it from him, after the banquet, Shen Qiu could already piece together the whole story. It was precisely because this trick was vicious and outrageous that Shen Qiu was furious. His sister had actually been schemed against and almost died. If something really happened, Shen Qiu did not dare to imagine how regretful he would be.

 Chapter 189 - Taking the Dark Path (4)

    Chapter 189: Taking the Dark Path (4)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    Shen Miao looked at him. Shen Qiu was still saying, ¡°The more I think about it, the angrier I get. Sister, don¡¯t stop me. Even if I have to risk my life, I won¡¯t let them off easy.¡±


    ¡°Brother.¡± Shen Miao sighed. ¡°I¡¯ve already said that you can find any evidence. Since Prince Yu is involved, the royal family will protect him. If you stand out, you¡¯ll be standing against the royal family. Do you want our parents to get into trouble because of me?¡±


    Shen Qiu was stunned. Shen Miao¡¯s words were rational. He knew that Shen Miao was right. Back then, there were girls among the noble families who had been humiliated by Prince Yu. Some of those families were more famous than the Shen family, but in the end, they had to make compromises. Prince Yu was backed by the highest power in Ming Qi. Challenging him was like hitting a rock with an egg. However, he still felt very indignant. He asked, ¡°We can¡¯t just let it go like that, can we?¡±


    ¡°Brother, play a game of chess with me,¡± Shen Miao said.


    ¡°Are you still in the mood to play chess?¡± Shen Qiu scratched his head. ¡°Besides, since when did you like to play chess?¡±


    Shen Miao did not answer him. She set up the chessboard and picked up the black piece. She handed the white pieces to Shen Qiu and said, ¡°This is your soldier and this is my soldier. Let¡¯s pretend this chess board is the world and see who can get it. How about that?¡±


    Shen Qiu had always been passionate about the battlefield. Hearing that, he became interested and said, ¡°Okay.¡± He was also skillful in chess because chess and war had many things in common.


    Unlike Shen Qiu who placed his pieces decisively, Shen Miao played slowly. It was not that her movements were slow, but they were very gentle like she was in no hurry. No matter how pushy Shen Qiu¡¯s style of playing was, Shen Miao could always remain collected. She maintained her rhythm and played the black chess piece slowly. Although it looked like she was at a disadvantage, she still had a lot of black chess pieces in her hand. Occasionally, when Shen Qiu was about to eat her black chess piece, she would cunningly escape.


    After the time it took to burn an incense stick, none of the white pieces and black pieces on the table were captured. No one managed to take advantage of the other party. However, it could be clearly seen that Shen Qiu¡¯s white pieces had always been the one taking the initiative. The black pieces had been forced into a corner by the white pieces. If this continued, Shen Qiu would be able to capture Shen Miao¡¯s white pieces one by one.


    Shen Qiu said, ¡°Sister, you have a good way of escaping, but are you going to continue escaping for the whole day? I¡¯m going to attack.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± Shen Miao smiled. ¡°I plan to do that too.¡± Before she could finish her sentence, the black chess piece in her hand suddenly landed in a tricky position. Shen Qiu frowned. In that position, the entire situation seemed to have changed.


    He was surprised. Previously, he had the upper hand, but now, it seemed like he was caught in a trap. He was trapped by Shen Miao and couldn¡¯t do anything.


    Next, Shen Miao changed her style of only attacking and not defending. Her attacks were sharp and fierce, and she captured Shen Qiu¡¯s white stones in big handfuls. In less than 15 minutes, there was only one white piece left.


    ¡°I lost.¡± Shen Qiu smiled bitterly and looked at Shen Miao in surprise. ¡°Sister, when did your chess skills improve so much?¡±


    With the chessboard as the battlefield, Shen Qiu would be made a laughing stock if word got out that a general like him was defeated by his sister. However, he was also very surprised. What Shen Miao displayed was not her understanding of the chess game, but her understanding of the overall situation. From the style of defending to the style of attacking, she did it calmly. Perhaps she had always been confident in this game and knew exactly what to do.

 Chapter 190 - Taking the Dark Path (5)

    Chapter 190: Taking the Dark Path (5)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    ¡°Brother, it¡¯s not chess that I want to play with you.¡± Shen Miao shook her head and said, ¡°Previously, you asked me if we should just let this matter rest. Let¡¯s play a big game of chess. What do you think?¡±


    Shen Qiu was stunned at first, then he said with his eyes wide-open, ¡°You¡­¡±


    In the beginning, the black chess piece was gentle, only defending and not attacking. At the end, it suddenly turned the situation around, swallowing the white pieces one by one. What Shen Miao tried to say through her style of playing was that she did not kick up a fuss, not because she planned to let it go, but¡­ she was waiting for an opportunity, waiting for those people to make a mistake before giving them a fatal blow.


    ¡°There are many ways to achieve your goal.¡± Under the light, the girl held a black chess piece in her hand. Her fair fingers formed a sharp contrast with the dark chess piece, looking strangely beautiful. She said casually, ¡°If this path doesn¡¯t work, then we¡¯ll change it. If we can¡¯t do it in broad daylight, then we¡¯ll do it in the dark. They¡¯ve already blocked their way out. Next, it¡¯s our turn to play chess.¡±


    Under the light, Shen Miao looked like a delicate beauty. However, at this moment, even Shen Qiu couldn¡¯t help but look at her. The girl¡¯s posture was composed, and it seemed to contain a huge amount of energy. In her mind, everyone had become a chess piece on the chessboard and she had the situation under control.


    Shen Qiu felt a mixed feeling. He had always felt that Shen Miao was too naive and with her nativity, she would probably be used by people. But now, he could clearly see that his sister had already grown up without him knowing. She had outdone her in terms of evaluating the situation and seeing things in a bigger picture.


    ¡°Sister, I don¡¯t understand,¡± he said.


    ¡°Brother, if you believe me, leave this to me.¡± Shen Miao said, ¡°Prince Yu will definitely cause trouble for the Shen family in the future. We need to get rid of him once and for all. We don¡¯t need such an enemy.¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you say just now that Prince Yu is backed by the royal family so I can¡¯t go against him directly? What are you going to do?¡± Shen Qiu asked worriedly.


    ¡°I told you long ago that if we can¡¯t take the bright path, we¡¯ll take the dark path. There are thousands of paths in the world, and one of them will definitely work.¡± Shen Miao said indifferently, ¡°Prince Yu is just a turtle with a shell. Without his shell, he¡¯s nothing.¡±


    While Shen Qiu was dumbfounded, Shen Miao smiled at him and said, ¡°But Brother, I need some money, so¡­ sell the things His Majesty gave us.¡±


    Shen Qiu wanted to ask Shen Miao what she wanted to do, but for some reason, when he met Shen Miao¡¯s bright eyes, he could not say anything. When he faced Shen Xin, he would occasionally argue with him. However, as long as Shen Miao looked at him quietly, Shen Qiu felt that he would listen to her unconditionally.


    ¡°Brother?¡±


    Shen Qiu came back to his senses and said, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll get someone to pawn them and send you the money.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Brother.¡± Shen Miao nodded. ¡°It¡¯s getting late. Brother, go and rest.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about Prince Yu, and don¡¯t tell our parents. I¡¯ll take care of it.¡±


    ¡°¡­ Okay.¡±


    Shen Qiu scratched his head and left. When he left Shen Miao¡¯s room, he suddenly facepalmed and frowned. He had a feeling that he was being protected by his sister!


    In the house, Gu Yu asked carefully, ¡°Miss, are we really going to use that much money tomorrow?¡±


    Shen Miao¡¯s gaze froze. It had been a long time since Gu Yu saw Shen Miao look so serious.

 Chapter 191 - Taking the Dark Path (6

    Chapter 191: Taking the Dark Path (6)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    She sighed. ¡°I¡¯m not confident if I can succeed this time.¡±


    ¡­ .


    The next day, Shen Qiu really came to Shen Miao¡¯s courtyard with a few boxes of real money. He was probably worried that the money was not enough, so he took out a banknote worth thousand taels of silver to her. He smiled and said, ¡°Sister, at this age, you probably have a lot of places to use money at your age. I¡¯m afraid that¡¯s not enough. Take this money. If there¡¯s anything you want to buy, buy it. If it¡¯s not enough, just ask me for more.¡±


    The maids who were sweeping the floor outside looked at Shen Miao enviously. In the past, they used to think that their Fifth Miss had an awkward status in the mansion. Her title sounded nice, but she had practically no say in anything and was often bullied. Now, it seemed that they were all wrong. Not only did Shen Xin and his wife dote on Shen Miao, but even Shen Qiu treasured his sister like she was the apple in his eyes.


    Shen Miao felt Shen Qiu¡¯s attitude was strange. She nodded and did not decline. She accepted the banknote and said, ¡°Thank you.¡±


    Shen Qiu thought for a moment and motioned his guards to come over. The two guards behind him immediately stepped forward. Shen Qiu said, ¡°My two guards are both experienced soldiers in the army. They¡¯ll protect you for the time being.¡± He was worried that Prince Yu would have something up his sleeve. If not for Shen Miao clamoring to go out, Shen Qiu would have asked her to stay in the mansion.


    Shen Miao agreed. When Mo Qing stepped out, Shen Qiu looked at him and said with a smile, ¡°This guard of yours looks pretty capable.¡±


    Mo Qing had already left his post as a door guard of the Shen mansion. Shen Miao told Shen Qiu his identity, and Shen Qiu asked Mo Qing to join the Shen army. However, for the next few days, he would be Shen Miao¡¯s guard and protect her.


    With three guards and two maids, Shen Miao left the Shen mansion.


    Even the coachman Shen Qiu found for Shen Miao was someone with excellent combat skills.


    Shen Qiu¡¯s personal servant said, ¡°Young Master is really protective of Miss.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± He waved his hand. ¡°Let¡¯s go back and practice swordsmanship!¡±


    ¡­ .


    The Exiled Immortal Pawnshop was the largest pawnshop in the capital.


    Compared to other pawnshops, this pawnshop naturally had something special about it. The Exiled Immortal Pawnshop only accepted precious items. If it was an ordinary item, it would be ¡°politely¡± rejected by the shop assistant. The owner of this pawnshop was probably a person with a lot of money. If the item given by the customer was really precious enough, the pawnshop would definitely not be stingy with money. However, there was another rule in the Exiled Immortal Pawnshop. Once an item was pawned, there was no way to redeem it.


    However, no one would sell their precious items unless they were left with no choice. Therefore, although the Exiled Immortal Pawnshop was rich and and big, there were very few customers visiting the shop every day. Under such circumstances, this Exiled Immortal Pawnshop actually managed to not go bankrupt.


    Today, a carriage stopped in front of the Exiled Immortal Pawnshop.


    Some passers-by could not help but look over. This was because most people who came to the Exiled Immortal Pawnshop to pawn things were in desperate need of money. This carriage looked quite exquisite, and the coachman did not look like an ordinary coachman either. It was obvious that the person sitting inside was by no means poor.


    The shop assistant was a young gray-clothed boy who looked smart and capable. When he saw the carriage stop in front of the door, he was slightly stunned. Then, a few women walked out. The girl in the lead was probably from a rich family. She was wearing a delicate cloak and had a pair of clear eyes.


    A few guards and maids escorted the girl over. The young man went up with a smile. ¡°Miss, do you want to pawn something?¡±


    ¡°I do,¡± the girl in purple said.


    ¡°What do you want to pawn? Can I take a look at it first?¡± The shop assistant said with a smile. He could tell that this girl was either rich or noble, so his attitude was very ingratiating. Unexpectedly, the girl shook her head. ¡°I want to see the person in charge here.¡±


    ¡°This¡­ This is against the rules, Miss.¡± The shop assistant shook his head. He had seen many people come here to cause trouble, and some of them were rich and powerful. However, the Exiled Immortal Pawnshop had never been afraid of these people.


    ¡°What I want to pawn is too valuable for you to look at,¡± the girl said indifferently and calmly.


    The shop assistant felt like he had fallen into an icehouse when he was stared at by that pair of dark eyes. Before he could speak, he heard a charming female voice. ¡°Who wants to see me?¡±


    A young woman walked out from behind. This woman was not considered beautiful, but she exuded a charming aura. The guards behind Shen Miao all blushed.


    ¡°Miss, do you want to see me?¡± The woman walked over with a smile.


    Shen Miao shook her head. ¡°I want to see the person in charge, All Knowing Scholar.¡±


    The woman¡¯s smile suddenly froze at the mention of All Knowing Scholar.

 Chapter 192 - Bargaining (1)

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 Chapter 193 - Bargaining (2)

    Chapter 193: Bargaining (2)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    ¡°So Miss Shen.¡± Hong Ling smiled and said, ¡°I wonder if you are here to buy or sell?¡±


    Shen Miao said, ¡°Buy and sell.¡±


    Hong Ling couldn¡¯t help but be stunned. She quickly regained her composure and asked with a smile, ¡°Then how much is this deal worth?¡±.


    Shen Miao shook her head.


    Hong Ling did not understand what she meant. ¡°Miss Shen¡­¡±


    Shen Miao¡¯s voice was calm as she said, ¡°I¡¯ve already said earlier that the deal I want to do is too big. I won¡¯t talk about it with the assistant, nor will I talk about it with you. I want to talk about it with your master.¡±


    Hong Ling suddenly found herself speechless. This was the first time she was treated so rudely. For a moment, she instinctively wanted to flare up, but when she looked up and met Shen Miao¡¯s gaze, she was slightly stunned.


    The girl opposite her did not look old. Her eyes were as clear as water, but when she looked at people, there seemed to be danger lurking underneath those calm eyes. She was exhibiting an inexplicable aura of dignity. Hong Ling felt that Shen Miao had no fear at all when she was confronting her. It was as if she was merely talking to her subordinate.


    Hong Ling¡¯s heart skipped a beat, and her anger instantly disappeared. She had been doing business with people from all walks of life and was quite good at judging people. This girl¡¯s aura¡­ was a little intimidating. She did not know where Shen Miao came from, but she actually felt a little frightened.


    ¡°Miss Shen, I¡¯m the person in charge here. If you want to do business, you naturally have to do it with me,¡± she said. Although she felt that Shen Miao¡¯s identity was extraordinary, Hong Ling was not someone to be trifled with either. She put on a broader smile and continued, ¡°I¡¯ve seen all kinds of precious items and a humongous amount of money.


    ¡°It has nothing to do with money.¡± Shen Miao smiled. ¡°I¡¯ve said it before. You can¡¯t make the decision.¡± She looked around. ¡°I came with sincerity, but you guys don¡¯t seem to want to reciprocate with sincerity. All Knowing Scholar has disappointed me.¡±


    Hong Ling had never met someone so straightforward. The smile on her face immediately turned cold, and she said, ¡°I don¡¯t think Miss Shen is here to do business. Since Miss Shen doesn¡¯t trust me, I have no choice.¡±


    Shen Miao stared at her. After a while, she said, ¡°In that case, I¡¯ll sell you a piece of news first.¡±


    Hong Ling paused for a moment in shock. With a calm expression, Miao Yin continued, ¡°Back then, the sisters of the Chen family in Yuzhou were missing. How about I sell this news to you? If you think this news is valuable, please ask the person in charge to come out and meet me.¡±


    After taking a moment to gather herself together, Hong Ling straightened her back and said, ¡°Miss Shen, please wait for a moment. I will come back soon.¡±


    Hong Ling left in a hurry. The few green-clothed maid servants in the tearoom looked at Shen Miao curiously, clearly not knowing why Hong Ling suddenly left after hearing her words.


    Shen Miao looked at the teacup in her hand. The tea was made of top-grade Mountain tea, and the fragrance of the tea was rich. Coupled with the faint incense in the tea room, it made people feel relaxed. Clearly, the owner of this place knew the ways to enjoy life.


    All Knowing Scholar was the business of exchanging information. Some people wanted to buy information while others wanted to sell information. When the person who had a particular piece of information matched with a person who wanted that piece of information, a business deal would be done. All Knowing Scholar was like the middle-men who connected two parties.

 Chapter 194 - Bargaining (3)

    Chapter 194: Bargaining (3)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    The news that Shen Miao wanted to sell was related to an unsolved case that caused a sensation in Ming Qi back then. There were two daughters in the Chen family, the richest family in Yuzhou. They were extremely beautiful. If they entered the palace, they would, without a question, be selected as consorts. They were like two pieces of exquisite porcelain that people wanted to appreciate and protect.


    It was not necessarily a good thing to have two gorgeous-looking daughters. If the family wasn¡¯t powerful enough, they wouldn¡¯t be able to protect their daughters. Fortunately, the Chen family was not only the richest family in Yuzhou, but also had a lot of influence.


    Unexpectedly, when the Chen sisters were 16 years old, they disappeared under people¡¯s noses on the day of the Lantern Festival. The Chen family searched for a long time but to no avail. It had been three years since the Chen sisters disappeared. The Chen family had been spending manpower and money to find their two daughters. Although they knew that it was unlikely that their daughters were still alive, they had never given up. They even found All Knowing Scholar and spent a lot of money to buy information.


    However, there was no news of the whereabouts of their daughters.


    Now that someone suddenly brought up this case that had remained stagnant for three years, how could Hong Ling not be surprised? As long as All Knowing Scholar could make this deal, they would be able to earn a fortune.


    Shen Miao did not believe that the real owner behind this pawnshop could resist this amount of money.


    ¡­ .


    The pavilion in the Exiled Immortal Pawnshop was called Lake Immortal. Deals were done on the first floor. From the second to the sixth floors, it was occupied by the owner.


    At this moment, in the tearoom on the sixth floor, three people were sitting at the table.


    ¡°Yu Shu, why are you here so quickly?¡± Gao Yang frowned and looked at the person opposite him. ¡°You didn¡¯t even greet me.¡±


    Sitting opposite him was a young man of 17 or 18 years old. This young man looked very cute. He was different from Xie Jingxing, who was as handsome in a dangerous way, and from Gao Yang, who was as gentle as a summer breeze. This young man was like a boy at school who gave you a sense of affinity. He was wearing a lake-green robe and had a pleasant smile. He said, ¡°I heard that the plan in the capital has changed. I know the two of you definitely need the help of a capable person like me, so I hurried back to help.¡±


    ¡°Hehe.¡± Gao Yang sneered in reply.


    ¡°But, Third Brother Xie!¡± The young man called Yu Shu suddenly turned to him and said, ¡°Miss Shaoyao has been ignoring me recently and is very distant from me. Third Brother, you have always been popular among girls. Why don¡¯t you teach me something?¡±


    This seemingly amiable and harmless young man was an experienced playboy.


    Xie Jingxing did not even look at him and said, ¡°That entirely depends on appearance.¡±


    ¡°What? Don¡¯t you think I¡¯m handsome?¡± The young man was so angry that his face turned red. ¡°Back then, I was also¡­ the prince charming of thousands of girls. Third Brother, are you saying that because you are jealous of me?¡±


    Gao Yang couldn¡¯t stand it anymore and turned Yu Shu¡¯s head to the other side. ¡°Ji Yushu, go back if you keep talking like that.¡±


    ¡°Ahem.¡± Yu Shu immediately sat up straight and said seriously, ¡°Third Brother, let¡¯s talk about the new plan.¡±


    Before he could finish speaking, he saw a woman in red coming up from downstairs, but she did not come in. She called from afar through the gauze curtain, ¡°Owner.¡±


    ¡°Hong Ling.¡± Yu Shu said patiently, ¡°I¡¯ve told you many times. Although you¡¯re good-looking, It¡¯s better if you don¡¯t show up while I¡¯m talking with my friends. I like you, but that doesn¡¯t mean you can cross the line.¡± If an ordinary girl heard this, she would probably be so embarrassed and blush, but Hong Ling had been working for him for a long time and knew what kind of a person he really was.

 Chapter 195 - Bargaining (4)

    Chapter 195: Bargaining (4)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    ¡°Sir, a customer wants to see you. She¡­ she wants to talk about a big business deal with you,¡± Hong Ling said.


    ¡°Heh.¡± Yu Shu waved her hand. ¡°Do I look like I¡¯m short of money? Chase her out. Want to see me? That¡¯s not gonna happen.¡±


    ¡°But Sir, that business deal is not ordinary¡­¡±


    ¡°I said I won¡¯t do business with her. The Exiled Immortal Pawnshop won¡¯t tolerate arrogant people.¡± Yu Shu reached out and grabbed a piece of pastry in front of him.


    Hong Ling was a little troubled, but there was nothing she could do. Just as she was about to leave, she heard the purple-clothed youth, who had been remaining silent, ask, ¡°What is the business deal about?¡±


    Hong Ling was put on the spot. She looked at Yu Shu, waiting for his instruction. She knew that the other two people had a good relationship with Yu Shu, but after all, all the information the shop was selling had to be kept confidential. Yu Shu looked at her and said, ¡°These two are both my friends, and they are the managers of my Exiled Immortal Pawnshop too. Their words are my words. In the future, when I¡¯m not around, they will be in charge.¡±


    Hearing that, Hong Ling was relieved and said with a smile, ¡°She¡¯s here to sell information about the case of the Chen sisters in Yuzhou three years ago.¡±


    As soon as she finished speaking, Gao Yang shouted in surprise, ¡°It¡¯s actually related to the Chen family. It¡¯s been three years. This is really a big business deal.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Xie Jingxing also said, ¡°The Chen family has a lot of power in Yuzhou. If we accept this deal, other than money, there will be other benefits too.¡±


    Yu Shu scratched his head and said, ¡°Since you all say so, I¡¯ll go and take a look. Is this customer pretty?¡±


    ¡°She is pretty and looks like a well-educated person.¡±


    Yu Shu leaped up from his seat and adjusted his robe. He cupped his hands at Xie Jingxing and said with a smile, ¡°Excuse me for a moment.¡± After saying that, he turned to Hong Ling and said anxiously, ¡°Where is she? Hong Ling, why didn¡¯t you tell me that earlier¡­¡±


    After the two of them left, Gao Yang sighed and said to Xie Jingxing with a look of disappointment, ¡°I don¡¯t think he¡¯s gonna be much of a help in the capital. Let him go back.¡±


    ¡°He can at least be a target,¡± Xie Jingxing said casually.


    ¡­ .


    Shen Miao sat in the tearoom, looking at the tea leaves floating in the teacup.


    Footsteps came from the door. Then the gauze curtain was lifted and Hong Ling walked in.


    Shen Miao looked up.


    The person who walked in after Hong Ling was a young man about the age of 17 or 18. He looked very naive and was wearing a lake-green robe with deer-like patterns. People said that clothes could exhibit one¡¯s personality. This young man¡¯s personality was probably cheerful, which seemed to match his age. However, Shen Miao was deep in thought about him. To be able to take care of the Exiled Immortal Pawnshop well and be an All Knowing Scholar, he was really not to be underestimated. The naivety he put on was probably just a disguise.


    ¡°I¡¯m Ji Yushu.¡± He sat down opposite Shen Miao and smiled at her with his hand cupped.


    ¡°Shopkeeper Ji.¡±


    ¡°Miss Shen, what¡¯s your age?¡± He asked a question that was completely unrelated.


    Shen Miao was stunned for a moment before answering, ¡°Fourteen.¡±


    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s right.¡± He rubbed his hands, his eyes filled with passion. ¡°I wonder if you¡¯re married. Do you have any siblings at home?¡±

 Chapter 196 - Bargaining (5)

    Chapter 196: Bargaining (5)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    Hong Ling smiled awkwardly and turned her head away, as if she did not want to have anything to do with her master.


    Shen Miao chuckled. ¡°It seems like Shopkeeper Ji isn¡¯t here to do business.¡± With that, she stood up, ready to leave.


    ¡°Hey!¡± Ji Yushu panicked. ¡°Miss Shen, what¡¯s the hurry? Let¡¯s talk business now.¡±


    Only then did Shen Miao stop.


    Ji Yushu muttered to himself, ¡°She looks gentle, but why is she so bad-tempered¡­¡± When he noticed that Shen Miao was fixing her eyes on him, he immediately sat up straight and said,¡± Miss Shen, I gather that you want to sell information related to the case of the Chen family in Yuzhou. I must say something. Three years ago, you were only eleven. How did you know about this? ¡±


    ¡°My information can¡¯t be faked. The person selling the information and the person buying the information will have to meet eventually. Whether it¡¯s real or fake, it will be up to the buyer to decide. What is Shopkeeper Ji worried about?¡±


    As soon as she said that, Hong Ling and Ji Yushu paused in shock at the same time and looked at Shen Miao inquisitively. From Shen Miao¡¯s tone, it was as if she knew every step of the procedure. However, Hong Ling and Ji Yushu were sure that Shen Miao had never been here before.


    ¡°Ahem, that¡¯s true¡­ but how did Miss Shen know about the business we are doing here?¡± Ji Yushu asked again.


    ¡°I heard about it, so I came to give it a try,¡± Shen Miao replied truthfully.


    Ji Yushu asked, ¡°Then how much do you want to sell this information for?¡±


    The person who bought the information would have to pay the money. A portion of it would be given to the person who sold the information, and a portion would be given to the middle-man, All Knowing Scholar.


    ¡°After that, I want to buy some information. If Shopkeeper Ji has the information I want, I won¡¯t take a single cent from the Chen family.¡±


    For many years, Hong Ling had been the one managing the Exiled Immortal Pawnshop. He was just a boss in name. This was a profitable and simple business that relied entirely on connections.


    ¡°Miss Shen, what information are you after? Looks like it¡¯s gonna be something big. I don¡¯t think we can¡¯t help you find the information you want anytime soon.¡±


    ¡°If Shopkeeper Ji wants to cooperate, you can provide me the information right here right now,¡± Shen Miao said.


    ¡°What does this have to do with me wanting to cooperate or not?¡± Ji Yushu widened his eyes. ¡°I¡¯m not a seller. I¡¯m just a middle-man.¡±


    ¡°The information I want is about Prince Yu wanting to rebel. However, this news is not for me but for the Ming Qi¡¯s royal family. Shopkeeper Ji, do you understand what I¡¯m saying?¡±


    Ji Yushu was shocked by the words she said and almost fell over his chair. He looked at Shen Miao like she was crazy. Hong Ling also widened her eyes and felt stupefied while listening to Shen Miao utter these cheacherous words.


    The tearoom suddenly fell into silence. When the incense was almost burned, Ji Yushu said, ¡°Hong Ling, bring them out.¡±


    Hong Ling quickly brought the servant girls out. Before she left, she glanced at Shen Miao and saw her picking up the teacup with a calm expression.


    ¡°Miss Shen.¡± Ji Yushu said, ¡°You¡¯re not buying information. You¡¯re making news.¡±

 Chapter 197 - Bargaining (5)

    Chapter 197: Bargaining (5)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    All Knowing Scholar was only responsible for connecting two parties, so no one would directly tell the information to them, so Shen Miao came today not to do business with anyone else but the All Knowing Scholar. She wanted some rumors to spread out from the All Knowing Scholar, and she wanted the royal family to ¡°accidentally¡± hear about these rumors.


    All Knowing Scholar had many connections in every nook and cranny of the city. Once a rumor was out, it would spread like wildfire, and no one would be able to find the source of the rumor.


    Because this rumor was targeting the royal family, Shen Miao had to remain anonymous. She didn¡¯t want to implicate her family. This was her plan.


    ¡°Fortune comes from danger.¡± Shen Miao smiled. ¡°Shopkeeper Ji, do you dare to do this business?¡±


    Ji Yushu scratched his head and said like he was put on a spot, ¡°I¡¯m naturally very tempted by your offer, but the Exiled Immortal Pawnshop is not a tool for power game. If I let the Exiled Immortal Pawnshop get into trouble because of my greed, I¡¯ll really be letting the predecessors down.¡± He cupped his hands and continued, ¡°Nowadays, not many people are in the business of All Knowing Scholar. For the sake of the my predecessors, I can¡¯t take the risk. I¡¯m sorry, Miss Shen.¡± He stood up and bowed to Shen Miao. ¡°The Exiled Immortal Pawnshop won¡¯t do this business with you. If you still want to sell the information, I¡¯ll get someone to write it down. When the Chen family replies me, I¡¯ll get someone to inform you. As for where we¡¯ll meet up, you can come to the pawnshop in ten days.¡±


    After saying that, Ji Yushu smiled at her apologetically and turned to leave. Just as he was about to step out of the tearoom, Shen Miao¡¯s voice came from behind. ¡°Shopkeeper Ji, apparently, my offer is not attractive enough. What if I put the Shen family on the table?¡±


    Ji Yushu was stunned and turned around.


    The girl in purple lowered her head and looked at the teacup in front of her, as if she was appreciating a beautiful artwork. Her voice was calm, making the vibe in the tearoom strangely tense.


    ¡°If you agree to this deal, the Shen family will be your connection.¡±


    ¡­ .


    Upstairs, Gao Yang and Xie Jingxing were drinking tea when they suddenly heard a nervous voice. ¡°Emergency!¡± They looked up and saw Ji Yushu running in.


    He lifted the curtain and sat in front of the table. He poured himself a cup of tea. Then, he panted and said, ¡°I¡¯m scared out of my wits.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Gao Yang teased. ¡°Didn¡¯t you rush down to see the beauty? Why? Is she beautiful or not?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s beautiful. Terrifyingly beautiful.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s strange.¡± Gao Yang rubbed his chin and thought for a moment. ¡°Could it be that the beauty is very bad-tempered and you angered her?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s more than just bad-tempered!¡± Ji Yushu said with lingering fear, ¡°She¡¯s simply a demon! Ahem, I¡¯ve been an All Knowing Scholar for so many years, but this is the first time I¡¯ve seen someone do business this way.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it about the Chen family? Did she ask for too much money?¡± Gao Yang asked.


    ¡°She didn¡¯t ask for money, but what she asks is ten times scarier than money.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡± Xie Jingxing glanced at him. ¡°If you don¡¯t talk properly, I¡¯ll throw you out of here.¡±


    ¡°Ahem, she wants to use the information related to the Chen family to exchange information with us. Do you know what the information she wants is? She wants to buy information about Prince Yu plotting a rebellion! Damn it!¡± Ji Yushu couldn¡¯t help but curse. ¡°She wants us to create false information for her!¡±


    When Gao Yang and Xie Jingxing heard that, their expressions gradually became serious. Ji Yushu liked to play and have fun, so he probably did not know how dangerous the situation was. However, the two of them knew how dangerous it was.


    This customer was really ruthless.


    Ji Yushu was still shouting indignantly, ¡°Why?! Why should I be someone else¡¯s chess piece? If anything happens, it¡¯ll be me who gets into trouble. My pawnshop will be the one to suffer. Does she think I¡¯m stupid?¡±


    ¡°In that case, you can refuse her,¡± Gao Yang said.


    Ji Yushu cleared his throat and said, ¡°If I didn¡¯t bargain with her, she wouldn¡¯t have made a shocking offer. Do you know what that is?¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Xie Jingxing asked lazily.


    ¡°The Shen family. The Shen family will be our connection if this deal is done. Look at how much I helped you as soon as I came back. Don¡¯t you think you need to thank me?¡± Ji Yushu said proudly.


    The Shen family?


    Xie Jingxing stared at him and said slowly, ¡°Who came?¡±

 Chapter 198 - Trade (1)

    Chapter 198: Trade (1)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    As soon as he finished speaking, the tearoom fell into a strange silence. A moment later, Gao Yang smiled and looked at Xie Jingxing. ¡°I think I know who it is. This girl from the Shen family is quite powerful.¡± Although his smile was gentle, his tone was sharp.


    ¡°Actually, I think it¡¯s strange too.¡± Ji Yushu shivered and scratched his head. ¡°It doesn¡¯t seem to be her first time doing business with All Knowing Scholar. I¡¯ve asked Hong Ling, but she said she¡¯s never seen her before. Our business is only done in secret, and I¡¯m afraid no one in the capital knows about our existence except a few families. How¡­ does she know?¡±


    ¡°This girl is not simple.¡± Gao Yang thought for a moment and said, ¡°I originally thought that the Shen family was just a stupid bunch that would be eliminated sooner or later. Now it seems that I¡¯m wrong.¡± He glanced at Xie Jingxing and realized that he was deep in thought. He asked, ¡°What is on your mind?¡±


    Xie Jingxing looked up at Ji Yushu. ¡°Have you agreed?¡±


    ¡°I have to discuss it with you two.¡± Ji Yushu said, ¡°But I think if we can make the Shen family our connection, given how many troops they have, they can help Third Brother Xie greatly in the future. After all, she doesn¡¯t know that our Exiled Immortal Pawnshop is actually owned by Third Brother.¡±


    The girl surnamed Shen probably did not know that Xie Jingxing would be the one to benefit in the end. However, she could not be blamed, because even Hong Ling, who had been a manager of the Exiled Immortal Pawnshop for many years, did not know about this.


    ¡°That being said¡­¡± Gao Yang pondered for a moment and continued,¡± This gamble is too big. If we¡¯re not careful, the information she wants to create will attract the attention of the royal family. We have to be careful. If anything goes wrong, it will be the end for all of us. As for the Shen family, in our original plan, they weren¡¯t part of it anyway.¡±


    ¡°You have a point.¡± Ji Yushu nodded and looked at Xie Jingxing. ¡°But in the end, we have to listen to what Third Brother has to say about this.


    ¡°Agree to this deal.¡±


    As soon as Xie Jingxing said that, Gao Yang frowned and said, ¡°Don¡¯t you need to take some time to think about it?¡±


    ¡°The Shen family is a good chess piece that can be used to our advantage. As for the information she wants to create, it¡¯s targeted at Prince Yu.¡± Xie Jingxing raised his eyebrows. ¡°Coincidentally, we need to deal with Prince Yu as well, so why not?¡±


    When he said that, the other two were enlightened. Ji Yushu clapped his hands. ¡°That¡¯s right. I almost forgot. She wants to create a rumor about Prince Yu plotting a rebellion. Does the Shen family have a grudge against Prince Yu? Why does that girl want Prince Yu to die?¡±


    Ji Yushu had just returned to the capital and was clueless about what happened while he was gone.


    Gao Yang knew the grudge between Shen Miao and Prince Yu, and he couldn¡¯t help but be impressed by Shen Miao. Ordinary girls would definitely be intimidated by the power of Prince Yu. Not only was Shen Miao not afraid, but she was also waiting for an opportunity to counterattack. She was very smart. Prince Yu was backed by the royal family, so she wanted to sow discord between them. If the royal family was suspicious of Prince Yu, he would be done for.


    ¡°Agree to this deal.¡± Xie Jingxing said, ¡°Notify the Chen family as soon as possible.¡±

 Chapter 199 - Trade (2)

    Chapter 199: Trade (2)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ve already asked Hong Ling to send a letter to Yuzhou. The Chen family¡¯s case has been delayed for three years, but I don¡¯t know if the information from that girl is true or not. After all, back then, the Chen family tried everything they could but to no avail. How could a girl know about it now? If her information is fake, I think the Chen family won¡¯t let her off easy,¡± Ji Yushu said with a snack in his mouth.


    ¡°Since she¡¯s here to sell information, it must be true.¡± Xie Jingxing frowned. ¡°But there¡¯s still something that doesn¡¯t make sense about this matter.¡±


    ¡°Are you starving?¡± Gao Yang looked at Ji Yushu wolfing down the food and couldn¡¯t help but shake his head. ¡°Why do you look like you haven¡¯t taken a bite of food for a couple of days? Aren¡¯t you the shopkeeper of this pawnshop?¡±


    ¡°Tch.¡± Ji Yushu stretched out a finger and shook it. ¡°The snacks elsewhere are not as good as the ones made by Third Brother¡¯s personal chef. Last time, I brought the snacks made by Third Brother¡¯s chef to Miss Shaoyao, and guess what? Miss Shaoyao actually smiled at me after eating it. So what I¡¯m trying to say is that¡­¡± He picked up a snack and waved it in front of Gao Yang. ¡°These snacks are really good.¡±


    Gao Yang couldn¡¯t be bothered with him. Suddenly, he saw Ji Yushu¡¯s expression turn serious. He thought of something and took out a banknote from his pocket. ¡°Speaking of which, Miss Shen still gave me a thousand taels worth of banknotes in the end to buy some information.¡±


    ¡°What information?¡± Xie Jingxing and Gao Yang looked at him at the same time.


    ¡°She said she was looking for a girl called Liu Ying. She said¡­ this girl is probably from a brothel in the capital. She asked me to find her.¡± He asked curiously, ¡°Why is she looking for a girl from a brothel? Does she like beauties like me?¡±


    Gao Yang and Xie Jingxing looked at each other. The former was puzzled, and the latter only shook his head slightly.


    ¡­ .


    When Shen Miao was brought out by Hong Ling, Mo Qing and the others heaved a sigh of relief. Shen Miao had been in there for too long. If she stayed any longer, they would probably rush in to rescue her. Before they left, Shen Qiu reminded them repeatedly that they had to be careful on the way. If they really lost Shen Miao, Shen Qiu would definitely punish them.


    Hong Ling smiled politely at Shen Miao and said, ¡°Miss Shen, you can come back in ten days.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Miss Hong,¡± Shen Miao replied softly.


    This was probably the first time the shop assistant saw Hong Ling being so respectful to someone. He couldn¡¯t help but take a few more glances at Shen Miao.


    After Shen Miao and the others got into the carriage and left, the assistant asked Hong Ling, ¡°Miss Hong, who is that girl?¡±


    ¡°Do your thing and mind your own business.¡± Hong Ling patted his head gently. After thinking for a moment, she said, ¡°Next time you see Miss Shen, be more respectful. She¡¯s not simple.¡±


    The young man quickly nodded. Hong Ling looked at the departing carriage and sighed. There were indeed many talented people in the capital.


    In the carriage, Shen Miao was deep in thought. Jingzhe and Gu Yu were afraid of disturbing her thoughts, so they didn¡¯t say anything. In fact, they didn¡¯t know what Shen Miao was up to today. It was clearly a pawnshop, but they didn¡¯t know what Shen Miao was pawning. However, the two maids wouldn¡¯t ask if Shen Miao didn¡¯t intend to tell them.


    When they passed by a place, Gu Yu smiled and said, ¡°Guangfu Restaurant is up ahead. We haven¡¯t been out for a long time. Why don¡¯t I go and buy some snacks from Guangfu Restaurant?¡±


    The snacks at Guangfu Restaurant had always been popular. It was not packed with customers at this moment, so there was no harm in buying some snacks. Although Shen Miao did not like it, Luo Xueyan and Shen Qiu liked it. Shen Miao nodded and said, ¡°Go ahead.¡±

 Chapter 200 - Trade (3)

    Chapter 200: Trade (3)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    Gu Yu jumped off the carriage and headed straight to Guangfu Restaurant.


    Mo Qing and the others surrounded the carriage. They were all tall and strong, so inevitably, they attracted a lot of attention from the passers-by. Shen Miao lifted the curtain to get some air, but her gaze was attracted by someone.


    That person probably just came out of Guangfu Restaurant. He was holding a bag of snacks. When his gaze met Shen Miao¡¯s, he couldn¡¯t help but be stunned.


    It was Pei Lang.


    Shen Miao had not been to Guangwen Hall for a long time. She did not want to win the reputation of a talented woman, nor did she want to get an academic title. She had been busy with her own matters these days and had forgotten about everything else. She looked at Pei Lang and nodded at him slightly.


    Pei Lang was stunned for a moment. Ming Qi paid special attention to the respect for teachers. Even if students like Xie Jingxing had to be polite to their teachers. However, Shen Miao¡¯s nod just now gave Pei Lang the illusion that she was his teacher while he was her student.


    Before he could react, Shen Miao had already lowered the curtain. Mo Qing and the others noticed Pei Lang looking at the carriage and became instantly wary.


    Pei Lang stood rooted to the ground. He was supposed to flare up when he was treated as such by his student. However, for some reason, other than feeling a little sad, he didn¡¯t feel anything else.


    Shaking his head, Pei Lang walked away.


    Knowing that the person outside the carriage had left, Shen Miao lowered her eyes and looked at her sleeve, deep in thought. She had mixed feelings about Pei Lang. She hated Pei Lang for his inaction when Wanyu and Fu Ming were unfairly treated by Fu Xiuyi, but she also knew that Pei Lang was just being loyal to his emperor and did what he thought was right. However, it was all in the past. Since she still had a use for Pei Lang in this life, she shouldn¡¯t dwell on this matter.


    While she was thinking, Gu Yu had already returned.


    When they returned to the Shen family¡¯s mansion, it was not too late. Shen Qiu was also staying in the west courtyard. Shen Miao planned to send some snacks to Shen Qiu. When she walked to the hall, she happened to see Ren Wanyun helping Shen Qing out. Ren Wanyun looked at Shen Miao with undisguised killing intents, and Shen Qing¡¯s gaze was extremely vicious. Even Gu Yu and Jingzhe couldn¡¯t help but shiver and subconsciously step forward to protect Shen Miao.


    ¡°Shen Miao, you haven¡¯t gone to pay your respect to Old Madam these days.¡± Ren Wanyun said, ¡°Did you forget something so basic as respecting your elders?¡±


    Shen Miao glanced at her. Ren Wanyun was like a mad dog now, biting whoever she found displeasing to the eyes. On one hand, she was afraid of Shen Xin and Luo Xueyan, and on the other hand, she wanted to seek justice for her daughter.


    However, Shen Miao was not scared by her. She smiled and looked at Ren Wanyun. ¡°Second Aunt, it¡¯s surprising that you still have the extra energy to worry about me. Eldest Sister is going to marry Prince Yu next month. Don¡¯t you need to teach her some surviving skills? After all, she¡¯s not marrying someone ordinary but Prince Yu. You know what he¡¯s capable of.¡±


    With that, she left with Jingzhe and Gu Yu without looking back.


    Ren Wanyun was so angry that her entire body was trembling. Over the past few days, the angrier she was, the more confused she felt. She did not even have the time to care about how much Shen Gui doted on that Concubine Wan. Chen Dongling, the illegitimate daughter born to Concubine Wan, was no longer as gloomy as before. She would spend time preparing food for Shen Gui from time to time. With Shen Qing as a contrast, she looked like a much more likable daughter. On the other hand, Ren Wanyun and Shen Qing became more and more annoying.

 Chapter 201 - Trade (4)

    Chapter 201: Trade (4)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    Shen Miao was the cause of her misery. Otherwise, with Ren Wanyun¡¯s ability and viciousness, how could Concubine Wan, who was trampled by her, be so arrogant today?


    ¡°Mother.¡± Shen Qing, who was beside her, pulled her hand. These days, she had been treated with cold shoulders by everyone, and her arrogant personality had been bridled quite a lot. However, the hatred was still simmering inside her. She gritted her teeth and said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, bear with it. After marrying Prince Yu, no matter what it takes, even if it¡¯s my life, I will make Prince Yu punish Shen Miao. I will definitely not let her off easy.¡±


    Because Shen Qing was already pregnant, the empress set the wedding date next month. In such a short time, Ren Wanyun really couldn¡¯t help her daughter. She had no choice but to watch Shen Qing jump into the fire pit.


    ¡°Qing, don¡¯t be afraid.¡± Ren Wanyun said, ¡°Your brother will be back soon. Yuan is the smartest. When he comes back, he will definitely think of a way to ruin that little b*tch¡¯s reputation.¡± Shen Yuan would also rush back to attend Shen Qing¡¯s wedding. Now that she was alone and helpless, if not for the fact she had a son, Shen Yuanbai, who was adored by Old Madam Shen, that old woman would probably not help her either.


    When Shen Miao returned to the West Courtyard, she was surprised to see Shen Qiu waiting for her there. Seeing that she was back, Shen Qiu heaved a sigh of relief and sized her up. ¡°Why were you gone for so long? I thought something happened to you.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s broad daylight. Anyone who makes a move to harm me will be a fool.¡± Shen Miao handed him the snacks. ¡°I bought these on my way back. Here.¡±


    Shen Qiu was stunned for a moment before taking it. When he returned this time, he found Shen Miao changed a lot in terms of her attitude towards him.


    ¡°Why aren¡¯t Father and Mother around?¡± Shen Miao asked.


    ¡°They¡¯ve been busy socializing with their fellow officials.¡± Shen Qiu looked around and said quietly, ¡°Sister, you weren¡¯t around this morning. Father has been at loggerheads with Second Uncle and Third Uncle these few days. Just now, Old Madam summoned Father and reprimanded him.¡±


    ¡°Father is at loggerheads with Second Uncle and Third Uncle?¡±


    Shen Qiu looked at Shen Miao¡¯s expression and thought for a moment before saying, ¡°Sister, you also know that because of what happened in the ancestral hall, Father and Mother are a little unhappy with Second Uncle and Third Uncle. Naturally, they don¡¯t want to talk to them. Old Madam was probably worried that her own sons wouldn¡¯t be supported by Father anymore, so she reprimanded Father.¡± At this point, Shen Qiu couldn¡¯t help but look indignant. ¡°Old Madam is too biased. What did Father do wrong? Second Uncle and Third Uncle were the ones who failed to fulfill what they promised about taking good care of you while we are away. I¡¯m furious already, let alone Father.¡±


    Shen Qiu did not call her ¡°Grandmother¡± but ¡°Old Madam¡±. Clearly, he had a grudge against Old Madam Shen too.


    After saying that, Shen Qiu couldn¡¯t help but observe Shen Miao¡¯s expression. Shen Miao had been raised by Old Madam Shen all these years. In the past, Shen Miao was always very respectful to Old Madam Shen, so he wasn¡¯t sure if what he said would make Shen Miao flare up and speak up for Old Madam Shen.


    ¡°There¡¯s a difference between family and friends. In the end, Father isn¡¯t her son,¡± Shen Miao said indifferently. ¡°Of course she¡¯ll be biased.¡±


    ¡°Ha.¡± Shen Qiu was happy that he had found someone like-minded. ¡°That¡¯s right. Father is filial to her for the sake of Grandfather. He has done enough for so many years, but she actually accused Father of being unfilial¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not just because of Second Uncle and Third Uncle that she reprimanded Father.¡± Shen Miao said, ¡°I¡¯m afraid it¡¯s also because Father didn¡¯t hand over the money rewarded by His Majesty this time.¡± Old Madam Shen loved money as much as her life. This time, because Shen Xin was so angry, he kept the money to himself. As time passed, Old Madam Shen naturally couldn¡¯t sit still anymore and came to find trouble.


    ¡°That¡¯s really¡­¡± Shen Qiu seemed to want to say something, but he felt that it was not good to say that in front of his sister. He swallowed it and said something else, ¡°So what? The money belongs to Father, so he can give it to whoever he wants.¡±

 Chapter 202 - 2: Trade (5)

    Chapter 202: Trade (5)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    ¡°That¡¯s right, so just ignore her. What can she do? It¡¯s just that Father is too quick tempered. He won¡¯t hesitate to express his grudge and anger. Let¡¯s just wait and there will be a time we can deal with them all.¡±


    Shen Qiu felt that Shen Miao¡¯s words were a little strange, but he seemed to have guessed something. He smiled and said, ¡°I haven¡¯t seen you for a year, but you¡¯ve become much more domineering.¡±


    Shen Miao did not comment. Shen Qiu opened the paper bag, picked up a big pastry, and threw it into his mouth. He chewed a few times and said, ¡°The snacks in the capital are delicious. We don¡¯t have such exquisite things in the Northwest Desert.¡±


    Shen Miao watched him eat with a sweet smile on her face. A moment later, she asked softly, ¡°Brother, what do you think of loyalty?¡±


    ¡°Loyalty?¡± Shen Qiu said without looking up, ¡°Of course it¡¯s to be loyal to the emperor and serve the country.¡± He then asked Shen Miao, ¡°Sister, why do you ask?¡±


    ¡°Nothing.¡± Shen Miao shook her head and said softly, ¡°If you like the pastries, I¡¯ll bring you more next time.¡± In the depths of her eyes, there was a moment of murderous look.


    The first snow arrived, and it snowed all night in the capital. When the sun shone, the ice under the eaves that were frozen at night glinted brightly, looking very beautiful. On the street, there were naughty children throwing snowballs at each other. The closer it was to the end of the year, the livelier the capital became. It was as if all the hard work in the year had come to fruition.


    On the outer eaves of the Exiled Immortal Pawnshop, there was a row of red lanterns hanging neatly, but they were not ordinary red lanterns. The lanterns were made of an unknown material with golden yarn mixed in it. Under the sunlight, they actually glittered brightly. The pendant hanging under the lantern was also giving off glints. There were naturally guards outside. Otherwise, in no time, the lanterns would¡¯ve been stolen.


    The shop assistant welcomed the customers with a smile. There were very few people who came to the Exiled Immortal Pawnshop to do business, and the shop assistants were usually lazy. However, today, they were unusually energetic, as if they were certain that a particular customer was coming.


    At the end of the long corridor of the Exiled Immortal Pawnshop that opened up to another world, a woman in red smiled charmingly and personally brought the snacks in. She smiled and said, ¡°Please try the snacks made by the chef first.¡± With that, she left quietly.


    There were three people sitting in the tearoom. One of them was wearing a lake-green robe and had a friendly smile. The two people opposite him were about 20 years old and looked 70 to 80% similar. Clearly, they were a pair of brothers. The two of them had thick eyebrows and big eyes. The swords at their waists gave them a martial arts aura.


    At this moment, the older of the two brothers said, ¡°Shopkeeper Ji, why has the person who wants to sell us the information shown up yet?¡±


    Ji Yushu smiled and said, ¡°Brother Chen, don¡¯t be anxious. That day, I told her that we would meet here today, but I didn¡¯t mention the time. Anyway, she will show up soon. I hope you can be patient.¡± After saying that, he cursed the two people opposite him in his mind. Who would come to do business at dawn? He still had a brain fog and couldn¡¯t think properly. If it weren¡¯t for the fact that the Chen family was something, he¡¯d chase the two of them out.


    ¡°To be honest,¡± Chen Yueshan, the elder brother of the two, said, ¡°When the two of us heard the news, we set out immediately and completed the journey that was supposed to take half a month in just a few days. On the way, a few horses died of exhaustion. Shopkeeper Ji, you also know that we¡¯ve spent a lot of effort to find clues related to the whereabouts of my sister over the past three years, but there¡¯s nothing at all. Now that we finally have some clues, we¡¯re naturally a little anxious. I hope you won¡¯t mind our being impetuous.¡± Chen Yueshan was quite tongued. He probably saw that Ji Yushu was a little unhappy that they came too early, so he explained and apologized.

 Chapter 203 - Trade (6)

    Chapter 203: Trade (6)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    Ji Yushu felt a little better, and his smile became more sincere. He smiled and said, ¡°I¡¯ve been keeping an eye on the clues for you for the past few years. Now that I have some clues, I¡¯m just as happy as you are.¡±


    ¡°Actually, I don¡¯t mind waiting for a bit longer here.¡± Second Young Master, Chen Yueha, was young, so he was more quick-tempered than his elder brother. ¡°As long as the clues are true, I won¡¯t mind even if I have to wait for a week. But if it¡¯s fake¡­ Don¡¯t blame us for being rude for making a fool of our Chen family like this.¡±


    Ji Yushu was displeased again upon hearing that. He did not care what the Chen brothers wanted to do elsewhere, but in his territory, they didn¡¯t get to play the boss. His smile did not change, but his tone was a little cold. ¡°My Exiled Immortal Pawnshop is only responsible for buying and selling information. As for whether or not the information is true or fake, there is no guarantee about it. If anyone seeks trouble here, I¡¯ll make sure they pay a heavy price.¡±e.¡±


    Chen Yueshan glared at his brother to signal him to shut up. He naturally knew that this seemingly friendly and harmless young man was not as simple as he looked.


    Being glared at by his brother, Chen Yuehai knew that he had said something wrong and stopped talking.


    After a while, approaching footsteps could be heard. Hong Ling opened the bead curtain and said with a smile, ¡°Shopkeeper, the guest is here.¡±


    The two Chen brothers subconsciously looked at the curtain. A girl in purple walked out from behind Hong Ling. This girl looked delicate and cute, and she looked to be about 13 or 14 years old. However, for some reason, her eyes were as calm as water, and she looked like she was much older than her actual age. For a moment, the Chen brothers were confused.


    She lifted the curtain, walked over, and sat down on an unoccupied chair. She nodded at Ji Yushu. ¡°Shopkeeper Ji.¡±


    ¡°This¡­ Miss,¡± Chen Yueshan asked with difficulty,¡± Is she the person selling information? ¡±


    After Hong Ling left, the Chen brothers, Shen Miao, and Ji Yushu were the ones left in the tearoom. Shen Miao said, ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±


    Chen Yuehai¡¯s attitude changed drastically and he said with a sneer. ¡°Miss, how old were you three years ago? How could you have any clues? Are you playing with us?¡±


    ¡°There are many ways to get clues. Maybe I got the clues from someone else, or maybe I overheard someone talking about it and noted it down. In any case, we are doing business, and what¡¯s important is the outcome. Does my age matter? Moreover, why would I go out of my way to play with a mere Chen family?¡±


    Ji Yushu couldn¡¯t help but laugh. When he saw Chen Yuehai¡¯s ugly expression, he quickly said in all seriousness, ¡°Miss Shen is right. What matters is the outcome. As for how she got the clues, it¡¯s not important.¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡± Chen Yuehai looked at Shen Miao and said indifferently, ¡°Then I wonder how can Miss Shen guarantee that the clues you provide are not fake? It¡¯s true that doing business is all about outcome, so if the clues are true, the two of us will naturally reward you handsomely. But if it¡¯s not¡­ Do you know the consequences?¡± At the end of his sentence, Chen Yuehai¡¯s tone suddenly turned sinister.


    People in the martial world all had a ferocious side to themselves. At that moment, the ferocity that erupted was enough to scare ordinary people. At least, it was more than enough to scare a little girl.


    In silence, Shen Miao stared at him without blinking, not scared at all. Her calm look made Chen Yuehai appear like an unreasonable person.


    Ji Yushu wanted to laugh, but he knew it was appropriate, so he could only hold it back. Chen Yueshan, who had been silent all this time, finally said, ¡°Miss Shen, my brother is a little rash. I apologize on his behalf. We are here to buy clues sincerely. If Miss can provide true clues, we will definitely reward you with a considerable amount of money.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no need for so much money.¡± Shen Miao said, ¡°Just give me some. The Chen family has a lot of connections. I just want to use this chance to befriend you. If I need your help in the future, I hope the two of you won¡¯t turn your backs on me.¡±


    Facing the two men who were much older and more experienced than her, she did not lose her composure. She spoke with reason and logic, making her look like a woman who had seen the world. Chen Yueshan was impressed by her and cupped his hands in agreement.


    ¡°Now, tell us what you know,¡± Chen Yuehai couldn¡¯t wait any longer and asked anxiously.


    Shen Miao glanced at him and said, ¡°Back then, the Chen sisters went missing in Yuzhou, Jiangnan. In fact, they were abducted. And the one who abducted them was none other than Prince Yu, the brother of the current emperor.¡±


    As soon as she said that, the three people in the tearoom were so shocked that they couldn¡¯t utter a word. In the secret room next to the tearoom, two people were also stunned. The young man in white opened his mouth and muttered, ¡°Prince Yu?¡±


    The young man in purple rubbed the jade cup in his hand and suddenly revealed a smile. He said casually, ¡°Interesting.¡±

 Chapter 204 - Annihilation (1)

    Chapter 204: Annihilation (1)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    In the tearoom, Ji Yushu was suddenly enlightened. Previously, when Shen Miao said that she wanted to create a rumor, the rumor was targeted at Prince Yu. At this moment, the clues she sold to the Chen family were also related to Prince Yu. It seemed that Gao Yang was right. The Shen family and Prince Yu had a deep hatred for each other. They had set a trap for Prince Yu and were waiting for him to fall into it. However, when he thought about it, Ji Yushu felt a little depressed. People who came to the All-Knowing-Scholar to buy and sell clues all wanted money. Unlike Shen Miao, who practically used the All-Knowing-Scholar as a tool to rope in the Chen family and deal with Prince Yu.


    However¡­ Ji Yushu thought to himself, no matter how powerful the Chen family was, Prince Yu was after all backed by the royal family. Unless it was really a blood feud, they couldn¡¯t possibly make a move on Prince Yu and risk offending the emperor.


    ¡°Is Miss Shen telling the truth?¡± Chen Yueshan¡¯s voice was hoarse. Everyone in the dynasty knew that Prince Yu was a pervert. If the Chen sisters fell into his hands, it wasn¡¯t hard to imagine what kind of misery they lived in.


    ¡°I have no reason to lie to you.¡±


    ¡°But how can you prove that what you said is true?¡± Chen Yuehai suddenly shouted excitedly. Perhaps it was because he couldn¡¯t believe it or because he couldn¡¯t bring himself to believe it, but he became especially aggressive to Shen Miao.


    ¡°The Chen sisters were beautiful and taken as the apples of everyone¡¯s eyes in the Chen family. Prince Yu had always liked to seek excitement, so he spent a lot of effort to kidnap the Chen sisters. Then, he quickly brought them to the capital overnight. When the Chen family was still searching for the missing sisters in Yuzhou, the Chen sisters had already been taken to Prince Yu¡¯s mansion.¡± At this point, Shen Miao paused for a moment and continued, ¡°After that¡­ Prince Yu tortured them with terrifying methods. The Chen sisters wanted to kill themselves, but they were all stopped by Prince Yu. Later, the elder sister tried to please him, hoping that by doing so, her younger sister could escape. In fact, Prince Yu knew their plan and pretended not to know. After that, the elder sister was given to his subordinates for fun and then beaten to death. While on the run, the younger sister was humiliated and lost one of her eyes. She then found a job to clean the toilets. She wanted to survive because this was the life that her elder sister had fought for her. However¡­¡± Shen Miao let out a sigh.¡± She actually never escaped Prince Yu¡¯s hands. The job was set up by Prince Yu to trick her into believing that there was hope and watch her slowly lose her hope.


    Her voice was calm and cold, and there was only a hint of pity at the end, but it made people feel a chill run down their spines. Ji Yushu was also shocked. Although he knew about Prince Yu¡¯s horrifying methods of torturing women, this was the first time he had heard someone describe it in such detail. It was easy to kill a person, but it was very difficult to make a person live a life worse than death. As for that younger sister of the Chen family, she thought that she had escaped and lived on with hope, hoping that she could be saved and avenge her elder sister However, she did not know that her life was still in the hands of Prince Yu and that she was just a plaything for him.


    These words made the Chen brothers fall silent. Chen Yuehai slowly reached out and covered his head, suddenly howling in pain. His voice was like a wounded beast, making people¡¯s hearts tighten. Ji Yushu could not help but look at him sympathetically.


    Shen Miao looked at him and sighed in her heart. In the first half of their lives, the Shen sisters led a comfortable life and were supposed to continue doing so. However, in the second half of their lives, they were more miserable than animals. What had the Chen sisters done to deserve that?


    ¡°Miss Shen¡­¡± Chen Yueshan was more collected than Chen Yuehai. Even so, his voice was still trembling.¡± How can you prove that what you said is true? All of this is just your one-sided story.¡± No matter how collected a person was, when they heard things that they didn¡¯t want to believe, they would try to deny it. This was what people would do when the defense mechanism kicked in.

 Chapter 205 - Annihilation (2)

    Chapter 205: Annihilation (2)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    ¡°It¡¯s very simple. Your younger sister is still alive. Prince Yu¡¯s mansion is impregnable. If you go and question him rashly, I¡¯m afraid you won¡¯t get what you want. If you want to know if what I say is true, kidnap a servant from Prince Yu¡¯s mansion and ask him if there¡¯s a girl who cleans the toilets in the mansion.¡±


    As soon as she said that, the two brothers wobbled at the same time, unable to hide the pain on their faces. Ji Yushu sighed in his heart. Shen Miao had said it in such detail and with such certainty. This was most likely true.


    ¡°You¡­¡± Chen Yuehai stared at Shen Miao and suddenly said,¡± Since you know about this, why didn¡¯t you save her? You watched her fall into the abyss without offering a hand. Instead, you came here to sell the information. You¡­ ¡± He slammed the table. ¡°You¡¯re so heartless! ¡±


    ¡°Yuehai!¡± Chen Yueshan reprimanded him in a low voice. He looked at Shen Miao and cupped his fists. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Miss Shen. My second brother is just too sad. I hope Miss Shen won¡¯t take it to heart.¡± Although he spoke politely, Shen Miao could still see resentment in his eyes.


    After a moment of silence, Shen Miao smiled instead of flaring up. She looked at Chen Yuehai and said, ¡°Young Master Chen, how do you think I should help her? I¡¯m just a powerless girl. What ability do I have to save her? Do you want me to sneak into the prince¡¯s mansion without caring about my own safety, or do you want me to risk my life to help her escape like her elder sister did? Let me be brutally honest with you. If she were my biological sister, I might risk myself to save her. However, she¡¯s just a stranger to me. I dare to ask you, Young Master Chen, would you risk your life for a stranger? If you would, you have all my respect. However, I¡¯m just a timid and cowardly woman, and I don¡¯t want to be a hero!¡±


    She spoke quickly and excitedly, making the Chen brothers unable to interrupt. Ji Yushu¡¯s mouth was wide open. For some reason, he felt that Shen Miao was angry, and her words were filled with sarcasm. That¡¯s right. If the world was full of people who were willing to risk their lives for strangers, there wouldn¡¯t be so much suffering. Shen Miao was just a little girl. What ability did she have to help the Chen sisters escape?


    Shen Miao looked at the two brothers opposite her coldly. Just now, she had lost control of her emotions. What she hated the most now was being asked to be just and righteous by others who knew nothing about her. Back then, for the sake of the people of Ming Qi, for the sake of Fu Xiuyi, she volunteered to be a hostage in the State of Qin. When she returned to the palace, what awaited her was the coldness and heartlessness of an emperor. The Shen family had assisted the emperor for the sake of the country, but what they got in return was execution. Why should they be the sacrificers? Why should she be asked to be the savior? The Chen sisters were indeed very pitiful. Back then, when she was forced to hang herself to death, who offered a hand to help her and wasn¡¯t she pitiful too?


    In this world, no matter how difficult life was, one had to walk on their own. No one was responsible for saving others.


    Chen Yuehai was silent for a moment before saying to Shen Miao, ¡°Miss Shen, I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    Shen Miao calmed down and said, ¡°That¡¯s all the information I can provide you.¡±


    ¡°The two of us believe in Miss Shen.¡± Chen Yueshan said, ¡°However, the most important thing now is to find out where my sister is. If we find her, the Chen family will definitely reward you handsomely.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve already said that I don¡¯t need that much money. I just wish to befriend the Chen family.¡± Shen Miao said, ¡°However¡­ I have something to say. I wonder if the two of you want to listen¡­¡±


    ¡°Please, we¡¯re all ears.¡± Chen Yueshan cupped his hands.


    ¡°Prince Yu is narrow-minded. If anyone provokes him, he will not hesitate to take revenge. The Chen family is influential and powerful, but it¡¯s nothing compared to the royal family. I believe the two of you not only want to save your sister, but also avenge her.¡±

 Chapter 206 - Annihilation (3)

    Chapter 206: Annihilation (3)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    The two brothers looked at each other. Chen Yuehai did not hold back from expressing his true feelings. ¡°The blood feud is irreconcilable. The Chen family and Prince Yu will be enemies for life, and we will take revenge.¡±


    ¡°If your sister has gone missing in the Prince mansion, Prince Yu will definitely suspect that it was done by your family. I think if you want to settle this matter once and for all, you need to wipe the Prince mansion out of the surface of the earth.¡±


    ¡°Miss Shen, what do you mean?¡± Chen Yueshan asked hesitantly.


    ¡°Although Prince Yu is a noble, in terms of strength, he¡¯s far inferior to your family that has connections reaching out to every corner and cranny of the martial world. Annihilating the Prince Mansion isn¡¯t all that difficult.¡±


    Ji Yushu was listening at the side, but when he heard ¡®annihilating¡¯, he spat out a mouthful of tea. He looked at Shen Miao in surprise. It was actually a little terrifying to see a little girl say the word ¡°annihilating¡± with a calm expression.


    The Chen brothers were also stunned. Chen Yueshan sized up Shen Miao opposite him and couldn¡¯t help but feel a chill run down his spine. He thought that he had seen many ruthless people in the martial world, but this little girl in front of him could be said to be one of the most ruthless.


    However, they also felt that what Shen Miao said made sense.


    ¡°It¡¯s indeed not difficult to annihilate Prince Yu.¡± Chen Yueshan smiled bitterly. ¡°But going against the current emperor¡­¡± As members of the Chen family, they naturally wanted to cut Prince Yu into pieces and they were capable of doing that, but there were still other people in the Chen family, including the women, old, and weak. If the royal family found out the truth, the entire Chen family would be implicated.


    ¡°I have a way to make His Majesty not pursue this matter, as long as you have the guts to get rid of Prince Yu,¡± Shen Miao said.


    ¡°You?¡± Chen Yuehai said, ¡°Miss Shen, we know you¡¯re capable. Otherwise, you wouldn¡¯t have the piece of information we¡¯ve been looking for for three years. However, the royal family is not a merciful bunch. If you are not careful, you¡¯ll find yourself in trouble you can¡¯t deal with.¡±


    ¡°I think you¡¯ll go and get to the bottom of my identity after the meeting, so I might as well tell you about it. I¡¯m the daughter of the Mighty General Shen.¡±


    The Chen brothers were stunned and looked surprised. They probably did not expect Shen Miao to have such a background. Then, they fell silent. They came from the martial world. Although they were rich, they were at most a family of merchants. When compared to government officials, merchants were many times lower in terms of social status. There was no way merchants could interfere with the matters at the imperial court and had no idea what was going on in the palace. When they heard Shen Miao say that, they were convinced even more.


    ¡°Why are you helping us?¡± Chen Yuehai asked warily, ¡°What good will it do you to go out of your way to help us?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re really strange. Just now, you blamed me for not helping your sister. Now that I¡¯m trying to help, you¡¯re suspicious of me.¡±


    Shen Miao¡¯s mocking words made Chen Yuehai a little angry. Chen Yueshan waved his hand and looked at Shen Miao with a smile. ¡°Miss Shen, this matter is very risky. If you are implicated¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not just helping you,¡± Shen Miao said indifferently. ¡°I also have a blood feud with Prince Yu. My cousin is about to marry Prince Yu and will be tortured by him. When you are annihilating the Prince mansion someday, I hope you can let my cousin live.¡±


    When the Chen brothers heard that, most of the doubts in their hearts dissipated. They cupped their hands at Shen Miao. ¡°In that case, thank you.¡±


    ¡°The two of you can go and ask around to find out about your sister first. After you find out, don¡¯t act rashly. Let¡¯s meet up here in three days .¡±

 Chapter 207 - Annihilation (4)

    Chapter 207: Annihilation (4)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    The Chen brothers nodded. They could tell that Shen Miao was asking them to leave. They did not intend to linger and stood up. Chen Yueshan said, ¡°After we can rescue our sister, Miss Shen, you will be our benefactor. If you need our help in the future, the Chen family will naturally not decline. Thank you for what you did this time.¡± With that, he picked up his sword and left in a hurry.


    Ji Yushu stared at Shen Miao, more impressed by her performance today. There were many capable people in the martial world, and the Chen family was considered a very influential family. Moreover, this was supposed to be a fair trade, but Shen Miao actually made herself the benefactor of the Chen family with just a few words. The Chen brothers were also very polite to Shen Miao. Just as the two brothers said, if Shen Miao had any difficulties in the future, the Chen family would help her. It was not easy to get close to the Chen family.


    ¡°Shopkeeper Ji, now we can talk about the deal between us.¡± Shen Miao looked at him.


    ¡°I¡¯ve already thought about the conditions you offered that day.¡± Ji Yushu rubbed his chin pensively and pretended to be in a difficult position. ¡°Actually, what you wanna do is too risky. If it succeeds, everyone will be happy. However, if it¡¯s discovered one day, my Exiled Immortal Pawnshop will have to shut down. My head will be chopped off too. As for the staff, they will all die. Therefore, I don¡¯t think it¡¯s a fair deal.¡±


    Shen Miao glanced at him flatly and said, ¡°In that case, I guess we¡¯re not going to make the deal work. I understand. Sorry for disturbing you for so long. Goodbye.¡±


    Before Ji Yushu could finish his words, he saw that Shen Miao was about to leave. He instantly panicked and quickly said, ¡°Hey, hey, hey, I¡¯m not done speaking yet. Why are girls nowadays so impatient? Miss Shen, although I think this will put my life in danger, when I saw you for the first time, I felt that the two of us are very fated. I¡¯m sure men will agree to any request from a beautiful girl like you. I can¡¯t bear to see a beauty getting sad. If I don¡¯t do this business with you, I think you¡¯ll be unhappy. In order to make you happy, I don¡¯t mind risking my life¡­ So, I agree.¡±


    In the secret room on the other side, after hearing Ji Yushu¡¯s extremely cheesy words, Gao Yang couldn¡¯t help but look at Xie Jingxing. ¡°Is he alright? How dare he flirt with such a vicious woman?¡±


    Xie Jingxing smirked. ¡°He¡¯s simply courting death.¡±


    Shen Miao sat back down calmly and said, ¡°In that case, I¡¯ll tell Shopkeeper Ji about my plan.¡±


    Ji Yushu immediately sat up straight. ¡°Alright, Miss Shen. Please, I¡¯m all ears.¡±


    ¡°Now, everyone in Ming Qi knows that ten years ago, when His Majesty was assassinated, Prince Yu saved His Majesty from the assassin, which caused him to be crippled. However, the assassin escaped.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±


    Shen Miao smiled. ¡°The rumor I want you to spread is very simple. Here it goes ¨C Recently, Prince Yu killed a personal guard of his. That personal guard happened to look very similar to that assassin ten years ago, other than being a little old.¡±


    ¡°This¡­¡± Ji Yushu was stunned and almost dropped the teacup in his hand.


    ¡°Shopkeeper Ji, please make sure the rumor reaches the ears of the emperor.¡± Shen Miao smiled.


    ¡°Is this rumor real or fake?¡± Ji Yushu asked tentatively.


    ¡°In any case, Shopkeeper Ji, all you need to do is make the rumor real,¡± Shen Miao said with a faint smile.

 Chapter 208 - Annihilation (5)

    Chapter 208: Annihilation (5)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    ¡°You¡­¡± Ji Yushu stared at Shen Miao and was speechless for a long time. He felt that this little girl who looked much younger than him was really a monster.


    ¡°Since the deal is done, it¡¯s time for me to leave.¡± Shen Miao stood up. ¡°Shopkeeper Ji, you have to act quickly. The rumor has to be wide-spread before Prince Yu and his mansion are annihilated.¡±


    After saying that, she turned around and left without looking at Ji Yushu. Hong Ling, who had been waiting outside for a long time, saw her come out and knew that the deal was done. She led Shen Miao out of the shop.


    In the secret room, Gao Yang was silent for a while before saying, ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s a good thing to keep a powerful family like the Shen family around. Now that powerful and influential families are cleaned one by one, I think the Shen family has to go too.¡±


    ¡°I have the final say.¡± Xie Jingxing said lazily, ¡°It¡¯s not a bad idea to use the Shen family to deal with Prince Yu.¡±


    ¡°Maybe the Shen family will deal with you like this one day.¡±


    ¡°If they dare, I don¡¯t mind getting rid of them.¡± Xie Jingxing¡¯s beautiful black eyes were flickering. ¡°Any news regarding that thing?¡±


    Gao Yang shook his head.


    ¡°On the day of the annihilation, I¡¯ll go there myself.¡± Xie Jingxing sat up straight and played with the jade cup in his hand. ¡°I don¡¯t believe it¡¯s gone from the surface of the earth.¡±


    ¡°Do you really think Prince Yu¡¯s mansion can be wiped out? Shen Miao has a good plan, but in execution, there will inevitably be some accidents.¡±


    ¡°Accidents?¡± Xie Jingxing chuckled. His half-closed eyes were as intoxicating as wine. However, under his long eyelashes, his gaze was as sharp as a knife. He said, ¡°Ever since I met her, she has never allowed an ¡®accident¡¯ to happen.¡±


    ¡­


    Time always passed especially quickly.


    The Shen family was a very strange family. Everything was well concealed and peaceful. At least from the outside, the relationship between the first and second branches looked good.However, after the fire that burnt down the ancestral hall, Shen Xin lost all his trust in the second and third branches, and their relationship had been stiff ever since.


    Now that Shen Qing had lost her virginity and was going to marry Prince Yu, everyone knew that this was not a good thing. However, Chen Ruoqiu and Shen Yue were happy and enthusiastic about preparing for Shen Qing¡¯s marriage. Although it was only right for them to appear happy since Shen Qing was marrying into the royal family, the fact that their happiness was undisguised made them look a little too unsympathetic.


    Ren Wanyun argued with Shen Gui because of Shen Qing. Old Madam Shen was biased towards Shen Gui and was increasingly dissatisfied with this daughter-in-law of hers. She did not mention anything about returning the management power of the family to Ren Wanyun. Chen Ruoqiu was now trusted by Old Madam Shen, so she became more and more diligent. Ren Wanyun was furious and could not help but show resentment when she was around Old Madam Shen. Old Madam Shen was even more ruthless. She forced Shen Yuanbai to stay in Rongjing Hall and did not let Ren Wanyun see him.


    At this point, Ren Wanyun had become an out-and-out loner in the huge Shen mansion. Even some of her former servants chose to side with Concubine Wan, who was continuously gaining momentum. Ren Wanyun either cursed all day long in Rosy Cloud Garden or cried with Shen Qing, looking nothing short of a lunatic.


    None of this had anything to do with West Courtyard.


    Shen Xin and his wife consciously kept a distance from the second and third branches, and their attitudes were neither cold nor warm. Through Shen Qing¡¯s incident, they probably understood what a cruel bunch the second and third branches were. At least in Shen Xin and Luo Xueyan¡¯s opinion, if what happened to Shen Qing happened to Shen Miao, the two of them would definitely not sit back and watch their daughter suffer. They would probably fight to the death to seek justice for Shen Miao. Moreover, Shen Miao was much more sensible now, and her attitude towards them was not as distant as before. This made them feel that it was worth it to ask Emperor Wen Hui to allow them to stay in the capital.


    In the room, Bai Lu said, ¡°Miss, Eldest Young Master picked a few more pieces of jewelry for you and gave you a few banknotes. I put them in a box.¡±

 Chapter 209 - Annihilation (6)

    Chapter 209: Annihilation (6)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    Shen Miao nodded. Ever since Shen Qiu found out that she had been to the Exiled Immortal Pawnshop, he thought that she was short of money. Every day, he would pick some exquisite things from the rewards given by the emperor and send them over. He even said to her, ¡°Sister, if you don¡¯t have money, tell me. I¡¯ll give it to you. Don¡¯t go to the pawnshop. My friends will think I¡¯m a stingy brother if they see you going to the pawnshop.¡±


    Shen Miao couldn¡¯t be bothered to explain to him. Moreover, it wouldn¡¯t hurt to have more money, so she accepted his kind offer.


    It had been two days since my last meeting with the Chen brothers. She would have to go to the Exiled Immortal Pawnshop tomorrow and wondered if Chen Yueshan and Chen Yuehai had found out about their sister¡¯s whereabouts.


    The life of the Chen sisters was undoubtedly very pitiful. Shen Miao found out about this in her previous life. When Fu Xiuyi just ascended the throne, he was very impatient with Prince Yu. After all, Fu Xiuyi was not Emperor Wen Hui who was saved by Prince Yu. As an emperor who had just ascended the throne, having an uncle who only knew how to cause trouble for him was really not something to be happy about.


    Three years later, the Chen family finally found out what happened to the Chen sisters. At that time, they attempted to assassinate Prince Yu, but only managed to cripple his leg. Prince Yu still survived and was furious. He put pressure on Fu Xiuyi to investigate who it was.


    It was extremely difficult to find out who the assassin was in this enormous world. However, Fu Xiuyi had many connections in the martial world, and there were also martial artists among them. Someone told Fu Xiuyi about the All-Knowing-Scholar in the Exiled Immortal Pawnshop.


    Fu Xiuyi did not show up and asked someone to spend a lot of money to buy information about the assassin who attempted to kill Prince Yu, but strangely, the Exiled Immortal Pawnshop never managed to find a clue about the assassin. Later on, Fu Xiuyi personally established an investigation team to look into this matter and found out that the Chen family was behind it all. It went without saying that what awaited the entire Chen family was death.


    When Prince Yu had evil designs on her and started cooperating with Ren Wanyun, Shen Miao had already set up this trap. Everything was going according to her plan. Shen Qing being humiliated and her unexpected pregnancy was all part of Shen Miao¡¯s plan.


    Prince Yu was too occupied in trying to get his hands on Shen Miao, so the Chen family could take this opportunity to secretly plan and deal him an unexpected blow. As for the royal family, it was even easier to deal with.


    In fact, Shen Miao always had a guess. With the ability of the Exiled Immortal Pawnshop, it was possible that they didn¡¯t have any clues as to who tried to assassinate Prince Yu Perhaps the Exiled Immortal Pawnshop did it on purpose. Could it be that the people of the Exiled Immortal Pawnshop were also enemies of Prince Yu?


    Therefore, Shen Miao deliberately tested Ji Yushu in the tearoom by saying the word ¡°annihilation¡±. Ji Yushu was stunned, but he did not reveal a look of excitement or happiness. Clearly, there was no blood feud between Ji Yushu and Prince Yu.


    However, Shen Miao, who had died once, had a terrifyingly accurate intuition. Not only did Ji Yushu¡¯s reaction not dispel Shen Miao¡¯s doubts, but it also made her suspect something else. If that was the case, everything could be explained.


    Perhaps¡­ the actual owner of the Exiled Immortal Pawnshop was not Ji Yushu.


    Then who could the owner be?


    Shen Miao couldn¡¯t figure it out. She thought that in her previous life, as the empress, she already knew pretty much all there was to know. Now, it seemed that the water was much deeper than she thought it was.


    However, no matter what, Prince Yu had to die. As for Shen Qing, she only deserved to live a life worse than death. In the previous life, Shen Qing even went to see Shen Miao in prison to gloat over her misery, and in this life, Shen Miao would return the treatment.


    Shuang Jiang walked in with a flower pot and said with a smile, ¡°The sun was strong yesterday, so I took the flower pot out to bask in the sun. Miss said that it would probably snow in the next few days, but I didn¡¯t believe it. Unexpectedly, it snowed early this morning. It¡¯s all thanks to Miss¡¯s accurate prediction. Otherwise, these pots of flowers would have been frozen.¡±


    ¡°Speaking of which, Miss, you seem to like to predict very much.¡± Bai Lu smiled and said, ¡°You always prepare things in advance and think about the moves ahead of time. Every time we¡¯re in a critical situation, we can already get out of it unharmed. Miss, your prediction is very reliable.¡±


    Shen Miao smiled, her bright eyes reflecting the sun outside. She said firmly, ¡°It¡¯s nothing. I just don¡¯t like ¡®accidents¡¯.¡±

 Chapter 210 - Suspicion (1)

    Chapter 210: Suspicion (1)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    The day passed quickly. When Shen Miao came to the Exiled Immortal Pawnshop on the third day, the Chen brothers had been waiting for a long time.


    Compared to before, the two of them seemed to have changed a lot, especially Chen Yueshan. His straightforward and upright aura was gone, and it was replaced by a deep gloom. Shen Miao glanced at Chen Yueshan and Chen Yuehai, and she had a rough idea what happened. The two of them had probably already asked around about their sister, and perhaps they had even seen her with their own eyes. Seeing their beloved sister live such a miserable life must be a great stimulation to them. Otherwise, the Chen brothers wouldn¡¯t have gone to assassinate Prince Yu in the previous life.


    ¡°Miss Shen.¡± Chen Yuehai was the first to speak. He said, ¡°Miss Shen, can you tell us how to prevent the royal family from finding out it¡¯s the Chen family who assassinated Prince Yu?¡±


    Ji Yushu stared at his teacup, deliberately avoiding looking at Shen Miao.


    Shen Miao sighed. ¡°I naturally want to help, but like I said before, this way, the risk I¡¯m taking will be huge. In a way, the Shen family and the Chen family will be tied on the same boat. If anything goes wrong, the Shen family will also suffer.¡±


    Chen Yueshan paused for a moment and said, ¡°I know that we¡¯re pulling you into a dangerous situation that has nothing to do with you, so¡­ if Miss is willing to help, we will give half of the Chen family¡¯s assets to the Shen family.¡±


    As soon as he said that, even Ji Yushu couldn¡¯t help but look up at Chen Yueshan.


    The Chen family was the richest family in Jiangnan. Since ancient times, blessed with geographical advantages, Jiangnan had been an affluent place. The Chen family probably had more money than the royal family. If the Shen family could really gain that much money, their power and influence would be taken to another level.


    When Shen Miao heard that, she looked at Chen Yueshan¡¯s pleading face and was lost in thought. The Chen family was actually willing to pay such a price to avenge their sisters. They knew that even with Shen Miao¡¯s help, there was no guarantee that they could one hundred percent save their sister. The fact that they were still willing to take the risk showed how important the Chen sisters were to the Chen family. In her previous life, Shen Miao was imprisoned and helpless. If the Shen family was still around at that time, would her parents and brother do everything they could to save her?


    ¡°Miss Shen?¡± Seeing that Shen Miao was absent-minded, Chen Yueshan called her.


    Shen Miao came back to her senses and said with a smile, ¡°Forget about your family assets. I¡¯m not helping you because I want your money. I just want to build a good relationship with the Chen family. If I need your help in the future, please don¡¯t turn your backs on me. Secondly, I am also enemies with Prince Yu. If he¡¯s around, he¡¯ll remain a constant threat to me.¡± She looked at Chen Yueshan. ¡°Now, we¡¯re on the same boat.¡±


    Chen Yueshan looked at Shen Miao in front of him. Her eyes were clear and her tone was sincere, as if every word she said was from the bottom of her heart. From the first time he met her until now, she did not act like a young girl. Chen Yueshan could not help but wonder if his sisters could also have the temperament and wisdom of the girl in front of him, would they end up differently?


    At the thought of his sister, Chen Yueshan¡¯s mood immediately darkened. He asked, ¡°Miss Shen, what¡¯s the idea you have in mind?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about the royal family for the time being. Leave them to me. In addition, if you want to make a move, it¡¯s best to do it next month. Prince Yu wants to marry my cousin. On the second day of the marriage, the security will definitely be relaxed. When the time comes, it will be foolproof to make a move early in the morning. ¡±


    ¡°You¡­¡± Chen Yueshan wanted to say something, but in the end, he shook his head and said,¡± How are you going to take care of the royal family within a month? ¡±


    Shen Miao looked at Ji Yushu, who was drinking tea, with a faint smile. ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about that. The most important thing now is to gather your men.¡± After a pause, she continued, ¡°Prince Yu¡¯s mansion is not small. You have to figure out the layout first. On the day of execution, other than my cousin, you have to kill them all.¡±

 Chapter 211 - Suspicion (2)

    Chapter 211: Suspicion (2)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, we know,¡± Chen Yuehai said.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what the rules of the martial world are. What I mean by getting rid of them all is that everyone, the old, the young, the weak, and the strong must all be eliminated, and the entire Prince Yu¡¯s mansion must be turned into a tomb.¡±


    Chen Yueshan and Chen Yuehai were both stunned. Chen Yuehai frowned and said, ¡°Even the concubines and the servants. Most of those concubines were kidnapped by Prince Yu.¡±


    Shen Miao sneered. ¡°If Young Master Chen wants to be merciful, then you will only drag your family into unnecessary disaster, and my family will be implicated too.¡±


    A moment later, Chen Yueshan nodded. ¡°We won¡¯t leave anyone alive.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± Shen Miao said, ¡°Then I hope the two of you can successfully avenge your sisters and wipe out Prince Yu¡¯s mansion.¡±


    After chatting with Shen Miao for a while, the Chen brothers stood up and left. After they left, Ji Yushu finally said, ¡°Miss Shen, given how young you are, you really know a lot of things. The Chen brothers are people who¡¯ve seen the world, but they are actually willing to listen to the plan from a young girl. Miss Shen, this is the first time I¡¯ve seen a smart and beautiful girl like you. I wonder if I¡¯ll have the honor to accompany you to appreciate nature, make poems together by the lake, and¡­¡± The more he went on, the more ridiculous his flirts got.


    ¡°Shopkeeper Ji.¡± Shen Miao asked, ¡°Is this all you got to say?¡±


    ¡°Ahem.¡± Ji Yushu cleared his throat. ¡°In fact, I just want to tell Miss Shen that the rumor has already been created and spread to the palace. I think it won¡¯t be long before Miss Shen gets the result you want.¡±


    Shen Miao was slightly shocked. Although she knew that the Exiled Immortal Pawnshop was capable, she did not know that they were so efficient. She guessed that there must be someone in the palace who could help them. Otherwise, it would probably take a lot of time before the rumor could reach the palace.


    ¡°Thank you, Shopkeeper Ji.¡± Shen Miao lowered her eyes. ¡°After I get what I want, I will keep the promise I made to you.¡±


    Ji Yushu was silent for a moment before asking seriously, ¡°Miss Shen, there¡¯s something I don¡¯t understand.¡±


    ¡°Please go ahead.¡±


    ¡°Miss Shen, you¡¯re using the Shen family to trade with me. Aren¡¯t you afraid that one day, I¡¯ll make the Shen family do something dangerous and push the Shen family to the edge? This doesn¡¯t look like a good trade to you.¡± After saying that, Ji Yushu stared at Shen Miao and paid attention to her expression.


    Shen Miao didn¡¯t blink and said indifferently, ¡°Instead of worrying about the problems in the future, it¡¯s better to worry about the problem at hand. If that day really comes, let it be then.¡±


    Ji Yushu said in confusion, ¡°Do you really mean it?¡±


    ¡°Of course not,¡± Xie Jingxing said lazily as he listened to the conversation in the secret room.


    ¡°Only a fool like Yushu will believe her,¡± Gao Yang said. ¡°This girl is very good at lying. Yushu is not her match at all.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡± Xie Jingxing said slowly, ¡°Once she¡¯s on my ship, it¡¯s not that simple for her to get off.¡±


    When Shen Miao got up to leave, Ji Yushu suddenly said, ¡°By the way, Miss Shen, I think we have found out where Miss Liu Ying is. If Miss Shen wants a definite answer, we might be able to give you one in the next few days.¡±


    However, Shen Miao¡¯s answer stunned Ji Yushu. She said, ¡°There¡¯s no hurry. Shopkeeper Ji, take your time. I¡¯ll¡­ just wait.¡±

 Chapter 212 - Suspicion (3)

    Chapter 212: Suspicion (3)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    After she left, Ji Yushu shook his head and said, ¡°She¡¯s even harder to understand than Miss Shaoyao. At least Miss Shaoyao will be happy if she receives a pearl. This one¡­ Could it be that she¡¯ll only be happy when she receives the head of someone she wants?¡± At the thought of this, he shivered.


    ¡­


    In the palace.


    In the emperor¡¯s study, the report scrolls on the table were folded into a tall stack. Emperor Wen Hui sat at the table with the report scroll spread out in front of him, but he did not even look at it. He was about to enter his sixties. Although he was still energetic, age nonetheless left obvious traces on his face. Looking at him, his courtiers felt like he was an old tiger that had lost its sharp teeth.


    Sooner or later, a new and young tiger would replace him.


    At this moment, Emperor Wen Hui¡¯s expression was dark. As he grew older, he became extremely thin, almost bone-skinny, looking gaunt and scary. When he spoke in a hoarse voice, one could tell he was angry.


    ¡°Did Prince Yu really kill someone who looked identical to that assassin?¡±


    The two men in black standing in front of him said, ¡°Your Majesty, yes, the trusted aide of Prince Yu who was caught by us also admitted that he executed a masked guard a few days ago.¡±


    Emperor Wen Hui closed his eyes and suddenly raised his hand. The paperweight on the table flew out and shattered into several pieces on the ground. A moment later, he sneered. ¡°I underestimated him!¡±


    There were many spies in the palace planted by consorts, officials, and even the empress. Whoever had the most information would have the upper hand. The emperor was no exception. Only with his spies being planted everywhere would he have a firm grip on the throne.


    At first, when he accidentally found out from his spies that Prince Yu had killed someone who looked identical to the assassin, Emperor Wen Hui did not believe it. The royal family was notorious for being heartless. Emperor Wen Hui managed to succeed to the throne by stepping on the corpses of his brothers. Prince Yu, who was the eleventh prince at that time, was spared from death because he risked his life to protect Emperor Wen Hui from being assassinated and became crippled ever since then.


    After becoming the emperor, Emperor Wen Hui felt that dangers lurked everywhere. Even his sons were scheming against him and couldn¡¯t wait to replace him. However, Prince Yu always reminded Emperor Wen Hui that there was still someone in this world who would die for him, and he still had a brother whom he could trust.


    However, now, this turned out to be a mare act put up by this ¡°trusted brother¡±. Emperor Wen Hui even started to suspect that perhaps, Prince Yu¡¯s crippled leg was fake too.


    What exactly did Prince Yu want to do? Was he planning a mustiny? Was he coveting the throne too just like everyone else? Emperor Wen Hui felt a surging anger and humiliation at being deceived.


    If one was betrayed by someone they trusted, they would take back their trust. Not only that, but they would also become even more paranoid. The people of the royal family had always been paranoid. In the past, they did not suspect Prince Yu because of his seeming loyalty, but now, his loyalty turned out to be nothing but a show.


    ¡°Send someone to keep an eye on Prince Yu¡¯s mansion. I want to see what he¡¯s up to!¡±


    Eunuch Gao kept his head lowered and tried to observe the expression on the emperor¡¯s face from the corner of his eyes. Seeing the anger in the emperor¡¯s tone, he sighed, thinking to himself, ¡°Troubled times are on the way.¡±

 Chapter 213 - Suspicion (4)

    Chapter 213: Suspicion (4)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    ¡­


    The days passed uneventfully in the capital like nothing had happened. As the new year approached, people were busy buying new year goods. Even the poor families had joyful smiles all across their faces.


    However, some people weren¡¯t that happy at all.


    In the palace, Prince Li and Prince Xiang were walking in the garden.


    In Prince Li¡¯s faction, Prince Xiang and Prince Cheng were not very powerful and were very respectful to Prince Li. Compared to the crown prince¡¯s taciturn personality and Prince Zhou and Prince Jing¡¯s high-profile ways of doing things, Prince Li was the most mediocre. He wasn¡¯t the most outstanding prince, and his mother was not the most favored, but he was extremely tactful. Whether it was the court officials or his brothers, they were willing to give him face. In private, he was a friendly-looking villain.


    ¡°Sixth Brother, I heard that Father has been very cold to Uncle these days,¡± Prince Xiang said.


    ¡°Oh, you heard it too?¡± Prince Li smiled. When he smiled, small wrinkles appeared at the corners of his eyes, making him look very easygoing. His tone was also very friendly as he chatted with Prince Xiang. ¡°Father has always thought highly of Uncle. However, the few times Uncle came to look for Father, he was shut outside and told that Father was too busy to see him. Anyone with a discerning eye can tell that Father is deliberately avoiding seeing Uncle.¡±


    Emperor Wen Hui had been very protective of Prince Yu. Back then, Emperor Wen Hui had a consort who had offended Prince Yu. That consort¡¯s family was quite influential, but Emperor Wen Hui still sent her to the cold palace without a word. He even warned everyone publicly, ¡°Prince Yu is my brother. If anyone is disrespectful to him, then he¡¯s disrespectful to me too!¡± The sudden change of attitude made everyone unable to help but wonder what happened.


    ¡°But why?¡± Prince Xiang asked in confusion, ¡°Did Uncle do something to anger Father? But all these years, even if Uncle did something out of line, Father has never blamed him. I haven¡¯t heard about Uncle causing any troubles these days.¡±


    ¡°Do you know why Uncle came to the palace to talk with Father?¡±


    Prince Xiang shook his head.


    ¡°Seventh Brother.¡± Prince Li patted his shoulder, looking like he was sincerely concerned about this insensible brother of his. ¡°You have to be careful about everything in the palace. If you are too honest, you¡¯ll be the one to suffer.¡±


    Prince Xiang smiled. ¡°I¡¯ll follow you. Sixth Brother, you are smarter than me. I¡¯ll do whatever you say.¡±


    ¡°I heard that Uncle wanted to talk about something related to the Shen family with Father.¡±


    ¡°The Shen family?¡± Prince Xiang was enlightened. ¡°Could it be that Uncle angered Father because of the Shen family?¡± He thought for a moment and continued, ¡°But Uncle is going to marry the daughter of the second branch of the Shen family. Why should Father get angry over that?¡±


    No one knew Emperor Wen Hui better than his own sons. The only reason Prince Yu could¡¯ve angered Emperor Wen Hui would be that what he wanted was out of line. Power was always something the emperor wasn¡¯t willing to share. The second branch of the Shen family, Shen Gui, was a third-grade civil official. He did not have any real power in his hands, so it would not affect the overall situation. Emperor Wen Hui did not have to be angry with Prince Yu because of this.


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Prince Li said meaningfully, ¡°But what Uncle wants is to marry the daughter of the first branch of the Shen family, Shen Miao.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡± Only then did Prince Xiang think it through. ¡°Shen Xin has military power. If Uncle wants to marry Shen Miao, he is definitely crossing the line that he never should. But why does Uncle suddenly want to marry Shen Miao? Didn¡¯t he make Shen Qing pregnant already? I don¡¯ t think Uncle is so stupid as to offend Father intentionally.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know either.¡± Prince Li shook his head. ¡°Although Uncle has been messing around all these years, he¡¯s never crossed the red line. This time, he¡¯s not just a step over the red line but a stride¡­¡±

 Chapter 214 - Suspicion (5)

    Chapter 214: Suspicion (5)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    ¡°Father definitely won¡¯t let Uncle marry Shen Miao. However, this time, Father didn¡¯t tell Uncle directly. Instead, he avoided him as if he was warning him.¡±


    ¡°His patience is probably worn out.¡± Prince Li smiled faintly. ¡°It¡¯s better for the two of us not to talk about this. It has nothing to do with us anyway. Father doesn¡¯t look too happy these days. Better stay with him for the time being.¡±


    ¡°Sixth Brother, you are right.¡± Prince Xiang nodded.


    After the two of them left, a person slowly walked out from the corner of the garden. It was Prince Ding, Fu Xiuyi. He stood in the garden, clearly having heard the conversation between the two of them. He looked at the back of the two of them and muttered thoughtfully, ¡°Shen Miao?¡±


    ¡­


    On the top floor of Lake Immortal Pavilion, Ji Yushu showed the letter to Gao Yang before burning it to ashes in the fireplace.


    ¡°The rumor has already spread. Emperor Wen Hui is also suspicious of Old Dog. This time, Old Dog shot himself in the foot without knowing it.¡± Ji Yushu gloated.


    Gao Yang shook his head. ¡°We have to be careful. We can¡¯t afford to make a tiny mistake now.¡±


    ¡°I know.¡± Ji Yushu rubbed his nose. ¡°What is Third Brother Xie busy with these days? He¡¯s nowhere to be seen.¡±


    ¡°When is he not busy?¡± Gao Yang suddenly sighed. ¡°I wonder if it¡¯s right or wrong to let him do whatever he wants.¡±


    ¡°I believe in Third Brother Xie.¡± Ji Yushu said, ¡°Third Brother Xie is so capable. What are you worried about? He has been preparing for so long. Even if he can¡¯t succeed, he can still get out of it unscathed. Gao Yang, you¡¯re just overthinking. Look at our Third Brother Xie. No matter how troubled he is, he still lives a carefree life. This is what a man should be like!¡±


    Ji Yushu was obviously Xie Jingxing¡¯s loyal follower. Gao Yang rolled his eyes at him. ¡°Bootlicker.¡±


    ¡°Who¡¯s bootlicker? Besides, it¡¯s not that I¡¯ll bootlick everyone.¡± He looked at Gao Yang in disdain and said, ¡°For example, I can¡¯t be bothered to bootlick you even if you get down on your knees and beg me to.¡±


    Gao Yang smiled gently. ¡°Is that so? Then don¡¯t ask me to prescribe you medicines in the future. If you kneel down and beg me, I won¡¯t prescribe it to you.¡±


    Ji Yushu was stunned for a moment before immediately changing the topic. ¡°Actually, in the past, I felt that the young people in the capital were all sissy and useless. Only Third Brother Xie is a man. But now, I admire another person. I feel that other than Third Brother Xie, there are other talented young people in the capital.¡±


    ¡°Oh, there¡¯s someone you admire. How eye-opening.¡± Gao Yang said indifferently, ¡°Who is that person? May I know?¡±


    ¡°Shen Miao, the daughter of the Shen family!¡± Ji Yushu slapped his thigh. ¡°Damn, I¡¯ve never seen such a bold woman! She even dares to scheme against the royal family. Moreover, she¡¯s targeting Prince Yu and wants to wipe out the entire Prince Yu¡¯s mansion.¡±


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s not the craziest thing she¡¯s done,¡± Gao Yang said with admiration. Previously, Shen Miao burned down her ancestral hall and even dared to bet her life on it. At that time, Gao Yang felt that Shen Miao was really a lunatic. People like Gao Yang were used to planning everything in detail before making a guaranteed move. At first, Gao Yang just took Shen Miao as a foolhardy clown. He was sure that Shen Miao would not live long given how reckless she was. However, he did not expect that she would¡¯ve come thus far and won every time.


    Sometimes, Gao Yang felt that it was very strange. People like him all treated themselves as exquisite porcelain. Unless they had no choice, they would never risk their lives to fight with others. However, Shen Miao was the opposite. She treated herself as a stone, and the people who she went against became porcelain. She didn¡¯t lose a thing, but the porcelain that was shamed by the stone had all shattered into pieces.

 Chapter 215 - Suspicion (6)

    Chapter 215: Suspicion (6)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    Not everyone had the courage to treat themselves as stones. It was precisely because of this that Gao Yang felt that Shen Miao was even more dangerous. The way to deal with potential danger was to get rid of it before it could pose a threat. However¡­ Gao Yang was actually a little uncertain about what Xie Jingxing was thinking.


    It was impossible for Xie Jingxing not to know that Shen Miao was an unstable variable. If Shen Miao became an obstacle that got in their way, the consequence would be unimaginable.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know she¡¯d done something so mind-blowing.¡± Ji Yushu said in surprise. Then, he nodded and said, ¡°But on second thought, it¡¯s not that surprising for the daughter of the mighty general to be so fearless. Although she doesn¡¯t have a martial arts background and isn¡¯t raised by Shen Xin, with her personality and temperament, no one will dare to offend her.¡±


    Seeing that Gao Yang was a little lost in thought, Ji Yushu suddenly thought of something and continued, ¡°Speaking of which, although I was the one who made up the rumor this time, everything was done according to Shen Miao¡¯s plan. Now that I think about it, she¡¯s really a little scary. For some reason, Prince Yu seems to have been in fury these days. He actually told Emperor Wen Hui that he wanted to marry Shen Miao. Prince Yu actually made such an idiotic mistake. He knew that Shen Xin had military power, and whoever married Shen Miao would become an eyesore in the emperor¡¯s eyes. I¡¯m afraid Emperor Wen Hui wouldn¡¯t be merciful to Prince Yu this time. This way, it¡¯d be much easier for the Chen family to execute their plan. Shen Miao is really a genius. Her plan was flawless and well-calculated.¡±


    ¡°Accidents won¡¯t happen to her,¡± Gao Yang muttered pensively. Xie Jingxing was right. Every time Shen Miao did something that seemed dangerous, it ended up exactly the same as what she wanted to achieve in the beginning. In her plan, there were no accidents.


    Gao Yang thought with relish that if he could see Shen Miao panic one day and be dumbfounded because of an ¡°accident¡±, it would definitely be an entertaining scene.


    ¡°In short, I think this Shen Miao is someone worth befriending.¡± Ji Yushu said seriously, ¡°In addition to her appearance, I think she will definitely become a beauty in a few years. How can I, Ji Yushu, miss out on such a smart and beautiful woman?¡± He revealed a smile that he thought was charming. ¡°I¡¯ve decided to make her as important as Miss Shaoyao in my heart. From now on, other than Miss Shaoyao, Shen Miao will also be considered my confidante.¡±


    Gao Yang turned his head away and couldn¡¯t be bothered to talk to this fool.


    After that, the ¡°confidante¡± Ji Yushu mentioned was picking and choosing items in the room.


    ¡°Sister, are you looking for something to add to Shen Qing¡¯s dowry?¡± Shen Qiu scratched his head and asked.


    In the storeroom, Shen Miao picked out a portion of the things that the emperor had given to the mighty general. After fumbling for a while, she finally picked out a jade pillow. It was very cold to the touch, and it emitted a jade glow, looking very expensive and nice.


    ¡°Sister, are you going to give this to Shen Qing?¡±


    As the day of Shen Qing¡¯s wedding approached, the entire Shen family began to prepare for Shen Qing¡¯s marriage. A few days ago, Shen Yue asked Shen Miao what she wanted to give Shen Qing, and Shen Qiu happened to hear it. However, Shen Miao did not do anything for the past few days, so he thought that she finally remembered it and was selecting a gift for Shen Qing.


    ¡°This?¡± Shen Miao picked up the jade pillow and shook her head. ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡± Shen Qiu asked, ¡°Sister, do you want to use it yourself? This jade pillow looks good.¡±


    Shen Miao lowered her eyes. This jade pillow was called the Ice Silkworm Pillow. In her previous life, this pillow was stuffed into her dowry by Shen Xin when Shen Miao left the Shen mansion to live with Prince Ding. One day, Consort Mei said that she was not feeling well and had a headache, so she insisted on wanting this pillow. At that time, the Ice Silkworm Pillow was given to Wanyu. Wanyu refused to give it and quarreled with consort Mei, causing the pillow to break. Hearing the incident, Fu Xiuyi punished Wanyu severely.


    Thinking about it now, though it was all in her last life, Shen Miao still felt a stinging pain.


    ¡°Sister?¡± Shen Qiu asked worriedly when he saw that Shen Miao was silent.


    ¡°I¡¯m giving this to someone.¡± Shen Miao said, ¡°As for Eldest Sister¡¯s dowry, if you have time, help me pick one thing or two for her. If you don¡¯t have time, I¡¯ll get Gu Yu to buy something.¡± The way she said it was filled with indifference.


    ¡°Oh,¡± Shen Qiu replied blankly. Only when Shen Miao walked out of the house did he slap his head. ¡°Damn, I forgot to ask who she¡¯s giving that pillow to!¡±


    Outside the house, Jingzhe asked, ¡°Miss, who are you giving your pillow to?¡±


    ¡°A friend.¡±


    Since she would need the Chen family in the future, she had to show her willingness to befriend them. If a little gift could win her a powerful ally, the trade was definitely worth it. It was from Fu Xiuxi that she learned how to manipulate people.


    This pillow was conducive to sleep and was undoubtedly a good thing for the Chen sister.

 Chapter 216 - Getting Married (1)

    Chapter 216: Getting Married (1)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    Time passed quickly. In the blink of an eye, it was the eighth day of the twelfth month of the lunar year.


    Today, it was an auspicious day for marriage. It was also on this day that Prince Yu was finally going to marry his princess consort many years after his wife passed away. However, everyone knew that this was not something to be happy about because most likely, a funeral would be on the way too.


    Prince Yu was going to marry the daughter of the second branch of the Shen family, Shen Qing. In the Shen mansion, there were three unmarried ladies. Shen Miao was once famous for being an idiot, and Shen Yue was famous for being talented. Shen Qing was considered beautiful, generous, and smart. In the end, she ended up marrying Prince Yu. When the news of this spread throughout the capital, many commoners found it unbelievable.


    ¡°Shen Gui must be crazy.¡± Someone in the crowd whispered, ¡°Is he really going to sit back and watch his daughter die in the hands of a devil? What a sin.¡±


    ¡°What do you know?¡± Another person said disapprovingly, ¡°I heard from my cousin who¡¯s an official that Eldest Miss Shen has already been having an affair with Prince Yu. She¡¯s already pregnant with his baby. If not for the fact that she¡¯s pregnant with the royal blood, she would have been drowned as a punishment.¡±


    ¡°Ah? Are you serious?¡± When the people around heard that, they were all a little surprised. Clearly, they did not know about this before.


    That person nodded his head proudly. ¡°Dead serious. I heard that all the civil and military officials saw it at the royal banquet that day. That¡¯s why I said that Eldest Miss Shen is not pitiful at all. She deserved it.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. Pregnant before marriage is immoral!¡±


    ¡°How shameless!¡±


    ¡°How did the second branch of the Shen family raise such a daughter? She¡¯s really a disgrace to the family.¡±


    Everyone was talking at once, their words filled with disdain for Shen Qing. It took them only a moment to shift from pitying Shen Qing to cursing her.


    The person who initially said that Shen Qing was pregnant smiled and disappeared into the crowd.


    In the Shen family, the maid was helping Shen Qing dress up.


    Ren Wanyun stood behind Shen Qing and clenched the handkerchief in her hand tightly, almost tearing it into pieces. The daughter she had raised well and carefully was now going to marry a devil. To Ren Wanyuan, it felt like someone was skinning her bit by bit.


    Unlike Ren Wanyun, Shen Qing did not experience as much emotional fluctuation as Ren Wanyun. She sat quietly in her seat and let the maid help her put on clothes. The maid smiled and said, ¡°Miss, I¡¯m going to pull on the corset for you. This will be a little painful. Miss, bear with it for a while.¡±


    As soon as the maid said that, Ren Wanyun felt a sharp pain in her heart and almost fainted. Shen Qing, on the other hand, only looked at herself in the bronze mirror with a blank expression. If not for the fact that her eyes would blink from time to time, others would probably think that she was a lifeless corpse.


    The maid was a little afraid when she saw Shen Qing like this. She took out a corset from the box and started to put it on. It was indeed very painful. Usually, those young ladies would always shout in pain. However, when the corset was pulled on, Shen Qing was still expressionless, as if she was actually dead.


    ¡°Qing¡­¡± Ren Wanyun couldn¡¯t help but cry.

 Chapter 217 - Getting Married (2)

    Chapter 217: Getting Married (2)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    The maid saw that not only was the bride not happy, but she also revealed an expression of despair. She understood what was going on and stopped saying anything congratulatory to Shen QIng. After doing her job, she quickly excused herself and scurried away.


    Only Ren Wanyun, Shen Qing, and a few personal maids were left in the room.


    Ren Wanyun could not stop crying. In just a few months, she seemed to have aged a decade with wrinkles and white hair multiplying on her face. She no longer looked like a rich and smart woman.


    ¡°Mother, don¡¯t worry.¡± It was Shen Qing who spoke first. Her voice was hoarse, and it sounded like she was crying and laughing at the same time. She said, ¡°I will definitely not suffer for nothing today. I will take revenge.¡±


    ¡°Qing, I¡¯m sorry.¡± Ren Wanyun went forward and hugged her.


    Shen Qing let her hug her and said in a hoarse voice, ¡°Father and Mother can¡¯t help me, so I can only help myself.¡± Her tone was dark, but everyone could feel that it was filled with resentment.


    Ren Wanyun felt as if she had been struck by lightning. However, she knew that she was also the cause of her daughter¡¯s misery. If she had not schemed against Shen Miao back then, if she had gone out to take a look at night in the Wolong Temple, or if she had not cooperated with Prince Yu to harm Shen Miao, Shen Qing wouldn¡¯t have ended up in such a desperate situation now.


    She forced a smile and said, ¡°Qing, don¡¯t be afraid. I swear that I will definitely avenge you. And your second brother will help you ruin that little b*tch¡­¡±


    In the hall outside, Old Madam Shen sat on the chair in the middle with a dark expression. Shen Yuanbai was half-lying in her arms. As if he was a little afraid of the ruthlessness on Old Madam Shen¡¯s face, he didn¡¯t dare to even lift his fingers.


    ¡°What¡¯s the point of dressing up?¡± Old Madam Shen said, ¡°She did such a shameless thing and still has the cheek to keep us waiting! Shen Gui, look at what a good daughter you¡¯ve raised!¡± Old Madam Shen was vain and loved to show off. When she found out that all the civil and military officials knew about Shen Qing¡¯s scandal, Old Madam Shen felt that she had lost all her face, so she naturally hated Shen Qing and her mother.


    Shen Gui nodded with agreement, wishing he could divorce Ren Wanyun now.


    When Shen Qiu heard that, he pursed his lips, as if he was fighting back his laughter. Perhaps Old Madam Shen had forgotten that she wasn¡¯t any better than Shen Qing. She was just using her seniority to criticize Shen Qing on the moral high ground and pretend she was all pure and noble.


    Shen Wan did not say anything, and Chen Ruoqiu was silent as well, not wanting to provoke Old Madam Shen when she was in a fit of anger. As for Shen Xin and Luo Xueyan, they stood rooted to the ground, as if they did not hear Old Madam Shen at all.


    After Old Madam Shen finished being angry, she said, ¡°There¡¯s no need to prepare too much dowry for such a daughter.¡±


    As soon as she said that, Luo Xueyan looked at her more disdainfully. Old Madam Shen favored the second branch the most. Although she favored boys over girls, Shen Qing was also brought up by her. She knew that Shen Qing would live in misery after marrying Prince Yu and giving her more money might potentially save her life, but Luo Xueyan did not expect Old Madam Shen to be so stingy and heartless.


    Shen Gui agreed readily. He had always acted like a filial son. Seeing that he was so obedient, Old Madam Shen¡¯s expression softened. She looked at Shen Xin and was about to say something when she suddenly heard Shen Yue cry out, ¡°Second Brother?¡±

 Chapter 218 - Getting Married (3)

    Chapter 218: Getting Married (3)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    Everyone followed Shen Yue¡¯s gaze and saw a young man walking in from the door. He was wearing a green robe and looked quite handsome. In terms of appearance, he looked quite like Shen Gui, but there was a hint of arrogance between his eyebrows.


    This person was none other than the second branch of the Shen family, Shen Gui¡¯s eldest son, Shen Yuan.


    In the second branch, Shen Yuan had always been smart. Compared to Shen Qiu, who obtained his military achievements through hard work, Shen Yuan was much more talented. When he was young, he was ranked very high in the imperial examination. Later, he was recognized by a noble and went on to become an official. However, he had to work as an official outside the capital for three years. This year was the last year, and he was supposed to stay in the capital to become an official after the end of the year. After knowing what happened to his sister, Shen Yuan rushed back, hoping to see his sister before she married.


    Even Shen Yue could not help but hide behind Shen Wan. Shen Wan patted Shen Yue¡¯s back and looked at Shen Yuan.


    The people in the Shen family were more or less afraid of Shen Yuan. Perhaps it was because Shen Yuan had become an official at a young age, or perhaps it was because they felt that he was scheming and unfathomable. In short, Shen Yue and Shen Miao were very afraid of him.


    Old Madam Shen was the happiest. She waved at Shen Yuan in surprise. ¡°Yuan!¡± Shen Yuanbai, who was in Old Madam Shen¡¯s arms, also shouted, ¡°Second Brother!¡±


    Only then did Shen Yuan smile and bow to Old Madam Shen. He called her ¡°Grandmother¡± and patted Shen Yuanbai¡¯s head. ¡°Yuanbai has grown taller again.¡±


    ¡°Yuan, you must be tired after such a long journey back.¡± Chen Ruoqiu smiled and said, ¡°Do you want to rest first?¡± Now that Ren Wanyun was not around, she was now managing the Shen family and naturally had to express her concern for the younglings.


    Shen Yuan turned to look at Chen Ruoqiu. For some reason, Chen Ruoqiu¡¯s heart sank and she felt a sense of fear. After not seeing him for a year, Shen Yuan had become more and more unfathomable. Chen Ruoqiu had always been smart, and when the children were young, she had tried to make things difficult for Shen Yuan. However, Shen Yuan was unexpectedly smart. In the end, Chen Ruoqiu was sometimes the one who suffered.


    ¡°There¡¯s no need.¡± Shen Yuan said, ¡°I came back this time to see my sister get married. If I rest, I¡¯m afraid I¡¯ll sleep in.¡±


    At the mention of Shen Qing, the atmosphere in the room became a little awkward. Without any hesitation, Shen Yuan turned to look at Shen Miao who was standing beside Shen Qiu.


    ¡°It¡¯s been a long time since we last met. Fifth Sister has changed a lot.¡± He narrowed his eyes. ¡°As expected, girls change when they grow up. Fifth Sister has become¡­ somewhat unrecognizable.¡±


    Shen Miao looked at him calmly. Shen Yuan¡¯s gaze was sinister and probing, like a poisonous snake crawling in the mud. She smiled. ¡°Second Brother, you remain the same.¡±


    Chen Ruoqiu widened her eyes. For some reason, she felt Shen Yue was teasing him. Shen Xin and Luo Xueyan both frowned at the same time, but at this moment, Shen Qiu added with a smile, ¡°That¡¯s right. Second Brother, you indeed don¡¯t seem to have changed much.¡± Shen Yuan looked at Shen Qiu. Then, he said meaningfully, ¡°I didn¡¯t expect Fifth Sister and Eldest Brother to be so close now.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re from the same parents, so we are naturally very close.¡± Shen Miao smiled gently. ¡°Second Brother, why don¡¯t you go and see Eldest Sister now? If you¡¯ve prepared something to add to her dowry, it¡¯s not too late yet.¡±

 Chapter 219 - Getting Married (4)

    Chapter 219: Getting Married (4)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    Shen Yuan looked at Shen Miao intently and smiled. ¡°That¡¯s right. I¡¯ll go now.¡± After saying that, he bowed to Old Madam Shen. ¡°Grandma, I¡¯ll go and see my sister first. Over the years, I haven¡¯t fulfilled my responsibility as a brother. Now that she¡¯s getting married, I don¡¯t know if she¡¯ll be bullied in the future. I will try to give her all the support I have. Excuse me.¡± With that, he turned around and left quickly without greeting others.


    From the beginning to the end, he did not say a word to Shen Gui.


    In the past, although Shen Gui and Shen Yuan were not particularly close, they were still father and son. Shen Gui valued Shen Yuan and took good care of him. Shen Yuan also treated Shen Gui with respect. Today, his attitude was obviously not right. Shen Gui¡¯s face was ashen and he clenched his fists. Old Madam Shen looked at him resentfully and was a little annoyed. She waved her hand and said, ¡°Help me back to my room!¡±


    Old Madam Shen did not plan to go to the wedding banquet today. Most of the guests who were invited to the banquet were high-ranking officials and nobles who knew the ins and outs of this marriage very well. She didn¡¯t want to go to be a walking embarrassment.


    After Old Madam Shen left, the hall was a little awkward. Shen Yue glanced at Shen Miao and asked, ¡°Fifth Sister, what did you give to Eldest Sister?¡±


    ¡°Just some jewelry,¡± Shen Miao said indifferently.


    Shen Yue nodded. Seeing that Shen Miao couldn¡¯t be bothered to talk to her, Shen Yue was pissed off. BUt in front of Shen Xin, she didn¡¯t dare to reveal the anger on her face and just stood quietly beside Chen Ruoqiu.


    Shen Wan looked at Shen Xin. ¡°Brother, now that Yuan is back, what should we do?¡±


    ¡°What does it have anything to do with me?¡± Shen Xin asked curiously. ¡°I don¡¯t even have the time and energy to take care of Jiaojiao and Qiu, so why should I care about Shen Yuan? Third Brother, try to help Second Brother if you can. We¡¯re all brothers, right?¡±


    Shen Xin looked honest and sincere, but in fact, he was the most sharp-tongued. Xie Ding, the Marquis of Lin¡¯an, had been engaged in a war of words with Shen Xin for decades but never managed to beat him. After Shen Xin said this, Chen Ruoqiu was so angry that she dug her nails into her palms. Everyone knew that the third branch was very underpopulated. Other than Shen Yue, they had no children. Although Shen Wan was deeply in love with Chen Ruoqiu now, Old Madam Shen had long wanted to take in a few concubines for Shen Wan. What Shen Xin just said hit Chen Ruoqiu right on her most vulnerable spot.


    ¡°That¡¯s right, Sister-in-law.¡± Luo Xueyan also smiled and said, ¡°Don¡¯t always worry about others. I know the two of you are kind-hearted, but it¡¯s time to think about your own matters. Yue has already come of age. You can start thinking about perhaps having another one.¡±


    Shen Miao smiled. Shen Xin and Luo Xueyan were not good at dealing with battles at home, but their experience on the battlefield made them more sensitive than others. Shen Wan and his wife wanted to sow discord, but with just a few words, Shen Xin and Luo Xueyan made them speechless.


    ¡°Sister, let¡¯s go and see Eldest Sister too.¡± Shen Qiu patted Shen Miao¡¯s shoulder. ¡°I selected some jewelry for you to give to her.¡±


    Shen Miao knew that Shen Qiu had something to say to her, so she nodded and walked to the west courtyard with Shen Qiu.


    ¡°Sister, Shen Yuan is hostile to you,¡± Shen Qiu said.


    ¡°I know.¡±


    ¡°He might know the real reason why his sister is married to Prince Yu.¡± Shen Qiu was a little anxious. ¡°He likes to stab people in the back and is quite scheming. He will probably avenge Shen Qing and will always think of ways to harm you. You, you stay in the mansion for the next few days and don¡¯t go out.¡±

 Chapter 220 - Getting Married (5)

    Chapter 220: Getting Married (5)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    Shen Qiu had a natural hostility towards Shen Yuan. It was hard to explain why. In fact, Shen Yuan and Shen Qiu did not have much to do with each other, but Shen Qiu just did not like Shen Yuan. Perhaps some people were born enemies.


    ¡°Brother, if he really wants to harm me, no matter how well I hide, he can still sneak up to me and attack me. Besides, what can he do? Don¡¯t worry. He¡¯s a very cautious person and won¡¯t kill me at this juncture.¡±


    ¡°Sister, you¡¯re still young and don¡¯t understand the danger of some things.¡± Shen Qiu was even more anxious. ¡°Shen Yuan is not a good person. You¡¯ll be at a disadvantage if you¡¯re careless!¡±


    ¡°Brother, don¡¯t worry.¡± Shen Miao looked at Shen Qiu. ¡°If anything happens, I still have you, right?¡± She smiled coldly, but there was something she didn¡¯t say to Shen Qiu.


    In her previous life, Shen Qiu¡¯s death was definitely not an accident. She did not know who in the second or third branches did it, but none of these people were innocent. Even if Shen Yuan did not attack her, she would not let him off easily.


    If Shen Yue attacked her, she would beat him in his own game.


    In the Rosy Cloud Garden in the east courtyard, when Ren Wanyun saw Shen Yuan, she went forward to hug him and cried. The fear and helplessness she had been feeling these days finally condensed into streams of tears the moment she saw Shen Yuan. Ren Wanyun was so choked with emotion that she could not say a word. When Shen Qing, who was already as stiff as a puppet, saw Shen Yuan, a trace of happiness flashed across her dull eyes.


    After comforting Ren Wanyun for a while, Shen Yuan went forward and patted Shen Qing¡¯s head. Shen Qing couldn¡¯t hold it anymore and finally burst into tears. As she cried, she said, ¡°Second Brother, why didn¡¯t you come back earlier¡­¡±


    When Ren Wanyun saw that Shen Qing was crying, she cried too. For a moment, the room was filled with cries. Those who did not know better would think that it was a funeral. No one would expect it to be a wedding.


    A trace of gloom flashed across Shen Yuan¡¯s eyes. He had grown up in the General¡¯s Mansion. Although Shen Xin and his wife had the unchallenged status in the General¡¯s Mansion, in his opinion, the two of them were just martial artists who only knew how to fight wars. Their daughter was also a fool. These people could be easily dealt with by their second branch. As for his mother and sister, they had always been elegant and smart. In comparison, Shen Miao was like a stupid country bumpkin.


    Now, that stupid country bumpkin actually forced Ren Wanyun and Shen Qing to this extent. To Shen Yuan, this was undoubtedly a blatant provocation.


    In the letter Ren Wanyun wrote to him, she had already explained everything clearly. In Shen Yuan¡¯s opinion, although Ren Wanyun¡¯s plan was not perfect, it was really beyond his expectations that Shen Miao could fight back and even escape safely.


    ¡°Mother, don¡¯t cry.¡± Shen Yuan¡¯s expression was calm as he said, ¡°Crying won¡¯t help.¡±


    ¡°Yuan.¡± Ren Wanyun grabbed his hand and said, ¡°You¡¯re always the smartest. You can definitely save your sister, right?¡±


    Hearing this, Shen Qing also looked at Shen Yuan expectantly. ¡°Second Brother, I beg you to help me. I don¡¯t want to marry that person¡­ I shouldn¡¯t have married him¡­ Second Brother, help me, help me¡­¡± Although Shen Qing was also a little afraid of her brother, as long as she was bullied since she was young, Shen Yuan would always seek justice for her. Now that Shen Yuan was her last straw to clutch at, she naturally had to hold on to him tightly.


    ¡°I can¡¯t.¡± Shen Yuan¡¯s expression was so calm that it made people shudder. ¡°At this point, there¡¯s no way to turn around the situation. I can¡¯t allow you to put everyone in danger. Therefore, my dear sister, you must marry him.¡±

 Chapter 221 - Getting Married (6)

    Chapter 221: Getting Married (6)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    As soon as she finished speaking, Shen Qing fell to the ground. She paused for a moment and finally cried out in despair. Her makeup was smudged and her face was dirty, but she did not care about it at all.


    ¡°Is there really¡­ no other way¡­¡± Ren Wanyun muttered.


    ¡°Although there is no way to stop this marriage from happening, I won¡¯t let my sister suffer for nothing.¡± Shen Yuan said coldly, ¡°Shen Miao became so smart all of a sudden. Either someone is giving her ideas, or she was just playing the fool in the past. If it¡¯s true that she¡¯s been playing the fool for more than a decade, then she¡¯s truly something.¡±


    ¡°That little b*tch seems to have been possessed. We almost succeeded in setting her up, but she managed to escape it at the eleventh hour. Yuan, she must die.¡± Ren Wanyun gritted her teeth and said, ¡°Thinking that that b*tch is the cause of all our misery, I want to eat her flesh and drink her blood.¡±


    ¡°Mother, we can¡¯t deal with her unscrupulously now. She has a backer. I heard that Eldest Uncle is going to stay in the capital for another half a year. We have to be careful.¡± Shen Yuan glanced at Shen Qing.


    Ren Wanyun trembled. ¡°But we can¡¯t just let it go!¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡± Shen Yuan said, ¡°No matter how powerful a backer is, there will come a day when they fall. Since Shen Miao has a backer, we¡¯ll make her fall with her backer. It¡¯s good that Eldest Uncle¡¯s family is in the capital.¡± A smile appeared on Shen Yuan¡¯s lips. ¡°It saves me the trouble of dealing with them one by one.¡±


    Ren Wanyun was a little frightened for no reason, but when she saw Shen Qing lying on the ground, she immediately became angry and said, ¡°Yuan, you must not let that little b*tch off!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡± Shen Yuan¡¯s gaze was dark. ¡°I¡¯ll make sure that Shen Miao gets what she sows.¡±


    With her makeup all messed up, Shen Qing had to redo it.


    The maid came back to help Shen Qing put on the makeup again. She was surprised to find that this time, Shen Qing looked more lively than before and was no longer like a corpse.


    When Shen Yue and Shen Miao came over to send their gifts, Shen Qing even smiled at them.


    However, now that Shen Qing was pregnant, her body was a little swollen, and she had been very anxious these days. Even with makeup, she still looked old and haggard. Not only did her smile not have the charm of a girl, but it also looked a little strange and scary.


    ¡°Eldest Sister, you have to take good care of yourself,¡± Shen Yue said with red eyes.


    ¡°Of course,¡± Shen Qing replied. She then looked at Shen Miao and said in a hoarse voice, ¡°I will definitely repay Fifth Sister for her kindness.¡±


    Although she was smiling, the ruthlessness in her words made Shen Yue shiver.


    ¡°I¡¯ll wait.¡± Shen Miao smiled.


    When Shen Qing got on the wedding sedan, Shen Yuan carried her up on his back. The most embarrassing thing was that Prince Yu did not come to pick up the bride at all and only sent a butler.


    When Shen Yuan was carrying Shen Qing, the people around the entrance of the General¡¯s Mansion pointed at them and talked about how shameless and wanton Shen Qing was. Even if Ren Wanyun and Shen Yuan were angry, they could not do anything to the crowd.

 Chapter 222 - Getting Married (7)

    Chapter 222: Getting Married (7)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    After the sedan was finally lifted, Shen Yuan returned to the entrance of the Shen family. He walked to Shen Miao¡¯s side and stood there. Looking at the sedan leaving, he said, ¡°Fifth Sister, you look very calm.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not the one getting married. Why shouldn¡¯t I be calm?¡± Shen Miao replied.


    ¡°Fifth Sister, do you know what will happen to Qing after she gets married?¡±


    ¡°Her future is not up to me.¡±


    Shen Yuan did not seem to hear Shen Miao¡¯s words and continued, ¡°In this world, everything is changeable. Sometimes, the situation you think is a conundrum will turn out to be a blessing in disguise. Sometimes, a smooth sailing will lead you,¡± His voice suddenly sank. ¡°Into a storm.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Shen Miao smiled. ¡°No one knows what will happen.¡±


    Shen Yuan finally turned around and looked at Shen Miao. He sized her up, making her feel uncomfortable, and said, ¡°I only realized today that Fifth Sister is actually a smart person.¡±


    Shen Miao did not comment. She heard a shout behind her. ¡°Sister!¡± Shen Qiu rushed over and looked at Shen Yuan warily before saying to Shen Miao, ¡°Sister, don¡¯t run around. There are many people outside. You never know who has designs on you.¡±


    Shen Yuan glanced at Shen Qiu and smiled again. ¡°Eldest Brother, you must be joking. Besides, Fifth Sister is so smart. I¡¯m afraid no one is her match.¡±


    Shen Qiu sneered. ¡°My sister is naive by nature unlike some sinister people. As her brother, I naturally have to worry about her all the time. Otherwise, those well-educated wolves will eat her up. Let¡¯s go, Sister. Let¡¯s take a carriage to Prince Yu¡¯s mansion!¡±


    The Shen family also had to go to Prince Yu¡¯s mansion to attend the banquet. However, Shen Qiu¡¯s words showed that he really did not trust Shen Yuan.


    Shen Yuan looked at the backs of the siblings as they left, and a trace of ruthlessness flashed across his eyes.


    The wedding sedan had to travel through more than half of the capital and past the most prosperous streets. After all, it was a marriage personally arranged by the empress, so it naturally had to be grand.


    On the most prosperous section of the road, the young man in white was waving the fan at himself as usual. He looked out of the window at the grand bridal escort team. As the bridal escort team walked, they scattered copper coins. The commoners who were watching the show rushed forward to snatch them. From the looks of it, they were also in a joyous mood.


    However, only the person in the sedan knew what it felt like.


    ¡°This marriage is quite grand.¡± Ji Yushu played with the silver coin in his hand and said, ¡°I haven¡¯t seen such a lively marriage in a long time. I wonder if I¡¯ll have an equally grand wedding with Miss Shaoyao in the future.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re still thinking about Miss Shaoyao.¡± Gao Yang glanced at him. ¡°Yushu, I remember that you have a fianc¨¦e, right? Does your fianc¨¦e know that you¡¯re wooing Miss Shaoyao?¡±


    ¡°I already told you that didn¡¯t count. A marriage was arranged for me when I was just an infant. I don¡¯t even know what she looks like! I won¡¯t marry her! I just love Miss Shaoyao. If Miss Shaoyao turns me down, then Fifth Miss Shen is not bad either.¡± He chuckled and looked at the person opposite him. ¡°Third Brother Xie, right?¡±


    Xie Jingxing glanced at him and couldn¡¯t be bothered to speak. Gao Yang sneered. ¡°Shen Miao? I¡¯m afraid you will die not even knowing how you died.¡±


    ¡°What? Don¡¯t talk like she¡¯s like a rakshasa. I think she¡¯s smart, sensitive, bold, and meticulous.¡± Ji Yushu said indignantly, ¡°Besides, she¡¯s not bad-looking. I heard that she was infatuated with Prince Ding before. How can Prince Ding compare to me?¡±


    Gao Yang looked at Ji Yushu. ¡°You¡¯re really something. However, Miss Shen seems to be in trouble.¡±


    ¡°What trouble?¡± Ji Yushu asked.


    ¡°Shen Qing¡¯s brother, Shen Yuan, is back.¡± Gao Yang said gloatingly, ¡°Shen Yuan will definitely not let Shen Miao off. Shen Yuan is not easy to deal with. Among the second branch of the General¡¯s Mansion, Shen Gui is even more scheming than his father, Shen Gui.¡±


    ¡°Shen Yuan doesn¡¯t seem to be an ordinary person.¡± Ji Yushu suddenly thought of something. ¡°Isn¡¯t he Fu Xiuyi¡¯s man?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s just a small fry,¡± Xie Jingxing suddenly said.


    ¡°Ha, you¡¯re still so arrogant.¡± Gao Yang asked, ¡°What¡¯s the next move?¡±


    ¡°Waiting.¡±


    Waiting for someone to start the game, then¡­ joining the game when it was about to end and reaped the benefits.

 Chapter 223 - Massacre (1)

    Chapter 223: Massacre (1)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    After crossing more than half of the capital, the bridal sedan was finally carried into Prince Yu¡¯s mansion.


    Many guests had already arrived at the entrance of Prince Yu¡¯s mansion. Although Prince Yu was usually fierce and cruel, he was still a member of the royal family, so the ministers still had to come. Emperor Wen Hui and the princes didn¡¯t come, but they all got someone to send their gifts.


    Perhaps Prince Yu was displeased with Emperor Wen Hui¡¯s attitude towards him over the past few days. When the people from the palace came today, he didn¡¯t offer them a cup of wine to thank them. When the eunuch saw this scene, he sneered in his heart. Perhaps to others, they were just low life castrated men. However, in fact, they were closest to the emperor. Something must have happened between Emperor Wen Hui and Prince Yu. Prince Yu still went about doing his usual business, but Emperor Wen Hui was no longer as tolerant as before. Today, Prince Yu¡¯s unfriendly attitude would only make Emperor Wen Hui even angrier.


    After the people in the palace left, Prince Yu turned around and instructed the servants to continue welcoming the guests. Today, Prince Yu was wearing a bright red wedding robe. The fabric and embroidery of the robe were undoubtedly very exquisite, but when he wore it, one of his trouser legs was hanging loosely, making it look a little strange. He was born with a fierce-looking face, but today, he forced a seemingly amiable face, which made the guests feel a chill run down their spines.


    The Shen family was also here. Shen Gui and Shen Wan had long gone to talk to their close colleagues. Shen Gui had nothing to lose now. Anyway, everyone knew that Shen Qing was involved in such a scandal. It was better to take advantage of the fact that Shen Qing was married to Prince Yu to help his career. As for Shen Wan, there was no need to mention him. The two of them were ambitious people, so they naturally would not miss this opportunity.


    Shen Xin and Luo Xueyan sat at the same side. They looked down on Shen Gui¡¯s behavior. Ren Wanyun came and sat with Shen Yuan. She had carefully put on makeup to cover her red eyes. She was afraid of angering Prince Yu, so she forced a smile. However, no matter how she forced a smile, one could tell there was a hint of anger in her smile.


    Every time Shen Yue looked over, Shen Qiu would shoot a glare back at him. Luo Xueyan noticed and asked with concern, ¡°Brat, what happened between you and Shen Yuan?¡±


    Shen Xin and his wife did not know about what happened between Shen Qing and Shen Miao, so Shen Qiu stammered, ¡°Well¡­ I don¡¯t like him. There¡¯s a little friction.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re really something.¡± Luo Xueyan glared at him. ¡°Shen Qiu, how old are you this year?¡±


    Shen Qiu looked at Shen Miao for help. Shen Miao pretended not to know and looked at the teacup without saying anything.


    The scene was filled with joyful laughter and flattery. In the blink of an eye, it was time for Shen Qing and Prince Yu to get married.


    Shen Qing was helped into the hall by her maids. After the newly-wed paid their respects to the heavens and earth, they were about to bow to Shen Gui. Shen Gui looked very embarrassed. Prince Yu looked at him with a dark gaze. It was probably a terrifying thing to receive a bow from Prince Yu.


    At this moment, the butler of Prince Yu¡¯s mansion said condescendingly, ¡°His Highness is not feeling well these days. I think we can skip this procedure.¡±


    As soon as he said that, the hall plunged into silence for a moment. Ren Wanyun gritted her teeth, and the muscles on her face were trembling in anger. Clearly, Prince Yu did not want to acknowledge Shen Qing as his wife and was deliberately making things difficult for Shen Gui and Ren Wanyun.


    Although Shen Gui also felt extremely embarrassed and humiliated, he was afraid that Prince Yu would blame him, so he immediately said, ¡°Since Your Highness is not feeling well, forget it.¡±

 Chapter 224 - Massacre (2)

    Chapter 224: Massacre (2)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    Some of the younger guests couldn¡¯t help but burst into laughter filled with undisguised mockery. Ren Wanyun had the irresistible urge to go up and argue with them. Just as she was about to do so, Shen Yuan suddenly reached out and grabbed her arm, shaking his head at her. Only then did Ren Wanyun calm down. Shen Yuan retracted his hand and looked at Shen Gui, who had an ingratiating smile on his face. A trace of ruthlessness flashed across his face.


    ¡°Second Brother is such a pathetic man.¡± Luo Xueyan said in disdain, ¡°Is he just going to let his daughter walk into hell like that?¡±


    ¡°I thought he was just greedy for wealth. I didn¡¯t expect him to be so out of his mind.¡± Shen Xin shook his head and said in a disappointed tone, ¡°Why did Second Brother become like this?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve done nothing, but people also look at us with strange gazes,¡± Shen Qiu said unhappily.


    On the other hand, the third branch was also a little embarrassed. Although Shen Wan was also very ambitious in his official career, he was not as thick-faced as Shen Gui. Chen Ruoqiu always regarded herself as a woman with decent upbringing. After all, they were all from the Shen family. Shen Gui¡¯s eagerness to please Prince Yu made them very embarrassed.


    After Prince Yu humiliated Shen Gui, he seemed to be very satisfied with the way everyone looked at the Shen family. When the bride walked past Shen Miao, she could tell that the bride was trembling.


    After Shen Qing was sent to the bridal chamber, Prince Yu didn¡¯t go to join her immediately. He was still drinking with the guests and having fun outside.


    ¡°Congratulations, Prince.¡± The ministers came up to toast him.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Prince Yu replied. On the surface, Prince Yu looked like he was really happy today. However, now and then, he would throw a cold glance at Shen Miao.


    Prince Yu would definitely try to get back at Shen Miao for setting him up. He threw a lewd gaze at her and raised his cup, sticking out his tongue to lick it suggestively.


    Shen Miao looked at him calmly, her face devoid of any expression. On the other hand, Shen Qiu saw her staring into the distance and followed her gaze. ¡°Sister, what are you looking at?¡±


    Prince Yu had already turned around to drink with someone else. Shen Qiu did not see anything. Shen Miao stood up and said, ¡°It¡¯s a little stuffy here. I¡¯ll go out to take a breather.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll go with you,¡± Shen Qiu quickly said.


    ¡°No need. I have Mo Qing and the others by my side. I won¡¯t go too far. Just by the door.¡± Shen Miao rejected him and stood up to leave.


    Prince Yu¡¯s mansion was very big. Outside, Mo Qing was standing in the garden. When he saw her coming out, he immediately followed her. Shen Miao did not go far. She just stood there and looked at the southwest corner of Prince Yu¡¯s mansion.


    Until a voice came from behind. ¡°Fifth Sister.¡±


    Shen Miao turned around to find Shen Yuan following her out with a smile.


    Shen Yuan¡¯s smile was different from Fu Xiuyi¡¯s gentle smile. It was also different from Shen Qiu¡¯s honest smile, and it was not as mischievous as Ji Yushu¡¯s. His smile always seemed to have other meanings, making people very uncomfortable. When he stared into others¡¯ eyes, he was like a poisonous snake sizing up its prey.


    Shen Yuan was the most terrifying opponent in the second branch of the Shen family.


    ¡°The banquet has just started and Fifth Sister can¡¯t wait to go out. I thought you had some secret that you wanna hide from us.¡± There was a hidden meaning in his words.


    Shen Miao looked at the branches in the garden. It was already the middle of winter. The flowers that were once in bloom had long withered, and the branches were bare. Only the snow was heavy on the branches, making them look cold and desolate. She said, ¡°Then why did Second Brother follow me out? Trying to find out what my secret is?¡±

 Chapter 225 - Massacre (3)

    Chapter 225: Massacre (3)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    ¡°I have the intention to do so.¡± Shen Yuan said truthfully, ¡°It¡¯s just that you are hiding it too well, and I can¡¯t do anything about it. As your cousin. If you don¡¯t mind, I¡¯d like to give you some advice.¡±


    Shen Miao turned around and stared at him without blinking. ¡°Please go ahead.¡±


    ¡°When I returned to the capital this time, I realized that you have changed a lot. You seem to have become a different person. Perhaps you have grown up, or perhaps you have acquainted with someone wise who can help you. However, I have journeyed further in this life than you after all. There are some things that I know better than you.¡± He paused and looked at the wedding hall. There, the sound of glasses clinking, of people laughing and chatting, of officials complimenting each other could be heard from afar. Shen Yuan continued, ¡°Fifth Sister, are you happy that Qing is getting married today?¡±


    ¡°To be honest, I¡¯m satisfied instead of happy.¡± Shen Miao said with a faint smile.


    A trace of fierceness flashed across Shen Yuan¡¯s eyes, and then he smiled. ¡°Fifth Sister, you really don¡¯t know how to restrain yourself. The grudge between you and Qing has reached the point where none of you will stop until one of you is dead. Now that Qing is forced to marry Prince Yu, you think this is a victory. But in my opinion, this is just a childish thought.¡± He patted Shen Miao¡¯s head, as if he was really a good brother of hers. ¡°But after Qing marries Prince Yu, she might have a chance to make a comeback. But you, I¡¯m afraid you will be in deep trouble.¡±


    Shen Miao didn¡¯t say anything. Shen Yuan continued, ¡°If I were you, I wouldn¡¯t have given Qing a chance back then. I would have taken her life in the first place. You wanted to vent your anger and retaliate, but all of this will only cause you troubles that you could have avoided.¡± He looked at Shen Miao and smiled kindly. ¡°I think you¡¯re still young and merciful, but mercy is not what you should show to your opponent.¡±


    Shen Miao looked at Shen Yuan, and her heart skipped a beat. Shen Yuan was indeed the smartest person in the second branch. He cared only about the ends and showed no regard to the means. If Shen Miao offended him, he would take her life using the quickest way. His methods were ruthless and straightforward. He was calm and rational, unaffected by emotions. It was impossible to provoke such a person.


    She smiled and said, ¡°Second Brother, you are right. After all, I¡¯m still young. I¡¯m not as cold and merciless as you.¡± When Shen Yuan heard these sarcastic words, he smiled indifferently. However, immediately after that, he heard Shen Miao¡¯s calm voice. ¡°Although I¡¯m not as cold as you, there¡¯s one thing that you and I have in common. I¡­ don¡¯t like to leave any future trouble. Do you think Eldest Sister will be able to make a comeback after marrying Prince Yu?¡±


    Shen Yue stared at her. ¡°Do you think she won¡¯t?¡±


    ¡°Will she?¡± Shen Miao asked back. In Shen Yuan¡¯s memory, she had always been a calm and obedient girl, but this ¡®Will She¡¯ was filled with provocation and ridicule. Shen Yuan, who had always been composed, narrowed his eyes.


    After saying that, Shen Miao chuckled and left the garden, heading back to the wedding hall.


    Would Shen Qing be able to make a comeback? The corners of Shen Miao¡¯s lips curled up slightly. How could she give her a chance to do so? Mo Qing, who was following behind Shen Miao, was stunned. After being by Shen Miao¡¯s side for so long, Mo Qing had seen Shen Miao being ruthless, but most of the time, Shen Miao was calm. She would occasionally smile, but even with a smile on, she still looked unapproachable. However, at this moment, her eyes were curved, as if she was extremely happy, but he did not know what could make her so happy. Mo Qing glanced at Shen Yuan, who was still in the garden, and was puzzled. Why was Shen Miao suddenly so happy after exchanging a few words with Shen Yue?

 Chapter 226 - Massacre (4)

    Chapter 226: Massacre (4)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    No matter how grand the banquet was, it would eventually end. When they were drunk, the guests left in groups of two or three. Shen Miao also got into the carriage and went back home.


    Luo Xueyan remained silent in the carriage. She seemed to have thought of something and held Shen Miao¡¯s hand, asking, ¡°Jiaojiao, what¡­ does the ideal man in your mind look like?¡±


    It was actually a little out of line for a mother to ask her unmarried daughter this question. However, today, she was quite sentimental, probably due to Shen Qing¡¯s wedding. She wasn¡¯t in the capital all year round. Now that she thought about it, she actually knew nothing about what Shen Miao was thinking. She only knew that Shen Miao had once been in love with Prince Ding. Luo Xueyan had also seen Prince Ding. He was indeed an excellent young man. However, a person like him must have a strong ambition. Marrying such a person might not be a good thing.


    Shen Miao was stunned for a moment before looking at Luo Xueyan with a smile. ¡°Mother, what kind of person do you want me to marry?¡±


    Luo Xueyan did not expect Shen Miao to ask her this question. For a moment, she neglected the fact that when Shen Miao was asked this question, she didn¡¯t blush at all. She thought for a moment and said, ¡°I hope you can marry a person with an upright character. He¡¯d better not have too much power, too much wealth, too much ambition, and a complicated family. Power and wealth, your father and I will give you. Man with less ambition will treat you more sincerely. If his father is a simple one, after you marry him, you will not have to be wary of scheming people all the time. In short, he has to respect and love you sincerely.¡±


    Shen Miao lowered her eyes and smiled. Luo Xueyan and Shen Xin¡¯s hopes had never changed. They hoped that Shen Miao could marry an ordinary person. The most they wanted from their son-in-law was to dote on their daughter and love her. Unfortunately, in her previous life, she was blinded by love. There were thousands of men in the world, but she chose the one who loved her the least.


    ¡°However,¡± Luo Xueyan said with a smile, ¡°I know that girls your age don¡¯t love people like that. You probably like people who stand out from a crowd. When I was your age, I also liked young and handsome heroes. However, after I married your father, I didn¡¯t regret it.¡±


    ¡°In that case, I¡¯ll listen to you,¡± Shen Miao said softly.


    Luo Xueyan was stunned. ¡°What?¡±


    Shen Miao looked at her and said word by word, ¡°Isn¡¯t it your wish for me to marry an ordinary person who will love and respect me? In that case, when I reach the age of marriage, I¡¯ll marry such a person.¡±


    Luo Xueyan held Shen Miao¡¯s hand and couldn¡¯t help but feel a little strange. Shen Miao was like a completely different person from before. She was more obedient and gentle. Luo Xueyan should be very happy about her daughter¡¯s change, but for some reason, she was not happy at all. Instead, she felt heartbroken to see her daughter getting so mature in an age where she was supposed to be naughty and rebellious.


    Luo Xueyan pulled Shen Miao into her arms and said in a low voice, ¡°Even so, at your age, you should follow your heart and marry someone you truly like. I know that the man my daughter chooses will be the best. He will definitely love and respect you. As long as he treats you well, I won¡¯t stop you no matter who the man is.¡±


    Shen Miao buried her head in Luo Xueyan¡¯s arms and said in a faint voice, ¡°Thank you, Mom.¡±

 Chapter 227 - Massacre (5)

Chapter content is missing or does not exist! Please try again later!

 Chapter 228 - Massacre (6)

    Chapter 228: Massacre (6)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    ¡°You should be glad that you¡¯re pregnant with my child.¡± Prince Yu noticed her expression and his face darkened. ¡°Otherwise, you would be dead.¡± He was satisfied to see a terrified look on Shen Qing¡¯s face. Prince Yu looked at Shen Qing and slowly said, ¡°However, after you give birth to my child, I won¡¯t treat you badly. I have many guards in my mansion. These guards have been by my side, risking their lives to protect me. Since you¡¯re my wife, you have the responsibility to make them happy¡­¡±


    Shen Qing¡¯s mind buzzed and she almost fainted. Prince Yu¡¯s words made her lose the courage to live.


    ¡°Ha, I will definitely treat you well.¡± The gentler Prince Yu¡¯s tone was, the more fanatic his eyes were. Even the two maids in front of him were trembling.


    ¡°Why are you trembling?¡± Prince Yu suddenly frowned in displeasure. Just as he was about to speak, the maid on the left suddenly staggered and fell on Prince Yu, wrapping her slender arms around his neck. Before Prince Yu could do anything, the other maid suddenly pulled the hairpin from her head and stabbed it into Prince Yu¡¯s throat.


    Prince Yu screamed, but he was not easy to deal with either. With a bang, the two maids were thrown to the ground. He was also a trained martial artist, so his attack had a lot of force. The two maids struggled on the ground for a while before they died.


    Shen Qing was already dumbfounded. In her panic, she hid under the table. Prince Yu pulled out the hairpin from his throat. Although the hairpin didn¡¯t go too deep, it still caused him to bleed a lot. Prince Yu cursed and shouted, ¡°Guards! Guards!¡±


    A guard quickly came in. Prince Yu kicked the two corpses on the ground. ¡°Find out who they are.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± The guard bowed. As soon as Prince Yu turned around, he lowered his head and saw a silver knife with blood on it.


    The knife passed through his chest.


    As the guard pulled out the knife, Prince Yu lost his balance and seemed to want to call for help. However, after taking a few steps, he fell down with a bang.


    The tip of the knife was bright and shiny, reflecting a large piece of blood. The guard¡¯s blow was fatal and precise. He didn¡¯t give Prince Yu a chance to strike back.


    The guard glanced at Prince Yu¡¯s corpse and looked at Shen Qing, who was trembling under the table. ¡°Are you Shen Qing?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡­ Are you sent by my Second Brother to save me?¡± Shen Qing¡¯s eyes lit up as she looked at him.


    The guard did not say anything and turned to leave.


    Shen Qing was a little puzzled. Afraid to face Prince Yu¡¯s corpse in the room, she packed some gold, silver, and jewelry from the table, wrapped them in a cloth, and was about to leave.


    As soon as she opened the door, she almost tripped. Under the faint light of the lantern, the corpses of the guards in front of the door looked especially shocking. Shen Qing screamed and looked out.


    In the darkness, there seemed to be some black figures shuttling back and forth. Prince Yu¡¯s mansion was like hell. The snowstorm made people unable to see the scene outside clearly, but the strong smell of blood was like a huge net, shrouding everyone in it.


    It was as if even the snow had turned scarlet.


    ¡­


    In the west garden of the Shen family.


    Bai Lu closed the window again and said, ¡°The snow outside is really heavy. The window has been blown open several times. It¡¯s quite scary.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Shuang Jiang smiled and said, ¡°I heard from old people that this kind of weather is brought about by the heavens to punish evil people. It seems that the evil that has been committed this time is huge. It¡¯s been many years since we encountered such a huge snowstorm.¡±


    ¡°Miss, what are you looking at?¡± Jingzhe asked, ¡°Are you still thinking about the wedding banquet during the day?¡±


    After returning to the mansion in the evening, Shen Miao had been sitting at the table, thinking about something. For some reason, Jingzhe felt that Shen Miao was waiting for something.


    What was she waiting for?


    Shen Miao shook her head. ¡°Let¡¯s wait and see.¡±


    Gu Yu and Jingzhe looked at each other. It was dark outside, and they couldn¡¯t see anything. What could Shen Miao see?


    Shen Miao lowered her eyes. The lights in the room were dim. Before the sun rose tomorrow, how many people in the world would¡¯ve died?


    Her slender fingers tapped the edge of the table gently, as if it was a pleasant rhythm that reminded people of the strange songs sung by the unfavoured and abandoned consorts in the Cold Palace.


    What kind of song were they singing?


    What they were singing was that what comes around goes around.

 Chapter 229 - Can’t Bring Himself to do It (1)

    Chapter 229: Can¡¯t Bring Himself to do It (1)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    The once-in-a-decade snowstorm in the capital came to an abrupt end the next morning. The thick snow could reach one¡¯s knees. In such cold weather, even the most diligent merchants would rather stay at home to enjoy the warmth of the blanket than go out in the cold to do business.


    The old night watchman who was on night shift hurriedly got up with the gong. The sun was not up yet, and it was still pitch black. He wrapped himself up in a shabby linen jacket and trudged across the snow-covered street. Before long, he reached Prince Yu¡¯s mansion.


    The door of Prince Yu¡¯s mansion was slightly open and unguarded. The guards in Prince Yu¡¯s mansion were all extremely fierce. Everytime the old watchman passed by, he would often be teased by the guards at the door, but he did not see any of them today. For a moment, he was a little puzzled. He suddenly remembered that yesterday was the day of Prince Yu¡¯s wedding. These guards and servants must have also drunk quite a lot and were nodding off somewhere.


    The old watchman shook his head and was about to continue walking on when a cold wind blew past, making the heavy door creak and open a bit wider. The old watchman couldn¡¯t help but stand rooted to the ground and stare absent-mindedly at the door. For some reason, the old watchman had a strange feeling. He didn¡¯t know where this feeling came from, but he was gravitating towards looking at the door until one of the vendors who had already come out to set up the stall said to him, ¡°Fourth Brother Li, why are you standing at the door?¡±


    The old watchman¡¯s heart skipped a beat. He suddenly realized why he had a strange feeling. It was simply too quiet. Even if the servants were all drunk and asleep, what about the dogs? The dogs were supposed to bark at the smell of a stranger. However, there was nothing. It was as lifeless as a tomb.


    His hands were trembling, and he couldn¡¯t help but take two steps forward. As soon as he reached the dark door, a strong smell hit him, almost making him stagger. The old watchman pushed the door, but the door couldn¡¯t be pushed open. He looked down and saw a square ice cube stuck in the doorframe.


    It was probably because the snow from last night had frozen into ice and stuck the door.


    The old watch widened his eyes and took two steps back. Suddenly, he screamed, causing the people on both sides of the street to look at him.


    With the help of the first ray of morning light, the scarlet blood was especially dazzling to the eye. What came into sight as the old watchman took a peep into the mansion was a mound of corpses one on top of the other with their blood condensed into thick clots.


    The smell was repugnant¡­


    ¡­


    On the day of Prince Yu¡¯s marriage, he and his entire mansion were wiped out. All the servants, concubines, cats, dogs, chickens, and ducks in the mansion were put to death. The People who did it seemed to have a deep hatred for Prince Yu as they left all the items untouched. Clearly, they didn¡¯t do it for money.


    Prince Yu was a cruel and vicious person. He had done many evil things and had made many enemies. No one knew who might be the murderers. However, the people who did it were really bold. By doing this, they would also offend the royal family of Ming Qi. Everyone knew that Emperor Wen Hui valued Prince Yu the most. Because of that, Prince Yu¡¯s position had been unchallenged in the capital for so many years. Even the princes were afraid of him because he had Emperor Wen Hui backing him up.

 Chapter 230 - Can’t Bring Himself to do It (2)

    Chapter 230: Can¡¯t Bring Himself to do It (2)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    However, this time, to everyone¡¯s surprise, Emperor Wen Hui did not give any orders to catch the murderers, nor did he offer a reward for people who caught the murderers. He only instructed the officials to investigate this matter and hand it over to the capital magistrate. The capital magistrate could handle the civil matters. but a tough case like this was simply too much for the magistrate to handle. Emperor Wen Hui obviously did not want to waste too much time on this murder case. Some smart people could tell that Prince Yu must have done something to make Emperor Wen Hui angry. Otherwise, why would Emperor Wen Hui be so indifferent this time? Perhaps Emperor Wen Hui was happy that the murderer helped him get rid of a problem.


    However, speculation was speculation, and rumors were rumors. There were many rumors, some of which deviated from the truth, and some were infinitely close to the truth.


    In the massacre, one person survived. This person was none other than Prince Yu¡¯s new wife, Shen Qing. The old watchman was the first to notice that something was wrong with Prince Yu¡¯s mansion. At that time, there were still many people on the street. Those who had guts rushed into Prince Yu¡¯s mansion together. As for what they saw, just by listening to their descriptions was enough to send shudders down one¡¯s spine.


    According to the first batch of people who went in, the entire mansion was filled with frozen corpses and blood. The blood flowed all over the courtyard and was quickly frozen, making the entire ground look like a red glacier. The corpses were all covered in a thick layer of snow and were hard like sculptures.


    Everywhere they went, it reeked of death and there was no sign of survivors.


    Prince Yu¡¯s corpse was in his bedroom. There was a knife wound on his chest, and there were two dead maids beside him. Shen Qing was unconscious at the door of the bedroom where there was gold and silver scattered all over the ground. At first, people thought that she was dead too, but when they kicked her, she suddenly woke up. Therefore, Shen Qing became the only person in Prince Yu¡¯s mansion who survived.


    To Shen Qing, this might be a good thing, but she was plagued by a horrible feeling. The entire Prince Yu¡¯s mansion was wiped out, but why was she unscathed? If it was because Shen Qing was innocent and had nothing to do with Prince Yu, shouldn¡¯t they also let the servants and guards live too? Clearly, the murderers weren¡¯t a soft-hearted bunch. Moreover, beside Shen Qing, there was gold and silver jewelry, indicating that she was trying to escape.


    Most importantly, apart from the knife wound on Prince Yu¡¯s chest, there were also some wounds dealt by a woman¡¯s hairpin on his neck. Shen Qing, who had just married Prince Yu, naturally became the most likely suspect.


    Much evidence was pointing at the fact that Shen Qing had something to do with it. Shen Qing couldn¡¯t possibly explain herself no matter how hard she tried. Everyone in Prince Yu¡¯s mansion was dead, but why was she still alive?


    The people from the capital magistrate¡¯s court naturally wanted to capture Shen Qing and interrogate her. No matter if Shen Qing was related to this matter or not, she was the only survivor and witness. If they wanted to get to the bottom of it or just put on a show to let the citizens know that they were doing their job, they wouldn¡¯t let Shen Qing off easily.


    When the Shen family received this news, the officials had already arrived at Prince Yu¡¯s mansion to arrest Shen Qing. When Ren Wanyun found out about this, she fainted. On the other hand, Shen Gui and Shen Yuan hurriedly packed up and were about to leave.


    ¡°Yuan, where are we going now?¡± Shen Gui was much more flustrated than his son. He knew that regardless of whether or not Shen Qing was really involved, she would still be punished. Although Emperor Wen Hui did not seem to flare up at this moment, who knew what was really on his mind? If he used this matter to go against the Shen family, they would be in real danger.


    Shen Yuan said coldly, ¡°Go to the capital magistrate¡¯s court. It¡¯s too late to go to the prince¡¯s mansion now. The capital magistrate must know a lot of things.¡± After a pause, he glanced at Shen Gui. ¡°Father, don¡¯t worry. His majesty won¡¯t blame you.¡±

 Chapter 231 - Can’t Bring Himself to do It (3)

    Chapter 231: Can¡¯t Bring Himself to do It (3)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    Shen Gui could hear a sarcastic tone in Shen Yuan¡¯s voice and was a little displeased with that, but he didn¡¯t say a word about it. He could only pretend not to understand what Shen Yuan meant and say, ¡°In that case, let¡¯s go.¡±


    On the other side, Luo Xueyan and Shen Xin were also preparing to set off.


    ¡°Qiu, go to Prince Yu¡¯s mansion. Your second uncle is going to the capital magistrate¡¯s court, and your third uncle has entered the palace to ask for information, but we still need someone to keep an eye on the situation in Prince Yu¡¯s mansion. Your father and I will go to the palace first. This matter is very important. If there are really assassins in the capital, it¡¯s no joking matter.¡± Luo Xueyan instructed Shen Qiu, ¡°Go and find out if anyone from our mansion died there. If so, we need to inform their family and compensate them.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Mom. Leave this to me.¡± Shen Qiu agreed readily.


    After Shen Xin and his wife left, Shen Qiu grabbed his stuff and was about to leave when he suddenly heard Shen Miao¡¯s voice behind him. ¡°Brother.¡±


    ¡°Sister?¡± Shen Qiu was stunned. He turned around and asked, ¡°Why don¡¯t you stay in the house?¡±


    ¡°Brother, are you going to Prince Yu¡¯s mansion?¡± Shen Miao asked.


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Shen Xin replied, ¡°I still have some things to deal with. I¡¯ll be back soon.¡±


    Shen Miao looked at him and said, ¡°Brother, take me with you.¡±


    Shen Xin was stunned for a moment before shaking his head and saying seriously, ¡°Sister, I know that you have a deep grudge with Prince Yu. To be honest, I think they deserve it. The scene will be very uncomfortable to look at. Just stay at home.¡±


    Shen Miao smiled. ¡°I don¡¯t mind. I just want to take a look.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s really nothing to see.¡± Shen Qiu deliberately tried to scare her. ¡°I heard that those people died extremely miserably last night. Their stomachs were all cut open, and their blood was all dried up. I¡¯m afraid if you go, you¡¯ll see a ghost.¡± Although the scene was tragic, it was definitely not as terrifying as Shen Qiu said. Shen Qiu just wanted to scare Shen Miao. He really did not want Shen Miao to see those bloody scenes.


    However, after he finished speaking, Shen Miao was still expressionless as if she had witnessed this kind of scene countless times. She replied with a smile, ¡°As the daughter of a general, if I¡¯m frightened by some corpses, won¡¯t I be made a laughing stock? Brother, are you afraid of seeing dead people on the battlefield?¡±


    ¡°Of course not!¡± Shen Qiu immediately said. As soon as he said that, he knew that he was tricked. Shen Miao looked at him calmly and continued, ¡°In that case, there¡¯s nothing to be afraid of. Brother, bring me with you.¡±


    ¡°I mean, Sister, why are you going to Prince Yu¡¯s mansion?¡± Shen Xin said anxiously, ¡°There¡¯s really nothing there.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just going over to take a look. Brother, you don¡¯t have to worry about me. Just as you said, the mansion is heavily guarded now, so there won¡¯t be any danger. It won¡¯t be a problem to bring me there.¡±


    Shen Miao said every word with extreme determination. Over recent days, Shen Qiu had also noticed that Shen Miao had become an opinionated and stubborn person. Even if he refused to bring her along, she would still find a way to do so. It was safer for her to go with him.


    ¡°Alright.¡± Shen Qiu stared at her. ¡°Don¡¯t walk around when you reach the mansion. I¡¯ll get Mo Qing to follow you. If there¡¯s anything wrong, shout!¡±


    Shen Miao smiled. ¡°Okay.¡±


    ¡­


    In just one night, Prince Yu¡¯s mansion seemed to have changed completely. Yesterday, it was still filled with joyful chatter and laughter. One could still vividly remember the scene of guests lining up to enter the mansion outside Now, the door was sealed, and the guards guarding the door had solemn expressions, afraid that some ruthless assassins would suddenly appear to take their lives.

 Chapter 232 - Can’t Bring Himself to do It (4)

Chapter content is missing or does not exist! Please try again later!

 Chapter 233 - Can’t Bring Himself to do It (5)

    Chapter 233: Can¡¯t Bring Himself to do It (5)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    Mo Qing immediately cupped his hands and said, ¡°Yes.¡± With that, he walked in with his sword.


    Shen Miao looked at Mo Qing¡¯s back and was a little dazed. In her previous life and this life, no matter what her identity was, Mo Qing had always been so careful and loyal.


    The tearoom was very large and was divided into three rooms by screens. Mo Qing checked carefully and confirmed that there were no assassins hiding inside. Then, he cupped his hands at Shen Miao and said, ¡°Miss, if there¡¯s anything you need, just call me. I¡¯ll wait outside.¡± With that, he walked out.


    After Mo Qing left, Shen Miao walked to the table in front of the tea room. There was a blue tea set on the table that looked priceless. Shen Miao glanced at it and walked on. She walked past the first and second screens and arrived at the third room at the end.


    In the third room, the walls were filled with calligraphy and paintings. Looking carefully, one could tell the calligraphy and paintings were from famous artists. Shen Miao scrutinized them one by one, as if she was admiring the works. When she walked up to a painting, she stopped.


    It was the painting of a banquet by a painter called Liu Yuan from the previous dynasty. The painting depicted the grand evening banquet in the official mansion of the previous dynasty. The maids were beautiful, and the wine and food were bountiful. The guests all had a joyful smile on their faces. The characters were lifelike, and the ink brush was exquisite and elegant. Among the paintings, it wasn¡¯t the most outstanding one. However, Shen Miao was in a daze, looking at it, as if she was attracted by the scene in the painting.


    She stared at the painting for a long time. A moment later, she finally reached out to touch the paper. She ran her finger extremely carefully across the paper until it stopped at the collar of the fat official.


    The collar was also very exquisite. Even if it was a painting, when one touched it, they seemed to be able to feel the buttons on the collar.


    In fact, Shen Miao did feel a button.


    Shen Miao pressed the button down, and a soft clicking sound was heard.


    Followed by the sound, the wall that was filled with art works suddenly split into two, revealing something that looked like a secret room. From the outside, one could only see a long corridor with torches illuminating it.


    Shen Miao heaved a sigh of relief and walked in without hesitation.


    ¡­


    In the innermost part of the secret room, there was a coffin. The lid of the coffin had been lifted, revealing the things inside. There were two people standing in front of the coffin. One was dressed in purple, and the other was dressed in white. They were Xie Jingxing and Gao Yang.


    Xie Jingxing was holding a bright yellow cloth bag in his hand. It was unknown what was in the bag, but it looked heavy. Gao Yang smiled and said, ¡°Prince Yu, that old dog, actually hid this thing here. If not for the massacre of the Chen family last night, we would probably have to go through a lot of trouble to find this thing.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why I told you to wait and see.¡± Xie Jingxing said, ¡°Let¡¯s see if there¡¯s anything else around.¡±


    Gao Yang nodded and looked around. ¡°Speaking of which, Old Dog Yu didn¡¯t even leave a guard here. This place must be very secret. I¡¯m afraid no one else knows.¡±


    ¡°The Fu family is paranoid.¡± Xie Jingxing said lazily, ¡°If it were you, wouldn¡¯t you hide it?¡±


    ¡°Of course I will hide it.¡± Gao Yang waved his fan and smiled extremely gently. However, the words that came out of his mouth were very terrifying. ¡°If I were Old Dog Yu, if anyone finds this place, no matter who it is, they must die. Old Dog Yu did a pretty good job in making this place a secret.¡±

 Chapter 234 - Can’t Bring Himself to do It (6)

    Chapter 234: Can¡¯t Bring Himself to do It (6)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    Xie Jingxing could not be bothered with him and looked around for other things.


    At the same time, Shen Miao walked quietly in the dark passage with a torch in her hand. Unlike her usual slow walking pace, this time, she walked much more urgently. The reason was that she did not know when Shen Qiu would come over. Before Shen Qiu came, she had to get that thing.


    This secret room in Prince Yu¡¯s mansion was discovered by Fu Xiuyi back then. She accidentally overheard the conversation between Fu Xiuyi and Pei Lang. At that time, Pei Lang copied the banquet painting of Liu Yuan and told Fu Xiuyi that the mechanism to open the secret room was on the collar of the painting. At that time, Pei Lang also said, ¡°The thing must be in the secret room. You can investigate it.¡±


    Shen Miao did not know what the ¡°thing¡± was, but from the tone of Pei Lang and Fu Xiuyi, that ¡°thing¡± should be very important to Fu Xiuyi. Shen Miao told the Chen brothers to eradicate the entire Prince Yu mansion also because she wanted to pave herself a clear path to the secret room.


    If she didn¡¯t kill all the people, someone might catch her red-handed. Now that everyone in Prince Yu¡¯s mansion was dead, she was perhaps the only one aware of the secret room. After all, when Fu Xiuyi found out about this in her previous life, he had already ascended the throne.


    As long as that ¡°thing¡± was very important to Fu Xiuyi or beneficial to him, she had to make sure Fu Xiuyi couldn¡¯t get it. She had to either destroy it or send it to Fu Xiuyi¡¯s enemy. At least with this ¡°thing¡±, she would have one more bargaining chip when dealing with Fu Xiuyi in the future.


    This was why she followed Shen Qiu to the Prince¡¯s mansion today.


    This secret room was winding and was much longer than she had imagined. After turning a corner, the room suddenly opened up, as if she had suddenly entered the spacious main hall from a narrow corridor. There were rows of torches hanging on the stone wall, illuminating the entire room.


    In the room, there was a coffin lying there horizontally with two people standing in front of it.


    Before Shen Miao could do anything, she heard one of them shout, ¡°Who is it?!¡±


    That voice was very familiar. Before she could react, she saw two familiar faces suddenly turn around.


    Xie Jingxing, Gao Yang.


    Why was Xie Jingxing here? Gao Yang was from the Imperial Hospital, but why was he together with Xie Jingxing?


    Even someone as calm as Shen Miao was stunned, but strangely, she seemed to have found a way to unravel the dead knot that had confused her for so long.


    ¡°Shen Miao!¡± Gao Yang was also surprised. Then, he looked at Xie Jingxing and said, ¡°Do it!¡±


    Shen Miao widened her eyes and felt a spinning sensation. Before she could see the figure in front of her clearly, her body was pushed hard against the stone wall behind her, and she gasped in pain. Immediately after, a slender hand grabbed her throat, and Xie Jingxing¡¯s handsome face was inches away.


    ¡°Shen Miao must die.¡± Gao Yang quickly said, ¡°This is a serious matter. She¡¯s entered a place she never should. Let¡¯s kill her and leave her body to rot here. No one will find out about it. Xie, don¡¯t be soft-hearted. Do it!¡±


    Shen Miao looked at Xie Jingxing. The hand holding her neck was slender and beautiful, but it was also fierce and firm, keeping Shen Miao fixedly in place.


    The purple-clothed youth¡¯s eyebrows were even darker under the touch light. The more strikingly handsome he was, the crueler his smile was. Like a cat catching a mouse, what was revealed in his gaze was absolute indifference and killing intent.


    He really wanted to kill her.


    Shen Miao looked at him without moving. Her clear eyes were brighter than the stream at the beginning of spring. There was no sadness or joy in them, as if they contained a lifetime of sorrow.


    Xie Jingxing¡¯s eyes flickered, and he suddenly smiled. He covered Shen Miao¡¯s eyes with one hand and lowered his head slightly, whispering into her ear.


    ¡°Don¡¯t look at me like that. I can¡¯t bring myself to do it.¡±

 Chapter 235 - Softhearted (1)

    Chapter 235: Softhearted (1)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    ¡°Don¡¯t look at me like that. I can¡¯t bring myself to do it.¡±


    Time stopped in a strange manner in an instant, and everything in the world seemed to have lost its voice. The soft whisper that was supposed to be gentle and loving was made terrifying when it came from Xie JIngxing.


    Xie Jingxing lowered his eyes. The place under his palm was slightly warm, as if he could feel her eyelashes fluttering slightly, like the wings of a fluffy butterfly that wanted to escape but couldn¡¯t


    ¡°Gao Yang, get out,¡± Xie Jingxing said.


    Gao Yang frowned. ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°Go out first,¡± Xie Jingxing said calmly.


    Gao Yang glanced at him and did not say anything. He picked up the cloth bag and walked out. After the footsteps were gone, Xie Jingxing slowly let go of her.


    He opened his hand. Under the light, there seemed to be a crystal flickering in his palm.


    Just now, Shen Miao seemed to have shed tears.


    Xie Jingxing said lazily, ¡°It¡¯s just death. What are you crying about?¡± He wanted to say something, but when he saw the girl¡¯s expression, he suddenly stopped.


    Shen Miao¡¯s eyes were clear, and even the little bit of childishness on her face was covered by the coldness on her face. Her eyes were as clear as water, but she did not look sad at all. Just now, her crying was probably just an act, and she was not afraid at all. As Xie Jingxing was thinking, he saw Shen Miao suddenly raise her elbow and hit him in the chest. This time, she was ruthless and accurate. If it were anyone else, they would probably be knocked to the ground by her. However, Xie Jingxing only swayed slightly and grabbed Shen Miao¡¯s left arm. Shen Miao was pulled by him and almost fell into Xie Jingxing¡¯s arms. Without him noticing, Shen Miao took out something from inside her sleeve and stabbed Xie Jingxing with it decisively.


    The hairpin was small to begin with, so it could not be seen if one didn¡¯t look at it carefully enough. Shen Miao did not hold back at all and the hairpin pierced into his arm. Xie Jingxing¡¯s eyes darkened. He raised his hand and threw Shen Miao back to the stone wall again.


    Xie Jingxing immediately placed his hand on Shen Miao¡¯s neck, as if he was ready to break it at any time. His voice was low and carried a hint of anger. ¡°As expected of someone from the General¡¯s Mansion. You¡¯ve learned a lot about sneak attacks.¡±


    Shen Miao¡¯s gaze landed on Xie Jingxing¡¯s arm. Half of the hairpin was inside his arm, and blood was gradually flowing out, dying his sleeve red and sticking to his arm. Xie Jingxing followed Shen Miao¡¯s gaze and smiled indifferently. ¡°Even if it¡¯s poisonous, I¡¯ll make sure you die before I¡¯m killed by the poison.¡±


    His eyes were extremely beautiful and well-shaped. When he looked at people casually, he was the most charming. If the girls in the capital saw him now, they would probably scream in excitement. However, in that pair of eyes, Shen Miao saw a coldness that was well hidden.


    What kind of person was Xie Jingxing? He seemed to be very complicated. In the capital, he struck people as a cynical and rebellious young man who couldn¡¯t be disciplined and wouldn¡¯t have a bright official career. However, at this moment, Shen Miao couldn¡¯t help but suspect if Xie Jingxing was really like the way people saw him. He was indeed arrogant and unruly, but did he really have no ambition for the dynasty and the throne?


    Xie Jingxing seemed to be unhappy with her absent-mindedness. He approached her and stared at her. ¡°Shen Miao, if I kill you today, no one will protect the Shen family in the future.¡±


    Shen Miao¡¯s gaze darkened, and she saw Xie Jingxing smiling evilly at her. He continued, ¡°Shen Yuan has already returned to the capital. With the second and third branches of the Shen family working together, what are the chances of Shen Xin winning?¡± He slowly grabbed her throat tighter and said, ¡°The Fu family is eyeing the Shen family covetously. Shen Xin¡¯s path will be difficult in the future. What you want and what you are planning will be ruined by me today. If you want to take revenge, you have to wait for your next life.¡±

 Chapter 236 - Softhearted (2)

    Chapter 236: Softhearted (2)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    The more ruthless he was, the more unbelievably handsome his face was. It was as if he could see through people¡¯s hearts. His words were all aimed at what Shen Miao was most worried about. When Shen Miao was reborn, she wanted nothing more than for the Shen family to be safe and sound. She wanted nothing more than to take revenge. If she died here, everything would come to an end. There was no sympathy or pity in Xie Jingxing¡¯s eyes. He was truly cold and heartless. No matter what her identity was, even if she was a royal princess today, she would definitely not be able to get out of here unscathed since she had already found out the relationship between Gao Yang and Xie Jingxing]. This was the reason why she risked her life to fight back just now. Otherwise, with her cautious personality, she would not use such a risky method until the last moment.


    The smiling faces of Wanyu and Fu Ming suddenly flashed past her mind. Shen Miao¡¯s eyes widened, and two streams of tears flowed down her face.


    She was really unwilling to die here just like that.


    When Xie Jingxing saw her tears, he narrowed his eyes and looked at her inquisitively. He didn¡¯t forget how badly Shen Miao wanted to take his life just now. A woman who used tears to gain sympathy wouldn¡¯t work with him.


    However, Shen Miao only widened her eyes and cried silently. There was no sign of her wanting to beg for mercy or weakness in her eyes. Her silent tears suddenly made people¡¯s hearts tighten and inexplicably sad. It was as if she had already experienced pain that was beyond the imagination of ordinary people and was so hopeless that her tears came out before her body collapsed.


    ¡®Xie Jingxing frowned at her and gradually relaxed his grip on Shen Miao¡¯s throat.


    Shen Miao did not notice it at all. Finally, Xie Jingxing put down his hand, looking a little helpless. He was tall, and pushing a little girl into the corner made him feel a little strange, as if he was bullying a child, although he knew very well that Shen Miao was not a child at all.


    A moment later, he finally pulled out the hairpin on his arm. It hurt a lot to pull out the hairpin. Xie Jingxing frowned as he played with the hairpin in his hand. Seeing Shen Miao staring at him, he immediately felt inexplicably awkward. He said, ¡°Don¡¯t cry. I won¡¯t kill you.¡± After a pause, he added, ¡°I was just scaring you.¡±


    Shen Miao heaved a sigh of relief. She knew that Xie Jingxing was not scaring her. The killing intent just now was really strong, and he really wanted to kill her. In the end, he became soft-hearted because of the tears she shed. As for why, Shen Miao did not know.


    Xie Jingxing said, ¡°How did you find this place?¡±


    ¡°I once saw my third uncle copying this painting by Liu Yuan at home. When I was running my finger across the paint, I accidentally found the button that opens the secret room. I was curious so I entered, but I didn¡¯t expect to meet you guys.¡±


    Xie Jingxing looked at her with a faint smile. ¡°Shen Wan?¡±


    Shen Miao lied without changing her expression. ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Little girl, I¡¯m not the Chen brothers. Don¡¯t use me as a knife to get rid of people you want to get rid of,¡± Xie Jingxing said lazily. Shen Miao was a bad person to the core. Even at this point, she still wanted to plot against Shen Wan.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t see or hear anything today. If you don¡¯t make things difficult for me, I naturally won¡¯t make things difficult for you.¡± Shen Miao looked at him. ¡°Let¡¯s mind our own business.¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t make things difficult for me.¡± Xie Jingxing¡¯s arrogant tone made people grit their teeth in hatred. He said, ¡°I¡¯ll spare your life today. If a word of this matter goes out, I¡¯ll make sure your Shen family ceases to exist.¡±


    Shen Miao replied quickly, ¡°I won¡¯t say a word.¡±


    Xie Jingxing was obviously very satisfied with her attitude. He was silent for a moment before suddenly asking, ¡°Shen Miao, do you have a grudge against the Fu family?¡±

 Chapter 237 - Softhearted (3)

    Chapter 237: Softhearted (3)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    Xie Jingxing used ¡°The Fu family¡± instead of ¡°The royal family¡±, which seemed to imply something. Shen Miao turned to look at him, her heart skipping a beat. She said indifferently, ¡°Young Marquis, you can think whatever you want.¡±


    Xie Jingxing raised an eyebrow. ¡°As expected.¡± He glanced at Shen Miao. ¡°Since this matter is over, leave immediately. If you stay here for too long and are seen, I won¡¯t be able to save you.¡±


    Shen Miao did not say a word and turned to leave. The meeting with Xie Jingxing today made her understand something. At least, this young marquis of the Marquis of Lin¡¯an was not as simple as he looked on the surface. She could not use such a person, nor could she offend him. If Xie Jingxing¡¯s enemy was also from the Ming Qi Royal Family, that would naturally be good for her. If not, she wouldn¡¯t dare to deal with him either.


    After Shen Miao took two steps, Xie Jingxing followed. His legs were long, so he quickly caught up to Shen Miao and threw her a small medicine bottle. ¡°Don¡¯t go around telling people I bullied you and made you cry.¡± Then, he strode forward and left before Shen Miao.


    Under the dim light of the touches, Shen Miao suddenly looked a little sheepish. In her previous life, after she returned from the State of Qin, when she was fighting for favor with Concubine Mei, she had once heard someone advise her, ¡°Your Majesty, although as an empress, a solemn and dignified look is important, His Majesty might not like this. Look at that Concubine Mei. She¡¯s coquettish and weak. It¡¯s said that children who cry will get candy. Love in this world is the same. Men are all protective of weak women. Women should be like water, flexible and gentle.¡±


    However, back then, she scoffed at this saying and thought that such a behavior was not appropriate. How could the empress learn from those coquettish concubines? However, when her life was at stake just now, she suddenly thought of that saying ¡°Children who cry will get candy¡±.


    She was still young and born with a naive and innocent look. Not wearing the empress¡¯s phoenix robe, if she did something cute or played weak, she could really melt people¡¯s hearts. Shen Miao did not expect that a tough girl like her would cry like a river in front of a man. However, the outcome surprised her. With Xie Jingxing¡¯s fierce and arrogant personality, he actually let her off.


    However, in this confrontation, she had used a very disgraceful method.


    After leaving the secret room, she did not know where Xie Jingxing and Gao Yang left from, but there was no one in the tearoom. When she walked out of the tearoom, Mo Qing was still guarding outside. Shen Miao asked him, ¡°Did anyone come out just now?¡±


    ¡°Someone?¡± Mo Qing was stunned. ¡°Miss, aren¡¯t you the only one inside? Did you meet someone else inside?¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Shen Miao smiled and said, ¡°I was just asking.¡± In her heart, she thought even more highly of Xie Jingxing.


    ¡°Why isn¡¯t Brother here yet? Let¡¯s go find him first,¡± Shen Miao said.


    Mo Qing was a little confused. He did not know why Shen Miao changed her mind so quickly. Just now, she said that she would wait for Shen Qiu in the tearoom, but now, she wanted to go and find him. However, Mo Qing naturally would not disobey Shen Miao, especially about such a small matter. He nodded and walked away with Shen Miao.


    When Shen Miao left, she looked back at the closed door of the tearoom, wondering if Xie Jingxing and Gao Yang were still inside. Today, she came for that ¡°thing¡±, but that ¡°thing¡¯ unexpectedly ended up in Xie Jingxing¡¯s hands. For a moment, Shen Miao was puzzled. According to the trajectory of her previous life, Xie Jingxing shouldn¡¯t have discovered the secret room at this time. Could it be that something had changed in this life, which caused Xie Jingxing¡¯s fate to change too? Or could it be that there were some things that were left unnoticed in her short and tragic life in her previous life?

 Chapter 238 - Softhearted (4)

    Chapter 238: Softhearted (4)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    This puzzle remained unsolved not even until she saw Shen Qiu and returned to the Shen family in the evening. On the other hand, when Shen Qiu saw that Shen Miao had been in a daze since she came out of Prince Yu¡¯s mansion, he thought that Shen Miao was frightened by the tragic scene. He instructed the kitchen to make a calming soup and was scolded by Luo Xueyan for bringing Shen Miao to that kind of a gruesome place.


    On the other side, Gao Yang looked at the wound on Xie Jingxing in shock. ¡°That girl is too ruthless.¡±


    Xie Jingxing took off his outer robe and only wore an undergarment. The collar of the Undergarment was loose, revealing half of his firm and robust body. His sleeves were rolled up halfway, and the wound on his exposed arm was so deep that the bone was visible. As Xie Jingxing let Gao Yang apply medicine for him, he played with the hairpin in his hand.


    The hairpin was an ordinary silver hairpin with simple wavy patterns on it. However, the tip of the hairpin was extremely sharp, comparable to a silver needle used as a hidden weapon. If such a hairpin was stabbed into a person¡¯s body, it would definitely tear off a large piece of flesh.


    ¡°Why is that girl so vicious? She doesn¡¯t look like Shen Xin¡¯s daughter at all.¡± Gao Yang was still very surprised. ¡°Look, she didn¡¯t hold back when she attacked. It even went into your flesh.¡± He sprinkled the powder evenly on the wound. Xie Jingxing frowned and gasped.


    ¡°Even if it hurts, you have to bear with it.¡± Gao Yang said angrily, ¡°Xie, I¡¯ve been with you for so many years, but I¡¯ve never seen you show any mercy to a woman. Why did you do something like this today? She ran into us in the secret room and even hurt you, but you let her go just like that. I mean,¡± Gao Yang rubbed his chin, ¡°Do you like her? She¡¯s still a little girl. She doesn¡¯t have anything that a woman has. Are you out of your mind?¡±


    Xie Jingxing said impatiently, ¡°Enough. I¡¯m not so shameless as to bully a little girl.¡±


    ¡°You make it sound like you¡¯ve never bullied a little girl before.¡± Gao Yang sneered. ¡°I really don¡¯t understand what you¡¯re thinking.¡± He wrapped the bandage carefully around Xie Jingxing¡¯s arm and sighed. ¡°Now that we¡¯ve got it, what¡¯s next?¡±


    ¡°Find more,¡± Xie Jingxing said.


    ¡°The Fu family will find out sooner or later.¡± Gao Yang frowned. ¡°Actually, what I find most strange is how Shen Miao knew about the secret room. If she¡¯s siding with the Fu family, you¡¯ll be done for.¡±


    ¡°She has a grudge against the Fu family,¡± Xie Jingxing said lazily. ¡°She wants to use me to kill people. As for how she found it, it¡¯s probably a coincidence.¡± A sharp glint flashed across his eyes. He did not believe Shen Miao¡¯s words at all. Shen Miao already had a motive for doing what she did, which could be seen from the way she dealt with Shen Qing and Prince Yu. He had a bold guess that the reason Shen Miao wanted to get rid of Prince Yu was because of the thing in his hand.


    However, how did she know? Even he and Gao Yang had just found out not long ago, and it took a lot of effort. Shen Miao was just a young girl. How did she know so many secrets?


    ¡°In short, it¡¯s better to be careful.¡± Gao Yang stood up and picked up the remaining medicine and bandages. He said as he walked out of the room, ¡°Besides, now that she has discovered my identity, I wonder what will happen in the future.¡±

 Chapter 239 - Softhearted (5)

    Chapter 239: Softhearted (5)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    Xie Jingxing stayed in the room alone. He pointed the hairpin in his hand at the dancing light in the candle and looked at it thoughtfully, his mind packed with the image of the girl in the secret room with her eyes wide open and crying silently.


    He was not a person who had compassion for women, nor did he have any other thoughts about Shen Miao. However, at that moment, he felt an inexplicable sense of pity. This sense of pity eventually made him do something even he himself couldn¡¯t imagine. Now that he thought about it, he felt a little regretful. The wound on his arm after applying the medicine was a little numb and painful. When Shen Miao attacked him, she did not show any mercy. If he did not dodge quickly, the hairpin might have gone through his throat.


    In fact, Shen Miao¡¯s crying might just be an act. Xie Jingxing knew very well that the girl was extremely cunning and smart. It was probably her desire to survive that made her reveal her vulnerability.


    Xie Jingxing spread out his hand. The silver hairpin shone brightly in his palm, but it reminded him of the furry touch on this hand when it was covering Shen Miao¡¯s eyes. The feeling resembled a butterfly dancing in his palm, and it was precisely that feeling that caused Xie Jingxing to have shown a compassion he was not supposed to have.


    ¡°Little vicious woman.¡± Xie Jingxing suddenly smiled. Under the light, the young man¡¯s handsome eyes were dazzling. The smile on his lips was playful as he muttered, ¡°I shouldn¡¯t be soft-hearted.¡±


    ¡­


    At this moment, the east courtyard of the Shen family was in chaos.


    In Rongjing Hall, Old Madam Shen¡¯s expression was dark. She looked at Shen Gui and said, ¡°In that case, there is no way to get Qing out of there?¡±


    Shen Gui shook his head. ¡°Prince Yu and his mansion were wiped out overnight, and Qing was the only survivor. It¡¯s only natural for people to take her as the most likely suspect. However, this case still remains to be investigated.¡±


    ¡°With such a horrendous incident happening, I wonder if His Majesty will pin the blame on us.¡± Old Madam Shen said worriedly, ¡°What exactly is going on with Qing? Is this really unrelated to her?¡± Her tone suggested that she believed that Shen Qing was involved.


    Ren Wanyun exploded when she heard that. She immediately threw herself in front of Old Madam Shen and knelt down, which startled Old Madam Shen. Ren Wanyun cried and said, ¡°Old Madam, you watched Qing grow up. Don¡¯t you know what kind of person she is? How could she do such a thing? Moreover, why would Qing risk her life and ours to get involved with these murderers? It¡¯s clearly a revenge taken by Prince Yu¡¯s enemies. Qing was just lucky enough to have survived. We¡¯ve already let her down. We can¡¯t give up on her.¡±


    Ren Wanyun and Old Madam Shen had been in-laws for so many years, so she knew Old Madam Shen¡¯s temper very well. Old Madam Shen was extremely selfish to the core and was very much a fence-sitter. Even if she had feelings for Shen Qing, when it was time to protect herself, she would not hesitate to abandon Shen Qing. Sometimes, Ren Wanyun felt that Shen Gui was a heartless person because he inherited it from Old Madam Shen.


    After hearing Ren Wanyun¡¯s words, Old Madam Shen was even more furious. She said, ¡°Eldest Daughter-in-law, I don¡¯t understand what you are saying. When did we let Qing down? Did I force her to have an affair with Prince Yu? Or did I force her to get pregnant before marriage? I don¡¯t remember ever having taught her to do that!¡±


    Ren Wanyun was angered by Old Madam Shen¡¯s ugly remark. She said, ¡°Mother! How can you say that about Qing? She¡¯s your granddaughter!¡±


    Chen Ruoqiu advised, ¡°Second Sister-in-law, stop talking back to Mother. She¡¯s worried about Qing too. Everyone knows that among the three daughters, she likes Qing the most.¡±

 Chapter 240 - Softhearted (6)

    Chapter 240: Softhearted (6)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    So Old Madam Shen would abandon her favorite granddaughter at the drop of a hat when something bad happened. Shen Xin and Luo Xueyan both sneered, but they did not say a word and just watched the show silently.


    Shen Yuan glanced at Chen Ruoqiu. His gaze was very dark, making Chen Ruoqiu freeze and a little afraid. Shen Yuan walked to Ren Wanyun¡¯s side and helped her up. He looked at Old Madam Shen and said, ¡°Grandma, don¡¯t be anxious. It¡¯s not the end of the world yet. Now, my sister is only suspected and hasn¡¯t been convicted. She has nothing to do with this incident. I think the truth will be revealed in a few days. I will also investigate it seriously and not let my sister be wronged for no reason.¡±


    When Old Madam Shen heard this, her gaze softened. Among her children and grandchildren, the one she liked the most was her youngest grandson, Shen Yuanbai, but the one she was most proud of was Shen Yuan, who was extremely capable at such a young age. She immediately nodded and said, ¡°In that case, go and investigate. If Qing is really innocent, I naturally don¡¯t want her to be wronged.¡± After a pause, she looked at Ren Wanyun and sneered, ¡°However, I think your mother is crazy. If she is really out of her mind, lock her up and stop her from causing us trouble.¡±


    Ren Wanyun was angry and resentful, and her face was red. At some point, Old Madam Shen had become more and more dissatisfied with her. Now, she was even humiliating her in front of her son. Even Chen Ruoqiu was looking at her mockingly.


    Ren Wanyun only managed to catch her breath after Shen Yuan helped her back to Rosy Cloud Garden. She grabbed Shen Yuan¡¯s arm and said, ¡°Yuan, think of a way to save your sister. How can Qing really be involved? How can she be the murderer?¡±


    ¡°Mother, don¡¯t worry.¡± Shen Yuan comforted her. ¡°Now, Sister is suspected because the real murderer has yet to be found. Once the real murderer is found, Sister will naturally be freed.¡±


    When Ren Wanyun heard that, it was as if she had found a straw to clutch at. Her eyes immediately lit up again. She asked happily, ¡°When will the murderer be found? How long will your sister be locked up for? When will you find the murderer?¡±


    Shen Yuan looked at Ren Wanyun. She looked very haggard. It had been a long time since she had applied makeup. Her skin looked old and dull, and her hair was very messy. She had always been a person who cared about her appearance, but now she looked like a different person.


    And the cause of all this was just a girl who was once taken by everyone as an idiot.


    Shen Yuan felt a headache coming on. He thought he was smart, but he did not expect that as soon as he returned to the capital, such a big mess would be thrust upon him. Ren Wanyun¡¯s status in the mansion had plummeted. Not only was Shen Qing pregnant before marriage, but she was also involved in the massacre of Prince Yu.


    For some reason, Shen Yuan suddenly thought of Shen Qing¡¯s wedding day. That day, Shen Miao said to him, ¡°No one can say for sure what will happen in the future. Perhaps all of a sudden, the road ahead will be cut off.¡±


    Now, the path ahead for Shen Qing was really cut off. Even if there was a road, it would be an extremely bumpy road. She was the only one left alive in the entire Prince Yu¡¯s mansion. At this point, Shen Yuan could almost say for a fact that the murderers didn¡¯t kill Shen Qing not because they were merciful or sympathetic, but they wanted Shen Qing to suffer a life worse than death.


    However, Shen Qing was just a little girl. Why would anyone be so brutal to a little girl? Was it Shen Miao? But how could Shen Miao have command over so many assassins who were killing to help her kill Prince Yu?


    Shen Yuan¡¯s eyes darkened. Regardless of whether the person behind this was Shen Miao or not, he had to get to the bottom of it. Since that person targeted Shen Qing, the second branch might be targeted too. Although Shen Qing was now in a difficult situation, it was by no means a dead end. He had to find out who was behind this and return the favor a thousand times over.


    That was what Shen Yuan thought, but what he did not expect to happen was that just like Shen Miao said, ¡°No one can say for sure what will happen in the future. Perhaps all of a sudden, the path ahead will be cut off.¡±


    On the second day, his path was cut off and he was faced with a dead end.

 Chapter 241 - No Way Out (1)

    Chapter 241: No Way Out (1)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    The entire capital was talking about the murder of Prince Yu. The rumors were getting bigger and bigger, and the more they spread, the more ridiculous they became. There were all kinds of speculations. Some people even suspected that the person who killed Prince Yu was the lover of Prince Yu¡¯s wife.


    Such rumors were everywhere. However, in the vast ocean of rumors, there was one that stood out because it was extremely shocking.


    This rumor had it that Prince Yu¡¯s mansion was destroyed overnight by the Shen family. As for why the General¡¯s Mansion did this, it was complicated and there were all kinds of interpretations.


    If the previous rumors caused Shen Qing and her family to be ridiculed and looked down upon, this conspiratorial rumor really pushed the Shen family to the front.


    When Prince Yu¡¯s mansion was wiped out, not even a livestock was spared other than the bride who had just married into the mansion. How could this bride make the ferocious murderers spare her life unless she was also one of them? If this horrendous case was done by the Shen family, all of this would naturally make sense. However, why did the Shen family want to do that to Prince Yu? On the surface, it might seem like they were dissatisfied with this marriage, but the perceptive ones knew that currently in the imperial court, chaos was in the making. Who knew if the Shen family did this because they were instructed by someone or because they were trying to show something?


    Early in the morning, Bai Lu and Shuang Jiang brought some snacks to Shen Miao. At this moment, the Shen mansion was in disarray. Other than Rongjing Hall, the other courtyards just made do with what they had in the kitchen.


    After breakfast, Shen Miao went to wash up. She looked at herself in the mirror and frowned slightly. Then, she said to Gu Yu, ¡°Go and get the fox fur scarf that Brother sent over.¡±


    Gu Yu took out the scarf from the box and was about to put it on for Shen Miao when Shen Miao stopped her. ¡°I¡¯ll do it myself.¡±


    The fox skin used to make the scarf was snow-white and smooth. Shen Qiu hunted the fox in the northwest forest up in the mountain and asked the tailor to make an exquisite scarf for Shen Miao because he thought that the skin was precious. However, Shen Miao had never liked to wear it, so it was left unused under the box for a long time. For some reason, she suddenly thought of it today, which made Gu Yu a little surprised.


    When Gu Yu saw Shen Miao wrap the scarf around her neck, she praised, ¡°Miss, you look so good with this scarf around your neck. It makes you look fairer. It can definitely keep you warm and comfortable.¡±


    Shen Miao lowered her eyes and her fingers gently brushed past the soft fur. She thought of the bruise on her neck in the mirror just now. It was the mark left by Xie Jingxing when he grabbed her throat yesterday. At that time, he did not hold back at all. Yesterday, she did not notice it, but today, it was especially obvious. Although the collar of the clothes she wore in the winter was high, if her parents saw it, she wouldn¡¯t be able to explain herself.


    Putting down the bronze mirror in her hand, Shen Miao opened the door and walked out. She happened to see Shen Qiu standing under the tree in the courtyard and instructing the soldier beside him. Shen Qiu¡¯s guards were all from the army. Unlike ordinary guards, they looked brave and unyielding. Seeing Shen Miao, Shen Qiu said something to the soldier before turning around and smiling. ¡°Sister.¡±

 Chapter 242 - No Way Out (2)

    Chapter 242: No Way Out (2)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    ¡°What happened?¡± Shen Miao asked. Usually, in the morning, Shen Qiu would be in the courtyard, practicing his swordsmanship. The best thing about the west courtyard was this spacious spot. In the past, Shen Qiu and Shen Xin loved to spar here. Occasionally, Luo Xueyan would join in. These days, Shen Miao was already used to seeing Shen Qiu practicing martial arts the moment she opened the door. Today, for the first time, there was no movement. Naturally, something had happened.


    Shen Qiu chuckled and said, ¡°Nothing. Why are you up so early? Why don¡¯t you sleep more?¡±


    Shen Miao didn¡¯t let him change the topic. She continued to ask, ¡°It¡¯s about Eldest Sister and the Shen family, right?¡±


    Shen Qiu quickly cleared his throat and pulled Shen Miao into the house. After entering the house, he chased the servants out and closed the door before looking at Shen Miao and said, ¡°Sister, don¡¯t talk about this outside.¡±


    ¡°What exactly happened?¡±


    Shen Qiu scratched his head. ¡°It¡¯s nothing serious. Leave it to Father, Mother, and me. Don¡¯t go out these days and don¡¯t worry about this.¡±


    He was probably trying to fool Shen Miao. However, if the current Shen Qiu could be fooled that easily, she wouldn¡¯t be able to survive thus far. She stared at Shen Qiu and said, ¡°Alright, Brother, you don¡¯t have to hide it from me. It¡¯s about Prince Yu¡¯s death. People are starting to suspect the Shen family, right?¡±


    Shen Qiu was stunned. Looking at Shen Miao, he felt strangely powerless and not worthy of being her elder brother. It was as if Shen Miao knew everything. When she was stupid, he was afraid that she would be bullied. Now that she was smart, he felt helpless.


    Seeing that Shen Qiu did not speak, Shen Miao continued, ¡°Brother, is this really what worried you?¡±


    ¡°Sister.¡± Shen Qiu said seriously, ¡°You¡¯re still young and don¡¯t know much about what¡¯s going on in the imperial court. The person who spread the false rumor to slander us behind our backs is definitely up to no good. If we¡¯re not careful, the Shen family will be implicated.¡± He looked at Shen Miao and hesitated for a moment before asking hesitantly, ¡°Sister, do you know who killed Prince Yu?¡± As soon as he finished asking, he answered it himself, ¡°I don¡¯t think you know. How can a girl like you be so capable?¡±


    Ever since Shen Miao told Shen Qiu about how the second branch and Prince Yu schemed against her, Shen Qiu had never been able to take it lying down. If not for the fact that Shen Miao did not let Shen Qiu tell their parents and told him not to do anything rash, Shen Qiu would probably have long taken revenge for Shen Miao. From the beginning to the end, Shen Miao had repeatedly told him that she had a way to deal with everything.


    Shen Qiu was already surprised beyond words to find that Shen Qing¡¯s pregnancy and her marriage to Prince Yu was all Shen Miao¡¯s doing. However, if Shen Miao was also involved in the death of Prince Yu, he felt like it was too much a blow to take. It had to be known that even Shen Xin had to go through a lot of trouble to get rid of Prince Yu. How was it possible for a little girl like Shen Miao to do that? However, the more he felt that it was impossible, the more Shen Qiu felt Shen Miao might be involved.


    Shen Miao glanced at Shen Qiu and sighed. ¡°Brother, are you suspecting me?¡±


    ¡°No, no, no. Sister, why would I suspect you? You¡¯re just a little girl. If word gets out, people will laugh their heads off,¡± Shen Qiu quickly explained, afraid of angering Shen Miao.

 Chapter 243 - No Way Out (3)

    Chapter 243: No Way Out (3)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    When Shen Miao saw worries in his eyes, she sighed in her heart. She couldn¡¯t tell Shen Qiu the truth. The people of the first branch of the Shen family were all kind and honest. If they found out that such a vicious thing was done by her, they would definitely feel painfully disappointed. She could only choose to lie to Shen Qiu. Shen Miao smiled and said, ¡°I certainly don¡¯t have that ability, and there is no need to suspect me. However, you don¡¯t have to worry too much about what you¡¯re worried about now.¡±


    Shen Qiu looked at Shen Miao and asked curiously, ¡°Sister, why do you think so?¡±


    ¡°People in the world are not stupid. They won¡¯t just believe some rumors on a blind faith. Without evidence, Eldest Sister won¡¯t be convicted. Besides, what does it have anything to do with our first branch? Father and Mother are not in the capital all year round, so they naturally can¡¯t be involved in anything conspiratorial. It¡¯s not our place to worry about it at all. There will be someone ¡®smart and capable¡¯ to solve these problems for us.¡±


    ¡°A smart and capable person?¡± Shen Qiu was puzzled. ¡°Who is that?¡±


    Before he could finish his sentence, he heard Bai Lu say loudly, ¡°Greetings, Second Young Master.¡±


    ¡°Speaking of the devil.¡± Shen Miao turned around and smiled. ¡°Here comes the smart and capable person.¡±


    Shen Qiu rolled his eyes and walked to the door to open it. Sure enough, he saw Shen Yuan standing at the door. Shen Yuan had always paid attention to his appearance. Now that he had probably been up all night long, he looked a little haggard. His gaze when he looked at Shen Miao and Shen Qiu was undisguisedly dark. He said, ¡°Fifth Sister, I want to talk to you in private.¡±


    ¡°My sister has nothing to say to you.¡± Shen Qiu stood in front of Shen Miao and deliberately emphasized the words ¡°my sister¡±.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine, Brother.¡± Shen Miao said, ¡°Coincidentally, I also have something to talk about with Second Brother.¡±


    ¡°Sister,¡± Shen Qiu said anxiously. Shen Miao patted Shen Qiu¡¯s arm. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. If you¡¯re worried, just guard the door.¡±


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll guard the door,¡± Shen Qiu quickly said.


    In the past, no matter how much Shen Qiu disliked Shen Yuan, he would at least be polite and pretend to be friendly. This time, when Shen Yuan came back, Shen Qiu had been blatantly hostile towards him.


    ¡°Fifth Sister, come in with me.¡± Shen Yuan glanced at Shen Qiu coldly. ¡°Brother, please guard the door.¡± After saying that, he stepped into the house first.


    Under everyone¡¯s worried gazes, Shen Miao walked in.


    The door slowly closed. Shen Miao turned around and heard Shen Yuan say with a dark expression, ¡°You did it.¡±


    His tone was very certain. Shen Miao smiled and said, ¡°Second Brother, what are you talking about? The massacre that happened in Price Yu¡¯s mansion or the rumors?¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you the one who did all that?¡± Shen Yuan sneered. ¡°I¡¯ve underestimated you.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid Second Brother thinks too highly of me.¡± Shen Miao didn¡¯t care. ¡°I¡¯m not that capable. How can I escape unscathed after doing such a thing?¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± Shen Yuan sized her up and said, ¡°Aren¡¯t you having a very good time?¡±

 Chapter 244 - No Way Out (4)

    Chapter 244: No Way Out (4)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    ¡°I don¡¯t care what others say. Since Second Brother insists on this, I can¡¯t be bothered to explain. You won¡¯t believe me anyway. Did you come all the way here today just to accuse me of that?¡±


    Shen Yuan endured the anger that was surging inside him. The girl in front of him had an indifferent smile on her face, and the corners of her lips curled into a mocking smile. Her eyes were as clear as water, reflecting Shen Yuan¡¯s slightly disheveled appearance. Shen Yuan was proud and conceited, but now that he was tricked by a girl, he was naturally extremely indignant. However, at this point, he had to admit that he really underestimated his opponent.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid of implicating the Shen family by doing this? Should the truth be revealed, your family won¡¯t have a good time either!¡± Shen Yuan said fiercely.


    Hearing this, Shen Miao seemed to have heard a funny joke. She chuckled and looked at Shen Yuan for a moment. When Shen Yuan could no longer hold back his anger, she said indifferently, ¡°I didn¡¯t do anything. In addition, what Second Brother said is really strange. Even if this matter is related to the Shen family, what does it have to do with my first branch?¡± She said casually, ¡°My parents and brother are in the Northwest all year round. No one will believe I, a young girl, can manage taking down Prince Yu. Even if the Shen family is really involved, Second Brother, I think the first branch will automatically be taken out of the equation.¡±


    Shen Yuan gasped.


    No matter how smart and cunning Shen Miao was, she could only play tricks within the confines of the Shen mansion, whereas the imperial court was the battleground for men. Shen Wan and Shen Gui would never be bothered to discuss political matters with Shen Miao. However, the remark made by Shen Miao just now clearly showed that her understanding of the situation was better than anyone.


    ¡°So you had a backup plan.¡± Shen Yuan¡¯s expression changed and he sneered. ¡°It seems like your first branch is going to just stand by and watch.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve never had the intention to stick our noses into other people¡¯s business.¡± Shen Miao looked at him calmly. ¡°Second Uncle and Third Uncle will be busy for quite a while. However, Second Brother, you should be the one who¡¯s most worried.¡± She shook her head and said with a sigh, ¡°As soon as you return to the capital, such a troublesome matter is immediately thrust upon you. This will absolutely hinder your official career.¡±


    She deliberately laid stress on ¡°official career¡¯, which caused Shen Yuan to clench his fists in anger.


    Shen Miao suddenly turned around and touched the soft fur on her neck. She smiled and said, ¡°But considering that we¡¯re both surnamed Shen, I have an idea that can perhaps help you.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t dare to use your idea.¡± Shen Yuan stared at her. ¡°If I¡¯m not careful, I might lose my life.¡±


    ¡°Second Brother, you must be joking. I¡¯m not that scary. I came up with this idea for you sincerely. However, with Second Brother¡¯s intelligence, I¡¯m afraid you¡¯ve already thought of it. Since the Shen family is already involved, we just have to get the Shen family out of it. Actually, Second Brother also knows that rumors can¡¯t be taken seriously. It¡¯s just that after the rumor is spread for a long time, people will inevitably be suspicious. To stop the rumor from continuing, all it takes is for Eldest Sister to come out and clarify it.¡±


    Shen Miao looked out of the window. Shen Qiu was sitting under the tree with his eyes fixed squarely at the door. She smiled faintly. ¡°I think the most convincing way to explain oneself is through the death of one¡¯s own life.¡±


    ¡°You!¡± Shen Yuan suddenly stretched out his fist, but he stopped at the top of Shen Miao¡¯s head. He stared at Shen Miao and said, ¡°You¡¯re the first person I¡¯ve seen who has such a vicious heart at this young age.¡±

 Chapter 245 - No Way Out (5)

    Chapter 245: No Way Out (5)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    ¡°It takes one to know one.¡± A trace of smugness flashed across Shen Miao¡¯s eyes. She asked, ¡°Do you think Eldest Sister will be willing to do so for the sake of your official career?¡± She smiled gently. ¡°I think she will. After all, you two are siblings.¡± After a pause, Shen Miao suddenly shook her head. ¡°No, I don¡¯t think she will. Elder Sister loves her life more than anything. Why should she sacrifice her life for your future?¡±


    ¡°Shen Miao, you won¡¯t be lucky every time.¡± Shen Yuan gritted his teeth, his tone as if he wanted to skin Shen Miao alive. He suddenly understood why Ren Wanyun hated Shen Miao to the core when she mentioned her.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know if I¡¯ll be lucky every time.¡± Shen Miao looked at him. ¡°But Second Brother, you have no choice now.¡±


    With a bang, Shen Yuan kicked the door open and left without looking back. Shen Qiu was frightened and immediately rushed into the room. Seeing that Shen Miao was safe and sound, he was relieved and asked curiously, ¡°What did you say to him? Why is he so angry?¡±


    ¡°Oh, he is probably blaming himself for not being able to help his sister who is suffering in prison.¡± Shen Miao picked up her cloak without looking back. Seeing this, Shen Qiu asked, ¡°Sister, are you going out?¡±


    ¡°Eldest Sister is in prison. As her cousin, I feel obliged to go and see how she is doing.¡± Shen Miao smiled. ¡°After all, we are from the same family.¡±


    ¡­


    In the Exiled Immortal Pawnshop, Hong Ling placed the exquisite pastries and tea set on the table before quietly leaving. Ji Yushu picked up a piece of pastry and took a bite. He spat it all out and said, ¡°What¡¯s this? It¡¯s really disgusting.¡± Then, he looked at Xie Jingxing and said shamelessly. ¡°Third Brother Xie, can I borrow your chief for a few days.¡±


    Xie Jingxing simply told him to get lost.


    Gao Yang drank his tea and said, ¡°Now that the entire capital is in shock after the massacre that wiped out Prince Yu¡¯s mansion, you still have the mood to enjoy pastries. Ji Yushu, you¡¯re really something.¡±


    Ji Yushu threw him a glance and said, ¡°What does that have to do with me? Why can¡¯t I eat pastries?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t forget that your pawnshop is also involved in this matter.¡± Gao Yang reminded him.


    When Ji Yushu heard that, he retorted angrily, ¡°Shen Miao is the mastermind and she doesn¡¯t seem to be worried in the slightest. I heard that she even went to see Shen Qing in the prison early this morning. If I were Shen Qing, I would die from indignation.¡±


    Xie Jingxing smiled and picked up a piece of pastry to eat. The taste was probably not to his liking. He frowned slightly, put down the remaining half, and stopped eating.


    ¡°How can you compare to her?¡± Gao Yang said coldly, ¡°The Fifth Miss of the Shen family probably fears nothing. You have to know that this is the first time I¡¯ve met someone who can escape unscathed after stabbing our Third Brother Xie.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Ji Yushu exclaimed and looked at Xie Jingxing. ¡°Third Brother, you were actually stabbed?¡±


    Xie Jingxing glanced at Gao Yang. ¡°Do you want me to send you back?¡±


    Gao Yang immediately sat up straight. ¡°I was talking nonsense just now.¡±

 Chapter 246 - No Way Out (6)

    Chapter 246: No Way Out (6)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    However, Ji Yushu¡¯s curiosity was obviously piqued as he kept asking Xie Jingxing, ¡°How did she stab you? With a sword? Third Brother, even you couldn¡¯t dodge it. That means she¡¯s well-trained. What¡¯s more, she can even escape unscathed. Oh my god, Third Brother, are you not her match at all?¡±


    Xie Jingxing finally couldn¡¯t take it anymore. ¡°Shut up!¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s so skilled and good-looking. I suddenly feel that Miss Shaoyao can¡¯t compare to her. Ah, Third Brother Xie, can you help me think of a way to woo her? I think it¡¯s better to marry such a girl home as soon as possible.¡± Ji Yushu continued to nag.


    ¡°If you say another word, I¡¯ll send you back together with Gao Yang,¡± Xie Jingxing said expressionlessly.


    Ji Yushu finally shut up.


    Gao Yang waved his folding fan and changed the topic. ¡°But why do I feel that this matter isn¡¯t over yet?¡±


    ¡°How is it not over yet?¡± Ji Yushu said, ¡°They¡¯re all dead. Speaking of which, I am really puzzled. Why did Miss Shen ask people to spread that kind of rumor for no reason? Isn¡¯t she afraid of implicating the entire Shen family? Instead of proving to others that the Shen family has nothing to do with the massacre, she¡¯s intentionally pulling her family into it.¡±


    ¡°Have you ever seen a person who stops fishing after catching a big fish?¡± Xie Jingxing glanced at him and smiled with interest. ¡°The moves she makes are connected intricately, and her goal has never been Prince Yu.¡±


    In the Rosy Cloud Garden of the Shen family, Shen Yuan dragged his feet back into the house. When Ren Wanyun saw him, she pounced on him and asked expectantly, ¡°Yuan, how is it?¡±


    Shen Yuan shook his head. ¡°Troublesome.¡±


    ¡°Yuan, you have to save Qing.¡± Ren Wanyun¡¯s tears immediately flowed down. Over the past few days, she had been washing her face with tears every day, and her eyes were so swollen that they were a little scary. She did not even clean herself, and there was a strange smell on her body. Shen Yuan quietly kept a distance from her. Unexpectedly, Ren Wanyun grabbed his arm and said, ¡°She¡¯s your sister. You have to save her! Qing is very pitiful. She¡¯s innocent. She must be very afraid of being locked up in the prison. We¡¯re not by her side. Only you can save her now!¡±


    As she spoke, her tears and saliva sprayed on Shen Yuan. Shen Yuan was already frustrated, and seeing Ren Wanyun like this, he became even more frustrated. He said, ¡°I understand.¡± He turned around and was about to return to his room.


    Ren Wanyun panicked when she saw this. She grabbed Shen Yuan and said, ¡°Yuan, why are you going back to your room? Shouldn¡¯t you go to the government office to take care of the matter? Or you can go and beg the emperor. You¡¯re so smart and know many people in the imperial court. You can definitely help your sister. Do you need money? I¡¯ll go get it for you.¡±


    ¡°Mother.¡± Shen Yuan suppressed the frustration in his heart and said, ¡°I can¡¯t do anything at the moment. Don¡¯t push me.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m pushing you?¡± Ren Wanyun was stunned for a moment before screaming, ¡°I¡¯m trying to save your sister. There are no good people in this mansion! Your father is heartless. All he cares about is having fun with his concubines and he doesn¡¯t care about us at all. Now, are you going to abandon your sister too? Are you going to be just like your father? I raised you painstakingly, and this is how you repay me! Shen Yuan, your father is heartless, and you¡¯re heartless too!¡± Ren Wanyun¡¯s voice became louder and louder. These days, she was quite out of her mind and would get worked up easily. There was something in what Shen Yuan said that caused her to go crazy.


    Not only did she scold him, but Ren Wanyun even pushed Shen Yuan. She looked nothing like a lady from a noble family but a shrew. Shen Yuan suddenly felt exhausted, and what Shen Miao said flashed across his mind.


    After returning to the capital, he was supposed to have a bright and smooth-sailing official career. He would choose a wise prince to assist him and eventually become a famous minister. He would trample everyone under his feet and everyone would look up to him. But things were heading in the opposite direction. His mother had become a shrew, and his father was useless. Even his sister, who could¡¯ve become the prince consort, was locked up in prison.


    Although family was important, his future was important too. He had secretly been siding with Fu Xiuyi for many years and had been working diligently outside for the sake of returning to the capital to help him one day. Who knew that so many things would happen in a row? Rumors were rumors and could not be taken seriously. However, if rumors continued for too long and reached the ears of the royal family, no matter how much Fu Xiuyi valued him, he would still be hesitant about using him.


    Shen Miao had laid two paths in front of him. One was his family and the other was his future. However, in a sense, he was really cornered.


    Shen Yuan looked at Ren Wanyun and said calmly, ¡°Mother, even if you don¡¯t care about me, do you also not care about my little brother¡¯s life?¡±

 Chapter 247 - Family (1)

    Chapter 247: Family (1)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    As soon as he said that, Ren Wanyun stopped scolding. She looked at Shen Yuan in a daze. ¡°What did you say?¡±


    ¡°Now that the entire Shen family is dragged into this mess, our second branch will be the first to be implicated. You don¡¯t care about Father and me losing our official positions, but what about my little brother who is only a few years old?¡± Shen Yuan said.


    Ren Wanyun looked at him and instantly looked a little flustered. ¡°What does this have to do with Yuanbai? He is still so young. How can he be implicated? No one is more innocent than him.¡±


    ¡°Mother, no one is innocent in this matter.¡± Shen Yuan sneered. ¡°Am I not innocent?¡± After taking a deep breath, he continued, ¡°Mother, the rumors are now spreading like wildfire. If we provoke someone we shouldn¡¯t at this time, I¡¯m afraid the entire family will suffer.¡± He looked at Ren Wanyun and said in a low voice, ¡°You want Shen Miao to die with you. But do you want my little brother to die for nothing?¡±


    Ren Wanyun was stunned, and she couldn¡¯t help but tremble. It had to be known that she did have this thought of dying together with Shen Miao. Although she hated Shen Miao to the core, hated the coldness of the entire Shen family, hated the heartlessness of Shen Gui, hated Old Madam Shen¡¯s reaction, and hated the inaction of the third branch. She even thought that it didn¡¯t matter if the entire Shen family was implicated because of Shen Qing. If she could kill everyone in the first branch, it would be considered revenge taken.


    However, Shen Yuan pointed out one thing. If the Shen family was really implicated, Shen Yuanbai could not avoid the punishment either. Since ancient times, the emperor loved the eldest son, and the people doted on the youngest son. Shen Yuanbai was smart since he was young, and Ren Wanyun had always been very fond of him. Shen Yuanbai had to die with the entire Shen family, she couldn¡¯t accept it.


    ¡°Then¡­ Yuan, what should we do?¡± Ren Wanyun looked at Shen Yuan as if he was her life-saving straw and her backbone. The madness from before was gone.


    ¡°Mother, we can¡¯t be greedy.¡± Shen Yuan looked at her with a cruel gaze. ¡°You can only keep one, either Sister or Brother.¡±


    ¡­


    In the prison near the government office in the capital, there were guards standing outside.


    In this massacre case, Shen Qing was actually in a very awkward position. On the surface, she looked like a pitiful person. As soon as she married Prince Yu, she encountered a massacre. Fortunately, she was lucky enough to have survived. However, if one thought about it deeper, there were many doubts regarding this case. Perhaps it really had something to do with Shen Qing. Even if it had nothing to do with her, all kinds of guesses or rumors about her being a jinx were enough to make her name the center of discussion in the capital. From the looks of it, it seemed better if she died during the massacre.


    Emperor Wen Hui¡¯s attitude towards Prince Yu¡¯s case was also intriguing. He said that he would investigate this case thoroughly, but he only entrusted this case to the capital¡¯s magistrate and the government without even bothering to ask about the progress. With Emperor Wen Hui¡¯s close relationship with Prince Yu, it was strange that he was so indifferent. The emperor¡¯s thoughts had always been difficult to guess, and the courtiers didn¡¯t dare to make bold guesses as to what Emperor Wen Hui wanted to do, so they could only lock Shen Qing, the most likely suspect, up for the time being.


    This was actually a little farcical. The only woman who survived the massacre was unarmed, but she was taken as the culprit. Sometimes, things in the world were really strange.


    When Shen Miao arrived at the gate of the prison, the head of the prison guards was stunned to see her. He went forward and asked, ¡°Who are you?¡±

 Chapter 248 - Family (2)

    Chapter 248: Family (2)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    ¡°My Miss is the fifth daughter of the Shen family.¡± Jingzhe took a step forward and stuffed the sachet containing silver coins into the guard¡¯s hand. ¡°She specially came to see her sister.¡±


    Shen Miao waved the token given to her by Shen Qiu in front of the head of the guards. When the man saw it, he quickly bowed respectfully and said, ¡°It¡¯s Fifth Miss Shen.¡± Shen Xin was famous in the capital. Not to mention the head of the guards, even officials had to show him some respect.


    ¡°I want to see my sister. Please show me the way,¡± Shen Miao said.


    The man smiled and said, ¡°We¡¯re actually not allowed to let anyone in to see the prisoner for the next few days, but since Fifth Miss Shen has spoken, follow me please.¡± With that, he instructed the guard guarding outside. Jingzhe and Gu Yu stayed outside while Shen Miao walked in alone with the man.


    Shen Qing was now in a very awkward position. No one knew if she would be freed anytime soon. However, even if she really got out, it would be extremely difficult for Shen Qing to live with that kind of reputation.


    ¡°Actually, Fifth Miss, you don¡¯t have to worry too much.¡± The head of the prison guards smiled and said, ¡°Although Eldest Miss Shen is still in prison, once this case is investigated thoroughly, Eldest Miss Shen will get the justice she deserves.¡± He thought that since Shen Miao came to visit Shen Qing, the two sisters must be very close. No matter what, if he could make Shen Miao comfortable, he could at least do Shen Xin a favor.


    Shen Miao nodded. ¡°Thank you for telling me that.¡±


    When a stone staircase appeared in front of her, the head of the guards stopped in his tracks and said, ¡°Miss Shen is locked up down there. Fifth Miss, go down and talk to her. My subordinates and I will wait outside. Don¡¯t take too long.¡±


    Shen Miao thanked him again. After the guards walked away, she walked down the stairs.


    Down the long steps, there was a cell at the end. It was surrounded by metal bars, and there was only a small window the size of a fist in the cell. This was where prisoners of the most evil kind were kept. There was a row of torches on the stone wall, but the torches swayed in the gloomy cell, making the cell look a little creepy.


    The cell was covered with straw, and there was a dirty quilt on it. One could see with naked eyes that there were lice on the quilt. The person sitting on the straw with her head buried in her knees was probably asleep.


    Shen Miao looked at her quietly for a while before walking over. She reached out and knocked on the iron fence.


    The person suddenly raised her head, revealing a slightly frightened face. When she saw that it was Shen Miao, her frightened expression turned into anger. She gritted her teeth and shouted, ¡°Shen Miao!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s me.¡± Shen Miao took a step back to prevent Shen Qing from pouncing on her and scratching her. She was right. The next moment, Shen Qing pounced on her. She wanted to grab Shen Miao with both hands, but she couldn¡¯t break the metal bars.


    ¡°It seems like you haven¡¯t learned your lesson.¡± Shen Miao chuckled and looked at her calmly. ¡°Don¡¯t waste your energy. It¡¯s useless.¡±


    Shen Qing put down her hand unwillingly and suddenly laughed out loud. ¡°Shen Miao, are you here to gloat over my misery? Are you here to see how unfortunate I am? Let me tell you, one day, you will be a hundred times more miserable than me!¡±


    ¡°What a pity.¡± Shen Miao looked at her with pity. ¡°Even if that day really comes, you won¡¯t be able to see it.¡±


    Shen Qing was stunned, and a trace of fear suddenly surged inside her. She had been locked up in this prison for a few days, and she had absolutely no clue what was going on with the massacre. She had always been a spoiled rich girl and thought that the night she spent with Prince Yu at the Wolong Temple was the most painful time of her life. She did not expect the bad incidents that followed to be more and more terrifying. She became pregnant, was humiliated at the royal banquet, got married to Prince Yu, and then survived the bloody massacre on the night of her marriage. Now, she ended up becoming a prisoner. She suppressed the uneasiness in her heart and said stubbornly, ¡°Don¡¯t lie to me. This has nothing to do with me. I am innocent and won¡¯t be implicated.¡±

 Chapter 249 - Family (3)

    Chapter 249: Family (3)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you understand?¡± Shen Miao squatted down and looked into Shen Qing¡¯s eyes. She shook her head gently like an adult looking at an insensible child. ¡°Whether it¡¯s a conspiracy or not and whether you are part of it or not, as long as you¡¯re alive, you¡¯ll have to bear the sin.¡±


    Shen Qing retorted. ¡°Why should I kill Prince Yu? I have no grudge against him. You are the one who has a grudge against¡­¡± She suddenly stopped in the middle of her sentence and looked at Shen Miao in disbelief. ¡°You did it?¡±


    Shen Miao smiled faintly.


    ¡°You did it?¡± Shen Qing grabbed the metal bar and looked at Shen Miao. ¡°It¡¯s you. You have a deep hatred for Prince Yu. You asked someone to kill him. You deliberately let me live just to make me the scapegoat for you. Shen Miao, what a plan you have!¡± She looked at Shen Miao, shocked and angry. She was shocked that Shen Miao was so vicious and angry that she was in this state because of Shen Miao!


    ¡°Eldest Sister, you have to show evidence.¡± Shen Miao smiled and said, ¡°But after staying in the prison for two days, you seem to have become smarter.¡± Although Shen Miao didn¡¯t admit it directly, Shen Qing knew for a fact that her speculation was true.


    Shen Qing was furious. ¡°What do you want? Shen Miao, you won¡¯t be able to get what you want. My father and brother will do what they can to save me. They will find evidence and you will be the one in prison, not me! At that time, I will think of a way to make you suffer!¡±


    ¡°Are you still counting on Second Uncle and Shen Yuan?¡± Shen Miao mocked. ¡°Second Uncle is afraid of being implicated now, so he doesn¡¯t even want to come and see you. As for Shen Yuan¡­¡± Shen Miao smiled. ¡°He could have had a good official career and a bright future, but because of you, he is dragged into this mess. Do you really think he would want to save you?¡± ¡±


    Shen Qing glared at Shen Miao, but she knew in her heart that Shen Miao was right. How could she not know what kind of person Shen Gui was? When Shen Gui married her to Prince Yu, Shen Qing could tell that Shen Gui was just like Old Madam Shen. He only cared about benefits and would avoid trouble at all costs. As for this second brother who had been unpredictable since he was young, although he had helped her solve many problems in the past, this time, she had affected Shen Yuan¡¯s career. Would Shen Yuan really help her again?


    ¡°Shen Miao, cut that crap!¡± Although she was uneasy, Shen Qing still pretended to be calm, ¡°My mother won¡¯t stand by and do nothing! My mother will definitely think of a way to help me out. As long as my mother steps in, with my second brother¡¯s ability, it won¡¯t be difficult for him to find evidence. At that time, you¡¯ll be the one who ends up in prison.¡±


    ¡°Second Aunt?¡± Shen Miao sighed. ¡°I know Second Aunt treats you very well. If anything happens to you, Second Aunt will definitely protect you with her life, just like how she treated me back then¡­¡±


    Only then did Shen Qing feel less uneasy. Ren Wanyun had always been very indulgent towards her. Among the three daughters of the Shen family, Chen Ruoqiu was slightly strict with Shen Yue. Luo Xueyan was rarely with Shen Miao, and only Ren Wanyun loved Shen Qing with all her heart. This was because when Shen Qing was born, Ren Wanyun had a difficult time giving birth. It was not easy for the mother and daughter to be both safe. Ren Wanyun extremely doted on her daughter. Back then, when Shen Qing wanted to pursue Prince Ding, Ren Wanyun did not say anything and even came up with ideas for her.


    Now, even if others were cold to her, as long as Ren Wanyun was around, she would definitely not let her be wronged. Before Shen Qing could talk back, she heard Shen Miao¡¯s mocking voice. ¡°But Eldest Sister, guess who is more important in Second Aunt¡¯s heart. You or Shen Yuanbai?¡±

 Chapter 250 - Family (4)

    Chapter 250: Family (4)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    Shen Qing was stunned and stared at Shen Miao without saying anything.


    Shen Miao looked at her flatly. ¡°Everyone in our house knows how much Second Aunt dotes on Seventh Brother. If he gets in trouble because of you, who do you think Second Aunt will protect? Actually, I¡¯m also looking forward to knowing the answer. I wonder if Eldest Sister can answer me.¡±


    Shen Qing¡¯s body began to tremble violently. She knew better than anyone else how important Shen Yuanbai was to Ren Wanyun. Although Shen Yuanbai was naughty, he was also very likable. Most importantly, Shen Yuanbai was a boy.


    This world was especially difficult for women. In Ren Wanyun¡¯s heart, she was always more biased towards her youngest son. Shen Qing knew very well that she would definitely be the one to be abandoned. However, no matter how afraid she was, Shen Qing was always unwilling to lose her composure in front of Shen Miao. She looked at Shen Miao and sneered. ¡°What do you want to say? Do you want to say that I¡¯ll die no matter what? Shen Miao, don¡¯t forget that I¡¯m still pregnant with the royal family¡¯s child! The child in my stomach has the blood of the royal family. As the child¡¯s mother, I won¡¯t die that easily!¡± After saying that, Shen Qing rubbed her stomach and revealed a loving smile. Just a few days ago, she was hitting her stomach and wanted nothing more than the child in her stomach to die.


    ¡°Eldest Sister, do you really think he¡¯s your life-saving talisman?¡± Shen Miao¡¯s gaze landed on Shen Qing¡¯s slightly bulging stomach. She said indifferently, ¡°In the past, with how much His Majesty values Prince Yu, he will naturally protect this child. But now¡­ I¡¯m afraid this child will only make you die quicker.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Shen Qing did not understand what Shen Miao was talking about, but from Shen Miao¡¯s determined gaze, she suddenly felt afraid. She had a feeling that Shen Miao was not lying to her, but why would the child in her stomach make her die quicker?


    Being locked up in the cell, Shen Qing did not know that some rumors had spread in the palace and reached the ears of the emperor. In the past, in order to protect Prince Yu¡¯s child, Emperor Wen Hui naturally would not let Shen Qing die so early. But now, the emperor was paranoid and would not show mercy. He probably wanted to kill Shen Qing and the bastard in her stomach as soon as possible.


    Seeing that Shen Miao was smiling and did not answer her, Shen Qing panicked even more. She said sternly, ¡°Shen Miao, I have not harmed you. Why did you do this to me?¡±


    ¡°You have not harmed me?¡± Shen Miao looked at Shen Qing as if she had heard a funny joke. ¡°When you and your mother schemed against me, weren¡¯t you thinking about harming me?¡±


    ¡°You¡­¡± Shen Qing was indignant. She looked at Shen Miao as if she was looking at a terrifying person. ¡°You set me up. I curse you to die a horrible death, and your family too!¡± At the end of her sentence, her voice suddenly became sharp, as if she was doing so to hide the fear in her heart.


    Amidst her cursing, Shen Miao¡¯s expression did not change. She said in a low voice, ¡°What¡¯s so scary about a horrible death?¡±


    Shen Miao had already experienced the horrible death Shen Qing talked about once. At that time, Luo Xueyan had already passed away, and Shen Qiu had been drowned. In the Shen family¡¯s first branch, Shen Xin and all the servants were locked up. According to the account from the young eunuchs in the Cold Palace, Shen Xin was locked up in the most terrifying prison. They used a chain to penetrate his shoulder blades to prevent him from escaping, and the word ¡°prisoner¡± was branded on his cheek. To a general who had fought countless wars, this was undoubtedly the most humiliating thing. Physical torture was still tolerable, but humiliation was not for Shen Xin. At that time, Shen Miao was confined in the Cold Palace and watched as Fu Ming was deposed as the crown prince but couldn¡¯t do anything.

 Chapter 251 - Family (5)

    Chapter 251: Family (5)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    Shen Qing was already a little out of her mind. She was young and had never experienced anything so catastrophic. Ren Wanyun had always doted on her since she was young. Once something happened, she wouldn¡¯t be able to take it. She screamed, ¡°Shen Miao, you¡¯re not human! You¡¯ll die a horrible death!¡±


    Shen Miao looked at her quietly. ¡°Shen Qing, how does it feel to see your hopes shattered one by one?¡±


    Shen Qing stared at Shen Miao with hatred.


    ¡°When I was down and out, you kicked me in the face, so this time, I¡¯m returning the favor,¡± she said with a smile, but there was no smile in her eyes. Her clear eyes were like black clouds that pressed down on Shen QIng.


    In her previous life, before she died, she saw Shen Qing and Shen Yue standing behind Consort Mei, smiling ingratiatingly. The second and third branches contributed a lot to the tragic ending of the first branch of the Shen family. She lived this difficult life again because she wanted to pull out the fangs of the poisonous snakes one by one and slowly torture them.


    Shen Qing did not understand her. She gritted her teeth and said, ¡°Shen Miao, you¡¯ll die a horrible death¡­¡±


    Shen Miao stood up and looked down at Shen Qing. In the gloomy cage, her slightly tender face actually revealed a dignified and elegant aura. In that dignified aura, there was a faint black storm in the making. In the end, it turned into a cold smile on her lips.


    The corners of her purple dress fluttered as she gradually walked away. The last thing Shen Qing heard was¡­


    Shen Miao said, ¡°Shen Qing, you¡¯re the first.¡±


    ¡­


    In the east courtyard of the Shen family, there was an unusual silence that day.


    Shen Gui stayed in the room, looking gloomy. Today, he heard from the eunuchs in the palace that it was nearly impossible to save Shen Qing.


    Something must have happened between Emperor Wen Hui and Prince Yu, and this problem was obviously much more serious than the courtiers thought. Shen Gui was in a dilemma. If he interfered with Shen Qing¡¯s matter, he would probably make Emperor Wen Hui unhappy. If he ignored Shen Qing, the rumors would spread more and more. When the time came, he would be the first to be implicated.


    While he was sighing, Concubine Wan walked to his side and gently massaged his shoulders.


    Shen Gui was lecherous and had many concubines in the mansion, but Ren Wanyun was strict with the concubines. In the end, those concubines did not give birth to a child for him. Even if they were lucky enough to give birth to a child, the child would quickly die. However, Concubine Wan managed to give birth to a daughter, Shen Dongling, under Ren Wanyun¡¯s nose. She brought her daughter. Back then, the servants in the mansion said that if Concubine Wan did not give birth to a daughter but a son, her status would probably be on par with Ren Wanyun.


    Ever since she gave birth to Shen Dongling, Concubine Wan had been staying in her courtyard without making a fuss, as if she had disappeared from everyone¡¯s eyes. Even Shen Dongling, who was weak and sick, did not leave the courtyard all year round. She only came out to see people during the holidays and was usually forgotten by the others. Now that Shen Qing was in trouble and Ren Wanyun and Shen Gui would quarrel whenever they met, it was time for Concubine Wan to make a comeback. These days, Shen Gui was served comfortably, and when he looked at Ren Wanyun and her daughter, he felt an indescribable disgust.


    ¡°Master, are you still worried about Eldest Miss.¡± As Concubine Wan massaged Shen Gui¡¯s shoulders, she advised, ¡°Master, don¡¯t worry too much. If Eldest Miss didn¡¯t do it, she would eventually get the justice she deserves.¡±

 Chapter 252 - Family (6)

    Chapter 252: Family (6)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    ¡°Sigh.¡± Shen Gui sighed. ¡°Whether she really did it or not, this matter won¡¯t be that simple. This time, Qing might implicate everyone.¡±


    When Concubine Wan heard that, she said worriedly, ¡°I believe there is always justice in this world.¡± She said, ¡°Our daughter and I don¡¯t mind being implicated. As long as I am with Master, I don¡¯t care if I live or die. However, Second Young Master has a bright official career ahead of him now, and Seventh Young Master is still young. What if they get implicated?¡±


    Shen Gui¡¯s expression changed, and he was a little frustrated. Although he was selfish, greedy, and lecherous, he still gave his two sons a lot of hope. For some reason, in their generation, the Shen family did not have many sons, and the fact that he had two sons was something that Shen Gui was extremely proud of. To Shen Gui, his daughter was just an item that could be exchanged for benefits, but as for his sons, they could pass down the bloodline.


    At the thought that he had to sacrifice his precious two sons for Shen Qing, he was immediately furious.


    ¡°I heard that Madam is running around to ask for help to save Eldest Miss now. I really feel sorry for them. If not for the fact that I¡¯m weak, I really hope I can help,¡± Concubine Wan continued.


    ¡°What can you help?¡± When Shen Gui heard Concubine Wan mention Ren Wanyun, he felt even more annoyed. He said, ¡°It¡¯s all that crazy woman¡¯s fault for raising such a shameless daughter. Now, she even got everyone involved!¡±


    Concubine Wan seemed to be frightened and suddenly shrank back. She stopped massaging his shoulders and paused for a moment before saying softly, ¡°Master, don¡¯t blame Madam. Madam doesn¡¯t feel good either. If Eldest Miss feels hopeless and does something stupid to herself in the prison, Madam¡¯s heart will break.¡±


    Shen Gui said impatiently, ¡°What can she do¡­¡± He suddenly paused and said slowly, ¡°Something stupid?¡±


    Concubine Wan¡¯s eyes flashed with a smirk, but her voice still sounded very worried. ¡°As soon as Eldest Miss got married, such a bloody calamity happened, causing her to be sent to jail. Eldest Miss has been pampered since she was young. It¡¯s very likely that she will have suicidal thoughts. We have to send someone to remind her to stay calm.¡±


    Shen Gui suddenly stood up and looked outside. The sun was about to set, and the sky was especially dark in winter. He said, ¡°I¡¯ll go out for a while.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s already so late. Where is Master going?¡± Concubine Wan asked.


    ¡°I have something to do. Have dinner yourself.¡± Shen Gui strode out.


    When Shen Gui was no longer in sight, Concubine Wan closed the door and walked to the table to sit down. The dishes on the table were in abundance. In this gloomy east courtyard, her food was extremely exquisite. However, no one knew that just a few years ago, she couldn¡¯t even get Ren Wanyun to fork out money to treat Shen Dongling¡¯s illness and the food she ate was all leftovers from other courtyards.


    What goes around comes around. In the past, she was the unlucky one, but now, it was Ren Wanyun and her daughter¡¯s turn to be unlucky. Ren Wanyun had made her and her daughter live on tenterhooks all these years. Now that Shen Qing was in prison, she would probably be in a worse state than Shen Dongling in the past.


    ¡°Go, call Third Miss over for dinner,¡± she instructed the maid beside her, and the maid left.


    ¡°Madam, will Master really be so ruthless as to do something to Eldest Miss?¡± Another maid asked carefully.


    ¡°Of course.¡± Concubine Wan smiled charmingly. ¡°He will.¡± After being husband and wife with Shen Gui for so many years, she knew better than anyone what he was thinking. She deliberately reminded him just now of the consequence of letting Shen Qing live. If Ren Wanyun found out that her daughter was killed by her husband in the end, she would probably go hysterical.


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    She scooped a spoonful of soup and slowly tasted it.


    At the same time, Shen Yuan, who was in Rosy Cloud Garden, put on a cloak and walked out of the Shen family¡¯s door without telling anyone.

 Chapter 253 - Shen Qing’s Death (1)

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 Chapter 254 - Shen Qing’s Death (2)

    Chapter 254: Shen Qing¡¯s Death (2)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    When the guard saw the bracelet, his eyes lit up. He snatched it away and looked at it carefully under the light. Seeing that it was not bad, he said with a smile, ¡°In that case, I¡¯ll help you. However, it¡¯s a good thing that your brother came to see you. Why don¡¯t you want to see him?¡±


    Shen Qing forced a smile and said, ¡°I really feel bad for involving my family in such a mess this time. I¡¯m too ashamed to see them.¡±


    The guard nodded, but his gaze was filled with disdain. If she was really such a self-respecting woman, why would she do something adulterous behind her family¡¯s back? She even got pregnant before marriage. Now that she said that she felt bad and was too ashamed to see her family, it was really a little pretentious. However, the guard didn¡¯t say that out loud. He agreed and left.


    After the prison guard left, Shen Qing squatted down and hugged her shoulders helplessly, burying her head in her knees, hoping that when she opened her eyes again, she would wake up from this dreadful dream.


    She slept like this for a long time until she heard someone knocking on the bars. She looked up in a daze.


    In the flickering light, a familiar face was reflected. If it were in the past, she would definitely be overjoyed to see this face. However, after hearing Shen Miao¡¯s words and looking at her face, Shen Qing was so frightened that she fell to the ground and looked at the person in front of her in panic.


    Shen Yuan said, ¡°Sister, are you doing well?¡±


    ¡°Second Brother, why are you here?¡± Shen Qing asked and took a step back.


    When Shen Yuan saw her move, he frowned slightly, but he did not say anything. He took out a key from his sleeve and opened the cell. Seeing this, Shen Qing was stunned for a moment before standing up happily. ¡°Second Brother, are you here to save me?¡±


    Shen Yuan shook his head. ¡°I can¡¯t save you for the time being.¡± He took out a bag of snacks and handed it to Shen Qing. ¡°I came to see you and get you something to eat.¡±


    Shen Qing was a little disappointed. Shen Yuan had already walked in. As if he felt that the prison was too dirty, he looked a little disgusted. When Shen Qing saw this, she felt a little sad. She took the basket from Shen Yuan and removed the cloth. In the basket filled with pastries, the smell was fragrant and pleasing. It was her favorite chestnut cake.


    ¡°You¡¯ve suffered a lot these days.¡± Shen Yuan said gently, ¡°I know you like to eat this the most, so I brought you some.¡±


    Shen Qing felt a lump in her throat and almost cried. Over the past few days, she had been eating rotten food in the prison and had never been full. She lived in fear every day. Now that she saw her favorite food and her second brother, she suddenly couldn¡¯t help but cry.


    ¡°Don¡¯t cry. After eating, I¡¯ll take you out in a few days,¡± Shen Yuan said gently.


    Shen Qing took out a piece of pastry and was about to put it into her mouth when she saw Shen Yuan¡¯s gentle smile. Her hand suddenly trembled, as if a bucket of cold water had been poured on her. For some reason, Shen Miao¡¯s words echoed in her ears. ¡°He could have a good official career and a bright future, but because of you, he¡¯s in constant trouble. Do you really think he¡¯ll want to save you?¡±


    The pastry was right in front of her mouth, but Shen Qing could not bring herself to bite it.


    In the past, Shen Qing would definitely choose to trust Shen Yuan without hesitation. However, ever since Prince Yu¡¯s incident, Shen Qing had also seen the coldness of the Shen family with her own eyes. Was this second brother really willing to take such a huge risk to save her for her sake? If Shen Yuan were in prison, she would probably not want to take the risk. Shen Qing suddenly thought of the jade bracelet she had given to the prison guard. At that time, she told the guard that if Shen Yuan came to see her, tell him to go back. However, why did Shen Yuan insist on coming in? Was it because the prison guard took her thing but did not do what he promised, or was it because Shen Yuan used some other method to get in?

 Chapter 255 - Shen Qing’s Death (3)

    Chapter 255: Shen Qing¡¯s Death (3)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    Only then did Shen Qing suddenly realize that none of the guards who were supposed to be patrolling were around. There were no other prisoners in the cell where she was locked up. In other words, at this moment, there was only her and Shen Yuan here. He was her closest brother, but looking at him, Shen Qing felt a chill run down her spine.


    ¡°Why aren¡¯t you eating?¡± Shen Yuan asked her.


    Shen Qing forced a smile and said, ¡°I-I can¡¯t bring myself to eat such a delicate pastry. I¡¯ll save it for later.¡±


    ¡°It won¡¯t taste good when it¡¯s cold.¡± Shen Yuan smiled and said, ¡°I¡¯ll send more to you in a few days.¡±


    ¡°No¡­¡± Shen Qing declined.¡± I-I don¡¯t want to eat now.¡±


    ¡°Weren¡¯t you very hungry just now?¡± Shen Yuan looked at her. ¡°Why do you suddenly not want to eat anymore?¡±


    Shen Qing waved her hand in a panic and said, ¡°I just don¡¯t want to eat anymore. I suddenly feel a little uncomfortable. It¡¯s probably because I am pregnant.¡± She put the snack aside and said, ¡°When I feel better later, I¡¯ll definitely eat it.¡±


    Shen Yuan looked at her in silence. In the end, he sneered and said, ¡°Sister, you seem to have become smarter after staying in prison for a few days.¡± His voice was no longer gentle like before. Instead, it was inexplicably cruel. Shen Yuan said, ¡°It seems like you already know. What a pity. I originally wanted to make it easier for you to leave.¡±


    Shen Qing trembled and looked at Shen Yuan. ¡°Second Brother, what do you mean?¡±


    ¡°Sister, you¡¯re so guarded against me. I thought you already understood what I meant.¡±


    Shen Yuan¡¯s words were very calm. Coupled with his cold face, he had a terrifying aura. Shen Qing realized something and suddenly shook her head crazily, wanting to shout. Unfortunately, before she could make a sound, her throat was grabbed.


    She didn¡¯t expect that someone who looked gentle and amiable had so much strength. What was even more terrifying was that he was grabbing his sister¡¯s throat, and in his eyes, there was no pity at all as if he was looking at a passerby.


    Shen Qing widened her eyes and stared at the person in front of her. Shen Yuan chuckled and said, ¡°Sister, don¡¯t blame Second Brother for being ruthless. Now that you¡¯ve caused such a huge trouble for all of us, if you continue to live, you¡¯ll implicate the entire Shen family. Do you want Father, Mother, and Yuanbai to die for you? Sister, you can¡¯t be too selfish.¡±


    Shen Qing struggled with all her might, but she was a woman to begin with, and she was pregnant. Moreover, she had been tortured to the point of death these days, so her strength was no match for a man. She could only kick her legs in vain, and the straw on the ground flew everywhere.


    ¡°I know you don¡¯t want to die.¡± Shen Yuan said softly, ¡°I¡¯m your second brother, so I¡¯ll definitely avenge you. I promise you that the first branch of the Shen family and Shen Miao will definitely end up a thousand times worse than you. So, Sister, don¡¯t hate me. Only when you die and the second branch is not implicated will I be able to avenge you. Do you understand?¡±


    Shen Qing¡¯s body gradually went limp, and her eyes gradually dimed out, like a fish on the verge of death gradually drying up on the dry shore.


    Shen Yuan let go, and the body fell to the ground with a thud. Just like that, Shen Qing died in prison.

 Chapter 256 - Shen Qing’s Death (4)

    Chapter 256: Shen Qing¡¯s Death (4)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    Shen Yuan looked at Shen Qing¡¯s corpse indifferently. A moment later, he poked Shen Qing¡¯s fingertip with the tip of the needle and wrote a line of words using her blood on the stone wall of the cell. Then, he took out Shen Qing¡¯s belt and hung it up, putting Shen Qing¡¯s head in.


    After everything was done, he stood up and picked up the basket that Shen Qing had placed on the ground. He looked at the figure swaying in the cell one last time.


    ¡°Sister, you won¡¯t die in vain. I will definitely avenge you,¡± he said softly.


    ¡­


    This winter in the capital seemed to be really a gloomy season with shocking events happening one after another. Everyone knew about the massacre of Prince Yu¡¯s mansion. Although the people were secretly clapping their hands, they knew that the capital would now be in chaos. The only surviving new bride, the eldest daughter of the Shen family, was locked up. Everyone wanted to know the outcome if Shen Qing had confessed or revealed any detail about the massacre.


    However, one day, there was suddenly a rumor spreading that the eldest daughter of the Shen family had committed suicide by hanging herself. Before she died, she left a letter written with her blood, saying that she was indeed unrelated to this matter. In addition, her husband was dead and she didn¡¯t want to live in this world alone.


    People found it strange that Shen Qing was, at the end, so much tolerant of Prince Yu who died. Previously, because Shen Qing got pregnant before marriage and married Prince Yu, she was called a slut. Now that she commited suicide for the sake of Prince Yu, it caused many people to sigh. They all praised her for having integrity and morals, but her life was ruined by Prince Yu.


    With Shen QIng¡¯s death, the previous rumors circulating in the capital naturally died down overnight. It was unimaginable for the commoners to figure out what could¡¯ve driven Shen QIng, who was pregnant with a loyal child, to kill herself.


    As a result, the Shen family and Shen Qing were not suspected anymore. Even Emperor Wen Hui did not say anything, but they still could not find out who the murderer was. The case was mostly going to become an unsolved case.


    In the Shen family, everything seemed to be no different from before.


    Shen Qing had already married Prince Yu, so she had to be buried with him as a princess consort. Old Madam Shen actually felt a little relieved to know that her granddaughter was dead.


    Shen Wan and Chen Ruoqiu looked very sad. Shen Yue was crying uncontrollably. However, no matter how sad they were, they had never even gone to the prison to see Shen Qing. Therefore, no one knew if they were putting on an act or if they were sincere.


    In comparison, Shen Gui was very indifferent. He did his job as usual and did not look sad. Perhaps to Shen Gui, Shen Qing¡¯s suicide saved him a lot of trouble, so he was naturally happy. As for Shen Yuan, the responsibility of the entire second branch of the Shen family was now on him. Every day, he was out and about and was nowhere to be seen in the mansion. No one knew what he was busy with.


    After Ren Wanyun found out that Shen Qing had committed suicide in prison, she fainted. When she woke up, she was a little delirious. She held Xianglan¡¯s hand and said that she wanted to see Shen Qing return. Clearly, this matter had a huge impact on Ren Wanyun. In such a state, she naturally wasn¡¯t qualified to manage the second branch. Shen Gui asked Concubine Wan to temporarily manage the second branch. Everyone in Rosy Cloud Garden thought to themselves that Concubine Wan was probably going to replace Ren Wanyun. Even Shen Dongling, who was invisible all year round, was going to make a comeback. On the other hand, Old Madam Shen was worried about Shen Yuanbai. In the end, she did not let Concubine Wan take care of her grandson. Instead, she brought Shen Yuanbai to Rongjing Hall to take care of him herself.

 Chapter 257 - Shen Qing’s Death (5)

    Chapter 257: Shen Qing¡¯s Death (5)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    The mess caused by the second and third branches of the Shen family had nothing to do with the first branch. When Shen Xin and Luo Xueyan returned this time, they had a lot of complaints about the other two branches, so they naturally didn¡¯t want to help. Every day, they practiced swordsmanship in the mansion or went out to visit their old friends. Shen Qiu also went along to meet the people in the bureaucracy. As Shen Qiu accumulated more and more military achievements, one day, he would take Shen Xin¡¯s place.


    After resting for a period of time, Shen Miao went to Guangwen Hall again.


    As the new year approached, teachers in Guangwen Hall became less and less strict with the students. They knew that at this moment, the students were not in the mood to study, so they let them be. Shen Miao had not been there for a long while, but she was actually not so behind in her study. On the other hand, when the students saw her, they started discussing.


    The news of Shen Qing spread like wildfire, but no one had ever heard of the Shen family commenting on it. After the massacre, Shen Yue was asked by Chen Ruoqiu to stay in the mansion and not go to school, in case anything went wrong. Therefore, when Shen Miao came, everyone was eager to ask.


    Yi Peilan said, ¡°Oh, Shen Miao, you¡¯re actually here? Why aren¡¯t you wearing mourning clothes?¡± She deliberately raised her voice and said, ¡°Oh, it¡¯s no surprise. Back then, Shen Qing and you had a lot of friction. I think you aren¡¯t too sad about her death.¡±


    Yi Peilan and Shen Qing had always been good friends, so she wanted to stand up for Shen Qing and her words were naturally filled with malice. Everyone looked at the door and saw Shen Miao wearing a dark-colored dress and a simple jade bracelet, looking a little cold.


    ¡°According to the law of the Ming Qi Dynasty, when the elders die, the juniors have to wear white clothes. Miss Yi, Shen Qing is my sister, but she¡¯s not my elder,¡± Shen Miao replied without looking back. She walked to her seat and sat down.


    When Feng Anning saw her, she looked very excited, as if she had a lot of questions to ask her. Yi Peilan was immediately furious. Without thinking, she said, ¡°Shen Miao, stop pretending to be a good person. Back then, you and Shen Qing were at odds. I think you¡¯re still happy that Shen Qing ended up like that. Otherwise, why didn¡¯t your father and mother help her when she was in prison?¡±


    As soon as she said that, everyone immediately looked at Shen Miao, as if they were waiting for her to answer this tricky question. That¡¯s right. When Shen Qing was imprisoned, Shen Xin did not help her. Otherwise, with Shen Xin¡¯s meritorious service, he could at least help Shen Qing buy some time.


    Shen Miao¡¯s eyes turned cold, and she suddenly turned to stare at Yi Peilan. Yi Peilan couldn¡¯t help but feel a chill run down her spine. Before she could speak again, she heard Shen Miao say mockingly, ¡°Miss Yi and my eldest sister have always been close friends. I think you¡¯re very sad about her suicide. However, back then, my second aunt hoped to save my eldest sister and went to the Yi family to ask Mrs. Yi for help. I remember that at that time, Mrs. Yi said that she was sick and refused to see her.¡±


    Yi Peilan was stunned for a moment before her face turned red. The surrounding students looked at her meaningfully. She stammered, ¡°T-That¡¯s because my mother was indeed sick!¡±


    ¡°Since Mrs. Yi can say that she¡¯s sick at such a critical juncture, why can¡¯t my parents do the same?¡± Shen Miao did not use rude words to retort, but she humiliated Yi Peilan fiercely. Shen Miao continued, ¡°Since Mrs. Yi can¡¯t do it, why do you want my parents to do it? My eldest sister is in prison. Even my second uncle and second brother can¡¯t do anything to help her. Do you think it¡¯s easy to save her? Miss Yi, it¡¯s easy to talk but difficult to do. If you want to lecture others next time, please lecture yourself first!¡±

 Chapter 258 - Shen Qing’s Death (6)

    Chapter 258: Shen Qing¡¯s Death (6)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    As soon as Pei Lang entered the hall, he heard Shen Miao¡¯s words. Looking at the classroom, he saw Shen Miao was standing upright. Her words were said in a calm tone but they humiliated Yi Peilan and the Yi family greatly. Yi Peilan was speechless. She bit her lower lip and glared at Shen Miao.


    That¡¯s right, do unto others what you don¡¯t want them to do unto you. The Yi family was just a bunch of fence-sitters, but they still stood on the moral high ground and criticized others. It was really laughable.


    ¡°Shen Miao!¡± Yi Peilan was about to rush up and fight with Shen Miao when she heard a light cough and Pei Lang walked in.


    Seeing their teacher, everyone immediately fell silent. Before Yi Peilan could calm down, Pei Lang said indifferently, ¡°No arguing in the school.¡± After saying that, he glanced at Yi Peilan warningly.


    Everyone knew that in Guangwen Hall, although Pei Lang had a gentle personality, he was respected by everyone. Even someone as arrogant as Yi Peilan did not dare to talk back to him. Shen Miao sat down. Feng Anning elbowed her and said in a low voice, ¡°Mr. Pei is helping you out. Yi Peilan is too much. Even Mr. Pei can¡¯t stand it.¡±


    Shen Miao looked up and met Pei Lang¡¯s gaze. There was a hint of curiosity in his gentle expression, as if he wanted to see what she was thinking.


    She met Pei Lang¡¯s gaze and smiled gracefully.


    Pei Lang was slightly stunned. The girl had a delicate face and was cold and dignified. However, that smile just now seemed to have the charm of an adult woman. There was a hint of seduction in it, making people want to find out more.


    However, at that moment, Shen Miao lowered her head, making him feel like the smile on her face just now seemed to be an illusion.


    ¡­


    The Exiled Immortal Pawnshop naturally knew all the rumors in the capital.


    Ji Yushu buried his head in his abacus and said to the two people opposite him, ¡°This deal we made with the Chen family is really worth it. With such a large sum of money, this pawnshop won¡¯t have to open for three years.¡±


    ¡°Are you going to pocket all the money and not leave a penny to Fifth Miss Shen?¡± Gao Yang said teasingly, ¡°After all, she¡¯s the one selling information.¡±


    Ji Yushu curled his lips. ¡°She said that the money would all belong to me. I took such a huge risk to create rumors for her. Otherwise, how could Prince Yu be dealt with so easily?¡± He said, ¡°Besides, if not for the fact that she told Chen Yueshan that she didn¡¯t want the money, the money I could¡¯ve got from them would allow me to not work for thirty years. Thanks to her, I didn¡¯t make as much money as I could have. If not for the fact that she¡¯s a woman, I would have taught her a lesson!¡±


    ¡°Tell me when you are going to teach her a lesson, because I¡¯ll definitely prepare a coffin for you.¡± Gao Yang waved his folding fan and smiled gently. However, his words made people grit their teeth. ¡°Prince Yu wanted to harm her, but in the end, he was killed by her. Her sister set her up, so she took her life mercilessly. I bet you¡¯ll die in less than three moves if you become her enemy.¡±


    ¡°Cut it out.¡± Ji Yushu was dissatisfied. ¡°Am I that weak? Besides, no matter how powerful she is, she¡¯s still a woman. Women have weaknesses.¡± Ji Yushu looked at Xie Jingxing, who was drinking tea leisurely, and said, ¡°Let¡¯s put it this way. If Fifth Miss Shen falls in love with our Third Brother one day, she will definitely be obsessed with him. At that time, even if Third Brother Xie points his sword at her, I don¡¯t think she will dodge.¡±


    ¡°Hehe.¡± Gao Yang looked at him coldly. ¡°At that time, she will definitely cut Xie into pieces and feed him to the dogs.¡±


    ¡°Third Brother Xie, Gao Yang called you a dog,¡± Ji Yushu immediately said.


    Xie Jingxing played with the hairpin in his hand and rolled his eyes at the two of them, a look of seriousness flashing across his face.


    ¡°They¡¯re here.¡±

 Chapter 259 - Jade Rabbit Festival (1)

    Chapter 259: Jade Rabbit Festival (1)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    ¡°They¡¯re here.¡±


    After hearing Xie Jingxing¡¯s words, Gao Yang stopped teasing Ji Shuyu and looked at him. ¡°You mean they are here in the capital?¡±


    ¡°Be careful these few days.¡± Xie Jingxing frowned. ¡°They are here for the thing. In order not to expose your identity, don¡¯t go out for the time being.¡±


    ¡°But how can you do it alone?¡± Without waiting for Gao Yang to speak, Ji Yushu said anxiously, ¡°You¡¯ve already attracted their attention. Now that they are in the capital, they¡¯ll definitely look for you first. You can¡¯t alert the others in the capital.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡± Xie Jingxing stretched and smiled wickedly. ¡°I¡¯ve been waiting for them for a long time anyway.¡±


    ¡°Third Brother Xie, are you going to teach them a lesson again?¡± Ji Yushu looked at him with sparkling eyes. ¡°Can you bring me along this time?¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡± Xie Jingxing said casually, ¡°I¡¯ll use you as a target.¡±


    Gao Yang was speechless.


    ¡­


    The gloom brought about by the massacre in Prince Yu¡¯s mansion was quickly swept away by the joy of the new year. Since it was the new year, everywhere was decorated in a festive manner.


    There was nothing more important than the new year. Time would not stop here. New snow covered old snow, new discussion covered old discussion, and new hope was always more hopeful than the old ones.


    The emperor wasn¡¯t sad that his brother was dead either. He even spent a lot of money to set up a palace banquet and invite all the consorts to celebrate the new year with him. This made the people think that the rumors of the royal family being heartless were indeed true. However, only the smartest people knew that Emperor Wen Hui had dealt with a future problem tactfully and cleanly. Therefore, even if his officials failed to find the murderer, Emperor Wen Hui did not punish them.


    Shen Qing and Prince Yu were buried in the royal tomb together. However, because Shen Qing committed suicide and she wasn¡¯t from the royal family, the emperor did not compensate the Shen family. This made Old Madam Shen very angry.


    In the west courtyard of the Shen family, Bai Lu and Shuang Jiang were taking out the books in Shen Miao¡¯s room to bask in the sun.


    Shen Xin and Luo Xueyan went to the drill ground to train the new recruits early in the morning. At the end of the year, they still had to train the new recruits. Shen Qiu also went to join in the fun, leaving Shen Miao alone in the west courtyard.


    ¡°A few days ago, Eldest Young Master asked someone to send a batch of new books over. Why don¡¯t we take them out too?¡± Gu Yu asked Shen Miao.


    ¡°I still have some use for those books. There¡¯s no need to dry them,¡± Shen Miao replied. Ever since Shen Qiu saw many military books in Shen Miao¡¯s room, he immediately told Shen Xin and Luo Xueyan about it happily. However, Shen Miao had never shown that she was into military tactics and strategies before, so Shen Xin and Luo Xueyan thought that she was just doing it on a whim. Even so, they still found many military books for her.


    Those who did not know better would think that the Shen family planned to raise a female general. Shen Miao naturally had no intention of becoming a female general. It was just that the Shen family¡¯s army would face many dangers in the future, and she could only rely on her understanding in her previous life to help the Shen family get through these problems. There was no harm in knowing more about tactics.


    As Bai Lu flipped the pages, she said, ¡°Tomorrow is the Jade Rabbit Festival. I heard that there will be a festive activity by the lake this year where thousands of people come together to light lanterns. Are you going tomorrow?¡±


    The Jade Rabbit Festival was a festival in Ming Qi. On the night before the new year every year, people would go to the streets to look at lanterns and guess riddles. It was very lively. There would be an especially large jade rabbit in the lanterns, blessing the entire Ming Qi with good weather and rain in the coming year. The difference this year was that the Jade Rabbit was on the water. At that time, the people could put their own lanterns on the water to make a wish or pray for their family. The scene would definitely be very lively. Bai Lu and Shuang Jiang were young and curious. It was natural for them to want to join the fun.

 Chapter 260 - Jade Rabbit Festival (2)

    Chapter 260: Jade Rabbit Festival (2)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Gu Yu said angrily, ¡°The streets will definitely be very crowded. What if something happens to Miss?¡±


    ¡°But didn¡¯t we always go in the past?¡± Bai Lu said, pouting.


    ¡°It¡¯s different!¡± Gu Yu said fiercely. Bai Lu was right. At this time in the past, Shen Xin and his wife had already returned to the capital. The entire Shen family would go out to watch the Jade Rabbit Festival. However, this year, the Shen family was involved in a big case, and the murderer had yet to be found. If someone took the opportunity to take revenge, Shen Miao¡¯s life would indeed be in danger.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± Shen Miao smiled. ¡°I want to go and watch the show anyway. With my parents and brother by my side, I won¡¯t be in any danger.¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡± Gu Yu still wanted to persuade her.


    ¡°It¡¯s decided.¡± Shen Miao interrupted her and walked back into the house. Gu Yu had no choice but to suppress the worry in her heart. At some point, Shen Miao had become extremely stubborn. She no longer looked like she would ask the second and third branches for help. It was indeed good that she had her own thoughts like this, but when she was stubborn, she made people feel very helpless.


    Shen Miao returned to the house and sat down at her table. Her gaze landed on the plum branch outside. The branch was covered in red spots, reminding her of the letter she had received previously.


    The Chen brothers had already gone back home. After Prince Yu¡¯s mansion was wiped out, they never contacted each other again. Shen Miao was extremely cautious. All her communication with the Chen family was done through a letter sent by Mo Qing to the Exiled Immortal Pawnshop so no one would suspect her.


    This time, there was another piece of news that Mo Qing brought back. There was finally something about Miss Liu Ying, who Shen Miao had asked Ji Yushu to investigate. She worked in the biggest brothel in the capital, the Treasure Fragrance Chamber where she was considered one of the top beauties. It was said that on the day of the Jade Rabbit Festival, she would also dress up as the Jade Rabbit Fairy and dance by the lake. Shen Miao really wanted to go and take a look.


    As for the worry Gu Yu had that someone would use this opportunity to harm Shen Miao, it was simply not going to happen. The Chen brothers were in the same team with her to begin with, so there was no way they would harm Shen Miao. As for the Shen family, Old Madam Shen was so angry that she refused to see everyone except her two sons and the grandson. The second branch of the Shen family had collapsed. Shen Yuan was too busy currying favor with the officials to harm Shen Miao.


    Now that she thought about it, this was the only new year when she could temporarily let down her guard.


    At this thought, the corners of Shen Miao¡¯s lips curled up slightly, making Gu Yu, who was looking at her from outside, stunned. However, before she could come back to her senses, she heard Jingzhe¡¯s voice. Jingzhe walked in and said, ¡°Miss, Concubine Wan from the east courtyard has come to see you.¡±


    Concubine Wan? Gu Yu frowned and said in a low voice, ¡°Again?¡±


    ¡°Why does Concubine Wan keep coming to our courtyard?¡± Shuang Jiang and Bai Lu also whispered, ¡°She¡¯s too eager to curry favor with us.¡±


    The maids did not like Concubine Wan. No matter what Concubine Wan¡¯s purpose for coming was, she was still from the second branch.


    A few days ago, when Concubine Wan came to see Shen Miao, she was rejected by Shen Miao with all kinds of excuses. Today, Shen Miao said, ¡°Let her in.¡±


    Jingzhe was stunned for a moment before going out to bring the guest in. On the other hand, Gu Yu and the others looked worried, afraid that Concubine Wan was up to no good.


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 Chapter 261 - Jade Rabbit Festival (3)

    Chapter 261: Jade Rabbit Festival (3)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    A moment later, Concubine Wan walked in with Jingzhe. Shen Miao looked up at her.


    Concubine Wan was wearing a dark blue cloth jacket and a green pleated skirt. There was a plain silver bracelet on her wrist, making her look not vulgar but rather elegant. Her hands were pair and slender and her body was voluptuous. Most men would find it hard to take their eyes off of her. Looking up, Shen Miao saw an oval face, big eyes, fair skin, and red lips. When Concubine smiled, although she tried her best to restrain herself, her charm was still obvious.


    This was a woman who knew she should hide her charm and stay away from the limelight. However, she was in too much of a hurry to make a move. As soon as Shen Qing died and Ren Wanyun went crazy, she started to plan her schemes. Shen Miao had seen many such people in her previous life back in the palace harem. Some were smart, and some were beautiful. They thought that as long as they wanted, they could firmly control a man¡¯s heart. Little did they know that there were countless gorgeous beauties in the world, and a man¡¯s heart was the most unpredictable. If they could restrain themselves from appearing too impatient, they might have a chance to grab a place in a man¡¯s heart. However, once they lost their patience, they tended to be the first ones to die.


    Concubine Wan was obviously the kind of person who thought she was smart.


    Concubine Wan bowed to Shen Miao and sat down on the table opposite her. She was sitting sideways, and her legs were slightly tilted, making her shape look very curvaceous. Shen Miao looked at her calmly and went straight to the point. ¡°Concubine Wan, why brought you here today?¡±


    Concubine Wan did not expect Shen Miao to be so straightforward, which made her stunned for a moment. She heard that Shen Xin and his wife were the most powerful in the Shen family now, and that the most useless Fifth Miss had turned out to be not so useless. She wanted to curry favor with Shen Miao, but she did not expect Shen Miao to not even bother to greet her. Concubine Wan was a little confused, not knowing if Shen Miao didn¡¯t know the very basics of etiquette or if she did it on purpose.


    In fact, Concubine Wan was thinking too much. Shen Miao couldn¡¯t be bothered to talk to her because a concubine was not worthy of her attention.


    Concubine Wan smiled apologetically and said, ¡°It¡¯s almost the end of the year. I came to see Fifth Miss to wish you a happy new year.¡± She said, ¡°It seems that Fifth Miss has been on bad terms with Second Master and Madam because of Eldest Miss. I apologize to you on their behalf and hope you won¡¯t take it to heart.¡±


    Shen Miao looked at her with a faint smile. ¡°Concubine Wan, do Second Uncle and Second Aunt know that you¡¯re apologizing on their behalf?¡±


    Concubine Wan was stunned for a moment, but she continued with a smile, ¡°It¡¯s naturally not my place to apologize for them, but I heard from Second Master that he was a little impulsive that day so he did something he shouldn¡¯t have. I took the initiative to come and apologize. I hope Fifth Miss will not mind.¡±


    Shen Miao looked at her without blinking. Under Shen Miao¡¯s gaze, Concubine Wan looked a little uneasy, but she quickly suppressed it. She smiled and continued, ¡°Actually, Third Miss also wants to come and see Fifth Miss. After all, you are all cousins. However, Third Miss has been a little sick lately. She said that she will come and greet Fifth Miss when she¡¯s feeling better.¡±


    Shen Dongling? Shen Miao raised an eyebrow.


    In addition to the three legitimate daughters, there was also an illegitimate daughter, Shen Dongling from the second branch, who was born to Concubine Wan. In the Shen family, the third branch, Shen Wan and Chen Ruoqiu, only had Shen Yue. Shen Xin and his wife only had Shen Miao and Shen Qiu. The second branch, Shen Gui, had a lot of concubines and illegitimate daughters. However, most of them died very young.

 Chapter 262 - Jade Rabbit Festival (4)

    Chapter 262: Jade Rabbit Festival (4)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    Shen Dongling was ranked third, so she was called Third Miss. After Concubine Wan gave birth to her, she stayed in the courtyard all day long and did not come out. Shen Dongling was also weak and sickly. In Shen Miao¡¯s previous life, she actually had no impression of Shen Dongling at all.


    In her previous life, Shen Dongling seemed to have been given to someone by Ren Wanyun to help Shen Gui rise to another height in his official career. In this life, Ren Wanyun had already lost her momentum, and Concubine Wan had taken her place. It was unknown if Shen Dongling¡¯s fate would change because of this.


    ¡°Third Sister is not in good health. It¡¯s best if she doesn¡¯t walk around.¡± Shen Miao said indifferently, ¡°If she catches a cold because of visiting me, I won¡¯t be able to bear the responsibility.¡±


    When Concubine Wan heard this, she was a little displeased, but she still smiled and said, ¡°Among all the cousins, Third Miss liikes Fifth Miss the most. It¡¯s all my fault. Third Miss was born sick and can only stay in the courtyard all year around. It¡¯s all my fault¡­¡± After saying that, she turned her head to the side and covered her eyes with the handkerchief in her hand, looking extremely sad.


    Shen Miao couldn¡¯t stand Concubine Wan¡¯s hypocrisy and said indifferently, ¡°No one can decide the body they want to be born into. Moreover, it¡¯s not necessarily a bad thing for Third Sister to stay in the courtyard. Eldest Sister has enjoyed all the glory and fame, but look at her. Who knew that she would die so young?¡± The corners of her lips curled up slightly. ¡°Fate is ever-changing.¡±


    As soon as she said that, Concubine Wan looked at Shen Miao in surprise. A moment later, she forced a smile and said, ¡°Fifth Miss, you¡¯re right.¡± She suddenly stood up and looked at Shen Miao. ¡°Fifth Miss, I suddenly remembered that I still have something to do, so I¡¯ll take my leave first. When you¡¯re free one day, I will get Third Miss to come and greet you. She¡¯s not in good health. Please forgive her.¡± With that, she bowed to Shen Miao and left. She left in a hurry as opposed to the composed manner with which she came.


    Jingzhe had been serving tea at the side. Looking at Concubine Wan¡¯s back as she left anxiously, she asked in confusion, ¡°What does Concubine Wan mean? Isn¡¯t she here to suck up to us? Why did she leave so early? And Third Miss, she hasn¡¯t left the courtyard for so many years and has only seen you a few times. Why does Concubine Wan make it sound like she knows Fifth Miss very well?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Gu Yu cleared the teacups on the table and said, ¡°Now that I think about it, I can¡¯t even remember what Third Miss looks like. She¡¯s a daughter of the Shen family as well, but she¡¯s been hiding for so many years just to avoid Second Madam. She¡¯s really pitiful.¡±


    ¡°What makes her pitiful?¡± Shen Miao picked up the tea on the table and took a sip. ¡°I¡¯m afraid in her eyes, you girls are the pitiful ones.¡±


    ¡°Her?¡± Jingzhe was puzzled. ¡°Miss, are you talking about Third Miss?¡±


    Shen Miao smiled. ¡°I was wrong. There¡¯s a smart person in our mansion.¡±


    The purpose of Concubine Wan coming over today was obviously to test her. However, for someone as smart as Concubine Wan to think of this method to test her, on the surface, she looked like she could not wait to announce that she had won Chen Gui¡¯s favor again, but on careful thought, that was not the case. The elusive Shen Dongling was much smarter than Shen Qing.


    However¡­ no matter which side she was on, Shen Miao would not treat her as a friend, let alone a cousin.


    ¡°Be careful.¡± She put down the teacup in her hand and reminded the maids beside her.

 Chapter 263 - Jade Rabbit Festival (5)

    Chapter 263: Jade Rabbit Festival (5)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    On the other side, Concubine Wan hurriedly returned to her courtyard and closed the door. She took three steps forward and said to the girl sitting behind the screen, ¡°Dongling.¡±


    The figure behind the screen looked at Concubine Wan. Concubine Wan took a big breath and sat down on the wooden chair, repeating what she had said to Shen Miao today. She was a good performer and had a good memory. She gave an accurate and vivid account of the conversation between her and Shen Miao. After finishing, Concubine Wan said, ¡°Dongling, what exactly does she mean by that? I feel a chill run down my spine. Do you think¡­ What happened to Eldest Miss is related to Fifth Miss?¡±


    ¡°Mother, be careful with your words.¡± The person behind the screen said, ¡°What happened to Eldest Sister is in the past. Don¡¯t mention this again. Otherwise, you will only harm yourself.¡±


    ¡°I just feel a little uneasy,¡± Concubine Wan said.


    A soft sigh came from behind the screen. The person sitting put down the embroidery in her hand, stood up, and walked to Concubine Wan¡¯s side.


    She was also a beautiful girl. Compared to Shen Qing, who was graceful, Shen Yue, who was gorgeous, and Shen Miao, who was dignified, this girl looked fragile and weak. Having an oval face and big eyes, she resembled Concubine Wan in many ways. If her eyes were more animated, she could attract any young men in the capital. However, her face was pale to the point of bloodlessness. This way, her charm was compromised, making her look like not someone who could harm others.


    She was wearing an old light yellow dress that might have belonged to Concubine Wan. This girl¡¯s body was not as well-developed as Concubine Wan¡¯s, so the dress was a bit loose and baggy on her.


    The girl was the daughter of the second branch of the Shen family, Shen Dongling.


    ¡°Everything is much better than before.¡± Shen Dongling comforted her. ¡°At least you and I can go out openly and not be threatened by Second Madam.¡±


    ¡°The Shen family is not having a good time.¡± Concubine Wan looked at her daughter and felt a pang in her heart. ¡°Back then, I was greedy for wealth and thought that after entering the Shen family, I could enjoy a comfortable life for the rest of my life. Little did I know that the danger looming in rich families was far greater than I expected. I even got you involved in this mess. For so many years, in order to survive under Second Madam¡¯s nose, we had no choice but to live like this. The people in this family are very sophisticated. Even the Fifth Miss, who people took to be a fool, became so terrifying now¡­¡±


    ¡°Mother.¡± Shen Dongling shook her head. ¡°Regardless of whether Fifth Sister has anything to do with what happened to Eldest Sister or not, we are also the ones who benefited from it.. It¡¯s very difficult for Second Madam to make a comeback now. Even if Second Brother is powerful, he is practically alone.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± Concubine Wan looked at Shen Dongling in relief. ¡°But Dongling, you asked me to test Fifth Miss today. Fifth Miss is quite cold to me. I¡¯m afraid she doesn¡¯t want to befriend us. What should we do now?¡±


    ¡°So be it.¡± Shen Dongling smiled. ¡°Fifth Sister seems to be a smart person. In that case, it¡¯s better not to provoke her from now on. If possible, let her deal with Second Brother.¡±


    ¡°Second Young Master?¡± Concubine Wan was stunned. ¡°Second Young Master has already become an official. Fifth Miss is just a little girl. How can she deal with Second Young Master?¡±


    ¡°Mother, don¡¯t worry.¡± Shen Dongling said, ¡°Fifth Sister is not as simple as she appears. She¡¯s the sharpest knife in the Shen family.¡±


    ¡­


    Outsiders probably didn¡¯t know about the shows unfolding in the Shen mansion. They thought that the Shen family was still in harmony. This indeed had always been the case before this year. Unfortunately, things in the world were always changing, but in what direction they were changing, no one knew.

 Chapter 264 - Jade Rabbit Festival (6)

    Chapter 264: Jade Rabbit Festival (6)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    In the courtyard dedicated to training outside the Shen family¡¯s mansion, Mo Qing was practicing with Shen Qiu¡¯s personal guard, Ah Zhi. Ah Zhi was currently the most skilled guard in Shen Qiu¡¯s crew, but Mo Qing was actually on par with him. When Shen Miao introduced Mo Qing to Shen Qiu, Shen Qiu wanted to test Mo Qing¡¯s ability. It turned out that Mo Qing far exceeded his expectations.


    Shen Qiu was naturally very happy. There were no weak soldiers under a strong general. The more strong soldiers he had, the more famous the Shen family¡¯s army would be. Ever since he recruited Mo Qing, Shen Qiu had been praising Shen Miao for having a good eye for talents. Occasionally, he would pester Shen Miao to go and find more talents like Mo Qing for him, but Shen Miao said no with a roll of her eyes. In her previous life, she only knew one commander. It was not like everyone could be a commander.


    After practicing with Mo Qing, Ah Zhi was so tired that he was sweating profusely. He took a big gulp of water and said, ¡°It¡¯s really satisfying to fight with Brother Mo! Brother Mo¡¯s swordsmanship is really superb.¡±


    Mo Qing cupped his hands. ¡°Brother Zhi, you flatter me. My sword technique is not superb. There is always someone better than me.¡±


    ¡°Is there anyone better at swordsmanship than Brother Mo?¡± Ah Zhi smiled and said, ¡°Then I really want to see him!¡±


    Mo Qing did not speak, but what appeared in his mind was that night at the Wolong Temple. He carried Shen Qing to change rooms with Shen Miao. That night, a man in black rushed in from the window and easily snatched his sword. In front of that person, Mo Qing felt as weak as a child. He heard Shen Miao call him, ¡°Young Marquis Xie.¡±


    That young man¡¯s swordsmanship was truly superb.


    Ah Zhi sighed and said, ¡°I wonder how satisfying it will be to kill enemies on the battlefield with Brother Mo. I actually can¡¯t wait. Unfortunately, General has to stay in the capital for another half a year for Fifth Miss. If you want to defeat the enemy with us, you have to wait for half a year.¡± He looked at Mo Qing. ¡°Speaking of which, Fifth Miss is really good at finding talents. Someone as rare as you is not easily found.¡±


    ¡°Fifth Miss is indeed an amazing person,¡± Mo Qing said. Over the days being with Shen Miao, he did look down on some of the things she did. As a woman, Shen Miao was cruel, heartless, vicious, and cold, but she could not be hated because the people she dealt with were all people who wanted her dead.


    Mo Qing remembered that day when Shen Miao lifted the curtain of the carriage and asked him with a smile, ¡°Are you willing to serve my family with your martial arts?¡±


    Talents are all eager for someone who can appreciate them. In a way, Shen Miao was his benefactor.


    Ah Zhi elbowed him. ¡°Tomorrow will be the Jade Rabbit Festival. You must make sure Fifth Miss is safe and sound.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± Mo Qing suddenly looked up.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Ah Zhi followed his gaze and said in confusion, ¡°There¡¯s nothing.¡±


    ¡°I was probably being too vigilant.¡± Mo Qing shook his head, ignoring the strange feeling in his heart.


    On the other side of the wall, there were two people leaning against the wall. These two people were both wearing hemp clothes and bamboo hats that covered their faces tightly.


    One said, ¡°There are indeed many talents in the Shen family. Even a guard is so trained. We were almost discovered.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± The other one lowered his voice and said, ¡°There are many guards outside the Shen family, and Shen Xin¡¯s soldiers are also around. I¡¯m afraid it¡¯ll be hard for us to make a move.¡±


    ¡°The higher-ups gave us an order.¡± Another one said, ¡°Capture her and get the information we want. We are so close to becoming rich and powerful. How can we give up now?¡±


    ¡°Of course we can¡¯t give up.¡± The man in the bamboo hat chuckled. ¡°Didn¡¯t the two guards say just now that Shen Miao will be going out tomorrow for the Jade Rabbit Festival? At that time, the streets will be crowded and it will be easy for us to make a move. We just have to separate her from her guards and take her away.¡±


    ¡°Do it cleanly.¡± The man¡¯s words were cold and ruthless. ¡°In order to get rid of future troubles, tie her up and throw her into the lake when you get the information. Don¡¯t have any designs on her.¡±


    ¡°Got it.¡±

 Chapter 265 - Missing (1)

    Chapter 265: Missing (1)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    The day of the Jade Rabbit Festival was indeed especially lively.


    After Shen Miao finished dinner, Bai Lu and Shuang Jiang rushed in and said to her excitedly, ¡°Miss, someone is setting off fireworks in the city. I heard that they¡¯re going to set off fireworks non-stop tonight. It¡¯s very beautiful.¡±


    ¡°Why are you getting so excited?¡± Gu Yu reprimanded them as she combed Shen Miao¡¯s hair. ¡°We will go out to look at the fireworks anyway. There¡¯s no hurry.¡±


    Before she could finish her sentence, she heard Shen Qiu¡¯s joyful voice outside. ¡°Sister, are you done dressing up? Father and Mother are waiting for us in the front hall.¡±


    ¡°Young Master,¡± Jingzhe replied from outside. ¡°Miss is still doing her hair. Please wait a moment.¡±


    ¡°Why does it take so long for a young girl to do her hair?¡± Shen Qiu muttered, ¡°My soldiers don¡¯t need this much time to put on their armor.¡± With that, he shouted into the room, ¡°Sister, I¡¯ll wait for you in the front hall. Come over when you are done.¡±


    Shen Miao responded through the window. Gu Yu happened to have finished combing Shen Miao¡¯s hair and was fumbling in the boxes. In the end, she found a jade hairpin and put it on for Shen Miao. Shen Miao glanced at the bronze mirror and was stunned. ¡°Why this one?¡±


    ¡°I think this hairpin matches your clothes very well.¡± Gu Yu smiled and said, ¡°Moreover, this hairpin is exquisite but simple. It suits Miss very well.¡±


    Shen Miao couldn¡¯t help but reach out to touch the hairpin on her head. It was the jade hairpin given to her by Xie Jingxing. This hairpin was later appraised by a few pawnshops and was said to be priceless. Shen Miao wanted to return it to Xie Jingxing, but later on, she thought better of it. She thought that she might be short of money one day and could probably use it to exchange for some money. However, if Xie Jingxing found out that this hairpin ended up in the hands of a pawnbroker, he would probably be furious.


    ¡°Miss, don¡¯t you want to use this hairpin?¡± Seeing Shen Miao was hesitating, Gu Yu said, ¡°How about I find another one for you? There is a lot of jewelry in the boxes. I can probably find some good-looking hairpins.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no need.¡± Shen Miao interrupted her. ¡°I¡¯m afraid it will only waste more time. Let¡¯s just settle for this one.¡±


    Gu Yu adjusted Shen Miao¡¯s collar and put a cloak on her. She smiled and said, ¡°This looks perfect.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t forget the hand warmer.¡± Jingzhe stuffed a hand warmer into her hands.


    When Shen Miao and her maids arrived at the main hall, everyone from the Shen family was already there. In the past, the Shen family always went to the Jade Rabbit Festival together, so it was the same this year.


    Chen Ruoqiu and Shen Wan were talking. Shen Yue was wearing a light pink dress with a long skirt. In such cold weather, she still chose to wear thin clothes. Though she put on a cloak to keep warm, it wouldn¡¯t help much. When she saw Shen Miao, she smiled and called her, ¡°Fifth Sister.¡±


    Shen Miao nodded at her and turned to look at Shen Gui. If there was anything different this year from the previous years, it was that Ren Wanyun was not around, and neither was Shen Yuanbai. In the past, it was Ren Wanyun who brought Shen Yuanbai along, but now, Ren Wanyun was delirious and could not go out. Shen Yuanbai was too young, and there were so many kidnappers on the street. Old Madam Shen kept Shen Yuanbai in the mansion to stay with her. Shen Yuan stood beside Shen Wan, and behind him, Concubine Wan was holding the hand of a girl who was looking over.


    This was the illegitimate daughter of the second branch, Shen Dongling.


    Shen Dongling was wearing an apricot-colored long jacket. It was probably because she was ¡®afraid¡¯ of the cold, the jacket was extremely thick. which made her look tiny and thin in contrast. In fact, seriously speaking, her facial features were as beautiful as Concubine Wan¡¯s, but for some reason, her aura was so faint that she appeared almost invisible. She did not greet Shen Miao and just looked at her in silence. It was unknown if she was being shy or cold.

 Chapter 266 - Missing (2)

    Chapter 266: Missing (2)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    Shen Miao retracted her gaze and heard Shen Qiu say, ¡°Sister, you¡¯re getting better and better looking!¡±


    ¡°Brat.¡± Shen Xin kicked Shen Qiu. ¡°What are you talking about? Your sister always looks good.¡±


    Luo Xueyan also smiled and walked to Shen Miao¡¯s side. She held her hand and said, ¡°Our Jiaojiao is already a big girl.¡±


    Everyone in the hall looked at Shen Miao, their eyes filled with confusion. A year ago, Shen Miao was still a silly girl who liked putting gold and silver on her. Now, she was wearing a simple purple dress in addition to a cloak that was the color of a peony with exquisite flowers embroidered on it. She only chose to decorate her hair with a single hairpin, which surprisingly gave her a gorgeous noble aura. Her facial features were delicate and clear. For some reason, people found the girl unapproachable and inviolable.


    All the women in the room had a surging feel of inferiority when compared to her.


    A trace of jealousy flashed across Shen Yue¡¯s eyes. She didn¡¯t expect that Shen Miao, who was the most inferior to her in this mansion, could actually steal her thunder without her knowing. Shen Yue was most confident in her scholarly elegance and beauty, but today, when she saw Shen Miao, she actually felt ashamed. She looked up at Chen Ruoqiu, hoping to see some disdain for Shen Miao in her mother¡¯s eyes. However, she also saw a trace of seriousness in Chen Ruoqiu¡¯s eyes, which made her heart skip a beat.


    Concubine Wan sighed in her heart and subconsciously tightened her grip on Shen Dongling. She did not have any other thoughts. She only felt that Shen Miao really lived up to her identity as the legitimate daughter of the first branch. No matter how smart her daughter was, she was still incomparable to Shen Miao in terms of nobleness.


    The men in the room did not have too strong a reaction. Other than Shen Xin and Shen Qiu, Shen Gui and Shen Wan only frowned. As for Shen Yuan, he stared at Shen Miao with a deep gaze, thinking about something.


    Chen Ruoqiu was the first to speak. ¡°Since everyone is here, let¡¯s set off now.¡±


    Old Madam Shen was old, so such a journey was not suitable for her. In the Shen family, only Old Madam Shen, Shen Yuanbai, Ren Wanyun, and the concubines of the second branch were left. The rest all went to the street to participate in the Jade Rabbit Festival. In the past, they would chat and laugh along the way. However, this year, because Shen Miao was almost burnt to ashes in the ancestral hall, Shen Xin and Shen Qiu deliberately estranged themselves from the other two branches and only talked to Luo Xueyan.


    The guards of the Shen family followed behind. In fact, every year, in order to protect the safety of the people and prevent bandits from causing trouble when the streets got too crowded, the capital would send many guards to patrol the streets, so it was considered safe to stroll around.


    Shen Xin did not speak to Shen Gui and Shen Wan, so Shen Gui and Shen Wan did not ask for a snub. The two of them only chatted with each other. Shen Yue used to chat very happily with Shen Qing and Shen Miao because with Shen Miao around as a contrast, she would appear much smarter. Now, Shen Miao ignored her, so Shen Yue could only talk to Shen Dongling. Seeing that Shen Yue was willing to be close to her daughter, Concubine Wan was naturally overjoyed. However, Shen Dongling did not seem to be very enthusiastic about talking with Shen Yue. Instead, she looked a little sheepish. After a while, Shen Yue lost interest.


    As the group walked on the street, the atmosphere was strangely awkward.

 Chapter 267 - Missing (3)

    Chapter 267: Missing (3)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    As Shen Miao walked, she looked at the lanterns and riddles on the street seriously. Shen Xin and the others hated guessing lantern riddles the most because they were all rough people from the military. They had no patience to dwell on a riddle. Shen Qiu said, ¡°Sister, if you like that prize lantern, tomorrow, I¡¯ll find the best craftsman in the capital for you to make one. You don¡¯t have to go to the trouble of guessing the riddles.¡±


    Shen Qiu could not understand the point of this whole thing. After waiting for Chen Ruoqiu and the others to finish guessing the riddle, the group walked on. At this moment, Concubine Wan suddenly said to Shen Gui, ¡°Master, I heard that Fairy Jade Rabbit will be dancing at Wanli Lake tonight. This year, the Jade Rabbit Lantern will also be set free there. Let¡¯s go and take a look.¡±


    When Chen Ruoqiu heard that, she frowned and said softly, ¡°That Fairy Jade Rabbit is from the Treasure Fragrance Chamber. I¡¯m afraid it¡¯s not appropriate for us to go there.¡± What kind of place was the Treasure Fragrance Chamber? It was the largest brothel in the capital. The girls there were all enchanting. How many men abandoned their wives for the sake of sleeping with the girls of the Treasure Fragrance Chamber? However, no matter how much those madams despised the Treasure Fragrance Chamber, they could not change the fact that the girls there were all talented. Therefore, this year, the Jade Rabbit Fairy was still played by a girl from the Treasure Fragrance Restaurant.


    ¡°Second Madam.¡± Concubine Wan said softly, ¡°Although that¡¯s the case, I think Fairy Jade Rabbit won¡¯t do anything inappropriate in front of so many people. We¡¯re out for some fun tonight. How can we miss the show? There¡¯s no need to be so serious.¡± Concubine Wan did not want to argue with Chen Ruoqiu at first, but just like Ren Wanyun, she could not stand Chen Ruoqiu pretending to be high and mighty.


    Everyone heard the confrontation between the two of them. For a moment, the awkward atmosphere became a little exciting. The men would not interfere in the women¡¯s argument. Shen Dongling only held Concubine Wan¡¯s hand and closed her mouth tightly without saying anything. Shen Yue wanted to speak up for Chen Ruoqiu, but she felt that it wasn¡¯t her place to speak. For a moment, no one spoke.


    ¡°Who said that Fairy Jade Rabbit is the only thing to see in Wanli Lake?¡± Shen Miao said softly, breaking the silence, ¡°The grand occasion of thousands upon thousands of people lighting the lanterns is not something that can be seen every day. Moreover, one can¡¯t choose their family background. You don¡¯t have to look down on others because of what they do for a living. No matter what her trade is, she¡¯s Fairy Jade Rabbit tonight. Why do you care so much about who she really is?¡±


    Everyone was stunned at first. Shen Xin was the first to laugh out heartily. ¡°Jiaojiao is right. You can¡¯t choose your family background. What¡¯s the point of looking down on others?¡±


    Luo Xueyan also smiled. When they fought on the battlefield, some of the soldiers in the army came from official families, but most of them were commoners. Some of them could not even afford to eat, and some of their parents were about to starve to death. Therefore, she would never look down on poor families.


    ¡°Sister.¡± Shen Qiu patted Shen Miao¡¯s shoulder. ¡°You sound like a heroine who has a heart for the world.¡±


    Shen Miao knew that Shen Qiu was teasing her, but hearing that, she lost in deep thought. In her previous life, it was indeed because of love that she married Fu Xiuyi at first and became the empress, but as the empress, many responsibilities were thrust upon her. She had to ensure that the dynasty was in peace and people led a harmonious life.

 Chapter 268 - Missing (4)

    Chapter 268: Missing (4)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    Chen Ruoqiu¡¯s face was livid. Wasn¡¯t Shen Xin praising Shen Miao just to make her look hypocritical? Shen Wan¡¯s expression was also a little dark, and Shen Yue was already furious, but she suppressed her anger and did not mock Shen Miao.


    Concubine Wan thought that Shen Miao was helping her, so a trace of joy appeared on her face. When Shen Dongling saw this, she shook her head slightly. Shen Yuan still had no expression on his face while Shen Gui pretended not to know.


    ¡°Then let¡¯s go to Wanli Lake,¡± Luo Xueyan said. She was used to being a female general, so it was natural for her to give orders. No matter how unwilling the Shen family was to go there, they had no choice but to follow along because the guards were from the Shen army.


    Wanli Lake was located in the west of the center of the capital. The entire lake was embedded in the center of the city. In spring, it was like a piece of jade. In winter, when the snow fell, the lake would be covered in a thin layer of snow, looking quite ethereal.


    There was snow today. Under the light of countless lanterns, the snow was like crystal clear jade flowers that fell from the sky. The willow trees by the lake were all covered in snow. For a moment, it was difficult to tell whether they were in reality or in a dream.


    Before they reached the lake, they heard the sound of fireworks. They looked up and saw that in the dark night, a grand firework show was playing, dazzling their eyes. Below in the crowd, lovers were holding hands, and families had a smile on their faces. They were all looking up at the fireworks, wanting the time to stop at this moment.


    ¡°Miss, Miss, look.¡± Jingzhe said excitedly, ¡°That¡¯s the firework. I heard that the fireworks will be on all night!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s really beautiful,¡± Gu Yu muttered.


    ¡°Ha, the capital is really prosperous.¡± Shen Qiu said to Luo Xueyan, ¡°It¡¯s much more fun than the Northwest desert.¡±


    Luo Xueyan sighed as she walked.


    As they walked on, they suddenly saw the crowd around them running forward. Shen Xin grabbed a man who was running past him and asked, ¡°Brother, what¡¯s over there? Why is everyone running forward?¡±


    ¡°Fairy Jade Rabbit is here!¡± That person said, ¡°Everyone is going to see Fairy Jade Rabbit!¡± He glanced at Shen Xin and suddenly said, ¡°Brother, are you new here? This year, Fairy Jade Rabbit is played by Miss Liu Ying from the Treasure Fragrance Chamber. Brother, hurry up and go!¡± With that, he ran away happily.


    Shen Xin turned around and heard Luo Xueyan say indifferently, ¡°What are you waiting for? Hurry up and go to see Miss Liu Ying.¡±


    ¡°Madam, what are you talking about?¡± Shen Xin wiped the sweat off his forehead. ¡°Seeing you is enough. Miss Liu Ying is definitely not as beautiful and generous as you.¡±


    Since they were already here, Luo Xueyan would not ruin everyone¡¯s mood. Just as they squeezed through the crowd, they suddenly heard someone shout, ¡°Miss Liu Ying is here! Miss Liu Ying is here!¡±


    Shen Miao was too short to see what was happening, so Shen Qiu pulled her to the stone platform at the side and lifted her on it. He stood beside Shen Miao. Shen Miao looked up and saw a carriage surrounded by people.


    In the winter, this flower carriage was actually filled with flowers, which was enough to show how much effort they put into this festival. The flowers were colorful, and for a moment, she felt like everything was unreal, but at this moment, she saw the person inside the carriage.


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    It was a young woman who was wearing a moon-white cotton dress and a velvet cloak. Her hair was combed into a bun, making her look like a fairy. She had beautiful eyebrows and teeth that were like a jade. The most attractive thing about her was the pair of long and narrow eyes. The corners of her eyes were slightly raised, making her look more charming for some reason. She was cold and tempting, as if with her arrival, the wind around her also became fragrant.

 Chapter 269 - Missing (5)

    Chapter 269: Missing (5)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    Liu Ying was not born particularly beautiful. In terms of facial features, she was even slightly inferior to Concubine Wan. However, the cold and enchanting aura coming out of her was irresistible. It was hard to tell if Fairy Jade Rabbit was an immortal or a demon. However, to ordinary men, this kind of aura was fatal.


    Shen Miao¡¯s gaze stopped on Liu Ying for a moment, then she turned to look around to see if that person was here. After looking around, she did not find him. When Shen Qiu saw that, he asked curiously, ¡°Sister, what are you looking for?¡±


    ¡°Brother, why don¡¯t you look at Miss Liu Ying?¡± Shen Miao asked instead of answering.


    Hearing Shen Miao ask this, he replied, ¡°I don¡¯t find her attractive.¡±


    Shen Miao raised an eyebrow and said, ¡°Then what kind of woman do you like?¡±


    Shen Qiu couldn¡¯t answer that.


    Shen Miao found Shen Qiu¡¯s embarrassed expression very interesting and wanted to laugh. In her previous life, Shen Qiu married a vicious wife and never had the chance to really meet a girl he liked. In this life, she wondered if it would change.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Shen Qiu reached out to Shen Miao, wanting to lift her down from the stone platform. Just now, in order to let Shen Miao see Miss Liu Ying clearly, Shen Qiu brought her here, about ten meters away from Shen Xin and the others. Now that they were done watching the show, they naturally had to return to Shen Xin¡¯s side and go to the lake to light the lanterns.


    Just as Shen Miao was about to jump down, she suddenly heard a child¡¯s cry. Shen Qiu also heard it. The two of them turned around and saw a three or four-year-old child hanging upside down from the beam of a shop. The child was probably naughty and climbed to a high beam to watch the show, but he slipped. At this moment, his hands were tightly clasped together, and half of his body was hanging down. If he fell like this, he would have a small chance of survival. The people around him had already gone to get a ladder, but the child could not hold on for long. Seeing that his hands were getting weaker and weaker, the child¡¯s mother was already covering her face and crying.


    ¡°Sister, wait for me here.¡± Seeing this, Shen Qiu quickly instructed Shen Miao. It was probably only a few meters away from the stone platform, so he immediately ran over to help.


    Before he could reach the child, the child¡¯s hand went limp and he fell. The surrounding people immediately exclaimed. Shen Qiu tapped the ground with the tip of his foot and stepped on a pillar beside him. He soared into the air and caught the child, barely in time. The people around him cheered for the move he made. Shen Qiu returned the child to the child¡¯s mother. The child¡¯s mother thanked him with tears in her eyes, making Shen Qiu feel a little embarrassed.


    After comforting the mother and son, Shen Qiu was about to return to the stone platform to pick up Shen Miao. As soon as he turned around, he was stunned.


    The stone platform was empty.


    Shen Qiu¡¯s heart tightened. He pushed through the crowd and ran to the stone platform. There was no one there. Shen Qiu looked around and shouted, ¡°Jiaojiao!¡± However, no one answered him.


    He grabbed a person standing not far from the stone platform and asked, ¡°Where¡¯s the girl who was standing here just now? Did you see the girl here?¡±


    That person replied impatiently, ¡°What little girl? No, no!¡± After saying that, he glanced at him. ¡°Did your daughter get kidnapped? There are many kidnappers at the Jade Rabbit Festival. Most likely, she was kidnapped.¡±


    Shen Qiu¡¯s body trembled violently. He, someone who wouldn¡¯t bat an eye when killing an enemy on the battleground, panicked, and his expression changed drastically.

 Chapter 270 - Missing (6)

    Chapter 270: Missing (6)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    ¡­


    On the street by Wanli Lake, two people were walking in the crowd. One was wearing a blue shirt and a jade crown, looking dignified, and the other was wearing a purple robe, looking strikingly handsome.


    They were both good-looking, especially the purple-clothed youth. His movements were elegant and noble, and the faint smile on his lips made the surrounding women glance at him from time to time.


    ¡°How long are you going to follow me?¡± Xie Jingxing asked.


    Su Mingfeng shook his head. ¡°As good friends, we naturally have to spend time together on such a rare occasion. Why do you sound so unhappy?¡±


    ¡°I still have something to do.¡±


    ¡°How many men have we not been to the Jade Rabbit Festival together?¡± Su Mingfeng was dissatisfied. ¡°You¡¯re really becoming more and more mysterious.¡±


    Today, Su Mingfeng came out with the Su family and happened to meet Xie Jingxing alone, so he dragged him to join them. The Su family and the Xie family were on good terms, so Mr. Su did not say anything. At this moment, Mr. Su and the others were walking in front, and Su Mingfeng and Xie Jing were walking behind.


    Su Mingfeng asked, ¡°Your father isn¡¯t angry that you came out alone again today?¡±


    The Jade Rabbit Festival was typically an occasion where the entire family would participate together, but Xie Jingxing was clearly by himself. Xie Ding was probably furious at this moment, but there was nothing he could do.


    ¡°With his two sons accompanying him, why does he need me?¡± Xie Jingxing said casually, ¡°I¡¯m not that free.¡±


    Su Mingfeng shook his head. ¡°You¡¯re quite carefree.¡±


    As he spoke, he saw a group of people walking over. Su Mingfeng was stunned. ¡°Isn¡¯t that General Shen?¡±


    Xie Jingxing looked up and saw Shen Xin rushing over. Following closely behind him were Shen Qiu and Luo Xueyan, and behind them were a group of guards. Everyone¡¯s expression was very solemn and nervous. Su Mingfeng rubbed his chin and said, ¡°It seems like something happened to the Shen family. Why do they all have such expressions?¡±


    In the crowd, the expression of the Shen family was in sharp contrast to that of the rest of the people. Without a doubt, something bad had happened. Mr. Su also saw them and stopped chatting. Xie Jingxing and Su Mingfeng did not go forward and just stood far away, observing.


    Mr. Su asked, ¡°General Shen, where are you going?¡±


    ¡°Ha, I¡¯m just looking around.¡± Shen Xin said, ¡°It¡¯s just that my wife suddenly feels unwell, so I have to go back first. Mr. Su, have a good time.¡± With that, he cupped his hands and left without looking back.


    The Shen family and the Su family were not on good terms when it came to political opinions. Seeing that Shen Xin did not want to talk to him so much, Mr. Su naturally felt not happy. He could not be bothered and walked forward. On the other hand, Su Mingfeng said to Xie Jingxing, ¡°General Shen doesn¡¯t look like he¡¯s telling the truth. Even if his wife is not feeling well, there¡¯s no need to go back in such a hurry, right?¡±


    Xie Jingxing glanced at the guards and said, ¡°Fifth Miss of the Shen family is not around.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± Su Mingfeng was stunned.


    ¡°Shen Miao is not around.¡± Xie Jingxing glanced at the Shen family. With Shen Miao¡¯s relationship with the other two branches, it was impossible for her to stay and enjoy the lanterns with them at this time. It was not likely that Shen Miao didn¡¯t go out today at all. On such a big festival, even if Shen Miao did not want to go out, Shen Xin would not leave her alone in the mansion.


    At this moment, he suddenly heard a childish voice. ¡°Sister Shen is missing!¡±


    Xie Jingxing lowered his head. At some point, Su Minglang had slipped past Mr. Su and ran to Su Mingfeng¡¯s side. He grabbed the corner of his brother¡¯s shirt and repeated, ¡°I secretly snuke up to them just now and heard them say that they must find Sister Shen as soon as possible.¡±


    Su Minglang was so small that he was almost invisible in the crowd. He was quite bald and was not afraid of being lost in this flowing crowd.


    ¡°They said that Sister Shen might have been kidnapped by a kidnapper.¡± Su Minglang continued, ¡°Brother, let¡¯s go and save Sister Shen!¡±


    ¡°Missing?¡± Xie Jingxing looked at the back of the Shen family thoughtfully and suddenly said to Su Mingfeng, ¡°Don¡¯t tell anyone about this. I¡¯ll get going first.¡± He looked down at Su Minglang and smiled evilly. ¡°If you say a word about this, I¡¯ll sell you to a kidnapper.¡±

 Chapter 271 - Ambiguous (1)

    Chapter 271: Ambiguous (1)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    Every year, countless girls would be abducted by kidnappers during the Jade Rabbit Festival in the capital. If a boy was abducted, he would most likely end up being sold to a sonless family in remote places. If a girl was abducted, it would be terrible. Those who were not beautiful would be sold to a rich family as low-grade maids. If they were good-looking, they would be sold to a troupe, a brothel, or even become a plaything of the rich.


    Among these girls, there was no lack of people from rich families. However, whether from a rich family or poor, the girls would be treated equally cruelly.


    ¡°Miss Shen was kidnapped?¡± In the room, Ji Yushu immediately stood up and started pacing, looking a little worried. ¡°Miss Shen is not bad-looking. I¡¯m afraid she will definitely be sold by the kidnapper. Although I also like Miss Shaoyao, I don¡¯t want Miss Shen to be sold to a brothel. Third Brother Xie, should we save her?¡±


    Gao Yang couldn¡¯t help but say, ¡°Are you alright? With Shen Miao¡¯s ability, how can she be kidnapped by someone? Moreover, kidnappers will only target girls who are alone or lost. Shen Qiu and Shen Xin are not far from Shen Miao. Those kidnappers are not fools. Why would they choose such a risky target? It¡¯s not like Shen Miao is drop-dead gorgeous. It¡¯s not worth taking the risk at all.¡±


    Gao Yang was right. Kidnappers would only make moves when they were certain that the success rate was high. Even if they wanted to kidnap a daughter of a rich family, they would only do so when the girl was alone. However, according to the information, Shen Miao was at the edge of Wanli Lake at that time where there was a crowd. If they were spotted kidnapping Shen Miao, they wouldn¡¯t be able to escape under the nose of so many people. It made sense if they took the risk to kidnap a once-in-a-hundred-years kind of beauty, but Shen Miao was by no means one of that kind.


    Most importantly, at that time, Shen Qiu and Shen Xin were not far away. Who in the capital didn¡¯t know the almighty general? Only the most stupid of kidnappers would hvae designs on Shen Miao.


    Ji Yushu was enlightened. ¡°In that case, it wasn¡¯t done by kidnappers? Then who could it be? They¡¯re clearly targeting Miss Shen. Could it be the remaining members of Prince Yu¡¯s mansion?¡± As he spoke, he shook his head. ¡°It makes no sense. Even Prince Yu doesn¡¯t know that Shen Miao is involved in the massacre. Could it be someone from the Shen family? I heard that the Shen family doesn¡¯t get along well. Could it be someone from the other branches?¡±


    Xie Jingxing, who had been sitting at the side in silence, stood up. ¡°It¡¯s them.¡±


    ¡°Them?¡± Gao Yang immediately became nervous and looked at Xie Jingxing. ¡°They¡¯ve already discovered it?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think so.¡± Xie Jingxing shook his head. ¡°Previously, I waited for them to make a move, but nothing happened. Now I understand. They might have found out about the secret room and through one way or another known that Shen Miao was present that day. Our identities have not been exposed yet. They want to get information from Shen Miao.¡±


    Ji Yushu was stunned for a moment before feeling a headache coming on. ¡°Oh no, given how brutal those people are, Miss Shen will definitely not have a good time in their hands.¡±


    ¡°Gather the people of the Black Feather Army to look for them. Search around Wanli Lake. I think they haven¡¯t gone too far yet,¡± Xie Jingxing said in a low voice. The casual expression on his face had already disappeared, replaced by a look of seriousness.

 Chapter 272 - Ambiguous (2)

    Chapter 272: Ambiguous (2)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    ¡°It¡¯s not good to mobilize the Black Feather Army now.¡± Gao Yang frowned and said, ¡°There are too many people watching you in the capital. If you alert the palace, I¡¯m afraid it will be quite troublesome. Why don¡¯t we get someone to guard the city gate? Tomorrow morning, you can send people from your mansion to secretly search the city. We will find her. It¡¯s not good to alert the enemy now.¡±


    ¡°Do we still have to wait for a night?¡± Ji Yushu jumped up. ¡°Miss Shen will be dead long ago if we wait for a night!¡± Ji Yushu was young and impetuous, and he admired Shen Miao. Unlike Gao Yang, who was already as cruel and heartless as a politician, Ji Yushu still retained the sincerity and naivety of a young man.


    Gao Yang was furious. ¡°Why are you still thinking about Shen Miao at a time like this? If we¡¯re not careful, our identities will be exposed!¡±


    ¡°Send people from the Black Feather Army to look for her now.¡± Xie Jingxing said coldly, ¡°I don¡¯t want to say it a second time.¡±


    ¡°Xie!¡± Gao Yang looked at him. ¡°Are you going to ruin your plan for a girl? Don¡¯t forget what you swore.¡±


    ¡°Gao Yang, remember who you are and who you are talking to,¡± Xie Jingxing suddenly said sternly. He frowned slightly, and his eyes were as dark as ink. The anger he suddenly emitted actually made Gao Yang tremble.


    Seeing this, Ji Yushu quickly tried to smooth things over. ¡°It happened too suddenly today. No one expected it, but the situation might not be that bad.¡±


    Xie Jingxing was silent for a moment before saying, ¡°I won¡¯t tolerate them doing this kind of thing in my territory. Since they have the guts to come, I¡¯ll make sure you can¡¯t go back.¡±


    ¡­


    The crowd on the shore of Wanli Lake surged, and cheers and laughter drowned out all the other sounds. The disappearance of an official¡¯s daughter did not seem to have caused much of a chaos. Of course, this was because the Shen family kept it a secret. However, even if the news really spread, people would probably be too busy enjoying the grand occasion to care about it.


    After Fairy Jade Rabbit finished her dance, the men were all infatuated with her performance, and the women were all secretly cursing in their heads. The huge jade rabbit lantern was made of a snow-white silk cloth, and it was painted with a jade rabbit symbol. The lantern floated calmly on the lake with candles inside it.


    People cheered and ran to the lake to set free the lanterns they had made on the lake. The lanterns carried their wishes for the next year.


    It started to snow moderately, but the lights on Wanli Lake brightened up the dark night, and the fireworks in the sky were dazzling. For a moment, it was difficult to tell if the fireworks were played in the sky or underwater. Such bright scenery was rare even during the Jade Rabbit Festival in the past. In the center of the lake, there were a few exquisitely carved pleasure boats floating. Usually, the nobles would book the pleasure boats to have a space to drink and have fun. No one knew who was inside the pleasure boats today, because the surface of the lake was filled with lanterns, making the pleasure boats look less eye-catching.


    An unlit pleasure boat floated down the lake. There were fewer people downstream, but the lanterns were all floating along the water in that direction. From afar, the pleasure boat seemed to be surrounded by those lanterns. However, the further down it went, the fewer people there were. In the end, it was completely deserted.


    Shen Miao sat in the innermost room of the pleasure boat and looked at the two people in front of her coldly.


    In the dim pleasure boat, a small oil lamp was lit. Shen Miao had a rag in her mouth, and her hands and feet were tied up.


    The two people on the boat were both wearing linen clothes and looked unfamiliar. A tall and thin man stood at the bow of the boat and looked around. He walked into the cabin and nodded at the shorter one. ¡°Alright, there¡¯s no one here.¡±

 Chapter 273 - Ambiguous (3)

    Chapter 273: Ambiguous (3)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    The short man chuckled and reached out to pull out the rag from Shen Miao¡¯s mouth. ¡°Miss Shen, there¡¯s no one here. Don¡¯t shout. If you shout, we will still kill you and run away.¡±


    Shen Miao¡¯s gaze flickered and she did not speak.


    These people did the opposite of what others thought they would. The pleasure boat floated downstream, away from the center. Shen Xin and the others would only look for their whereabouts on the shore.


    Just now, when she was standing on the stone platform waiting for Shen Qiu to return, she was dragged away from behind. The two of them were so fast that she did not even have time to react before she was tied up and thrown into the boat.


    Seeing that Shen Miao did not speak, the short man looked quite satisfied. The tall and thin man walked over and sat down opposite her. His eyes were very dark as he said, ¡°Miss Shen, I¡¯ll just cut to the chase. We got you here to ask you something.¡± The tall and thin man exuded a very unique aura nothing like that of a common bandit.


    He said, ¡°You¡¯ve already been to the secret room in Prince Yu¡¯s mansion that day, right?¡±


    Shen Miao¡¯s eyes flashed. When she was kidnapped, she had thought of many possibilities. Perhaps it was someone from the second or third branches, or perhaps it was Shen Yuan, or Prince Yu¡¯s subordinate. She had even thought of Fu Xiuyi, but she never expected that the person would bring up the secret room. Other than Xie Jingxing and Gao Yang, no one else knew the existence of that secret room. Could it be that Fu Xiuyi knew about it a few years ago?


    However, since they had come prepared, it was obvious that they knew her background very well. Shen Miao did not hide it and replied, ¡°Yes. That day, when my brother was handling the case concerning Prince Yu¡¯s death, I was waiting in the tearoom and accidentally found that secret room. I was curious and went in to take a look.¡±


    The two people opposite her looked at each other and the short man said, ¡°Then you should have met someone else in the secret room. Who is that person?¡±


    Shen Miao¡¯s fingers tightened.


    They didn¡¯t ask about what was in the secret room, but instead, they asked who was in it. Were they aiming at Xie Jingxing and Gao Yang? Many questions flashed across Shen Miao¡¯s mind. These people probably only knew that there was someone else in the secret room that day, but they did not know who that person was. Xie Jingxing and Gao Yang might be hiding something. If she told them, the secret that Xie Jingxing and Gao Yang were hiding would be exposed.


    She looked at him in confusion. ¡°That person?¡±


    The tall and thin man looked at her sinisterly. ¡°Miss Shen, don¡¯t play tricks. We believed that it was a coincidence that you entered that secret room. However, the thing in the secret room has already been taken away. Who did you see in the secret room? Tell us and we¡¯ll spare your life.¡±


    Shen Miao stared at him, her mind racing. She knew about the secret room because of her previous life, so in the eyes of these people, she wasn¡¯t suspicious. These people might be investigating something, but they did not know who it was. Xie Jingxing and Gao Yang were the people these people were looking for.


    She shook her head. ¡°When I went into the secret room that day, there was no one else inside. As for the thing you talked about, I didn¡¯t see it either. Perhaps the people you mentioned have already left before I went in.¡±


    ¡°Impossible!¡± The tall and thin man looked at her and suddenly revealed a cruel smile. ¡°Miss Shen, since you don¡¯t want to tell me, I¡¯ll make you tell¡­¡±


    As soon as he finished speaking, the short man¡¯s eyes lit up. He touched Shen Miao¡¯s face with one hand and said with a lecherous expression, ¡°Little beauty, your skin is quite smooth and fair. Perhaps you¡¯ll remember everything after serving me.¡± With that, he reached out to unbutton Shen Miao¡¯s clothes.

 Chapter 274 - Ambiguous (4)

    Chapter 274: Ambiguous (4)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    ¡°If you touch me, I¡¯ll definitely bite my tongue and kill myself. You won¡¯t be able to find out anything.¡± Shen Miao said indifferently, ¡°If I lose my virginity, I will be too hopeless to continue living. Do you think you still have a chance to get what you want out of me?¡±


    As soon as she said that, the short man stopped and turned to look at the tall and thin man. The tall and thin man stared at Shen Miao and asked, ¡°Do you know who it is?¡±


    Shen Miao smiled. ¡°Maybe I can still remember.¡±


    The short man was a little dumbfounded, and the tall and thin man¡¯s gaze was dark and unfathomable. Perhaps it was because Shen Miao¡¯s calm attitude caught them off guard, or perhaps it was because they were surprised that Shen Miao could still threaten them under such circumstances. That¡¯s right. If Shen Miao really knew who was in the secret room, once they touched her, she would probably choose to die with the secret.


    Shen Miao¡¯s gaze turned cold. Everyone had their own weaknesses. The two people opposite her seemed to want to know who was in the secret room very badly. Now, she might be the only person in the world who knew the secret. If she was a young daughter of an official, she might tell the truth after being frightened. Unfortunately, she was Empress Shen, who had gone through hardships most people couldn¡¯t imagine.


    ¡°What do you want?¡± The short man stopped touching her and put on a friendly expression. ¡°Tell us who that person is and we¡¯ll give you whatever you want.¡± His tone was like he was coaxing a child.


    Shen Miao asked without batting an eye, ¡°Who are you?¡±


    The two of them were stunned for a moment. The tall and thin man sneered. ¡°What good will it do you to know who we are?¡±


    ¡°Maybe I can remember who that person is once you tell me who you are.¡± Shen Miao smiled at him.


    ¡°You¡¯re stalling for time.¡±


    Shen Miao did not comment.


    The short man stood up and slapped Shen Miao without thinking. He seemed to have run out of patience and said, ¡°B*tch, I guess you want us to do it the hard way. Don¡¯t talk nonsense with her. Shen Xin¡¯s soldiers are still around. Let¡¯s bring her back first. When we get back¡­¡± His smile was a little wicked.¡± Naturally, we have ways to make her speak.¡±


    He leaned down and rubbed Shen Miao¡¯s face with his disgusting hand. ¡°Girl, I was kind to you just now but you didn¡¯t appreciate it. Since you don¡¯t want to live, don¡¯t blame others!¡±


    Shen Miao¡¯s eyes turned cold. She suddenly raised her hand and stabbed the knife in her hand at the man¡¯s face. The short man was caught off guard and was cut on the face by Shen Miao. Immediately, blood flowed out. Behind Shen Miao, the rope that was tied to her hands and feet had been cut open at some point. She was used to hiding a dagger in her sleeve. Now the dagger came in handy. After cutting the rope, she ran out of the boat and shouted, ¡°Help!¡± Just as she ran to the cabin, she was forcefully dragged back in and thrown to the ground. Her entire back hit the wooden table on the boat and she gasped in pain. The boat shook a few times. She reacted quickly and immediately got up and ran out. The tall and thin man sneered and kicked her kneecap. The pain was almost excruciating. Shen Miao raised the dagger in her hand to stab the man in the eye. The tall and thin man dodged to the side. He cursed at her and snatched the dagger from her hand. Meanwhile, Shen Miao endured the pain in her legs, grabbed the window of the cabin with both hands, and jumped down into the lake.


    ¡°You want to run?¡± The tall and thin man sneered. Without hesitation, he threw the dagger in his hand over and hit Shen Miao¡¯s calf. Although the wound wasn¡¯t deep, bright red blood still spread out on the lake.

 Chapter 275 - Ambiguous (5)

    Chapter 275: Ambiguous (5)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    Shen Miao knew how to swim, but in the coldest of winter days, the lake water was bone-chilling. Once one sank into it, they would feel like their entire body was made of ice. After struggling a while, Shen Miao lost her strength.


    The tall and thin man was about to jump into the lake to fish Shen Miao out. After all, Shen Miao was the only one who knew what they wanted. However, before he could move, he heard the sound of fireworks in the sky. He looked up and saw a firework lit in the west.


    ¡°The situation has changed!¡± The short man wiped the blood off his face and said, ¡°Retreat!¡±


    ¡°We need to take her with us.¡± The tall and thin man cursed and was about to jump into the lake when the ship suddenly wobbled. Two men in black were already standing at the bow. On the shoulders of the two men in black were eagle-like patterns embroidered with golden thread. The short man cried out in surprise, ¡°Black Feather Army! Why is Black Feather Army here?¡±


    Before the two of them could react, the two men in black had already flashed in front of them, instantly knocking them to the ground.


    In the lake, Shen Miao was still struggling violently. From what the short man and the thin man said, it seemed that there was a mastermind behind them, and the mastermind seemed to be very powerful. If Shen Miao fell into the hands of these two, she would still be able to think of a way to escape. However, if she fell into that mastermind, the Shen family would probably never be able to find the murderer.


    However, she did not expect that this desperate jump would actually trap her in a dead end. The two of them did not jump down to save her for a long time. The lake was cold. Could it be that she was going to die here?


    Her head began to feel a little heavy, and her ears were buzzing, as if she had fallen into an icehouse. She could still see the bright lights of the lanterns drifting above her, but she didn¡¯t have the strength to reach out and grab them.


    Just as she was about to lose her consciousness, she suddenly saw a figure swimming over from afar. That person¡¯s figure was robust. In the brightly lit lake, he was like a god that had descended from the sky and was swimming towards her.


    The person swam up to Shen Miao and hugged her by the waist, bringing her to the surface. On this snowy day, the lake was bone-chilling. It was difficult for a person to swim alone, but it was easy for him to swim while carrying another person. When he swam to the pleasure boat, he lifted Shen Miao up and threw her onto the boat before climbing up.


    Shen Miao spat out a few mouthfuls of water and slowly looked up at the figure. That figure was also wet from head to toe. There was no longer a playful expression on his face as before. He looked at her with a frown.


    It was Xie Jingxing.


    When Shen Miao saw Xie Jingxing, she wasn¡¯t particularly surprised. The two of them were originally here for him. She thought that Xie Jingxing must have known about it and rushed over.


    She struggled to get up and saw two more corpses in the cabin. They were the tall and the short men. Two men in black walked out of the depths of the cabin. One of them walked to Xie Jingxing¡¯s side and said something in a low voice. Xie Jingxing waved his hand, and the two of them left with the two corpses. Before they left, they even wiped the blood in the cabin.


    Shen Miao couldn¡¯t be bothered to think about who these two people were. Even a fool could tell that they were Xie Jingxing¡¯s people. She moved her body and felt that her entire body was sore. After soaking in the ice water for a good five minute, she was so cold that she kept shivering. Previously, she had been thrown by the tall and thin man several times, and her back was in pain. The most painful part was probably her calf. She looked down at her dress. The entire dress was stuck to her body, and there was blood flowing out of her calf. It was mixed with the red embroidery on the dress, making it difficult to see clearly.

 Chapter 276 - Ambiguous (6)

    Chapter 276: Ambiguous (6)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    She was cold and in pain and could not say a word. Xie Jing walked into the cabin. There were usually some heaters and clothes in these exquisite pleasure boats. He took out a furnace from the wooden box and lit it with a lighter, adding a little charcoal.


    The furnace started to burn as the boat swayed in the lake. Xie Jingxing glanced at Shen Miao and suddenly smiled. ¡°I am going to change. Do you want to keep your eyes open?¡±


    Shen Miao suddenly closed her eyes and heard a chuckle, followed by the sound of clothes being put on. A moment later, Xie Jingxing said, ¡°Done.¡±


    Shen Miao opened her eyes. Xie Jingxing was buttoning the last button. He had changed into a dark green robe and was wearing a white fox fur coat, making him look cold and solemn. A pair of dark eyes stared at Shen Miao with a faint smile. ¡°Do you want to change too?¡±


    She was wearing wet clothes, so it was very easy for her to catch a cold. Even if she sat by the furnace to get warm, it would take a long time for the clothes to dry completely. She was afraid that when the clothes were dry, she would have already caught a cold. In addition, at this moment, her entire body was very uncomfortable. She looked at Xie Jingxing and said calmly, ¡°Do you have any other clothes?¡±


    Xie Jingxing stood up and took out a set of clothes from a cloth bag on the wooden table. He sat against the wall and said, ¡°I can¡¯t find you women¡¯s clothes. If you want to change, you can only make do with mine.¡±


    If word got out that an unmarried girl was wearing a man¡¯s clothes, people would inevitably gossip. Shen Miao looked up at Xie Jingxing. The smile on his lips was a little evil, but she did not know if it was really the case or if he did it on purpose.


    Shen Miao realized that Xie Jingxing really had a special charm. Ever since she was reborn, she had been facing everyone with the attitude of ¡°Empress Shen¡±. Even when facing Shen Qiu, she could not treat Shen Qiu as her elder brother. Sometimes, she even felt like she was taking care of Shen Qiu. However, every time she met Xie Jingxing, his playfulness would always make Shen Miao feel like she was not Empress Shen, but the naive fifth daughter of the Shen family.


    Taking a deep breath, Shen Miao said, ¡°Give it to me.¡±


    Her answer surprised Xie Jingxing. He glanced at her and said incredulously, ¡°You want to wear my clothes?¡±


    ¡°Are there any other clothes here?¡± Shen Miao asked.


    Xie Jingxing smiled and threw the clothes to her. Shen Miao took the clothes and said to Xie Jingxing, ¡°Young Marquis, please turn around.¡±


    When Xie Jingxing heard that, he sized her up meaningfully. Shen Miao¡¯s clothes were wet and stuck to her body. She was petite, and her figure was revealed. Xie Jingxing said with interest, ¡°Are you being shy? Don¡¯t worry.¡± His eyes were picky and disdainful. ¡°There¡¯s nothing for me to see.¡± With that, he turned around swiftly and did not look at Shen Miao at all.


    Shen Miao heaved a sigh of relief and picked up Xie Jingxing¡¯s clothes. It was a light green cotton robe with ironed cuffs. The material and embroidery were both top-notch. Shen Miao subconsciously touched it. In her previous life, only the royal family got to enjoy such material. Apparently, the rumor that the Marquis of Lin¡¯an was as rich as a nation was true.


    She slowly took off her wet outer and inner clothes and dried them over the furnace. After wiping the water off her body, she picked up Xie Jingxing¡¯s robe. Unexpectedly, Xie Jingxing¡¯s robe was hard to put on, and she did not wear it the way it should be worn. Not only that, but the belt was also wrapped around the calf of her left leg. Her calf was already injured by the dagger just now. At this moment, it was still bleeding, looking a little scary. As the belt rubbed against the wound, Shen Miao gasped in pain. She fell to the ground with a bang and knocked over the teapot on the table.


    When Xie Jingxing heard the commotion, he immediately turned around and saw Shen Miao fall to the ground. He took a step forward and helped her up. Shen Miao couldn¡¯t react in time and fell into his arms. Her clothes were still undone and were loosely wrapped around her body. Her shoulders were slightly exposed, and her hair was still wet. She looked very charming. No matter how calm she was, she was still flustered and helpless at this very moment.


    On the other hand, Xie Jingxing frowned and held her calf. He stared at the wound and said in a low voice, ¡°What happened?¡±

 Chapter 277 - Alone Time With Him (1)

    Chapter 277: Alone Time With Him (1)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    ¡°What happened?¡±


    Shen Miao was stunned. Normally, she would¡¯ve pushed him away. However, for some reason, she leaned obediently in his arms and replied honestly, ¡°When I was escaping just now, I was injured by a dagger.¡±


    Xie Jingxing glanced at her, took out a porcelain bottle from his pocket, and threw it to her. ¡°Apply this on the wound.¡±


    Shen Miao took it and did not say anything. She wanted to apply the medicine, but because she was sitting on the ground and had been soaking in the cold lake for a long time, she didn¡¯t even have the strength to get up.


    Seeing this, Xie Jingxing walked to her side and held her shoulder to help her sit on the small couch on the boat. Shen Miao had lived for two lifetimes and was not a little girl who got love-struck easily, so she naturally would not look embarrassed because the two of them were alone on this boat. However, she was wearing Xie Jingxing¡¯s clothes, and her snow-white shoulders were exposed. When the cold wind blew, it was unknown if it was because she was cold or uncomfortable, but she had goosebumps.


    Before she could say anything, a warm thing covered her head. Shen Miao shook her head and realized that it was Xie Jingxing¡¯s fox fur coat. Shen Miao subconsciously wrapped it tighter around herself, revealing only her palm-sized face. She looked at Xie Jingxing and did not speak, looking like a furry little fox.


    Xie Jingxing found it a little funny. He stood up and walked to the other side to take something. He then squatted down in front of Shen Miao and reached out to grab her leg.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± Shen Miao dodged and asked.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t apply medicine, the wound will fester tomorrow,¡± Xie Jingxing said. ¡°I don¡¯t want you to go around telling everyone you were hurt by me.¡±


    Shen Miao was speechless. This person was too annoying. What did he mean by that? Shen Miao simply ignored him. She said, ¡°I¡¯ll do it myself.¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡± Xie Jingxing stood up without a word and leaned against the cabinet beside him with his arms crossed. ¡°I¡¯ll watch you do it. Hurry up.¡±


    Shen Miao bent down, but her hands were so shaky that she could barely hold the medicine bottle. When she was confronting the two abductors, she was thrown a few times by the tall and thin man on the ground, making her entire body ache. At this moment, her hands were trembling. She barely opened the medicine bottle, but she almost spilled the contents.


    After struggling for a long time, she finally gave up. She sat there, wrapped in the snow-white fox fur, and glared at Xie Jingxing without saying anything.


    Xie Jingxing sneered and snatched the medicine bottle from Shen Miao¡¯s hand. He squatted down again and held Shen Miao¡¯s calf, saying casually, ¡°If you¡¯re being stubborn, you¡¯ll only do yourself harm.¡±


    Shen Miao didn¡¯t speak.


    Xie Jingxing held her calf and slowly lifted the leg of her pants. His hand was cold and slender and it had the calluses of someone who trained martial arts. When it rubbed against her delicate skin, Shen Miao felt uncomfortable, as if that piece of skin was also burning. The next moment, the clothes that were stuck to the wound because of the blood were suddenly torn open, and Shen Miao almost cried out in pain.


    ¡°The wound is a little deep.¡± Xie Jingxing looked at it and frowned. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you say so earlier?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to be so kind-hearted,¡± Shen Miao said. She really did not expect Xie Jingxing to be so kind-hearted as to apply medicine for her. With their friendship, it was unlikely for Xie Jingxing to go to such lengths to help her. Therefore, she originally wanted to wait until she returned to the Shen family before treating the wound.

 Chapter 278 - Alone Time With Him (2)

    Chapter 278: Alone Time With Him (2)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    Xie Jingxing stood up and picked up the teapot from the table at the side. He poured out the water and reached out to scoop a pot of lake water. He placed it on the stove to boil and said, ¡°I¡¯m indeed not that kind-hearted, but on account of your loyalty, I¡¯ll be a good person for once.¡± At this point, he looked up at Shen Miao and said, ¡°Everyone says that Shen Xin is loyal. I didn¡¯t expect a girl from the Shen family to be so loyal too. Thank you for not selling me out.¡±


    He was half joking and half serious, so Shen Miao did not explain that he had actually misunderstood. At that time, if she immediately said that the person in the secret room was Xie Jingxing, the two of them would immediately kill her. However, Xie Jingxing thought that she did not say it because she was loyal. If she could make Xie Jingxing feel that he owed her a favor, why not? Therefore, Shen Miao did not intend to explain this misunderstanding.


    However, Shen Miao lowered her head and thought that even if she really exposed Xie Jingxing, with Xie Jingxing¡¯s ability, he would probably be able to escape unscathed.


    After a short silence, the water in the pot was boiled. Xie Jingxing casually tore off a piece of fabric from the corner of his robe and wet it with some hot water. He held Shen Miao¡¯s calf in one hand and placed it on his knee, wiping the dirty blood around the wound with the other.


    Shen Miao felt a little uncomfortable. She turned her head away and couldn¡¯t help but curl her toes slightly. In her previous life, other than Fu Xiuyi, she had never been so intimate with another man. Even Fu Xiuyi never treated her with such gentleness. Most of the time, Fu Xiuyi acted like an emperor in front of her rather than a husband. Therefore, she found this intimate interaction quite awkward and uncomfortable.


    Feeling that it was awkward, Shen Miao asked, ¡°Who are those people?¡±


    The ¡°those people¡± she was talking about were naturally the abductors. Hearing this, Xie Jingxing did not say anything. After wiping the dirty blood off Shen Miao¡¯s calf, he sprinkled some powder on it and took out a handkerchief to bandage it for her. When he was doing this, he lowered his head with an extremely serious look, and his methods were very practiced, as if bandaging wounds was a daily thing. The lights on the boat shone brightly on his face. The young man¡¯s eyebrows were unbelievably handsome, and in this short dazzling moment, he gave off a gentleness that was never seen from him.


    Even Shen Miao couldn¡¯t help but be slightly stunned. However, this illusion of gentleness did not last long. Xie Jingxing put down her feet and suddenly placed his hands beside Shen Miao, leaning close to her. His well-defined face was inches away from Shen Miao, and his eyes seemed to be filled with intoxicating wine. He looked at her with a faint smile. It was so domineering that it made her unable to breathe.


    Shen Miao looked at him calmly and stared at him for a while before Xie Jingxing let go and said indifferently, ¡°It¡¯s not good for you to know too much.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to know anything.¡± Shen Miao said, ¡°I just hope you won¡¯t implicate me.¡± As soon as she said that, she regretted it. For some reason today, perhaps it was because it happened too suddenly, or perhaps it was because she was injured that she was frustrated. When she faced Xie Jingxing, she brought out the temper that she had locked deep inside her.


    ¡°As long as you don¡¯t push your luck, no one can implicate you,¡± Xie Jingxing said. He tidied up the messy boat and found a long pole to hang Shen Miao¡¯s wet clothes on to dry them.

 Chapter 279 - Alone Time With Him (3)

    Chapter 279: Alone Time With Him (3)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    ¡°When can I leave?¡± Shen Miao asked.


    ¡°There are people outside. If they see us going out together, they¡¯ll inevitably gossip.¡± Xie Jingxing¡¯s words were still teasing. ¡°So for the sake of my innocence, when the ship docks, I¡¯ll bring you to the princess mansion and let the people from the princess mansion send you back.¡±


    Shen Miao was slightly stunned. ¡°Princess Mansion?¡±


    ¡°Princess Rong Xin.¡± Xie Jingxing fiddled with the charcoal. ¡°She will help.¡±


    Princess Rong Xin was also born to the late emperor¡¯s concubine. Although she was not as favored as Princess Yuqing, she was also deeply liked by the late emperor. Among the children of the late emperor, Princess Yuqing and Princess Rong Xin were close sisters. Princess Yuqing married the Marquis of Lin¡¯an, and Princess Rong Xin married the top scholar of the dynasty. Unfortunately, the top scholar died of illness a few years later. Princess Rong Xin did not remarry and moved back to the princess mansion. She had been alone for many years.


    With Princess Yuqing and Princess Rong Xin¡¯s relationship, she would probably help Xie Jingxing.


    Shen Miao looked up at Xie Jingxing. He was thinking ahead. If he got the Shen family to come over at this moment, they would inevitably overthink when they saw the two of them staying alone in a disheveled state. With the relationship between the Shen family and the Xie family, who knew if it would cause the situation to worsen? It was not a bad idea to get Princess Rong Xin to offer help.


    The sound of fireworks came from above. Shen Miao was leaning against the window of the boat. When she heard the sound, she looked out of the window. In the night sky of the capital, there were colorful fireworks. Just as Bai Lu and Shuang Jiang said, the fireworks would not stop for the night. As opposed to watching the fireworks in the crowded street, watching the fireworks on a boat in the middle of the lake felt totally different.


    ¡°You like to see these?¡± Xie Jingxing raised an eyebrow.


    ¡°I don¡¯t,¡± Shen Miao replied honestly.


    At the annual banquet of the Ming Qi Royal Family, the emperor and his concubines would enjoy fireworks together in the royal garden. At that time, after she returned from the State of Qin, Consort Mei successfully won the emperor¡¯s heart. On the night of the annual banquet, Consort Mei drank wine and had fun with Fu Xiuyi in the royal garden while Shen Miao sat in the Kunning Palace, accompanied only by Wanyu and Fu Ming, and watched the fireworks burn and disappear alone. That was the coldest fireworks she had ever seen in her life. From then on, she no longer liked these things.


    ¡°What¡¯s there to see about something so short-lived. It¡¯s beautiful but useless.¡± Her tone was a little angry, but her eyes betrayed sadness.


    Xie Jingxing looked at her with interest. After thinking for a moment, he stood up and took out something from the cabinet. He walked to Shen Miao¡¯s side and handed the thing in his hand to her.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know how long we¡¯ll have to wait for the boat to dock. Since it¡¯s the Jade Rabbit Festival today, make a lantern,¡± Xie Jingxing said.


    Shen Miao looked at the lantern in her hand. It was probably left behind by the people who previously stayed on the boat. The candles had not been placed in it yet, and it was folded neatly. Looking out of the window, the lake was overflowing with lanterns. Their boat shuttled through the dazzling light like a ferry in the Milky Way.


    Without waiting for Shen Miao to answer, Xie Jingxing made one himself. After making the lantern, he casually set it free on the lake, Shen Miao asked, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you write a note?¡±


    A note written with wishes had to be placed in the lantern by the person who lit it. This way, the gods could hear the prayers and bless them in the following year.


    ¡°I don¡¯t believe in God.¡± Xie Jingxing said lazily, ¡°It¡¯s fine if I don¡¯t write it.¡±


    Shen Miao thought for a moment and thought that it was only natural for someone as wild and devil-may-care as Xie Jingxing to not believe in God. She unfolded two lanterns, but she didn¡¯t write a note or put a candle in them. Instead, she lit them with a matchstick and placed them in the lake.

 Chapter 280 - Alone Time With Him (4)

    Chapter 280: Alone Time With Him (4)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    The two lanterns were burning from top to bottom, making them look like two balls of fire on the lake. Xie Jingxing was stunned and asked, ¡°These are the lanterns for worship. What are you doing?¡±


    Usually, when one wanted to pay respects to the dead, they would burn the lantern. Since it was a joyful occasion, why would Shen Miao burn the lantern?


    Shen Miao ignored Xie Jingxing and watched as the lantern gradually burned to the point where it was reduced to ashes.


    After she was reborn, there were some things she couldn¡¯t change. For example, she couldn¡¯t bring Wanyu and Fu Ming back to life. Whether it was in her previous life or this life, she couldn¡¯t possibly see her children ever again.


    A handkerchief was handed to Shen Miao. She looked up and Xie Jingxing said impatiently, ¡°Why are you crying again?¡±


    Shen Miao touched her face. Unknowingly, she had started crying while she was in deep thought.


    Seeing her take the handkerchief, Xie Jingxing said, ¡°You¡¯re quite a trustworthy friend. If you have any difficulties in the future, you can look for me.¡±


    This sudden remark stunned Shen Miao for a moment. She looked at Xie Jingxing. The side of the young man¡¯s face became even more well-defined under the light. He leaned against the window and looked at Shen Miao, a complicated glint flashing across his eyes. He said casually, ¡°I don¡¯t like to owe people favors. Since you didn¡¯t sell me out today, I won¡¯t treat you badly. I see that you¡¯ve gotten into a lot of trouble. Perhaps if you need my help in the future, I can offer my hand.¡±


    Shen Miao said, ¡°Thank you then, Young Marquis.¡±


    Xie Jingxing smiled and suddenly turned to look at her. He said teasingly, ¡°I can help, but don¡¯t fall in love with me.¡±


    Shen Miao was so amused that she laughed out loud. She said, ¡°Young Marquis, you¡¯re thinking too much.¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡± Xie Jingxing walked over from the window and looked down at Shen Miao, who was sitting on the couch. He suddenly pulled off the hairpin on Shen Miao¡¯s head and looked at it thoughtfully. ¡°Then why are you wearing the hairpin I gave you?¡±


    He deliberately emphasized the word ¡°I¡±.


    Shen Miao was at a loss for words. Just as she was about to say that the maid put it on for her, she heard Xie Jingxing continue, ¡°But don¡¯t worry. I won¡¯t force you to marry me.¡± He smiled maliciously. ¡°I¡¯m not into a little girl.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t like you, and I won¡¯t in the future. Don¡¯t worry, Young Marquis,¡± Shen Miao said sarcastically.


    ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± Xie Jingxing stared at her. The smile on his lips was still playful, but his dark eyes were filled with a warning and indifference. He said, ¡°Little girl, I¡¯m not a good person.¡±


    Shen Miao did not say anything. If Xie Jingxing was not a good person, how could she be considered a good person? Perhaps she was one in her previous life, but in this life, she was going to be sinister and ruthless and had nothing to do with ¡®good¡¯.


    The boat floated quietly down the stream. Outside the window, it was snowing heavily. On the lake, there were snowflakes and resplendent lights. The sky was filled with colorful fireworks. The Jade Rabbit Festival this year did not seem to be a happy one, but it was still special nonetheless.


    The young man in purple leaned against the window and looked out pensively for a long time. When he turned around, he realized that Shen Miao had already fallen asleep on the table.

 Chapter 281 - Alone Time With Him (5)

    Chapter 281: Alone Time With Him (5)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    When she fell asleep, she did not look unapproachable or dignified. Because of what happened today, her face was a little pale. Wrapped in the fox fur coat Xie Jingxing gave her, she really looked like a little girl who had not grown up yet. Her hair had already been dried by the furnace, and a lock of long hair covered her eyes. Perhaps tickled by it, Shen Miao frowned in her sleep.


    Xie Jing walked to her side and paused for a moment. He reached out to tuck a lock of her long hair behind her ear and took out the jade hairpin from his sleeve. He played with it and gently put it back into Shen Miao¡¯s hair. He crossed his arms and looked at Shen Miao for a while. Seeing that she was sleeping soundly, he raised his eyebrows and said, ¡°You¡¯re really bald. How can you fall asleep, knowing that you are with a strange man.¡±


    After a while, the boat suddenly stopped at the dock.


    Xie Jing walked to the bow of the ship, and a few figures in black appeared from the dock. The one in lead said, ¡°Master, it¡¯s all settled. Are you going back to the mansion now?¡±


    Xie Jingxing looked back at the cabin and said, ¡°Go to the princess mansion first. Tie Yi, bring a carriage over.¡± He turned around and walked into the cabin. He knocked on the table. Shen Miao looked up sleepily. Xie Jingxing said, ¡°We¡¯re at the dock.¡±


    ¡°Already?¡± Shen Miao immediately came back to her senses. She glanced out of the window and was about to walk out. However, the wound on her leg had not healed yet. As soon as she stood up, her legs went weak and she almost fell. Xie Jingxing grabbed her arm and thought for a moment before reaching out to wrap the fox fur coat around Shen Miao. He then picked her up and walked out of the ship.


    Shen Miao was shocked and subconsciously reached out to hug Xie Jingxing¡¯s neck. She looked up and saw Xie Jingxing smiling and saying, ¡°Behave yourself. Don¡¯t take advantage of me.¡±


    Shen Miao was speechless. Xie Jingxing wrapped his arm around her shoulder. He was tall and well-built, so it was effortless for him to carry Shen Miao. Shen Miao leaned her head in his arms. She could feel his firm chest and steady heartbeat, and she actually felt a little shy.


    When they left the boat, she realized that there was already a group of men in black standing outside. When they saw Xie Jingxing carrying a little girl out, although they tried their best to hold it in, their expressions still changed drastically. On the other hand, Xie Jingxing looked like it was only natural for him to carry her. He walked to the carriage and threw Shen Miao into it, saying to his subordinate, ¡°To the princess mansion.¡±


    The carriage went away, leaving the men in black looking at each other. A young and tall man said, ¡°Tie Yi, why is Master carrying a girl out? What¡¯s the relationship between that girl and Master?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right, that¡¯s right.¡± Another woman walked over and rubbed her chin. ¡°Over the years, countless beauties wanted to get close to Master, but they couldn¡¯t even touch him. It turns out that Master is into this kind of girl.¡± Her eyes lit up. ¡°Ha, no wonder.¡±


    ¡°Who said that?¡± Another charming and mature woman said unhappily, ¡°What¡¯s there to like about that kind of little girl?¡±


    ¡°Huo Long, I know you like Master, but being jealous isn¡¯t going to help.¡± The woman from before smiled and looked at the middle-aged man in the middle. ¡°Tie Yi, you¡¯re the closest to Master. Who¡¯s that little girl? Tell us.¡±


    ¡°Shut up!¡± Tie Yi, who was standing in the middle, couldn¡¯t take it anymore and said, ¡°Go back! Do you all have nothing to do? if so, go and guard the tower jail tomorrow!¡±


    As soon as he said that, everyone immediately retreated and said, ¡°I suddenly remembered that there¡¯s something else.¡± ¡°Tonight was really dangerous.¡± ¡°Did we get rid of all the corpses?¡± As they chatted, they walked away.


    Tie Yi heaved a sigh of relief and turned to disappear into the night.


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 282 - Alone Time With Him (6)

    Chapter 282: Alone Time With Him (6)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    On the other side, in the princess mansion, when the people outside reported that Xie Jingxing was here, Princess Rong Xin was already preparing to sleep.


    She had been alone for many years and had no children by her side. Every time it was a festival, she would feel more lonely. Even if Emperor Wen Hui in the palace was her brother, they were not from the same mother after all. How could they be really close? Moreover, getting along with the emperor was never as comfortable as staying in the princess mansion. Therefore, during the Jade Rabbit Festival over the past years, Princess Rong Xin would neither enter the palace nor go out to have fun. Instead, she would lock herself up at home.


    Today was different. When she found out that Xie Jingxing was here, Princess Rong Xin was a little surprised. After changing, she went out to welcome him. When she walked into the hall, she saw that Xie Jingxing was already sitting on a chair and waiting. When he saw her, he smiled. ¡°Auntie Rong.¡±


    Princess Rong Xin was close to Princess Yuqing. It was not inappropriate for Xie Jingxing to call her Auntie Rong.


    ¡°Why brought you here today?¡± When Princess Rong Xin saw Xie Jingxing, she was a little puzzled, but at the same time, she was very happy. She had no children of her own and had long treated Xie Jingxing as her son. She pitied Xie Jingxing¡¯s background. When Princess Yuqing passed away and Princess Rong Xin went to the Marquis of Lin¡¯an¡¯s mansion to pay her respects, she even shouted at Xie Ding for failing to protect Prince Yuqing. Although Xie Jingxing was mischievous, he treated Princess Rong Xin very respectfully. He would come to the princess mansion to visit her every New Year. However, he usually came only after the first day of the New Year, which was why Princess Rong Xin was surprised to see him during the Jade Rabbit Festival.


    ¡°I miss Auntie Rong, so I came over to visit you. Don¡¯t tell me Auntie Rong doesn¡¯t welcome me?¡± Xie Jingxing smiled. He was already outstanding in terms of looks, so when he spoke half-jokingly and half-seriously, the maids in the hall blushed.


    Princess Rong Xin tapped his forehead and smiled. ¡°You even dare to tease an old woman like me. You¡¯re getting bolder.¡±


    ¡°Missing Auntie Rong is one thing, but I have something to ask of you tonight,¡± he said.


    Princess Rong Xin was stunned for a moment before sitting up straight and saying seriously, ¡°Jingxing, are you in trouble? If there¡¯s anything you can¡¯t handle, just tell Auntie Rong.¡±


    ¡°Auntie Rong, don¡¯t be nervous. It¡¯s just a small matter.¡± Xie Jingxing smiled and explained, ¡°I have a friend who got separated from her family at the Jade Rabbit Festival today and accidentally fell into the water. Although I saved her, it¡¯s a little inconvenient for me to send her home, so I want Aunt Rong to get your people to send her back.¡±


    Princess Rong Xin understood what he meant when she heard that. Although Ming Qi was relatively open-minded about the matters between men and women, they were still very sensitive to the reputation of a girl. However¡­ Princess Rong Xin looked at Xie Jingxing. ¡°Is your friend actually a girl?¡±


    Xie Jingxing nodded.


    ¡°All these years, I¡¯ve never seen a girl around you.¡± Princess Rong Xin suddenly said teasingly, ¡°Jingxing, you ¡±¡¯ve come of age now. I wonder how old that girl is. Is she married?¡±


    ¡°Auntie Rong.¡± Xie Jingxing said helplessly, ¡°She¡¯s still a little girl. Because I owe her a favor, I have no choice but to help. Auntie Rong, don¡¯t tell me you don¡¯t want to help me?¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Princess Rong Xin pretended to be angry. ¡°When have I refused to help you? Fine, fine, fine. Where is that girl now?¡±


    ¡°In the carriage outside. Auntie Rong, can you give her your spare clothes to change into?¡± Xie Jingxing said.


    Hearing this, Princess Rong Xin looked at Xie Jingxing with a meaningful gaze. Seeing this, Xie Jingxing only shook his head helplessly and couldn¡¯t be bothered to explain. Princess Rong Xin instructed the maid beside her to help Shen Miao to the bedroom in the mansion to rest and said to Xie Jingxing, ¡°But you haven¡¯t told me who she is.¡±


    ¡°Shen Miao, the daughter of the mighty general,¡± Xie Jingxing said lazily.


    Princess Rong Xin was drinking tea. When she heard this, she almost choked on the tea. She looked at Xie Jingxing and said in disbelief, ¡°Isn¡¯t that idiotic girl in love with the Prince Ding?¡±


    Xie Jingxing shrugged. Princess Rong Xin looked at him seriously. ¡°Jingxing, there are thousands of girls in the world. You¡¯re still young¡­ You can wait.¡±


    Xie Jingxing was speechless.


    On this side, Princess Rong Xin and Xie Jingxing were chatting. On the other side, Shen Miao sat in Princess Rong Xin¡¯s bedroom and watched as maids came and went to tidy her clothes and hair.


    In her previous life, Princess Rong Xin did not treat her so warmly. Perhaps she looked down on Shen Miao, or perhaps she felt that Shen Miao was too eager to please Prince Ding, she always treated Shen Miao coldly. Even when Shen Miao became the empress later, Princess Rong Xin was still indifferent to her. Princess Rong Xin didn¡¯t reside in the palace. Occasionally, when she entered the palace, she would show hostility towards Shen Miao, so in Shen Miao¡¯s heart, Princess Rong Xin was not easy to get along with.


    Unexpectedly, she received such hospitality from Prince Rong Xin in this life, which puzzled her.

 Chapter 283 - Sudden Affinity (1)

    Chapter 283: Sudden Affinity (1)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    Shen Miao sat in Princess Rong Xin¡¯s mansion for a while and changed her clothes. After drinking a cup of tea, Princess Rong Xin walked in.


    ¡°Miss Shen, are you feeling well?¡± Princess Rong Xin smiled and said, ¡°I¡¯ve already instructed the kitchen to get ginger tea. It¡¯s such a cold day. Warm your body and don¡¯t catch a cold.¡±


    Shen Miao smiled back. ¡°Thank you, Your Highness.¡± However, she was a little puzzled. Princess Rong Xin had never been so friendly to her. At this moment, she still looked the same, but there was no sternness or coldness on her face. It made Shen Miao wonder if the person in front of her was really Rong Xin.


    While she was thinking, Princess Rong Xin was also sizing her up, looking thoughtful. Although Princess Rong Xin did not like to go out, she was still informed of all the rumors circulating in the capital. It was precisely because she did not often go out that the rumors she knew were all outdated.


    In Princess Rong Xin¡¯s impression, Shen Miao was a timid and cowardly woman who was extremely bold when it came to pursuing men. She had no talent and no virtue, and she was born vulgar. How could she be worthy of Xie Jingxing, who was both good-looking and talented? However, at this moment, the girl sitting in front of her was pretty and delicate, and her eyes were as clear as water. Even when she was sitting, she had a noble and dignified aura that was rare in girls of her age. Prince Yu Rong couldn¡¯t help but change her opinion about Shen Miao.


    ¡°Tonight, Wanli Lake must be very crowded. Miss Shen, were you frightened that you got separated from your family?¡± Princess Rong Xin smiled and asked with concern, ¡°After drinking the ginger tea, I¡¯ll get a servant to send you back.¡± She looked like she was testing Shen Miao. ¡°In order to help you, my stubborn nephew actually begged me for the very first time.¡±


    Shen Miao looked at Princess Rong Xin¡¯s meaningful expression and did not know how to respond. She paused for a moment before saying, ¡°Young Marquis Xie is a chivalrous man. Sorry for disturbing you today.¡± After saying that, she thought to herself, ¡°Is Xie Jingxing a chivalrous man? He is clearly not. Today, if not because of him, I wouldn¡¯t get kidnapped. Why do I feel like I owe him a favor?¡±


    Seeing that Shen Miao seemed to be deliberately trying to distance herself from Xie Jingxing, Princess Rong Xin was relieved. If Shen Miao pestered Xie Jingxing to be responsible to her because of what happened tonight, Princess Rong Xin would definitely look down on Shen Miao.


    ¡°Don¡¯t mention it.¡± Princess Rong Xin smiled kindly. ¡°Jingxing already said that you¡¯re his friend. Speaking of which, Jingxing is my nephew. Since you¡¯re friends with him, you can treat me as your auntie too.¡±


    Shen Miao held the teacup and almost choked on the tea. Treating Princess Rong Xin as her aunt? In her previous life, when she married Fu Xiuyi and Princess Rong Xin really became her aunt, she went to visit her, trying to fix their relationship. However, Princess Rong Xin said coldly, ¡°Forget it, I don¡¯t have a niece like you.¡±


    The cold and distant Prince Yu Rong actually wanted Shen Miao to treat her as her aunt. Shen Miao felt that she was probably dreaming.


    Seeing that Shen Miao was a little stunned, Princess Rong Xin felt that she was really an innocent child. She held Shen Miao¡¯s hand and said, ¡°I don¡¯t have a child. Why don¡¯t you come to visit me often in the future?¡± She took off the bracelet on her wrist and put it on Shen Miao. ¡°Take this as a gift from me.¡±

 Chapter 284 - Sudden Affinity (2)

    Chapter 284: Sudden Affinity (2)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    ¡°This is too expensive.¡± Shen Miao declined. This bracelet was made of jade. There were a total of five gold rings interlocked. It was passed down from the late empress dowager, Princess Rong Xin¡¯s mother. Later, when Princess Rong Xin got married, she gave the bracelet to her. In her previous life, Shen Miao saw Princess Rong Xin wearing this bracelet all the time. It was enough to show how precious it was.


    ¡°Just take it.¡± Princess Rong Xin smiled and said, ¡°It¡¯s just a small thing. I think your Shen family has everything you want. Don¡¯t mind this small gift.¡±


    ¡°Of course I wouldn¡¯t mind the bracelet passed down from the empress dowager,¡± Shen Miao said. ¡°I just think it¡¯s still too valuable¡­¡±


    Princess Rong Xin was stunned. ¡°How do you know this is the empress dowager¡¯s bracelet?¡±


    Shen Miao paused and thought to herself, ¡°Oh no.¡± Because she was the head of the palace harem in her previous life, she naturally knew this kind of thing. However, in this life, she was just a young girl, so she wasn¡¯t supposed to know about such a private matter.


    Seeing Princess Rong Xin¡¯s suspicious gaze, Shen Miao had an idea and said with a smile. ¡°I once heard Young Marquis Xie mention it. Young Marquis Xie is very close to you and often talks about you.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡± Princess Rong Xin¡¯s expression immediately softened. She said with relief, ¡°I¡¯ve treated him as my child all these years. It¡¯s good to know that he often talks about me.¡± At this point, she looked at Shen Miao differently. ¡°However, I didn¡¯t expect that he actually told you about this¡­¡±


    Shen Miao froze. As expected, Princess Rong Xin continued, ¡°It seems like he really treats you as a ¡®friend¡¯.¡± Princess Rong Xin sighed and said, ¡°Although Jingxing looks a little mischievous, he¡¯s a good boy. All these years, I¡¯ve never seen him so concerned about any girl.¡± She smiled at Shen Miao and said, ¡°You¡¯re the first.¡±


    Shen Miao thought to herself that Princess Rong Xin was really like Xie Jingxing¡¯s mother. However, Xie Jingxing got close to her not because of her beauty. Shen Miao was afraid that Xie Jingxing was also suspicious of her. It was really a headache for Shen Miao to deal with such a smart person.


    At this moment, the maid brought over the ginger tea. As Princess Rong Xin chatted with Shen Miao, she watched her drink the ginger tea. The more she chatted with Shen Miao, the more Princess Rong Xin liked her. She realized that not only did Shen Miao not look like the idiot she was rumored to be, but she was also knowledgeable and magnanimous. Although it was a simple chat, she did not feel bored at all. She did not know how a girl, who had been raised within the confines of a mansion, got such a broad view about so many things. Thinking of how Shen Miao pursued Prince Ding, Princess Rong Xin actually felt a trace of worry. Although Prince Ding was also her nephew, compared to Fu Xiuyi, Princess Rong Xin was naturally more biased towards Xie Jingxing. Princess Rong Xin did not want Xie Jingxing to miss out on such an outstanding girl, so she constantly put in a good word for him during the chat.


    Princess Rong Xin was known to be cold and hard to get along with. Today, she actually had the patience to chat with an unfamiliar girl, which shocked the servants in the princess mansion.


    However, she did not know that in Shen Miao¡¯s previous life, in order to please Fu Xiuyi¡¯s family members, Shen Miao had gone out of her way to ask around and knew quite a lot about Princess Rong Xin. However, in her previous life, she still didn¡¯t win Princess Yu Rong¡¯s trust. Now, because she had an additional relationship with Xie Jingxing, she was suddenly liked by Princess Rong Xin. If she had known that Princess Rong Xin was so easy to please, she would have tried to get to know Xie Jingxing in her previous life.


    After chatting for a long while, Princess Rong Xin stood up reluctantly and said, ¡°It¡¯s getting late. If I don¡¯t send you back, General Shen and Madam Shen will probably go crazy from anxiety. I¡¯ve already gotten someone to prepare a carriage. I¡¯ll send you back now.¡± With that, she stood up and instructed the servant.


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 285 - Sudden Affinity (3)

    Chapter 285: Sudden Affinity (3)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    When Shen Miao went out with Princess Rong Xin, she was shocked by the scene. Princess Rong Xin¡¯s carriage was extremely gorgeous. What was even more shocking was that she had also summoned a group of armored guards. Princess Rong Xin smiled and said, ¡°There are many people on the street today, so I get some guards to protect you just in case something bad happens again.¡±


    Shen Miao had no reason to refuse her kindness. Moreover, she could use this opportunity to use Princess Yu Rong¡¯s power to intimidate some people in the Shen family. She thanked Princess Rong Xin and got into the carriage.


    On the streets of the capital, the crowd had not decreased, and the fireworks would be on for the entire night. On the busy streets, such a group of guards and a gorgeous carriage was too eye-catching.


    On the city wall at the corner of the street, a young man in a fox fur coat was standing there, accompanied by a middle-aged burly man. The burly man said, ¡°Her Highness actually sent so many guards to escort Miss Shen back to the mansion.¡±


    ¡°Auntie Rong is not easy to please.¡± The young man said with interest, ¡°This Miss from the Shen family is quite capable.¡±


    The middle-aged man was silent. Suddenly, he heard the young man beside him say, ¡°Did the people you caught tonight speak?¡±


    ¡°Master, they¡¯re all locked up in the tower jail. Three of them have already committed suicide by drinking the poison. The remaining three have bitten their tongues out and refuse to say a word.¡±


    ¡°Then pick one and skin him alive. Don¡¯t let go of an inch of his body. I don¡¯t need to teach you how to do it, do I?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± The burly man hesitated for a moment. ¡°How about those who sneaked into the city¡­¡±


    ¡°Find and kill them all.¡±


    ¡­


    The capital was bustling with people, and under the superficial prosperity, unrest and danger surged.


    In the main hall of the Shen family, everyone stood there solemnly. Shen Xin and his wife, who were standing in the middle, could not hide the anxiety on their faces, and Shen Qiu was even more vexed.


    After searching for the entire night, they still could not find Shen Miao. Shen Xin and his wife were not fools. They knew that in this situation, Shen Miao was probably kidnapped. Who would take the risk to kidnap Shen Miao while the entire Shen family was just a few meters away? Ordinary kidnappers would not take such a huge risk. Most likely, it was a retaliation.


    Shen Xin and his wife did not know about the details regarding Prince Yu¡¯s death, but Shen Qiu knew very well. The destruction of Prince Yu¡¯s mansion probably had something to do with Shen Miao. If the subordinates of Prince Yu wanted to avenge their master, it wasn¡¯t hard to imagine what they would do to her.


    Shen Xin even mobilized the Shen army and secretly informed the city guards to close the gate. As time passed, Shen Xin and the others were about to go crazy.


    Chen Ruoqiu said gently, ¡°Brother, Sister-in-law, we can¡¯t just wait. Why don¡¯t¡­ we report it to the government? With the government interfering, it will be easier to find Fifth Miss.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Shen Wan also said, ¡°Brother, the longer we wait, the more disadvantageous it will be for Fifth Miss. The Shen army has been searching outside. If others see it, they will be suspicious.¡±


    Shen Yue stood behind Chen Ruoqiu and lowered her head to prevent others from seeing the corners of her curling lips. ¡°Shen Miao deserved it,¡± she thought. The fact that Shen Miao was missing was probably the most pleasing thing she had heard today. She did not think about anything and only hoped that Shen Miao would be sent back after losing her virginity like Shen Qing. From then on, she would get all the limelight in the Shen family. Shen Miao¡¯s reputation would be ruined and she would be unable to raise her head for the rest of her life!


    ¡°No.¡± Luo Xueyan frowned and glared at Chen Ruoqiu. ¡°If we report it to the government, Jiaojiao¡¯s reputation will be ruined!¡±


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 286 - Sudden Afinity (4)

    Chapter 286: Sudden Afinity (4)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    Shen Xin and Shen Qiu searched for the entire night but to no avail. They could only get their subordinates to continue searching while they returned to the mansion to make plans.


    ¡°Sister-in-law.¡± Chen Ruoqiu looked sincere. ¡°Is Jiaojiao¡¯s reputation more important than her life? If she lost her life, I think you would live in regret for the rest of your life.¡±


    ¡°Chen Ruoqiu, who are you cursing!?¡± When Luo Xueyan heard that, she immediately shouted angrily. She was an impatient person and could not tolerate anyone saying anything bad about Shen Miao.


    ¡°What¡¯s the point of arguing!¡± Old Madam Shen, who had been silent all this while, spoke. She glared at Luo Xueyan. ¡°It¡¯s you who lost Fifth Miss. Why are you taking it out on others?! Is Ruoqiu wrong? If we continue to wait, Fifth Miss might lose her life. What¡¯s the point of caring about reputation if her life is at risk?¡±


    On the surface, she did sound like she was concerned about Shen Miao, but Luo Xueyan felt uncomfortable and subconsciously wanted to refute.


    ¡°That¡¯s right, Auntie.¡± Shen Yuan also added, ¡°Even if we don¡¯t report it to the government, I¡¯m afraid people will figure out what happened from all the soldiers we sent out to search for Fifth Sister. At that time, it would make no difference.¡±


    Shen Yuan had always regarded Shen Miao as a thorn in his side and wanted to get rid of her. Now that Shen Miao was in trouble before he needed to do it himself, how could he not add fuel to the fire?


    Shen Gui was even happier. He said with a sad expression, ¡°Sigh, why did something like this happen to Fifth Miss? Brother, do you have any enemies?¡± Who Shen Gui hated the most was Shen Xin. Shen Xin had outstanding achievements and was above him in everything in the imperial court. If anything happened to Shen Miao because of Shen Xin, Shen Xin would probably feel guilty for the rest of his life so that Shen Gui could kick him when he was down.


    Concubine Wan pulled Shen Dongling to stand behind Shen Gui. She was the concubine, so she had no right to speak here. She listened to the others and did not say anything. She was glad that she kept Shen Dongling closely by her side and did not let her be kidnapped. Shen Dongling lowered her head, so her expression could not be seen.


    ¡°That¡¯s enough. This matter will be made public sooner or later anyway. If we report it to the government now, we might be able to make Fifth Miss suffer less. Let¡¯s report it to the government as soon as possible,¡± Old Madam Shen said, but a glint flashed across her eyes. What she hated the most was that the son of the old general¡¯s first wife was always better than her son. Fortunately, Shen Miao was disappointed, which made her feel much better. Unexpectedly, at some point, Shen Miao started to outperform Shen Qing and Shen Yue. In addition, Shen Qiu was hanging around the mansion every day, making her feel annoyed. This time, Old Madam Shen was delighted to see Shen Miao in trouble. She couldn¡¯t wait for all the people in Ming Qi to know that Shen Miao had been kidnapped. It would be best if she lost her virginity and made the first branch of the Shen family unable to raise their heads.


    Before Shen Xin and Luo Xueyan could speak, Shen Qiu clenched his fists. He was young and impetuous, but that did not mean that he did not know how to read people¡¯s expressions. On the surface, these people said that they were concerned about Shen Miao, but their eyes were flickering with a gloating glint. No wonder Shen Miao had changed so much in a year, becoming mature and scheming. She was forced to be so by them.


    Luo Xueyan and Shen Xin looked at each other, their eyes fierce. There might really be some misunderstanding about the fire in the ancestral hall. After all, they still couldn¡¯t find out what caused the fire. However, the attitude of the rest of the Shen family made Luo Xueyan angry and Shen Xin shocked and disappointed.


    He treated them sincerely, respected them, and helped them. When his daughter was in trouble, akl he could see was delight and gloating. Shen Xin suddenly felt that the happy and harmonious scenes that took place in the mansion in the past were so ironic.

 Chapter 287 - Sudden Affinity (5)

    Chapter 287: Sudden Affinity (5)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    Shen Yue said worriedly, ¡°What will those people do to Fifth Sister? She¡¯s good-looking. I heard that kidnappers will sell good-looking girls very far away¡­ I¡¯m afraid they won¡¯t let her off easy.¡± As she spoke, two drops of tears flowed down her face, as if she was extremely sad.


    A trace of mockery flashed across Chen Dongling¡¯s eyes, but she remained silent.


    ¡°Brother, are we going to report it to the government or not?¡± Shen Wan asked.


    Just as the situation was in a deadlock, they suddenly heard the panting voice of a servant outside. ¡°Madam, Master, Fifth Miss is back!¡±


    The servant ran into the hall and continued, ¡°Fifth Miss was sent back by someone from the princess mansion!¡±


    Everyone was shocked by what the servant said about Shen Miao returning to the mansion. Shen Xin and his wife were pleasantly surprised, but when they heard the words ¡°Princess Mansion¡±, they were stunned for a moment. On the other hand, Shen Wan¡¯s heart skipped a beat. He took a step forward and asked, ¡°Which princess?¡±


    The servant caught his breath and said excitedly, ¡°It¡¯s Princess Rong Xin. She sent many people to escort Fifth Miss back. The guards are all standing at the entrance!¡±


    Princess Rong Xin?


    Chen Ruoqiu stopped in her tracks and bit her lip.


    Men weren¡¯t as familiar with Princess Rong Xin who never involved herself in the matters of the imperial court as women, especially the noblewomen in the capital. Now, the women in the palace all had to respect Princess Rong Xin, but it was extremely difficult to get close to her. She was serious and stubborn. Many noble ladies wanted to please her, but they were always given a cold shoulder. However, this princess, who was said to be the most stern and stubborn, actually sent people to escort Shen Miao back? From the looks of it, the escort team seemed to be huge.


    Chen Ruoqiu was so jealous that she was about to go crazy.


    Without a word, Shen Xin and Luo Xueyan ran out of the door and walked towards the entrance. Seeing this, the others followed. They saw a dark crowd at the entrance. When they got closer, they could see clearly that they were all armed guards in armor.


    Shen Xin and Luo Xueyan were stunned. They were surprised to see so many guards. A woman walked to the carriage and helped Shen Miao down.


    Luo Xueyan quickly went up to her and said worriedly, ¡°Jiaojiao!¡± She sized up Shen Miao from head to toe. Seeing that Shen Miao was safe and sound, she heaved a sigh of relief.


    The maid smiled and said, ¡°Today, when Her Highness was enjoying the festival at Wanli Lake, she happened to see Fifth Miss Shen who was lost. The princess¡¯s carriage accidentally knocked down Fifth Miss Shen, so Princess brought Fifth Miss Shen back to the princess mansion to get treated. Princess asked me to apologize to you for making you worried.¡±


    That clearly explained why Shen Miao ended up with Princess Rong Xin. Although there was something fishy about the maid¡¯s words, since Princess Rong Xin had already said so, no one dared to question the validity of the story.


    Behind the crowd, Old Madam Shen was so angry that her face turned ashen. Today, she finally waited for a chance to make Shen Miao suffer, but Princess Rong Xin came out of nowhere and ruined everything. Old Madam Shen hated Princess Rong Xin for being such a busybody.


    ¡°I should be the one thanking Her highness for saving my daughter,¡± Shen Xin replied.


    The maid bowed and said with a smile, ¡°I¡¯ve already brought Fifth Miss Shen back, so I¡¯ll leave first.¡± With that, she dispersed the guards. Just as she was about to leave, she suddenly thought of something and walked to Shen Miao¡¯s side. ¡°Her Highness likes Fifth Miss Shen very much. Before you left, she said that if Fifth Miss Shen has time in the future, please go to see her in the princess mansion. Her Highness will definitely treat you well.¡± With that, she left.

 Chapter 288 - Sudden Affinity (6)

    Chapter 288: Sudden Affinity (6)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    Princess Rong Xin liked Shen Miao very much and even asked Shen Miao to go to the princess mansion when she was free?


    The Shen family was all standing at the entrance of the mansion, stunned by what the maid said at the end. Shen Yue almost tore the handkerchief in her hand. She naturally knew about Princess Rong Xin and how difficult it was to get close to this princess. Now that Shen Miao had used some kind of witchcraft to make Princess Rong Xin look at her in a different light, would she be able to get close to Prince Ding in the future with the princess¡¯s help?


    Shen Yue was really anxious this time.


    Shen Dongling¡¯s expression also changed drastically, and she heard Concubine Wan say with envy, ¡°Fifth Miss is really lucky. She actually befriended a princess.¡±


    Shen Yuan snorted and turned to leave without looking at the door. Shen Miao smiled at the Shen family. ¡°Sorry that I¡¯ve made everyone worry today.¡±


    When Shen Miao said that, Shen Xin and his wife immediately remembered the faces of the people from the Shen family just now and their expressions turned ugly. Seeing that Shen Miao was fine, everyone from the Shen family was disappointed. When they saw Shen Miao, they were so angry that they felt suffocated. After Old Madam Shen reprimanded Shen Miao, they all found an excuse to leave.


    Shen Miao followed Shen Qiu and the others to the west courtyard. When she saw the anrg expressions on Shen Qiu and her parents¡¯ faces, she understood.


    Previously, she deliberately delayed the people from the princess mansion from telling the Shen family about her whereabouts in advance. It was impossible for Shen Xin to change his mind about the Shen family overnight, just like how she had always had hope for Fu Xiuyi to change in her previous life. It would take some time for Shen Xin to completely change his opinion about the Shen family.


    This was a good opportunity to let Shen Xin see what kind of wolves the Shen family were. While he was still in the capital, the Shen family couldn¡¯t wait to hit Shen Miao when she was in trouble. He wasn¡¯t so stupid as to not know what could¡¯ve happened if he wasn¡¯t in the capital.


    As expected, when they arrived at the west courtyard, Shen Xin and Luo Xueyan asked her about some things tonight. After confirming that she was fine, they instructed Shen Miao to rest early. The two of them left. Before they left, they called Shen Qiu out. It was obvious that they wanted to discuss something.


    After the three of them left, Shen Miao rolled up her pants when no one was around. The wound on her calf was bandaged by a white cloth, and it seemed to still have the warmth of a certain someone¡¯s palm.


    After the eventful night, she seemed to have understood Xie Jingxing better. However, the more she understood her opponent, the more she felt that it was dangerous. In the future¡­ it was better to stay away from him.


    ¡­


    In the east courtyard of the Shen family, Shen Yuan sat in his room, his expression dark.


    After Ren Wanyun went crazy, he rarely visited her, and he was even more distant from Shen Gui. He was not a person who valued friendship and loyalty as he could even kill his own sister. In his mind, benefits outweighed everything.


    Tonight, he thought that Shen Miao would not be able to escape unscathed. Unexpectedly, not only did she return unscathed, but she even befriended the princess. This made Shen Yuan feel a sense of danger, and his opponent was still getting stronger at a rapid speed.


    In just a short period of time, Shen Miao had grown from a pushover to someone he didn¡¯t dare to underestimate. She was scheming and ruthless. How could someone as old-fashioned as Princess Rong Xin side with Shen Miao in the end? He couldn¡¯t help but wonder if Shen Miao would find someone stronger to back her up in the future and whether he would be her next target.


    He felt shameful that he had to treat a little girl as his opponent. However, he had to admit that it was precisely this little girl who made the second branch almost collapse. The more he thought about it, the more he felt that he was next in line on Shen Miao¡¯s list.


    However, Shen Miao was not difficult to deal with. What was difficult was that she still had Shen Xin and Luo Xueyan behind her. He had to be careful. However¡­ Shen Yuan looked at the letter in his hand and suddenly smiled.


    Although the first branch of the Shen family had a lot of military power, if they did not have a successor¡­ they would be useless. He wondered if Shen Xin and his wife would go crazy from the pain like Ren Wanyun after losing their children.


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 289 - The Return of the Evil Sister-in-law (1)

    Chapter 289: The Return of the Evil Sister-in-law (1)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    On the New Year in the 69th year of Ming Qi, it snowed heavily all night. People were happy because it indicated that there would be a harvest next year.


    However, to the General¡¯s Mansion in the capital, this was a special year.


    The second branch of the Shen family had lost a daughter, and the madam had gone crazy. On the other hand, the most powerful first branch and the other two branches seemed to be at odds. They were not as close as before.


    The Huang family, whose son was engaged to Shen Qing, had completely become enemies with the Shen family because of Shen Qing. Because Shen Xin and his wife were away from the capital all year round, they did not take their anger out on the first branch of the Shen family. As for the Wei family, whose son was engaged to Shen Miao, Luo Xueyan went to explain personally that it was just a misunderstanding. The Wei family was honest and did not make things difficult for her. In addition, Shen Xin promised to help Lord Wei more in the court in return, so the Wei family was naturally happy to accept it.


    Therefore, to Shen Miao, this new year was quite good. She got rid of Fu Xiuyi, Prince Yu, Ren Wanyun, and Shen Qing, and some things were still changing slowly.


    However, while she was happy, some people were not.


    In Rongjing Hall, Old Madam Shen was sitting in her seat while Shen Yuanbai was crawling around her. She looked annoyed, a resentful expression appearing on her shriveled face.


    ¡°The first branch is continuously challenging my patience. This year, they didn¡¯t hand in a single cent. The boxes of treasures given by the emperor are all locked in their courtyards! What exactly do they want? Do they still have regard for me?¡±


    Old Madam Shen was angry at the mention of this. In the past, Shen Xin would send the treasure from the emperor to her every year. Because the couple was usually not in the capital, other than leaving some gadgets for Shen Miao, they wanted nothing. Old Madam Shen had pocketed a lot over the years. Now that something happened between Shen Xin and the Shen family, Shen Xin stopped giving her a scent. In Old Madam Shen¡¯s eyes, his behavior was reprehensible.


    ¡°Old Madam, don¡¯t be angry. Perhaps after a few days, when First Master is appeased, he will send the things over.¡± Mrs. Zhang comforted her. ¡°I think First Master was still unhappy with what happened to Fifth Miss.¡±


    ¡°What happened to Fifth Miss?¡± Old Madam Shen said angrily, ¡°All these years, I¡¯ve been taking care of her and raising her. Are they still not satisfied? I think he just doesn¡¯t want to acknowledge me as his mother! What an ingrate! And that Luo Xueyan, I think it¡¯s her who¡¯s been teaching Shen Miao all these nasty tricks.¡±


    Seeing that Old Madam Shen was furious, Mrs. Zhang was silent for a moment before saying, ¡°Fifth Miss has indeed grown up and become more scheming. However, Fifth Miss has lived with you since she was young and has always been very obedient to you. I think she still respects you and sees you as her grandmother. Old Madam, why don¡¯t you summon Fifth Miss one day and say something nice to her? She¡¯s just a young lady and will definitely be easy to coax. Fifth Miss is the apple in First Master and Madam¡¯s eyes. If you can control Fifth Miss, won¡¯t you be able to control the first branch?¡±


    Mrs. Zhang was also quite scheming. When it came to being the madam of such a large family, Old Madam Shen was not capable at all. All these years, if not for Mrs. Zhang¡¯s giving her ideas, she would have made a fool of herself.


    Old Madam Shen sneered. ¡°Coaxing her? Every time I see that girl, I think of that b*tch. Now, I still have to coax her and please her? I feel disgusted just by looking at that face.¡±


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 290 - The Return of the Evil Sister-in-law (2)

    Chapter 290: The Return of the Evil Sister-in-law (2)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    Mrs. Zhang was a little helpless. She wanted to persuade her again when the maid at the door said, ¡°Second Young Master, you¡¯re here.¡±


    Shen Yuan strode in.


    ¡°Yuan.¡± Seeing Shen Yuan enter, Old Madam Shen¡¯s attitude softened a lot. When Shen Yuanbai saw him, he smiled at his second brother.


    Shen Yuan did not reach out to hug Shen Yuanbai. He only smiled and said, ¡°I¡¯m here to see Grandmother.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to come. I know you are busy lately.¡± Although Old Madam Shen said so, she still revealed a happy smile. Among these grandsons, she loved Shen Yuan the most. Shen Yuan was young and had just become an official. Everyone praised him, which made her proud. Naturally, Old Madam Shen valued him the most.


    ¡°I was lucky enough to get a bottle of Jade Snow Cream and specially brought it to you. Grandma, please don¡¯t decline.¡±


    Shen Yuan smiled and handed the bottle to Old Madam Shen.


    Old Madam Shen was a little surprised, but then she pretended to be angry. ¡°I¡¯m already so old. What¡¯s the use of these cosmetics for me? Are you deliberately trying to tease me?¡± However, she held the bottle tightly like it was a rare treasure.


    Old Madam Shen used to be a singer after all, so even if she was old, she didn¡¯t stop putting cosmetics on her. Shen Yuan¡¯s thoughtfulness immediately wiped away Old Madam Shen¡¯s gloomy mood.


    ¡°Grandmother is young. Only someone as noble as you deserve such a rare thing,¡± Shen Yuan flattered without batting an eye. The two of them chatted for a while. Shen Yuan was a smart person. Old Madam Shen liked him to begin with and even more so when she heard the sweet nothings. The atmosphere in Rongjing Hall was extremely harmonious. Even Shen Yuanbai, who was on the couch, was ignored.


    After talking for a while, Shen Yuan suddenly thought of something and said casually, ¡°Speaking of which, Grandmother, CousinsI are coming in a few days, right?¡±


    Old Madam Shen paused for a moment before saying coldly, ¡°They¡¯ll leave after staying for a few days.¡± Before Old Madam Shen became a singer, she had a family. Perhaps it was her family who sold her to a brothel. Old Madam Shen¡¯s ancestral home was in Suzhou. Later, Old Madam Shen was brought to the capital by Old General Shen to be his concubine, so she cut off all contact with her family. However, this year, her family found out about Old Madam Shen¡¯s whereabouts from somewhere and asked their grandchildren to go to the capital. They said that they were here to see Old Madam Shen, but in fact, everyone knew that they were just here to take advantage of her.


    After being seperated from her family for so long, Old Madam Shen naturally wasn¡¯t so enthusiastic about them coming to see her. Hearing Shen Yuan mention this, she was unwilling to talk more about it.


    Shen Yuan smiled and said, ¡°I¡¯ve never seen my cousins before. They¡¯re probably about the same age as Fifth Sister.¡± He sighed. ¡°Speaking of which, when Eldest Brother returned to the capital this time, I heard that Eldest Uncle and Aunt are choosing a girl for him. They¡¯re probably concerned about his marriage.¡±


    ¡°They are choosing a wife for Shen Qiu?¡± Old Madam Shen immediately sat up straight. ¡°Yuan, do you know if they have decided on anyone yet?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Shen Yuan thought for a moment and said, ¡°However, with Eldest Uncle and Eldest Aunt¡¯s influence and status, they will naturally find a wife from an equally powerful family for Eldest Brother. I think in the coming future, Eldest Brother will be very successful.¡±


    The more Shen Yuan said that, the uglier Old Madam Shen¡¯s expression became. After a while, she said sourly, ¡°That depends on whether the girl likes him or not!¡±


    Shen Yuan pretended not to know and said casually, ¡°But the most important thing is that Eldest Brother likes the girl. If Eldest Brother likes the girl, it doesn¡¯t matter if she¡¯s not from a rich family or the. Perhaps, Eldest Brother will fall in love with our cousin. Isn¡¯t that great if that happens?¡±

 Chapter 291 - The Return of the Evil Sister-in-law (3)

    Chapter 291: The Return of the Evil Sister-in-law (3)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    ¡°What nonsense are you talking about?¡± Old Madam Shen frowned and subconsciously retorted, ¡°She¡¯s just a nobody. Why would the first branch want her?¡±


    ¡°I was just saying. Grandmother, don¡¯t take it to heart.¡± Shen Yuan smiled and changed the topic. After saying a few words, he left. Before he left, he glanced at Mrs. Zhang.


    After Shen Yuan left, Old Madam Shen kept thinking about what Shen Yuan had said previously. On one hand, she knew very well that what Shen Yuan said was ridiculous. No matter how open-minded Shen Xin and his wife were, they would not take a fancy to a girl from a lowly background. Moreover, Shen Qiu was not a lecherous person. This was simply as difficult as ascending to the heavens. On the other hand, Old Madam Shen was also tempted by what Shen Yuan said. If Shen Qiu found a young lady from a rich family, wouldn¡¯t his power go up another level? Old Madam Shen disliked Shen Qiu the most. How could she tolerate him gaining more power? However, if he married her grandniece, not only would he gain nothing out of it, but he would also drag the first branch of the Shen family down with him.


    As Mrs. Zhang massaged Old Madam Shen¡¯s shoulders, she said softly, ¡°Old Madam, actually, I also think what Second Young Master said just now makes sense.¡± After a pause, she continued, ¡°Think about it. If Eldest Young Master and your grandniece are married, it will be much easier for you to do something since your grandniece will be on your side.¡± She said in a low voice, ¡°If the marriage really works, it will be easy for you to get money out of the first branch.¡±


    As soon as she said that, Old Madam Shen¡¯s eyes lit up. That¡¯s right. If Shen Qiu and her grandniece got married, her grandniece would naturally be on her side. If she controlled Shen Qiu, she would control the first branch.


    Mrs. Zhang continued, ¡°It will be even better if your grandnephew and Fifth Miss get married. In the future, all the money and assets from the first branch will belong to you.¡±


    Every word Mrs. Zhang said was right to the point, making Old Madam Shen overjoyed. At the thought of being able to seize all the assets of the first branch, Old Madam Shen was excited. However, in the next moment, she became worried and said, ¡°That¡¯s easy to say, but my grandniece and grandnephew are both from a small family. It¡¯s not like Shen Qiu is stupid. Why would he like her?¡±


    ¡°Old Madam.¡± Mrs. Zhang smiled. ¡°You¡¯ve forgotten about the tricks you used in the past. It¡¯s not that complicated. All we need is a little trick to make it a done deal between the two of them.¡±


    Her words caused Old Madam Shen to be lost in thought. A moment later, Old Madam Shen also smiled. She probably wanted to make a charming smile, but because she was old and haggard, she looked a little scary. She said, ¡°That¡¯s true. We just need to put them on the same bed.¡± After saying that, she and Mrs. Zhang looked at each other meaningfully. Old Madam Shen said, ¡°Someone, go and fetch the box in my room. It¡¯s been a long time since I last saw my grandniece. It¡¯s time to give her a gift.¡±


    Outside the house, Shen Yuan looked at Rongjing Hall and smirked. A trace of a cold smile flashed across his eyes as he slowly walked out of the courtyard.


    ¡­


    In the west courtyard, Shen Miao handed ten banknotes to Mo Qing.


    ¡°Go to the Treasure Fragrance Chamber and find a girl called Liu Ying. I¡¯ve already asked around. A hundred taels of silver can buy her a night. Take the money and sit with her for a night. Don¡¯t do anything. Go every three days,¡± Shen Miao said.


    When Mo Qing heard ¡°Treasure Fragrance Chamber¡±, his eyes widened. When he heard that Shen Miao wanted him to find a girl called Liu Ying, his face turned red. He did not take the banknote for a long time and looked at Shen Miao. ¡°Miss, are you joking with me?¡±

 Chapter 292 - The Return of the Evil Sister-in-law (2)

    Chapter 292: The Return of the Evil Sister-in-law (2)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    ¡°When have you ever seen me joke with you?¡± Shen Miao¡¯s face was serious. Mo Qing thought for a moment. Ever since he knew Shen Miao, she had indeed meant every word she said.


    However¡­ it was too ridiculous to ask him to go to a brothel. Mo Qing shook his head and said with a red face, ¡°Miss, this¡­ I¡­ Why do I have to go to the Treasure Fragrance Chamber?¡±


    Shen Miao looked at him and remembered that in her previous life, she had indeed never seen Mo Qing having affairs with any girl. Who would¡¯ve thought that the commander of imperial guards was actually a virgin?


    She said, ¡°Go if I tell you to. If Miss Liu Ying asks you why you¡¯re doing this, don¡¯t say anything. In short, play dumb.¡±


    Mo Qing was speechless.


    Seeing that Mo Qing still looked unwilling, Shen Miao said sternly, ¡°Don¡¯t you even listen to me?¡±


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t dare!¡± Mo Qing quickly said. As soon as he said that, he felt a little frustrated. He was a proud man and was considered a top-notch guard in Shen Qiu¡¯s crew. Why did he feel so flustered when Shen Miao shouted at him? Logically speaking, although he was protecting Shen Miao¡¯s safety now, he was Shen Qiu¡¯s subordinate. What was more, even with Shen Qiu, he wasn¡¯t so nervous.


    Puzzled, he then heard Shen Miao continue, ¡°I heard that Miss Liu Ying is charming and extremely enchanting. Countless men have fallen for her. Although she¡¯s not the signature girl of the Treasure Fragrance Chamber, she¡¯s still popular. I chose you because I know you¡¯re righteous and have a strong will. I asked you to sit with her for a night, so don¡¯t do anything you shouldn¡¯t. If you fail, you can pack up your things and leave.¡±


    Mo Qing¡¯s face turned redder. He had never been so embarrassed before. Not only did Shen Miao make it sound so explicit, but she also glanced at him from head to toe and even stopped at a certain part of his lower body for a while. If not for the fact that Shen Miao was his master, Mo Qing would probably have left angrily. He wanted to cry, but no tears came out. He did not know how Shen Miao grew up to have such a personality. Being stared at her like that, Mo Qing felt like he was pork on a chopping board.


    Seeing that Mo Qing¡¯s face was turning purple, Shen Miao let him go and waved her hand. ¡°Go. Remember what I said.¡±


    Mo Qing ran out. Jingzhe was just returning from outside. Seeing this, she asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Guard Mo? You look like you¡¯re in pain. Did something happen?¡± Mo Qing had always been calm and composed. This was the first time she had seen him in such a sorry state.


    ¡°Nothing. He¡¯s just being shy.¡± Shen Miao said, ¡°How¡¯s the investigation going?¡±


    Jingzhe was wondering what Shen Miao meant by him being shy. Hearing that, she said, ¡°I¡¯ve asked around. Old Madam¡¯s grandniece and nephew will be here in two days.¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡± Shen Miao smiled faintly. ¡°Is her grandniece called Jing Chuchu?¡±


    ¡°Miss, how did you know?¡± Jingzhe was surprised.


    Shen Miao did not say anything. She lowered her head to hide the killing intent in her eyes. Jing Chuchu was none other than her sister-in-law from her previous life.


    ¡­


    Two days later, the sky cleared up. Shen Miao woke up early and went out to watch Shen Qiu and Shen Xin practice swordsmanship. On this cold day, the two of them were actually sweating profusely. The surrounding guards were all cheering as they watched. Just as they were in a good mood, they saw Old Madam Shen¡¯s maid, Xi¡¯er, run over. She said that Old Madam Shen was summoning everyone to Rongjing Hall because her grandniece and nephew were here.


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 293 - The Return of the Evil Sister-in-law (5)

    Chapter 293: The Return of the Evil Sister-in-law (5)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    Shen Qiu scratched his head and asked curiously, ¡°Who? Why have I never met them?¡±


    Luo Xueyan also said, ¡°I¡¯ve never heard of them either. Why did they come all of a sudden?¡±


    Shen Xin did not have too much of a reaction. Old Madam Shen was his stepmother, but Old Madam Shen¡¯s background was destined to make her unrepresentable. All these years, there was no news of her family at all. He only knew that Old Madam Shen was originally from Suzhou. He didn¡¯t know why her family sent the juniors over. However, since Old Madam Shen said so, they could only go.


    Shen Qiu put down his sword and went back with Shen Xin to change his clothes. When he turned around, he saw Shen Miao standing at the door with a cold expression. He couldn¡¯t help but walk over and ask, ¡°Sister, why are you suddenly unhappy? Aren¡¯t you smiling just now?¡±


    Shen Miao came back to her senses and glanced at Shen Qiu. She smiled and said, ¡°Nothing. I¡¯m fine.¡±


    When they arrived at Rongjing Hall, they could hear Old Madam Shen¡¯s laughter from afar. Ever since Shen Qing¡¯s death, Old Madam Shen had been wearing a dark expression every day. Shen Xin and Luo Xueyan were both a little puzzled. When they stepped into Rongjing Hall, they saw that Chen Ruoqiu and Shen Gui were both there. A man and a woman were standing in front of Old Madam Shen. Seeing that Shen Xin and the others were here, Old Madam Shen said to the two people in front of her, ¡°This is your first uncle and his family.¡± She then said to Shen Xin, ¡°This is my brother¡¯s grandson and granddaughter, Guansheng and Chuchu.¡±


    Jing Guansheng, Jing Chuchu.


    When the two of them heard that, they quickly turned around and bowed to Shen Xin and the others.


    Shen Miao stood still and sized up the two of them calmly.


    Jing Guansheng was 18 years old this year, and Jing Chuchu was 16 years old this year. They were both in their prime. Jing Guansheng was ordinary and a little chubby, but his skin was fair and he looked quite scholarly. He was wearing a brown robe. The fabric was not bad, and the cut was simple but just right. However, there was a hint of shrewdness in his eyes, which made him look quite unlikeable.


    Jing Chuchu was very good-looking. She actually resembled Old Madam Shen quite a lot. However, compared to when Old Madam Shen was young, she was more of a sheepish type. She was wearing a primrose-colored dress that looked quite exquisite. She greeted timidly and bowed, her eyes fixed on the ground, not daring to look up.


    When she greeted Shen Miao, Shen Miao smiled and said, ¡°Cousin, why are you only looking at the ground? I¡¯m not six feet under yet.¡±


    Jing Chuchu was stunned. Flustered, she looked up at her and then at Old Madam Shen. Old Madam Shen immediately frowned and said, ¡°Chuchu is a little afraid of strangers. Fifth Miss, be polite.¡±


    Old Madam Shen¡¯s protectiveness towards Chuchu immediately made Shen Xin and the others¡¯ expressions change. They would not let Shen Miao feel aggrieved because of a relative who was not related to them by blood. Their attitude towards Jing Chuchu immediately turned cold.


    Old Madam Shen did not notice it at all, but Shen Yuan frowned and glanced at Shen Miao.


    Shen Miao smiled and said, ¡°Afraid of strangers? It¡¯s fine. We¡¯ll get to know each other in a few more days.¡±


    Shen Miao¡¯s tone was friendly, but when people heard it, they felt like there was an extra layer of meaning to her words. Jing Chuchu smiled shyly at Shen Miao, then lowered her head and twisted the handkerchief in her hand, as if she would blush if she took another look. On the other hand, Jing Guansheng smiled at Shen Miao gently.


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 294 - The Return of the Evil Sister-in-law (6) Translator: Henyee T

    Chapter 294: The Return of the Evil Sister-in-law (6)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    Shen Miao¡¯s gaze did not land on Jing Guansheng at all. She stared at Jing Chuchu and could hear herself grinding her teeth.


    Jing Chuchu was always like this, shy, sheepish, and non-scheming. She always kept her head lowered timidly, as if she was a pushover everyone could bully. Therefore, when people saw her lying on the same bed with Shen Qiu after drinking, everyone scolded Shen Qiu for being worse than a beast. Who would have thought that such a pure girl would end up making a cuckold of Shen Qiu and sending him to prison for accidentally killing the adulterer? Now that Shen Miao thought about it, the mistakes Shen Qiu made on his post and his falling off the horse and breaking his leg was most likely Jing Chuchu¡¯s doing. Eventually, after Shen Qiu¡¯s corpse was found inside the pond, Jing Chuchu pocketed his money and ran back home.


    Shen Miao felt that this rabbit-like face in front of her was even more vicious than a snake. Although Shen Qiu did not like her, he still treated her sincerely after marrying Jing Chuchu. With Shen Qiu¡¯s personality, he would definitely not let Jing Chuchu suffer.


    However, Jing Chuchu was an ingrate.


    Shen Miao kept staring at Jing Chuchu. Even someone as insensitive as Shen Qiu sensed that something was wrong and asked in confusion, ¡°Sister?¡±


    Jing Guansheng also said, ¡°Fifth Sister, why are you staring at Chuchu?¡±


    Jing Chuchu took a step back and turned to the side nervously, asking Jing Guansheng to block Shen Miao¡¯s gaze for her, as if she was very afraid. Shen Miao smiled and said, ¡°Cousin is really too beautiful. I was absent-minded from infatuation just now.¡±


    Shen Yue bit her lip. Shen Miao had been getting prettier and prettier lately and stole a lot of her limelight. Now that Jing Chuchu was here, she felt even more uncomfortable.


    Jing Chuchu blushed and whispered to Shen Miao, ¡°Cousin, you are much prettier than me.¡±


    Shen Miao smiled and did not comment.


    Old Madam Shen cleared her throat and said, ¡°Chuchu and Guansheng are our family too. Shen Miao, Shen Qiu, show them around the mansion when you have time.¡±


    There were still Shen Yuan and Shen Yue. At the very least, there was still Shen Dongling. Shen Miao and Shen Qiu were not the only juniors, but Old Madam Shen specially instructed the two of them to show their new cousins around. The corners of Shen Miao¡¯s lips curled up slightly. She glanced at Jing Chuchu, who had her head lowered, and smiled warmly. ¡°I¡¯ll naturally take good care of cousins.¡±


    Among the women in the room, Shen Miao actually had a particularly calm aura. The faint smile that crept up on her face just now had an indescribable charm. Jing Guansheng was a little stunned.


    Seeing Shen Miao like this, Old Madam Shen was extremely satisfied. She smiled and said, ¡°In that case, all of you can leave. I still have something to tell Chuchu. We haven¡¯t seen each other for so many years. I wonder if my family is doing well.¡± When Chen Ruoqiu saw Old Madam Shen¡¯s loving look, she immediately felt something was afoot. However, she only bowed respectfully and led everyone out of Rongjing Hall.


    Outside Rongjing Hall, Jing Guansheng said to Shen Miao, ¡°Fifth Sister, what do you like to do at home?¡±


    Shen Xin and Luo Xueyan walked at the front and did not hear this. When Shen Qiu heard this, he walked up to Shen Miao warily and looked at Jing Guansheng without saying anything.


    Shen Miao smiled. ¡°Nothing much. Just reading most of the time.¡±


    ¡°Coincidentally, I also like to read at home.¡± Jing Guansheng smiled and said, ¡°We can probably talk a lot about books.¡±


    Shen Miao glanced at him. Even Shen Qiu could sense the disdain in her gaze. He was a little surprised that Shen Miao was so unfriendly to someone she had just met for the first time. He heard Shen Miao say, ¡°Forget it. I don¡¯t think there¡¯s a lot of books in your house. How about I get someone to send a few books to you later? They are all limited edition.¡±


    Being looked down so blatantly by Shen Miao, Jing Guansheng¡¯s expression froze.


    In Rongjing Hall, Old Madam Shen was holding Jing Chuchu¡¯s hand and saying amiably, ¡°You¡¯re so beautiful at such a young age. I wonder if you¡¯re engaged.¡±


    Jing Chuchu said in a low voice, ¡°Old Madam, not yet.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡± Old Madam Shen¡¯s smile widened. ¡°With your looks and personality, it would be great if you could be my granddaughter-in-law.¡±


    Jing Chuchu lowered her head, and her face turned even redder. She gradually clenched her fists nervously. The Jing family was just an ordinary merchant. When their grandfather heard that his sister had become rich in the capital, he sent them over, hoping that his sister could offer help in one way or another. When Jing Chuchu arrived, she was dazzled by the grand mansion. If she could marry into the General¡¯s Mansion, she would not have to worry about money for the rest of her life and could just enjoy the comfortable life of a rich madam. How could Jing Chuchu not be excited at this prospect? However, she did not show it on her face.


    Old Madam Shen patted her hand and said with a smile, ¡°With your age, you¡¯re very suitable for Shen Qiu. He is now a deputy general. What¡¯s better is that he¡¯s not married yet.¡±

 Chapter 295 - Intimidation (1)

    Chapter 295: Intimidation (1)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    Ever since that day when Jing Chuchu and Jing Guansheng came to the Shen family, there had been an extremely subtle atmosphere in the Shen family. Everyone knew that Old Madam Shen was selfish and stingy. To her grandnephew and grandniece, who she had not seen for many years, not only did she not show any coldness, but she also treated them very generously.


    However, the two of them seemed to be planning to stay in the mansion for a long time and had no intention of leaving. Because Old Madam Shen was polite to them, the servants were also very polite to them.


    In a side room of Rosy Cloud Garden in the east courtyard of the Shen family, Concubine Wan was sitting at the table and embroidering. The colorful fabrics slowly came into shape as she said to Shen Dongling, who was sitting behind the screen and practicing calligraphy, ¡°Has Old Madam changed? She treats her grandniece and grandnephew even better than you.¡±


    ¡°Old Madam is up to something we don¡¯t know.¡± Shen Dongling sat behind the screen, looking much better than before. At least, she was not as pale as before. Now that Shen Gui often came to visit Concubine Wan, he also started to take this illegitimate daughter of his seriously and asked someone to send a lot of herbs to help her nourish her body. Shen Gui¡¯s attitude immediately made the servants of Rosy Cloud Garden realize that the tide had changed. However, some servants were still observing. Although Ren Wanyun had gone crazy, Shen Yuan was still the young master of the legitimate wife. No matter how favored Concubine Wan was again, Shen Dongling was, after all, just a daughter.


    ¡°Dongling, do you also think there is something fishy going on?¡± Concubine Wan stopped what she was doing. ¡°But why exactly is Old Madam trying to please these two?¡±


    Shen Dongling smiled. ¡°They are both young and good-looking, Old Madam naturally wants to use them to seduce people.¡±


    Concubine Wan suddenly enlightened and looked at Shen Dongling. ¡°But seduce who exactly?¡±


    Shen Dongling carefully made a neat stroke as she said, ¡°Of course, people who Old Madam hates the most.¡±


    Just as Shen Dongling had said, in the west courtyard, Shen Qiu and Shen Xin finished practicing once and asked their subordinates to continue practicing. Just as they were about to rest for a while, they saw a girl in yellow walking over from the end of the corridor.


    This girl was beautiful, delicate, and timid, holding a bamboo basket. She walked to the side, lowered her head, and called out timidly, ¡°Cousin, Uncle.¡±


    It was Jing Chuchu.


    Luo Xueyan was instructing the soldiers on the other side. Shen Xin and Shen Qiu were a little surprised to see her. Shen Qiu took a step forward and said, ¡°Cousin sister, what are you doing here?¡±


    He was not used to calling her ¡°cousin sister¡±. After all, he had never seen Jing Chuchu. It was a weird feeling for him to suddenly have a cousin thrust upon him.


    Jing Chuchu smiled shyly and placed the bamboo basket on the stone stool at the side. She said in a low voice, ¡°I made some snacks myself. I thought that cousins would probably be tired from practicing swordsmanship here, so I made some. I hope you won¡¯t mind.¡± As she spoke, she lowered her head and opened the lid. As soon as she opened it, she brought out a few plates of snacks. The snacks were exquisite and cute, and they smelled sweet. Before Shen Xin could say anything, Shen Qiu, the foodie, swallowed his saliva.


    Shen Xin had a good impression of her. Jing Chuchu was born timid and weak, but she looked sincere. However, no matter what, girls who were good at making snacks would be liked wherever they went, especially since this girl was good-looking. Luo Xueyan was a general, so she did not know how to make these exquisite snacks at all.

 Chapter 296 - Intimidation (2)

    Chapter 296: Intimidation (2)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    Jing Chuchu said, ¡°I¡¯ve been living here for so many days, but I haven¡¯t come to pay my respect to you yet. Other than making you some snacks, I don¡¯t know what else I can do.¡±


    Shen Xin and Shen Qiu liked people who were polite and sensible the most. Jing Chuchu had indeed left a good impression on them.


    Shen Qiu said, ¡°Cousin, don¡¯t worry. Just take this as your home. We¡¯re family, and it is only right for us to help each other.¡±


    Jing Chuchu lowered her head shyly. Shen Qiu picked up a piece of snack and smiled. ¡°Then I won¡¯t stand on ceremony.¡± Just as he was about to bite it, he suddenly heard a voice behind her. ¡°Brother.¡±


    Shen Qiu turned around and saw Shen Miao standing at the side of the courtyard with four maids behind her, looking at him coldly. For some reason, Shen Qiu felt guilty. He subconsciously put down the snack in his hand and asked, ¡°Sister, why are you here?¡±


    Shen Miao did not say anything and walked towards them. When she got closer, Shen Xin saw Gu Yu, Jingzhe, Bai Lu, and Shuang Jiang each holding a basket. Shen Xin asked, ¡°Jiaojiao, what¡¯s in this basket?¡±


    ¡°The weather is a little cold today. I thought that everyone would be tired and thirsty from practicing swordsmanship, so I made some soup.¡± Shen Miao glanced at Shen Qiu indifferently. Shen Qiu felt a chill run down his spine and heard Shen Miao say, ¡°Let the soldiers come over and drink the soup. Itcan warm up their body.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll go get them!¡± Seeing this, Ah Zhi, who was standing beside Shen Qiu, was overjoyed. He ran to the training ground. Soon, dozens of soldiers in the courtyard swarmed over.


    Shen Miao asked Jingzhe and the others to scoop a bowl of soup for everyone. Those soldiers were all the most capable subordinates of Shen Xin and Shen Qiu, so they were kept in the General¡¯s Mansion. When the soldiers saw that there was soup to drink, they were very happy. They smiled and said, ¡°Miss is so considerate of us! Miss is really kind-hearted!¡±


    Soldiers were easier to please. Shen Miao knew this very well. Ah Zhi took a sip of the soup and exclaimed, ¡°This soup is really good!¡± After drinking it, he handed the empty bowl to Jingzhe and said, ¡°Another bowl!¡±


    Jingzhe rolled her eyes at Ah Zhi. ¡°Of course it¡¯s good. Miss made it herself.¡±


    When Shen Xin and Shen Qiu saw this, they were stunned at first. Shen Qiu said, ¡°Sister made it herself?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Shen Miao said flatly.


    ¡°Stop!¡± Shen Xin shouted, ¡°You all are not allowed to drink anymore!¡± He shouted at Gu Yu, ¡°Give me a big bowl!¡±


    Luo Xueyan had just drunk the soup served by Bai Lu and was also very surprised. ¡°Jiaojiao, you actually made this soup yourself? How did your culinary skills improve so much?¡±


    The fragrance of the soup wafted out, making people drool. Shen Miao lowered her eyes and smiled. ¡°I have been going to the kitchen quite often lately and learned one dish or two.¡± In her previous life, in order to please Fu Xiuyi, she worked hard to hone her culinary skills. Later, when she went to the State of Qin, she learned to cook many exotic dishes too. After all, she had seen all kinds of grand royal banquets. Her horizons and cooking methods were much better than ordinary people. As for Jin Chuchu, she was from a small place and it was her first time coming to the capital¡­ Shen Miao glanced at Jing Chuchu. Jing Chuchu stood behind the pillar. This time, she did not lower her head. Instead, she bit her lip and looked at the group of soldiers who were drinking happily with tears in her eyes, as if she had suffered a grievance.


    The soup made by the daughter of the first branch was much more precious than the snacks made by the grandniece of Old Madam Shen. Moreover, Shen Miao also prepared a portion for all the soldiers in the courtyard. In comparison, Jing Chuchu, who only made snacks for Shen Xin and Shen Qiu, appeared too stingy.


    Jing Chuchu was embarrassed and angry. She looked at Shen Miao with hatred in her eyes.


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 297 - Intimidation (3)

    Chapter 297: Intimidation (3)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    Shen Qiu also wanted to scoop some soup for himself, but Gu Yu and the others refused to give it to him. Shen Qiu also sensed something and guessed that Shen Miao was probably angry with him, but he did not know what he did wrong. He could only look at Shen Miao. pitifully When everyone was almost done drinking, Shen Miao asked Bai Lu to take out a bowl from the bottom of the basket and said, ¡°You like it sweet. This bowl is added with honey. Drink it.¡±


    ¡°Sister, you¡¯re the best!¡± Shen Qiu was overjoyed. He snatched it and drank the soup in big mouthfuls.


    When the soldiers received the soup made by Shen Miao, they were half touched and half delighted. They flattered Shen Miao, feeling that Shen Miao did not have the temperament of a high and mighty rich miss. She was approachable and beautiful.


    Shen Miao was surrounded by soldiers, and Jing Chuchu was completely neglected. There were a few times when she wanted to leave, but in the end, she gritted her teeth and stayed.


    When everyone went to practice swordsmanship again, Shen Xin and Luo Xueyan also joined them. Shen Qiu sat on the stone stool to rest. Only then did Shen Miao walk to Jing Chuchu and say with a smile, ¡°Cousin, the snacks you made are not bad. However, what they need is something that can quench their thirst. Isn¡¯t the snack going to make them more thirsty?¡± Shen Miao smiled and said, ¡°Next time, make soup instead.¡±


    Jing Chuchu¡¯s face was pale. Although she was angry, Jing Chuchu still lowered her head in a panic, as if she was very afraid. ¡°Thank you for your advice, Cousin.¡± With that, she looked at Shen Qiu, hoping that he would help her out.


    Unfortunately, Shen Qiu was a complete blockhead when it came to understanding women. When he met Jing Chuchu¡¯s gaze, he felt puzzled. Shen Miao, on the other hand, smiled and said, ¡°Brother, didn¡¯t you want to eat my cousin¡¯s snacks just now? Eat some.¡±


    ¡°Ahem.¡± Shen Qiu waved his hand. ¡°I drank a bowl of soup just now and am a little full. I can¡¯t eat anymore. I¡¯ll eat it later.¡±


    Shen Miao was very satisfied. The bowl of soup given to Shen Qiu was especially big. She did not believe that Shen Qiu would still have the stomach to eat Jing Chuchu¡¯s snacks after having such a big bowl, unless Shen Qiu was a pig.


    Jing Chuchu was a little disappointed. Shen Qiu stood up and said, ¡°I¡¯ll go and practice too.¡± Then, he walked away.


    Looking at Shen Qiu¡¯s departing figure, Jing Chuchu was a little indignant. She wanted to say something, but she could only bite her lip and watch him leave. Shen Miao smiled and patted her hand. ¡°I¡¯m afraid your snacks won¡¯t taste good when they¡¯re cold. If you don¡¯t mind, you can send them to Second Brother.¡±


    ¡°Second Brother?¡± Jing Chuchu looked at Shen Miao in confusion.


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Shen Miao smiled. ¡°My brother used to live in the bitter cold land of the Northwest all year round. He can¡¯t appreciate these exquisite snacks, but my second brother is different. He is already an official at such a young age and is now working in the court. His future is limitless.¡± Shen Miao shook her head and sighed. ¡°Unfortunately, there¡¯s no one by his side to take care of him. Men are a fool when it comes to taking care of themselves. Cousin, this snack you made might suit his taste.¡±


    When Jing Chuchu heard this, she was a little uncertain. Shen Miao smiled and continued, ¡°Maybe in the future, if Second Brother is married, his wife will prepare food for him. I wonder which girl will be so lucky to be my second sister-in-law. Cousin, you might not know this, but my second brother is the sweetheart of many young ladies in the capital.¡±


    ¡°Second Young Master¡­¡± Jing Chuchu hesitated for a moment and asked, ¡°Doesn¡¯t he have a girl he likes?¡±


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 298 - Intimidation (4)

    Chapter 298: Intimidation (4)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    Shen Miao sighed and said, ¡°Second Brother is busy with court affairs all day. How can he have the time for relationships.¡±


    Jing Chuchu was deep in thought, so Shen Miao did not say anything. Seeing that Shen Qiu wasn¡¯t going to come back anytime soon, Jing Chuchu felt a little ill-at-ease and left.


    After Jing Chuchu left, Shen Qiu came over and looked at Shen Miao carefully for a while before saying, ¡°Sister, why are you acting strange today?¡±


    ¡°How am I strange?¡± Shen Miao said angrily, ¡°Brother, are you angry that I interrupted you from eating your cousin¡¯s snacks just now?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not what I mean.¡± Shen Qiu was so anxious to explain that his face turned red. However, Shen Miao waved her hand and said indifferently, ¡°Forget it, but you¡¯ve come of age now, and a lot of girls are coveting you. You have to open your eyes wide when you choose a future wife.¡±


    Shen Qiu understood what she meant. He said helplessly, ¡°Sister, what are you talking about? That¡¯s not what Cousin wants. She¡¯s just here to deliver some snacks.¡±


    ¡°If you really like her, eat all you want.¡± After saying that, Shen Miao left without looking back. After coming back to the capital this time, Shen Qiu had never seen Shen Miao so angry at him. He was shocked and watched as Shen Miao walked away.


    On the way back to the house, Gu Yu asked, ¡°Miss, do you not like your cousin? Otherwise, why would you be so angry?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I don¡¯t like her.¡± Shen Miao rubbed her forehead. She really hated Jing Chuchu to the core. Shen Qiu was such a dignified and upright person, but she made a cuckold out of him, caused him to break his legs, and drove him to kill the adulterer. Shen Miao wished she could skin Jing Chuchu alive. However, Shen Qiu was a kind person by nature and did not know that people could be so evil. Seeing that Shen Qiu was almost bewitched by Jing Chuchu again in this life, Shen Miao was furious.


    ¡°But Miss, didn¡¯t you tell her about Second Young Master?¡± Gu Yu said, ¡°Perhaps she will turn to please Second Young Master.¡± While talking with Jing Chuchu just now, Shen Miao didn¡¯t deliberately avoid the maids. Gu Yu could tell what Shen Miao meant.


    Shen Miao shook her head. ¡°She¡¯s not stupid. If she can be convinced by me just like that, she won¡¯t be Jing Chuchu anymore.¡± Shen Miao smiled. ¡°But we¡¯ll see.¡±


    The maids were a little puzzled, not understanding why Shen Miao was so wary of this timid and weak-looking cousin.


    ¡­


    The Treasure Fragrance Chamber was the largest brothel in the capital. If brothels were divided into different grades, then the Treasure Fragrance Chamber would definitely be the top one. Any girl from it could outshine all the other girls in other brothels.


    Because of that, the girls in the Treasure Fragrance Chamber were also the most expensive.


    The beautiful girls at the door waved their handkerchiefs to attract the passers-by. A man in armor walked in, catching the attention of the girls.


    The people who could afford to come to the Treasure Fragrance Chamber were either rich or noble, and most of them were young masters of rich families or officials. However, the man who just came in did not seem to be from a rich family, and the murderous aura on his body made the girls not dare to approach him. Until a middle-aged woman in a red dress walked out and smiled when she saw him. ¡°Young Master Mo, you¡¯re here again? Are you still looking for Liu Ying today?¡±


    Mo Qing nodded and took out a banknote from his pocket and handed it to her. The woman took the banknote and smiled in satisfaction. ¡°Young Master, follow me in. I¡¯ll bring you upstairs now. Liu Ying has been waiting for you for the past few days.¡±


    Mo Qing suppressed the discomfort in his heart and followed her upstairs with a calm expression.

 Chapter 299 - Intimidation (5)

    Chapter 299: Intimidation (5)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    The girls in the Treasure Fragrance Chamber were the most expensive. At the same time, the girls in the Treasure Fragrance Chamber were the best. Although Liu Ying was not the top girl in the Treasure Fragrance Chamber, she was quite famous. However, this was only relative to the rumors outside. In fact, new girls came in every day. They were all good-looking and talented. Men all liked the new and disliked the old, so there were fewer customers who came to look for Liu Ying.


    However, recently, the girls in the Treasure Fragrance Chamber knew that Liu Ying, who no longer had her former glory, had recently received a big customer. A young man would come to look for her every few days. In the Treasure Fragrance Chamber, it was really rare to see a customer who chose the same girl every time. Everyone guessed that he wanted to redeem Liu Ying.


    Mo Qing followed the woman to a small room upstairs. The woman in red smiled and left. On the soft couch, a young woman in a thin red dress was leaning against the wall, holding a jade Guqin and playing it. Her watery eyes were affectionate, and there was an ambiguous smile on her lips. Her clothes revealed half of her shoulders, making people¡¯s imagination run wild.


    Mo Qing took a deep breath and sat down at the table. He poured himself a cup of tea and started his night as usual, sitting through the night.


    The sound of the Guqin stopped abruptly, and Liu Ying looked flustered and exasperated. She walked up to Mo Qing and said angrily, ¡°Young Master Mo, you¡¯ve come here a few times, but everytime, you act like I don¡¯t exist. Are you making fun of me? Or do you think I¡¯m dirty and not worthy of you?¡±


    The girls in the brothel were all envious of her because a man was willing to choose her every time. However, they did not know that other than sitting there like a dummy, this man didn¡¯t do anything else. No matter what Liu Ying did, he did not even look at her, let alone do anything else.


    Mo Qing shook his head but did not speak. He stared straight at the teacup in front of him, feeling extremely helpless. Shen Miao was right. Liu Ying was indeed a flirtatious woman. She used many tricks and methods to tease him, causing Mo Qing to almost lose control of himself. Now, sitting here for another moment was torture, but Shen Miao wanted him to continue doing so for a reason he wasn¡¯t aware of.


    Liu Ying sat on Mo Qing¡¯s lap and reached out to hook his neck. She whispered into Mo Qing¡¯s ear, ¡°Young Master Mo, are you just going to sit for another night?¡±


    With a bang, Mo Qing pushed Liu Ying to the ground.


    In a private room opposite the Treasure Fragrance Chamber, there was a dazzling array of jade plates on the table. Three people were sitting around it. A person who looked like a guard walked in from outside and whispered something into the ear of the purple-clothed youth sitting in the middle.


    ¡°Speaking of which,¡± Ji Yushu said in confusion, ¡°why did Miss Shen ask her guard to go to Treasure Fragrance Chamber to look for that girl?¡±


    ¡°Moreover, this guard doesn¡¯t do anything,¡± Gao Yang added.


    Gao Yang and Ji Yushu no longer treated Shen Miao as an ordinary girl. Everything she did seemed to be paving the path for a bigger plan. Therefore, when they found out that Shen Miao sent Mo Qing to the Treasure Fragrance Chamber to look for a girl, their first reaction was that Shen Miao was dealing with someone again.


    Men who were sent by All Knowing Scholar to find out what was going on came back to report. What was shocking was that the guard patronizing Liu Ying did nothing. He sat in her room for a night and then left. They carefully looked into Liu Ying¡¯s background. She was just a girl who was sold to a brothel. There was nothing special about her, so they did not understand why Shen Miao did this.


    ¡°Could it be that she wants to nurture a eunuch to work for her?¡± Ji Yushu¡¯s thoughts were always especially strange. ¡°Now, she¡¯s probably letting that guard adapt to the life of a eunuch in advance.¡±


    ¡°Your imaginations are always so wild.¡± Gao Yang pondered for a moment. ¡°I think she wants to rope in Liu Ying, or perhaps she wants to deal with the other two branches of the Shen family. Why Liu Ying though? There are many girls in Treasure Fragrance Chamber who are more charming and enchanting than Liu Ying.¡± He looked at Xie Jingxing. ¡°Xie Jingxing, what do you think about this?¡±

 Chapter 300 - Intimidation (6)

    Chapter 300: Intimidation (6)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    Xie Jingxing was looking out of the window. When he heard this, he glanced at the two of them lazily and said, ¡°Don¡¯t the two of you have anything to do?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re friends with Miss Shen. Aren¡¯t you curious?¡± Ji Yushu said, ¡°Third Brother Xie, you¡¯re the smartest among us. You must know.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to know.¡± Xie Jingxing interrupted him. ¡°I¡¯m going out of the city for a while.¡±


    ¡°Is it because of what happened at the Jade Rabbit Festival?¡± Gao Yang asked with a frown.


    ¡°The emperor plans to send Old Xie to war in spring.¡± Xie Jingxing said, ¡°We can¡¯t wait anymore.¡± When he said ¡°Old Xie¡±, he was naturally referring to Xie Ding, the Marquis of Lin¡¯an and his father.


    Gao Yang was silent for a moment before saying, ¡°In that case, I¡¯m afraid there¡¯s not enough time.¡±


    ¡°I heard that Shen Yuan has been very close to Prince Ding recently.¡± Xie Jingxing smiled. ¡°It seems like they are preparing to deal with the first branch of the Shen family.¡±


    ¡°Is Miss Shen going to be in trouble again?¡± Ji Yushu was a little surprised. ¡°Why does she always provoke these people? That Prince DIng is not to be trifled with. No one targeted by him had a good ending.¡±


    ¡°Prince Ding is an unfathomable person.¡± Gao Yang frowned. ¡°Although he doesn¡¯t seem to be interested in power, his military strength is not inferior to others. Shen Xin has military power. The Shen family is a big family and is already feared by the royal family. If Prince Ding takes action, I¡¯m afraid Shen Xin will be dealt a huge blow.¡±


    ¡°Won¡¯t Miss Shen be in danger then?¡± Ji Yushu looked at Xie Jingxing. ¡°Third Brother Xie, how are you going to help her?¡±


    Xie Jingxing raised an eyebrow. ¡°Why should I help her?¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you¡­ friends?¡± Ji Yushu widened his eyes. ¡°Didn¡¯t you save her last time? Don¡¯t you plan to help Miss Shen?¡±


    Xie Jingxing looked at him with a faint smile. His eyes were as deep as water, and he looked extremely playful. His words were cold and indifferent as he said, ¡°I need the Shen family to help me stall for time. It¡¯s¡­ very good if Prince Ding wants to deal with Shen Xin.¡±


    Ji Yushu gasped.


    ¡­


    In Prince Ding¡¯s mansion in the capital.


    The young man dressed in light-colored clothes looked cold, but when he spoke to his subordinates, he was extremely friendly.


    This person was none other than Prince Ding, Fu Xiuyi.


    At this moment, there were also a few men present. These people were all the subordinates of Prince Ding. He was not only good at using the right people, but also he treated them well. Other than giving his subordinates the money and land they deserved, most importantly, he would also give them respect unlike any other princes. It was precisely because of this that he recruited many talented people, and It was also because of these talented people that Fu Xiuyi¡¯s plans were well-kept from the world, including Emperor Wen Hui.


    The young man sitting in the middle was dressed in blue. His face looked a little out of place among other subordinates because he was too young. He stood up and Fu Xiuyi asked, ¡°Shen Yuan, what is on your mind. Feel free to speak.¡±


    Shen Yuan cupped his hands at Fu Xiuyi. As soon as he became an official in the imperial court, he secretly sided with Fu Xiuyi. Fu Xiuyi had an eye for talent. He knew that Shen Yuan was talented and ambitious, so naturally, Fu Xiuyi thought highly of him.


    Shen Yuan said, ¡°Now, everyone is secretly competing for military strength. Whoever has more military strength will have more leverage. Currently, although the Xie family has a lot of military strength, we can¡¯t tackle them. His Majesty has requested the Marquis of Lin¡¯an to go to war after spring, and he must be planning something. However, the Shen family is different.¡± Shen Yuan paused for a moment before continuing, ¡°Shen Xin took the initiative to stay in the capital for half a year. There are many people who want to rope him in. The Shen army remains a constant variable. If we can¡¯t get it, it¡¯s better to destroy it.¡±


    Shen Yuan was a member of the Shen family, but he used ¡°The Shen family¡± instead of ¡°My family¡±, which showed that he wanted to distance himself from Shen Xin. Fu Xiuyi looked at him with a meaningful smile. Perhaps he understood but pretended not to know. He said, ¡°You¡¯re right, but we can find any fault with Shen Xin. Even if we did, we don¡¯t have a good cause to deal with him.¡±


    Shen Yuan did not speak.


    Fu Xiuyi¡¯s eyes narrowed, and his tone became even more friendly. ¡°However, since you¡¯re in the Shen mansion, you must know something that others don¡¯t.¡± He looked at Shen Yuan. ¡°If you can really get rid of the Shen army, I will reward you handsomely.¡±


    After receiving the promise he wanted to hear, Shen Yuan said respectfully, ¡°Your Highness, my people have been in the Shen army for a long time. When the Shen army was fighting in the northwest, they did something that they weren¡¯t supposed to do. Now, my people are still collecting evidence. Once the evidence is ample, I will definitely hand it over to you. I guarantee that even if we can¡¯t completely destroy the Shen army this time, we will at least make it suffer a huge blow.¡±


    Fu Xiuyi smiled faintly. ¡°Then I¡¯ll wait for your good news.¡±


    Shen Yuan lowered his head and smiled.


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 301 - Adulterer (1)

    Chapter 301: Adulterer (1)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    The new year in the Shen family was very lively.


    Originally, because of Ren Wanyun and Shen Qing, the atmosphere in the General¡¯s Mansion was gloomy. However, with the arrival of Jing Chuchu and Jing Guansheng, Old Madam Shen was very enthusiastic about making new year preparations. She often let the two siblings walk around the General¡¯s Mansion. Shen Yue was a people person, so not long after, she became good friends with Jing Chuchu. However, no one knew if she was sincere or not.


    Although Shen Yue treated Jing Chuchu and her brother well, the place the two siblings liked to go the most was the west courtyard of the Shen family, especially Jing Chuchu. She often sent some snacks and food to the soldiers who trained there. Having learned a lesson, when she came again, she brought enough soup for everyone. However, compared to the soup Shen Miao made previously, the taste was much blander. Those soldiers were straightforward people to begin with and were all thinking about the soup made by Shen Miao. They did not show much gratitude to Jing Chuchu.


    It was the same today. After Jing Chuchu brought over the food, Shen Qiu was about to continue practicing his swordsmanship when he was stopped by Jing Chuchu. ¡°Cousin¡­¡±


    ¡°Cousin, you¡¯d better leave early.¡± Shen Qiu smiled brightly. ¡°My soldiers are all rough people. It won¡¯t be good if they accidentally hurt you. Besides, you come here all day long. You¡¯re a girl. It¡¯s not appropriate to hang out with us men all the time.¡±


    He was asking her to leave in an inexplicit way.


    Jing Chuchu¡¯s face immediately turned red, and she looked at Shen Qiu in disbelief. Her eyes were watery, as if she would cry at the next moment. When other men saw her like that, they would probably feel sorry for her. However, Shen Qiu had never been very compassionate towards women. He just stood there and did not want to go forward to comfort her.


    Given the cold shoulder by Shen Qiu, Jing Chuchu¡¯s red face immediately turned pale. She lowered her head, picked up the basket, and said, ¡°I understand.¡± With that, she turned to run away. Those who didn¡¯t know better would think that Shen Qiu had bullied her.


    After Jing Chuchu left, a person appeared behind the pillar. Shen Miao said, ¡°Brother, you are really cruel.¡±


    ¡°Hehe.¡± Shen Qiu scratched his head. ¡°I¡¯m just afraid that you¡¯ll be angry.¡±


    ¡°Why should I be angry?¡± Shen Miao said flatly.


    Shen Qiu immediately felt a cold wind blow past him. He said, ¡°Sister, you don¡¯t like Cousin, right?¡±


    ¡°I have no grudge against Cousin. What makes you think I don¡¯t like her?¡± Shen Miao asked.


    ¡°Jiaojiao, did that girl secretly make things difficult for you?¡± Shen Xin, who had just finished practicing swordsmanship, walked over and happened to hear Shen Qiu and Shen Miao¡¯s conversation. He said, ¡°If she does, don¡¯t even bother to speak to her. Just beat her up!¡±


    ¡°What nonsense are you talking about?¡± Seeing that they were talking, Luo Xueyan walked over. When she heard this, she glared at Shen Xin. ¡°Jiaojiao, don¡¯t listen to your father¡¯s nonsense. How can a girl hit people casually? If she bullies you, tell me. I¡¯ll beat her up for you.¡±


    ¡°What difference does it make?¡± Shen Qiu muttered, ¡°Let me do it. I¡¯m young and strong. I¡¯ll beat her up.¡±


    Shen Miao said, ¡°She didn¡¯t bully me.¡±


    ¡°Then Jiaojiao, why don¡¯t you like her?¡± Luo Xueyan asked. Even the stupidest person could tell that Shen Miao didn¡¯t like Jing Chuchu. As long as Jing Chuchu came over, Shen Miao would get Shen Qiu to demonstrate throwing darts in the courtyard. Throwing darts was actually a very cruel martial art. Generally speaking, Shen Xin and the others wouldn¡¯t do it in the mansion, afraid of scaring the maids. They would find some small animals to be live targets. Every time Jing Chuchu came over, Shen Miao would say, ¡°Father, Brother, I want to see darts.¡±


    Every time, Jing Chuchu would be scared out of her wits, but she would still stand on the side to watch. After watching the live animals getting struck by the darts and the blood spilling out, she felt horribly nauseous. As time passed, everyone in the courtyard could tell that Shen Miao was deliberately messing with Jing Chuchu.


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 302 - Adulterer (2)

    Chapter 302: Adulterer (2)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    Shen Xin and the others did not quite understand what happened, but seeing that Shen Miao was throwing a tantrum, they thought that it was probably because the two girls had a grudge. It was not appropriate for men like them to interfere in little girls¡¯ matters, so they let Shen Miao do as she pleased. Today, they were probably extremely curious, so they could not help but ask.


    ¡°It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t like her,¡± Shen Miao said. As soon as she finished speaking, Jingzhe said, ¡°Miss likes to be alone. But her cousins keep on coming over to talk to Miss, especially her cousin brother. He insists on chatting with Miss. Miss doesn¡¯t like to talk to strangers to begin with. I think Miss is just a little annoyed.¡±


    As Jingzhe spoke with a serious expression, Shen Miao couldn¡¯t help but turn around to look at her. Shen Xin and Luo Xueyan¡¯s expressions suddenly changed. On the surface, Jingzhe seemed to be saying that Shen Miao was a little annoyed with the Jing siblings, but in fact, there were many meanings in her words. It really seemed inappropriate for a young man to keep pestering a young girl. Luo Xueyan said angrily, ¡°What exactly does your nephew want?¡±


    ¡°Madam, calm down.¡± Shen Xin quickly comforted her. Then, he said to Shen Qiu, ¡°Brat, you put so many guards in the courtyard. Didn¡¯t you notice that your sister is pestered by them every day?¡±


    Shen Qiu felt bad. ¡°I really didn¡¯t notice¡­¡±


    He naturally could not notice it, because the places Jing Guansheng picked to meet Shen Miao were not in the west courtyard. They met either at the entrance of the mansion, in the garden, or in the corridor. In short, they could ¡°coincidentally¡± meet anywhere at any time.


    ¡°Go and guard the courtyard door. If you see those two siblings again, tell them that the courtyard is closed because the soldiers are training. No one is allowed to open the door for them!¡± Shen Xin shouted.


    Shen Qiu immediately went to execute it.


    Luo Xueyan patted Shen Miao¡¯s head. ¡°Jiaojiao, if that person comes to pester you in the future, don¡¯t be nice to him. Beat him up.¡±


    Shen Xin was speechless.


    After Luo Xueyan and Shen Xin went back to practising, Shen Miao glanced at Jingzhe. ¡°You talk too much.¡±


    ¡°I know I overstepped my boundary, but Miss.¡± Jingzhe lowered her head. ¡°He clearly has ill intentions towards you. You know it all along, but why didn¡¯t you tell Master and Madam?¡±


    ¡°Jing Guansheng is a smart person.¡± Shen Miao smiled. ¡°It¡¯s a pity to not use a smart person like him. He is still of some use to me.¡± She paused for a moment. ¡°However, after hearing what you said today, I think some things will be sped up. Let¡¯s wait and see.¡±


    ¡­


    Ever since Shen Qiu got someone to set up a group of guards at the entrance of the west courtyard to prevent Jing Chuchu and Jing Guanfeng from coming in, the west courtyard had become much quieter. Without the disturbance of the two siblings, Shen Miao was much more at ease. However, some people were anxious.


    In Rongjing Hall, Old Madam Shen stared at Jing Chuchu with a sharp gaze, as if her amiability previously was just an illusion. She said, ¡°Chuchu, what exactly have you done? Why can¡¯t you even enter the west courtyard now?¡±


    Jing Chuchu lowered her head in anger and said in a low voice, ¡°For some reason, Fifth Sister seems to be very wary of me. Eldest Brother actually treats me quite well, but Fifth Sister always tries to sow discord between us. The guards at the door of the courtyard were also put there by Fifth Sister.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s Shen Miao again!¡± Old Madam Shen was so angry that her face was ashen. Beside her, Mrs. Zhang quickly patted Old Madam Shen¡¯s chest and comforted her. ¡°Old Madam, calm down.¡±


    ¡°That girl is really wily. She¡¯s first wary of your brother and now she even guards against you!¡± Old Madam Shen originally hoped to use Jing Guansheng and Jing Chuchu to deal with Shen Miao and Shen Qiu. However, Shen Miao was a woman after all. Once something happened between a man and a woman, the woman would always be the one at a disadvantage. With Shen Xin and Luo Xueyan¡¯s bad temper, they might do something. If it were between Shen Qiu and Jing Chuchu, the one at a disadvantage would be Jing Chuchu, and people would naturally speak up for her. In the past, the people of the west courtyard were carefree and would never fuss over such small matters. How could people who were used to holding knives and spears pay attention to trivial matters? Unexpectedly, the style of doing things in the west courtyard changed drastically this time and they even went so far as to lock the door.

 Chapter 303 - Adulterer (3)

    Chapter 303: Adulterer (3)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    ¡°Old Madam.¡± Mrs. Zhang pondered for a moment and said, ¡°I¡¯m afraid Fifth Miss is already suspicious of Miss Jing. I¡¯m afraid we can¡¯t wait anymore.¡±


    When Jing Chuchu heard this, she was even more embarrassed. She thought that she was beautiful and smart. Back in her hometown, even the rich landlords would find her sheepish personality attractive. Unexpectedly, she was brutally rejected by Shen Qiu.


    ¡°You mean¡­¡± Old Madam Shen frowned.


    ¡°Go to the extreme. If this situation continues, it will be too late when Eldest Young Master is engaged.¡±


    Old Madam Shen shuddered and said, ¡°You¡¯re right. By then, it will be too late.¡± She looked at Jing Chuchu and put on a loving smile again. However, in the eyes of others, that smile was fake. She said, ¡°Chuchu, do you want to marry Shen Qiu or not?¡±


    Jing Chuchu lowered her head and said, ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Are you willing to do anything to marry Shen Qiu?¡±


    Jing Chuchu was stunned for a moment. She vaguely guessed something and her heart couldn¡¯t help but beat wildly. She was always popular among men, and her personality had won her the hearts of many rich masters in Suzhou. However, Shen Qiu was the first-born son of the mighty general. His wealth was incomparable, so she was naturally tempted. Although she had never done this before, when she heard Old Madam Shen¡¯s words, it was as if a lot of gold and silver had appeared in front of her. She clenched her fists and whispered, ¡°I am¡­ willing.¡±


    Old Madam Shen smiled in satisfaction.


    ¡­


    For the next few days, the Shen family had a temporary peace. Jing Chuchu and Jing Guansheng stayed in the courtyard behind Rongjing Hall and did not go out.


    On this day, when Shen Miao was on her way out through the corridor, she happened to meet Jing Chuchu. Jing Chuchu was wearing a moon-white jacket and an emerald-colored dress. In the capital, a girl like her from Suzhou was unique and was enough to make passers-by stop to glance at her for the second time.


    ¡°Fifth Sister.¡± Jing Chuchu bowed to her.


    Shen Miao smiled faintly. ¡°Cousin, where are you going?¡±


    It was rare for Shen Miao to talk to Jing Chuchu. Jing Chuchu was stunned for a moment before saying, ¡°I¡¯m going back to my room to do some embroidery.¡± She lowered her head shyly. ¡°I have nothing to do anyway.¡±


    ¡°Since you have nothing to do, why don¡¯t you go out with me?¡± Shen Miao said, ¡°I¡¯m going to the jewelry shop to pick some jewelry. If you don¡¯t mind, you can go with me.¡±


    This time, Jing Chuchu was really stunned. Shen Miao had always been indifferent to her. No matter how hard she tried to please her, Shen Miao was unmoved. Today, for the first time, Shen Miao was willing to go out with her. Jing Chuchu had seen many concubines scheming each other back at home, and her first reaction was to be wary. However, when she heard that Shen Miao was going to a jewelry shop, her eyes immediately lit up.


    She carefully sized up Shen Miao. Shen Miao was wearing a snow-green dress with crane patterns and cloud brocade. She always wore dark colors, but that did not make her look old-fashioned at all. Instead, her skin was like jade, making her look noble. Jing Chuchu was secretly jealous. She thought that her appearance was not inferior to Shen Miao¡¯s, but when she stood side by side with Shen Miao, she could not help but feel a sense of inferiority. Shen Miao was born noble. However when people looked at Jing Chuchu, they knew at a glance that she was from a small family.


    The more jealous people were, the more they wanted to climb up. Jing Chuchu¡¯s gaze landed on the lotus pearl hairpin on Shen Miao¡¯s head. The pearl was big and round, and the faint luster almost blinded Jing Chuchu. She quickly lowered her head to avoid being seen by Shen Miao. Jing Chuchu said, ¡°Since Fifth Sister has no one to keep you company, I¡¯ll go with you.¡±

 Chapter 304 - Adulterer (4)

    Chapter 304: Adulterer (4)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    Bai Lu and Shuang Jiang walked behind them, and a trace of disdain flashed across their eyes at the same time. After all, she came from a small family and was extremely short-sighted. Temped by some jewelry, she was willing to be led by the nose. No wonder Shen Miao said that Jing Chuchu was nothing to be afraid of.


    After the two of them left the mansion, they rode a carriage towards the center of the capital. Shen Qiu naturally allocated a group of guards to follow them, and the escort team was especially eye-catching. When they arrived at the Treasure Pavilion, Shen Miao casually chose a few pieces of jewelry. On the other hand, Jing Chuchu touched this and touched that. The way she touched the jewelry lovingly made the shopkeeper look a little annoyed. To be honest, Jing Chuchu was born quite pretty, especially since the women of Suzhou were by nature different from the women of the capital. However, her behavior overshadowed her beauty. After all, having a pretty face was not all that mattered in the capital. Temperament and manners were equally important.


    Seeing Jing Chuchu like this, Shen Miao was not stingy. She paid for the few things Jing Chuchu liked. Jing Chuchu felt that she was much closer to Shen Miao. When it was almost noon, Shen Miao said, ¡°Let¡¯s eat outside today. I¡¯m a little hungry after. You¡¯ve probably never been to the Pleasure Restaurant in the capital. Ordinary people don¡¯t have this kind of chance to eat there.¡±


    Jing Chuchu looked at the grand restaurant in front of her, her eyes filled with jealousy. Today when Shen Miao was shopping, she didn¡¯t care about the price of the jewelry and fabric at all. Jing Chuchu had never seen someone so spendthrift. It was precisely because of this that she felt that the Shen family was rich and was more determined to marry to Shen Qiu.


    When they sat down at a table by the window on the second floor, the waiter handed them the menu. Shen Miao ordered some signature dishes of the Pleasant Restaurant. After the waiter left, Shen Miao said to Jing Chuchu, ¡°The people who come here to eat are either rich or noble. Many of them are high-ranking officials in the capital. We have to respect them.¡±


    Jing Chuchu nodded repeatedly.


    Shen Miao smiled faintly and picked up the tea to drink. However, her hand accidentally trembled, and the teacup fell on her body, splashing most of the tea on her dress. Jing Chuchu was shocked. ¡°Fifth Sister?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± Shen Miao waved her hand and stood up. ¡°There¡¯s a place to change clothes here. There are still some clothes in the carriage. I¡¯ll go and get changed now. Wait for me here.¡± With that, she called out to Bai Lu and Shuangjiang, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    As soon as she left, the guards of the Shen family were about to leave too. Jing Chuchu quickly shouted, ¡°Fifth Sister, these guards¡­¡± She was a little afraid to be left alone here.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. No one will dare to do anything to you in broad daylight.¡± Shen Miao said, ¡°Besides, the customers here are all people of status. They won¡¯t pester you.¡± Her expression was gentle, but her tone was firm, leaving no room for negotiation. Jing Chuchu subconsciously did not refute. When she came back to her senses, Shen Miao had already walked away with a group of guards.


    Jing Chuchu¡¯s expression darkened. Every time Shen Miao was in front of her, she would always put on a high and mighty air. This made Jing Chuchu clearly realize the difference between her and Shen Miao, which made her feel even more indignant. Moreover, she had heard from the people of the Shen family that Shen Miao used to be a stupid and ignorant idiot. What right did such a person who knew nothing about the Guqin, chess, calligraphy, and painting have to occupy the position of the first daughter of the Shen family? Shen Xin and his wife even doted on such a useless daughter. They let Shen Miao choose the things rewarded by His Majesty without hesitation. The more people compared, the more jealous they got. Now, Jing Chuchu looked at Shen Miao with jealousy to the point of madness.


    ¡®She picked up the teacup in front of her and took small sips like Shen Miao just did, as if by doing so, she could be as noble as Shen Miao.


    At this moment, a group of people walked past her and sat down at the table beside her. The person in the lead was a young man. He was born gentle and elegant, and he was dressed in luxurious clothes. Even the servants behind him were dressed in exquisite fabric.


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 305 - Adulterer (5)

    Chapter 305: Adulterer (5)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    At the thought of what Shen Miao said just now that customers here were either rich or noble, Jing Chuchu suddenly had a thought.


    The young man seemed to have noticed her and looked over. When he saw Jing Chuchu clearly, his eyes lit up.


    Jing Chuchu was wearing a jade-like white dress. She had snow-white skin and a beautiful face. Most importantly, she had a gentle and timid expression. When she glanced at the young man, she quickly lowered her head in shock. Most of the women in the capital were straightforward and open, but such a delicate and timid girl from the south was extremely rare. The young man¡¯s eyes were fixed on her, and the more fervent his gaze was, the deeper Jing Chuchu lowered her head.


    Time passed slowly. The dishes were all served, but Shen Miao still did not appear. Jing Chuchu was the only one sitting at the table. She didn¡¯t want to eat alone, so she kept on sipping on the tea and looked at a loss.


    Finally, the rich young man at the neighboring table couldn¡¯t resist it anymore. Under everyone¡¯s gazes, he walked up to Jing Chuchu and sat down. He asked softly, ¡°Miss, are you waiting for someone?¡±


    Jing Chuchu was shocked. She looked up and blushed when she saw him. She lowered her head and whispered, ¡°I-I¡¯m waiting for my cousin.¡±


    The young man asked with concern, ¡°Why is your cousin not showing up? How can she leave you alone here?¡±


    Jing Chuchu blushed and shook her head, as if she wanted to say something but didn¡¯t dare to. In the eyes of others, she looked like she was being bullied. The young master made up his mind and said, ¡°How about this? Since I have nothing to do, why don¡¯t I wait here with you?¡±


    ¡°No, no need to trouble yourself.¡± Jing Chuchu quickly said, ¡°Young Master, why¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± The man smiled and said, ¡°If anyone with ill intentions comes over while you¡¯re sitting here alone, I¡¯m afraid it will be much more troublesome. It¡¯s better for me to stay here with you.¡±


    His voice and the smile on his face were gentle, making him look quite approachable. Jing Chuchu lowered her head and said, ¡°Thank you then, Young Master.¡±


    ¡°Miss, you don¡¯t look like you are from here,¡± he said.


    ¡°I-I¡¯m from Suzhou,¡± Jing Chuchu said. The two of them chatted like that. The young man was very good at making conversations. With just a few words, he made Jing Chuchu smile. Although she still looked a little shy, her attitude towards that man gradually became less guarded. The young man told her some interesting stories. He seemed to have been to many places and was quite rich. As a result, Jing Chuchu smiled even more joyfully.


    In another elegant private room in the Pleasant Restaurant, through the carved window, Jing Chuchu¡¯s table could be seen clearly from afar. Bai Lu said, ¡°It seems like she¡¯s opening herself to someone she met for the first time.¡± Her words were filled with sarcasm.


    ¡°He¡¯s not an ordinary man,¡± Shen Miao said indifferently with her chin rested on her hand.


    ¡°Miss, do you know that young man?¡± Shuang Jiang asked curiously. The guards guarding the room were also a little surprised. Shen Miao left Jing Chuchu alone and went to another room, as if she deliberately wanted Jing Chuchu to talk to that man. From what Shen Miao said, she seemed to know that man.


    Shen Miao smiled but did not say anything.


    ¡°I mean,¡± On the other side, in a room in the Pleasure Restaurant, Ji Yushu¡¯s jaws were about to drop. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me she knows Sun Cainan.¡±


    ¡°Although Sun Cainan is Sun Tianzheng¡¯s only son, he doesn¡¯t enter officialdom. Other than squandering his father¡¯s money, he¡¯s just a wastrel who knows nothing. He doesn¡¯t even go to Guangwen Hall. How did Shen Miao know him?¡± Gao Yang glanced at him.


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 306 - Adulterer (6)

    Chapter 306: Adulterer (6)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    ¡°Do you believe that this is a coincidence?¡± Ji Yushu said excitedly, ¡°How is this a coincidence? Even a fool can tell that Miss Shen is deliberately letting Sun Cainan meet her cousin.¡±


    ¡°When did I say that this is a coincidence?¡± Gao Yang opened his fan and waved it. ¡°But I think not only does she know Sun Cainan, but she also knows the seat Sun Cainan will take in advance. Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s strange?¡± Gao Yang rubbed his chin. ¡°Shen Miao is just a young lady. Why does she look like she¡¯s more informed than All Knowing Scholar? She knows everything. I wonder if she even knows something we don¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°Stop saying that about All Knowing Scholar,¡± Ji Yushu retorted. ¡°It¡¯s just that Miss Shen is too extraordinary. If Third Brother Xie finds out that you and I are here all day long to spy on Miss Shen, he will definitely scold us for being idle.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s much more interesting to spy on her than others.¡± Gao Yang looked at Jing Chuchu, who was chatting happily with Sun Cainan, and asked, ¡°Why don¡¯t you take a guess at what the goal of her doing this is?¡±


    Ji Yushu thought about it seriously. ¡°She wants to matchmake her cousin with Sun Cainan?¡±


    ¡°When have you ever seen Shen Miao so kind?¡± Gao Yang denied that possibility mercilessly.


    ¡°Then what do you think is happening?¡± Ji Yushu was discouraged.


    ¡°Has the Minister of Official Personnel Affairs¡­ been in contact with the Shen family recently?¡± Gao Yang held his chin with his fan and was deep in thought.


    At the Pleasant Restaurant, Jing Chuchu and Sun Cainan chatted for a long time. The more the two of them chatted, the more they got along. Those who did not know better would think that they were a couple. After a while, they saw a few guards of the Shen family walk to Jing Chuchu¡¯s side and say, ¡°Miss Jing, Fifth Miss can¡¯t find clothes that fit her. She lost her mood to eat and has already left after paying the bill. She asked us to wait until you finish eating before sending you back.¡±


    Jing Chuchu was a little surprised. ¡°Fifth Sister went back first?¡±


    The guard nodded.


    ¡°How can Fifth Miss Shen leave you alone?¡± Sun Cainan said indignantly. He had already found out from Jing Chuchu that the cousin she was waiting for was the fifth miss of the Shen family, Shen Miao. He did not know much about Shen Miao. He only knew that she was an idiot who liked Prince Ding. Now it seemed that not only was Shen Miao stupid, but she was also uncivilized.


    Jing Chuchu lowered her head and said uneasily, ¡°Then let¡¯s go back now.¡±


    ¡°That won¡¯t do.¡± Sun Cainan immediately said, ¡°If you go back now, won¡¯t you be wasting this table of good food? No one has ever thrown away the food and wine in the Pleasant Restaurant like this.¡± He looked at the confused Jing Chuchu and smiled. ¡°How about this? If you don¡¯t mind, I¡¯m willing to eat with you.¡± He looked like a gentleman. ¡°So many of your guards are here. After eating, let them send you back.¡±


    ¡°This¡­¡± Jing Chuchu was a little at loss as to what to do.


    ¡°Since we met here, I believe the two of us are fated. Since we¡¯re fated, don¡¯t let this fate given by the heavens go to waste.¡± Sun Cainan said bluntly, ¡°When I saw you today, I felt like I had seen an old friend, so I talked to you. I wonder if you will allow me this chance to eat with you.¡±


    After hesitating for a while, Jing Chuchu finally nodded. ¡°Then¡­ we¡¯ll do as you say.¡±


    The two of them began to eat and talk. In the distant room, Shen Miao looked at the couple and a cold smile slowly appeared on her lips.


    She was familiar with Sun Cainan. In her previous life, this person made Shen Qiu a cuckold. Shen Qiu was young and impulsive, so he murdered Sun Cainan brutally. However, in the end, she found out that Sun Cainan was actually the only son of the Minister of Official Personnel Affairs. It was because this Sun Cainan was ignorant and incompetent. Usually, he only relied on his sweet nothings and good looks to seduce women. No matter if the women were married or unmarried, they all fell for him. Sun Tianzheng was afraid that the imperial censor would report it to the emperor, so he usually did not allow Sun Cainan to go out. Therefore, very few people knew him.


    But in this life, she would recognize Sun Cainan even if he turned into ashes.


    Sun Cainan liked soft and weak women from the south the most. Otherwise, he would not have dared to sleep with Shen Qiu¡¯s woman in his previous life.


    Shen Miao lowered her eyes and muttered in a voice that only she could hear, ¡°Sun Cainan, Jing Chuchu, I personally brought you two together. Don¡¯t let me down.¡±

 Chapter 307 - Doing It for Her (1)

    Chapter 307: Doing It for Her (1)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    Jing Chuchu and Shen Miao went out together, but Shen Miao returned alone. It seemed that their going out did not attract much attention in the Shen family. However, that night, Shen Miao surprisingly went to Old Madam¡¯s courtyard, wanting to talk to Jing Chuchu.


    Jing Chuchu was fiddling with the jewelry on the table. Among the jewelry, there was a jade bracelet that was especially dazzling. The color was so translucent that it was almost transparent, and the entire jade looked extremely good. This jade bracelet cost at least a hundred taels of silver. Jing Chuchu definitely could not afford it herself. When Shen Miao was in the Treasure Pavilion yesterday, she bought some jewelry for Jing Chuchu, but this jade bracelet was not among them.


    As soon as Shen Miao entered the room, she stared at the jade bracelet. Jing Chuchu was shocked and quickly put it into the box. Shen Miao smiled and said, ¡°Cousin, that jade bracelet looks very rare.¡±


    Jing Chuchu asked softly, ¡°Fifth Sister, do you know about this bracelet?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve seen a similar imported one before, but the quality is not as good as yours. Even so, it was sold for 500 taels of silver. I think this one of yours is probably worth 1,000 taels of silver,¡± Shen Miao said casually. Although this jade bracelet was precious, it was not worth 1,000 taels of silver. There were many better jewelry that could be bought with 1,000 taels of silver. However, with Jing Chuchu¡¯s knowledge, she would definitely believe it.


    ¡°But Cousin, where did you get such a precious bracelet?¡± Shen Miao asked, ¡°I¡¯ve never seen you wear it before.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s¡­ a gift from a friend,¡± Jing Chuchu said in a low voice.


    A trace of understanding flashed across Shen Miao¡¯s eyes. Sun Cainan didn¡¯t just rely on his good looks and sweet nothings to make women happy. He was also willing to spend money. Otherwise, Jing Chuchu, who was already the wife of a deputy general in her previous life, wouldn¡¯t have cheated. It was the first time they met, but Sun Cainan already sent her an expensive gift. It was hard for someone as ignorant as Jing Chuchu to not be tempted.


    ¡°It seems like this friend of yours must be very good to you,¡± Shen Miao said.


    Jing Chuchu blushed and looked at Shen Miao. ¡°Fifth Sister, why are you here?¡±


    Shen Miao slowly tidied her clothes and said, ¡°I heard that you were sent back by someone today?¡±


    ¡°I-I met a kind-hearted young master.¡± Jing Chuchu said nervously, ¡°He did it out of kindness, so I didn¡¯t want to decline the offer, but nothing happened between us.¡±


    ¡°Cousin, don¡¯t be nervous.¡± Shen Miao smiled. ¡°Cousin, do you know who that person is?¡±


    Jing Chuchu was stunned. ¡°Who is it?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s the only son of the Minister of Official Personnel Affairs, Lord Sun Cainan,¡± Shen Miao said.


    Jing Chuchu looked at Shen Miao with surprise written across her face.


    Shen Miao sneered in her heart. Sun Tianzheng was very strict with Sun Cainan. Sun Cainan hung out with women all the time, but he rarely revealed his identity unless he took that girl in as a concubine. Jing Chuchu probably did not reveal her true identity either. Jing Chuchu probably thought that Sun Cainan was just a young master of a rich family. Now that she knew Sun Cainan¡¯s true identity, Jing Chuchu naturally wanted to use him to climb up the social ladder.


    ¡°Cousin, you also know that the Minister of Official Personnel Affairs is a very important position.¡± Shen Miao smiled and said, ¡°Their mansion is not inferior to ours. Most importantly, Lord Sun only has Young Master Sun as his heir. For someone of his status to send you back to the mansion, could it be that¡­¡± Shen Miao said casually, ¡°He likes you?¡±


    ¡°Fifth Sister, don¡¯t spout nonsense,¡± Jing Chuchu quickly retorted. However, her face quickly turned red, and her eyes lit up. Clearly, Shen Miao¡¯s words still made her happy. She said in a low voice, ¡°There is nothing between Young Master Sun and me.¡±

 Chapter 308 - Doing It for Her (2)

    Chapter 308: Doing It for Her (2)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    ¡°I didn¡¯t say there is something between you two.¡± Shen Miao smiled and said, ¡°There is nothing wrong with a handsome man pursuing a beautiful lady. Cousin, you are born beautiful, so it¡¯s natural for you to be liked by Young Master Sun. Young Master Sun is a good person. He¡¯s good-looking and comes from a rich family. If anyone can be his wife, they will be the madam of the entire Minister¡¯s Mansion. After all, Lord Sun only has this one son.¡±


    Jing Chuchu pursed her lips and did not speak. Shen Miao stood up and said with a smile, ¡°I just came over to chat with you to kill time. Cousin, don¡¯t take what I said to heart. Everything in this world depends on fate. If you are really fated, no one can separate you. At that time, you will be able to stay in the capital for the rest of your life.¡± After saying that, Shen Miao turned around and walked out.


    Jing Chuchu sat alone in the room. She subconsciously took out the smooth jade bracelet from the box and reached out to touch the patterns on it. She did not expect Sun Cainan to be the son of the Minister of Official Personnel Affairs. As for why he did not tell her his identity, it was probably because he did not want her to like him because of his family background. Didn¡¯t this mean that Sun Cainan sincerely liked her? Otherwise, why would he give her a bracelet worth a thousand taels the first time they met?


    In all fairness, Jing Chuchu came from a small family. Although there were many landlords in Suzhou, they were nothing compared to Sun Cainan. She had seen the prosperity of the capital and was even more unwilling to return to Suzhou. Shen Miao¡¯s last sentence made her heart unable to stop racing. If she married Sun Cainan, she could stay in the capital for the rest of her life, which was exactly what she wanted.


    But¡­ What about what she promised to Old Madam Shen?


    Outside, just as Shen Miao stepped out of the courtyard, she met Jing Guansheng. When Jing Guansheng saw her, his eyes lit up and he smiled. ¡°Cousin, are you here to see Chuchu?¡±


    Shen Miao nodded.


    ¡°You are getting closer and closer to Chuchu lately.¡± Jing Guansheng wanted to go forward, but Jingzhe and Gu Yu stood in front of Shen Miao vigilantly. Jing Guansheng prided himself on being a refined person, so he didn¡¯t approach her.


    Shen Miao smiled and walked out of the courtyard without looking at Jing Guansheng.


    Gu Yu asked in a low voice, ¡°Miss, do you want to be a matchmaker for Miss Jing and Young Master Sun?¡± Just now, Shen Miao was talking about how good Sun Cainan was, which sounded especially strange to the two maids. They didn¡¯t understand why Shen Miao suddenly wanted to be the matchmaker.


    ¡°When have you ever seen me being so kind?¡± Shen Miao said expressionlessly.


    ¡°Then why¡­¡± Gu Yu was even more puzzled.


    ¡°I want to make her anxious.¡± Shen Miao smiled faintly. ¡°Old Madam and Jing Chuchu used to have the same goal, so the two of them are naturally close. But if they don¡¯t have the same goal, what do you think will happen?¡±


    Jingzhe was quick-witted. ¡°Dogfight!¡± Then, she reacted and said in a panic, ¡°I didn¡¯t mean they were dogs. I¡¯m sorry¡­¡±


    ¡°No, you are exactly right.¡± Shen Miao said, ¡°Dogfight is a good choice of word. Now, for the next few days, go and build a good relationship with Fu¡¯er from Rongjing Hall.¡±


    ¡°Why Fu¡¯er?¡± Jingzhewas stunned.


    ¡°Old Madam wants her to marry the blind son of the butler,¡± Shen Miao said. ¡°Fu¡¯er is struggling.¡±


    ¡°Oh my god.¡± Jingzhe was stunned. ¡°Fu¡¯er has been by Old Madam¡¯s side since she was young. How¡­¡± How could Old Madam Shen marry a girl who was at the prime of her life to a one-eyed man? Fu¡¯er was smart and hard-working, and most of all, she was very loyal to Old Madam Shen.


    ¡°Old Madam Shen receives a share of the profits from the butler every year, so she naturally has to express her gratitude. She doesn¡¯t want to give out a penny, so she has to give out someone. Being born pretty is both a good and a bad thing for Fu¡¯er.¡±


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 309 - Doing It for Her (3)

    Chapter 309: Doing It for Her (3)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    ¡°Miss, are you planning to help Fu¡¯er?¡± Gu Yu asked carefully, but she had a strange feeling that Shen Miao did not care much about the people of Rongjing Hall. Now that Shen Miao was no longer a kind-hearted person, she felt that it was impossible for her to help Fu¡¯er.


    ¡°Of course I¡¯ll help.¡± Shen Miao said calmly, ¡°Every mistake Old Madam makes is our chance.¡±


    ¡°Miss, do you want to bribe Fu¡¯er?¡± Jingzhe asked, ¡°But will Fu¡¯er be bribed? Fu¡¯er was the most loyal to Old Madam in the past.¡±


    ¡°If your loyalty is not reciprocated, you will be more encouraged to betray. When your dog gets crazy, it will bite you the hardest,¡± Shen Miao said indifferently.


    ¡­


    For a few days in a row, time in the Shen family passed peacefully. Jing Chuchu did not linger in the west courtyard anymore. Instead, she often went out to shop with a few guards, saying that she wanted to see the prosperity of the capital. No one stopped her. To the people of the west courtyard, they were more than happy that Jing Chuchu didn¡¯t bother them.


    However, what Jing Chuchu was wearing was getting more exquisite day by day. Although Old Madam Shen also gave money to the two siblings, because of her stingy personality, she did not give them too much. Even Shen Yue was surprised that Jing Chuchu was dressed so beautifully. However, when she asked, Jing Chuchu only said that she brought some money when she came to the capital. Even Jing Guansheng became generous when it came to tipping the servants.


    Everyone said that it was because the Jing siblings had broadened their horizons after coming to the capital. They had become generous and more and more like people from the capital.


    In Rongjing Hall, Old Madam Shen looked at Jing Chuchu in front of her, and a sharp glint flashed across her eyes. ¡°Chuchu, how have you been recently? Are you used to being in the capital?¡±


    ¡°Thanks to Old Madam, I am doing very well,¡± Jing Chuchu said.


    ¡°Since you¡¯re doing well, why haven¡¯t you used the drug I gave you until now?¡± Old Madam Shen stared at Jing Chuchu and said in a serious tone. If one was timid, looking at that fierce-looking face, they would probably cry from fear .


    Jing Chuchu lowered her head and said without changing her voice, ¡°Old Madam, I can¡¯t even get close to Shen Qiu now. I really can¡¯t find a chance.¡±


    Old Madam Shen gave the drug to Jing Chuchu long ago and asked her to drug Shen Qiu as soon as she found a chance. Unexpectedly, after so many days, nothing happened and Jing Chuchu did not do anything at all.


    ¡°You¡¯ve been wandering outside all day and only returned home late. It¡¯ll be strange if you can find a chance.¡± Old Madam Shen couldn¡¯t help but sneer. ¡°Chuchu, don¡¯t you wanna do it? If you don¡¯t, then forget it.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t,¡± Jing Chuchu quickly said. These days, she would secretly meet up with Sun Cainan outside every day. She pretended not to know Sun Cainan¡¯s identity, and Sun Cainan treated her gently and gave her clothes and jewelry. It was precisely because of these things that Jing Chuchu hesitated. Compared to Shen Qiu, who had to go to the bitter cold place in the northwest for a year, marrying Sun Cainan was obviously a much better choice. However, whether Sun Cainan was willing to marry her or not was another problem. Jing Chuchu had always kept her virginity because she knew men very well. She wanted them to see but not touch, touch but not be able to taste, taste but not be full. This way, she could keep the man interested in her. She had indeed infatuated Sun Cainan over the past few days, but Sun Cainan was after all the son of the minister. On the other hand, she was just from a small family. Even if Sun Cainan liked her, Sun Tianzheng would not agree to his son marrying a girl from a lowly background, but Jing Chuchu didn¡¯t want to be just a concubine.


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 310 - Do It for Her (4)

    Chapter 310: Do It for Her (4)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    Therefore, Jing Chuchu hesitated. If she was with Shen Qiu, Old Madam Shen would guarantee that she could become Shen Qiu¡¯s legitimate wife. However, Sun Cainan treated her gently and generously. People were greedy. Jing Chuchu could not make up her mind, so she did not drug Shen Qiu.


    Her hesitation made Old Madam Shen anxious, which was why Old Madam Shen summoned her today.


    ¡°Since you¡¯re willing, why haven¡¯t you made a move yet?¡± Old Madam Shen asked.


    ¡°I¡­ I want to make sure nothing goes wrong before making a move. After all, the security of the west courtyard is very tight, and it will be difficult for me to find a chance. If we alert them, our plan will fall flat.¡±


    ¡°Chuchu, I think highly of you.¡± Old Madam Shen said slowly, ¡°But if you continue to be like this, I¡¯ll be disappointed too. If you¡¯re so timid, I¡¯m afraid you won¡¯t be able to achieve anything in the future.¡±


    Jing Chuchu lowered her head in embarrassment.


    Old Madam Shen glanced at her in disgust and said, ¡°You can leave.¡±


    Jing Chuchu quickly left.


    After Jing Chuchu left, Old Madam Shen smashed the cup in front of her and said angrily, ¡°What a useless thing!¡±


    As Mrs. Zhang instructed the maid to pick up the broken glasses on the ground, she comforted Old Madam Shen softly, ¡°Old Madam, don¡¯t be anxious. Miss Jing is probably a little scared. A girl will always have some scruples when doing such a thing.¡±


    ¡°How can I not be anxious?¡± Old Madam Shen said angrily, ¡°Yuan said yesterday that Shen Xin and his wife have been considering finding a wife for Shen Qiu lately. If they really find one they think is good, it will be too late. I originally thought that Jing Chuchu was an ambitious person, so I helped her. Who knew that she would be so useless!?¡±


    Mrs. Zhang patted Old Madam Shen¡¯s chest to calm her down. ¡°Miss Jing is still young. Moreover, what Miss Jing said makes sense. Now the security in the west courtyard is tight, if we alert the enemy, it will be terrible.¡±


    ¡°Then what do you think we should do?¡± Old Madam Shen said angrily, ¡°We are running out of time now, and that girl is unwilling to do anything. We can¡¯t just watch Shen Qiu get married, right?¡±


    ¡°Old Madam.¡± Mrs. Zhang pondered for a moment. ¡°Miss Jing is young. It¡¯s a little risky for her to do this. Why don¡¯t we let our people do it?¡±


    ¡°Our people?¡± Old Madam Shen looked at her.


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Mrs. Zhang said, ¡°If our people do it, they can naturally do it more skillfully than Miss Jing. When the time comes, even if something goes wrong, we can pin the blame on Miss Jing. However, I don¡¯t think there will be such a possibility. In the early years, we had done this kind of thing many times. It will be easy.¡±


    Old Madam Shen¡¯s gaze flickered. After a moment of silence, she suddenly said, ¡°You¡¯re right. Since that girl doesn¡¯t dare to make a move, get someone to help her. Call Fu¡¯er and Xi¡¯er in.¡±


    ¡­


    No one knew about the scheme in the making, but it was another matter if the people who knew about it would tell anyone. However, on the surface, everything was developing in the way Old Madam Shen wanted.


    On this day, when Shen Miao returned to the west courtyard from outside, she bumped into Shen Yuan.


    Ever since the Jing siblings came to the Shen family, Shen Yuan had been busy with something, and people rarely saw him. Everyday, he left early and came back late. Shen Gui was naturally unhappy and thought that Shen Yuan was deliberately avoiding him because of what happened to Ren Wanyun. He quarreled with Shen Yuan a few times, but in the end, it didn¡¯t change anything. Shen Yuan was still nowhere to be seen in the mansion.


    Surprisingly, Shen Miao met him today.


    Seeing Shen Miao, Shen Yuan slowed down and said, ¡°Fifth Sister.¡±

 Chapter 311 - Do It for Her (5)

    Chapter 311: Do It for Her (5)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    ¡°Second Brother.¡±


    ¡°I heard that Fifth Sister has been quite close to cousins recently.¡± Shen Yuan smiled and said, ¡°Did you just come back from Cousin Brother¡¯s place?¡± He mentioned Jing Guansheng, as if he was hinting that there was something between Shen Miao and Jing Guansheng. Bai Lu and Shuang Jiang frowned. Shen Yuan¡¯s words sounded especially jarring.


    Shen Miao glanced at Shen Yuan and did not answer him. She said, ¡°It seems like Second Brother just came back from Second Aunt¡¯s place. I heard that Second Aunt hasn¡¯t been acting weirdly for a long time. Is she about to recover?¡± Ren Wanyun had not shown up for a long time. Everything in the second branch was left to Concubine Wan. Even Old Madam Shen, who had always looked down on Concubine Wan, did not say anything. Everyone in the Shen family knew that it was impossible for Ren Wanyun to live as gloriously as she did in the first half of her life.


    Shen Yuan paused and sized her up. He smiled and said, ¡°Fifth Sister, you look quite glowy. Is there something happy happening to you?¡±


    ¡°What happy things can happen to me? Actually, Second Brother, you seem to be very busy these days. Perhaps something good is happening to you, right?¡± Shen Miao replied.


    Hearing this, Shen Yuan actually looked pleased. He said, ¡°Oh? You noticed it. I¡¯ve been plagued by bad luck for a while, but recently, I¡¯ve been thinking of a way to get rid of it. Things are going smoothly for me lately, so I¡¯m naturally very happy.¡± He looked at Shen Miao meaningfully. ¡°But Fifth Sister, don¡¯t worry. I think something happy is about to happen to you soon.¡±


    Shen Miao remained silent. Shen Yuan cupped his hands and said, ¡°I still have something to do. Goodbye.¡± With that, he strode away.


    Bai Lu said angrily, ¡°Second Young Master is too rude.¡± Anyone could tell that Shen Yuan was hostile to Shen Miao and said those sarcastic words deliberately.


    Shen Miao frowned and looked at Shen Yuan¡¯s back without saying anything.


    ¡°Miss?¡± Shuang Jiang asked worriedly.


    Shen Miao said, ¡°He¡¯s indeed behaving very strangely.¡± Shen Miao knew Shen Yuan very well. He looked like he did not care about anything in the mansion, but he was the most ruthless. Now, Shen Miao was certain that Shen Yuan was definitely involved in what happened to Shen Qiu in her previous life.


    Although Shen Yuan did not know that his plan had been messed up by Shen Miao, what he said just now seemed to have revealed some information.


    ¡°Should we get Guard Mo to spy on Second Young Master?¡± Shuang Jiang suggested.


    ¡°There¡¯s no need. Mo Qing doesn¡¯t have the ability yet.¡± Shen Miao shook her head. Fu Xiuyi was nothing to be afraid of, but the people behind him were different. She said, ¡°Let¡¯s wait and see.¡±


    When she returned to the west courtyard, she had just stepped into the house when she saw Gu Yu and Jingzhe waiting anxiously in the house. Seeing that Shen Miao had returned, Gu Yu quickly closed the door and pulled Shen Miao to sit down on the couch. Jingzhe whispered, ¡°Miss, Fu¡¯er from Rongjing Hall sent a message.¡±


    ¡°How is it?¡± Shen Miao asked.


    ¡°Old Madam plans to execute the plan herself in two days.¡± Jingzhe said angrily, ¡°Old Madam is really too evil. Master and Madam treat her so well, but she is actually scheming against Eldest Young Master. And that cousin of yours, I knew she¡¯s not a good person all along. She¡¯s really shameless!¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡± Gu Yu interrupted her. ¡°Miss, what should we do now?¡±

 Chapter 312 - Do It for Her (6)

    Chapter 312: Do It for Her (6)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    ¡°Why two days later?¡± Shen Miao asked.


    ¡°It¡¯ll be the family banquet in two days. Coincidentally, Second Madam¡¯s best friend is coming over to visit Second Madam¡­¡± Jingzhe did not finish her sentence, but her meaning was obvious. Old Madam Shen wanted to take advantage of the fact that there were many people during the banquet to accuse Shen Qiu of molesting Jing Chuchu. How could Shen Qiu defend himself?


    Just like in the previous life, Old Madam Shen¡¯s method remained still not so brilliant.


    ¡°Send some words to Fu¡¯er.¡± Shen Miao waved her hand and asked Jingzhe to lean over and whisper something in her ear.


    ¡°But we still have to get someone to keep an eye on it.¡± Shen Miao said, ¡°We can¡¯t afford to make a mistake.¡±


    ¡°I understand.¡± A trace of eagerness flashed across Jingzhe¡¯s eyes. ¡°I will definitely do this well.¡±


    Shen Miao smiled faintly. ¡°Don¡¯t mess it up. They look like a match.¡± She reached out and gently knocked on the teacup in front of her. She looked calm and composed, like a superior monarch.


    ¡­


    At night, in a manor hundreds of kilometers away from the capital, a person was sitting in the hall.


    The people standing in the hall were all dressed in black and had long boots. Their aura and presence were intimidating. The person in the lead cupped his hands and said, ¡°I didn¡¯t do my job well and the words have been sent back. Master, please punish me.¡±


    ¡°Enough.¡± The young man sitting at the head of the table waved his hand lazily. He was dressed in purple and there were thin dragon patterns embroidered with gold thread at the corner of his robe. Under the light, the golden dragon seemed to be about to soar into the sky from the flowing purple clouds. He played with a woman¡¯s hairpin in his hand. On his handsome and charming face, even his smile looked evil. Looking at him carefully, his intoxicating eyes were as cold as ice.


    ¡°You can¡¯t keep it a secret forever.¡± Xie Jingxing said, ¡°I don¡¯t intend to hide it anymore. I¡¯m just trying to buy time. Since the words have been sent back, time is even tighter now.¡±


    ¡°Master.¡± The leader of the men in black frowned and said, ¡°The matters in the capital have not been settled. Time is tight. What do you plan to do?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s not leave any trouble behind. First thing we need to do is,¡± He tilted his head and thought for a moment before saying casually, ¡°Find a time to get rid of Xie Changwu and his brother.¡± Xie Changwu and Xie Changchao were his half-brothers after all, but when Xie Jingxing said it, he did not hesitate at all, as if he was just dealing with strangers or even cats and dogs.


    ¡°Master?¡± The man in black was stunned and asked hesitantly, ¡°You didn¡¯t do anything for so many years. Why all of a sudden?¡±


    ¡°In the past, I couldn¡¯t be bothered to deal with them. Now, the two of them wanted to make a move.¡± Xie Jingxing said, ¡°I can¡¯t leave in peace without getting rid of them first.¡±


    ¡°But Marquis Xie has already brought the two of them into the officialdom.¡± The man in black said, ¡°These days, the two brothers have been by Marquis Xie¡¯s side. I heard that Marquis Xie has already introduced them to his colleagues in the bureaucracy and instructed his colleagues to take good care of them. It¡¯s not difficult to make a move, but alarming some people will be inevitable.¡±


    ¡°Xie Ding, that idiot!¡± Xie Jingxing¡¯s expression darkened and his tone was a little angry. ¡°He just can¡¯t do anything right.¡±


    When he called the Marquis of Lin¡¯an by his name, the people below were not surprised at all, as if this was something natural.


    The man in black cleared his throat and said, ¡°Master, because you refused to be an official, Marquis Xie is afraid that there will be no successor to take on his position, so he asked the two of them to join him.¡±


    Xie Jingxing had been rebellious for a long time. Xie Ding must be really helpless about it. Otherwise, with the Marquis of Lin¡¯an¡¯s personality, why would he give up on Xie Jingxing and let Xie Changwu take over his position?


    ¡°Forget it.¡± Xie Jingxing frowned. ¡°Let¡¯s wait for a while before dealing with the twin brothers. From today onwards, send someone to protect Princess Rong Xin in secret.¡±


    ¡°Master.¡± The man in black hesitated for a moment and only said when he made up his mind, ¡°Since it will happen sooner or later, why don¡¯t we cut ties with Princess Rong Xin now¡­¡±


    ¡°When is it your turn to teach me how to do things?¡± Xie Jingxing glanced at him. The latter immediately fell silent, feeling a chill run down his spine. ¡°Whether she appreciates my help or not is her business. I¡¯ve already done my best.¡±


    His words were indifferent and ruthless. Coupled with his handsome face, he looked inexplicably terrifying.


    He stood up, the corners of his robe moving slightly on the seat. ¡°Do as planned.¡±


    ¡°I heard that Shen Yuan has already collected most of the evidence.¡± The man in black said, ¡°I¡¯m afraid once the new year is over, he will be done collecting the evidence and the Shen family will be targeted first.¡±


    ¡°Not bad.¡± Xie Jingxing shrugged. ¡°If Shen Yuan needs help, help him secretly.¡±


    ¡°But Shen Yuan is Prince Ding¡¯s man,¡± the man in black reminded him.


    ¡°Of course I know he¡¯s Prince Ding¡¯s man.¡± Xie Jingxing waved his hand. ¡°I just want to use the Shen family as a shield for the time being.¡±


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 313 - Drunk (1)

    Chapter 313: Drunk (1)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    The Shen family banquet was set to be held in two days.


    Old Madam Shen was the one who suggested holding the family banquet. However, every year, Ren Wanyun was the one who organized the family banquet, but this year, the handling of the family banquet could only be handed over to Chen Ruoqiu. Now that the power of the Shen family was in Chen Ruoqiu¡¯s hands, Old Madam Shen felt that she was doing Chen Ruoqiu a lot of favor. Little did she know that this job that looked glamorous on the surface actually made Chen Ruoqiu miserable.


    In the Autumn Water Garden, Chen Ruoqiu sat at the table, holding an account book in one hand and an abacus in the other. The two maids standing behind her said, ¡°Madam, you¡¯ve been working for the entire morning. You should rest for a while.¡±


    ¡°The expense doesn¡¯t match.¡± Chen Ruoqiu shook her head in frustration. ¡°I have to pay for it myself tomorrow.¡± As she spoke, she looked angry.


    Chen Ruoqiu prided herself on being a noble girl from a scholarly family. She was aloof and proud, and she could not stand the stench of money. Back then, when Old Madam Shen handed the power to Ren Wanyun, it was not that she was not jealous, but she could not bring herself to fight for it. After so many years, she finally became the madam of the Shen family, but at this moment, she realized how much of a responsibility came with that power.


    Ren Wanyun was from a rich family. Usually, she would use her own money to make up the deficit. After all, Ren Wanyun did not lack money. However, the Chen family was just a civil official. To put it bluntly, they were poor and could not afford to spend too much. Chen Ruoqiu thought that if she had more power in the Shen family, she would be able to embezzle some money to support her own family. Now that after she checked the accounts, she realized that there was a lot of money in the accounts that did not match.


    In the past, with Shen Xin¡¯s help, the deficits could easily be made up. However, now that the relationship between Shen Xin and the Shen family was awkward, Chen Ruoqiu felt a headache coming on.


    ¡°Old Madam is still holding a family banquet at this time even though she knows that we don¡¯t have enough money. Isn¡¯t she intentionally making things difficult for Madam?¡± Chen Ruoqiu¡¯s maid, Shi Qing, was indignant for her.


    ¡°Madam, why don¡¯t you ask Master for some to make it up?¡± Hua Yi said.


    ¡°What nonsense are you talking about?¡± Chen Ruoqiu said, ¡°At this moment, he needs a lot of money to network in the bureaucracy. How can we let him fork out money to support the family?¡± She said, ¡°I¡¯ll think about what to do.¡± Shen Wan wanted to climb up the official ladder, but Shen Gui was different. Shen Gui was extremely ambitious and did not have much ability. He only knew how to curry favor with powerful people. Shen Wan, on the other hand, climbed up step by step. Although his steps were slower, every step he took was stable.


    Chen Ruoqiu had always known that since she did not give birth to a son, she must rely on Shen Wan¡¯s love for her in the second branch. Therefore, in order to not disappoint Shen Wan, she did everything meticulously. If she could not even resolve the matter at home, wouldn¡¯t she cause unnecessary trouble for Shen Wan? With Shen Wan¡¯s status, there were many women outside who wanted to become his concubine. How could she let herself be outdone by those women?


    ¡°Besides, I won¡¯t spend money for nothing.¡± Chen Ruoqiu¡¯s eyes flashed. ¡°If I can gain something in return, it¡¯s worth it to spend some of my own money.¡±


    ¡°Madam, you mean¡­¡±


    Chen Ruoqiu smiled. ¡°It¡¯s a little strange that Old Madam wants to hold a family banquet at this time. Besides, I heard that a few days ago, her grandniece frequented the west courtyard quite a lot¡­¡± As Chen Ruoqiu spoke, there was a trace of disgust in her eyes. ¡°Old Madam is really evil, but¡­ as it happens, I don¡¯t like Shen Qiu either.¡±


    Chen Ruoqiu did not like Shen Yuan, nor did she like Shen Qiu. She was still a little afraid of Shen Yuan, but she looked down on Shen Qiu. She could not give birth to a son herself, so she could not stand other people having outstanding sons. As for Shen Qiu, Chen Ruoqiu only felt that he was an uncivilized brute who only knew how to fight and wield spears. Why did he deserve so much praise? People wanted to destroy something just because they could not get it. She did not dare to make a move against Shen Yuan yet because Shen Yuan was scheming. However, Shen Qiu was silly and non-scheming, and he had never experienced the nasty tricks in the mansion. It was much easier to deal with him. Most importantly, she did not have to make a move at all. This time, it was Old Madam Shen who was making a move, and she just had to sit back and watch the show.


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 314 - Drunk (2)

    Chapter 314: Drunk (2)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    ¡°I¡¯ll write a few more invitation letters later.¡± Chen Ruoqiu said, ¡°Get someone to send the letters to other noble ladies.¡± The more people there were, the better.


    ¡­


    Two days later, at the Shen family¡¯s banquet.


    Ever since Ren Wanyun went crazy, those noble ladies had cut off all contact with her. Although they did not know what happened to Ren Wanyun, none of them asked about or showed any concerns for her. It was true that when a person falls from power, his hangers-on disperse.


    The ladies who were originally on good terms with Ren Wanyun gradually got closer to Chen Ruoqiu. Although they didn¡¯t want to have anything to do with Ren Wanyun, the relationship with the Shen family still had to be maintained. The Shen family had more than one madam. Compared to Luo Xueyan, who was not in the capital all year round and had a bad temper, Chen Ruoqiu, who came from a scholarly family, was obviously easier to curry favor with.


    Madam Yi and Madam Jiang arrived early. Jiang Xiaoxuan and Yi Peilan pulled Shen Yue to the side and said, ¡°I can only go to Guangwen Hall after the new year. I¡¯ve been locked up in the mansion for a long time. It¡¯s so boring.¡±


    They chatted as if they had completely forgotten about Shen Qing who died miserably. They forgot that not long ago, they were really good friends with Shen Qing. The friendship between the noble young ladies in the capital was also cold. After all, friendship was nothing in comparison to benefits. It wasn¡¯t the person they wanted to befriend but the power behind the person.


    Shen Yue also smiled back and chatted happily with them. On the other hand, Bai Wei looked at the figure in the distance and said, ¡°Hey, who is that? Is that the Miss Jing you mentioned?¡±


    She raised her chin and pointed at the girl standing not far away. The girl was wearing an apricot-colored dress and was talking to the maid beside her.


    ¡°That¡¯s my third sister, Dongling.¡± Shen Yue smiled and said, ¡°She was born to a concubine. In the past, when she was not in good health, she didn¡¯t show up at all. It¡¯s natural that you haven¡¯t seen her.¡± She deliberately emphasized the word ¡°concubine¡±.


    Hearing this, Jiang Xiaoxuan and the others immediately looked at Shen Dongling with disdain. Yi Peilan said, ¡°Not in good health? I think she was just avoiding Second Madam Shen. These born to concubines are the most scheming. Yue, don¡¯t be deceived by her.¡±


    Shen Yue smiled and said, ¡°Third Sister doesn¡¯t leave the courtyard much. Look, that¡¯s my new cousin.¡±


    As Shen Yuan spoke, he saw Jing Chuchu walking over from the side. She probably did not see Shen Yue and the other two, so she did not come over to greet them. On the other hand, Bai Wei had sharp eyes and asked in confusion, ¡°Yue, didn¡¯t you say that your cousin is from Suzhou and is poor. That doesn¡¯t look like it. Look at the bracelet she¡¯s wearing. It¡¯s better than yours.¡±


    Bai Wei said it unintentionally, but Shen Yue¡¯s face turned pale. She forced a smile and said, ¡°I don¡¯t know either. It¡¯s probably a gift from Grandmother.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s there to see?¡± Jiang Xiaoxuan said, ¡°She¡¯s from Suzhou. How can she compare to the girls in the capital? She can put on expensive clothes and jewelry for all she wants, but her horizons and knowledge are not far inferior to ours. Look at her timid look. How is she presentable?¡±


    Shen Yue shook her head and said, ¡°Don¡¯t say that about my cousin.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re being too kind-hearted.¡± Yi Peilan said righteously, ¡°Why are you so nice to everyone? You even protected that idiotic sister of yours in the past. Now that she¡¯s become smarter, she even looks down on you. Speaking of which, why is that idiot nowhere to be seen?¡±


    The ¡°Idiot¡± she was talking about was naturally Shen Miao. Ever since having an argument with Shen Miao in Guangwen Hall, Yi Peilan had treated Shen Miao as her number one enemy and was trying to find every chance to belittle her.


    At this moment, Shen Miao was drinking tea with Shen Qiu in the west courtyard.


    ¡°What does Grandmother want?¡± Shen Qiu frowned and said, ¡°Why did she invite so many women? They are really noisy wherever they go.¡±

 Chapter 315 - Drunk (3)

    Chapter 315: Drunk (3)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    ¡°She probably invited everyone Third Aunt knows.¡± Shen Miao handed Shen Qiu a cup of tea. ¡°Maybe they came to admire you, the young general.¡±


    ¡°Sister, don¡¯t tease me.¡± Shen Qiu waved his hand. ¡°One is already difficult enough. There are so many women. Even the battlefield is not that scary.¡±


    Shen Miao found it a little funny that Shen Qiu looked at women like they were ferocious beasts. However, it made sense. Most of the women approached Shen Qiu with ulterior motives. The women of the Shen family were not a good bunch either. To someone as righteous and straightforward as Shen Qiu, it was indeed like a torture to be with them.


    Shen Miao tried to comfort him. ¡°When you meet the girl you like in the future, you won¡¯t think that way.¡±


    Shen Qiu did not speak and stared at her as if he had seen a ghost. A moment later, he shook his head and said, ¡°Sister, the expression on your face when you said that just now is really like Mother.¡±


    Shen Miao was speechless. As she thought about it, she realized that she actually treated Shen Qiu as Fu Ming in some way.


    Just as she was about to speak, she suddenly saw some noise outside. She looked at Shen Qiu and walked out together, only to see someone shouting at the door, ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you? I¡¯m just here to see Shen Miao. Let me in!¡±


    Shen Miao was stunned. ¡°Feng Anning?¡±


    When that person heard Shen Miao¡¯s voice, she waved at her. ¡°It¡¯s me, Shen Miao. Tell them to let go of me!¡±


    ¡°Let go of her.¡± Shen Miao said, ¡°She¡¯s Miss Feng.¡±


    After Feng Anning was let go by the guards, she patted the dust off her body in exasperation and said angrily, ¡°What¡¯s going on? Why are there so many guards outside your courtyard? I thought something happened to you, so I came in. Why did you get so many people to block the way? Shen Miao, are you crazy?¡±


    This was probably the first time Feng Anning was manhandled like this by someone. She lost her temper and reprimanded Shen Miao. Shen Qiu stepped forward and said coldly, ¡°Who are you? Why are you shouting in someone else¡¯s house? Don¡¯t you even know the basic manners?¡±


    Feng Anning looked up and was about to retort when she saw Shen Qiu. Shen Qiu had sharp eyebrows and bright eyes. He was very handsome and was different from the weak young masters of the capital. Usually, his smile was warm and innocent, but when his face was cold, he was like a young general on the battlefield.


    Feng Anning immediately restrained her arrogance and asked softly, ¡°Who are you?¡±


    ¡°This is my brother,¡± Shen Miao said.


    Shen Qiu was quite famous in the capital. The young marquis of the Xie family and the young general of the Shen family were often mentioned by people. Unfortunately, Xie Jingxing refused to become an official. Otherwise, these two people would be the most outstanding among the young officials.


    ¡°What are you doing here?¡± Seeing that Feng Anning was a little embarrassed, Shen Miao asked.


    When Feng Anning heard this, she complained, ¡°I came to talk to you. You know that ever since those people in Guangwen Hall found out that I¡¯m on good terms with you, they purposefully froze me out. Who cares? I came to talk to you.¡±


    When Shen Qiu heard that, his expression softened. He knew that Shen Miao was quite disliked in the school, but unfortunately, he was not around all year round and could not protect Shen Miao all the time. Now that Shen Miao had a friend, although her friend was arrogant and did not know etiquette, it was better than having no friends at all.


    Of course, he and Feng Anning did not know that Shen Miao had no intention of making friends at all.

 Chapter 316 - Drunk (4)

    Chapter 316: Drunk (4)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    ¡°Since your friend is here, you guys can chat.¡± Shen Qiu coughed lightly. ¡°I¡¯m going out to talk to Father.¡±


    After Shen Qiu left, Feng Anning whispered, ¡°Why is your brother so fierce? He scared me to death just now.¡±


    Fierce¡­ Shen Miao couldn¡¯t be bothered to explain and said, ¡°That¡¯s right. He kills people like flies.¡±


    Feng Anning quickly patted her chest and said, ¡°Fortunately, I admitted my mistake early. I won¡¯t dare to rush in like this next time.¡±


    ¡­


    Soon, it was time for the Shen family¡¯s banquet to start.


    The men and women sat separately. The women were all in the banquet hall of Rongjing Hall, and the men were received by Shen Gui and Shen Wan. Shen Xin wasn¡¯t into this so-called family banquet, and nor was he into socializing with the officials. He sat in an inconspicuous spot and drank alone.


    There were not many men who came, and they were all civil officials who were on good terms with Shen Gui and Shen Wan. Therefore, looking across the dining hall, it was as if Shen Xin and Shen Qiu had been deliberately ignored. Shen Qiu was not unhappy at all because of this, and he ate happily.


    In the women¡¯s section on the other side, the ones who were ignored were naturally Luo Xueyan and Shen Miao. Since the noble ladies were Chen Ruoqiu¡¯s friends, they naturally had to give Chen Ruoqiu more face. They couldn¡¯t ridicule Shen Miao in front of Luo Xueyan, but they could ignore them. Therefore, Chen Ruoqiu and Shen Yue were asked all kinds of questions by the ladies. Even Jing Chuchu and Shen Dongling had someone to talk to. Only Shen Miao was deliberately ignored.


    Luo Xueyan was a little angry. If it were the old Shen Miao, she would also be angry too. However, it was different now. No matter what those ladies said, Shen Miao ate and drank indifferently. Her every move carried a dignified and noble aura, making people feel that it was not that those people deliberately ignored her, but that Shen Miao disdained to talk to these people.


    Madam Yi smiled and said, ¡°I heard that Suzhou is endowed with beauties. I didn¡¯t believe it at first, but now that I see Old Madam¡¯s grandniece, I am convinced. You can¡¯t find such a beautiful girl in the capital.¡±


    At the banquet, Old Madam Shen showed how much she valued Jing Chuchu. Although the ladies did not know why, they were not stupid. Since Old Madam Shen thought highly of Jing Chuchu, there was no harm in praising her.


    Jing Chuchu blushed and lowered her head without saying anything. Old Madam Shen smiled. ¡°Madam Yi, I don¡¯t agree. Miss Yi is also very pretty. I like her.¡±


    Yi Peilan smiled and thanked Old Madam Shen for her praise. She became even more curious about Jing Chuchu and asked Shen Yue in a low voice, ¡°Old Madam seems to like your cousin a lot.¡±


    Shen Yue nodded vaguely, feeling a little puzzled as well.


    Shen Dongling sat in the corner of the banquet quietly and looked like a nobody. Even so, Shen Dongling did not show a trace of resentment. She just ate the food in her bowl, looking exactly like a well-behaved and unloved illegitimate daughter.


    Old Madam Shen instructed Jing Chuchu to eat more while praising her like she was the best girl anyone could ask fo


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 317 - Drunk (5)

    Chapter 317: Drunk (5)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    It was not until the maid who came over to pour tea accidentally splashed the tea on Jing Chuchu that Old Madam Shen stopped praising. She scolded the maid, ¡°What are you doing? What if you scald her?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± Jing Chuchu smiled and said, ¡°The tea is not hot. I¡¯m not hurt.¡±


    ¡°Your clothes are all wet.¡± Old Madam Shen looked at the water stain on Jing Chuchu¡¯s clothes and said with concern, ¡°You can¡¯t wear wet clothes in this cold weather. Xi¡¯er, bring Miss to change into a clean dress.¡± She then instructed Jing Chuchu, ¡°Be careful. Don¡¯t catch a cold.¡±


    Jing Chuchu lowered her head and looked at her clothes. The tea had drenched the cotton, and it was quite uncomfortable wearing it. She did not decline. With a red face, she excused herself before leaving with the maid.


    Madam Jiang said, ¡°Miss Jing is really lucky to be valued by Old Madam.¡±


    Old Madam Shen smiled until the wrinkles on her face glued together. ¡°It¡¯s me who is lucky to have such an obedient and sensible grandniece.¡±


    Hearing this, everyone started praising Jing Chuchu again. Chen Ruoqiu glanced at Old Madam Shen and subconsciously looked at Shen Miao. Perhaps sensing her gaze, Shen Miao also looked at Chen Ruoqiu, her face filled with confusion.


    Chen Ruoqiu smiled faintly and lowered her head, a trace of joy flashing across her heart. However, Chen Ruoqiu did not see that the moment Shen Miao lowered her head, the confusion on her face was replaced by an extremely faint smile. If one looked at it seriously, there seemed to be an inexplicable excitement in that smile.


    On the other hand, Shen Dongling stole a glance at Shen Miao and quickly lowered her head to eat the food in her bowl.


    The men¡¯s section was not as intense as the women¡¯s section. It was filled with mutual compliments and flattering, which was the style of the bureaucracy. Although Shen Xin and Shen Qiu were ignored, a few colleagues still came over to toast. After a few glasses, Shen Qiu felt a little dizzy.


    ¡°Are you telling me you are drunk after just a few glasses? Are you a five year old?¡± Shen Xin said angrily.


    Shen Qiu rubbed the space between his eyebrows and shook his head. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± As a man who had grown up in the military camp, this bit of wine was naturally a piece of cake. It had to be known that they usually drank from big jars in the military camp. The wine in the capital had always been nothing to Shen Qiu. Unexpectedly, he got drunk today after just a few glasses.


    ¡°You really learned nothing all these years.¡± Shen Xin expected better from him.


    ¡°Uncle, don¡¯t be angry.¡± Jing Guansheng smiled and explained, ¡°It¡¯s not that Cousin can¡¯t hold his liquor, but he mixed the strong wine with the light wine.¡± He pointed at the wine glass in front of Shen Qiu. As expected, the wine in the wine glass was not red like the strong wine, nor was it clear like the light wine. Instead, it looked like it was mixed together. Jing Guansheng continued to explain, ¡°Cousin probably didn¡¯t notice it and poured it together. If it were someone else, they¡¯d already be dead drunk. It¡¯s already impressive that Cousin can still stay sober.¡±


    ¡°Hahaha.¡± An official smiled and said, ¡°Your son is already impressive. General Shen, don¡¯t blame him.¡±


    Shen Yuan glanced at Shen Qiu and said, ¡°Brother, you can¡¯t continue drinking like this. It¡¯s better for you to rest for a while.¡±


    Shen Qiu waved his hand, muttering something that no one could catch. It seemed like he was very drunk.


    ¡°How about I send Cousin back to his room?¡± Jing Guansheng suggested with a smile.


    Although Shen Xin didn¡¯t have a good impression of Jing Guansheng because he had been pestering Shen Miao, ever since the guards were placed at the entrance of the courtyard, Jing Guansheng had been sensible enough to not come uninvited. Shen Xin glanced at him. ¡°In that case, I¡¯ll have to trouble you and Ah Zhi to help him back.¡±


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 318 - Drunk (6)

    Chapter 318: Drunk (6)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    Jing Guansheng was about to get up when he saw Shen Qiu grab Shen Yuan and shake his head. ¡°Ah Zhi, you take me back.¡±


    Shen Yuan was stunned. Shen Xin said with a frown. ¡°It seems like he mistakes you as Ah Zhi.¡± With that, he said to Shen Qiu, ¡°You little brat, let go of your second brother.¡±


    Shen Qiu refused to let go. Shen Yuan¡¯s eyes darkened and he said, ¡°In that case, I¡¯ll help Eldest Brother back to his room.¡± He helped Shen Qiu up and walked out without waiting for Shen Xin to reject.


    Just as Shen Xin was about to speak, Shen Wan came over with a glass of wine. ¡°Brother, let me toast you!¡±


    ¡­


    It was extremely common for people to go out and enter. However, when the banquet ended and the madams were chatting in the courtyard, Madam Bai seemed to have remembered something as she asked, ¡°Why isn¡¯t Miss Jing back yet?¡±


    After Jing Chuchu¡¯s clothes were stained by the tea that the maid spilled, she went back to change her clothes. However, she had not appeared since then. Old Madam Shen was somewhat nervous and said to Xi¡¯er beside her, ¡°Go and see why Miss is not here yet.¡±


    ¡°Maybe she¡¯s a little drunk.¡± Shen Yue smiled and said, ¡°She drank a lot of honey wine just now. Although it¡¯s sweet, the aftereffects are strong. Cousin likes sweet things, so I forgot to stop her. She might be a little dizzy and is resting in her room.¡±


    Xi¡¯er nodded and left.


    Feng Anning pursed her lips and nudged Shen Miao. ¡°I thought that with so many girls in your mansion, the family banquet would definitely be very lively. Now it seems that it¡¯s also very boring.¡± Feng Anning did not have so many sisters. However, even though Shen Miao had so many sisters, she was not close to any of them and was even deliberately ignored. In Feng Anning¡¯s eyes, she felt that it was boring.


    ¡°It¡¯s always been like this,¡± Shen Miao replied.


    Feng Anning looked around. ¡°I¡¯m going to the bathroom. Wait for me. I¡¯ll be right back.¡±


    After Feng Anning left with the maid, Xi¡¯er returned to Old Madam Shen¡¯s side and shook her head. ¡°Old Madam, Miss is not in her room.¡±


    ¡°Not in her room?¡± Old Madam Shen raised her voice. All the madams looked over. Old Madam Shen quickly lowered her voice and said, ¡°Where is she then?¡±


    Xi¡¯er shook her head. ¡°The servants don¡¯t know either.¡±


    ¡°This girl.¡± Old Madam Shen was a little anxious. ¡°Did something happen to her?¡±


    When the noble ladies saw her like this, they started to have wild imaginations.


    Chen Ruoqiu walked over from the other side. After asking what happened, she smiled and said, ¡°Old Madam, don¡¯t worry. I think Chuchu is just drunk. As it happens, Shen Qiu is also drunk and has been sent back to his room to rest. The alcohol at our banquet is strong. Chuchu might have gone to another room by mistake.¡±


    Shen Miao¡¯s gaze suddenly turned sharp when she heard Chen Ruoqiu say ¡°Shen Qiu is also drunk¡±.


    Old Madam Shen shook her head and said, ¡°Go and find a few people to look for Chuchu. She must still be in the mansion. It won¡¯t be good if she catches a cold.¡± As she spoke, she looked at everyone. ¡°Everyone, I recently obtained a Golden Buddha Painting. It¡¯s a double-sided embroidery by Zhang Qiaoxian. It¡¯s hanging in my main hall. If you want to see it, I¡¯m willing to show you.¡±


    Zhang Qiaoxian was a famous embroiderer in Ming Qi. Hearing that Old Madam Shen had the authentic work, everyone wanted to see it. Shen Miao sneered. That double-sided embroidery was a reward from the palace. A few years ago, it was given to Old Madam Shen by Shen Xin. She was just stingy and had never shown it to everyone. There must be a reason she suddenly wanted to show it to everyone.


    The madams and young ladies followed Old Madam Shen to appreciate the embroidery. The main hall of Rongjing Hall was a room similar to a tearoom for guests to rest. Usually, very few people went there because Old Madam Shen did not have many guests. Most of the time, the tearoom was empty.


    However, just as they reached the door, they noticed something strange.


    There was a sound coming from inside the room that sounded like something had fallen to the ground.


    Everyone suddenly stopped in their tracks..


    ¡°Who¡¯s in there? Where are the guards?¡± Old Madam Shen asked.


    ¡°Old Madam, the guards were here earlier. There shouldn¡¯t be anyone in the tearoom,¡± Xi¡¯er said in confusion.


    ¡°What a bunch of idlers! They can¡¯t even guard the door properly.¡± Old Madam Shen was a little angry. ¡°Open the door!¡±

 Chapter 319 - Scandal (1)

    Chapter 319: Scandal (1)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    ¡°Open the door!¡±


    When Old Madam Shen said this, her face flushed with anger. None of the madams left as there was nothing they liked more than a spectacular show.


    Chen Ruoqiu comforted her, ¡°Mother, don¡¯t be angry. Perhaps the guests entered the wrong room.¡± With that, she gave the maids a look. The two maids beside her took a step forward and pushed the door open.


    The door looked to be tightly shut, but it was not tightly shut. With a light push, it opened. However, immediately after that, the two maids were startled and took two steps back.


    Old Madam Shen shouted sternly, ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±


    One of the maids lost her balance and fell. As she fell, she held onto the doorframe tightly and caused it to open wider. The situation inside was immediately exposed to everyone, and everyone couldn¡¯t help but gasp.


    The tearoom was very small. It was originally a place for people to rest for a short while. There was only a small table and a couch for people to sit. The teacups on the table were all broken on the ground. On the narrow couch, two figures overlapped, and one could vaguely see a man pressing down on a woman. The sound from inside just now was clearly the sound of teacups shattering.


    The madams immediately covered their daughters¡± eyes to prevent them from seeing this nasty scene.


    Outside, Xi¡¯er also exclaimed, ¡°Miss, Miss Jing!¡±


    ¡°Chuchu!¡± Chen Ruoqiu also shouted.


    ¡°What?¡± Old Madam Shen was stunned and almost fainted. Fu¡¯er, who was beside her, quickly went to support Old Madam Shen.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Chen Ruoqiu looked a little flustered. When the two people in the room heard the commotion outside, the man lying on the woman did not move, but the woman tried her best to push the man away.


    ¡°Oh my god.¡± Xi¡¯er covered her mouth in surprise. ¡°Didn¡¯t Eldest Young Master already return to his room after getting drunk? Why is he¡­¡±


    When everyone heard this, they immediately understood what was going on.


    The young master of the Shen family, who was drunk, happened to meet his cousin who went back to change her clothes. He couldn¡¯t stand the temptation of a beauty dressed in wet clothes and molested her.


    ¡°Qiu has always been a prudent child. How could he do such a thing?¡± Chen Ruoqiu shook her head and said, ¡°It¡¯s all because of wine!¡± At this point, she looked like she was heartbroken.


    From her tone, she was certain that the man was Shen Qiu.


    Shen Miao looked at the scene in silence. It was almost the same scene as in her previous life. After Shen Qiu woke up, he could not justify himself. Although Shen Xin and Luo Xueyan believed in Shen Qiu, the truth was right in front of them. Moreover, in such matters, the one who suffered the most was always the girl. If Shen Qiu did not swear to marry Jing Chuchu, the madams present today would definitely spit at Shen Qiu and drown him. What did Shen Miao do at that time? As Shen Miao thought about it, she felt deeply ashamed. Because of feeling embarrassed to have such a brother, she accused Shen Qiu and despised him together with the rest of them.


    Shen Yue suddenly said, ¡°Fifth Sister, why aren¡¯t you saying anything?¡±


    Everyone immediately looked at Shen Miao. Shen Qiu was Shen Miao¡¯s brother. She would definitely feel embarrassed to have a brother who did such a thing. They did not know if Shen Miao would choose to speak up for Shen Qiu or if she would turn against him.


    Yi Peilan liked to see Shen Miao in trouble. At this moment, she gloated and said in a pretentious manner, ¡°Shen Miao, actually, this has nothing to do with you. Although you are a family, you¡¯ve done nothing wrong.¡±

 Chapter 320 - Scandal (2)

    Chapter 320: Scandal (2)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    However, the more she said that, the more it seemed to remind everyone that Shen Miao was Shen Qiu¡¯s sister. How good a person could she be if her brother was a bad person?


    ¡°I¡¯m just curious.¡± Shen Miao said indifferently, ¡°Why are you discussing this here instead of resolving the matter? Do you want more people to join the show? Why don¡¯t you go out and get the passers-by to come in?¡±


    Her sarcasm made everyone plunge in silence.


    Indeed, if it happened to an ordinary family, they would immediately think of ways to cover it. However, Old Madam Shen and Chen Ruoqiu seemed to want more people to know. They even started discussing at the door. Anyone with a brain could tell the two of them were up to no good.


    Chen Ruoqiu and Old Madam Shen were a little embarrassed, but Shen Miao continued casually, ¡°Even if my mother isn¡¯t here, there should be someone here to take charge of the situation, right? Second Aunt is not here today. Third Aunt, don¡¯t you have a clue what you should do?¡±


    Chen Ruoqiu¡¯s face turned pale, and so did Shen Yue¡¯s. At this moment, when Ren Wanyun was brought up, everyone looked at Chen Ruoqiu meaningfully. Chen Ruoqiu was even angrier. Shen Miao was clearly saying that her ability to manage the mansion was not as good as Ren Wanyun¡¯s.


    After all, Shen Miao had been in the harem for many years. None of the women in the harem were easy to deal with. When it came to arguing and quibbling, everyone was sharp-tongued.


    Just because Luo Xueyan was not here didn¡¯t mean they could accuse Shen Qiu as they pleased. When Shen Qiu was in trouble, they stood outside gloating without doing anything. More importantly, the madams were not fools. Earlier, they were shocked by the situation inside and couldn¡¯t think straight. However, Shen Miao¡¯s sarcastic tone made them gradually realize that this matter might not be as simple as it seemed.


    Old Madam Shen flew into a rage out of humiliation and said, ¡°Shen Miao, is this how you are supposed to talk to us after what your brother has done?¡±


    Shen Miao almost laughed, but she shook her head. ¡°This is considered a big matter. Let¡¯s get my father, Second Uncle, and Third Uncle to come over to judge.¡±


    Old Madam Shen, Chen Ruoqiu, and all the madams present were stunned. The less people knew about this, the better. Why did Shen Miao want more people to know? Chen Ruoqiu felt even more uneasy. For some reason, although everything was going according to her plan, she felt that something was wrong.


    The door was wide open, and there seemed to be no movement from the two people inside. Old Madam Shen¡¯s maids wanted to close the door, but they heard Shen Miao sneer and say, ¡°Don¡¯t close it. Since we¡¯ve already seen what there is to see, it¡¯s useless to close the door. Anyone who wants to see more can go on.¡±


    At this moment, Old Madam Shen also felt that something was wrong. At this moment, she was in a difficult position. Old Madam Shen could only suppress the uneasiness in her heart and watch helplessly as Shen Miao instructed someone to invite Shen Xin and the others over.


    Jiang Xiaoxuan wiped her tears and said, ¡°Miss Jing is still young. How is she going to live the rest of her life after this?¡±


    ¡°Please be my witness.¡± Old Madam Shen said, ¡°People of the Shen family have always been upright. After such a thing happened, I naturally have to give everyone an explanation. Chuchu is my grandniece and has always been obedient and sensible. I originally wanted to keep her by my side and find a good match for her in the future. Unexpectedly¡­¡± Old Madam Shen looked sad.¡± My Shen family is not that kind of family to shun the responsibility. No matter what happens, I will definitely give Chuchu justice!¡±


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 321 - Scandal (3)

    Chapter 321: Scandal (3)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    What a righteous speech! What a righteous face!


    If not for the fact that she knew the true story, Shen Miao would have praised Old Madam Shen for being just and fair. Her eyes were filled with mockery as she looked at Old Madam Shen.


    As expected, after Old Madam Shen finished speaking, everyone immediately revealed an expression of reverence.


    ¡°In that case, Miss Jing will have someone to rely on for the rest of her life.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s true that the Shen family is upright. Old Madam Shen is really respectable.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t expect Old Madam Shen to be so wise.¡±


    Half of them praised Old Madam Shen for being responsible, and the other half pitied Jing Chuchu for falling prey to a molester. As for Shen Qiu, he was almost unanimously portrayed by everyone as a shameless pervert.


    At this moment, they heard a hurried cry from outside. ¡°Chuchu! Chuchu!¡± They looked in the direction of the door and saw that Shen Xin and the others had arrived.


    The person walking at the front was Jing Guansheng. When the madams saw him, they made way for him. Jing Guansheng stood in front of the door and did not enter. He just looked at the door in a daze, as if he had been struck by lightning.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Luo Xueyan asked anxiously.


    Chen Ruoqiu wiped her tears and said, ¡°Sister-in-law, don¡¯t be anxious. It¡¯s not Qiu¡¯s fault. It¡¯s all because he¡¯s drunk that he made this horrible mistake.¡±


    On the way here, Shen Gui and Shen Wan had already heard about this. Shen Gui couldn¡¯t wait for Shen Xin to be in trouble. He immediately put on a regretful expression. ¡°It¡¯s all my fault. I should have stopped Qiu when he was drinking. If he wasn¡¯t drunk, how could this happen?¡±


    ¡°Second Brother, don¡¯t blame yourself.¡± Shen Wan sighed and said, ¡°No one wants this to happen. Let¡¯s think about what to do now.¡±


    ¡°What do you need to think about?¡± Jing Guansheng¡¯s eyes were red from anger. ¡°Shen Qiu molested her. Naturally, she has to get the justice she deserves!¡±


    ¡°Watch your mouth!¡± Shen Xin was furious. ¡°I watched Shen Qiu grow up and know him like the back of my hand. He won¡¯t do such a thing!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Luo Xueyan sneered. ¡°When Qiu was at the border, many high officials wanted to marry their daughter to him. Any one of them is better-looking than Jing Chuchu. Is Qiu so stupid as to ruin his reputation for a girl like Jing Chuchu?¡±


    Shen Xin was a ruthless person who killed enemies on the battlefield. Luo Xueyan was even more so. Her words made Jing Guansheng¡¯s face turn pale. As for Old Madam Shen, she was so angry that she was speechless.


    However, on second thought, what they said made sense. Although Jing Chuchu was good-looking, she was not a drop-dead-gorgeous kind. It was really too much for Jing Guansheng to say that Shen Qiu molested Jing Chuchu.


    Shen Miao wanted to laugh. In her previous life, Shen Xin and Luo Xueyan were also so protective of Shen Qiu. Unfortunately, with so many noble ladies here to ¡°witness¡±, there was no way they could turn the table.


    ¡°The evidence is right in front of you!¡± Jing Guansheng said angrily, ¡°How can a weak woman like my sister force Shen Qiu? I thought Shen Qiu was a gentleman, but I didn¡¯t expect him to turn out to be a complete scoundrel. I want to send him to the government!¡±


    If Shen Qiu was sent to the government, it meant that this matter would be made public. Old Madam Shen said angrily, ¡°Enough!¡± She said gently to Jing Guansheng, ¡°Guansheng, you¡¯re my grandnephew. You know how I¡¯ve treated you these days. I like Chuchu very much. I won¡¯t let her be treated unfairly! Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll definitely give you an explanation!¡±

 Chapter 322 - Scandal (4)

    Chapter 322: Scandal (4)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    ¡°Shen Xin!¡± Old Madam Shen turned to look at Shen Xin and said angrily, ¡°Qiu is the one at fault in this matter. What did your father teach you in the past? People of the Shen family have to be upright. If Qiu really did something to Chuchu, he naturally has to be responsible for her! He must marry her and take care of her for the rest of his life!¡±


    It was Old General Shen who used to tell Shen Xin that the people of the Shen family had to be upright and honest. In the past, out of respect for Old Madam Shen, Shen Xin would not retort. However, after returning to the capital this year, his opinion about Old Madam Shen had changed drastically. When Shen Xin heard this and looked at Old Madam Shen¡¯s face, he actually felt that she was hypocritical and hateful. Shen Xin said angrily, ¡°I told you, Qiu will never do such a thing!¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡± Shen Dongling, who had been hiding at the back and was completely ignored, suddenly said,¡± Why don¡¯t we go in to take a look? Why are we so sure that the person inside is Eldest Brother? Is Eldest Brother really inside? ¡±


    As soon as she said that, everyone was stunned.


    That¡¯s right. Was the person inside really Shen Qiu? From the beginning until now, no one had gone in to take a look. All they could see outside the door was two bodies overlapping.


    Chen Ruoqiu smiled and said, ¡°Dongling, what are you talking about? Only Qiu left the banquet drunk. Who else could it be?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s still Second Brother.¡± Shen Miao said lightly, ¡°Why is Second Brother nowhere to be seen too? Why are you so sure the man inside is my brother?¡±


    ¡°Sister, are you talking about me?¡± A sudden voice sounded. Everyone turned around and saw that not far away, Shen Qiu was dressed in fresh clothes. Beside him stood Feng Anning, looking at everyone in confusion.


    ¡°Anning!¡± Madam Feng was shocked and quickly pulled her to the side to reprimand her. ¡°Why are you running around!¡±


    ¡°I went to the bathroom and got lost.¡± Feng Anning said innocently, ¡°I walked around for a long time but couldn¡¯t find my way back. I happened to meet Brother Shen, so he brought me here. What happened?¡±


    Shen Xin and Luo Xueyan were stunned for a moment before Shen Xin laughed out loud.


    Since Shen Qiu was inside, who could the man inside be?


    ¡°We¡¯ve been watching for long enough.¡± Shen Miao smiled. ¡°Guards, go get the man and let¡¯s see who he is.¡±


    Old Madam Shen wanted to stop the guards, but it was too late. The guards around Shen Xin were all strong and trained. Before Chen Ruoqiu could speak, they rushed in and carried the man out. They looked at the crowd and answered, ¡°Miss, it¡¯s Second Young Master!¡±


    Shen Yuan was dressed in disheveled clothes, and his face was abnormally red. Everyone looked at Shen Gui and Old Madam Shen in unison.


    Shen Miao said mockingly, ¡°What? So it was just a misunderstanding. You all almost made my brother take the blame for nothing. You servants, be careful next time. If word gets out and my brother¡¯s reputation is ruined, you¡¯ll be sent to prison!¡±


    ¡°Sister, what are you talking about?¡± Shen Qiu scratched his head. ¡°What blame should I take?¡±


    ¡°Qiu, someone wants to thrust a wife upon you.¡± Luo Xueyan could tell that Old Madam Shen and Chen Ruoqiu were the ones who set up the trap. She was infuriated and said even more impolitely, ¡°I knew it. Qiu is a well-behaved boy and never does anything he shouldn¡¯t.¡±

 Chapter 323 - Scandal (5)

    Chapter 323: Scandal (5)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    Feng Anning, on the other hand, was enlightened and said, ¡°What? I¡¯ve always been with Brother Shen. I can testify for him.¡±


    Hearing that, Madam Feng¡¯s expression changed and she reprimanded, ¡°Anning, shut up!¡± Feng Anning stuck out her tongue playfully and stopped talking.


    ¡°Grandmother, Cousin, Second Uncle, what should we do now?¡± Shen Miao said as if she was in a difficult spot, but her expression was calm. Anyone could tell that she was enjoying the show.


    This was absolutely a slap in the face!


    Old Madam Shen was a little flustered. Since she was the one who set up the trap today, she had naturally made all the necessary preparations. However, she did not know why Shen Qiu became Shen Yuan. However, when she saw Shen Miao¡¯s smiling face, Old Madam Shen knew that it was most likely Shen Miao¡¯s doing.


    Shen Gui was stupefied. He had specially come over to watch the show because he heard that Shen Qiu had done something outrageous. One had to know that a person¡¯s reputation would also affect his career in the imperial court. Now that Shen Qiu was actually the one involved, wouldn¡¯t his official career be cut off shortly after he returned to the capital?


    The young ladies were still a little confused, but the madams understood what was going on. What happened today was clearly a show put up by the Shen family. It was obvious that someone wanted to use Jing Chuchu to trick Shen Qiu. Unexpectedly, in the end, Shen Qiu became Shen Yuan. Thinking about Shen Miao¡¯s attitude from the beginning until now, it went without saying that Shen Miao was the mastermind behind it.


    Everyone said that the fifth daughter of the Shen family was an idiot and was treated as a fool by people. However, from the looks of it now, no one would dare to treat her as a fool again. The person who set up the trap today probably did not expect to be beaten in their own game.


    Old Madam Shen was in a difficult position. She rolled her eyes and was about to pretend to faint to smooth things over when she heard Shen Miao say, ¡°Cousin, as her brother, you must be very sad that something like this happened to your sister. Don¡¯t worry, Grandmother said just now that she will give her the justice she deserves.¡±


    Old Madam Shen instantly stopped pretending to faint. She glared at Shen Miao and said, ¡°Yuan is still unconscious. He¡¯s obviously schemed against. Shen Miao, don¡¯t spout nonsense!¡±


    ¡°Old Madam, what are you talking about?¡± Without waiting for Shen Miao to speak, Luo Xueyan exploded. ¡°When people say the man inside was Qiu, you didn¡¯t speak up for him at all. Yuan is your grandson, but isn¡¯t Qiu your grandson too?¡±


    Luo Xueyan was not afraid of falling out with Old Madam Shen. She had always been such a hot-tempered person. After hearing that, Old Madam Shen flared up, ¡°You all have no regard for me!¡±


    ¡°Grandmother, let¡¯s talk about how to deal with this matter first.¡± Shen Miao smiled faintly. Her tone was gentle and calm from the beginning to the end, making Old Madam Shen feel even more embarrassed. She said, ¡°Grandmother, did you forget what you said just now? You said that Grandpa used to say that people of the Shen family have to be honest and upright. If you take someone¡¯s virginity, you have to be responsible for her. Second Brother has to marry Cousin!¡± She deliberately imitated Old Madam Shen¡¯s righteous tone. Luo Xueyan chuckled and Shen Miao looked at everyone. ¡°All the madams, you saw it with your eyes. Grandmother has always been a trustworthy person. She always does what she says.¡±


    The surrounding madams all knew that Shen Miao was using them as a tool, but there was nothing they could do. Old Madam Shen¡¯s face turned red after being mocked by Shen Miao. She muttered incoherently to herself, ¡°There¡¯s something fishy about this matter! There is something fishy about this matter¡±

 Chapter 324 - Scandal (6)

    Chapter 324: Scandal (6)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    ¡°I also think there¡¯s something fishy about this matter.¡± Shen Miao raised an eyebrow. ¡°So let¡¯s report it to the government. Father, your subordinates are efficient. Tell them to invite the capital magistrate over.¡±


    Before she could finish her sentence, Shen Gui shouted, ¡°No!¡±


    Shen Miao was surprised. ¡°Why not?¡±


    Shen Gui looked at her fiercely. Once this matter was reported to the government, it would soon be made public. Moreover, it was a scandal after all. What good would it do to make it known to everyone?


    ¡°Forget it.¡± Shen Miao waved her hand, feeling a headache coming on. ¡°We have to listen to what Cousin has got to say.¡± She looked at Jing Guansheng, who had a dark expression, and smiled. ¡°Cousin, you¡¯re the one who feels the most pain, right?¡±


    Jing Guansheng did not speak.


    Old Madam Shen said angrily, ¡°Fetch a doctor first!¡± Jing Chuchu and Shen Yuan had not moved all this while, so Old Madam Shen was afraid that they had been drugged. It had to be known that everything that happened today was supposed to be done against Shen Qiu, but now it was Shen Yuan who suffered, but she could not even say a word about it.


    Those madams and young ladies had watched enough and knew that today was just a battle between Shen Miao and the rest of the Shen family. However, in the end, Shen Miao won. They promised not to tell anyone and then bade farewell. Feng Anning winked at Shen Miao and left with Madam Feng. Shen Yue looked at the messy courtyard and was quite disappointed.


    They were just a step away from destroying Shen Qiu. Why did Shen Yuan end up being the one destroyed?


    Shen Xin and the others also followed Old Madam Shen to the main hall. They had to find a way to deal with this matter. In addition, this matter concerned the reputation of the Shen family, so it couldn¡¯t be dealt lightly and casually.


    Shen Miao was walking in the back when someone suddenly called her. She turned around and saw Jing Guansheng walking up to her.


    Shen Miao was small, and Jing Guan was slightly plump and tall. Standing in front of Shen Miao, he looked quite oppressive. The usual smile on his usually gentle face was gone, and there was only a fierce and gloomy expression. He said, ¡°Fifth Sister, did you do this?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Shen Miao admitted readily.


    Jing Guansheng was stunned for a moment before raising his fist at Shen Miao angrily. Jingzhe and Gu Yu quickly blocked him. Shen Miao looked at him coldly. ¡°I did it. What can you do to me?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re shameless!¡± Jing Guansheng roared.


    ¡°Am I the shameless one?¡± Shen Miao looked at him. ¡°Cousin, are you telling me you were unaware of the matter beforehand?¡±


    Jing Guansheng was stunned and glared at her. As Jing Chuchu¡¯s brother, how could Jing Guansheng not know what Old Madam Shen was up to? Letting Jing Chuchu become Shen Qiu¡¯s wife would also be beneficial to him, but in the end, it became Shen Yuan!


    ¡°You made your sister a bargaining chip, but now you¡¯re saying that I¡¯m shameless. Cousin, don¡¯t you think you¡¯re too disgusting?¡± Shen Miao said with a gentle smile.


    ¡°You!¡±


    ¡°Cousin, this matter is already a done deal.¡± Shen Miao looked at him calmly. ¡°Cousin has already lost her virginity. It will be very difficult for her to marry into a good family in the future.¡±


    Jing Guansheng clenched his fists, but he had to admit that Shen Miao was right. If Jing Chuchu became like this, no good family would be willing to accept her in the future, let alone a rich family.


    ¡°Cousin, since we¡¯re cousins, I¡¯ll remind you.¡± Shen Miao smiled kindly. ¡°Actually, as long as Chuchu can marry Shen Yuan, it will still be a good match. What difference does it make whether she marries Shen Qiu or Shen Yuan?¡±


    Jing Guansheng looked at Shen Miao without saying anything.


    ¡°Speaking of which, Shen Yuan is a promising young official and has a bright future ahead of him. Compared to Shen Yuan, he might be more outstanding. Since you¡¯re thinking of using your sister to exchange for a better future and the person on the bed has become Shen Yuan, why don¡¯t you just go with the flow? Anyway, it won¡¯t do you any harm.¡±


    She looked at her nails and said as if to no one in particular, ¡°You have to be flexible when it comes to doing things.¡±


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 325 - Lust (1)

    Chapter 325: Lust (1)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    In the end, the scandal at the Shen family¡¯s banquet did not spread among the commoners. However, among the big families, it had spread like wildfire and was treated as a joke. Old Madam Shen was forced to a dead end by her own words. If she did not do what she said, she would be made a laughing stock. If she did what she said, she would ruin an outstanding grandson.


    However, because of this, the first branch and Old Madam Shen had completely fallen out. The family banquet made Luo Xueyan and Shen Xin realize who were the outsiders in the Shen family. They were not people who would swallow their anger, so they decided to watch the show without offering any help.


    After Shen Yuan and Jing Chuchu woke up, Jing Chuchu naturally cried terribly and said that she was dragged into the room by Shen Yuan. Shen Yuan was furious and said that he fainted for some reason. When he woke up, he was already lying on top of Jing Chuchu. He could not remember having done anything and thought that perhaps Jing Chuchu was still a virgin.


    However, it did not matter if Jing Chuchu was a virgin or not. Since she was seen together with a man, her reputation had already been ruined, at least in the capital.


    Perhaps it was because they were stimulated by this matter, or perhaps it was because of something else, the Jing siblings were no longer as gentle as before. They were aggressive and insisted that Shen Yuan give them an explanation. Old Madam Shen had also said before that if the plan succeeded, she could become the eldest young madam of the Shen family. Now that it turned out to be Shen Yuan, naturally, Jing Chuchu should become the second young madam of the Shen family.


    Old Madam Shen naturally wouldn¡¯t let that happen. Shen Yuan was her most outstanding grandson. He deserved a much better wife than a girl from a humble family. She immediately found an excuse to decline. Without a word, Jing Guansheng brought Jing Chuchu to the government and sent a letter back to Suzhou. When the people in Suzhou heard this, they were angry that Old Madam Shen even stabbed her family in the back. They immediately set out for the capital to demand an explanation from Old Madam Shen.


    Just like that, Old Madam Shen and the Jing siblings fell out completely. Old Madam Shen scolded Jing Guansheng and his sister for being ungrateful all day long. Jing Guansheng and his sister also mocked Old Madam Shen for being crazy and causing chaos in the Shen family. Shen Yuan was also very angry, but this matter had already blown up. He could not just kill Jing Chuchu. With so many madams having witnessed it, if anything happened to Jing Chuchu, everyone would suspect him. Moreover, the Jing family was not easy to deal with either.


    No matter what happened outside, the west courtyard of the Shen family was always closed, and everyone inside it was happy. Shen Qiu did not get drunk that day. He was just asked to pretend to be drunk by Shen Miao. As for why Shen Yuan ended up in the same room with Jing Chuchu, Shen Qiu did not know. Although Shen Miao refused to tell him and told him not to tell Shen Xin and Luo Xueyan. Shen Qiu could vaguely guess something.


    In the room, Shen Miao sat at the table and wrote a recipe for the kitchen. Shen Xin and the soldiers were all looking forward to the soup Shen Miao made. Shen Miao couldn¡¯t be bothered to make it herself, so she wrote a recipe and handed it to the kitchen. After having drunk their fill of the soup, those soldiers respected her more than Shen Qiu.


    Luo Xueyan also asked, ¡°Jiaojiao, when did you know so many recipes? Are you interested in cooking?¡±


    Shen Miao replied vaguely. She was not a housewife kind of a woman. However, in her previous life, in order to please some people, she visited the imperial kitchen frequently and learned from the chief. However, no matter how well she cooked in the past, the people who she wanted to please had never been moved by her. Shen Miao shook her head, thinking to herself that some people knew how to be grateful, while some people only knew how to repay kindness with ingratitude.


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 326 - Lust (2)

    Chapter 326: Lust (2)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    Bai Lu picked up the paper that Shen Miao had written and dried it before getting up to send it to the kitchen. Now that the people of the west courtyard were not eating with the people of the east courtyard, they reopened the kitchen. It was obvious that they did not trust the east courtyard.


    ¡°I heard that Young Master Jing and Old Madam quarreled again today.¡± As Jingzhe cleaned up the paper and ink on the table for Shen Miao, she said, ¡°It seems that the Jing family is already on the way here. Old Madam must be anxious.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve said everything I had to say.¡± Shen Miao picked up her tea and took a sip. ¡°The Jing siblings are smart. They won¡¯t let others take advantage of them for nothing.¡±


    ¡°Young Master Jing is really ruthless.¡± Gu Yu also said, ¡°Now, he¡¯s threatening to report it to the government. He clearly knows that Second Young Master has just returned to the capital to take on a post. If he reports it to the government, Second Young Master¡¯s official career will be ruined. In my opinion, Second Young Master will definitely marry Miss Jing this time.¡± At the end of her sentence, she couldn¡¯t help but sigh and suppress the joy in her heart.


    Old Madam Shen was disgusting. Now that she had shot herself in the foot, how could they not feel happy?


    ¡°However¡­¡± Jingzhe asked,¡± Why is Miss Jing trying so hard to marry Second Young Master? Second Young Master doesn¡¯t like her and Old Madam Shen despises her. Even if she marries him, there will be no love. Isn¡¯t Miss Jing just making herself suffer? ¡±


    Shen Miao smiled. ¡°Jing Chuchu didn¡¯t marry a person, but money. In that case, what difference does it make if she likes him or not?¡± In her previous life, when Jing Chuchu married Shen Qiu, Shen Qiu treated her well, but in the end, she still cheated on Shen Qiu. To Jing Chuchu, as long as she could climb up the social ladder, it did not matter who she married.


    ¡°Speaking of which.¡± Gu Yu curled her lips. ¡°Miss Jing wanted to harm Eldest Young Master. Shouldn¡¯t she be punished for that?¡±


    Shen Miao opened the window and looked out. ¡°Do you think this is the end?¡±


    Gu Yu¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°Miss, you still have something up your sleeve?¡± The longer she stayed with Shen Miao, the more she had seen Shen Miao¡¯s methods. In the past, she would probably be surprised by Shen Miao¡¯s coldness and viciousness, but after experiencing so many things, she really did not have any pity for the other two branches of the Shen family at all.


    ¡°It¡¯s only the beginning.¡± Shen Miao said, ¡°Jing Chuchu schemed against my brother first. Does she think she can get away with it?¡±


    Jingzhe and Gu Yu looked at Shen Miao with sparkling eyes. Shen Miao waved her hand and said, ¡°Go and give Fu¡¯er the money we promised her.¡±


    Old Madam Shen had been busy dealing with Jing Chuchu and Jing Guansheng recently, so she did not have the time to find out the truth. Sooner or later, Fu¡¯er would be married to the one-eyed son of the butler. With money, she could think of a way to escape from the Shen family.


    Gu Yu took the money and smiled. ¡°I understand. Should I also give a portion to the maid beside Miss Jing?¡±


    Shen Miao nodded in satisfaction. ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±


    The dog that bit the hardest was the dog one raised by their side just like Lizi from her previous life.


    However, now the lessons she learned could be used to deal with her enemies.


    ¡­


    Five days later, the news of Shen Yuan and Jing Chuchu¡¯s engagement spread throughout the capital.


    As the most outstanding young master in the Shen family other than Shen Qiu, Shen Yuan had just returned to the capital to take on a post after a few years of training on the border. Originally, what awaited him was a bright future. There was no lack of girls with good family backgrounds and looks in the capital. It was not difficult for him to find a wife who could help him have a smooth-sailing career.

 Chapter 327 - Lust (3)

    Chapter 327: Lust (3)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    However, in the end, Shen Yuan fell into the hands of a girl from a humble background. If it were any other rich families, they would definitely not let such a poor girl be the young madam of the family.


    Everyone knew that there was something fishy going on about this unusual match. The reason why Shen Yuan married a girl from the Jing family was because he slept with her when he was drunk. The Jing family was not easy to deal with. They kept saying that they would report to the government and sue the Shen family. Marrying a poor girl was much better than losing his official career, so Shen Yuan didn¡¯t kick up too much of a fuss.


    This matter was spread around the noble circle as a joke. For a few days in a row, when Shen Gui went to the imperial court, he was treated as a joke by his colleagues, let alone Shen Yuan.


    This matter naturally caused them to lose a lot of reputation, but Jing Chuchu was unaffected. She sat in the room and enjoyed the snacks in boredom.


    After falling out with Old Madam Shen, Jing Chuchu¡¯s gentle temperament was gone, and her true nature was exposed. She squandered Shen Yuan¡¯s money and lived a very comfortable life in the Shen mansion.


    Beside her was her personal maid, Tao Yuan. Jing Chuchu did not trust the people of the Shen family, so she entrusted Tao Yuan to do everything. Tao Yuan said, ¡°It seems like Old Master and Madam Jing will be here soon. When the time comes, the marriage will definitely be very grand. If word gets back to Suzhou, everyone in the Jing family will be proud.¡±


    Jing Chuchu smiled. ¡°My efforts weren¡¯t in vain.¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡± Tao Yuan was a little worried.¡± Now that Second Young Master Shen and Old Madam Shen treat you so badly, what if they bully you after marriage?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s there to be afraid of?¡± Jing Chuchu opened the box of rouge in front of her and said, ¡°I¡¯ve already asked around. Second Cousin Sister is dead, and Second Aunt is crazy now and can¡¯t manage the mansion. There¡¯s only one concubine in the second branch. A concubine can¡¯t interfere in the affairs of the legitimate son. As for Shen Yuan, he is away in the imperial court all the time. At that time, I¡¯ll be alone in this gigantic courtyard and can do whatever I want.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± Tao Yuan shook her head. ¡°But if Second Young Master takes in concubines in the future and causes trouble for Miss¡­¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s where you can come in to help.¡± Jing Chuchu looked at Tao Yuan and said as if she was pitying her, ¡°You¡¯ve been by my side for the past few years. I think you¡¯re loyal and pretty. If that day really comes, I¡¯ll get him to take you in. Help me win him over to express your gratitude.¡± She smiled in satisfaction. ¡°Not everyone is lucky enough to change their fate from a maid to a concubine of a rich family.¡±


    Tao Yuan lowered her head in embarrassment and quickly said, ¡°I¡­ I will listen to Miss.¡±


    Jing Chuchu closed the rouge box and her gaze landed on a bracelet on the dressing table. She couldn¡¯t help but pick it up and look at it in a daze. Seeing this, Tao Yuan said in surprise, ¡°Isn¡¯t this¡­ the bracelet Young Master Sun gave Miss?¡±


    ¡°Young Master Sun¡­¡± Jing Chuchu muttered, her expression a little dazed.


    ¡°Speaking of which, Young Master Sun treats Miss very well.¡± Tao Yuan smiled and said, ¡°I wonder how sad he will be when he hears about Miss¡¯s engagement.¡±


    ¡°What nonsense are you talking about?¡± Jing Chuchu frowned and interrupted Tao Yuan. Tao Yuan said indignantly, ¡°I¡¯m not wrong. Although Young Master Sun and Miss haven¡¯t seen each other much, you two hit it off at first sight. It¡¯s obvious that he really cares about Miss. Otherwise, why would he send Miss so many gifts? If not for this incident, I believe Young Master Sun will definitely marry Miss.¡±

 Chapter 328 - Lust (4)

    Chapter 328: Lust (4)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    Jing Chuchu was stunned for a moment, and a trace of shyness appeared on her face. She shook her head and said, ¡°Why would a rich young master like him marry someone from a humble background like me?¡±


    ¡°But Young Master Sun really likes Miss.¡± Tao Yuan¡¯s words were a little out of line, but not only was Jing Chuchu not angry, but she also seemed to be a little happy. Tao Yuan continued, ¡°It will be great if Young Master Sun becomes the son-in-law of the Jing family. Young Master Sun loves Miss like a gem compared to Second Young Master who treats Miss like air. If you marry him, Young Master Sun will also dote on you.¡±


    ¡°Stop talking.¡± Jing Chuchu suddenly interrupted her. ¡°Since I¡¯ve already chosen the Shen family, there¡¯s no point in talking about Young Master Sun.¡± As she spoke, she was actually a little sad.


    Shen Yuan and Jing Chuchu were not very close to each other to begin with, and because of what happened previously, they were even more enemies with each other. At this moment, when Sun Cainan and Shen Yuan were compared side by side, Sun Cainan appeared more outstanding. He was a talented man, generous and gentle to her. It would be a lie to say that Jing Chuchu was not tempted. Moreover, people were always obsessed with what they could not get. Hearing Tao Yuan¡¯s words, Jing Chuchu felt like ants crawling on her heart, making her unable to sit tight.


    ¡°Miss¡­¡± Tao Yuan hesitated for a moment.¡± Miss, why don¡¯t you go and meet Young Master Sun for one last time? Young Master Sun knows about your engagement, but he doesn¡¯t know the inside story. It won¡¯t be good if he misunderstands you. If you talk about it openly, he will only feel sorry for you. It¡¯s rare to meet such a good person like Young Master Sun. He will be very sad if Miss does nothing.¡± Tao Yuan said,¡± The last time you met, Young Master Sun even said that he would give you that dragonfly gem hairpin.¡±


    Hearing this, Jing Chuchu was tempted. What moved her the most was that Sun Cainan kept sending her gifts. To Jing Chuchu, this was enough.


    After thinking for a while, Jing Chuchu made up her mind and said, ¡°You¡¯re right. I should explain to him.¡±


    ¡°However, Miss is now engaged to Second Young Master. You can¡¯t be seen together by outsiders.¡± Tao Yuan said, ¡°Why don¡¯t you leave this to me? I¡¯ll find a place with no one around where Miss and Young Master Sun can meet and talk freely.¡±


    Jing Chuchu nodded.


    ¡­


    Shen Yuan strode into the courtyard, the veins on his forehead throbbing.


    Over the past few days, he had been receiving strange gazes from everyone. In fact, it was not that others could not tell that Shen Yuan had been schemed against. After all, getting drunk and sleeping with a strange woman wasn¡¯t really a big deal in the capital. What everyone was surprised about was that a young and smart man like Shen Yuan would actually be made a fool at home.


    Especially this time, the scheme seemed to have something to do with the useless daughter of Shen Xin.


    Although Fu Xiuyi did not reprimand Shen Yuan, he had been more distant from him over the past few days. The reason was very simple. Now that Shen Yuan was a trusted aide of Fu Xiuyi, one day, Shen Yuan would have to come out to openly express his loyalty to Fu Xiuyi. However, with such a scandal tarnishing his reputation, Shen Yuan also embarrassed Fu Xiuyi. For someone like Fu Xiuyi, who pursued perfection, Shen Yuan¡¯s mistake this time was really a little infuriating.


    Shen Yuan was also very aggrieved. After being treated as a joke, he still had to marry that woman, Jing Chuchu. Everyone knew that Jing Chuchu was a vulgar girl who only cared about money and not people, but he had to marry her. In the future, even if a young lady fell in love with him, she would definitely not be allowed to marry him by her family.

 Chapter 329 - Lust (5)

    Chapter 329: Lust (5)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    He took a deep breath and stared at the person walking over.


    Shen Miao and her two maids walked over from the garden. Over the past few days, she had been staying in the west courtyard and did not go out. She looked much more refreshed.


    Seeing Shen Yuan, she stopped in her tracks and said, ¡°Second Brother.¡±


    Shen Yuan clenched his fists uncontrollably. He naturally knew that the only person in the Shen family who was capable of setting him up was Shen Miao. However, back then, the scheme was executed by the people instructed by Old Madam, so he could not interfere. Moreover, what was more important now was to appease those difficult people in the Jing family so that they wouldn¡¯t cause trouble.


    However, at the thought that it was all thanks to the girl in front of him that he ended up in such a sorry state, Shen Yuan wanted to strangle Shen Miao to death.


    Seeing that Shen Yuan did not speak, Shen Miao smiled. ¡°Speaking of which, I haven¡¯t congratulated you yet on engaging Cousin. Congratulations, Second Brother, on marrying a beauty.¡±


    Everyone could hear the mockery in her words.


    Shen Yuan said coldly, ¡°Thank you, Fifth Sister.¡± After a pause, he looked at Shen Miao. ¡°Fifth Sister, you¡¯re really capable.¡±


    Shen Miao took the compliment. Every time she looked happy and gloating, it made people go crazy. Shen Yuan sneered. ¡°Fifth Sister, the tallest tree in the forest will be cut down first. It¡¯s better for you to understand this as soon as possible.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve never wanted to be the tallest tree. Everyone knows that I¡¯m an idiot.¡± Shen Miao pondered for a moment. ¡°On the other hand, Second Brother has always been outstanding. I¡¯m probably not the one who needs to be anxious.¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡± Shen Yuan slowly asked, ¡°Fifth Sister, do you think you¡¯ve already won? Do you think that I¡¯ll lose if I marry Jing Chuchu?¡±


    ¡°Of course not.¡± Shen Miao was very humble. ¡°I know Second Brother has always been tenacious and indomitable. It¡¯s still far from the end of the game.¡±


    ¡°Maybe it¡¯s not as far as you think.¡± Shen Yuan suddenly smiled strangely. ¡°It might be over soon.¡± This strange smile made him look especially sinister. Jingzhe and Gu Yu both frowned, but Shen Miao raised her eyebrows and asked, ¡°Second Brother, are you plotting against me again?¡±


    ¡°Are you afraid?¡±


    Shen Miao nodded. ¡°I¡¯m not afraid of being schemed against. I¡¯m just afraid that others won¡¯t scheme against me.¡± Her eyes were clear and as innocent as a child¡¯s. She smiled and said, ¡°If others don¡¯t scheme against me, how can I have a chance to beat them in their own games?¡±


    ¡°Then wait and see.¡± Shen Yuan sneered. ¡°I¡¯m afraid you won¡¯t smile so happily when that day comes.¡± With that, he strode away.


    After he left, the smile on Shen Miao¡¯s face disappeared completely. When Jingzhe and Gu Yu saw this, they were shocked. Gu Yu asked, ¡°Miss, is Second Young Master planning something?¡±


    Shen Miao shook her head. Shen Yuan was the kind of person who would not bluff unless he was confident. A trace of uneasiness rose in Shen Miao¡¯s heart but she suppressed it immediately. She looked at Shen Yuan¡¯s back and said softly, ¡°It¡¯s about time to end this game.¡±


    ¡­


    In the Treasure Fragrance Chamber in the capital, there was singing and dancing, and the fragrance of women accompanied by laughter was like the best aphrodisiac, causing the passers-by to look inside with envy. However, their pockets were too empty to allow them a night with the girls.


    In the tearoom, the tea in front of the table had long turned cold. Mo Qing nodded off and almost knocked over the teapot, startling him so much that his sleepiness immediately disappeared. He raised his toes and the teapot that fell to the ground landed steadily on his boots. He picked it up and placed it back on the table.

 Chapter 330 - Lust (6)

    Chapter 330: Lust (6)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    Mo Qing heaved a sigh of relief. In this Treasure Fragrance Chamber, even the most inconspicuous cup was made by a top-grade craftsman. If it was broken, he would have to pay with money. Although Shen Miao gave him a lot of banknotes, he was only instructed to use the banknotes to see Liu Ying, not pay for broken cups.


    The beauty on the bed looked at this scene and praised, ¡°Good martial arts. It¡¯s really an eye-opener.¡±


    Mo Qing looked away from the woman¡¯s bare shoulders and was happy to see the sun rising outside the window. He had already sat through another night and could relax for another three days. As he thought about it, a relaxed smile appeared on his face and he was about to stand up and leave.


    He was happy, but Liu Ying¡¯s face turned cold as she saw the joy on his face. Before he could stand up, Liu Ying sat down opposite him and said, ¡°Young Master Mo.¡±


    Mo Qing looked at her expressionlessly.


    Liu Ying sized him up. It had been more than a month since Mo Qing came to the Treasure Fragrance Chamber to patronize her. He came to see her every three days and paid a generous amount, but every time, he did nothing except sit by the window for the entire night. At first, Liu Ying thought that it was just Mo Qing playing with her. She had been taught by the bawd since very young. She knew that some men had their own strange kinks. Mo Qing was probably one of those with strange kinks. But the more he frequented her, the stranger Liu Ying felt.


    Every time she saw Mo Qing heave a sigh of relief as soon as the sun rose to the sky, she would feel angry. She was not a ferocious beast. Why did Mo Qing have to avoid her like that?


    ¡°Young Master Mo, if you think that my body is dirty, you can look for other girls from the Treasure Fragrance Chamber.¡± Liu Ying said angrily, ¡°There will be new girls every day. They are all very clean. Young Master Mo, you don¡¯t have to waste money on me and make people misunderstand.¡±


    Mo Qing felt awkward and did not look at Liu Ying. The job Shen Miao gave him really made him feel like he was on pins and needles. He would rather go to the battlefield than stay at the brothel.


    Seeing that Mo Qing was silent, Liu Ying became even angrier and said, ¡°Young Master Mo, don¡¯t come over to see me next time! I¡¯m not the kind of person who takes people¡¯s money for nothing!¡± As she spoke, she turned around and stopped looking at Mo Qing.


    Mo Qing rubbed his nose and felt that nothing he said would help. Not to mention Liu Ying, even he felt like he was a fool coming here to just sit for a night. The Treasure Fragrance Chamber was not a place to drink tea. Liu Ying probably could not understand either. Without saying anything, he put down a silver ingot and left.


    After Mo Qing left, Liu Ying¡¯s maid came in to clean the room. When she saw Liu Ying¡¯s unhappy face, she comforted her, ¡°Miss, don¡¯t be angry. Young Master Mo always pays a lot.¡± Looking at the silver on the table, Liu Ying was even angrier. This silver ingot was given to Liu Ying specially and she did not have to split it up with the bawd. She turned to look out of the window and said angrily, ¡°Who cares about money?¡± However, her gaze was on the figure down below. Mo Qing pushed away the girls who were trying to pounce on him uncomfortably and trotted away.


    ¡°Young Master Mo is a good person, right?¡± The maid muttered.


    ¡°Who knows?¡± Just as Liu Ying was about to retract her gaze, she accidentally saw a person standing in the corner of the street who was looking at her.


    She was slightly stunned. The person was too far away so she couldn¡¯t see his face clearly, but she could see that he was dressed in green and looked like a gentleman.


    ¡°Why?¡± Liu Ying gently waved the fan in her hand. ¡°Have I become more beautiful lately? Why do all the men feel satisfied just by looking at me?¡±


    ¡°Miss, you¡¯ve always been beautiful. Many people want to see you,¡± the maid said sweetly.


    Liu Ying pouted. ¡°Men are really hard to understand.¡± She closed the window with one hand.


    On the other side of the street, hiding in the corner, Mo Qing stopped and frowned at the person in a green robe.


    That person was looking in the direction of Liu Ying¡¯s room. When Mo Qing saw him, he found him familiar. He remembered that when he was traveling with Shen Miao, he had met that person once. Mo Qing had heard from Jingzhe that the person was Shen Miao¡¯s teacher from Guangwen Hall called Pei Lang.

 Chapter 331 - Murder (1)

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 Chapter 332 - Murder (2)

    Chapter 332: Murder (2)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    Chen Ruoqiu forced a smile. She did not want to make Shen Wan worried about trivial matters, so she said, ¡°The Jing family is causing trouble in the mansion all day long. It¡¯s inevitable that I¡¯m annoyed by them.¡±


    Shen Wan sighed. ¡°Mother has suffered a double loss this time. Yuan is also greatly hindered.¡±


    Everyone in the Shen family knew what was really going on between Shen Yuan and Jing Chuchu. Regarding this scandal, the third branch chose to sit back and watch. At least, compared to Shen Yuan, the first branch was more terrifying.


    ¡°You must also be exhausted these days.¡± Chen Ruoqiu said gently, ¡°What happened in the mansion has also caused people to point a finger at you.¡±


    The chaotic situation in the Shen mansion was naturally taken as a joke among the big families. Shen Xin was a rough person and did not care about what people thought of him, but Shen Wan was of a sensitive nature and paid attention to the gossip. It must have been difficult for him these days.


    Shen Wan held Chen Ruoqiu¡¯s hand and shook his head. ¡°That¡¯s nothing. It¡¯s just that Jing Chuchu can¡¯t help Yuan with his official career. It¡¯s a little unfortunate.¡± He sighed. ¡°Among the kids, Yuan is the most promising.¡±


    Hearing this, Chen Ruoqiu was flustered. Shen Wan did not have a son of his own, so in the next generation of the Shen family, only Shen Yuan could take on the heavy responsibility. The most important thing in the bureaucracy was nepotism. If Shen Yuan married an official¡¯s daughter, it would be much easier for him to climb the ladder. Marrying Jing Chuchu now was no different from a life sentence.


    Chen Ruoqiu lowered her head and said, ¡°Who knows? Shen Miao has become smarter and the entire First Branch has deliberately estranged from us. Nothing is predictable at this moment.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡± Seeing that Chen Ruoqiu was worried, Shen Wan patted her shoulder. ¡°Yuan is not an ordinary person. If Shen Miao schemes against him, he will definitely strike back. Eldest Brother and Sister-in-law are not almighty. There will be a time when they can¡¯t do anything.¡±


    ¡°Husband, you mean¡­¡± Chen Ruoqiu¡¯s heart skipped a beat.


    ¡°Yuan has been acting a little strangely recently.¡± Shen Wan said in a low voice, ¡°I keep feeling that something is going to happen.¡±


    In the west courtyard, Shen Miao put down the book in her hand and frowned. ¡°What exactly does Shen Yuan want to do?¡±


    Mo Qing said in a low voice, ¡°Miss, you have asked me to keep an eye on the Treasure Fragrance Chamber for a long time. Now¡­¡±


    ¡°Keep it up.¡± Shen Miao interrupted him, and Mo Qing¡¯s expression immediately darkened. After thinking for a moment, he said, ¡°Scholar Pei from Guangwen Hall has shown up. What should I do, Miss?¡±


    All along, Mo Qing did not know why Shen Miao wanted him to go to the Treasure Fragrance Chamber to see Liu Ying. That day, when he left, he accidentally saw Pei Lang. For some reason, Mo Qing had a feeling that Shen Miao probably already knew that Pei Lang would appear at some point. Everything Shen Miao did had been well-planned. However, this time, when she heard that Pei Lang had shown up, Shen Miao did not say anything.


    ¡°Nothing.¡± Shen Miao said, ¡°Just do your job.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t expect a scholar like Pei Lang would patronize a place like the Treasure Fragrance Chamber.¡± Gu Yu said with her mouth open in surprise. ¡°He really doesn¡¯t look like that kind of person.¡± After a pause, she added, ¡°Guard Mo doesn¡¯t look like that either.¡±


    Mo Qing blushed.


    ¡°Mo Qing, other than going to the Treasure Fragrance Restaurant these days, keeping an eye on Shen Yuan too,¡± Shen Miao said. For some reason, Shen Yuan always made her feel a little uneasy.


    After Mo Qing left, Jingzhe asked, ¡°Miss, is Second Young Master up to something?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s very strange,¡± Shen Miao said.


    After the scandal, Shen Yuan did not try to investigate it, and nor did he try to stop the engagement from happening. Although Jing Chuchu wanted to marry Shen Yuan, if Shen Yuan tried his best, he could easily have put off the engagement. However, Shen Yuan did not even bother to do anything about it. This could only mean that he was doing something more important now. Shen Miao could not think of anything more important than dealing with Jing Chuchu.

 Chapter 333 - Murder (3)

    Chapter 333: Murder (3)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    What was Shen Yuan up to? He was nowhere to be seen in the Shen mansion, so Shen Miao could not find out.


    ¡°Miss, don¡¯t worry. By the way.¡± Jingzhe suddenly thought of something. ¡°Tao Yuan said that Miss Jing sent an invitation letter to that man and has already received a reply. She¡¯ll go to meet him tomorrow.¡±


    Shen Miao¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°Very good.¡± Shen Yuan made her feel uneasy, so some things had to be done as soon as possible.


    Meanwhile, in Lake Immortal Pavillion, a group of people were also discussing this.


    ¡°Shen Yuan has already collected all the evidence against Shen Xin and handed it to Fu Xiuyi.¡± Ji Yushu said, ¡°Three days later, Fu Xiuyi will hand it to the emperor. At that time, the Shen family will probably be done for.¡±


    ¡°He can even find evidence of Shen Xin defying the imperial edict. At the very least, Shen Xin will be forced to retire and leave the capital.¡± Gao Yang said, ¡°This Shen Yuan is surprisingly capable.¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you already?¡± Ji Yushu was a little impatient. ¡°Shen Yuan has secretly been trying to deal with Shen Xin for many years. He¡¯s been planning and waiting for a chance to make a move. If he was given two more years, the evidence he collected would be enough to wipe out the entire first branch of the Shen family.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why Fu Xiuyi is indeed quite good at roping in useful people.¡± Gao Yang thought for a moment and said, ¡°Shen Xin is too powerful. There are too many people who want to deal with him. More importantly, the royal family is actually happy to see this. If Shen Xin falls, they will be the first ones to step on him.¡±


    ¡°So what should we do now?¡± Ji Yushu felt a headache coming on. ¡°Shen Yuan is as wily as Fu Xiuyi. Miss Shen will definitely be very sad if her fathers gets into trouble.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re still thinking about Shen Miao?¡± Gao Yang rolled his eyes at him. ¡°If not for Shen Miao setting Shen Yuan up and forcing him to marry a useless girl, he wouldn¡¯t have taken action so early. Originally, with his personality, he would wait at least for another two years to wipe out the entire first branch of the Shen family. It¡¯s Shen Miao who cornered him and forced him to strike back.¡± Gao Yang rubbed his chin. ¡°Given how much Shen Yuan hates Shen Miao, he definitely won¡¯t let her off easily this time. Perhaps the rest of the Shen family can still survive, but Shen Miao will not.¡±


    Ji Yushu paced about anxiously. ¡°Then what should we do? Don¡¯t tell me that bastard Shen Yuan will use some nasty tricks on Miss Shen. He can even set up his uncle. There is nothing this evil person won¡¯t do.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡± Gao Yang said slowly, ¡°Shen Miao is not to be trifled with. I¡¯m very curious about what she will do to turn the tide this time. With her personality, I have a feeling that she won¡¯t give up so easily.¡±


    ¡°Miss Shen is resourceful. Shen Yuan will not be her match.¡± Ji Yushu suddenly thought of something and looked at Gao Yang. ¡°Before Third Brother Xie left, he specifically instructed us not to interfere in the Shen family¡¯s matters, so¡­ if she wins, you¡¯re not allowed to help Shen Yuan.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re quite confident in her.¡± Gao Yang opened his fan and waved it. ¡°But I also want to see what she will do.¡± Seeing Ji Yushu heave a sigh of relief, Gao Yang poured cold water on him mercilessly. ¡°But don¡¯t worry too much. Ever since Xie¡¯s plan was brought forward, the situation in the capital has changed a lot. One thing that won¡¯t change is Prince Ding¡¯s ambition. No matter how capable Shen Miao is, she¡¯s just a girl after all. Prince Ding is not stupid like Prince Yu. This time, Shen Xin will most likely lose his power. Once Shen Xin is powerful¡­¡± He sighed. ¡°To the first branch of the Shen family, it¡¯s a disaster. He won¡¯t be able to protect anyone he wants.¡±

 Chapter 334 - Murder (4)

    Chapter 334: Murder (4)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    Ji Yushu¡¯s expression slowly darkened.


    ¡°Xie once said that no matter what, the first branch of the Shen family will inevitably be destroyed.¡± Gao Yang stopped fanning and his eyes flickered. ¡°Just like the Xie family.¡±


    ¡­


    The next day, the weather was good. In the side courtyard of Rongjing Hall, Tao Yuan was taking out a few clothes for Jing Chuchu to choose.


    Ever since the Jing couple came, the courtyard that Old Madam Shen had given Jing Chuchu and her brother to live in had become a little crowded. The Jing couple occupied the largest courtyard in Rongjing Hall without asking. Other than that, they also ordered the servants of Rongjing Hall around. Those who did not know better would think that the people living in Rongjing Hall were not Old Madam Shen but the Jing couple.


    Jing Chuchu sat at the table and carefully drew her eyebrows in front of the bronze mirror. Her face was layered with a faint rouge, and her hair was combed neatly. Clearly, she had spent a lot of time dressing up.


    ¡°That moon-white dress,¡± Jing Chuchu said. The moon-white dress was simple, but it suited her innocent look very well. Today was the day she was going to meet Sun Cainan. Whether or not she could make Sun Cainan remember her forever depended on this.


    Perhaps it was because of a woman¡¯s vanity, or perhaps it was because she really had some feelings for Sun Cainan. She knew that it was extremely risky to meet Sun Cainan now, but she still wanted to give it a try.


    Tao Yuan put away the rest of the clothes. Someone pushed the door open and entered. It was Mrs. Jing.


    Seeing Jing Chuchu dressed like this, Mrs. Jing was a little puzzled. ¡°Chuchu, are you going out?¡±


    ¡°I want to go out and buy some jewelry.¡± Jing Chuchu said, ¡°Since I¡¯m going to be the young madam of the second branch of the Shen family, I can¡¯t wear those jewelry from the past. People will look down on me.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Mrs. Jing said. In any case, Jing Chuchu would spend the Shen family¡¯s money to buy jewelry. Mrs. Jing herself had been pocketing a lot of money these days too. She said, ¡°I¡¯ll go with you.¡±


    ¡°No!¡± Jing Chuchu quickly rejected.


    Mrs. Jing was puzzled. ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°I-I agreed to go with Miss Yi.¡± Jing Chuchu shook Mrs. Jing¡¯s hand. ¡°If I¡¯m going to stay in the capital, I must build a good relationship with these young ladies. Mother, don¡¯t come along. Miss Yi doesn¡¯t like to meet strangers. You know that these young ladies from rich families have a strange temper.¡±


    Mrs. Jing was a little displeased. ¡°Humph! These arrogant young ladies. Forget it, since you want to build a good relationship with them, go. Bring a few more guards with you.¡±


    ¡°No need.¡± Jing Chuchu declined. ¡°Miss Yi will bring her guards. Don¡¯t worry about me. I¡¯ll buy you some jewelry when I come back.¡± After saying that, she continued to draw her eyebrows.


    When she left the mansion and got into the carriage, Jing Chuchu was a little nervous and asked Tao Yuan, ¡°Is the restaurant you chose safe?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Miss.¡± Tao Yuan said, ¡°That restaurant is very far and remote. Very few people go there. With a bamboo hat on, you will not be recognized by anyone.¡±


    Only then did Jing Chuchu feel relieved.


    The carriage passed through the southern gate of the city and finally stopped in front of a remote alley. Jing Chuchu adjusted her bamboo hat and her veil before walking towards the restaurant with Tao Yuan¡¯s help.


    Although Jing Chuchu often hung out with young masters when she was in Suzhou, her status was different now. Although Ming Qi was open-minded, if an engaged woman met another man in private, it would still be a serious crime.


    The restaurant only had two floors. It was really as remote as Taoyuan said. The guests were in groups of two or three and were not crowded. Tao Yuan gave the shopkeeper a silver ingot and said with a smile, ¡°Shopkeeper, where is the guest room that I booked yesterday?¡±

 Chapter 335 - Murder (5)

    Chapter 335: Murder (5)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    The shopkeeper quickly instructed the shop assistant to bring Jing Chuchu in.


    Tao Yuan thanked the shop assistant and helped Jing Chuchu into the room. As soon as they entered the room, Jing Chuchu couldn¡¯t wait to take off her bamboo hat and veil. She said, ¡°I¡¯m almost smothered.¡±


    ¡°Miss, take a rest and have some tea.¡± Tao Yuan said, ¡°I think Young Master Sun will be here soon.¡±


    ¡°Come and help me tidy my hair.¡± Jing Chuchu looked at herself in the bronze mirror and said, ¡°This bamboo hat messed up my hair.¡±


    ¡°Miss, you¡¯re very beautiful.¡± Tao Yuan complimented. ¡°You¡¯re even more beautiful today.¡±


    As she spoke, the door creaked open. Jing Chuchu¡¯s heart skipped a beat when she heard a familiar voice. ¡°Chuchu, it¡¯s really you.¡±


    Sun Cainan stood at the door and looked at Jing Chuchu passionately. Jing Chuchu immediately blushed and looked at Tao Yuan. ¡°You can leave.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡± Tao Yuan smiled and said, ¡°Young Master Sun and Miss, you can talk. I¡¯ll guard the door and make sure no one disturbs you.¡±


    Jing Chuchu lowered her head. After Tao Yuan went out and closed the door, Sun Cainan took two steps forward and called out, ¡°Chuchu.¡±


    Jing Chuchu hesitated for a moment before looking up. Her gaze seemed to be filled with sadness and love. If Shen Miao was present at this moment, she would probably be impressed by how good Jing Chuchu¡¯s acting was.


    Sun Cainan walked up to Jing Chuchu and said gently, ¡°Chuchu, is it true that you and Shen Yuan are engaged?¡±


    Jing Chuchu paused for a moment before nodding.


    ¡°You¡­¡± Sun Cainan seemed to have suffered a huge blow and took two steps back. Seeing this, Jing Chuchu¡¯s eyes immediately turned red as she said sheepishly,¡± Are you angry?¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Sun Cainan paused for a moment and suddenly reached out to touch Jing Chuchu¡¯s face. He said, ¡°I¡¯ve heard everything. It was Shen Yuan who forced you. You had no choice but to marry him. I don¡¯t blame you, and I¡¯m not angry with you.¡±


    Hearing this, Jing Chuchu lowered her head, and no one saw the trace of smugness in her eyes. Sun Cainan must really love her. Even if she was going to marry Shen Yuan now, he still couldn¡¯t bear to blame her.


    ¡°Actually¡­¡± Jing Chuchu turned her head away.¡± Second Cousin didn¡¯t touch me that day. It¡¯s just that it was impossible for him to explain himself to everyone that day.¡± She lowered her head.¡± Young Master Sun, actually, I¡­ I¡¯m still a virgin!¡±


    Nothing actually happened between Jing Chuchu and Shen Yuan that day. It was just that people tended to believe what they saw. After going back, Jing Chuchu invited a doctor to check her body and it turned out that she was still a virgin. It was just that Shen Yuan and Old Madam Shen did not know, so she did not say anything. Otherwise, if Old Madam Shen and Shen Yuan found out about this, they would definitely make a big fuss. Men always wanted their woman to be a virgin. If something really happened between Jing Chuchu and Shen Yuan, Sun Cainan would inevitably have a knot in his heart.


    As expected, when Sun Cainan heard this, he was stunned. ¡°What?¡±


    Jing Chuchu looked up and said with tears in her eyes, ¡°I want to give my body to the person I like. What happened between Second Cousin and I was just a misunderstanding, but nothing can be changed now. It¡¯s a pity that destiny didn¡¯t bring us together soon enough. Young Master Sun, will you hate me?¡±


    Sun Cainan pulled Jing Chuchu into his arms and comforted her gently, ¡°How can I hate you? I like you, my heart aches for you, and I like you!¡± A trace of ecstasy flashed across Sun Cainan¡¯s eyes. He originally thought that since Jing Chuchu¡¯s virginity had been taken by Shen Yuan, it wouldn¡¯t make a difference if he slept with her. Unexpectedly, Jing Chuchu was still a virgin. This surprised him.

 Chapter 336 - Murder (6)

    Chapter 336: Murder (6)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    In his arms, Jing Chuchu pretended to struggle a few times but stopped doing so when Sun Cainan started taking off her dress.


    Downstairs, someone rode to the door of the restaurant and handed the horse to the shop assistant outside to tie it up. He walked in and walked up to the shopkeeper. He handed him a silver ingot and walked upstairs. When the shop assistant saw him, he called out, ¡°Young Master!¡±


    That person turned around. It was none other than Shen Yuan.


    ¡°What is it?¡± Shen Yuan asked.


    The shop assistant quickly shook his head and ran downstairs with a towel on his shoulder. The moment he passed by, Shen Yuan clearly heard the shop assistant say in a low voice, ¡°Everyone in the world knows that he¡¯s cuckolded. How pitiful.¡±


    Shen Yuan stopped in his tracks and looked across the restaurant. He saw that the customers sitting downstairs were all looking at him and muttering something. Shen Yuan¡¯s expression gradually darkened.


    This restaurant was a place he often came to where he exchanged messages with Fu Xiuyi¡¯s people. There were a total of nine princes in the capital, and their relationships were complicated. As the one who hid the most, Prince Ding¡¯s people had to be careful. Every time Shen Yuan came, he was very careful and would dress in different clothes. No one here knew him, but why was the atmosphere a little strange now?


    He shook his head and went up to the second floor, the place where he would meet Fu Xiuyi¡¯s people every time. However, when he arrived at the guest room, he saw someone familiar.


    Tao Yuan was shocked to see him. Shen Yuan¡¯s heart sank. Tao Yuan was Jing Chuchu¡¯s maid. Why was she here? Could it be¡­ He walked over and kicked the room open before Tao Yuan could react.


    In the spacious guest room, two people were one on the top of the other on the soft couch with clothes all over the ground. Tao Yuan screamed, ¡°Miss, Second Young Master is here!¡±


    The person on the bed suddenly sat up, revealing half of her snow-white body. It was Jing Chuchu. She looked at Shen Yuan at a loss and said, ¡°Second, Second Cousin!¡±


    Shen Yuan looked at the other person on the couch coldly. Sun Cainan slowly turned around and sat up. Being interrupted in the middle of sexual intercourse, he was very angry and said, ¡°Who are you?¡±


    ¡°Second Cousin!¡± Jing Chuchu suddenly came back to her senses and pointed at Sun Cainan. ¡°Second Cousin, he forced me.¡±


    ¡°B*tch!¡± Sun Cainan sneered and slapped Jing Chuchu¡¯s face. ¡°You were the one who invited me over and now you act like you are innocent!¡±


    ¡°Young Master Sun!¡± Tao Yuan rushed over angrily. ¡°How can you treat Miss like this? Why do you have to treat Miss like this? Do you have to make a cuckold of Second Young Master just because you want to go against him?¡±


    In the chaos, no one had time to think about whether what Tao Yuan said was right or wrong. Sun Cainan sneered. ¡°Second Young Master?¡± He sized up Shen Yuan from head to toe and smiled arrogantly. ¡°That¡¯s right. I made a cuckold of him. What are you going to do about it? Shen Yuan, you haven¡¯t tasted your fianc¨¦e, right? The taste of a virgin is not bad.¡±


    ¡°You, you¡¯re talking nonsense!¡± Tao Yuan was stunned. ¡°Miss Jing¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you know?¡± Sun Cainan looked at Shen Yuan disdainfully. ¡°No wonder you were played by a woman. But Second Young Master Shen, no matter how capable you are in the imperial court, I still slept with your woman. Moreover, you still have to marry her. What does it feel like?¡±


    The veins on Shen Yuan¡¯s forehead bulged. He finally took two steps forward and knocked Sun Cainan to the ground.


    ¡°You dare to hit me?¡± Sun Cainan was used to being the bully. Without a word, he got up and pounced on Shen Yuan. The two of them were not martial artists to begin with, so they could only use brute force to fight. Sun Cainan was taller and stronger than Shen Yuan. Shen Yuan was gradually at a disadvantage and was pinned down to the floor by Sun Cainan.


    ¡°You bastard!¡± Tao Yuan rushed over and helped Shen Yuan pull Sun Cainan away. Shen Yuan took advantage of the opportunity and finally freed his hand. Suddenly, he felt something cold was shoved into his hand. In a fit of anger, he pushed the cold thing into Su Cainan without thinking.


    There was a whoosh.


    The sound was especially long, and the surroundings seemed to have stopped until Tao Yuan¡¯s long and terrifying scream.


    Shen Yuan looked down. At this moment, he was holding the silver hilt in his hand while the blade was in Sun Cainan¡¯s stomach.


    Blood splattered everywhere.


    Slowly, Sun Cainan fell on his back.

 Chapter 337 - A Life for a Life (1)

    Chapter 337: A Life for a Life (1)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    At the stone table in the west courtyard of the Shen family, Shen Miao was playing chess with Shen Qiu.


    It was rare for Shen Qiu to not have to practice swordsmanship. Knowing that Shen Miao¡¯s chess skills had improved by leaps and bounds, Shen Qiu had been looking forward to playing with her. However, the outcome was not satisfactory.


    Shen Miao placed a black piece down. Across the chess board, the white piece was gradually besieged by the black piece. Shen Qiu looked at it for a long time in a daze and asked Shen Miao, ¡°Sister, isn¡¯t this the tactic I used in the first round?¡±


    He felt that the chess maneuvers were a little familiar. The more he looked at it, the more surprised he was. Shen Miao was using the tactic he used and was doing it much better than he did.


    ¡°I¡¯m just giving you a taste of your own medicine.¡± Shen Miao smiled. ¡°Brother, can¡¯t you think of a way to deal with your own creation?¡±


    Shen Qiu shook his head. ¡°This is the same tactic I used to deal with the enemies. I didn¡¯t intend to leave the enemies any chance of survival so naturally there is no way out.¡±


    Shen Miao looked at the chessboard and smiled.


    In her previous life, Shen Qiu killed Sun Cainan and went to prison. Now that she thought about it, Shen Yuan must have contributed a lot to the outcome. She wondered if Shen Yuan would find the same method familiar.


    Just as Shen Qiu scratched his head and was about to place his piece, he suddenly saw a second-class maid rushing over from the courtyard. The maid¡¯s face was filled with fear as she said in a panic, ¡°First Master, Fifth Miss. Second Master killed someone!¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Shen Qiu frowned. A chess piece fell to the ground.


    Shen Miao bent down and picked up the chess piece. She looked at the maid and asked gently, ¡°Who did he kill?¡±


    ¡­


    In the prison, Shen Yuan was locked up in the innermost room. His hands and clothes were dyed red with blood, and his face was a little bruised.


    This was the first time Shen Yuan had fallen into such a sorry state. When he was fighting with Jing Chuchu, for some reason, he was feeling very irritable, as if blood was rushing in his brain. When he came back to senses, Sun Cainan had already been stabbed to death by him. The restaurant was built of wood, so the scream immediately alarmed the customers who rushed up and witnessed the murder scene.


    Only at this moment did Shen Yuan gradually calm down and realize that he was being too impulsive today.


    Shen Yuan had been conceited all his life, and what he hated the most was people trampling on his dignity. The Shen family¡¯s banquet had already made him feel humiliated enough. Now that everyone in the capital knew that he was going to marry Jing Chuchu, Jing Chuchu was still cheating on him outside. When all the anger he¡¯d accumulated over the days exploded, he made the worse choice in this life.


    Jing Chuchu, on the other hand, had been taken somewhere, but since this matter was caused by her, she would not have an easy time either.


    However¡­ Shen Yuan was still a little puzzled. Why did the people of the restaurant know him and Jing Chuchu? Why did Jing Chuchu choose that room to meet Sun Cainan? He vaguely felt that something was wrong, but he quickly shook his head. That place was where he met Fu Xiuyi¡¯s people. Other than Fu Xiuyi¡¯s people, no one else knew about it.


    Shen Yuan thought to himself that Fu Xiuyi¡¯s people probably already knew about this and went back to report.


    At this moment, he had completely calmed down. The panic had disappeared, and the blood on his clothes and the dark cell did not make him feel scared.

 Chapter 338 - A Life for a Life (2)

    Chapter 338: A Life for a Life (2)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    At this moment, a guard walked over and stopped in front of his cell. Shen Yuan looked up and said in surprise, ¡°Dong Hao!¡±


    Dong Hao was the person who was supposed to meet him at the restaurant. At this moment, he had changed into a jailer¡¯s outfit. He must have sneaked in to talk to him.


    ¡°Listen to me. This is a misunderstanding.¡± Shen Yuan quickly said, ¡°Please tell Prince Ding to help me out this time. I will definitely repay him in the future.¡±


    Shen Yuan had never expected Shen Gui to come and save him. In order to protect his official career, Shen Gui would do anything. How could he risk his life for him? Now, the only person who could help him was Fu Xiuyi, but the royal family did not value friendship and loyalty. Instead, they valued people who were useful. Shen Yuan said, ¡°The evidence given to Prince Ding is still incomplete. Help me out. There is more evidence I can offer.¡±


    When Dong Hao heard this, his eyes darkened. What Shen Yuan said meant that he had been holding something back from Fu Xiuyi, afraid that if he lost his value, Fu Xiuyi would ditch him. He did not expect to end up in prison today, so he could only use this life-saving talisman in advance.


    Seeing that Dong Hao was silent, Shen Yuan was a little anxious. ¡°This is just a misunderstanding. It¡¯s not difficult to save me. I can pay for it myself. As long as His Highness delivers a word to the magistrate, this matter won¡¯t blow up.¡±


    A large part of the reason why Shen Yuan was so calm was because this matter did not look all that serious. It was even easier to solve than the incident that happened at Shen family¡¯s family banquet. Back then, too many madams were present who witnessed the scene of him in the same room with Jing Chuchu, so there was no way he could explain himself and shook off the responsibility. However, when he killed Sun Cainan, only Jing Chuchu and her maid saw it. As long as Jing Chuchu and her maid could testify, he could get away with it easily. As for the adulterer, as long as his family received a generous sum of compensation, they wouldn¡¯t kick up a big fuss. As long as the adulterer wasn¡¯t from a big family, this was actually an insignificant matter.


    Moreover, his identity seemed to have not been discovered yet. In the eyes of others, they only knew that he had killed someone, but they did not know who he was.


    Dong Hao shook his head and said, ¡°Shen Yuan, you¡¯re in big trouble this time.¡±


    Shen Yuan¡¯s smile suddenly froze, not understanding what Dong Hao meant.


    ¡°Do you know who you killed?¡±


    Shen Yuan had an ominous feeling. In the darkness, he saw Dong Hao speak slowly.


    ¡°He¡¯s the only son of the Minister of Official Personnel Affairs, Sun Cainan.¡±


    ¡­


    At this moment, there was a large group of people surrounding the entrance of the Shen Mansion. These people were all holding sticks and looking fierce. Even the guards of the Shen family at the door could not stop them. In the mansion, Shen Yue hid in Chen Ruoqiu¡¯s arms and trembled in fear. ¡°Mother, did Second Brother really kill someone?¡±


    As Chen Ruoqiu comforted her, she was also a little puzzled. The people outside claimed to be from the Minister of Official Personnel Affairs. They said that Shen Yuan had killed Sun Cainan, the only son of the Minister of Official Personnel Affairs, and they were clamoring to come in and tear down the mansion. But why would Shen Yuan kill Sun Cainan for no reason?


    Shen Gui and Shen Wan were stopping the people from coming in outside. If not for Shen Xin¡¯s army, those people would probably have really barged in.


    Concubine Wan locked the door and held Chen Dongling¡¯s hand nervously. ¡°If Second Young Master really killed someone, would those people do anything to us?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡± Shen Dongling said, ¡°They only want to deal with Second Brother. What does it have to do with us?¡± She sat behind the screen, the book she was holding was not open at all.

 Chapter 339 - A Life for a Life (3)

    Chapter 339: A Life for a Life (3)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    ¡°Miss!¡± Jingzhe skipped into the house and said, ¡°The people outside are making a big fuss. Even Old Madam is alarmed!¡±


    Without looking up, Shen Miao asked, ¡°Oh? How is Old Madam?¡±


    ¡°When she heard that Second Young Master killed someone, she immediately fainted.¡± Jingzhe gloated.


    ¡°Miss, will we be implicated?¡± Gu Yu was worried. After all, they all knew why Shen Yuan killed someone. It was all because of Shen Miao.


    ¡°We¡¯re fine. Besides, it¡¯s Shen Yuan who they come after. As long as Shen Yuan pays for what he did with his life, they will stop this fuss.¡±


    ¡°But will Second Young Master really pay with his life?¡± Gu Yu asked, ¡°Second Master won¡¯t let Second Young Master die so easily.¡±


    ¡°Second Uncle would definitely do his best to save Second Brother if he didn¡¯t have Shen Yuanbai.¡± Shen Miao said, ¡°But with Shen Yuanbai around, Second Uncle still has a successor. Losing a son to appease the anger of the Sun family is worth it in Second Uncle¡¯s eyes.¡±


    Among the three sons of the Shen family, Shen Gui cared the least about family. Shen Wan doted on Shen Yue a lot, but Shen Gui did not care about his children at all. To Shen Gui, his children were either his tools to help him climb up the official ladder or his successor. No wonder the children of the second branch did not have any feelings for him.


    Without Shen Yuanbai, Shen Yuan would be Shen Gui¡¯s only son. Shen Gui would definitely try his best. Moreover, the Sun family was not pushover. In her previous life, it was Shen Qiu who killed Sun Cainan. Sun Tianzheng sent Shen Qiu to prison, and Shen Xin spent all his resources to save Shen Qiu¡¯s life. Sun Tiansheng only had one son. How could he let go of someone who killed his son so easily?


    ¡°But will Second Young Master be the only one punished?¡± Jingzhe said indignantly, ¡°Are we going to let Miss Jing off just like that? She¡¯s still hiding in the mansion.¡± After the accident, Jing Chuchu actually sneaked back and hid in the Shen mansion with the Jing family.


    ¡°Of course not.¡± Shen Miao smiled. ¡°After all, she¡¯s the culprit.¡±


    Outside the mansion, Shen Wan said in a sorry state, ¡°Everyone, listen to me. The investigation is still ongoing. Please go back. We will definitely give you an explanation when we get to the bottom of it!¡±


    A woman spat on Shen Wan¡¯s face and said with her hands on her hips, ¡°One has to pay with one¡¯s life for murder! Our young master was killed by Shen Yuan, so he has to die! Otherwise, we won¡¯t leave.¡±


    Shen Gui was a little frightened and cursed Shen Yuan in his mind. At this moment, other than the servants of the Sun family, there were also some commoners who were watching the show. Someone shouted, ¡°Didn¡¯t they say that the murderer killed someone out of jealousy? What exactly does that beauty look like? How about letting us take a look at her? How beautiful can she be to drive someone to kill for her?¡±


    As soon as one person said that, the people around immediately echoed. The servants were eager to get Shen Yuan to pay with his life, so they forgot about Jing Chuchu. Now that they heard it, they remembered that since Sun Cainan and Shen Yuan fought because of Jing Chuchu, then Jing Chuchu was the real culprit!


    People of the Sun family immediately said, ¡°That¡¯s right! Hand over that b*tch! She seduced our young master. Shameless little whore! Hand her over!¡±

 Chapter 340 - A Life for a Life (4)

    Chapter 340: A Life for a Life (4)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    Not to mention the Sun family, even Shen Gui wanted to kill Jing Chuchu with his own hands. Ever since Jing Chuchu came to the Shen family, the second branch of the Shen family had been in trouble one after another. First, the family banquet ruined Shen Yuan¡¯s reputation, and now, Shen Yuan was involved in a murder case. Without hesitation, Shen Gui instructed the servants to bring Jing Chuchu out.


    Shen Gui gave Shen Wan a look. Shen Wan said, ¡°Everyone, don¡¯t be angry. We are reasonable people. Since this matter was caused by Chuchu, I will hand her over to you and let you deal with her!¡±


    Jing Chuchu screamed, but the people around her did not allow her to resist. The Sun family pulled Jing Chuchu, who was tied up like a pig, over and slapped her dozens of times. Jing Chuchu fainted on the spot.


    ¡°Don¡¯t go too far!¡± Jing Guansheng and the Jing couple also rushed out. When they saw this scene, they were shocked and furious. The Sun family sneered. ¡°No wonder you¡¯re from a small place like Suzhou. Not only are you short-sighted, but you¡¯re also so immoral. You¡¯re already engaged, but you still seduce men. This matter won¡¯t be over that easily. Don¡¯t ever think you can get away without being punished!¡±


    The Jing family was angry and afraid. They were angry that the Sun family was so arrogant, and they were afraid because they did not have anyone to back them up other than the Shen family. Now that they were in trouble, it was good enough that the Shen family did not kick them when they were down. How could they help?


    After arguing at the entrance for a while, seeing that the sky was getting dark, the people from the Sun family grabbed Jing Chuchu and left. Before they left, the woman in the lead sneered and said, ¡°Today is just the beginning. Just you wait. Master has already written a letter to the emperor. There¡¯s no way Shen Yuan can escape punishment.¡±


    Shen Gui watched as the Sun family swaggered away. Sun Tianzheng only had one son. With Sun Cainan dead, Sun Tianzheng would not let the Shen family off even if he had to fight to the death. From the looks of it, Shen Yuan¡¯s death might not be able to appease the anger of the Sun family.


    When Shen Qiu returned to the west courtyard, he wiped his sweat and complained to Shen Miao, ¡°The Sun family is a bunch of brutes. They almost smashed the door. Even my soldiers couldn¡¯t stop them.¡±


    ¡°They naturally have to vent the pain of losing a son,¡± Shen Miao said flatly.


    ¡°Father and Mother don¡¯t intend to interfere this time.¡± Shen Qiu muttered to himself, ¡°But Shen Yuan is never impulsive. Even if Jing Chuchu met Sun Cainan in private, why would he kill someone in a fit of anger?¡±


    ¡°Who knows?¡± Shen Miao said casually, ¡°Maybe Sun Cainan is destined to die. It doesn¡¯t matter who kills him.¡±


    ¡­


    In the Sun family¡¯s hall, all the concubines in the room were kneeling on the ground. In the middle of the hall, there was a corpse covered in white cloth. Even so, the white cloth was still stained with blood.


    Ever since Mrs. Sun found out that Sun Cainan was dead, she fainted. When she woke up, she almost broke down. Sun Tianzheng was already in his fifties. At this moment, his eyes were bloodshot, and his cheeks were trembling slightly.


    There was once a wandering Daoist who predicted that he would never have a son in his life. In his early years, Sun Tianzheng married countless concubines but none of them could give birth to a son. Finally, Mrs. Sun was pregnant with Sun Cainan. To Sun Tianzheng, this was simply a blessing. Therefore, he had pampered his son since he was young. Over the years, he made Sun Cainan a lecherous and playful person. However, Sun Tianzheng was in a high position and was afraid that his son¡¯s unrestrained behaviors would drag him down. He had long reminded Sun Cainan not to keep a high profile. If he wanted to play with women, he had to bring the women back to be his concubines. Sun Cainan didn¡¯t want to be an official and stayed at home most of the time, so not many people knew him.

 Chapter 341 - A Life for a Life (5)

    Chapter 341: A Life for a Life (5)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    Unexpectedly, Sun Cainan died at the hands of Shen Yuan. This time, the wandering Daoist¡¯s prophecy that Sun Tianzheng would be sonless was proven to be true.


    ¡°Shen Yuan¡­¡± Sun Tianzheng gritted his teeth and said,¡± I want him to pay with his life! ¡±


    ¡°Master.¡± One of Sun Tianzheng¡¯s beloved concubines wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes and said, ¡°I heard that the servants brought that woman back. After all, it¡¯s that woman who caused our young master to end up dead. How do you plan to¡­¡±


    ''This chapter is updated by N(o)V(e)lB(i)n.'',


    Sun Tianzheng sneered and said, ¡°Don¡¯t kill her yet. Leave her alive and give her to Madam.¡±


    The concubine shivered. These concubines had all experienced how cruel Madam Sun was. Now that Madam Sun was in pain of losing her son, she probably would use all the cruel tortures imaginable on Jing Chuchu.


    ¡°The Shen family is too powerful. We can only punish Shen Yuan. As for the Jing family, none of them can escape unscathed.¡± Sun Tianzheng crushed the cup in his hand. The cup cut his hand and blood dripped down. He was still angry and said hatefully, ¡°I want everyone in the Jing family to die with Shen Yuan!¡±


    Everyone in the capital was talking about Shen Yuan killing the only son of the Minister of Official Personnel Affairs. In Prince Ding¡¯s mansion, Dong Hao stood in the hall and bowed to the person in front of him.


    Fu Xiuyi rubbed the edge of the teacup with one hand and said thoughtfully, ¡°I was about to write a letter to the emperor when Shen Yuan got into trouble today.¡±


    ¡°The evidence Shen Yuan handed in to you is not complete. Your Highness, do you want to find a way to get more out of him?¡±


    ¡°No need.¡± Fu Xiuyi waved his hand. ¡°What Shen Yuan gave me is enough. I can¡¯t do anything about this case.¡±


    ¡°Your Highness, do you mean to give up on Shen Yuan?¡± Dong Hao asked.


    ''New novel chapters are published on Novel-Bin'',


    ¡°He might be redeemable if he killed someone else. Sun Tianzheng is Prince Zhou¡¯s subordinate. Prince Zhou will definitely interfere in this matter. If I interfere, I will only alert Prince Zhou. Shen Yuan got into too much trouble this time.¡± Fu Xiuyi shook his head.


    Dong Hao was silent for a moment before saying, ¡°But what if Shen Yuan is too desperate and threatens to expose you?¡±


    ¡°Shen Yuan is used to having a backup plan for himself. I naturally have thought about that.¡± Fu Xiuyi looked at the teacup in his hand. ¡°That¡¯s why not only can¡¯t we help Shen Yuan, but we also have to urge the Ministry of Justice to execute him quickly. Killing Shen Yuan in prison will inevitably arouse suspicion. Think of a way to feed him something.¡±


    Dong Hao quickly nodded and asked Fu Xiuyi, ¡°Your Highness, are you still going to submit the letter tomorrow?¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Fu Xiuyi rubbed his forehead. ¡°Let¡¯s wait and find a better time.¡± He suddenly opened his eyes. ¡°And, try to find out who Shen Yuan has been at odds with recently.¡±


    Dong Hao was shocked. ¡°Your Highness, do you mean that someone is behind this?¡±


    ¡°Shen Yuan has never been an impulsive person. This time, he strangely killed someone on impulse. Moreover, the one who was killed was Sun Tianzheng¡¯s only son. Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s too much of a coincidence? Moreover, why did Jing Chuchu choose that place to meet Shen Yuan?¡±


    ¡°Shen Yuan is not someone who will let others scheme against him.¡± Dong Hao said, ¡°If someone is really behind this, this person must be very familiar with Shen Yuan.¡±


    ¡°To be able to corner Shen Yuan into such a state,¡± Fu Xiuyi said, ¡°We can¡¯t let this person live. I didn¡¯t nurture Shen Yuan to be used by others against me.¡± At this point, a trace of gloom flashed across Fu Xiuyi¡¯s eyes. He was not as calm as he looked. He had carefully nurtured Shen Yuan for many years. Not only was Shen Yuan smart, but more importantly, Shen Yuan was a member of the Shen family. With Shen Yuan¡¯s background, he could help Fu Xiuyi save a lot of trouble. However, now, he had no choice but to give up the chess piece.

 Chapter 342 - A Life for a Life (6)

    Chapter 342: A Life for a Life (6)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    ¡°I will definitely investigate it carefully.¡± Dong Hao said, ¡°Fortunately, Shen Yuan handed in the evidence before the murder took place.¡±


    Fu Xiuyi said, ¡°But we still have to wait.¡±


    On the other side, upstairs in the Exiled Immortal Pawnshop, Ji Yushu clapped his hands and smiled from ear to ear. ¡°Wonderful. Every blow Miss Shen deals is lethal. Shen Xin was supposed to be in trouble tomorrow, but today, Shen Yuan got into trouble.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just a coincidence.¡± Gao Yang rolled his eyes at him. ¡°Shen Miao probably doesn¡¯t know about this yet.¡±


    ¡°Whether she knows it or not, it doesn¡¯t matter. I won the bet.¡± Ji Yushu said smugly, ¡°Send the banknotes to the pawnshop later and give it to Hong Ling.¡±


    Gao Yang was silent for a moment before saying, ¡°Shen Yuan might never have thought that he would one day fall into this trap.¡±


    ''???s ??????? ?s ?????? ?? N ovelBi(n)'',


    People would only treat this matter as a joke when they talked about it. Shen Yuan was originally talented and had a bright future. He had just returned to the capital. With how much Fu Xiuyi valued him, he would eventually become an influential figure.


    ¡°Sun Tianzheng will submit a letter tomorrow. Gao Yang, do you think Shen Yuan will lose his life this time?¡± Ji Yushu asked.


    ¡°What do you think of Shen Miao?¡± Gao Yang asked an irrelevant question.


    ¡°What does this have to do with Miss Shen?¡± Ji Yushu was puzzled.


    ¡°No one has ever succeeded in escaping the trap Shen Miao set up. I doubt if she set up this trap just to catch Shen Yuan. She might have a bigger fish to fry.¡±


    ¡°Do you think she still has a bigger plan?¡± Ji Yushu asked, ¡°Shen Yuan will lose his life. What else does she want?¡±


    ¡°I think Shen Yuan is just one of the fish.¡± Gao Yang shook his head, and his expression could not help but become serious.


    Ji Yushu was silent for a moment before asking seriously, ¡°What kind of deep hatred does Miss Shen have with the rest of the Shen family? There must be a reason. Did the Shen family do something unforgivable to her?¡±


    For a little girl to use such a cruel method to achieve her goal, there must be something else going on. However, even All Knowing Scholar could not find out.


    Gao Yang shook his head. ¡°I don¡¯t know either, but she¡¯s too ostentatious. This time, she sent Shen Yuan to prison. Shen Yuan is Prince Ding¡¯s subordinate. Prince Ding will definitely notice her. The people we sent previously also said that Prince Ding¡¯s subordinates already got down to investigate this matter.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not good for Miss Shen to go against Prince Ding.¡± Ji Yushu was worried. ¡°Prince Ding is scheming and cold-blooded. Once he finds out that it was Miss Shen who did it, I wonder what he will do to her.¡±


    ''??? ????? ???????s ??? ?????s??? ?? NovelB(i)n. ???'',


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡± Gao Yang said, ¡°I think Shen Miao is very familiar with Prince Ding. Perhaps she has considered the consequences of being found out by Prince Ding. Instead of worrying about her, it¡¯s better to worry about yourself.¡± Gao Yang looked at Ji Yushu. ¡°Have you found the person Xie wants you to find?¡±


    ¡°Ahem.¡± Ji Yushu rubbed his nose. ¡°I¡¯ll send someone to do it immediately.¡±


    ¡­


    ¡°I didn¡¯t expect the Shen family to be in such a mess. What will happen after this?¡±


    ¡°One died and the other was injured because of a girl. Isn¡¯t this something that only happens in dramas?¡±


    ¡°In my opinion, that girl is just ordinary-looking. I wonder why the two young masters are fighting over her. It¡¯s better if the two young masters can be together.¡±


    ¡°Huo Long, have you been reading some strange novels recently?¡±


    The woman in black brushed her long hair and said charmingly, ¡°Am I wrong? Only girls as beautiful as me are worth fighting over.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you have anything else to do?¡± A voice sounded suddenly. The group of men in black who were squatting on the ground and playing immediately fell silent. All of them stood up as if they were facing a great enemy and looked at the person in front of them.


    The young man in purple was handsome, but in the night, he looked even more cold and unapproachable. He glanced at everyone. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you continuing?¡±


    Everyone lowered their heads and did not speak.


    Xie Jingxing turned around and left. After leaving the group of people behind, he stopped and muttered to himself. ¡°Little girl, you¡¯re quite capable.¡±


    He lowered his eyes and looked at the starless night sky. He said in a low voice, ¡°But I¡¯m running out of time.¡±

 Chapter 343 - Separation (1)

    Chapter 343: Separation (1)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    Regarding the case of Shen Yuan accidentally killing Sun Cainan, the trial was unprecedentedly swift and decisive. First, Sun Tianzheng wrote a letter to the imperial court asking Shen Yuan to pay with his life. If the emperor objected, he would retire from his position and go back to his hometown. He actually threatened Emperor Wen Hui.


    Compared to Shen Gui, the Minister of Official Personnel Affairs was obviously more important. Sun Tianzheng had been in his position for many years. If he was replaced all of a sudden, it would probably cause a lot of unnecessary trouble. Emperor Wen Hui naturally had to comfort Sun Tianzheng.


    ''?????? ???? No(ve) l Bi n'',


    What was surprising was Shen Gui¡¯s attitude. Shen Gui knelt in front of Emperor Wen Hui and wailed with snot and tears, saying that he had not taught his son well and was willing to put righteousness before family and make Shen Yuan pay with his life.


    It was said that these words shocked the civil and military officials in the imperial court at the time.


    Although these words sounded impartial and fair, it was too inhumane to not try to save his son but instead suggested his son should pay with his life. This made his colleagues, who were usually on good terms with him, wanted to distance themselves from him.


    The ministers all stood on Sun Tianzheng¡¯s side. When Emperor Wen Hui asked the princes for their opinions, the nine princes all stood on Sun Tianzheng¡¯s side.


    Three days later, Shen Yuan was given the death sentence. This was probably the most uncontroversial death sentence since the founding of Ming Qi. No one attempted to overturn the case or resist, and Shen Yuan was directly convicted. Of course, this was partly because of the Sun family¡¯s urging and partly because of the Shen family¡¯s inaction.


    In the dark prison cell, Shen Yuan sat in the innermost corner. His hair was already disheveled, and his body had not been washed for a few days. He already emitted a sour smell. In his usual calm eyes, there was a trace of panic and even despair.


    Last night, someone sneaked into the cell and fed him mute drug. He could not say anything now. Shen Yuan knew very well who would do this and who had the ability to do so.


    '''',


    Fu Xiuyi was not going to save him. At first, he still had some hope, but after thinking about it carefully, he understood that Fu Xiuyi would never take the risk. His existence had already become a threat to Fu Xiuyi¡¯s, so Fu Xiuyi naturally had to get rid of him mercilessly.


    It was not that Fu Xiuyi did not want to kill him straight away, but he was cautious by nature. He was probably afraid that it would arouse suspicion if Shen Yuan died in the cell.


    A bitter smile slowly appeared on Shen Yuan¡¯s face. The winner was the king, and the loser was the bandit. He knew what kind of person Fu Xiuyi was from the beginning. When he worked for Fu Xiuyi, he should have expected this outcome, but he did not expect it to come so quickly.


    There seemed to be someone¡¯s footsteps approaching in the darkness. Unlike the guards¡¯ hurried footsteps, the footsteps were slow and light. He looked up and saw a figure in a purple dress in front of him under the dim light.


    Looking up further, he saw a girl smile at him. She said, ¡°Second Brother.¡±


    Shen Yuan felt suffocated.¡¯


    The moment he saw Shen Miao¡¯s face, intense hatred and indignation surged from his heart, making Shen Yuan want to kill Shen Miao now.


    Even if he did not understand how things ended up like this, Shen Yuan knew very well that Shen Miao was involved.

 Chapter 344 - Separation (2)

    Chapter 344: Separation (2)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    Shen Miao slowly squatted down to keep her eyes level with his. She smiled and said, ¡°Second Brother must be having a hard time in this damp cell these days. Second Aunt is crazy, and Second Uncle refuses to come and see you. Speaking of which, Old Madam dotes on you the most. However, Old Madam ordered yesterday that no one is allowed to mention your name within the confines of the mansion. It seems like she has given up on you. After thinking about it, I decided to come to see you for the last time. We are a family after all.¡±


    Shen Yuan gritted his teeth and looked at Shen Miao. Words could kill and destroy a person¡¯s hope. What Shen Miao did now was to dismantle his hope to live. When he was in prison, no one even came to visit him. It was heartbreaking for Shen Yuan. Although Old Madam used to treat him well, it was only because he was talented and smart. Now that he was a prisoner, Old Madam Shen would definitely quickly draw a line between them to avoid getting into trouble.


    ''Follow current novels on No v elBin.'',


    ¡°Now that I think about it, Second Brother and Eldest Sister are really siblings. Both of you have been to prison. However, when Eldest Sister was in prison, Second Aunt tried all she could to save her. But no one does that for you.¡±


    Shen Yuan did not speak.


    ¡°Second Brother, why aren¡¯t you talking?¡± Shen Miao tilted her head and looked at him. ¡°Don¡¯t you want to talk to me? Or¡­¡± She suddenly smiled.¡± Have you been drugged with mute medicine?¡±


    Shen Yuan was stunned. Shen Miao actually knew that he had been drugged. Before he could figure out why she knew, Shen Miao¡¯s following words shocked him even more.


    ¡°It seems like Fu Xiuyi still likes to use the old methods. Nothing changed,¡± Shen Miao said expressionlessly.


    Shen Yuan¡¯s eyes widened when he heard Fu Xiuyi¡¯s name from Shen Miao. How did Shen Miao know that he was working for Fu Xiuyi? Moreover, from her tone, she seemed to know Fu Xiuyi very well. Shen Yuan was shocked beyond words. No matter how brilliant Shen Miao had become, Shen Yuan did not think too highly of her, because there was only so much a young girl was capable of doing. However, when Shen Miao brought up Fu Xiuyi¡¯s name, Shen Yuan changed his opinion of her completely.


    ¡°Second Brother, you don¡¯t have to be so surprised.¡± Shen Miao glanced at him and said, ¡°Not only do I know Fu Xiuyi, but I also know his plan. If you want to tell Fu Xiuyi about me knowing everything to make him save you, I¡¯m afraid it¡¯s already too late. Prince Ding is a cautious person by nature. To avoid arousing suspicion, he won¡¯t have any contact with you until you die. From the moment you became useless, he won¡¯t have anything to do with you, and he won¡¯t let you get in his way.¡±


    ''???? ????s? ???????s ?? No(v) e lBin ????.'',


    Shen Yuan¡¯s heart began to beat wildly. Shen Miao was right. Fu Xiuyi was that kind of person. Therefore, after yesterday, he waited for his death in despair. He had thought about exposing Fu Xiuyi, but after a second thought, he knew that would only bring him an even more miserable death.


    He stretched out his fingers and wrote a few words on the dusty ground with the muddy water in the bowl.


    What do you want?


    Shen Miao laughed out loud. When she laughed, her eyes and the corners of her mouth were curved. She still looked like that foolish Shen Miao a year ago who didn¡¯t know anything, but the smile on her face made people feel a chill run down their spines.


    Shen Miao finally stopped laughing and looked at Shen Yuan. ¡°Second Brother, don¡¯t you know what I want?¡±


    You want to deal with the second branch? Shen Yuan wrote on the ground.


    ¡°Not just the second branch,¡± Shen Miao suddenly lowered her voice. A trace of ruthlessness suddenly flashed across her eyes. She said, ¡°But also the third branch, Old Madam, and¡­ Prince Ding.¡±

 Chapter 345 - Separation (3)

    Chapter 345: Separation (3)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    Shen Yuan stared at her intently.


    ¡°You want to ask me why, right?¡± Shen Miao said, ¡°I¡¯m just giving you all a taste of your own medicine. Just like this time, don¡¯t you find the trick I used familiar? Second Brother, that¡¯s because it was your trick.¡±


    Shen Yuan looked at Shen Miao in confusion. He did not understand what Shen Miao was saying. He only felt that there was madness in Shen Miao¡¯s eyes. It made sense if she hated the second and third branches. Anyway, everyone knew that the Shen branches were just pretending to be harmonious on the surface, but where did her hatred for Prince Ding come from? Was it just because she liked Prince Ding back then but her love wasn¡¯t reciprocated?


    ¡°Second Brother.¡± Shen Miao smiled strangely. ¡°You should thank me. On your way to hell, there will be many people to keep you company. Don¡¯t worry, you will remain the eldest son of the second branch of the Shen family forever.¡±


    ''?????? ???? No(ve) l Bi n'',


    Shen Yuan glared at Shen Miao.


    Shen Miao stood up, and her voice rose gently in the darkness, hitting Shen Yuan like a thunderbolt.


    ¡°The second branch will cease to exist.¡±


    ¡­


    After leaving the prison, Shen Miao gave the prison guard what she promised. Jingzhe and Gu Yu helped Shen Miao into the carriage. Gu Yu asked, ¡°Miss, is Second Young Master really going to be executed in three days?¡±


    Shen Miao nodded.


    ¡°It really feels unreal,¡± Gu Yu muttered. ¡°A few days ago, Second Young Master was still high and mighty, but now he¡¯s going to die.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s his fate,¡± Shen Miao said coldly.


    Sensing that Shen Miao was probably not in a good mood, Jingzhe and Gu Yu stuck out their tongues and stopped talking. When they returned to the Shen mansion and entered the house, they saw that there were many people gathered in the main hall.


    '''',


    Mrs. Jing rolled on the ground and made a scene. ¡°Give my Chuchu back to me! Give my Chuchu back to me!¡±


    Old Madam Shen was so angry that her face was ashen. She called out to the servants at the side, ¡°Get these people out!¡±


    ¡°Old Madam.¡± Jing Guansheng changed his gentle appearance and said fiercely, ¡°Chuchu was taken away from the Shen mansion and her life is at risk. No matter what, you have to be responsible for it.¡±


    Old Madam Shen cursed angrily, ¡°How dare you talk to me like that? That little b*tch ruined my family. If not for her, the Shen family wouldn¡¯t have been in such a mess.¡±


    ¡°Old Madam, be careful with your words.¡± Jing Guansheng said, ¡°Someone must be behind this. My sister¡¯s personal maid has gone missing. Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s strange? Someone must have bribed her!¡±


    Chen Ruoqiu looked at the scene with a headache. Shen Yue looked at the Jing family in disgust, while Luo Xueyan looked indifferent. Concubine Wan held Shen Dongling¡¯s hand and stood quietly at the side. She had no right to interrupt.


    ¡°Cousin, don¡¯t you think what you said is funny? Do you think by making a scapegoat out of the maid, Jing Chuchu can get away with cheating on Shen Yuan?¡± Shen Miao¡¯s voice sounded. ¡°No one will believe a maid can force her to cheat.¡±


    Everyone turned to look at the door as Shen Miao walked in. Old Madam Shen had never liked Shen Miao as much as she did today. As long as Shen Miao could make these troublemakers of the Jing family stop for a moment, Old Madam Shen would be satisfied.


    Luo Xueyan happily pulled Shen Miao to her side. ¡°Jiaojiao, did you just come back? Are you tired?¡±

 Chapter 348 - Die Without Descendants (1)

    Chapter 348: Die Without Descendants (1)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    Three days later, the case of Shen Yuan accidentally killing Sun Cainan came to an end. Shen Yuan would be executed at the Meridian Gate.


    Countless commoners rushed to spread the news, all wanting to see how this young man with a bright future would end up like this. Some people felt sorry for Shen Yuan, and some people scolded Jing Chuchu for being a femme fatale. All of a sudden, the capital became lively.


    ''The latest_epi_sodes are on_the Nov elB i n website.'',


    Shen Yuan had probably never thought that such a day would befall him. He was proud and arrogant and wanted to climb up the ladder. He wanted everyone to see his achievements, but now, he was being pointed at by the ¡°peasants¡±. He probably felt extremely humiliated.


    More and more people threw vegetables, rotten food, and eggs at Shen Yuan. Needless to say, they were from the Sun family. Shen Yuan knelt on the execution platform with the executioner beside him. At this time, if his family was here, they would be allowed to come up and feed him the last meal. However, no one from the Shen family came today.


    Shen Xin was already on bad terms with the rest of the Shen family. Why would he come? Shen Gui was a coward. Ren Wanyun had gone mad. Old Madam Shen had been suffering from leg pain, but even if her legs were fine, she wouldn¡¯t be bothered to come. The third branch, who were fence-sitters, did not show up today either.


    Shen Yuan looked up at the sun that was shining brightly above the capital. It was still winter, but the sun was already as dazzling as it was in summer. When it reached noon, the executioner spat out a mouthful of wine over the broadsword, raised it, and slashed down!


    The crowd burst into exclamations. The women covered their eyes in fear. The head rolled down the stage and into the crowd. It rolled for a moment before blood spilled. On the ground, Shen Yuan¡¯s eyes were wide open, as if he was still a little confused, as if this head that had already been separated from his body would say something in the next moment.


    After witnessing this scene, someone quietly turned around, disappearing into the crowd.


    At this moment, the Shen family was in dead silence.


    '''',


    Shen Yuan¡¯s death dealt a huge blow to the Shen family. The Shen family didn¡¯t have many offspring, and among them, Shen Yuan was considered the most outstanding. Such a talented young man who might take over the Shen family in the future died so aggrievedly under the executioner¡¯s sword. It would be a lie to say the Shen family wasn¡¯t sad.


    Shen Wan was sitting in the room when a servant ran in and said, ¡°The execution is over, and the corpse has been sent back.¡±


    The Sun family was kind enough to return Shen Yuan¡¯s corpse to the Shen family in the end. However, everyone knew that the feud between the Shen family and the Sun family wouldn¡¯t stop just like that.


    ¡°There¡¯s no need to hold a funeral. Bury him as soon as possible.¡± Shen Wan sighed, looking deep in thought.


    ¡°Master, are you still worried about this?¡± Chen Ruoqiu walked over and said gently, ¡°There¡¯s nothing we can do to save Yuan. After all, the Sun family is not an ordinary family.¡±


    ¡°I just feel¡­¡± Shen Wan shook his head.¡± Something is wrong. Didn¡¯t you notice?¡± Shen Wan said, ¡°Recently, the Shen family seems to have run into some bad luck.¡±


    ¡°Could there be something unclean?¡± Chen Ruoqiu was shocked.


    Shen Wan frowned. ¡°What nonsense are you talking about?¡±

 Chapter 349 - Die Without Descendants (2)

    Chapter 349: Die Without Descendants (2)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    ''Follow current novels ON N (ovelB in.)'',


    Chen Ruoqiu quickly said, ¡°I was just spouting nonsense. Master, don¡¯t take it to heart.¡± She was a little annoyed. Shen Wan hated supernatural things the most. What she blurted out just now might have displeased Shen Wan. ¡°Speaking of which, it seems like the second branch has always been the one in trouble. Qing, Second Sister-in-law, and now Yuan¡­¡± The more Chen Ruoqiu spoke, the more ill at ease she became. Although she used to be jealous of Ren Wanyun for having more power, after Ren Wanyun went crazy, no one was in the same team with her. Luo Xueyan? Shen Xin and Shen Wan did not come from the same mother. How could they treat each other sincerely?


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Shen Wan said, ¡°I wonder who Second Brother has offended. It seems like the plans are all well-thought-out.¡±


    ¡°Second Brother will inevitably offend some people in the bureaucracy.¡± Chen Ruoqiu said, ¡°But why did so many bad things happen this year? It seems like it has been happening one after another after Fifth Sister fell into the water¡­¡±


    ¡°Are you saying it was Fifth Miss who did it?¡± Shen Wan was amused. ¡°If Fifth Miss had that kind of ability, she wouldn¡¯t be called an idiot.¡± He patted Chen Ruoqiu¡¯s hand comfortingly. ¡°I know you¡¯ve been exhausted with handling family matters these days. Don¡¯t think too much. Fifth Miss isn¡¯t that capable. It¡¯s more believable to say that Eldest Brother and Sister-in-law taught her to do it but Eldest Brother and Sister-in-law will never stab people in the back. They like to confront people face to face.¡± Shen Wan said, ¡°I¡¯ll pay attention to this matter. Don¡¯t think too much. It¡¯s better to think about Yue¡¯s marriage. It¡¯s about time for her to get engaged.¡±


    At the mention of Shen Yue¡¯s marriage, Chen Ruoqiu suppressed her doubts about Shen Miao. Shen Wan cared about his children more than Shen Gui. All these years, he had never disliked Shen Yue simply because she was a girl and really doted on her. Chen Ruoqiu smiled and said, ¡°I¡¯ll listen to you.¡±


    '',


    In the west courtyard, Shen Miao was putting on her clothes. As Jingzhe tidied her hair, she said, ¡°Second Young Master¡¯s coffin has been brought back. I heard that he will be buried soon. There won¡¯t even be a funeral.¡±


    Other than the first branch, everyone in the Shen family liked grandiose occasions. For example, Old Madam Shen had to hold a big banquet for her birthday every single year. However, as the eldest son of the second branch, Shen Yuan did not even receive a proper funeral after his death. This was most likely because they knew that not many people in the imperial court were willing to offend Sun Tianzheng for Shen Gui. Even if a funeral was really held, not many people would come to pay their respects.


    ¡°Second Master hasn¡¯t come back for a few days.¡± Gu Yu added, ¡°Even if he comes back, he¡¯ll only go to Concubine Wan¡¯s courtyard. He doesn¡¯t even want to see his son¡¯s corpse. How cruel!¡±


    Shen Miao smiled. ¡°During the day, he¡¯s busy winning over the officials who have distanced themselves from him. As for at night, if he doesn¡¯t go to sleep with Concubine Wan, should he sleep with Second Aunt then?¡±


    ¡°Anything from the people we sent to spy on the Sun family?¡± Shen Miao asked.


    ¡°The Sun family hid it too well. Even the servants don¡¯t know much about it.¡± Jingzhe quickly said, ¡°The only thing we know is that Miss Jing is not having a good time. It was said that on the first day, on the first day¡­¡± She couldn¡¯t bring herself to continue.

 Chapter 350 - Die Without Descendants (3)

    Chapter 350: Die Without Descendants (3)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    ¡°What happened on the first day?¡± Shen Miao turned around and looked at Jingzhe.


    Jingzhe stammered, ¡°I heard that on the first day, Miss Jing was drugged and thrown into the stable to let the horses¡­ At that time, Master Sun and all the servants were watching.¡±


    Gu Yu almost choked on her saliva. ¡°Human and horses?¡±


    '''',


    Jingzhe¡¯s face turned red. Gu Yu was still asking, ¡°The Sun family is simply a bunch of perverts.¡± How painful was it for Jing Chuchu to have sex with horses? It was not just physical pain but also humiliation.


    Seeing that Gu Yu was still asking her questions, Jingzhe was a little angry. She thought that it was better not to say these dirty things in front of Shen Miao. Unexpectedly, when she turned around, she saw that Shen Miao¡¯s expression was calm. She didn¡¯t look shy or surprised at all. Instead, she said something that shocked people. She said, ¡°Lord Sun is too kind. Actually, he can use cows.¡±


    ¡°Miss¡­¡± Jingzhe opened her mouth wide.


    Shen Miao glanced at her. ¡°What¡¯s there to be surprised about?¡± In the harem, this method was often used to punish disobedient women. Shen Miao didn¡¯t use it. She preferred to kill them right away to avoid unnecessary trouble. However, she had once seen Consort Mei punish a palace maid who was eating with a eunuch with this method. She got someone to feed her drug and threw her into the cowshed.


    Therefore, she was not surprised by Sun Tianzheng¡¯s method. However, she did not know how shocking her calmness was in the eyes of Jingzhe and Gu Yu.


    After a while, Jingzhe managed to come back to her senses and said, ¡°Miss, where are you going now?¡±


    ¡°To Rosy Cloud Garden.¡±


    ¡°Miss, why are you going there?¡± Gu Yu was surprised. ¡°Second Master is not around now. Are you going to look for Concubine Wan?¡±


    ''???s ??????? ?s ?????? ?? N ovelBi(n)'',


    Shen Miao shook her head. ¡°I¡¯m going to see Second Aunt.¡±


    ¡°Second Madam has gone mad¡­¡± Gu Yu reminded her.


    ¡°Not necessarily.¡±


    The Rosy Cloud Garden had already been turned upside down.


    In just a few months, the entire Shen family, or to be precise, the second branch of the Shen family, Rosy Cloud Garden, had undergone a drastic change.


    The Second Madam, who used to be the proudest, was now a lunatic. The smart Eldest Miss had become a slut who committed suicide in prison after having an affair with Prince Yu. Even the second young master, who was an outstanding young official, became a prisoner and was executed. Life was like a show, and this show in Rosy Cloud Garden was too tragic.


    The only good news was that Ren Wanyun still had a son, Shen Yuanbai. However, Shen Yuanbai was raised by Old Madam Shen. If Ren Wanyun did not go crazy, she might still be able to use Shen Yuanbai to stabilize her position as the first wife. However, this was only temporary. Who knew¡­ if Shen Gui would continue to take in concubines in the future? After all, Shen Gui was lecherous. It was not impossible for his future concubines to give birth to a son for him.


    Compared to Ren Wanyun, Concubine Wan, who had been neglected for many years, seemed to have turned the tables around. She had been a lowly existence for so many years, and even her daughter had to live on tenterhooks all year round. She did not expect that this time, she would be able to make a comeback. Although Shen Gui was indifferent to family, he treated women well. As long as Concubine Wan could win Shen Gui¡¯s heart, Shen Dongling¡¯s status would also rise.


    ¡°Dongling, in a few days, I¡¯ll get your father to change a courtyard for you,¡± Concubine Wan said to Shen Dongling with a smile as she did her needlework. Probably because Shen Yuan was already dead and Shen Yuanbai was still young, Concubine Wan didn¡¯t feel threatened by Ren Wanyun at all. During this period of time, she had been in a joyful mood.

 Chapter 351 - Die Without Descendants (4)

    Chapter 351: Die Without Descendants (4)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    ¡°What courtyard?¡± Shen Dongling, who was reading behind the screen, looked up.


    ¡°You¡¯ve always stayed in this crowded courtyard with me. Other ladies who are your age all have their own courtyard. You should move out. This place is too crowded after all.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re the daughters of the first wife, and I¡¯m the daughter of a concubine,¡± Shen Dongling said calmly.


    '''',


    Hearing this, Concubine Wan¡¯s heart ached. The fact that she couldn¡¯t change Shen Dongling¡¯s background had always unsettled her. She didn¡¯t think Shen Dongling was inferior to Shen Qing and Shen Yue in any way, but in the past ten years, she had to ask Shen Dongling to keep a low profile and be as invisible as possible. Now that the situation was different, she wouldn¡¯t ask Shen Dongling to make compromises again.


    Concubine Wan said, ¡°Eldest Miss¡¯s courtyard is unoccupied now. You don¡¯t have to sleep in her room. That courtyard is facing the south and the scenery is beautiful. It¡¯s a pity to leave it empty. Now that your father treats us well, I think he will agree to this request.¡±


    ¡°No need.¡± Shen Dongling rejected her suggestion. ¡°Now is not the time to lift our heads. We¡¯ve already endured it for more than ten years. It won¡¯t hurt to endure it a big longer. Although Father is good to us now, I understand what kind of person he is. Let¡¯s talk about this when things are more stable.¡±


    Concubine Wan wanted to persuade her further, but she suddenly saw her personal maid, Lu Hua, run in and say hurriedly, ¡°Concubine Wan, Fifth Miss is here!¡±


    ¡°Fifth Miss?¡± Concubine Wan stood up immediately. ¡°Why is she looking for me?¡±


    Shen Dongling also looked at Lu Hua.


    Lu Hua shook her head and said, ¡°She¡¯s not here to look for you. I saw her go to the room where Second Madam is recuperating.¡±


    ¡°Fifth Miss is going to see Second Madam!¡± Concubine Wan¡¯s voice suddenly rose. ¡°Why is Fifth Miss going to see Second Madam? Second Madam has already gone mad!¡±


    ''


    ¡°I wanted to eavesdrop, but Fifth Miss brought a few maids to guard the door, so I couldn¡¯t get close.¡± Lu Hua asked, ¡°Concubine Wan, what should we do now?¡±


    Concubine Wan walked around the room, deep in thought, and muttered to herself, ¡°What¡¯s going on? Is Fifth Miss seeing Second Madam out of concern for her health? But Second Madam and Fifth Miss have been at odds before. How can Fifth Miss be so kind?¡± She looked at Shen Dongling. ¡°Dongling, what do you think?¡±


    Shen Dongling lowered her eyes and thought for a while before saying, ¡°Since we can¡¯t eavesdrop, then don¡¯t. Fifth Sister is smart. If she doesn¡¯t want anyone to eavesdrop, then no one can.¡±


    ¡°Are we just going to sit back and wait?¡± Concubine Wan was a little indignant. ¡°What if she and Second Madam are plotting something together?¡±


    ¡°Second Madam and Fifth Sister are not people who will let go of their grudges with a smile.¡± Shen Dongling said indifferently, ¡°Besides, we¡¯ve never been enemies with Fifth Sister. Even if Fifth Sister wants to scheme against someone, she won¡¯t scheme against us.¡± She looked at Concubine Wan. ¡°We¡¯ll just wait and watch the show.¡±


    Outside Rosy Cloud Garden, Gu Yu, Bai Lu, and Shuang Jiang were guarding a few steps away from the house. Jingzhe followed Shen Miao into the house. The servants in the courtyard were all doing their own things obediently. Ren Wanyun had already gone crazy, so the servants naturally did not have to fawn on her anymore. Moreover, the servants had never liked Ren Wanyun. Compared to Ren Wanyun, they were more willing to please the gentle Concubine Wan.


    Therefore, when Shen Miao, who was backed up by Shen Xin, came, the servants did not stop her.


    However, not everyone was like this. Ren Wanyun had her own trusted aides for many years, her personal maids, Xianglan and Caiju. At this moment, in the room, Xianglan and Caiju were staring at Shen Miao warily.

 Chapter 352 - Die Without Descendants (4)

    Chapter 352: Die Without Descendants (4)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    Facing their fierce gazes, Shen Miao didn¡¯t know what to do. Since the two of them refused to go out, it didn¡¯t matter if they heard it.


    On the bed, the woman sat in the corner with a blanket wrapped around her. Her eyes were unfocused, and her hair was messy. Her clothes were even dripping with saliva. Her lips were moving slightly. She stared at the ceiling, muttering something incomprehensible.


    ''?? ??? ???? ?? ???? ???? ???????s, ????s? ??s?? Novel(B) in.??? ?? ?x???????? ??s??? ?????? s????.'',


    ¡°Fifth Miss, as you can see, our Madam is not fully recovered yet. If you disturb her like this, it will only make her condition worse,¡± Xianglan said.


    ¡°I¡¯m here to tell Second Aunt something today.¡± Shen Miao smiled. ¡°I think Second Aunt already knows. Second Brother was executed at noon today. His corpse is lying in the coffin and will be buried soon.¡±


    ¡°Fifth Miss, Madam is already sick! She can¡¯t take the shock!¡± Caiju shouted angrily. However, although Xianglan and Caiju had serious expressions, they really did not have the guts to be rude to Shen Miao and force her out. Now, they all knew that Shen Miao was not an easy person to deal with. A large part of the reason why the second branch was in such a state was because of Shen Miao. Shen Miao was the enemy of the second branch, but now, not only was Shen Miao scheming, but she also had Shen Xin behind her. No one in the second branch dared to go against her.


    Shen Miao ignored the two maids and looked at Ren Wanyun with a smile. ¡°I think Second Aunt knows that when Second Brother was executed today, no one went to visit him. Second Uncle, Third Uncle, Third Aunt, Old Madam, none of them went.¡± She looked at Ren Wanyun and said, ¡°I think if Second Aunt was not sick, you would definitely go and see Second Brother for the last time. Now, it will never be possible. How pitiful.¡±


    ¡°Fifth Miss!¡± Xianglan couldn¡¯t help but shout again.


    ¡°What are you shouting for?¡± Shen Miao smiled. ¡°Second Aunt is sick and can¡¯t understand a word I said. Are you afraid that I¡¯ll agitate her?¡±


    ¡°Of course not,¡± Xianglan quickly denied.


    '',


    ¡°Then you¡¯d better shut up.¡± Shen Miao raised an eyebrow. ¡°Otherwise, I have a way to make you shut up.¡±


    Xianglan and Caiju were shocked. The certainty in Shen Miao¡¯s words actually made them shiver.


    ¡°I think Second Brother was very sad that he didn¡¯t get to see you for the last time too.¡±


    Ren Wanyun was still staring at the ceiling with a dazed expression, but her fingers were clenched slightly.


    ¡°A few days ago, Concubine Wan even came to look for me.¡± Shen Miao smiled and said, ¡°I think she¡¯s in a hurry to build a good relationship with me. If I put in a good word for her in front of Old Madam, I think Second Uncle will probably make her his wife in the foreseeable future.¡±


    As soon as she said that, Xianglan and Caiju¡¯s faces turned pale. Everyone knew that Concubine Wan had regained her favor in the second branch. In the past, Ren Wanyun was strict with Concubine Wan, forcing her to stay in her courtyard and not show herself in any occasions. When Concubine Wan became the legitimate wife, wouldn¡¯t she take revenge? Ren Wanyun already lost favor with Shen Gui and was disliked by Old Madam Shen. How miserable would her life be in the future?


    ¡°Of course I don¡¯t want that to happen.¡± Shen Miao tilted her head and thought for a moment. ¡°Second Aunt is the first wife of the second branch, so I¡¯ll naturally stand on your side. However, Concubine Wan isn¡¯t going to give up that easily. Besides, now that Seventh Brother is still taken care of by Old Madam, when Seventh Brother is older and Concubine Wan becomes the legitimate wife, won¡¯t Seventh Brother be handed to Concubine Wan? Tsk tsk, I can¡¯t imagine what she¡¯ll do to Seventh Brother.¡±

 Chapter 353 - Die Without Descendants (6)

    Chapter 353: Die Without Descendants (6)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    ¡°If you dare to have designs on my son, I¡¯ll make you wish you were dead!¡± In the corner, Ren Wanyun roared. For some reason, her voice was extremely rough. The pair of eyes that had been staring at the ceiling since Shen Miao entered the room had been locked on Shen Miao at some point, and the fierce light emitted from them was like that of a vicious wolf.


    ¡°Why would I have designs on Seventh Brother?¡± Shen Miao smiled. ¡°Second Aunt, if you don¡¯t believe me, I can swear that if I have designs on Seventh Brother, I¡¯ll be struck by lightning and die a horrible death.¡±


    As soon as she finished speaking, the few people in the room looked a little surprised. Jingzhe, who had been silent all this time, was a little anxious. How could Shen Miao make such a heavy oath? They had always taken oaths very seriously. Shen Miao said it so calmly that Jinzhe did not even have a chance to stop her.


    Ren Wanyun did not let down her guard against Shen Miao because of this. She sneered. ¡°You didn¡¯t come all the way here just to say these things to agitate me and want to see if I¡¯m crazy or not, did you?¡± She said, ¡°Shen Miao, you are smarter than me and I underestimated you. If this game can start all over again, I¡¯ll definitely kill you before you grow to this age. I won¡¯t be merciful!¡±


    ¡°Second Aunt, you¡¯re really funny.¡± Shen Miao said, ¡°When have you ever been merciful to me?¡±


    ''The latest_epi_sodes are on_the Nov elB i n website.'',


    ¡°You¡¯ve already forced me to this extent, and I believe my son and daughter¡¯s death was also your doing. If not for Yuanbai, I would definitely die with you.¡± Ren Wanyun gritted her teeth.


    ¡°I know that for the sake of Seventh Brother, Second Aunt will try to live on.¡±


    ¡°What exactly do you want to do?¡± Ren Wanyun stared at her. ¡°Do you have any other tricks up your sleeve?¡±


    Shen Miao smiled kindly. ¡°Second Aunt, why do you have to take me for an inhuman person? I came to give you a way out.¡±


    ¡°A way out?¡± Ren Wanyun said miserably, ¡°At this point, what way out do I have?¡±


    ¡°Second Aunt, do you think the current situation is as bad as it can be?¡± Shen Miao was surprised. ¡°Second Aunt, you have always been smart. How can you be so stupid?¡±


    ¡°What do you want to say?¡± Ren Wanyun¡¯s face darkened.


    ¡°Simple.¡± Shen Miao smiled. ¡°Now that Concubine Wan has won Second Uncle¡¯s favor, Second Aunt, have you thought about what will happen to Seventh Brother if Concubine Wan gives birth to a son for Second Uncle?¡±


    Ren Wanyun¡¯s body stiffened.


    ¡°Second Aunt, you know very well whether Second Uncle values you or Concubine Wan. If one day, Concubine Wan is made the legitimate wife, the second branch will have two legitimate sons. However, these two legitimate sons are not full brothers. Do you think,¡± Shen Miao lowered her voice, ¡°they will kill each other?¡±


    '''',


    Ren Wanyun was shocked.


    ¡°That new son will be protected by Concubine Wan, and Seventh Brother will naturally be protected by you. But Second Aunt, at that time, can you still have a say in the second branch like before?¡±


    What Shen Miao said dealt a huge blow to Ren Wanyun. Ren Wanyun couldn¡¯t help but retort, ¡°That b*tch didn¡¯t give birth to a son in the past, and nor will she in the future.¡±


    ¡°Second Aunt is indeed smart.¡± Shen Miao sighed and said, ¡°That¡¯s what I want to say. Second Aunt, do you think that other than Concubine Wan, Second Uncle will have no other women in the future?¡±


    Ren Wanyun was stunned by Shen Miao¡¯s calmness. That¡¯s right. She knew better than anyone what kind of person Shen Gui was. How could Shen Gui be satisfied with only one woman? When she was still the madam, Shen Gui took concubines home one by one. If not for the fact that she fed those women infertility drugs, the second branch would probably be overcrowded now.


    ¡°There are countless women in the world who can give birth, and there are also countless women who want to enter the second branch of the Shen family. Unless Second Aunt can still control the second branch like before and feed every concubine infertility drug, one of the women will give birth to a son for Second Uncle. But Second Aunt, do you still have the ability now?¡±


    Ren Wanyun looked a little flustered. Every word Shen Miao said was aimed at her weakness. What she could rely on was the fact that her son was the successor of the second branch, but what if there were more successors?


    ¡°Second Aunt, do you want to see all the assets that you worked so hard to manage be obtained not by Second Brother, not by Seventh Brother, but by the son of another woman? Second Brother is brilliant. Everything in the second branch should belong to him, but now he¡¯s dead. Are you willing to give everything out?¡±


    Ren Wanyun stared at Shen Miao. ¡°What do you want to say?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m here to give you a way out.¡± Shen Miao smiled and took out a small bag from her sleeve and placed it on Ren Wanyun¡¯s palm.


    ¡°Infertility pill for men,¡± she whispered.

 Chapter 354 - Get Lost (1)

    Chapter 354: Get Lost (1)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    Ren Wanyun lowered her head and looked at the paper bag in Shen Miao¡¯s hand. She could not help but tremble.


    ¡°It¡¯s not a good idea to drug concubines. Even if one can¡¯t give birth to a son, there will be a second one. Second Aunt, you have to find a solution that can work once and for all.¡±


    ¡°Why should I trust you? Who knows if it¡¯s poison or not?¡± Ren Wanyun said disdainfully.


    '''',


    ¡°Second Aunt, if you don¡¯t believe me, you can naturally get the maids to bring it to ask the doctor or find an animal to test. In any way, you can just throw it away and buy it yourself. I¡¯m just pointing the way out for you.¡±


    ¡°Why should I do that?¡± Ren Wanyun stared at Shen Miao and said coldly.


    ¡°Why?¡± Shen Miao thought for a moment. ¡°It¡¯s probably because if Second Uncle is sterile, Seventh Brother will be able to hold firmly onto the inheritance right. Not only that, as Second Uncle¡¯s only successor, Seventh Brother will definitely be favored by Second Uncle. The rarer something is, the more precious it is.¡±


    Ren Wanyun smiled. ¡°Do you think I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re up to? Shen Miao, I underestimated you. You want the second branch to have no descendants!¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t put it that way.¡± Shen Miao pretended to be surprised. ¡°Don¡¯t you still have a son? The second branch will have at least one descendant. Second Aunt, you are not telling me you want to have another child with Second Uncle in the future, are you?¡± She teased, ¡°Even if you want, I don¡¯t think Second Uncle is willing to do it.¡±


    ¡°How dare you!¡± Xianglan shouted angrily!


    ¡°You¡¯re shameless!¡± Ren Wanyun was so angry that her face was red. Shen Miao was clearly mocking her for being old. However, Ren Wanyun also understood that after so many years, Shen Gui indeed had lost all interest in her. It was very difficult for her to have another child with him. Shen Miao smiled. ¡°I¡¯ve already given Second Aunt a way out. It depends on what you choose.¡± She stood up and seemed to have thought of something. She tilted her head and said, ¡°Of course, Second Aunt can also choose to tell Second Uncle about this, but I have to remind you that now that my parents and Old Madam have already fallen out, we¡¯re not afraid of anything.¡±


    Ren Wanyun sat there without saying anything. Xianglan and Caiju stared at Shen Miao warily.


    ''?? ??? ???? ?? ???? ???? ???????s, ????s? ??s?? Novel(B) in.??? ?? ?x???????? ??s??? ?????? s????.'',


    ¡°That¡¯s all I have to say. Goodbye.¡± Shen Miao smiled and walked out.


    After Shen Miao left, Xianglan took a step forward and asked Ren Wanyun, ¡°Madam, do you really want to listen to Fifth Miss?¡±


    ¡°Fifth Miss must be up to no good.¡± Caiju said, ¡°She¡¯s clearly going against Master.¡±


    ¡°She is going against Master.¡± Ren Wanyun said in a low voice, ¡°But now, Master and I are no longer on the same boat.¡±


    ¡°Madam, you mean¡­¡± Xianglan widened her eyes.


    Ren Wanyun lowered her head and said, ¡°I¡¯ll think about it.¡±


    In the east courtyard, there were naturally people paying attention to every move Shen Miao made. As soon as Shen Miao and Jingzhe left, they saw an unfamiliar maid walk over with a smile and say, ¡°Fifth Miss, Concubine Wan heard that you came to the courtyard and wants to invite you in to talk.¡±


    ¡°I still have something to do. I¡¯ll drop in on her another day.¡± Shen Miao rejected without hesitation. The maid was a little embarrassed, but there was nothing she could do. She could only watch as Shen Miao and the others walked away.

 Chapter 355 - Get Lost (2)

    Chapter 355: Get Lost (2)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    ¡°Is she trying to deliberately distance herself from us?¡± Concubine Wan was a little angry, but she was more worried. She said to Shen Dongling, ¡°Dongling, is Fifth Miss siding with Madam and wants to deal with us together?¡±


    ¡°How is that possible?¡± Shen Dongling shook her head. ¡°Because of Eldest Sister, they will never team up.¡±


    '',


    ¡°But why does Fifth Miss always turn a blind eye to our goodwill?¡± Concubine Wan paced back and forth. ¡°Could it be that she looks down on our background¡­¡± At this point, her voice darkened.¡± After all, she is the daughter of the first branch¡­¡±


    ¡°Mother.¡± Shen Dongling put down her book and said with a headache, ¡°What are you thinking? Fifth Sister doesn¡¯t want to have anything to do with us not because of our background. She is not close to anyone in the Shen family. I¡¯m afraid she doesn¡¯t want to have anything to do with the second branch, so she ignored us. In that case, it¡¯s useless to curry favor with her. It¡¯s better to do less in the future.¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡± Concubine Wan wanted to say something.


    ¡°No buts.¡± Shen Dongling interrupted her. ¡°Let¡¯s just behave ourselves and make sure nothing goes wrong. Naturally, we won¡¯t get into trouble.¡±


    On the other side, Jingzhe, who had returned to the house, asked Shen Miao in a low voice, ¡°Miss, will Second Madam really drug Second Master?¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡± Shen Miao looked at her nails and said casually, ¡°Ren Wanyun values her children the most. Now that she has lost a son and a daughter in a row, Shen Yuanbai is the only one left. However, Shen Gui is not a kind person. Only by drugging Shen Gui can she protect Shen Yuanbai¡¯s position.¡±


    ¡°But what if Second Madam tells Second Master about this?¡± Gu Yu had always been worried about this.


    '',


    ¡°She won¡¯t. If Shen Gui finds out that he was drugged with an infertility pill, he will definitely hate Ren Wanyun to the core. Even if Shen Yuanbai is his only child, he will still take his anger out on him. To keep Shen Yuanbai safe, Ren Wanyun will do all she can to keep it a secret. Perhaps Shen Gui will never find out that he can¡¯t have children anymore.¡±


    ¡°Then¡­¡± Jingzhe gritted her teeth, as if she was hesitating about something. Finally, she made up her mind and said,¡± Even if Second Madam successfully drugged Second Master and made him unable to have any children, doesn¡¯t he still have Seventh Young Master? Seventh Young Master is still young now. When he grows up, he will probably take revenge on Miss for Second Young Master and Eldest Miss. Miss, aren¡¯t you raising an enemy for yourself? You even made that oath¡­ ¡± Shen Miao swore in front of Ren Wanyun that she would not have any designs on Shen Yuanbai. Otherwise, she would be struck to death by lightning.


    ¡°Since I swore, I have no intention of harming Shen Yuanbai,¡± Shen Miao said.


    ¡°Even so, Seventh Young Master will still treat Miss as his enemy.¡± Gu Yu reminded her, ¡°Having an enemy by our side all day long¡­¡±


    ¡°That will depend on whether or not he can grow up to take revenge.¡± Shen Miao smiled. Unfortunately, Shen Yuanbai did not have the chance to grow up.


    A year later, there was a plague in the capital, and Shen Yuanbai died of smallpox. At that time, everyone in the capital was in a panic. Fortunately, Shen Xin and the others were away in the northwest and weren¡¯t affected. The big families in the capital were fine, but many poor people died.


    Shen Miao had always believed in retribution. In her previous life, Shen Yuanbai paid with his life for what Shen Gui and his wife did. However, the second branch still had Shen Yuan and Shen Qing. Without Shen Yuan and Shen Qing in this life, the second branch would eventually cease to exist.

 Chapter 356 - Get Lost (3)

    Chapter 356: Get Lost (3)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    Instead of killing them all now, it was better to let them live with hope. Shen Gui thought that he still had a son, and Ren Wanyun also thought that Shen Yuanbai would replace Shen Yuan. However, one day, when Shen Yuanbai could not escape the calamity, the seed of despair lurking in the second branch would break out of the ground and drown the entire second branch.


    The second branch was destined to have no descendants, but now, they were filled with hope. They did not know that the footsteps of misfortune were already slowly approaching them and the day when the sickle would swing down and reap their hope was not far.


    The chess game was ready, and the chess pieces were advancing forward step by step as planned. Wasn¡¯t this good?


    ''??? ????? ???????s ??? ?????s??? ?? N(ov)elBin'',


    ¡°Miss, Mo Qing came over just now.¡± Bai Lu walked in and said with a troubled expression, ¡°He said that he has already spent all the banknotes you gave him and asked if he should continue going to the Treasure Fragrance Chamber.¡±


    Bai Lu was a little embarrassed and confused. What kind of master would give her subordinates money to find a girl? Moreover, it wasn¡¯t a small sum of money. What was more confusing was that every time Mo Qing came back from the Treasure Fragrance Chamber, he looked like he had just survived a catastrophe.


    ¡°Go and give him another 500 taels of silver. Also, tell Mo Qing that it¡¯s time to say that to Liu Ying,¡± Shen Miao said.


    The maids in the room were stunned and looked at Shen Miao in confusion. After all, none of them knew what Shen Miao meant by ¡°that¡±.


    Just as Bai Lu was about to go out, she suddenly thought of something and said, ¡°By the way, Miss, Mrs. Zhang from Rongjing Hall came over a while ago. She seems to want to ask about Master and Madam splitting up from the Shen family.¡±


    After Luo Xueyan found out the truth from Jing Guansheng that day and quarreled with Old Madam Shen, she came back and told Shen Xin about it. Shen Xin was naturally furious and immediately went to Rongjing Hall to argue with Old Madam. Luo Xueyan wanted to split up from the Shen family, and Shen Xin was also disappointed by the Shen family, so he agreed without hesitation. Even if it meant he couldn¡¯t inherit the assets left behind by Old General Shen, Shen Xin was still bent on splitting up. Old Madam Shen knew that she still needed to rely on Shen Xin¡¯s reputation and money. Seeing that this time, Shen Xin was being serious, she pretended to have a stroke and fainted.


    Naturally, Mrs. Zhang came to ask if Shen Xin and Luo Xueyan really meant everything they said.


    ¡°If she comes to ask again, tell her that we¡¯ve made up our mind to split up from the family. And tell her to take good care of Old Madam. If Old Madam can¡¯t recover from her stroke, we¡¯ll get the elders from the family to come and help us with the splitting up procedure.¡±


    ''Visit (Mybo x novel. com) to read, pls!'',


    The elders in the family had always looked down on Old Madam Shen¡¯s background. When Old General Shen was alive, he favored Shen Xin, so the elders would naturally be biased towards him. They wouldn¡¯t let Old Madam Shen get too much out of the separation.


    ¡°I understand.¡± Bai Lu smiled and left.


    Shen Miao sat down at the table. Her path in this life had just begun, but she already had to plan so many things. It was not easy to protect the Shen family while taking revenge.


    She had to take one step at a time and do it slowly.


    ¡­


    Gradually, the events happening in the capital became just a topic for casual chats between the commoners. After some time, there would be new topics to replace the old.


    The Treasure Fragrance Chamber was as lively as ever. Recently, a new batch of Persian dancers arrived. They were beautiful and open-minded, and the young masters of the capital flocked to patronize them. The Treasure Fragrance Chamber was already prosperous, but now, it was almost packed with people.


    Men liked new excitement. When the dancers became popular, the courtesans were pushed out of the limelight. However, among these pleasure-seeking men, one of them was especially different. Just as he walked to the door, the girl at the door waved her handkerchief and said with a smile, ¡°Master Mo, you¡¯re not seeing Miss Liu Ying today, right?¡±

 Chapter 357 - Get Lost (4)

    Chapter 357: Get Lost (4)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    Mo Qing placed the money in the girl¡¯s hand and said, ¡°As usual.¡±


    The girl said enviously, ¡°Master Mo, you are really a sentimental person. Liu Ying is really blessed to have you.¡± With that, she sashayed upstairs to call for Liu Ying.


    While everyone was rushing towards the new girls, Mo Qing insisted on seeing Liu Ying. People who didn¡¯t know better would think that he was in love with Liu Ying, but only he and Liu Ying knew if he was in love or not.


    ''?????? ???? No(ve) l Bi n'',


    Opposite the Treasure Fragrance Chamber, three people were drinking by the window. Ji Yushu pointed at Mo Qing from afar and said, ¡°Look, he¡¯s here!¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s there to see?¡± Gao Yang rolled his eyes at Ji Yushu. ¡°He comes once every three days and then sits through the night. The moment the sun rises, he leaves immediately. I¡¯ve remembered his schedule like the back of my hand. Why are you so surprised?¡±


    Ji Yushu glared back at Gao Yang. ¡°Are you stupid? We knew this, but Third Brother Xie doesn¡¯t. I¡¯m just explaining things to him.¡±


    Opposite the two of them, Xie Jingxing leaned against the couch and looked at the Treasure Fragrance Chamber lazily. For the first time, he was not wearing purple today. Instead, he was wearing a black robe with a narrow waist, making him look much colder. However, looking at him carefully, he seemed to be travel-worn. Clearly, he just had a long journey.


    ¡°Xie, how did it go this time? How are those people?¡± Gao Yang asked.


    ¡°They¡¯re all death warriors. I can¡¯t get anything out of them, so I killed them all.¡± Xie Jingxing was a little absent-minded. ¡°Time is tight. We have to act quickly.¡±


    ¡°How can we act quickly?¡± Ji Yushu complained. ¡°We haven¡¯t found the thing we need.¡±


    ¡°Shen Yuan might have it hidden somewhere. Otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t dare to get so close to Fu Xiuyi. However, now that he¡¯s dead¡­¡± Gao Yang pondered and said,¡± Fu Xiuyi will think of a way to find it.¡±


    '''',


    ¡°I need to go to the Shen family again.¡± Xie Jingxing frowned. ¡°I must find it.¡±


    ¡°Hey, hey, hey, let¡¯s not talk about this for now.¡± Ji Yushu interrupted their conversation. ¡°We¡¯ve been observing here for so long. What¡¯s the meaning of this Mo guy coming to the Treasure Fragrance Chamber every few days? Is Miss Shen so generous to her subordinates? She even paid her subordinates to have fun. She¡¯s even more generous than me, the shopkeeper of the Exiled Immortal Pawnshop.¡±


    ¡°Have you ever seen a man who just sits for a night and then leaves when they go to a brothel?¡± Gao Yang looked at Ji Yushu. ¡°He¡¯s more like completing a mission.¡±


    ¡°Are you blind?¡± Xie Jingxing glanced at the two of them. ¡°Can¡¯t you see that there¡¯s someone else opposite?¡± He glanced down, and the other two were stunned. Following Xie Jingxing¡¯s gaze, they saw a man in green standing at the corner opposite the Treasure Fragrance Chamber, looking at the room on the second floor in a daze.


    ¡°He looks nothing special.¡± Ji Yushu said, ¡°Look at how shabby he¡¯s dressed. It¡¯s obvious that he doesn¡¯t have money to go in.¡±


    ¡°This person¡­¡± Gao Yang looked at him from afar.¡± He looks familiar. I think I¡¯ve seen him somewhere before.¡±


    ¡°Pei Lang,¡± Xie Jingxing said.


    ¡°Who is Pei Lang?¡± Ji Yushu asked.


    ¡°A teacher at Guangwen Hall.¡±


    ¡°I remember now.¡± Gao Yang added, ¡°I saw him at the palace banquet before. But what is he doing here?¡±

 Chapter 358 - Get Lost (5)

    Chapter 358: Get Lost (5)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    ¡°Teacher?¡± Ji Yushu said with surprise, ¡°Even the teacher visits the brothel? Guangwen Hall even said that it¡¯s a school that all the nobles in the capital want to enter. How can a teacher engage in such an immoral conduct?¡±


    ¡°You visit the brothel pretty much every day. Why don¡¯t you say you engage in immoral conduct?¡± Gao Yang asked Ji Yushu.l


    Ji Yushu retorted, ¡°I¡¯m not a teacher!¡±


    ''This chapter is updated by N(o)V(e)lB(i)n.'',


    ¡°Shut up.¡± Xie Jingxing said, ¡°How can the two of you fail to notice him?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know him.¡± Ji Yushu felt aggrieved. ¡°There are so many people coming and going. I only pay attention to the abnormalities. This teacher doesn¡¯t look any different from ordinary people. How would I know that he¡¯s a teacher?¡±


    Gao Yang looked at Xie Jingxing. ¡°Do you think there¡¯s something wrong with Pei Lang? But he¡¯s just a poor teacher.¡±


    ¡°Shen Miao never does anything unnecessary. There must be a reason why she asked her subordinate to look for Liu Ying. I didn¡¯t understand it before, but when I saw him, I understood.¡± Xie Jingxing¡¯s gaze landed on Pei Lang in the distance.


    ¡°You mean¡­¡± Gao Yang was deep in thought.¡± Shen Miao goes to such an extent just for Pei Lang?¡±


    Xie Jingxing smiled, and his gaze was meaningful. ¡°For some reason, I feel that Shen Miao takes Pei Lang very seriously. From what I found out, Pei Lang is just a poor scholar. There must be something more to him.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s simple!¡± Ji Yushu said, ¡°I know the reason.¡±


    Gao Yang and Xie Jingxing turned to stare at him.


    ''This chapter is updated by Nov elB i n'',


    Ji Yushu cleared his throat and said matter-of-factly, ¡°That¡¯s too simple! He looks handsome and talented. Coupled with the fact that he¡¯s a teacher, he will definitely be knowledgeable. Miss Shen is young. After spending years in school with her teacher, she found herself in love with him. Unexpectedly, he turns out to be a hypocrite who visits the brothel. In a fit of anger, she got her subordinate to take revenge on Liu Ying¡­¡±


    ¡°Wait.¡± Gao Yang asked, ¡°Why does Shen Miao like Pei Lang but want to take revenge on Liu Ying?¡±


    Ji Yushu thought for a while and replied, ¡°It¡¯s probably because Pei Lang can¡¯t afford to patronize Liu Ying, so Miss Shen asked her subordinate to do it. She¡¯s deliberately trying to anger Pei Lang!¡± The more Ji Yushu spoke, the more excited he became. His saliva flew everywhere as he spoke, and he almost climbed onto the table. ¡°Pei Lang must have broken Miss Shen¡¯s heart. Otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t squander her money just to take revenge.¡±


    Gao Yang held his forehead with a headache. ¡°Ji Yushu, have you read some strange books lately?¡±


    ¡°You guys continue. I¡¯ll get going first.¡± Xie Jingxing stood up expressionlessly and glanced at Ji Yushu. ¡°If you have nothing better to do, the tower jail is short of people. When are you going to pack up and go with Tie Yi?¡±


    Ji Yushu immediately fell silent.


    On the other side, in Liu Ying¡¯s boudoir, Mo Qing was sitting at the table and drinking tea as usual.


    Now, Liu Ying had completely given up on Mo Qing. Previously, she still wanted to conquer this man, but now, she did not have the slightest intention of doing so. She walked over, picked up the silver ingot on the table, and put it into the box. She sat down opposite Mo Qing, poured a cup of tea, and took a sip. She said indifferently, ¡°Thank you, Young Master Mo, for coming to support me as usual. This way, I won¡¯t be starving.¡±


    When the customers were snatched away by the new Persian dancers, only Mo Qing supported her as usual. The girls in the brothel were extremely envious of Liu Ying, but they did not know that in Liu Ying¡¯s eyes, Mo Qing was just a strange person.

 Chapter 359 - Get Lost (6)

    Chapter 359: Get Lost (6)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    Liu Ying did not intend to talk to Mo Qing either. Mo Qing had been here so many times, but he had never spoken to her. If not for the fact that every time he would speak to the bawd, Liu Ying would even think that Mo Qing was mute.


    However, today, Mo Qing spoke to her for the first time. Mo Qing said, ¡°It¡¯s not me.¡±


    Liu Ying was so surprised that she opened her eyes wide and looked at him. ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not the one who gave you the money,¡± Mo Qing said.


    Liu Ying was puzzled. ¡°What money?¡±


    ¡°My master wants me to come here to look for you every three days just to give you money and do nothing.¡±


    This was probably the longest sentence Mo Qing had said since he came to the Treasure Fragrance Chamber. However, as soon as he said that, Liu Ying immediately became vigilant. She stood up and asked, ¡°Who is your master?¡±


    ''Follow current novels on No v elBin.'',


    Mo Qing shook his head. ¡°I can¡¯t say.¡±


    ¡°You!¡± Liu Ying glared at him.


    ¡°My master will come and see you in a few days.¡± Mo Qing said, ¡°Don¡¯t see other customers for the time being.¡±


    Liu Ying smiled bitterly. ¡°Brother Mo, I don¡¯t know who your master is, and I don¡¯t know what your master wants, but I¡¯m a girl from the brothel. Now that I¡¯m losing popularity, if I don¡¯t see other customers, who is going to pay for my food? You?¡±


    Mo Qing fell silent.


    Seeing that Mo Qing did not say anything, Liu Ying was even angrier. If other men were here, they would at least say something nice to her like ¡°I¡¯ll give you money¡±, even if they didn¡¯t really mean it. However, Mo Qing was simply a block of wood. He was serious and refused to even say a good word to make people feel better. When she was angry, she wanted to shout. Just as Liu Ying opened her mouth, she lost her words. It was indeed unlikely to hear anything sweet from Mo Qing. He had said it himself that he was just following his master¡¯s instruction. At the thought of this, she felt that it was really meaningless to ask him to do these things.


    Seeing that Liu Ying¡¯s expression was changing drastically, Mo Qing was a little puzzled. He hesitated for a moment before saying something that Shen Miao did not instruct him to say. He said, ¡°My master is a good person. Don¡¯t¡­ be afraid.¡±


    Liu Ying was stunned for a moment and looked at Mo Qing, but Mo Qing lowered his head and drank his tea. For some reason, Liu Ying felt better and said, ¡°I believe everything you said.¡±


    Mo Qing didn¡¯t know what to say to that.


    ¡­


    That night, Shen Miao chatted with Luo Xueyan in Luo Xueyan¡¯s room for a while before returning to her courtyard. On the way, Jingzhe told Shen Miao the information she had gathered during the day. ¡°Miss, I heard that the Jing family will set off for Suzhou this afternoon. Before they left, they took away some valuable furnishings in the side courtyard of Rongjing Hall. Old Madam was so angry that she almost had a stroke again.¡±


    ''??? ????? ???????s ??? ?????s??? ?? NovelB(i)n. ???'',


    ¡°I didn¡¯t expect that the Jing family would abandone Miss Jing and flee back to Suzhou with their tails between their legs. They knew that Miss Jing wouldn¡¯t have a good ending in the Sun family, but they didn¡¯t even bother to help her out at all. They were just trying to get more money,¡± Jingzhe said.


    Shen Miao smiled. ¡°The Jing family probably just realized who they¡¯ve offended.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re all not good people.¡± Jingzhe pursed her lips.


    Shen Miao did not comment. The Jing family rushed back to Suzhou overnight, but how could they be allowed to make it back so easily? Sun Tianzheng was not a pushover. In her previous life, when Shen Qiu was in trouble, Jing Chuchu escaped, but the rest of the Jing family did not. Sun Tianzheng had never been a soft-hearted person. No one knew what happened on her way back to Suzhou.


    When she walked to the courtyard, Shen Miao was about to push the door open and enter when she suddenly paused and glanced at the window.


    ¡°Jingzhe,¡± Shen Miao said, ¡°Go boil the water first. I want to take a bath.¡±


    Jingzhe was stunned for a moment before nodding in agreement. Shen Miao pushed the door open and entered. She walked past the outer hall into her boudoir before closing the door.


    The light of the oil lamp swayed slightly, and a person was sitting at the table. His robe seemed to be flowing with dark gold, making the darkness in the room look dazzling. He supported his head with one hand and flipped through the books on Shen Miao¡¯s table with the other. Hearing the noise, he turned around casually, revealing a handsome face.


    ¡°Why are you back so late?¡± Xie Jingxing was a little unhappy.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think I invited you here.¡± Shen Miao looked at him calmly and said, ¡°Young Marquis Xie.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve been waiting for you for a long time.¡± Xie Jingxing raised an eyebrow. ¡°I¡¯m hungry.¡±


    Shen Miao said, ¡°Get lost.¡±

 Chapter 360 - Turning Over a New Leaf (1)

    Chapter 360: Turning Over a New Leaf (1)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    ¡°Get lost.¡±


    Hearing this, the corners of Xie Jingxing¡¯s lips curled up. He turned to look at Shen Miao with interest. ¡°It¡¯s been a long time since we last met. You¡¯re getting more and more irritable.¡±


    Shen Miao sat down at the table and said coldly, ¡°You still like to come uninvited.¡±


    If anyone saw Xie Jingxing in her room, Shen Miao would never be able to explain herself. However, Xie Jingxing always liked to do this kind of thing. Shen Miao had already decided to stay away from Xie Jingxing because he had too many secrets and was unpredictable. Now that Xie Jingxing came over himself, how could she not be angry?


    ¡°I was just passing by and thought I¡¯d drop in on you to see how you are doing.¡± Xie Jingxing shrugged and changed into a more comfortable posture. He was wearing a plain dark suit with a bright white collar. It was dark, but because of his presentence, the room seemed to have lit up. He stroked his chin and said, ¡°I have something to ask you.¡±


    ''??? ????? ???????s ??? ?????s??? ?? NovelB(i)n. ???'',


    ¡°Speak.¡± Shen Miao was unwilling to waste her breath on him.


    Xie Jingxing was not angry with her cold attitude. He said, ¡°Is there anyone in the Shen mansion that Shen Yuan trusts?¡±


    Hearing this, Shen Miao looked at Xie Jingxing in surprise. She did not expect the person Xie Jingxing wanted to ask was Shen Yuan. Although she did not know what Xie Jingxing was up to, she still said, ¡°No, Shen Yuan has only returned to the capital for a short time and is not close to anyone at home. Why are you asking that?¡±


    ¡°I just searched his courtyard.¡± Xie Jingxing said lazily, ¡°But I didn¡¯t find what I wanted, so I came over to ask.¡±


    Shen Miao lowered her eyes and pondered. Could it be that Xie Jingxing wanted to find something from Shen Yuan but couldn¡¯t, so he thought that Shen Yuan had handed the thing to someone he trusted and asked her about it?


    ¡°What exactly are you looking for?¡± Shen Miao asked, ¡°Is it the same as the thing in the secret room of Prince Yu¡¯s mansion?¡±


    As soon as she asked, the room fell silent for a moment. For a moment, Shen Miao could feel a coldness coming from Xie Jingxing. However, the dangerous atmosphere only lasted for a moment. Soon, Xie Jingxing revealed a smile. When he smiled, he was as elegant as jade, but his eyes were dangerously sharp.


    Xie Jingxing did not answer Shen Miao. Instead, he asked, ¡°You¡¯ve been doing well these days. I heard that the second branch of the Shen family is about to lose.¡±


    ¡°Young Marquis, you know everything about the Shen family. Those who don¡¯t know might think that you¡¯re from the Shen family,¡± Shen Miao mocked.


    ''???s ??????? ?s ?????? ?? N ovelBi(n)'',


    Xie Jingxing shrugged. ¡°Well, the guards of the Shen family are just decorations. They can¡¯t do anything. Plus what has been going on in your family is quite interesting. It¡¯s hard not to know.¡± He sized up Shen Miao. ¡°I underestimated your ruthlessness.¡±


    ¡°Do you wanna try?¡±


    Xie Jingxing looked at her with smiles. ¡°I don¡¯t have that much time to play with you.¡±


    ¡°It sounds like you¡¯re very busy.¡± Shen Miao stared at him. ¡°But at the same time, you still have so much time to stroll around other people¡¯s mansions.¡± When she said this, she looked a little angry. If Jingzhe, Gu Yu, and the other maids saw this, they would definitely be shocked by Shen Miao¡¯s expression at this moment, because it had been a long time since Shen Miao revealed such a straightforward emotion. Anger or frustration were things that only the Shen Miao from her previous life would have.


    Xie Jingxing said, ¡°Little girls are always so easy to get angry.¡±


    Shen Miao said impolitely, ¡°Are you done asking? Why aren¡¯t you leaving?¡±


    Xie Jingxing stood up and patted his clothes. He opened the back window and was about to jump out when he suddenly thought of something. He turned around and looked at her strangely, asking, ¡°I almost forgot to ask you. Shen Miao, do you love Pei Lang?¡±


    Shen Miao was speechless.


    Before she could speak, she saw Xie Jingxing sizing her up critically with a disdainful gaze. ¡°I don¡¯t think he¡¯s into you anyway.¡± WIth that, his figure disappeared in an instant.

 Chapter 361 - Turning Over a New Leaf (2)

    Chapter 361: Turning Over a New Leaf (2)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    ¡°This bastard¡­¡± Shen Miao gritted her teeth. Jingzhe knocked on the door. ¡°Miss, the bath is ready. I¡¯ll put some herbs in for you first.¡± As soon as she entered, she asked curiously, ¡°Miss, why are you standing in front of the window? Be careful not to catch a cold.¡±


    ''Follow current novels on n0velbin.com.'',


    Shen Miao retracted her gaze. ¡°I¡¯m fine. I just chased away a wild cat.¡±


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s a wild cat.¡± Jingzhe said with a smile, ¡°Wild cats are common in this season. They¡¯re really annoying. I¡¯ll get the servants to clean them out tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s better to just put them to death,¡± Shen Miao said.


    ¡°Eh?¡± Jingzhe was a little confused.


    On the other side of the Shen mansion, Concubine Wan looked worried and seemed to be a little angry. She said to Shen Dongling, ¡°I wonder what Fifth Miss said to Second Madam that day. I heard from the servants of Rosy Cloud Garden that Second Madam¡¯s illness is getting better day by day. Now, she can recognize people and doesn¡¯t lose her temper that easily. She even instructed her maids to make porridge for Master. She probably wants to be favored by Master again. If that day comes, I¡¯m afraid we¡¯ll suffer again.¡± Concubine Wan complained, ¡°It seems like Fifth Miss is really going to help Madam and even treat her illness.¡±


    Shen Dongling was combing her long hair at the table. Facing the light, her face looked even sharper and her eyes bigger. She said, ¡°Mother, you¡¯re thinking too much. No matter how capable Fifth Sister is, it¡¯s impossible for her to cure madness. It seems that Second Madam has been pretending to be mad all this time. Fifth Sister said a few words to her and convinced her to stop pretending.¡±


    '''',


    ¡°What?¡± Concubine Wan was shocked. ¡°Dongling, are you saying that Second Madam has been pretending to be mad? That means she knows your father has been treating us well. In that case, once Second Madam has a chance, she will definitely punish us.¡±


    ¡°What are you worried about, Mother?¡± Shen Dongling combed her hair with a silver comb and said, ¡°Because of what happened to Eldest Sister and Second Brother, Father already despised Second Madam. Even if Second Madam really becomes sane, Father will at most be kinder to her, but he will definitely not take her seriously anymore. It¡¯s already impossible for Second Madam to regain her previous status. She knows this too. Mother, don¡¯t worry.¡±


    Concubine Wan was puzzled. ¡°Since Second Madam knows that Master won¡¯t forgive her, why doesn¡¯t she continue with her show of pretending to be mad? What exactly did Fifth Miss say to her to make her change her mind?¡±


    ¡°Other than Seventh Brother, Second Madam has nothing else now. Fifth Sister probably used Seventh Brother to provoke Second Madam. Mother, you have to work hard to give birth to a son for Father. As long as you have a son, you will have more say. No one will dare to look down on you.¡±


    Concubine Wan smiled bitterly. How could she not want to give birth to a son? In the early years, she was suppressed by Ren Wanyun. If not for the fact that Shen Dongling was a daughter, the two of them would probably not have lived to this day. Shen Gui had always been a cold and heartless person. She was not a young woman after all. Why would Shen Gui choose to have a son with her?


    As her thoughts ran wild, Concubine Wan changed the topic. ¡°Why are you talking about this? Dongling, why don¡¯t you try to guess what Fifth Miss wants to do? Helping Madam is equivalent to going against us.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not necessarily the case.¡± Shen Dongling shook her head. ¡°Fifth Sister is not a simple person. Don¡¯t get involved in these things and live our own life. Otherwise, we¡¯ll get into trouble if we¡¯re not careful.¡±

 Chapter 362 - Turning Over a New Leaf (3)

    Chapter 362: Turning Over a New Leaf (3)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    Concubine Wan was on tenterhooks as she asked tentatively, ¡°So¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t look, don¡¯t ask, and don¡¯t speak.¡± Shen Dongling looked at herself in the mirror. ¡°Let nature take its course. One day, we will live a good life.¡±


    '''',


    In the Shen family, not only were the people of Rosy Cloud Garden discussing Ren Wanyun, but also the people of Autumn Water Garden.


    Chen Ruoqiu was wearing a plain white undergarment. She sat on the bed and said, ¡°Second Sister-in-law is getting better day by day. Master, did Second Brother say anything about it?¡±


    Shen Wan rubbed his forehead. Because of Shen Yuan¡¯s case, his colleagues in the imperial court were all unhappy with the Shen family. Even he was affected, and his days had not been easy. He shook his head and said, ¡°Second Brother didn¡¯t mention this.¡±


    ¡°Even if Second Sister-in-law really recovers, there¡¯s only Shen Yuanbai left in the second branch.¡± Chen Ruoqiu said, ¡°With Second Brother¡¯s tendency to take in concubines, I¡¯m afraid¡­¡± At this point, she actually felt a little sad. The difference between her and Ren Wanyun was that Chen Ruoqiu could firmly hold onto Shen Wan¡¯s heart, but the third branch had never had a son. Now that Shen Yuan was dead, Old Madam Shen was probably anxious to let her two sons have more children. Shen Gui was not a loyal person to begin with, so he naturally didn¡¯t mind having more concubines. However, if Shen Wan was pushed too hard¡­ Chen Ruoqiu could not help but panic. How long could he resist before giving in to the idea of marrying a concubine?


    Shen Wan noticed the change of expression on Chen Ruoqiu¡¯s face and asked in confusion, ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Are you feeling unwell?¡±


    Chen Ruoqiu forced a smile and shook her head. ¡°I was just thinking about Eldest Brother and Sister-in-law.¡± After a pause, Chen Ruoqiu said, ¡°Eldest Brother and Sister-in-law have already decided to split up. They even threatened to invite the elders of the family over. I¡¯m afraid they really meant it this time.¡±


    '''',


    ¡°Mother is to blame this time.¡± Shen Wan said, ¡°She messed it up. If Eldest Brother is furious and decides to make it public how Mother tried to scheme against Shen Qiu, the entire capital will criticize us.¡±


    Chen Ruoqiu nodded and said, ¡°We¡¯ve been living in harmony for so many years. Why did they want to split up at this juncture?¡± She couldn¡¯t help but think of Shen Miao. Ever since Shen Miao¡¯s personality changed drastically, many things in the Shen family had changed. In the past, Shen Xin and his wife were good to the rest of the Shen family because Shen Miao was on their side. Now that Shen Miao showed disgust and dissatisfaction, Shen Xin and his wife¡¯s attitude immediately changed.


    Shen Wan let out a long sigh. Chen Ruoqiu asked, ¡°Master, is there a way out?¡±


    Shen Wan shook his head. ¡°If it were us, we wouldn¡¯t be able to take it lying down either. Eldest Brother can¡¯t tolerate nasty tricks, and the person he values the most is Fifth Miss. The Jing family and Mother have already violated Eldest Brother¡¯s taboo by plotting against Qiu and Fifth Miss. He¡¯s being merciful enough to only ask to split up from the Shen family. If Eldest Brother was still as impulsive as he used to be, he would probably have torn this Shen family apart.¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡± Chen Ruoqiu said,¡± It¡¯s not a good thing for us to split up now.¡±


    Shen Wan looked out of the window. ¡°Now that the second branch has been dealt a huge blow, Second Brother and I have both been hindered in our official careers. In the past, we could still rely on Eldest Brother¡¯s power and influence. Once we split up, everyone will know that the Shen family is on bad terms. For the sake of pleasing Eldest Brother, the officials won¡¯t side with us. Our official careers will only be more difficult.¡±


    ¡°Not only that, but also financially¡­¡± Chen Ruoqiu said. In the past, Shen Xin would be rewarded handsomely everytime he returned to the capital. He could not spend it all because he was away in the Northwest. All of the rewards were used to run the Shen family. Old Madam Shen spent money extravagantly, and Ren Wanyun occasionally had to make up for it. Now that they were going to split up, even if Shen Xin did not want the assets left behind by the old general, their lives would only become more and more difficult.

 Chapter 363 - Turning Over a New Leaf (4)

    Chapter 363: Turning Over a New Leaf (4)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    A trace of gloom flashed across Shen Wan¡¯s eyes. ¡°After splitting up, with Eldest Brother¡¯s military strength and reputation, he will only get better and better. In the end, he will be stronger than us.¡±


    Chen Ruoqiu was shocked when she heard that. She had been married to the Shen family for so many years, so she naturally knew that the Shen family was internally divided. Shen Xin and his wife were not at home, so they did not know, but she and Ren Wanyun knew very well. In the Shen family, Shen Xin and Shen Wan were not from the same mother, so they naturally wouldn¡¯t treat each other with absolute sincerity. The better Shen Xin¡¯s life was, the worse the other two families were. One day, everyone would take up arms against each other, but she did not expect this situation to happen so quickly.


    ¡°Master, for the sake of Yue, we must not be suppressed.¡± Chen Ruoqiu massaged his shoulders. ¡°But how should we deal with them?¡±


    ''New novel chapters are published on Novel-Bin'',


    ¡°Now that Brother is wary of us, it won¡¯t be that easy to make a move.¡± Shen Wan shook his head. ¡°Besides, his soldiers are not ordinary people. It¡¯s even harder to find a chance. We still have to wait for an opportunity.¡± Shen Wan said, ¡°The most important thing now is to find a good family for Yue.¡±


    Chen Ruoqiu said tentatively, ¡°Master, Prince Ding¡­¡±


    ¡°Leave Prince Ding for now.¡± Shen Wan said sternly, ¡°After what happened to Yuan, everyone in the imperial court is trying to not have anything to do with the Shen family, not to mention the princes.¡±


    Chen Ruoqiu nodded. ¡°I understand. Master, rest early.¡±


    ¡­


    The next morning, just as Shen Miao finished eating, she saw Shuang Jiang running in, panting. As soon as she entered the house, she said, ¡°Miss! Something happened!¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the hurry? Take your time. Don¡¯t startle Miss,¡± Gu Yu reprimanded. Shuang Jiang stuck out her tongue, but she still couldn¡¯t hold it in and blurted out, ¡°A few days ago, the Jing family set off for Suzhou. Today, the officials said that the Jing family encountered bandits on the way back to Suzhou and were all killed. The officials knew that the Jing family was related to Old Madam, so they came to inform us.¡± Shuang Jiang patted her chest and said with lingering fear, ¡°Now, the bandits are getting more and more rampant. They actually dared to kill people like this in broad daylight. If they had known this would happen, the Jing family would definitely not come to the capital.¡±


    ''New novel chapters are published on Novel-Bin'',


    Shen Miao lowered her eyes. Whether or not the Jing family was killed by bandits was not all that clear. She knew that Sun Tianzheng had always been ruthless and decisive, just like in the imperial court. This matter was caused by Jing Chuchu, and Sun Cainan died. How could Sun Tianzheng be willing to let go of it just like that? Shen Miao believed that if possible, Sun Tianzheng would kill everyone in the Shen family. However, the Shen family was not the Jing family after all.


    The Jing family still had the same ending as in her previous life. They died because of Jing Chuchu¡¯s greed. Now that Jing Chuchu was still in Sun Tianzheng¡¯s hands, Sun Tianzheng would not let her die so easily. Living in such despair might be more painful than death.


    However, this had nothing to do with her anymore.


    Shen Miao said to Gu Yu, ¡°Where¡¯s the thing I want you to prepare?¡±


    Gu Yu said, ¡°It¡¯s in the box, but¡­¡± Gu Yu was a little hesitant.¡± Miss, are you really going to¡­¡±


    ¡°Go get it,¡± Shen Miao interrupted her.


    An hour later, four people walked out of the west courtyard of the Shen family.


    Among the four of them, the one in the lead was a young master with delicate features. He was wearing a moon-white dress and a hat. He was considered handsome, but he was a little short and looked cute. His eyes were big and clear.

 Chapter 364 - Turning Over a New Leaf (5)

    Chapter 364: Turning Over a New Leaf (5)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    Behind him were two people dressed as servants. However, they were a little clumsy and awkward when they walked. Behind the servants was a guard. Compared to the three of them, he looked much taller.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid.¡± Shen Miao said, ¡°Be brave. Don¡¯t give yourself away.¡±


    These four people were none other than Shen Miao, Jingzhe, Gu Yu, and Mo Qing.


    Jingzhe and Gu Yu were not used to wearing men¡¯s clothes. They looked like they were in pain, but Shen Miao was very calm, which surprised Mo Qing. However, little did they know that when Shen Miao was a hostage in the State of Qin, she was teased by the royal family and was asked to dress up as a man for a few months. Now she felt quite comfortable in man¡¯s clothes.


    After the three of them got into the carriage, Mo Qing personally drove the carriage. Gu Yu asked Shen Miao, ¡°Miss, are we really going to the Treasure Fragrance Chamber?¡±


    '''',


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡± Gu Yu said,¡± Can¡¯t we talk outside? If someone sees you inside the brothel¡­¡± She couldn¡¯t continue, because Gu Yu didn¡¯t know what would happen if women were found patronizing a brothel.


    ¡°Treasure Fragrance Chamber is a place to do business. As long as one offers money, one will be welcomed.¡±


    Jingzhe and Gu Yu looked at each other and saw the helplessness in each other¡¯s eyes. Shen Miao was very decisive. Whatever she made up her mind to do, no one could change it. Now that they had already come this far, they could only bite the bullet and finish it.


    In the elegant room in the Pleasure Restaurant, someone lifted the curtain and walked in. Ji Yushu said, ¡°Third Brother Xie, you came at the right time. I have something to tell you, Prince Ding¡­¡±


    ¡°Wait.¡± Gao Yang suddenly said. His hand that was holding the wine glass paused and he muttered to himself, ¡°Why is it different this time?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s different?¡± Xie Jingxing sat down at the window and poured himself a cup of tea, following Gao Yang¡¯s gaze.


    A carriage stopped at the entrance of the Treasure Fragrance Chamber and a few people got out. The person in the lead was Mo Qing, and behind him were three young men.


    ¡°In the past, Mo Qing was always alone. Why are there so many of them here today? Did Shen Miao instruct them to come?¡± Gao Yang held his chin and sized them up.


    ''?????? ???? No(ve) l Bi n'',


    ¡°Let me see.¡± Ji Yushu craned his neck to take a look. A thought flashed across his mind. ¡°Could it be that this is how Miss Shen treats her subordinates? Whoever does a good job will be rewarded with money to have fun in the Treasure Fragrance Chamber. I also want to be her subordinate!¡±


    ¡°Get lost.¡± Gao Yang pushed Ji Yushu¡¯s head away and said, ¡°Why do I feel that these people look a little familiar?¡±


    Before he could finish his sentence, Xie Jingxing spat out a mouthful of tea.


    ¡°Third Brother!¡± Ji Yushu, who was spat at in the face, jumped up. As he wiped his face, he said angrily, ¡°What are you doing!¡±


    Xie Jingxing ignored him and stared at the people downstairs in surprise. ¡°She actually came in person.¡±


    ¡°She?¡± Gao Yang took another look at the group of people carefully. When he saw it clearly, he almost fell over.


    Who else could the young man in the lead be but Shen Miao?


    In the world, there were really women who disguised themselves as men to patronize a brothel. If Gao Yang hadn¡¯t seen it with his own eyes, he would have thought that such a thing would only appear in opera.


    Shen Miao followed Mo Qing into the Treasure Fragrance Restaurant. When the girl at the door saw Mo Qing, she went up to him with a smile and said, ¡°Master Mo, still Miss Liu Ying, right?¡±


    Mo Qing nodded. The girl seemed to have just noticed the people behind Mo Qing and hesitated for a moment. ¡°These people¡­¡±

 Chapter 365 - Turning Over a New Leaf (6)

    Chapter 365: Turning Over a New Leaf (6)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    ¡°They¡¯re with me,¡± Mo Qing said.


    The girl was stunned at first, then she thought of something and looked at Mo Qing mischievously. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect Mr. Mo to like this¡­ It¡¯s fine. The more the merrier.¡±


    When Jingzhe and Gu Yu heard that, they immediately blushed. Mo Qing also felt a little uncomfortable. Among the group, Shen Miao was the calmest.


    The girl led them to Liu Ying¡¯s boudoir. Mo Qing was a frequent visitor of the Treasure Fragrance Restaurant. Everyone here knew him, so they were not surprised. However, they were surprised to see the three delicate young men, especially Shen Miao. She was born with a fair complexion. From time to time, girls would look over with smiles.


    When they arrived at Liu Ying¡¯s boudoir, the girl who led the way knocked on the door and said, ¡°Liu Ying, Master Mo is here to see you.¡± With that, she said to Mo Qing and the others, ¡°I¡¯ll go down first.¡±


    Mo Qing pushed open the door and walked in. A woman was sitting in front of the dressing mirror. Her clothes were loosely draped over her body, and her black hair was like a waterfall. When she heard the commotion, she said without turning around, ¡°You¡¯re early today.¡±


    Jingzhe and Gu Yu looked at Mo Qing strangely. Mo Qing cleared his throat and said, ¡°I¡¯m not the only one.¡±


    ''???? ????s? ???????s ?? No(v) e lBin ????.'',


    Liu Ying paused and turned around. When she saw Shen Miao and the others, she was first stunned, then a trace of anger appeared on her pretty face. ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡±


    Without waiting for Mo Qing to finish, Liu Ying sneered and said, ¡°If you want to play like this, fine, but you have to pay twice as much!¡±


    As soon as she said that, not only Jingzhe and Gu Yu, but even Shen Miao looked at Mo Qing strangely.


    ¡°Miss Liu Ying, I¡¯m Mo Qing¡¯s master.¡± Shen Miao broke the silence and smiled. ¡°We¡¯re not here to ¡®play¡¯ today.¡±


    Jingzhe and Gu Yu wanted to cover their eyes and pretend not to know.


    Hearing the word ¡°Master¡±, Liu Ying was stunned for a moment before looking Shen Miao up and down warily. Shen Miao walked over, and Jingzhe and Gu Yu quickly moved the stool in front of the table to a place near Liu Ying and waited for Shen Miao to sit down.


    ¡°Did you ask Mo Qing to see me?¡± Liu Ying asked.


    Shen Miao nodded.


    Liu Ying supported her chin with one hand, and her gaze suddenly became charming. ¡°Young Master, you¡¯re making me confused. Are you in love with me or what?¡±


    Shen Miao looked at her. ¡°Miss Liu Ying, what do you think?¡±


    Liu Ying carefully sized up Shen Miao. She paused for a moment and suddenly smiled. ¡°Miss, why are you pretending to be a man?¡±


    Shen Miao was not surprised that Liu Ying could see through her. She was born delicate and pretty. Even if she was dressed as a man, her skin was still as fair as jade, and her eyebrows were delicate. There was nothing about her that looked like a man.


    ''Visit (No ve (l)B i n) to read, pls!'',


    ¡°I want to buy your freedom,¡± Shen Miao said.


    Liu Ying¡¯s smile froze.


    She had been sold to the Treasure Fragrance Restaurant since she was young. Now, she was naturally not as popular as before. Fewer and fewer people would pay to have fun with her, let alone spend a large sum of money to buy her freedom.


    ¡°Miss, I don¡¯t understand.¡±


    ¡°I was once lucky enough to get a handkerchief. It¡¯s a rare double-sided embroidery. There are only a few dozen people in Ming Qi who know how to make double-sided embroidery.¡± Shen Miao said, ¡°I asked around and found out that it was made by Miss Liu Ying.¡±


    ¡°You!¡± Liu Ying clenched her fists. ¡°How did you know it was made by me?¡±


    Shen Miao waved her hand. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter how I know. What¡¯s important is that I have an embroidery shop and am short of an embroiderer. Miss Liu Ying, are you interested in managing the shop for me?¡±


    Liu Ying looked at her in disbelief and suddenly smiled somewhat sarcastically. ¡°Miss, don¡¯t tell me you want me to turn over a new leaf?¡±


    Jingzhe and Gu Yu were a little dissatisfied with Liu Ying¡¯s attitude at this moment. Mo Qing also frowned slightly. How many prostitutes wanted to have a chance to turn over a new leaf? Liu Ying was still young. If she could pull herself together, she might have a good future.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been sold here since I was young.¡± Liu Ying looked frivolous. ¡°The only thing I know is how to serve and please men. You asked me to take care of the embroidery shop and sell labor. I can¡¯t live such a hard life. Aren¡¯t you afraid that I¡¯ll ruin the shop?¡±


    Shen Miao stared at her and smiled. ¡°That is my business. It¡¯s not for you to worry.¡± She said casually, ¡°It¡¯s just that¡­ this is the only way out for you.¡±


    ¡°Everyone has their own way of living. To me, I don¡¯t think that brothel girls are cheaper or dirtier, but this is what people think.¡± Shen Miao said, ¡°Just like my Guard Mo, he serves me, but no one will look down on him. Some people will even envy my personal maids. People are divided into different levels. Who doesn¡¯t want to be superior to others? Who wants to be criticized every day?¡±

 Chapter 366 - Roping In Pei Lang (1)

    Chapter 366: Roping In Pei Lang (1)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    ¡°You!¡± What Liu Ying hated the most was people talking about her background as a brothel girl. Hearing this, she was even angrier.


    Shen Miao said, ¡°Why don¡¯t you think about it?¡±


    ¡°Miss, since you look down on brothel girls, why do you have to waste your breath on me?¡± Liu Ying smiled instead of flaring up.


    ''.'',


    ¡°What I look down on is people who are willing to become brothel girls.¡± Shen Miao stood up and said, ¡°In a few days, Guard Mo will come again. Miss Liu Ying, you don¡¯t have to be in a hurry to answer me. However¡­ nothing good will come of selling your body.¡±


    Shen Miao gave Mo Qing a look. Mo Qing quickly took out a silver ingot and placed it on the table. Liu Ying glanced at him, looking a little angry. Mo Qing was also very embarrassed. Shen Miao did not intend to stay long. She nodded at Liu Ying and stood up to leave.


    After leaving the Treasure Fragrance Chamber, Jingzhe said indignantly, ¡°Miss wanted to buy her freedom out of goodwill, but I didn¡¯t expect her to be so ungrateful. It¡¯s really a waste of time to be kind to her.¡±


    Mo Qing wanted to say something, but in the end, he thought better of it.


    Gu Yu asked, ¡°Miss, are we going back now?¡±


    Shen Miao did not answer and did not move. Gu Yu was a little puzzled. She saw that Shen Miao seemed to be looking at something and followed her gaze to see that she was looking at the corner opposite the street. There was a man in green standing there and looking at the second floor of the Treasure Fragrance Chamber.


    Before Gu Yu could speak, she saw Shen Miao walking over.


    '',


    Under the roof, the green-robed man stood upright, his gaze fixed in the direction where Liu Ying lived. He was so engrossed in it that he did not even notice when someone walked up to him. Only when a light cough interrupted his train of thought did he see four people standing in front of him. The young man in the lead was dressed in a moon-white robe. He had delicate eyebrows and a fair face. At this moment, he looked at him with a faint smile.


    Pei Lang was stunned and felt that this young man looked familiar. The young man nodded at him. ¡°Mr. Pei.¡±


    ¡°Shen Miao!¡± Pei Lang widened his eyes slightly. He looked at the people behind Shen Miao and then at Shen Miao. He was probably a little shocked and said, ¡°You¡­ why are you dressed like this?¡±


    It was not uncommon for women to dress up as men. In Ming Qi, for the sake of convenience, many young ladies would occasionally wear men¡¯s clothes when they went out to do things.


    ¡°I just came out of the Treasure Fragrance Chamber,¡± Shen Miao said.


    Pei Lang cleared his throat, and his face was a little red. It was not uncommon for women to dress up as men, but this was the first time he had heard of a woman dressing up as a man to visit a brothel. However, Shen Miao still looked very calm, not embarrassed at all.


    Shen Miao suddenly took a step forward to get close to Pei Lang. She opened the folding fan in her hand and blocked their faces from being seen. On the other side of the folding fan, she said softly, ¡°Everyone says that the girls of the Treasure Fragrance Chamber are the most beautiful in the world, so I specially went to take a look. Recently, there have been many new Persian dancers. All of them are gorgeous.¡±


    Pei Lang was at a loss as to what to say to Shen Miao. Moreover, what Shen Miao said made him suddenly have the illusion that the person in front of him was really a young master from a rich family who often visited brothels.

 Chapter 367 - Roping In Pei Lang (2)

    Chapter 367: Roping In Pei Lang (2)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    ¡°Stop messing around!¡± At the thought of his status as a teacher, Pei Lang reproached.


    Shen Miao smiled slightly, her eyes curved like crescent moons. She said, ¡°But I chose Miss Liu Ying.¡±


    As soon as she said that, Pei Lang froze.


    Shen Miao put away the folding fan and looked at him with a smile. ¡°Mr. Pei, I noticed that you¡¯ve been looking at Miss Liu Ying¡¯s room for a long time. Do you also yearn for her?¡±


    Pei Lang stared at Shen Miao, his calm expression suddenly turning a little fierce.


    '''',


    Shen Miao was unmoved. She continued to smile and pointed at the Pleasure Restaurant at the side. ¡°Since you are also interested in Miss Liu Ying, why don¡¯t we go in to have a drink and talk about beauties?¡± She put her folding fan in front of her chest and went upstairs first. As she walked, she said without looking back, ¡°Drinking wine and talking about beauties is the best thing in the world.¡±


    Although Jingzhe, Gu Yu, and Mo Qing did not understand what Shen Miao meant, they had never refuted Shen Miao¡¯s decision and immediately followed her in.


    Pei Lang stood rooted to the ground for a moment before making up his mind to follow her in.


    Ji Yushu, who was sitting by the window upstairs, jumped up. ¡°See! I told you that Miss Shen likes Pei Lang. She went out of her way to see Miss Liu Ying just to get a chance to talk to Pei Lang today!¡±


    Gao Yang ignored him and said, ¡°Just now, she blocked their faces with a fan. What exactly did she say to Pei Lang?¡± As he spoke, Gao Yang looked at Xie Jingxing.


    Xie Jingxing shrugged, not intending to comment.


    ¡°Speaking of which, when Miss Shen unfolded her fan just now, she did it smoothly and elegantly, even better than me.¡± Ji Yushu sighed. ¡°Why did such a beautiful woman fall for a poor scholar? In what way am I worse than him?¡±


    Xie Jingxing stood up. Ji Yushu asked, ¡°Where are you going?¡±


    ¡°Of course I want to hear what they have to say.¡± Xie Jingxing smiled meaningfully. ¡°I want to see what kind of chess piece Pei Lang is.¡±


    '',


    In the elegant private room of the Pleasure Restaurant, Mo Qing was guarding the door. Jingzhe and Gu Yu stood on both sides with their heads lowered, as if they didn¡¯t want to be recognized.


    At the table, Shen Miao was pouring wine.


    The wine was amber-colored and gave off a fragrant smell. This wine was not intoxicating. As long as one¡¯s alcohol tolerance was not too bad, they would be fine.


    Shen Miao poured two cups of wine. The way she poured the wine was very graceful. Her fingers grabbed the handle of the wine pot and poured the sparkling wine into the small jade cup.


    Pei Lang watched as Shen Miao pushed a cup of wine to him and smiled. ¡°Sir, please enjoy.¡±


    ¡°Shen Miao.¡± Pei Lang called her by her name. His expression had never softened since he entered. He said, ¡°What exactly do you want?¡±


    ¡°Mr. Pei, why are you in such a hurry? It¡¯s considered a violation of good etiquette to talk before you sample the wine.¡± Shen Miao looked at him calmly.


    Pei Lang was stunned by her words. He had been in Guangwen Hall for several years and had always been respected by everyone he met. Even the most mischievous student would not speak to him in such a frivolous manner. If it were anyone else, it would be fine, but it was Shen Miao. Pei Lang always felt that Shen Miao was not a frivolous person.However, after their encounter today, he found Shen Miao more mysterious.


    Seeing that Pei Lang did not speak for a long time, Shen Miao chuckled and said, ¡°Mr. Pei, I was just joking with you. Why are you so nervous?¡±

 Chapter 368 - Roping In Pei Lang (3)

    Chapter 368: Roping In Pei Lang (3)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    When she said this, her eyes were clear, but there seemed to be a hint of mischief in them. She clearly looked like an innocent girl, but for a moment, she had a charm that was unique to a woman who had seen the world. Pei Lang was stunned for a moment.


    ¡°This wine is from Qi Lu.¡± Shen Miao picked up the wine cup and raised it at Pei Lang. Pei Lang¡¯s expression suddenly changed, but Shen Miao did not seem to notice his expression. She said slowly, ¡°In the land of Qi Lu, the wine brewed is of amber color.¡±


    ''??? ????? ???????s ??? ?????s??? ?? N(ov)elBin'',


    Pei Lang looked at her and suddenly picked up the wine cup on the table and finished it in one gulp.


    ¡°This wine is not intoxicating.¡± Shen Miao smiled and said, ¡°Otherwise, when people see that, they will think you are a drunkard.¡± Her tone was soft and casual. ¡°Speaking of which, people from Qi Lu are good at drinking. When they drink, they use jars. Mr. Pei looked like someone from Qi Lu just now.¡±


    Pei Lang pursed his lips and did not speak, but there was a deep frown on his face.


    Shen Miao rested her cheek on one hand. As she drank, a faint blush gradually appeared on her facey. When she narrowed her eyes slightly, she looked like a flower in bloom. However, because she was dressed as a man, she looked delicately handsome. She said, ¡°I remember that more than ten years ago, a magistrate in Qi Lu seemed to have the surname Pei too. Those who don¡¯t know better would think that Mr. Pei is family with that person.¡±


    Pei Lang immediately smacked the wine cup on the table. At the same time, Mo Qing glared at him and put his right hand on the scabbard.


    ¡°Unfortunately, at that time, Magistrate Pei¡¯s entire family was executed by His Majesty because he was involved in something in the previous dynasty. All the men in the mansion were executed, and their daughters were sold to be courtesans. I heard that Magistrate Pei had an outstanding pair of children. They were still young, but they died in this calamity.¡±


    '''',


    Pei Lang¡¯s lips were trembling slightly. He asked word by word, ¡°Who exactly are you?¡±


    ¡°Shh.¡± Shen Miao made a shushing sound at him and downed another cup of wine. Her snow-white face turned red as she continued, ¡°Actually, I once heard a secret. Since you two have the same surname, I don¡¯t mind sharing it with you.¡±


    ¡°Originally, Magistrate Pei had the ability to save his son and daughter to avoid the disaster. Unfortunately, because the constables were chasing after them, he had to make a choice between the two. Therefore¡­ Magistrate Pei let his son escape while giving his daughter in to the constables.¡± She shook her head regretfully. ¡°The constables are all ruthless and will never show mercy to the families of the guilty officials. How can that little girl have a good time after being captured?¡± Shen Miao sighed.¡± In my opinion, Magistrate Pei knows that his daughter will definitely die if she falls into the hands of the constable, but he still pushed her out. Isn¡¯t he a little heartless?¡±


    Pei Lang closed his eyes, looking pained.


    ¡°Mr. Pei, you can feel their pain, right?¡± Shen Miao looked at him with a smile. ¡°But I don¡¯t think you are that son who escaped, because you¡¯re not from Qi Lu. You were born in the capital. I said all this only because I get sentimental from drinking too much.¡±


    The gentle expression on Pei Lang¡¯s face suddenly disappeared, and it was replaced by intense vigilance. He said, ¡°Is this General Shen¡¯s idea?¡±


    Shen Miao shook her head.


    ¡°My father doted on me and gave me an embroidery shop. The embroidery shop needs an embroiderer.¡± Shen Miao dragged out her voice. ¡°I heard that the eldest daughter of Magistrate Pei knew about double-sided embroidery since she was young. Coincidentally, Miss Liu Ying from the Treasure Fragrance Chamber also knows double-sided embroidery. I thought Miss Liu Ying might have something to do with Magistrate Pei, so I bought her freedom from the brothel.¡± Shen Miao looked at Pei Lang and said, ¡°Mr. Pei, do you think I¡¯m doing the right thing as your student?¡±

 Chapter 369 - Roping In Pei Lang (4)

    Chapter 369: Roping In Pei Lang (4)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    When she looked over with a smile, she looked like a young man. However, in her clear eyes, there was a deep meaning hidden, making people unable to see through her.


    When interacting with her, one felt like they were walking on a tightrope on a cliff. They couldn¡¯t tell if she was a friend or foe.


    '''',


    Pei Lang turned his head. ¡°What do you think?¡±


    Shen Miao smiled. Her smile was pure, as if she was really happy that she had done something good. She said, ¡°I think it¡¯s good. Even if that son of Magistrate Pei finds out about his sister¡¯s whereabouts and comes to buy her freedom, I¡¯m afraid Miss Pei won¡¯t be willing to accept his goodwill because she still resents her father for abandoning her back then. Instead, she will try to ruin her life.¡±


    Pei Lang did not speak.


    ¡°Some people in the world are originally jade, but after being in a pile of stones for a long time, they will become stones. Some people will never bow even if they are only an inch away from falling off the cliff. I heard that although Magistrate Pei was convicted of a crime, he did not beg for mercy. I think the children he raised will also inherit his character. Tell me,¡± Shen Miao looked at Pei Lang, ¡°would that girl rather live as a noble lady who no longer has a home to go back to or as a prostitute?¡±


    ¡°After saying so much.¡± Pei Lang sneered. ¡°What do you want me to do?¡±


    ¡°Mr. Pei, you¡¯re very smart. I knew I couldn¡¯t hide it from you. That¡¯s right.¡± Shen Miao praised Pei Lang generously before saying, ¡°Mr. Pei, you¡¯re talented and knowledgeable. Why don¡¯t you enter the officialdom?¡±


    ''


    ¡°Shen Miao!¡± Pei Lang suddenly shouted. It was unknown what Shen Miao said had hit his sore spot, but he immediately became excited. Even Jingzhe and Gu Yu were startled and looked at him. Pei Lang said angrily, ¡°Don¡¯t even think about it!¡±


    ¡°Mr. Pei, don¡¯t get worked up just yet. Why don¡¯t you let me finish?¡± Shen Miao smiled and said, ¡°Perhaps you are frightened by the story I told you just now and felt that in the bureaucracy, if one is not careful, one will die without knowing why. After becoming an official, you probably won¡¯t be as carefree as you are now.¡±


    Pei Lang gradually regained his composure and became that gentle scholar again.


    ¡°But Sir, you are alone now. You don¡¯t have a family, so there¡¯s no need to worry about putting your family at risk. Moreover¡­ in this world, the higher one stands, the more they can do. If you want to protect someone, being a teacher is not enough. Although you can have a lot of students in the world, but¡­¡± Shen Miao raised her cup calmly. She was clearly smiling, but in an instant, there was a coldness in her eyes. She said,¡± When something really happens, even your beloved students will cut ties with you.¡±


    ¡°You can only rely on yourself.¡± Shen Miao¡¯s voice seemed to be bewitching, even more bewitching than the erotic songs in the Treasure Fragrance Chamber.


    ¡°Who taught you to say these words? What¡¯s the purpose? What good will it do him if I become an official?¡±


    Shen Miao smiled. Pei Lang was someone who cared about nothing else other than teaching. However, every time he engaged in a discussion, he could always grasp the point immediately. In her previous life, Fu Xiuyi tried his best to rope in Pei Lang as his aide and even promoted him to become the state preceptor. It wasn¡¯t just a coincidence.


    ¡°Mr. Pei, why do you ask what good it will do to others but not yourself?¡± Shen Miao did not answer him. Instead, she took a roundabout way and replied indifferently, ¡°When you become an official, you¡¯ll get rich and marry a wife. The one who benefits in the end will only be you.¡±

 Chapter 370 - Roping In Pei Lang (5)

    Chapter 370: Roping In Pei Lang (5)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    Pei Lang stared at Shen Miao. If he still did not understand Shen Miao¡¯s intentions at this moment, he would really be a fool.


    ¡°What do you want to do after I become an official?¡± Pei Lang asked.


    Shen Miao looked at him in satisfaction. It had always been Pei Lang¡¯s style to weigh the pros and cons in the shortest time and make the most advantageous choice. However¡­ She couldn¡¯t help but recall that when Fu Xiuyi abolished the crown prince, she had also knelt down and begged Pei Lang. The tone Pei Lang used back then was as rational and heartless as now. Now, she had the say, and this once high and mighty state preceptor could only be manipulated by her. A trace of joy appeared on Shen Miao¡¯s face.


    ''Follow current novels ON N (ovelB in.)'',


    ¡°Actually, it¡¯s nothing.¡± Shen Miao said, ¡°Sir, you are talented. Even if you don¡¯t take the initiative to become an official, a year later, someone will come to recruit you. I just hope that at that time, you won¡¯t reject that person and agree to join hands with him, but only on the surface.¡±


    ¡°You want me to be a spy?¡± Pei Lang looked at Shen Miao in disbelief.


    Shen Miao shook her head. ¡°How can you put it that way? Sir, you will get promoted and be rich. I promise not to expose your identity. All I ask is just some information now and then.¡±


    Pei Lang was silent for a moment before looking at Shen Miao. ¡°Who is the person you¡¯re talking about?¡±


    Shen Miao smiled. ¡°Prince Ding, Fu Xiuyi.¡±


    Pei Lang was shocked and couldn¡¯t help but look at Shen Miao again. He knew that Shen Miao used to love Prince Ding, which made her a laughing stock in the capital. He also knew that Prince Ding disdained Shen Miao. Later, at some point, Shen Miao changed completely. Pei Lang had always felt that there was probably someone guiding Shen Miao in secret. However, now that he thought about it, he couldn¡¯t help but wonder if it was because of resentment of being rejected by Prince Ding that she wanted to scheme against him.


    But did she have to go this far?


    '''',


    Pei Lang was a little confused. The girl in front of him was dressed in men¡¯s clothes. After drinking the wine, there was a faint blush on her face. She was young and cute. Her eyes were like a newborn beast, but there was a hint of frivolity in her movements. Pei Lang felt a little ill at ease.


    In terms of age, he was Shen Miao¡¯s elder, and in terms of their relationship, he was Shen Miao¡¯s teacher. However, at this moment, it was as if he was the one at a disadvantage and was led by the nose all this time.


    ¡°What exactly do you want to do?¡± Pei Lang had asked this question many times. Even now, he was still not sure if Shen Miao was instructed by someone else to do this or if she wanted to do it herself. Shen Miao knew everything that was on his mind, but he couldn¡¯t even figure out what Shen Miao was up to.


    ¡°Nothing in particular. I just want to make a decision that¡¯s beneficial to both me and you.¡± Shen Miao smiled and tucked a lock of hair behind her ear, revealing more of her fair neck. She said, ¡°Sir, agree or not?¡±


    ¡°Do I have to answer you here?¡± Pei Lang asked.


    ¡°You have¡­¡± Shen Miao pointed at the wine pot. ¡°This much time. After finishing this pot of wine, tell me the answer.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no need.¡± Pei Lang interrupted her. ¡°If you can fulfill your promise, I¡¯ll agree.¡±


    The room was silent for a moment. A moment later, Shen Miao smiled. She picked up the wine pot and filled the two empty wine glasses. Then, she picked up the glass in front of her to toast with Pei Lang.

 Chapter 371 - Roping In Pei Lang (6)

    Chapter 371: Roping In Pei Lang (6)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    Pei Lang hesitated for a moment before raising his cup. He had a strange feeling about drinking with this student of his in the restaurant¡­


    ¡°I wish you a bright future.¡± Shen Miao smiled and finished the wine in one gulp. She drank very quickly, and a trace of wine flowed out of the corner of her mouth, crossing her slightly sharp chin and entering her collar.


    Pei Lang looked away. He was not a person who liked to linger his eyes on beauties, but for a moment, he felt that something was very wrong.


    A trace of joy flashed across Shen Miao¡¯s eyes. Pei LIang was the state preceptor who could decide Fu Ming¡¯s life and death in her previous life, but now, he was just a puppet.


    However, that joy only lasted for a moment.


    When Pei Lang agreed, she knew that there was no need to continue staying here.


    ''.'',


    After soberness returned, she stood up and raised her chin slightly, returning to the slightly dignified Shen Miao.


    ¡°After Miss Liu Ying settles down, I will tell you where the embroidery shop is.¡± Shen Miao nodded. ¡°The bill has been paid. Sir, please take your time to drink. Wine from Qi Lu is rare in the capital.¡±


    Pei Lang frowned as he looked at the group of people disappearing from sight.


    He picked up the wine and took a sip. It was supposed to be a mellow wine, but it was strangely sour in his mouth.


    After walking out of the door, Jingzhe and Gu Yu did not dare to speak. The two of them could tell that Shen Miao was in a bad mood at this moment. They were confused by the conversation between Pei Lang and Shen Miao, but they were sensitive enough to realize that it wasn¡¯t a small matter, so they did not dare to speak rashly.


    After the cold wind blew past her, the blush on Shen Miao¡¯s face dissipated. She closed her eyes. When she opened them again, her eyes were cold.


    In the end, she still hated Pei Lang for standing by and doing nothing to save her children back then. No matter how she hid it, she still revealed a trace of hatred.


    However, her goal was achieved.


    ¡°Back to the mansion.¡± She walked towards the carriage.


    ¡­


    ''?? ??? ???? ?? ???? ???? ???????s, ????s? ??s?? Novel(B) in.??? ?? ?x???????? ??s??? ?????? s????.'',


    In the hidden room adjacent to the private room where Shen Miao was, the few people were silent.


    Just now, they were engrossed in watching the show. Now that Shen Miao was gone, they came back to their senses and were shocked.


    Ji Yushu swallowed his saliva. As if he wanted to break the silence, he said, ¡°It¡¯s really a good thing to be close to the shopkeeper of this restaurant. At least we get to eavesdrop on conversations. Not only can we listen, but we can also watch. Hehe, isn¡¯t that good?¡±


    However, after Ji Yushu finished speaking, the other two people in the room did not respond to him. Gao Yang placed his folding fan under his chin. This was what he usually did when he was deep in thought. Xie Jingxing leaned his head against his elbow and played with the teacup in his hand while lowering his eyes to think.


    Unable to stand the atmosphere, Ji Yushu spoke again. ¡°Don¡¯t be so quiet. What¡¯s so shocking about Pei Lang being the son of Magistrate Pei?¡±


    Shen Miao¡¯s story was told casually because she firstly believed that Pei Lang could understand it, which was why it came as such a shock to the three of them.


    Magistrate Pei had a son and a daughter. The daughter was Liu Ying, and the son was Pei Lang. On the way to escape, in order to protect Pei Lang, the servents, as instructed by their master, abandoned Liu Ying, and she eventually became a prostitute. Under the arrangement of the Pei family, Pei Lang obtained a new identity as someone who was born in the capital and whose parents had died years ago, leaving him alone in this world.


    No one had discovered his real background all these years.


    However¡­ Xie Jingxing¡¯s lips curled into a strange smile and he said, ¡°How did she know something that even All Knowing Scholar doesn¡¯t?¡±


    At the end of his sentence, his voice turned cold, and his eyes were filled with killing intent.

 Chapter 372 - Meeting Again in the Palace (1)

    Chapter 372: Meeting Again in the Palace (1)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Ji Yushu asked.


    Gao Yang rubbed his chin. ¡°Since she wants to deal with Prince Ding, she¡¯s definitely not on his side. Crown Prince, Prince Zhou, and Prince Li, which side is Shen Miao on?¡±


    ¡°None of that,¡± Xie Jingxing said.


    ¡°Eh?¡± Ji Yushu found it strange. ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    '''',


    Xie Jingxing¡¯s gaze softened. ¡°Pei Lang is not an ordinary person, but he hasn¡¯t become an official yet. Just now, you all heard what Shen Miao said. She was even more tactful than Shen Xin.¡±


    She was witty. She did not admit, deny, decline, or accept. Even someone who¡¯d been a bureaucrat for decades might not be as good at negotiating as her. Shen Xin was a general, and so was Luo Xueyan. Where did Shen Miao learn this kind of witty and shrewd tactics? Did the Shen family have a strategist working for them? Xie Jingxing originally thought so, but now it seemed that it was all Shen Miao¡¯s idea.


    She was able to maximize what she could achieve within her ability. Xue Jingxing couldn¡¯t help but wonder how much trouble she would cause if she was given enough power. Even without any bargaining chips, she could still nurture pawns to her use.


    The world was like a chessboard. In Ming Qi, there were too many people playing this chess game. However, Xie Jingxing had never considered Shen Miao as his opponent. She was just a weak woman and had no ambitions.


    But now, Xie Jingxing saw her ambition through her ability to recruit talents.


    ¡°But we still don¡¯t know how she found out about Pei Lang¡¯s background,¡± Ji Yushu said. ¡°The Exiled Immortal Pawnshop hasn¡¯t found out anything.¡±


    Magistrate Pei must have done all he could to save his son. Pei Lang did not let his father down. He did not seek revenge or hate the royal family. He hid his identity and became a teacher. No one would notice him, but Shen Miao saw through him and even used Liu Ying as a bargaining chip to make Pei Lang work for her.


    It was unknown where she got the information from, just like when she made the Chen brothers her pawns.


    ''Follow current novels on n0velbin.com.'',


    ¡°Forget about her.¡± Xie Jingxing said, ¡°Have you finished writing the letter?¡±


    ¡°I did.¡± Gao Yang frowned. ¡°But are you really sure¡­ Once the letter is sent, there¡¯s no turning back. Moreover, they haven¡¯t received any news about your plan yet. What if they don¡¯t agree¡­¡±


    ¡°Do as I say.¡± Xie Jingxing stood up.


    ¡­


    After returning to the Shen family¡¯s mansion, in the west courtyard, Shen Miao changed her clothes. Just as she removed her hair, she saw Bai Lu rush in and say, ¡°Miss, Madam wants you to go to see her. She has something to discuss with you.¡±


    The new year had passed. Because Shen Xin requested to stay in the capital for another half a year, Luo Xueyan had a much easier time. She kept buying clothes and jewelry for Shen Miao, or she asked Shen Qiu to bring her out to eat, drink, and have fun. Sometimes, Shen Miao felt that Shen Xin and Luo Xueyan were trying to turn her into a playboy.


    Shen Miao casually combed up her hair and went to Luo Xueyan¡¯s room. As soon as she entered the room, she was surprised to see that Shen Xin and Shen Qiu were also there. Seeing her enter, Luo Xueyan quickly pulled her to sit down beside her and said, ¡°Jiaojiao, what did you go out to do today?¡±


    Shen Miao asked Bai Lu and Shuang Jiang to stay in the house today and instructed them that If anyone asked, tell them that she went out to shop. She said, ¡°I felt bored staying at home, so I went out to shop. I happened to pass by the Pleasure Restaurant and brought a few jars of strong wine for Father and Brother.¡±


    ¡°I knew my daughter understood me!¡± Shen Xin¡¯s eyes lit up when he heard that. He said, ¡°The wine in the capital is too sweet. How can it be considered wine! Strong wine is better. It¡¯s more satisfying!¡±

 Chapter 373 - Meeting Again in the Palace (2)

    Chapter 373: Meeting Again in the Palace (2)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    Shen Qiu was also happy. ¡°Sister, you¡¯re so thoughtful!¡±


    ¡°All you know is to drink!¡± Luo Xueyan rolled her eyes at the father and son and said, ¡°Just let the servants go and buy the wine. Jiaojiao, why do you have to make the trip?¡±


    Shen Xin was displeased ¡°Jiaojiao is doing it because she cares about us. It won¡¯t be the same if it¡¯s bought by the servants!¡± It was rare for Shen Miao to be close to them now. Shen Xin was very happy. Even if Shen Miao bought two jars of water today, he would still be overjoyed. Naturally, he had to refute Luo Xueyan.


    ''This chapter is updated by N(o)V(e)lB(i)n.'',


    Luo Xueyan couldn¡¯t be bothered to waste her breath on the father and son. She looked at Shen Miao and said, ¡°Jiaojiao, I actually have something to discuss with you.¡±


    ¡°Mother, please go ahead.¡±


    ¡°You know that we¡¯re going to split up from the Shen family. I think it will be done in a few days. Your father and I have thought it through. We have to buy a new mansion. I saw a mansion in the east of the city that¡¯s not bad. We can get some servants to clean it. It¡¯s just that¡­¡± Luo Xueyan looked at Shen Miao and was hesitating if she could continue.¡± In the past, when your father and I went to the Northwest, we could leave you in charge of the Shen family. Now that we¡¯ve split up, if your father and I leave again, it¡¯s not safe for you, a girl, to stay in a mansion alone. So¡­ Jiaojiao, are you willing to go to the Northwest with me?¡±


    Shen Miao was slightly stunned.


    ¡°Sister, the Northwest is very fun.¡± Seeing that Shen Miao was in a daze, Shen Qiu quickly said, ¡°It¡¯s not as bad as people say. We¡¯ll live in Spring City. There are mountains and rivers there, and there are many rare birds and beasts. When the time comes, I can go hunt a white tiger to make a cloak for you.¡±


    ¡°Nonsense!¡± Luo Xueyan scolded him with a smile. ¡°Your sister is just a girl. Why does she need the white tiger cloak?¡±


    Shen Qiu scratched his head. ¡°There¡¯s also mines. The gems are huge. Sister, I can make jewelry for you too!¡±


    '''',


    Shen Miao smiled. She was a little hesitant at first because she still had other things to do in the capital. However, after hearing Shen Qiu¡¯s words, she started to yearn for Spring City in the northwest. Who didn¡¯t want to live a carefree life? Who wanted to open their eyes every day and think about how to scheme against others? She sighed in her heart. She would go with them this time. At most, she would stay in the capital when she came back next year.


    ¡°Sure.¡± Under everyone¡¯s expectant gazes, Shen Miao nodded. ¡°I also want to broaden my horizon.¡±


    Luo Xueyan heaved a sigh of relief. Shen Xin laughed loudly and said, ¡°I knew Jiaojiao would definitely agree! After coming back this year, I found that Jiaojiao has changed a lot.¡±


    ¡°Sister, Sister.¡± Shen Qiu was also excited. ¡°When the time comes, I¡¯ll bring you to see my brothers. They all know that I have a sister but they have never seen you. Also the grandparents on Mother¡¯s side. They haven¡¯t seen you since you were born. They won¡¯t be able to recognize you this time.¡±


    Luo Xueyan¡¯s family was the general of the northwest. They only rushed over to the capital once when Shen Miao was born. Later, because it was thousands of miles away, they had not seen each other all these years. Shen Miao lowered her eyes, deep in thought. In her previous life, after Luo Xueyan died, the Luo family cut off all contact with the Shen family. Shen Miao did not have a deep relationship with the Luo family to begin with, so she did not know what happened to the Luo family in the end. However, with Consort Mei¡¯s ruthless methods, she would definitely have a way to make Fu Xiuyi wipe out the Luo family.


    After chatting for a while, Luo Xueyan asked Shen Miao to go back to her room to rest.


    After Shen Miao washed up, she sat at the table and looked at the dancing flames of the candle. She couldn¡¯t help but sigh. If she really wanted to go to the Northwest with Shen Xin, she had to settle everything within the next half a year.

 Chapter 374 - Meeting Again in the Palace (3)

    Chapter 374: Meeting Again in the Palace (3)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    The only thing worth being happy about now was having roped in Pei Lang.


    She had always known very well that it was not good for the Shen family to be involved in the affairs of the palace. However, she was just a girl and did not have the chance to come into contact with inside information. Moreover, many things had already changed in this life, so she had to make Pei Lang her ears and eyes in the palace.


    ''Follow current novels ON N (ovelB in.)'',


    There was probably some luck involved in recruiting Pei Lang. Back then, when Fu Xiuyi recruited Pei Lang, it was also because one of his subordinates had a relationship with Magistrate Pei that he found out about Pei Lang¡¯s background. At that time, it was also because Fu Xiuyi helped Liu Ying settle down that Pei Lang became loyal to him.


    The Pei siblings were both stubborn and opinionated. After Liu Ying became a prostitute, she put all her past behind her and dedicated to being a prostitute. Perhaps it was because she found recalling her identity in the past too painful. As for Pei Lang, he never thought about taking revenge and just settled down as a teacher.


    Liu Ying was unwilling to admit her real identity and was also angry at the Pei family for abandoning her to save Pei Lang. If Pei Lang proposed to free her from the brothel, Liu Ying would resist with all her might. However, Shen Miao gave Liu Ying a way out. Once she had Liu Ying in control, she indirectly had Pei LIang in control.


    ¡°Miss, it¡¯s better to rest early.¡± Jingzhe smiled and said, ¡°Tomorrow, you still have to go with Madam to see the mansion in the east of the city.¡±


    Shen Miao nodded.


    However, she did not expect that her plan could not keep up with the changes.


    '''',


    The next morning, after Shen Miao had breakfast, Luo Xueyan¡¯s maid came over and said that after Shen Miao changed her clothes, they would go and take a look at the new mansion.


    However, before Shen Miao could finish dressing up, a palace maid came, asking Luo Xueyan to go to the palace. She even said that if Shen Miao was free, she had to come long.


    Shen Xin and Shen Qiu¡¯s expressions immediately darkened, and Luo Xueyan was a little confused when she heard that the palace maid was instructed to deliver the message by a consort.


    After all, Luo Xueyan did not have much of a relationship with any of the women in the palace.


    Shen Xin and Shen Qiu found it strange that Shen Miao was also asked to go along. Could it be that someone wanted to take advantage of Shen Miao? Once Shen Miao was concerned, they were always especially nervous. Shen Xin said, ¡°Madam, I¡¯ll go and keep you company.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± Luo Xueyan said, ¡°You are not invited. Don¡¯t cause unnecessary trouble. I¡¯ll bring Jiaojiao along.¡± She hesitated for a moment. ¡°There are so many people. They won¡¯t do anything out of line. Besides, I¡¯m not a weak woman. If¡­¡± She wanted to say that if anything happened, she wouldn¡¯t protect Shen Miao at all costs.


    Shen Xin nodded. ¡°I don¡¯t think the situation in the palace is dangerous at this moment. Don¡¯t worry. Just go.¡±


    Luo Xueyan held Shen Miao¡¯s hand and got into the carriage arranged by the palace. She originally planned to go and see the mansion early this morning, but her plan was delayed by this sudden occurrence. No one knew if it was a good occurrence or not.

 Chapter 375 - Meeting Again in the Pal

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 Chapter 376 - Meeting Again in the Palace (5)

    Chapter 376: Meeting Again in the Palace (5)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    With the mention of Emperor Wen Hui, the domineering Consort Xu could not complain. Just as she was about to say something sarcastic, she suddenly saw her maid enter. Consort Xu asked, ¡°Are they here?¡±


    The maid nodded. Not long after, Luo Xueyan and Shen Miao walked in. After nodding to the maid, Shen Miao stood at the side with Luo Xueyan with her head lowered. She did not look up. A slightly sharp voice said, ¡°Mrs. Shen, this must be your daughter, right? Look up and let me take a look at you.¡±


    Shen Miao paused and slowly looked up. When she saw who was sitting on the right, her heart tightened and she felt her blood boil.


    ''New novel chapters are published on Novel-Bin'',


    On the left was Consort Xu. She was the mother of Prince Zhou and Prince Jing, and on the right was Consort Dong. She was Fu Xiuyi¡¯s biological mother. At this moment, Consort Dong looked at Consort Xu with a smile and said to her, ¡°She¡¯s really a delicate girl. Her face shows she has a bright future ahead of her.¡±


    Consort Dong looked at Shen Miao with a gentle expression. Those who didn¡¯t know better would have let down their guard.


    Consort Dong was not favored in the harem. Emperor Wen Hui had countless women by his side. Some had a background, some were talented, some were beautiful, and some had personalities. Consort Dong, on the other hand, was gentle and calm. She did not fight for anything and did not snatch anything. On the surface, she was the one with the least status among the four consorts, but Shen Miao knew that Consort Dong was definitely not a harmless woman.


    When Shen Miao married Fu Xiuyi in her previous life, Consort Dong also praised her for being delicate. However, later on, when Fu Xiuyi became more and more powerful, Consort Dong treated her indifferently. When she returned from the State of Qin, Consort Dong, who was the empress dowager, even worked together with Consort Mei to bring Shen Miao down. In Consort Dong¡¯s eyes, Shen Miao was just a chess piece to rope in the Shen family, a vulgar chess piece that was not presentable. Later, when Fu Xiuyi abolished the crown prince, Consort Dong was the first to step forward and help Fu Sheng become the crown prince.


    Shen Miao quickly lowered her head to hide the hatred in her eyes.


    Consort Xu and Consort Dong thought that Shen Miao was shy. Consort Xu asked casually, ¡°How old are you this year?¡±


    ¡°Your Highness,¡± Shen Miao said softly, ¡°I¡¯m fourteen.¡±


    '''',


    ¡°Fourteen¡­¡± Consort Xu pondered for a moment before saying with a smile, ¡°You¡¯ll reach the marriage age soon.¡±


    These words made Luo Xueyan inexplicably nervous. What she was most worried about now was Shen Miao¡¯s marriage. If Shen Miao married into the palace and got involved into the power game¡­ Luo Xueyan¡¯s expression was very ugly. Seeing that Luo Xueyan all tensed up, Consort Xu chuckled and said, ¡°Madam Shen, why are you so nervous? Are you afraid that I¡¯ll be the matchmaker for Miss Shen?¡±


    Luo Xueyan quickly said, ¡°I wouldn¡¯t dare!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡± Consort Xu said, ¡°Even if I¡¯m really going to be the matchmaker, I won¡¯t just pick a random man for Miss Shen. I¡¯ll help her choose the best man I know of. Speaking of which¡­¡± Consort Xu looked at Shen Miao and smiled maliciously.¡± Miss Shen, do you have someone in mind now?¡±


    Everyone knew that Shen Miao had once loved Fu Xiuyi to the core. This question was also intended to embarrass Consort Dong in front of everyone. Consort Xu had always been arrogant and domineering because she was favored by Emperor Wen Hui. Among the four consorts, Consort Dong was the easiest to bully. Consort Xu had always enjoyed making fun of Consort Dong.


    ¡°Thank you for your kindness, Your Highness. I don¡¯t have anyone in mind yet,¡± Shen Miao said with her head lowered.


    Consort Xu seemed to be a little bored. She felt that Shen Miao was dull and was not as stupid as the rumors said. Otherwise, she could still make some fun of her. She waved her hand. ¡°Forget it then.¡±

 Chapter 377 - Meeting Again in the Palace (6)

    Chapter 377: Meeting Again in the Palace (6)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    Luo Xueyan became more and more cautious. As long as Shen Miao was involved, she had no choice but to be vigilant. Just as she was thinking, she heard Consort Dong say with a smile, ¡°Madam, don¡¯t be nervous. The reason why the two of us invited you to the palace today is actually just to chat with you.¡± After a pause, she continued, ¡°The two of us have never been to the Northwest. Madam, we¡¯re very curious about the North, so we wanted to ask you about it.¡±


    Consort Dong¡¯s voice was gentle and amiable, like a spring breeze that comforted people¡¯s hearts. However, Luo Xueyan did not relax, and Shen Miao became even more suspicious. She knew that Emperor Wen Hui must have some other motive for summoning them to the palace today. Emperor Wen Hui wanted to probe something through the mouths of Consort Xu and Consort Dong. One of them was domineering, and the other was gentle. With the two consorts working together, it was easy for people to be confused and fall into a trap.


    Shen Miao was a little nervous.


    ¡°Thank you, Your Highness.¡± Luo Xueyan smiled. ¡°It¡¯s just that the North has always been boring. I¡¯m afraid Your Highness won¡¯t like it.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± Consort Dong smiled and said, ¡°I wouldn¡¯t have invited you here if we were worried about being bored.¡± She paused and suddenly thought of something as she looked at Shen Miao.


    ''Follow current novels on No v elBin.'',


    Fu Xiuyi knew that the emperor wanted them to test Luo Xueyan, and he also knew that Luo Xueyan would bring Shen Miao along. Yesterday, he told Consort Dong that if Shen Miao was present, she had to send her away during discussion. Fu Xiuyi was Consort Dong¡¯s son, so Consort Dong naturally wouldn¡¯t suspect anything. However¡­ no matter what, she couldn¡¯t tell what was there to be wary of about this slightly dull and timid young lady.


    Shen Miao lowered her head, so her expression could not be seen clearly. Consort Dong said, ¡°But this kind of talk will definitely be boring for the little girl to hear. Tong Yao, show Fifth Miss Shen around the garden. When she¡¯s tired, bring her to a living room to eat snacks. Take good care of her.¡±


    Although Consort Xu didn¡¯t understand why Consort Dong did this, she didn¡¯t suspect it because she thought that Consort Dong was instructed by Emperor Wen Hui to do it. Luo Xueyan felt a little uneasy. It was best to put Shen Miao by her side, but in the current situation, she also realized that the talk with the two consorts couldn¡¯t really be a casual one. At least¡­ in broad daylight, these people wouldn¡¯t dare to harm Shen Miao.


    At the thought of this, she felt a little relieved. She smiled and said to Shen Miao, ¡°Jiaojiao, go to the garden with the maids. After I¡¯m done talking to the ladies, I¡¯ll come and look for you.¡±


    Shen Miao did not refuse, but she was uneasy. Why did they send her away for no reason? She could naturally kick up a fuss and clamored to stay here, but that would seem too deliberate. Why wasn¡¯t she allowed to hear their conversation? Could it be that she had already aroused the suspicion of others? The person who spoke was Consort Dong. This was the first time they had met in this life¡­ Could it be that Fu Xiuyi was reminding Consort Dong? This thought suddenly flashed across Shen Miao¡¯s mind.


    However, she did not say anything. She stood up respectfully and bade farewell to the consorts before following Tong Yao out.


    Tong Yao brought Shen Miao to the garden. There were gardens everywhere in the palace. However, Shen Miao was not in the mood to admire the scenery. She was more familiar with every inch of the garden here than anyone else and had been here countless times.


    Tong Yao also noticed that Shen Miao was distracted and said, ¡°Miss Shen, if you¡¯re tired, I¡¯ll bring you to the living room. There are snacks there.¡±


    Shen Miao nodded. Halfway to the living room, a young eunuch ran over and whispered something into Tong Yao¡¯s ear. Tong Yao said apologetically to Shen Miao, ¡°The living room is the hall over there. Miss Shen, go in first. I¡¯ll come over after delivering the things. It won¡¯t be long.¡±


    '''',


    Shen Miao nodded and did not mind. The living room was right in front of her, and there were guards everywhere in the palace. She had been here before and knew the way very well.


    She walked to the door of the living room, opened it, and walked in. The door closed with a bang on its own. Shen Miao¡¯s heart skipped a beat. Before she could react, a pair of hands covered her mouth from behind. Without thinking, Shen Miao bit down and knocked into the door behind her.


    With that, Shen Miao heard a gasp behind her, but her elbow was grabbed and she couldn¡¯t move. A familiar voice sounded with suppressed anger. ¡°Shen Miao, are you a shrew?¡±


    Shen Miao was slightly stunned. The person behind her had already let go. She turned around and looked at him. Opposite her, Xie Jingxing was rubbing his hand, looking a little angry. However¡­ that was not what Shen Miao cared about.


    Unlike his usual playful and rebellious self, today, he was wearing a dark red official uniform with exquisite cufflinks and a long hat and green boots. He looked like a different person from before. Shen Miao had never seen him like this and was stunned for a moment.


    Xie Jingxing locked the door and turned around to look at her with his arms crossed, looking like he was going to settle the score.


    However, Shen Miao was not afraid of him. She only frowned and said, ¡°What are you doing here?¡±


    ¡°When I came out of the palace, I saw you, so I came over to say hi.¡± Xie Jingxing said casually, ¡°Did the emperor summon your father to the palace?¡±


    Shen Miao¡¯s heart thumped. ¡°What do you mean?¡±

 Chapter 378 - Requesting to Go to War (1)

    Chapter 378: Requesting to Go to War (1)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Shen Miao asked.


    Xie Jingxing would not say such a thing for no reason.


    Xie Jingxing raised his eyebrows and looked at her. ¡°Shen Yuan is Prince Ding¡¯s man.¡±


    Shen Miao was slightly shocked and did not speak.


    ¡°Before Shen Yuan got into trouble, he talked to Prince Ding in secret.¡± Xie Jingxing said, ¡°The Shen family is now at odds with each other. Other than dealing with your father, what else can they do?¡±


    ¡°Impossible!¡± Shen Miao cried out.


    Xie Jingxing stared at her, as if he wanted to see through Shen Miao. He asked, ¡°Why?¡±


    Shen Miao¡¯s palms were slightly wet, and her heart was in a mess. Shen Xin wasn¡¯t supposed to be the target this early. The royal family would only start to deal with him a few years later, because at this point, they had no reason to justify targeting Shen Xin. Shen Yuan worked for Prince Ding, and the two of them were extremely cautious people. They would not make a move unless they were extremely confident. For example, in her previous life, she only found out at the end that the second and third branches were also involved in scheming against Shen Xin, and Shen Yuan must have only collected all the sufficient evidence at the very end.


    However, the evidence Shen Yuan collected should be insufficient at this time. Why did Fu Xiuyi choose to make a move now?


    How did things turn out to be so different?


    She looked up and met Xie Jingxing¡¯s thoughtful gaze. Shen Miao¡¯s heart skipped a beat. Xie Jingxing was quick-witted, so he probably could tell something from her expression. At the thought of this, she smiled and said, ¡°Shen Yuan is my second brother. Why would he want to harm my father?¡±


    ''Follow current novels ON N (ovelB in.)'',


    Hearing this, Xie Jingxing smiled meaningfully and said, ¡°Shen Miao, do you really take me as a fool?¡±


    ¡°Since Young Marquis Xie told me this, how will Prince Ding deal with my father?¡± Shen Miao said seriously.


    Xie Jingxing shook his head.


    Shen Miao did not have much hope to begin with. Even if Xie Jingxing knew, there was no reason for him to tell her. The Xie family was also involved in the affairs of Ming Qi. If they chose a side rashly, they would also be implicated. If she was Xie Jingxing, she would also choose to remain silent.


    However¡­ Shen Miao sized up Xie Jingxing¡¯s official uniform and asked in confusion, ¡°What brought you to the palace?¡±


    Xie Jingxing said lazily, ¡°I came to request to go to war.¡±


    ¡°General?¡± Shen Miao was stunned for a moment and subconsciously asked, ¡°To war?¡±


    Xie Jingxing smiled but did not say anything. Shen Miao suddenly looked at him. ¡°To the Northern border? To fight off the Xiongnu?¡±


    This time, Xie Jingxing asked in surprise, ¡°How did you know?¡± The matter of the Xiongnu in the northern border was a secret. Before the edict was issued, Shen Xin might not even know, let alone Shen Miao. Xie Jingxing had always been curious about where Shen Miao got all her information from. She even knew about the secrets in the palace. This made Xie Jingxing even more surprised.


    Shen Miao looked at him in a daze, her heart in turmoil.


    In the land of the northern border, the constant harassment from the Xiongnu had never been settled. However, the terrain of the northern border was complicated, and the people of the northern border were ferocious and brave. Emperor Wen Hui only sent small armies to engage in skirmishes with the Xiongnu but never wanted to face the Xiongnu head-on. Later, the Xiongnu became even more aggressive. Emperor Wen Hui had no choice but send Xie Ding to war. The Xie army was brave, but they were all wiped out on the battlefield. At the end of the year, Xie Ding was sent back as a corpse and the entire country was in grief. The next spring, Xie Jingxing went to war on behalf of his father. The army was defeated like a landslide and he was shot by thousands of arrows and hung up by the Xiongnu as a warning to Ming Qi.


    Xie Jingxing died when he was 22 years old. Now, he was only 19 years old.


    Shen Miao felt suffocated for a moment. It was unlikely for the emperor to want to deal with the Xiongnu at this time. Xie Jingxing requested to go to war, and Xie Ding was probably still kept in the dark at this moment. From the looks of it, Xie JIngxing¡¯s request must have been granted.

 Chapter 379 - Requesting to Go to War (2)

    Chapter 379: Requesting to Go to War (2)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    Changed again! Changed again!


    All the events were brought forward. If Xie Jingxing went to war now, would he end up dead just like in his previous life?


    '',


    Shen Miao originally wanted to save the Xie family for the future to deal with the royal family. Would the fate of some people still follow the trajectory of the past? Was the arrogant young man with red lips, white teeth, and beautiful eyes really going to walk towards his demise?


    When Xie Jingxing noticed Shen Miao¡¯s abnormal expression, he did not find it suspicious. His eyes flickered and he said, ¡°You seem to be very worried.¡±


    At this moment, Shen Miao was not in the mood to joke around. She looked at him and said, ¡°You¡­ are you going to lead the Xie army?¡±


    ¡°Pay attention to the soldiers in the Xie army and the people around you,¡± Shen Miao said word by word. At first, she was a bit awkward saying that, but in the end, her tone gradually became serious. ¡°The wind and sand in the northern border are strong, and the armor of the soldiers is heavy. No matter what, don¡¯t take off the mirror armor.¡± In her previous life, Xie Jingxing¡¯s heart was pierced by thousands of arrows. Perhaps, wearing the mirror armor would save him. More importantly, Shen Miao felt that Xie Jingxing¡¯s death was too strange. How could the young general, who was outstanding in battle tactics, lose so miserably? In addition, later on, she gradually understood the situation and knew that the royal family was cracking down on the big families. There might be some people from the royal family hiding in the Xie army, and the death of Xie Ding and Xie Jingxing might be a conspiracy by the royal family.


    Shen Miao was focused on the big picture, but she did not know that with her current relationship with Xie Jingxing, they could by no means be called friends. Therefore, her words of concern seemed a little strange.


    Xie Jingxing was also surprised by her reaction. He suddenly smiled and approached Shen Miao, lowering his head slightly. He was extremely close to Shen Miao, his eyes smiling as he teased, ¡°Are you so concerned about me?¡±


    Shen Miao was engrossed in her thoughts and did not notice that he was already so close to her. Suddenly, she came back to her senses and looked at Xie Jingxing with her big eyes.


    Xie Jingxing was caught off guard by that innocent look of hers. He was a ruthless person and only regarded the Shen family as his chess piece. He knew that Shen Miao was scheming and her methods were uncommon, and she was definitely not as harmless as she looked on the surface. However, sometimes, he felt that she was just a little girl who did not understand anything.


    Xie Jingxing quickly shook off the thought. He took a step back and said, ¡°The Shen army is too powerful. It¡¯s not a good thing.¡±


    Shen Miao replied, ¡°It¡¯s my mother who was summoned to the palace today, and the people who summoned her were Consort Xu and Consort Dong.¡± When she said Consort Xu and Consort Dong, her expression was not respectful, as if she was talking about two ordinary people. Xie Jingxing was used to Shen Miao being so calm.


    He said, ¡°Retreat.¡±


    ¡°Retreat?¡± Shen Miao asked.


    Xie Jingxing stopped talking. In the end, he still gave Shen Miao a hint. If Shen Miao was smart, she would understand what he meant.


    Shen Miao lowered her eyes and thought for a moment before saying, ¡°Thank you. May I know when you are leaving.¡±


    ¡°Ten days later.¡±


    ¡°So soon?¡± Shen Miao exclaimed.


    ¡°Why?¡± Xie Jingxing turned to look at her and said with a faint smile, ¡°Can¡¯t bear to part with me?¡±


    ¡°No¡­¡± Shen Miao said expressionlessly, ¡°In that case¡­ I wish Young Marquis a triumphant return.¡±


    ¡°If I get rewarded after I return.¡± Xie Jingxing said indifferently, ¡°I¡¯ll give you a little something as a gift.¡±

 Chapter 380 - Requesting to Go to War (3)

Chapter content is missing or does not exist! Please try again later!

 Chapter 381 - Requesting to Go to War (4)

    Chapter 381: Requesting to Go to War (4)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    After dinner, Luo Xueyan instructed Shen Miao to rest early, then pulled Shen Qiu and Shen Xin back to the room to discuss what happened today. Shen Miao did not follow. She had already learned many things from Luo Xueyan. What she could not understand now was what Shen Yuan gave to Fu Xiuyi.


    In front of the oil lamp, Shen Miao sat at the table and was deep in thought. Jingzhe and Gu Yu were careful not to disturb her. Outside the window, it began to drizzle. This was the first rain since the new year, indicating that spring was coming.


    When spring came, everything would be revived, bringing along with it new hope, but what was the hope for the Shen family?


    Shen Miao closed her eyes.


    That night, when Xie Jingxing passed by the courtyard, he happened to meet Xie Changwu and Xie Changchao. When the two of them saw him, they immediately stopped and bowed respectfully to him. ¡°Brother.¡±


    Xie Jingxing had always ignored these two people. It was the same today. Just as he was about to walk past them, he was stopped by Xie Changchao. Xie Changchao said smugly, ¡°I haven¡¯t seen you in a long time. I wonder what you¡¯re busy with. I wanted to go with you to hunt a few days ago, but Father asked us to go to Lord Liu¡¯s official banquet, so I had to postpone this plan.¡±


    Xie Ding had been bringing Xie Changwu and Xie Changchao to the banquet of his colleagues these days. Everyone knew that Xie Ding was going to guide his two sons into officialdom.


    Speaking of which, Xie Changwu and Xie Changchao were the sons of a concubine, and they weren¡¯t as talented as Xie Jingxing. If not for the fact that Xie Jingxing was cynical and refused to become an official, everyone knew that it would not be the two brother¡¯s turn. However, Xie Jingxing had been at odds with Xie Ding for many years because of what happened to Princess Yuqing. The relationship between father and son was awkward, so how could it be fixed?


    Xie Changwu was a little more humble than Xie Changchao. Even so, he could not hide the smugness in his eyes. He said, ¡°Brother, when will you go with us? With your talent in both civil and military, you will definitely be favored by everyone. It will be much easier for you to become an official.¡±


    Xie Changchao and Xie Changwu had figured out Xie Jingxing¡¯s temper and knew that he was arrogant by nature. The more he said that, the more impossible it was for Xie Jingxing to become an official. In terms of background and talents, they were destined to be inferior to Xie Jingxing. Now that they finally had something that Xie Jingxing didn¡¯t have, they naturally couldn¡¯t wait to show off.


    When Xie Jingxing heard this, he looked at them with a faint smile and suddenly asked, ¡°Are you very smug?¡±


    Xie Changchao and Xie Changwu were stunned, but Xie Jingxing had already walked away. The disdain in the corners of his eyes was seen by the two of them.


    Looking at Xie Jingxing¡¯s departing figure, Xie Changchao said hatefully, ¡°Smart ass, who does he think he is?¡±


    Xie Changwu¡¯s expression was sinister. ¡°One day, I will trample him under my feet!¡±


    When Xie Jingxing returned to the house, there were already two people waiting there. One was middle-aged and had a beard, and the other was young and had straight eyebrows.


    The bearded middle-aged man asked, ¡°Master, are you really going to¡­¡±


    Xie Jingxing sat down at the table and waved his hand.


    ¡°Xie Changchao and Xie Changwu¡­¡± The younger one said,¡± Do you want us to¡­¡± At the end of his sentence, there was a trace of killing intent.


    ¡°No need. If we do it now, we¡¯ll cause more trouble.¡± Xie Jingxing interrupted him. ¡°With me around, Xie Changwu and Xie Changchao won¡¯t do anything to Xie Ding. As for Concubine Fang¡­¡± He sneered.¡± Just keep her.¡±


    The two of them nodded. Xie Jingxing took out a letter from his sleeve. It was a copy of the letter he sent to the emperor to request to go to war.

 Chapter 382 - Requesting to Go to War (4)

    Chapter 382: Requesting to Go to War (4)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    In the end, he still had to make this move.


    ¡­


    The first ray of sunlight shone through the carved window on the table. Shen Miao sat at the table and did not move.


    Jingzhe came in with a silver basin. As soon as she entered, she was shocked and said, ¡°Miss, why are you up so early today?¡±


    Shen Miao didn¡¯t speak. Jingzhe walked over. The oil lamp on the table had already burned out, and there was a faint greenish-black color under Shen Miao¡¯s eyes. Jingzhe was stunned for a moment before exclaiming, ¡°Miss, did you not sleep all night?¡±


    Shen Miao shook her head and rubbed her forehead tiredly.


    She sat here for the entire night.


    Xie Jingxing¡¯s hint puzzled her and made her even more confused. She did not know what Shen Yuan had given Fu Xiuyi, but she knew that it must be detrimental to the Shen family.


    Jingzhe said with some heartache, ¡°Miss, no matter how worried you are, don¡¯t torture your body like this. Master and Madam will be heartbroken to see this. Miss, you should eat something and rest first. You really don¡¯t look good. What if you fall sick?¡±


    Shen Miao also felt a little hungry. After thinking for the entire night, she felt a little dizzy and said, ¡°Bring me some porridge. I¡¯ll sleep for a while after eating. Don¡¯t tell anyone about this.¡±


    Jingzhe sighed and turned to run towards the kitchen to get the porridge for Shen Miao. Shen Miao stood up, wanting to wash her face . Halfway through, she suddenly heard footsteps outside the door and saw Jingzhe running back.


    ¡°Why so fast?¡± Shen Miao was a little surprised. It was still a distance from the kitchen to here. Even if Jingzhe jogged over, it would still take some time.


    ¡°Miss, something¡¯s wrong.¡± Jingzhe said in a panic, ¡°Someone from the palace is here. Master, Madam, and Eldest Young Master are summoned to the palace!¡±


    The handkerchief in Shen Miao¡¯s hand fell into the basin. She calmed herself down and said, ¡°I¡¯ll go and take a look.¡±


    In the courtyard, the eunuchs from the palace were delivering the edict to Shen Xin. These people were usually very respectful to the mighty general, but today, their attitudes were unclear. Sometimes, one could tell the emperor¡¯s attitude from the attitudes of the eunuchs. Clearly, entering the palace this time was not necessarily a good thing.


    When Shen Miao came out, not only were Shen Xin, Luo Xueyan, and Shen Qiu there, but even Old Madam Shen brought Shen Yuanbai out. However, Old Madam Shen didn¡¯t look concerned at all. Instead, she was gloating.


    On the other hand, Shen Wan said to the eunuch, ¡°May I ask why His Majesty summoned Brother to the palace?¡±


    The eunuch looked up at the sky. ¡°I¡¯m just following His Majesty¡¯s orders. I don¡¯t know what His Majesty is thinking. Lord, please follow me into the palace.¡± He urged Shen Xin impatiently.


    When Shen Qiu saw Shen Miao walking over, he was a little nervous. He quickly held Shen Miao¡¯s hand and said, ¡°Sister, why are you here?¡± Seeing that Shen Miao was looking at the eunuch, he quickly comforted her, ¡°Sister, don¡¯t worry. His Majesty just summoned us to the palace to discuss some military matters. We¡¯ll be back soon. When I come back, I¡¯ll bring you snacks.¡±


    He was afraid of scaring Shen Miao, but he did not know that in Shen Miao¡¯s eyes, his behavior would only make her more worried. Shen Xin, Luo Xueyan, and Shen Qiu were all summoned to the palace except Shen Miao. The three of them were leading figures of the Shen army. This matter must be related to the Shen army. Now that the Shen family¡¯s military power was on the rise, they had to be extra cautious.


    Novel Top1.OR G

 Chapter 383 - Requesting to Go to War (6)

    Chapter 383: Requesting to Go to War (6)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    At this moment, not only would Shen Miao not be able to help, but she would also make Luo Xueyan and the others feel more burdened. Therefore, Shen Miao smiled and said, ¡°Is that so? Brother, you have to keep your word.¡±


    Seeing Shen Miao like this, Shen Qiu heaved a sigh of relief. Shen Qiu knew that Shen Miao was smart, but he did not want her to be involved in the matters of the imperial court. Moreover, the affairs of the imperial court were never about one person. There were casualties at every turn and countless people were implicated. It was not that easy to explain.


    Luo Xueyan and Shen Xin also comforted Shen Miao. ¡°Jiaojiao, stay in the mansion and don¡¯t go anywhere. When Father and Mother come back, we¡¯ll go to shop for new clothes together.¡±


    Shen Miao nodded and watched as the eunuch left the mansion with Shen Xin and the others.


    Chen Ruoqiu held Shen Wan¡¯s hand and said worriedly, ¡°Why are they suddenly summoned to the palace? Did something happen?¡±


    Shen Wan shook his head. Shen Gui said, ¡°Brother is in the limelight to begin with. He doesn¡¯t know how to behave himself in the imperial court. I¡¯m afraid if something really happens, no one will stand up for him.¡± What Shen Gui meant was that if something really happened to Shen Xin, the two brothers, Shen Gui and Shen Wan, would not help him.


    Shen Miao sneered in her heart. Shen Yue said timidly, ¡°If something happens to First Uncle, it should be a very serious matter, right? Will we be implicated?¡±


    ¡°Of course you won¡¯t be implicated.¡± Shen Gui smiled and said, ¡°If someone should be implicated, it should be Shen Miao.¡±


    After losing his son and daughter in a row, Shen Gui became resentful. His career was not going smoothly, and he was jealous that Shen Xin¡¯s official rank was higher than him and had more prestige than him. Now that he saw that Shen Xin was in trouble, he was naturally overjoyed. He even hoped that Shen Xin¡¯s family would be wiped out.


    A trace of gloating flashed across Shen Yue¡¯s eyes. She looked at Shen Miao sympathetically. ¡°Isn¡¯t Fifth Sister very pitiful?¡±


    Shen Miao smiled instead of being angry and said indifferently, ¡°Even the eunuch instructed by His Majesty to come doesn¡¯t know what this summoning is about, but Second Uncle has already figured it all out.¡± She looked at Shen Gui and said, ¡°Second Uncle is really foresighted, I think when His Majesty hears about this, he will appreciate your wisdom and promote you.¡±


    As soon as she said that, Shen Wan and Shen Gui¡¯s expressions changed slightly. What was the biggest taboo for an emperor? It was the courtiers making wild guesses. Wasn¡¯t Shen Miao trying to say that Shen Gui and Shen Wan knew what Emperor Wen Hui was up to?


    No emperors would like a courtier who could see through him. If the courtier was too smart, the emperor would feel a sense of danger.


    This was what the royal family was like. They were the most paranoid.


    Shen Miao¡¯s words made Shen Gui and Shen Wan¡¯s expressions change, but they did not dare to refute. They were afraid that if Emperor Wen Hui heard this, they would be in deep trouble. The two of them were secretly shocked. They did not know when Shen Miao became so eloquent.


    Shen Miao did not really want to argue with them here. The most important thing now was to think of a way to resolve this matter.


    Old Madam Shen had seen enough of the show. She snorted and said, ¡°All he knows is causing the Shen family trouble!¡± She was still thinking about how Shen Xin wanted to split up from the family. However, with the first branch up the creek, the splitting of the family would be postponed. Old Madam Shen even thought that if something serious happened to Shen Xin, wouldn¡¯t all the assets of the first branch belong to her? At the thought of this, her eyes were filled with greed.


    Shen Miao was extremely disgusted. The people in this room had fully displayed what it meant to hit someone when they were down. The Shen family were definitely among the most despicable people in this world.


    Concubine Wan held Shen Dongling¡¯s hand and hid behind the crowd. She did not dare to say a word at such an occasion. Although Ren Wanyun had become sane, she did not want to leave Rosy Cloud Garden, so she did not appear today. Shen Dongling whispered, ¡°But what could happen to Eldest Uncle? Eldest Uncle is not in the capital all year round. Could it be that His Majesty wants to reward him more for winning the war?¡± Shen Dongling probably wanted to ease the atmosphere. Shen Yue was a little unhappy with what she said, and Old Madam Shen also looked unhappy. Only Shen Miao was slightly stunned.


    Not in the capital all year round?


    That¡¯s right. Shen Xin, Luo Xueyan, and Shen Qiu had been fighting in the bitter cold land in the northwest all year round. They had just returned to the capital. The emperor couldn¡¯t possibly accuse them of lingering in the capital for long, could he? Yesterday, Consort Xu and Consort Dong were both asking about daily life in Spring City. Shen Miao did not believe that the noble ladies in the palace were really interested in the remote northwest.


    There must be a connection. What kind of accusations would be thrown at Shen Xin for not being in the capital all year round?

 Chapter 384 - Indirect Kiss (1)

    Chapter 384: Indirect Kiss (1)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    Shen Miao was uncertain and stopped standing here to argue with the Shen family. Instead, she quickly returned to her room without looking back. Outside, Shen Gui and the others had had enough of the show and wanted to ask their colleagues if they knew anything about this, so they dispersed in twos and threes. Shen Yue followed behind Chen Ruoqiu with a trace of joy on her face. Yesterday, when she heard that Consort Dong met Shen Miao and Luo Xueyan, Shen Yue felt very uneasy. After all, Consort Dong was the mother of Prince Ding. What if Shen Miao caught the eye of Consort Dong and Consort Dong wanted to matchmake her? Fortunately, today, it seemed that the first branch was unlucky.


    At the thought of this, Shen Yue felt relieved.


    On the other hand, Shen Dongling, who was held by Concubine Wan, looked at the courtyard thoughtfully and went back.


    The huge west courtyard became empty in the blink of an eye. Even Ah Zhi returned to the barracks of the Shen army with Shen Xin¡¯s guards. Emperor Wen Hui suddenly summoned Shen Xin to the palace, so naturally the Shen army had to be under watch. Fortunately, Mo Qing was still around, because he was not in the Shen army yet.


    In the room, Jingzhe, Gu Yu, Bai Lu, and Shuang Jiang all stood behind Shen Miao. Mo Qing stood by the door with his head lowered, his face solemn. Although Shen Dongling said that Emperor Wen Hui might continue to reward Shen Xin, everyone knew that it was unlikely.


    Shen Miao sat at the table with a frown, which comforted Mo Qing a little. He was originally worried that Shen Miao would be nervous and flustered when she found out about this. Now, although Shen Miao looked gloomy, she was not nervous at all.


    Shen Miao looked at the letter in front of her. In her previous life, the Shen family was wiped out by Fu Xiuyi. At that time, she had tried to stop him, but Fu Xiuyi accused the Shen family of their wrong doings one by one in front of the entire court. Although she knew that the accusations were all fabricated, there was nothing she could do to save her family.


    She could still remember vividly what happened that day in the throne room when the denunciation against Shen Xin was said out loud. Now, it was the 69th year of Ming Qi, and she was reborn in the 68th year of Ming Qi. The things Shen Yuan told Fu Xiuyi must be prior to the 68th year.


    What crimes did the Shen family commit prior to the 68th year of Ming Qi?


    Shen Miao closed her eyes, and some scenes flashed across her mind.


    She was wearing the empress¡¯s court dress with a disheveled appearance. The civil and military officials were excited as Fu Xiuyi angrily threw the evidence at her face.


    A civil official read, ¡°In the 68th year of Ming Qi, the soldiers of the Shen army disobeyed the emperor¡¯s order, released the bandits, and deceived the emperor¡­¡±


    Releasing the bandits and deceiving the emperor!


    Shen Miao suddenly opened her eyes!


    She suddenly remembered that in the 68th year of Ming Qi, something big had indeed happened. The Shen army fought with the Xirong and defeated them, winning three cities. Emperor Wen Hui ordered that everyone in the cities be killed without mercy.


    To a general, massacring a city was the hardest thing. In the city of Xirong, other than the soldiers, most of the people were old, weak, women, and children. These old, weak, women, and children were as harmless as the people of Ming Qi. The ones who were in the wrong were the soldiers of Xirong. Shen Xin was not someone who took delight in killing, so he secretly spared the lives of those women and children.


    Other than the Shen army, no one else should know about this. The people of the Shen army were all trained by Shen Xin, so it was impossible for them to betray him. Shen Yuan should have played a part in this. Perhaps a long time ago, Shen Yuan had already planted a hidden chess piece in the Shen army.


    However, compared to all the accusations in her previous life, the accusation of ¡°deceiving the emperor¡± did not seem to be that important. For Fu Xiuyi, who was always patient and calm, to make a move this early, it could only mean that the current situation made Fu Xiuyi feel threatened. The Shen family had already become a variable. In this life, because Shen Miao and Fu Xiuyi had nothing to do with each other, Fu Xiuyi did not stop Emperor Wen Hui from letting the Shen family off for a few more years. In the end, the royal family still targeted the Shen family.

 Chapter 385 - Indirect Kiss (2)

    Chapter 385: Indirect Kiss (2)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    Therefore, the evidence that Shen Yuan gave Fu Xiuyi should be about Shen Xin not following Emperor Wen Hui¡¯s order to massacre the city.


    This matter could be said to be big or small. However, in the current situation, the royal family wanted to take back the Shen family¡¯s military power, so how could they let go of this opportunity?


    Things had become extremely tricky.


    Shen Miao clenched her fists and slowly calmed herself down. Now was not the worst time. Although the royal family wanted to deal with the Shen family, it was only because they wanted to regain their military power. If they targeted the Shen family at this time, it would inevitably arouse the dissatisfaction of the other big families. The royal family was too cunning to take the risk.


    What should she do now?


    The few people in the room looked at Shen Miao¡¯s changing expression and were puzzled. Shen Miao suddenly stood up and said, ¡°I¡¯m going out for a while.¡±


    ¡°Ah?¡± Gu Yu was stunned. ¡°Miss, leaving the mansion at this time will attract a lot of attention.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m in a bad mood and want to find my friend to talk to.¡± Shen Miao¡¯s eyes turned cold. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with that? Let¡¯s go.¡±


    Mo Qing naturally had no objections to Shen Miao¡¯s decision. Moreover, in his heart, he was absolutely convinced by Shen Miao. He knew that Shen Miao had her own way of doing things. Seeing Shen Miao like this, he felt a little relieved and said, ¡°I¡¯ll make the arrangements.¡±


    Seeing Mo Qing like this, Jingzhe and Gu Yu did not say anything else. They asked Bai Lu and Shuang Jiang to stay in the mansion and wait for news while they went out with Shen Miao.


    Shen Miao¡¯s going out naturally puzzled the people in the Shen family. When someone came to ask, the maids only told them that Shen Miao was going to find Feng Anning. Feng Anning and Shen Miao were considered friends, so it was understandable that Shen Miao wanted to talk to her. Therefore, no one was suspicious.


    After leaving the mansion, Mo Qing drove towards the Feng family. After driving past the alley and confirming that no one was following them, Shen Miao said, ¡°To the Su family.¡±


    ¡°The Su family?¡± Gu Yu was stunned. ¡°Which Su family?¡±


    ¡°Su Yu, the Earl of Pinan.¡±


    Mo Qinwas very familiar with the roads in the capital and knew where the mansions of the nobles were. Without even asking for directions, he drove to another direction.


    Jingzhe and Gu Yu wanted to ask something, but they did not dare to. On one hand, they knew that Shen Miao had an idea, but on other hand, even as servants, they knew that in the imperial court, the Shen family was enemies with the Xie family, and the Su family, the Earl of Pingnan, were in the same boat with the Xie family. The Su family and the Shen family were naturally incompatible. Why would they help the Shen family?


    At this moment, there was another person sitting in Su Mingfeng¡¯s room. That person was dressed in a purple and gold robe and had a casual and lazy smile on his face. Su Mingfeng said anxiously, ¡°What¡¯s going on? Why did you request to go to war?¡±


    ¡°The capital is too boring. I want to go to the northern border to have fun,¡± Xie Jingxing said.


    ¡°Have fun?¡± Su Mingfeng looked at him, his usually gentle face showing anger. ¡°Do you know what kind of place the Northern border is? Now that no one dares to fight the Xiongnu head-on, why are you going to join in the fun?¡± Seeing that Xie Jingxing did not take his words to heart, Su Mingfang softened her tone. ¡°I know you¡¯re unhappy that your father helped Xie Changchao and Xie Changwu become an official, but you don¡¯t have to express your displeasure like this. This matter is not trivial. Although you¡¯re skilled in martial arts, the terrain of the North border is complicated. You¡¯ve never been there before¡­ Jingxing, you can¡¯t go.¡±


    ¡°Su Mingfeng.¡± Xie Jingxing said with a smile, ¡°His Majesty has already granted me this chance. Do you think I can go back on my words now?¡±


    Su Mingfeng was stunned for a moment, and then a look of despair appeared on his face. It was true that this matter was already a done deal, and there was no room for negotiation even if Xie Jingxing had a change of mind.

 Chapter 386 - Indirect Kiss (3)

Chapter content is missing or does not exist! Please try again later!

 Chapter 387 - Indirect Kiss (4)

    Chapter 387: Indirect Kiss (4)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    ¡°It¡¯s true!¡± The servant said anxiously, ¡°She said that she¡¯s the daughter of the mighty general and wants to discuss something with you.¡±


    ¡°The daughter of the mighty general¡­¡± Su Mingfeng was still trying to figure out who the girl was when Su Minglang jumped up. ¡°It¡¯s Sister Shen Miao! Brother, it¡¯s Sister Shen Miao who¡¯s looking for you!¡±


    Shen Miao? Su Mingfeng was dumbfounded for a moment. Xie Jingxing frowned.


    Putting aside the Shen family and the Xie family, the Shen family and the Su family had never had much to do with each other. In private, Su Mingfeng and Shen Miao did not have much of a relationship. Su Mingfeng was also confused by Shen Miao¡¯s sudden visit. He asked Xie Jingxing, ¡°Could it be¡­ she¡¯s here to look for you?¡±


    ¡°Sister Shen Miao must be looking for me!¡± Su Minglang held his face happily. ¡°Brother, let¡¯s go see Sister Shen Miao!¡±


    ¡°This¡­¡± Su Mingfeng hesitated.


    ¡°Just go,¡± Xie Jingxing suddenly said with a meaningful gaze. ¡°Bring her here to talk.¡±


    ¡­


    When Shen Miao brought Mo Qing into Su Mingfeng¡¯s room, she happened to see Su Mingfeng¡¯s servant bringing Su Minglang out. The meatball tried to struggle away but to no avail. When he saw Shen Miao, his eyes lit up and he waved his short hands excitedly. ¡°Sister Shen!¡±


    Shen Miao stopped beside him and smiled. She rubbed his head. ¡°Why are you here?¡±


    ¡°My brother won¡¯t let me in¡­¡± Su Minglang looked like he was about to cry. ¡°Sister Shen, are you here to see me?¡±


    The servant cleared his throat and smiled apologetically at Shen Miao. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Miss Shen. Young Master is waiting for you inside.¡±


    Su Minglang was obviously very displeased. He looked at Shen Miao, who smiled and said, ¡°I¡¯m here to talk to your brother about something. I¡¯ll come and see you next time and bring you candy.¡±


    Hearing this, Su Minglang immediately became happy and stopped struggling. He carefully reminded Shen Miao not to forget the agreement before leaving with the servant without kicking up a fuss.


    Mo Qing, who was following behind, was a little surprised. Shen Miao had never been a patient and friendly person to strangers. Just now, she treated Su Minglang with rare patience. Those who did not know better would think that Su Minglang was her son. Just as this strange guess appeared, Mo Qing suppressed it. Not to mention that the age difference between Shen Miao and Su Minglang was not that big, Shen Miao was also a little girl now.


    Shen Miao pushed open the door and walked in. In the room, only Su Mingfeng was sitting in front of the table. After Shen Miao entered with Mo Qing, the servant quickly closed the door.


    Mo Qing stood in front of the door and did not move, in case anything happened.


    Shen Miao walked straight to Su Mingfeng and sat down opposite him. She did all this extremely naturally, as if she was in her own mansion. Before this, she had never even interacted with Su Mingfeng. Facing a stranger who was so calm, Su Mingfeng couldn¡¯t help but be curious.


    Shen Miao was also sizing up Su Mingfeng.


    In all fairness, Su Mingfeng was a handsome young man. However, compared to Xie Jingxing, who was as dazzling as the sun, Su Mingfeng was more or less overshadowed. In fact, Shen Miao knew that Su Mingfeng was not just a rich young master from a prestigious family. He had some real ability.


    N0 v el Next. CoM


    Unfortunately, in the end, the entire Su family was wiped out because they sold war horses and weapons. Su Mingfeng was also implicated and executed. In the end, Xie Jingxing was the one who collected the corpses of the Su father and son. The relationship between the Su family and the Xie family was obvious.

 Chapter 388 - Indirect Kiss (5)

    Chapter 388: Indirect Kiss (5)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    It was precisely because of this that the Su family had never had much contact with the Shen family.


    Su Mingfeng felt a little uncomfortable under Shen Miao¡¯s gaze. He coughed slightly and said, ¡°Miss Shen, why brought you here?¡±


    ¡°My parents and brother were summoned to the palace by His Majesty. Young Master Su, do you know why?¡± Shen Miao asked.


    Su Mingfeng didn¡¯t understand this question. The news of the Shen family had spread throughout the entire capital early in the morning, and everyone in the government was on tenterhooks. After all, they were officials in the imperial court. If anything happened to the Shen family, some of them might be implicated. However, what did it have to do with the Su family?


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Su Mingfeng replied. He really did not know why Shen Xin was summoned to the palace. Everyone guessed that Emperor Wen Hui wanted to punish the Shen family, but no one knew what the crime was.


    ¡°When my father wiped out Xirong in the northwest and took back the city, His Majesty ordered a massacre. My father didn¡¯t comply with the order,¡± Shen Miao said. ¡°So I think His Majesty will punish my father for disobeying the military order.¡±


    Su Mingfeng was shocked. It was not because of the crime Shen Miao mentioned, but because Shen Miao told him about it so easily. This secret could be used by anyone to bring down Shen Xin. Should it happen to anyone, they wouldn¡¯t reveal it even if a knife was put at their throat, but Shen Miao actually told him so casually. Even Su Mingfeng, who had been smart since he was young, did not know how to answer. He could only force a smile and say perfunctorily, ¡°Ah, that¡¯s troublesome.¡±


    Nove l B(in).C OM


    ¡°That¡¯s why I want to ask you for help,¡± Shen Miao said.


    Su Mingfeng was stunned again. No matter how he thought about it, he could not figure out what kind of relationship he had with Shen Miao or what kind of relationship the Shen family had with the Su family that was worthy of the Su family¡¯s help now.


    ¡°Miss Shen, you must be joking.¡± He quickly retracted his gaze and looked at Shen Miao with a gentle and polite smile. ¡°But how can I help? Miss Shen probably thinks too highly of me¡­ Moreover, forgive me for being rude, but this matter is complicated. If I help rashly, I¡¯m afraid I¡¯ll get myself into trouble. I¡­ really can¡¯t find a reason to take the risk.¡±


    Su Mingfeng rejected Shen Miao in the most polite manner. Knowing that Shen Miao was a straightforward person, he didn¡¯t bother to beat about the bush and said bluntly, ¡°No.¡±


    Hearing this, Shen Miao smiled faintly. When she smiled, her eyes were curved into a crescent shape, making her look a little naive. However, the next moment, her smile turned cold. She said, ¡°Young Master Su, although you¡¯re not an official, your father is still in charge of the war horses, right?¡±


    Su Mingfeng frowned slightly and said, ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±


    ¡°Did your father tell you that there seems to be a problem with the horses?¡± Shen Miao asked.


    At this moment, Su Mingfeng frowned even more. He stared at Shen Miao and said, ¡°Miss Shen, what do you mean?¡±


    Shen Miao smiled. ¡°I heard that there¡¯s been a small problem with the horses recently. A few of the horses are sick, and the medicine isn¡¯t effective.¡±


    Su Mingfeng clenched his teacup tightly.


    Shen Miao was right. Su Yu had been busy with this matter these days. Other than a few of Su Yu¡¯s subordinates and Su Mingfeng, no one else knew about it. However, it was impossible for the subordinates to reveal this to Shen Miao, because If word got out, everyone would be punished by Emperor Wen Hui.


    However, how did Shen Miao know?


    Su Mingfeng cleared his throat and said,, ¡°Miss Shen¡­ where did you hear these untruths?¡±

 Chapter 389 - Indirect Kiss (6)

    Chapter 389: Indirect Kiss (6)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    ¡°Untruths?¡± Shen Miao sighed, but her eyes seemed to be smiling. She approached Su Mingfeng and said in a low voice, ¡°Young Master Su, aren¡¯t you afraid that this horse disease will eventually become a horse plague?¡±


    Su Mingfeng¡¯s pupils suddenly widened!


    Horse Plague!


    ¡°The Earl of Pingnan has always been a cautious person and in charge of war horses for his entire life. How can he not suspect this?¡± Shen Miao pretended to be surprised. ¡°Why? Didn¡¯t he tell you about this?¡±


    Su Mingfeng gritted his teeth and did not speak.


    Didn¡¯t Su Yu tell him? Su Yu had naturally told him. The horse disease was a precursor to the horse plague. Raising a war horse needed a lot of money. Once the horse plague broke out, the horses would suffer heavy casualties. Not only would they lose money, but on the battlefield, without enough war horses, the army wouldn¡¯t be able to fight. If the royal family pinned the blame on them, they would lose their heads.


    However, this horse disease was strange and tricky. They had found many veterinarians, but they were all helpless. Recently, they had to quarantine the sick horses, but the horses continued to die regardless. If it eventually became a horse plague¡­ it would probably be a huge disaster for Ming Qi.


    ¡°Miss Shen, what do you think?¡± Su Mingfeng said sadly. As he spoke, he glanced at the partition.


    At this moment, Shen Miao was not in a hurry. She picked up an empty teacup on the table and poured a cup of tea for herself.


    Nove l B(in).C OM


    Seeing this, Su Mingfeng wanted to say something, but after thinking for a moment, he swallowed it and pretended to be all ears.


    ¡°I have a way to help you out,¡± Shen Miao said.


    Su Mingfeng was stunned. ¡°Are you serious?¡±


    ¡°I was lucky enough to have acquainted myself with a vet with outstanding skills. I heard that he once cured the same horse disease. If he intervenes, the war horses can all be saved.¡±


    Su Mingfeng remained silent.


    Shen Miao picked up the teacup and took another sip. She said indifferently, ¡°It¡¯s not too late to make up for it. Young Master Su, when the horse disease spreads and you can¡¯t hide it anymore, the horses won¡¯t be the only ones who will suffer.¡±


    Su Mingfeng gritted his teeth and looked at Shen Miao. ¡°Miss Shen, you don¡¯t come to just show me a way out today, do you?¡±


    His eyes flickered. ¡°Do you want my family to help your family? Please tell me.¡±


    ¡°You are indeed straightforward,¡± Shen Miao praised.


    Su Mingfeng smiled bitterly. He was not being straightforward. It was clearly Shen Miao who was cunning. Previously, he said that the Su family was not obliged to get involved in this mess to help Shen Xin, so Shen Miao put her bargaining chip on the table. It had to be said that Shen Miao was extremely good at finding people¡¯s weaknesses. She was using the war horse disease that the Su family had been most worried about recently. This matter had not spread yet, and even he and Su Yu only talked about it in private. He did not know how Shen Miao found out. No matter what, he could not reject this deal.


    ¡°I know that the Earl of Pingnan is acquainted with many people in the imperial court. Compared to my parents who are in the northwest all year round, Earl of Pingnan is more influential in the capital. I want to ask him to gather all his close colleagues and write a letter to His Majesty for my father.¡±


    ¡°A Letter?¡± Su Mingfeng frowned. ¡°A letter to plead for mercy for General Shen?¡±


    Shen Miao shook her head. ¡°No, to impeach my father for his wrong doing.¡±


    Su Mingfeng was stunned.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think the Earl of Pingnan wants to get involved in this mess.¡± Shen Miao smiled. ¡°So I¡¯ll leave it to you to persuade him. However, Young Master Su, you must not tell the Earl of Pingnan about the war horses, and don¡¯t mention me. Otherwise, this deal will be over.¡±


    Su Mingfeng did not understand. He looked up and saw that the girl in front of him was without a question a little girl. Her eyes were round and delicate, and when she smiled, they were clear and betrayed naivety. However, when she did not smile, her eyes were cold, adding a hint of dignity. That pressure was something Su Mingfeng had never felt before.


    ¡°I can¡¯t stay for long. If you¡¯ve thought it through, please send someone to deliver a message to my mansion. After this is done, I¡¯ll tell you where the vet lives.¡± She stood up and bowed slightly to Su Mingfeng before saying, ¡°Thank you.¡±


    Su Mingfeng quickly stood up and said, ¡°Of course.¡±


    Shen Miao glanced at the partition before turning around and walking out of the room with Mo Qing. After Shen Miao left, Su Mingfeng heaved a sigh of relief. Someone walked out from behind the partition. It was Xie Jingxing.


    ¡°You heard it all.¡± Su Mingfeng said, ¡°This Miss from the Shen family is even more unpredictable than I thought.¡±


    Xie Jingxing raised his eyebrows and did not speak. Su Mingfeng¡¯s gaze landed on the table. The teacup that Shen Miao had drunk from was still there.


    ¡°Speaking of which, you drank from that cup¡­¡± Su Mingfeng said, ¡°You¡­¡±


    Xie Jingxing elbowed him to stop him from continuing.

 Chapter 390 - Disdain and Hatred (1)

    Chapter 390: Disdain and Hatred (1)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    ¡°Aiyo.¡± Su Mingfeng exclaimed, ¡°Why did you elbow me? I wanted to remind her just now, but she drank so quickly. What can I do?¡± Su Mingfeng sized up Xie Jingxing. ¡°Besides, she¡¯s the one who¡¯s taken advantage, not you. What¡¯s there to be angry about?¡±


    Xie Jingxing ignored him and sat down at the table. He asked with a deep gaze, ¡°Is what she said about the war horse true?¡±


    Hearing this, Su Mingfeng¡¯s expression turned ugly. Under Xie Jingxing¡¯s sharp gaze, he said with difficulty, ¡°It¡¯s true.¡±


    ¡°Why did you hide it from me?¡± Xie Jingxing asked aggressively. Su Mingfeng shook his head and smiled bitterly. ¡°Only my father and I have discussed this in private. I didn¡¯t tell anyone, and nor did my father. I wanted to tell you after we figured out a way¡­ But how did Miss Shen know about this? Could it be that she knows someone in the war horse stable? But the people there are all very royal to my father.¡±


    Xie Jingxing glanced at Su Mingfeng. Although Su Mingfeng was also a talented person, he had been protected by the Su family since he was young and had never experienced any storms. Speaking of which, Shen Miao had countless trump cards in her hands, which exceeded his expectations time and time again. Xie Jingxing gave Shen Miao a strategy to ¡°retreat¡±, but he did not expect Shen Miao to not use his strategy at all. Working with the Su family and other ministers who were close to the Su family could indeed save Shen Xin. However, the emperor was unpredictable. This time, even if he let Shen Xin off, given how powerful the Shen army was, he would sooner or later get rid of the thorn in his side.


    However¡­ had Shen Miao really not thought of this? Xie Jingxing did not think so.


    Seeing that Xie Jingxing did not speak, Su Mingfeng became nervous. He knew that although his good friend was usually indifferent to politics, he knew the situation in the imperial court better than anyone. Su Mingfeng asked, ¡°Why? Is there a problem?¡±


    Xie Jingxing shook his head. ¡°What are you planning to do?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s indeed very likely that the horse disease will eventually become a plague. This is a serious matter. My father is the commander in charge of war horses. If anything happens, the Su family will be the first to bear the brunt.¡± Su Mingfeng said, ¡°If Miss Shen really isn¡¯t lying to me, I think I¡¯ll give it a try. Although it¡¯s a little difficult to convince my father,¡­ I¡¯ll do my best.¡± After a pause, Su Mingfeng looked at Xie Jingxing. ¡°What do you think of this deal?¡±


    Xie Jingxing raised an eyebrow. ¡°You¡¯re definitely not the biggest winner in the deal, but you won¡¯t suffer a loss either.¡± He glanced at Su Mingfeng. ¡°Do as she says.¡±


    Su Mingfeng lowered his head and was a little hesitant. ¡°But¡­ if the ministers join forces to impeach Shen Xin, won¡¯t it give the emperor a good reason to punish him?¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you notice?¡± Xie Jingxing said with a faint smile, ¡°She knows the emperor¡¯s thoughts better than you.¡±


    Su Mingfeng did not say anything. When he saw Xie Jingxing stand up, he asked, ¡°Where are you going?¡±


    Xie Jingxing returned to his usual lazy self. ¡°I have to tell the Marquis of Lin¡¯an of my upcoming departure to war.¡±


    N0 v el Next. CoM


    ¡­


    Outside the door of the Su mansion, Shen Miao put on her bamboo hat and asked Mo Qing, ¡°Did you notice the presence of someone else in Su Mingfeng¡¯s room just now?¡±


    Mo Qing was stunned. ¡°I didn¡¯t notice anyone else¡¯s presence. Miss, did you find anything?¡±


    Shen Miao shook her head. Mo Qing¡¯s martial arts were outstanding. If he did not notice anyone in the room, there should be no one. However¡­ Shen Miao found it a little strange that Su Mingfeng kept glancing at the partition. Although she did not have any martial arts skills, she was very good at reading people¡¯s expressions.

 Chapter 391 - Disdain and Hatred (2)

    Chapter 391: Disdain and Hatred (2)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    Now that she thought about it, the two teacups on the table seemed a little too strange.


    Shen Miao shook her head and threw away the thoughts in her mind. Regardless of who was behind the partition, she had to say what she wanted to say to Su Mingfeng. With her understanding of Su Mingfeng, this should work.


    After getting into the carriage, Gu Yu asked, ¡°Miss, will Young Master Su help Master and Madam?¡±


    Jingzhe and Gu Yu were outside. They did not know what Shen Miao and Su Mingfeng said. They thought that Shen Miao was asking Su Mingfeng for help. However, the relationship between the Su family and the Shen family had always been awkward, so they were a little worried.


    Shen Miao nodded. ¡°Yes, he will.¡±


    In her previous life, the entire Su family was killed because of smuggling war horses. The royal family could no longer tolerate an old family like the Earl of Pingnan, so in addition to the evidence of smuggling war horses, they also found other things to accuse them of. At the beginning of the 69th year of Ming Qi, the war horses managed by the Earl of Pingnan fell ill and even caused a horse plaque to break out. Later, the Earl of Pingnan found a veterinarian from the countryside to curb the epidemic. Other than the Su family¡¯s trusted aides, no one knew about this. Later, the Earl of Pingnan was executed, and this matter was exposed.


    Back then, Shen Miao was still the empress, and she had read the file on Earl of Pingnan¡¯s crimes carefully, so she knew where the veterinarian lived. In fact, even if Shen Miao didn¡¯t come to look for Su Mingfeng today, before long, when the horse plague spread, Su Yu would still be able to find the veterinarian and curb the outbreak.


    However¡­ Shen Miao¡¯s expression darkened. Before Shen Yuan died, he handed the evidence of Shen Xin disobeying the emperor to Fu Xiuyi. Fu Xiuyi actually started to deal with the Shen family without having sufficient evidence, which made Shen Miao a little nervous. Currently, she did not have enough chess pieces to go against Fu Xiuyi. Time was not ripe, and there was no opportunity. Retreat might really be the only way for the time being.


    However, retreating was also a problem. How to retreat unscathed after arranging everything was what she should worry about now.


    Shen Miao quickly returned to the Shen family as she had to avoid staying outside for too long and arousing suspicion. In the Shen family, when everyone saw her return, they thought that Shen Miao just went to talk to Feng Anning. As for Shen Xin and Luo Xueyan, it didn¡¯t seem like they were going to come back from the palace anytime soon. Probably because Shen Gui and Shen Wan said something, the rest of the Shen family looked like they were watching a show.


    Shen Miao was already used to the Shen family treating the first branch as their enemy. She did not even look at them and returned to the west courtyard straight away. Jingzhe and Gu Yu thought that Shen Miao would probably have to sit at the table for the entire night like yesterday. Unexpectedly, Shen Miao washed up early and went to bed, making the maids look at each other in confusion.


    Shen Miao lay on the bed and looked at the four-cornered sachet hanging on the pillar of the bed. She slowly closed her eyes.


    She had done everything she could. Now, the only thing she could do was wait.


    When the Su family joined forces with the other court ministers to impeach Shen Xin, Emperor Wen Hui would be suspicious.


    ¡­


    In the palace, Shufang Palace was different from other magnificent palaces. Decorated only by some flowers, paintings, and calligraphy, Shufang Palace could even be considered simple. Consort Dong was sitting on the soft couch and listening to music. The person playing the music was a young girl. She had a round face and was not very beautiful, but the music was lively. Consort Dong listened with a smile. Among the four consorts, she was the least eye-catching one.

 Chapter 392 - Disdain and Hatred (3)

    Chapter 392: Disdain and Hatred (3)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    On her side sat a young man. He was dressed in luxurious clothes, had a handsome face, and a cold aura. However, the smile on his face was very friendly. He said to Consort Dong, ¡°This song is not bad.¡±


    This person was none other than Consort Dong¡¯s son, the Ninth Prince, Fu Xiuyi.


    Consort Dong smiled at Fu Xiuyi and waved her hand. The person playing the song suddenly stopped. Consort Dong smiled and said, ¡°You played well. Go to receive your reward.¡±


    A trace of joy flashed across the face of the girl playing the song. She quickly carried the Guqin and left. Everyone in Ming Qi Palace knew that the servants of Shufang Palace were the happiest because Consort Dong was a kind person and treated the servants extremely amiably. For example, at this moment, the girl would be rewarded very handsomely for playing just a while.


    ¡°All of you can leave.¡± Consort Dong glanced at the other palace servants. When the palace servants heard this, they retreated obediently. In the blink of an eye, only Consort Dong and her son were left in the palace.


    ¡°Mother, your methods of teaching your servants are getting better and better,¡± Fu Xiuyi said with a smile.


    ¡°It¡¯s better to make friends than to make foes.¡± Consort Dong smiled and said, ¡°How many times have I told you this?¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes, yes.¡± Fu Xiuyi sighed. ¡°Unfortunately, in my position, it¡¯s much easier to make foes than to make friends.¡±


    Hearing this, the smile on Consort Dong¡¯s face faded a little. She asked, ¡°Your father has been troubled by the matter regarding the mighty general for the past few days. Are you¡­ confident?¡±


    Consort Dong had never stuck her nose into the matters of the imperial court. The harem was not to interfere in politics. Moreover, Emperor Wen Hui had nine sons, all of whom were not easy to deal with. Now that the situation was not clear, Consort Dong didn¡¯t mind keeping a low profile.


    ¡°Father won¡¯t let this matter rest so easily.¡± Fu Xiuyi said, ¡°Once I submit the evidence and he is convinced, the plan will go smoothly.¡±


    ¡°I believe you know what you are doing.¡± Consort Dong shook her head and said indifferently, ¡°But Xiuyi, the situation is tense now. You¡¯d better be careful. Don¡¯t stand out. Just let them fight. When they¡¯re done fighting, it won¡¯t be too late for you to make a move.¡±


    ¡°Mother, I will do as you said,¡± Fu Xiuyi quickly said.


    Consort Dong smiled and suddenly thought of something. ¡°The last time I asked Mrs. Shen to bring Shen Miao into the palace, you asked me not to let Shen Miao hear our conversation¡­ What¡¯s going on?¡±


    N0 v el Next. CoM


    The last time she asked Luo Xueyan and her daughter to enter the palace, Fu Xiuyi had told Consort Dong beforehand not to let Shen Miao be present during the conversation. Therefore, later, Consort Dong asked Tong Yao to take Shen Miao out.


    ¡°Mother, what kind of person do you think Shen Miao is?¡± Fu Xiuyi asked.


    ¡°She¡¯s not bad-looking and will probably be a beauty when she grows up. However, she¡¯s too dull and docile. She¡¯ll probably be a pushover.¡± Consort Dong looked at Fu Xiuyi. ¡°I heard that she once liked you, but she doesn¡¯t look like the idiot people described.¡±


    Fu Xiuyi smiled. ¡°Mother,can¡¯t you find any fault with her? You¡¯ve always been very picky.¡±


    Consort Dong was stunned. On the surface, she looked amiable, but in fact, she was an extremely picky person. This was because Fu Xiuyi had already reached the age of marriage and was very outstanding. There were also noble families wanting to marry their daughters over, but Consort Dong could always find fault with them and felt that they were not worthy of her son.


    Although she did not praise Shen Miao, her words were not negative either. On careful thought, she even found Shen Miao quite likable. This was the first time Consort Dong took a liking to a young lady from the official family.

 Chapter 393 - Disdain and Hatred (4)

    Chapter 393: Disdain and Hatred (4)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    Therefore, Consort Dong paused in a daze when Fu Xiuyi reminded her of that.


    However, other than being a little dull, Consort Dong really couldn¡¯t find any fault with Shen Miao.


    She showed no greed, ambition, and conducted herself composedly. Consort Dong¡¯s heart skipped a beat. Wasn¡¯t Shen Miao exactly the same as her¡­ or rather, Shen Miao was also disguising herself.


    ¡°Mother, I think you can tell.¡± Fu Xiuyi smiled. ¡°Miss Shen is an expert at disguise.¡±


    Consort Dong looked at Fu Xiuyi in confusion. ¡°You mean she¡¯s disguising herself?¡±


    ¡°Mother.¡± A strange glint flashed across Fu Xiuyi¡¯s eyes. ¡°I¡¯ve seen her make a fool of herself in front of everyone, and I¡¯ve also seen her shamelessly professing love and making the young master of the Cai family embarrassed on the school field. Which one do you think is the real her?¡±


    Consort Dong paused, tightening her grip on the teacup.


    Shen Miao seemed to have a thousand faces. Every face was lifelike, and every face was like her own face. Her disguise skill was too terrifying. What was even more terrifying was that she was still so young.


    Fu Xiuyi lowered his head. What he did not tell his mother was that he had seen Shen Miao look at him with uncontrollable hatred at the palace banquet. That kind of hatred was definitely not the hatred that arose from being rejected romantically by him. That kind of hatred came from the very bottom of one¡¯s heart.


    There were many questions that puzzled Fu Xiuyi.


    ¡°Mother, the Shen family is the biggest variable as of now. The current situation in the imperial court is complicated.¡± Fu Xiuyi lowered his voice. ¡°Miss Shen might not be as simple as we think. We have to get rid of the roots. It¡¯s best to end it before it begins.¡±


    ¡°So, the mighty general won¡¯t be able to save himself this time?¡± Consort Dong asked.


    ¡°That¡¯s not necessary.¡± Fu Xiuyi smiled. ¡°The Shen family is now the head of large families. Tackling the Shen family rashly will only cause more uncertainties. However, after taking back the power of the Shen family, the Shen family will gradually decline. When the time is right, we¡¯ll just eliminate them all.¡±


    ¡°What if something happens along the way?¡± Consort Dong looked at him. ¡°The Shen family might have other trump cards. So what if they can get over this crisis safely? If they find out that it was you who wanted to bring them down, I¡¯m afraid you¡¯ll be targeted.¡±


    Fu Xiuyi shook his head. He still had a friendly smile on his face, but his eyes were suddenly ruthless. ¡°Lying to the emperor is already a very serious crime. No matter how powerful Shen Xin is, he can¡¯t save the entire Shen family. Anyhow, I¡¯m just testing the water,¡± He said indifferently.


    ¡°Testing the water?¡± Consort Dong was a little puzzled.


    Fu Xiuyi looked at his fingertips. ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Back then, Fu Xiuyi did not take Shen Yuan¡¯s words about being wary of Shen Miao to heart. However, after a series of events, including the massacre of Prince Yu¡¯s mansion and Shen Yuan¡¯s death, he gradually realized that what Shen Yuan said might be true.


    Shen Miao was just a young girl. There was only so much she could do. There was only one possibility, which was that there was someone behind Shen Miao. The person behind her was so capable that Fu Xiuyi had no choice but to be wary.


    This time, Shen Miao was the only one unaffected in the first branch of the Shen family. It was naturally Fu Xiuyi¡¯s doing. He suggested to Emperor Wen Hui to spare Shen Miao. However, his goal was to see what kind of method this fifth miss of the Shen family could come up with to solve the problem, and who was behind her.


    However, no matter what method she came up with, Shen Xin would not get away with it unscathed this time. Fu Xiuyi clenched his fists.

 Chapter 395 - Disdain and Hatred (6)

    Chapter 395: Disdain and Hatred (6)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    As soon as she said that, even Xie Ding couldn¡¯t help but frown.


    ¡°Brother, don¡¯t worry.¡± Xie Jingxing retorted, ¡°I¡¯ll wait for you to become officials and make contributions in the imperial court. At that time, we still have to rely on you to protect the Xie family. The marquis will be very happy too.¡±


    Now that Xie Changwu and Xie Changchao had just become officials, it would take them a long time to reach the point of making contributions. Xie Jingxing was mocking them for not having good qualifications and could only rely on the Xie family¡¯s network to climb up.


    ¡°You!¡± Xie Changchao was furious. Just as he was about to speak, he heard Xie Ding shout, ¡°Enough!¡±


    Xie Changchao and Xie Changwu immediately fell silent. On the contrary, Xie Jingxing looked a little impatient and said, ¡°Marquis, are you done talking? If you¡¯re done, get out. I¡¯m going to sleep.¡±


    ¡°Jingxing.¡± Xie Ding suddenly said tiredly, ¡°After so many years, do you still hate me so much? You hate me so much that you don¡¯t hesitate to put your life at risk just to stay away from me.¡±


    Although Xie Ding was also a general, he was different from Shen Xin who was rough and forthright. He was more of a gentleman kind. When Xie Ding was young, he was called a ¡°Confucian general¡± and was quite handsome. Most of the people of the Xie family had inherited Xie Ding¡¯s looks. Even Xie Changwu and Xie Changchao were considered handsome young men, but they were far inferior to Xie Jingxing.


    Xie Ding continued, ¡°Jingxing, do you still hate me?¡± When he said this, Xie Ding¡¯s voice was trembling. He was usually angry with Xie Jingxing, but at this moment, he was like a father surrendering to his son.


    Hate? What did Xie Jingxing hate? Did he hate his father for taking in Concubine Fang? Did he hate his father for causing his mother to die and making the mansion he once called home an unbearable place to stay? Xie Ding was in the wrong in the first place, but he still acted like he was a good husband, swearing that he would never marry anyone. If he loved his wife that much, why did he not execute Concubine Fang? The only thing he ever did was doting on Xie Jingxing in every way and tried to atone for his sins.


    How could the sins ever be atoned?


    Xie Jingxing glanced at him, his gaze sharp for a moment. However, he was not moved by what his father said.


    He had never hated Xie Ding. He just felt disdain for him and despised him. Moreover¡­ Xie Jingxing said, ¡°Marquis, you¡¯re thinking too much. I don¡¯t have the time to hate you.¡±


    I don¡¯t have time to hate you.


    These words were too hurtful. When Xie Ding heard this, he subconsciously took two steps back and held his chest, his expression sad.


    On the other hand, Xie Changwu and Xie Changchao were more and more happy. The more Xie Jingxing hurt Xie Ding, the more disappointed Xie Ding would be with him. Only then could the two of them completely replace Xie Jingxing one day.


    ¡°In that case¡­¡± Xie Ding said with difficulty,¡± Then go. I¡¯ll get the Xie army to support you with all they can. Take the armor and heart-protecting mirror in the mansion.¡± Xie Ding seemed to have aged ten years overnight. He looked at Xie Jingxing and said,¡± You¡­ take care of yourself.¡±


    Xie Changchao and Xie Changwu helped Xie Ding out. Before leaving, Xie Changchao even smiled maliciously at Xie Jingxing. ¡°Brother, I wish you a triumphant return after defeating the enemy.¡±


    He looked like he couldn¡¯t wait for Xie Jingxing to die on the battlefield.


    After the two of them left, the door was closed. Under the dim light, a man in black walked out and said, ¡°Master, Xie Changwu and Xie Changchao¡­¡±


    ¡°Forget it.¡± Xie Jingxing said, ¡°If they die now, the Marquis of Lin¡¯an won¡¯t let me go.¡±


    ¡°The Xie army will only listen to the Marquis of Lin¡¯an and will definitely disobey your order.¡± The man in black said, ¡°Master, what do you plan to do?¡±


    ¡°Who cares about the Xie army?¡± Xie Jingxing was a little impatient. ¡°How¡¯s the arrangement going at the princess¡¯s mansion?¡±


    ¡°Master, I¡¯ve planted plenty of people there to secretly protect Princess Rong Xin. Aren¡¯t you going to say goodbye to her?¡±


    ¡°No need.¡± Xie Jingxing waved his hand. ¡°You can leave.¡±


    The man in black nodded and turned to leave.


    Under the dim light, the handsome face lost its usual arrogance and charm, revealing a little gentleness. He was no longer wearing a purple and gold robe, only a jade-white inner robe. Looking into the flame of the candle, he was as handsome as a person straight out of a painting.


    ¡°Hate?¡± He lowered his eyes and smiled faintly.


    ¡°Everyone in the world will hate me.¡±

 Chapter 396 - Confiscation of Military Power (1)

    Chapter 396: Confiscation of Military Power (1)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    There was never a lack of new things in the capital.


    If anything happened yesterday, it would immediately spread like wildfire the next day. If anyone famous was involved in something, it would naturally be talked about for a couple of days.


    Some people were talking about these things as a joke, but there were also people who really felt sorry for the person who was being talked about.


    Today, everyone was talking about the mighty general of Ming Qi.


    Ever since Old General Shen, the Shen family had won a reputation among the people of Ming Qi with their outstanding contributions. Unfortunately, among Old General Shen¡¯s three sons, only the eldest, Shen Xin, inherited his mantle and continued to walk the military path. Fortunately, like father, like son, Shen Xin did not let his father down. Even Shen Xin¡¯s son, Shen Qiu, was a brave general on the battlefield.


    Shen Xin did not put on airs in the army. On the battlefield, he was always in the front. The marriage between him and Luo Xueyan, the tiger girl of a general¡¯s family, had also become a legend talked about by people throughout the dynasty. The people of Ming Qi respected Shen Xin from the bottom of their hearts. If they had to find fault with Shen Xin, it was probably his stupid daughter, who didn¡¯t inherit any good qualities from her parents.


    However, even though his daughter was a good-for-nothing, Shen Xin was still respected by the people.


    When the news that Shen Xin was accused of deceiving the emperor, the commoners were dumbfounded.


    It was not a small matter. Deceiving the emperor was a crime that could result in the confiscation of one¡¯s family. Early in the morning, the officials of the imperial court surrounded the entrance of the Shen family, saying that they wanted to gather evidence. The commoners only knew that Shen Xin had committed the crime of deceiving the emperor, but they did not know how he deceived the emperor.


    ¡°Why would General Shen deceive the emperor? He¡¯s such a good person.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. Last time, my child was naughty and startled Mrs. Shen¡¯s horse. Not only did Mrs. Shen not blame us, but she even apologized to us. Is His Majesty wrong this time?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think so. I heard that this time, there¡¯s concrete evidence.¡± Someone said in a low voice, ¡°Although I don¡¯t know the details, I heard that General Shen was impeached by Prince Ding this time.¡±


    ¡°Prince Ding?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. Think about it, why would Prince Ding fabricate fake evidence to harm General Shen? Perhaps it¡¯s because Fifth Miss Shen once liked Prince Ding and was humiliated by him. In order to avenge his daughter, General Shen did something wrong on impulse.¡±


    ¡°Ah, that makes sense. Poor General Shen. The entire Shen family will probably be harmed by that idiotic daughter.¡±


    The voices of these commoners were not low. Shen Miao stood at the entrance of the mansion and could hear them clearly. Everyone in the mansion stood at the entrance so that the soldiers could go in and search. Shen Yue pretended to be afraid and hid behind Chen Ruoqiu, looking at Shen Miao sympathetically. ¡°Fifth Sister, how can these people say that about you? What does what First Uncle did have to do with you?¡±


    Shen Miao looked at the fierce soldiers coldly, but when she heard that, she smiled. She was once blind enough to fall in love with Prince Ding, and ever since then, she was made a laughing stock by everyone in the capital. At the thought of this, Shen Miao felt disgusted.


    Seeing that Shen Miao did not speak, Shen Yue thought that Shen Miao was too ashamed to say a word. A smug look instantly appeared in her eyes, but she didn¡¯t continue. After confirming that Shen Xin would not implicate her, Old Madam Shen was relieved. She put on the attitude of a matriarch and shouted angrily, ¡°How can the first branch do such a thing? My Shen family has been loyal for generations. There¡¯s no such disloyal people in the entire history of the Shen family! They¡¯re simply embarrassing us! If the old general was still around, he wouldn¡¯t watch the first branch ruin the family¡¯s reputation!¡±

 Chapter 397 - Confiscation of Military Power (2)

    Chapter 397: Confiscation of Military Power (2)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    When Shen Miao heard this, her heart skipped a beat. She looked at Old Madam Shen and said, ¡°Grandmother, what are you talking about? Father is also a member of the Shen family. The Shen family and Father are connected. How can you say this about Father at this time? In the past, when Father was rewarded and praised by His Majesty, didn¡¯t Grandmother say that it was the Shen family¡¯s blessing to have such a general? Have you forgotten what you said?¡±


    When the onlookers outside heard this, they looked at Old Madam Shen in unison.


    When the mighty general was rewarded by the emperor, Old Madam Shen wasn¡¯t so mean. They were a family, and they were supposed to be together for good or ill. Why did Old Madam Shen look like she was in a hurry to dissociate herself when Shen Xin was in trouble?


    Old Madam Shen also realized that everyone was looking at her with unfriendly gazes. For a moment, she flew into a rage out of humiliation, but she did not know how to respond. She could only look at Chen Ruoqiu for help.


    Since Shen Gui and Shen Wan had both gone to court, the only person who could take charge here was Chen Ruoqiu. Chen Ruoqiu smiled and said, ¡°Fifth Miss, Old Madam didn¡¯t mean that. Old Madam is just angry. As you know, our Shen family has always been an upright family. If the old general finds out, he will also blame your father. If the impeachment against your father is proven valid, how can our family continue to go on with our lives in the capital?¡±


    Seeing that Chen Ruoqiu was speaking up for her, Old Madam Shen found Chen Ruoqiu more pleasing to the eye. She nodded and said, ¡°That¡¯s right. Your father made a mistake. Are we not allowed to criticize him?¡±

 Chapter 398 - Confiscation of Military Power (3)

    Chapter 398: Confiscation of Military Power (3)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    At first glance, she looked like an arrogant girl who had been forced to speak without thinking it through. However, when one listened carefully, Shen Miao¡¯s words were very well organized, leaving no room for negotiation.


    Shen Xin and his wife doted on their daughter. If they knew that their daughter was forced to the point of being chased out of the Shen family, they would probably flare up and settle the score with the Shen family.


    The surrounding onlookers were in an uproar. They did not expect to see such a good show here. However, Old Madam Shen¡¯s behavior was really displeasing. On the other hand, the fifth daughter of the Shen family, who was taken as an idiot, was forced to such a state. They could not help but pity her and side with Shen Miao.


    Chen Ruoqiu was shocked. She looked at Shen Miao and did not say anything. It was too late to say anything now. In less than half a day, everyone in the capital would know about this. Although dissociating themselves with Shen Xin would do the Shen family more good than harm, Chen Ruoqiu still felt uneasy.


    Shen Miao had been leading everyone by the nose. However, why did Shen Miao do this? Why did it seem like Shen Miao was using Old Madam Shen¡¯s words to get Shen Xin out of the Shen family?


    Chen Ruoqiu couldn¡¯t help but think of what happened a few days ago when the first branch suggested to split up. Old Madam Shen naturally didn¡¯t want the first branch to move out with all the treasures, but Shen Xin and his wife decided not to change their mind. At that time, they were already on the lookout for a new mansion, but this sudden occurrence caused them to temporarily drop their plan. Chen Ruoqiu thought that the separation would be over, but she didn¡¯t expect it to be brought up again by Shen Miao.


    Moreover, Shen Miao brought it up in front of everyone, leaving herself no room for maneuver.


    Old Madam Shen snorted and walked back in, ignoring the disdainful gazes of the onlookers outside. Chen Ruoqiu hesitated for a moment before holding Shen Yue¡¯s hand and following her in.


    Concubine Wan wanted to follow her in, but Shen Dongling shook off her hand and walked straight to Shen Miao.


    ¡°Fifth Sister,¡± Shen Dongling called her.


    This seemed to be the first time Shen Dongling called her since she left the courtyard. Shen Miao lowered her eyes and replied indifferently, ¡°Third Sister.¡±


    ¡°Fifth Sister, don¡¯t worry.¡± Shen Dongling looked weak, but her smile was gentle. ¡°Eldest Uncle will definitely be fine. He¡¯s not someone who will deceive the emperor. The truth will eventually come out.¡±


    Shen Miao¡¯s expression did not change as she said, ¡°Thank you, Third Sister.¡±


    Only then did Shen Dongling smile. She turned around and walked to the stunned Concubine Wan, pulling her into the door.


    ¡°Miss.¡± Jingzhe leaned over and asked, ¡°Why did Third MIss do that?¡±


    Just now, Shen Miao made such a fuss, which almost meant that her relationship with the rest of the Shen family had completely fallen apart. However, Shen Dongling came to express her goodwill. Wasn¡¯t she afraid that Old Madam Shen would punish her?


    Shen Miao did not say anything. Looking at Shen Dongling and Concubine Wan¡¯s backs, she shook her head thoughtfully.


    When there was no one around, Concubine Wan whispered, ¡°Dongling, what was wrong with you just now? How could you show goodwill towards Fifth Miss? If Old Madam sees you doing that, she¡¯ll tell your father¡­¡± Shen Gui did not like the first branch either. It would be strange if Shen Gui was happy that Shen Dongling was eager to please Shen Miao.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Mother.¡± Shen Dongling smiled. ¡°None of them is Fifth Sister¡¯s match.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Concubine Wan was stunned.


    Shen Dongling pursed her lips and pulled Concubine Wan forward. ¡°No more asking. Let¡¯s go back.¡±


    ¡­


    With such a big thing happening, even the commoners were alarmed. Naturally, the situation in the imperial court was tense.

 Chapter 399 - Confiscation of Military Power (4)

    Chapter 399: Confiscation of Military Power (4)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    In the throne room, Emperor Wen Hui sat on the dragon throne with a dark expression. Looking at the officials in the hall, he threw the memorial in his hand at the face of the closest official.


    The official was hit in the face, but he did not dare to say a word and immediately knelt down.


    Ever since Shen Xin, his wife, and Shen Qiu entered the palace, they had not left. No one outside knew what happened, but the officials knew very well that Shen Xin and his wife had clearly been detained by Emperor Wen Hui. Why were they detained? It went without saying that Emperor Wen Hui wanted to show them who the ruler of the dynasty was.


    All the officials understood this simple logic. Generally speaking, all they needed to do was pretend nothing happened. However, Emperor Wen Hui¡¯s expression today was a little strange.


    ¡°Earl of Pingnan, you tell me!¡± Emperor Wen Hui called out.


    Su Yu, the Earl of Pingnan, shuddered. The other officials all looked at him. Su Yu thought of what Su Mingfeng said to him last night and immediately stopped hesitating. He took out a letter from his sleeve and handed it to the eunuch who then handed it to the emperor.


    ¡°Your Majesty, I also think that the mighty general is not to be forgiven. He doesn¡¯t take the royal family seriously and doesn¡¯t respect you. Please punish Shen Xin and kill his entire family!¡±


    Killing his entire family? The officials who weren¡¯t particularly on good terms with Su Yu were all shocked when they heard this. The Earl of Pingnan had always been considered a non-violent and friendly person in the imperial court. Unexpectedly, this time, he was more ruthless than anyone else.


    Emperor Wen Hui¡¯s hand trembled as he took the letter and stared at Su Yu with a burning gaze.


    Su Yu raised his head and looked determined.


    ¡°Your Majesty.¡± On the other side, the Marquis of Lin¡¯an, Xie Ding, who had been silent all this while, also said, ¡°Shen Xin has a lot of soldiers. He even dares to resist your orders outside. I¡¯m afraid he already has the intention to rebel. I also agree with Lord Su about executing him and his entire family.¡±


    Everyone looked at Xie Ding and Su Yu. They knew that the Su and Xie families had always been on good terms, but the Shen family and these two families were clearly not on the same boat. Now that Shen Xin was in trouble, the Su and Xie families were naturally willing to kick him when he was down.


    Emperor Wen Hui¡¯s gaze was uncertain.


    Originally, he was extremely satisfied with the evidence sent by Fu Xiuyi. He had always been eyeing the Shen family covetously, but he could not find a chance. With the evidence of Shen Xin disobeying his order, the emperor could easily take back the Shen family¡¯s military power. Unexpectedly, early this morning, when he mentioned this in the court, the court officials all expressed that they agreed to punish Shen Xin severely.


    Shen Xin had been fighting in the northwest all year round and did not have a deep relationship with the officials in the imperial court. Emperor Wen Hui had expected that many people would agree to punishing Shen Xin, but he did not expect it to be so many.


    Emperor Wen Hui was paranoid. If there were many officials who spoke up for Shen Xin, Emperor Wen Hui would probably suspect that Shen Xin was roping in many people in private. However, with so many people suggesting to punish Shen Xin, Emperor Wen Hui was actually relieved. An official with an ambition to rebel would not make so many enemies for himself.


    If the impeachment of Shen Xin by these officials only made Emperor Wen Hui a little hesitant, the ¡°killing his entire family¡± suggested by the Earl of Pingnan and the Marquis of Lin¡¯an made Emperor Wen Hui suspicious.


    The Shen family, the Su family, and the Xie family were all thorns in Emperor Wen Hui¡¯s heart. It was not that these officials were bad, but just the reputation and military strength of these large families would make Emperor Wen Hui feel a constant threat. How could he allow others to be more powerful than him?

 Chapter 400 - Confiscation of Military Power (5)

    Chapter 400: Confiscation of Military Power (5)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    The Su family and the Xie family were tied together. Fortunately, the Shen family and the Xie family were incompatible like fire and water. Otherwise, they would really become a huge problem for Emperor Wen Hui. If what the Su and Xie families said was true, after killing the Shen family, there would be no one in Ming Qi who could counterbalance the combined power of the Su and Xie families.


    For the first time, Emperor Wen Hui felt like he was in a difficult position. He just wanted to take back a portion of Shen Xin¡¯s military power. With the Shen family around, Su Xie could be kept in check, but now, no one was willing to speak up for Shen Xin. Emperor Wen Hui felt a headache coming on.


    He slowly asked, ¡°Kill his entire family?¡±


    Generally speaking, from the tone with which the emperor asked this question, the officials could tell that something was wrong. However, for some reason, Xie Ding pretended not to know and replied, ¡°Yes!¡±


    Emperor Wen Hui closed his eyes. When he looked at Xie Ding again, it was as if he was trying to see Xie Ding¡¯s ambition through his skin.


    Su Yu was a little worried, but he didn¡¯t show it on his face.


    Finally, a young general stepped forward and said, ¡°Although General Shen is willful this time, he doesn¡¯t deserve to die. He has made great contributions to the dynasty, so he can atone for his mistakes. Your Majesty is benevolent. I hope you can be lenient on him because he has been on the battlefield for many years.¡±


    This young general had a good relationship with Shen Xin. He finally couldn¡¯t stand it anymore and spoke up for Shen Xin.


    Emperor Wen Hui had been waiting for someone to say this, but for some reason, no one spoke. As soon as this young general spoke, Emperor Wen Hui¡¯s eyebrows relaxed and he said, ¡°You¡¯re right. Although General Shen is guilty this time, he still made lots of contributions in the past. If I sentence his entire family to death, it will make me look like a heartless person.¡±


    ¡°Your Majesty, you can¡¯t do that!¡± Su Yu quickly knelt on the ground. ¡°General Shen deceived you this time. No one knows what he¡¯ll do next time!¡±


    Xie Ding hurriedly said, ¡°That¡¯s right, that¡¯s right! Your Majesty, think twice!¡±


    The more the two of them said that, the more Emperor Wen Hui found it suspicious. Without looking at the two of them, he said to the young general, or rather, to every official in the court, ¡°When Old General Shen was alive, he also went through thick and thin with the late emperor. The Shen family has been loyal for generations, and the mighty general, Shen Xin, was also extremely brave in the battlefield. I¡¯m not a tyrant, and the Shen family doesn¡¯t deserve to be sentenced to death.¡±


    ¡°Your Majesty is wise.¡± The young general quickly knelt down and said.


    Emperor Wen Hui waved his hand and said, ¡°I still have to punish Shen Xin though. Pass down the order. Take back Shen Xin¡¯s military power and deduct one year of his salary. Other than his personal guards, all the soldiers will be integrated into the royal army!¡±


    In other words, the troops that Shen Xin had nurtured for so many years were all stolen by the royal family!


    Even if Shen Xin got away with it this time, the title of the mighty general would only be an empty shell that posed no threat to the royal family. The emperor kept him alive just to use his reputation to keep the Su and Xie families in check.

 Chapter 401 - Confiscation of Military Power (6)

    Chapter 401: Confiscation of Military Power (6)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    After Emperor Wen Hui finished speaking, he waved his hand in frustration and said, ¡°Court dismissed!¡± He turned around and left. With this, it would probably not be long before Shen Xin, his wife, and Shen Qiu, who were detained, were released from the palace. However, at that time, Shen Xin and his wife would be deprived of their military power.


    Emperor Wen Hui left, leaving the court officials looking at each other.


    No one expected such a sensational matter to be handled so simply.


    Su Yu patted the dirt off his knees and stood up. Seeing that Xie Ding had also stood up, he walked over to Xie Ding and whispered, ¡°What was going on? Why did you suddenly speak?¡±


    Although Su Yu agreed to impeach Shen Xin, he did not want to get his good friend involved in this mess. The situation the Xie family was facing was also dangerous. If he was not careful and implicated the Xie family, Su Yu would live the rest of his life in guilt. Therefore, Su Yu told his colleagues about this but did not tell Xie Ding. He did not expect Xie Ding to go along with him today and almost angered Emperor Wen Hui.


    Xie Ding shook his head. ¡°As soon as you said that, I knew what you were up to. Since you wanted to help Shen Xin, I didn¡¯t mind giving a hand. However, I¡¯m just doing this for you.¡± Xie Ding was an old fox who had been in the imperial court for many decades. Compared to Shen Xin who only knew how to fight wars, Xie Ding was better at dealing with the interests of the imperial court. He could tell that Su Yu was trying to help Shen Xin out by impeaching him, so he offered help.


    Hearing this, Su Yu shook his head helplessly. He felt that his good friend¡¯s personality was exactly the same as Xie Jingxing. Thinking of Xie Jingxing, Su Yu suddenly remembered something and asked, ¡°By the way, I heard from Mingfeng that Jingxing requested to go to war. Is that true?¡±


    Xie Ding shook his head and sighed. ¡°Yes, it¡¯s true.¡±


    ¡°Is Jingxing crazy?¡± Su Yu said in disbelief, ¡°The northern border is not a place to play¡­ Old Xie, are you really not worried?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the point of me being worried? What¡¯s the point of me not being worried?¡± Xie Ding was very helpless. ¡°I¡¯ve never been able to control what he decides. Now, I only want him to be safe. This is all my fault. I¡¯m the only one who should pay for my mistake.¡±


    ¡°Actually¡­ this is not your fault.¡± Su Yu felt a little sad when he heard that. All these years, Xie Ding had been tortured by what happened in the past. His conscience was uneasy, and his son was not close to him. As an outsider, Su Yu felt sad, and Xie Ding felt even worse. He changed the topic. ¡°I heard that the evidence against Shen Xin was submitted by the Ninth Prince, Prince Ding. Why don¡¯t I see him today?¡±


    ¡°I think His Majesty sent him to the Ministry of Works to inspect.¡± Xie Ding frowned and said, ¡°I wonder what he will think when he finds out about the result.¡±


    ¡°What else can he think?¡± Su Yu sneered. ¡°The royal family has taken back the military power, which is what they wanted the most. Whether or not the Shen family dies makes no difference.¡±


    This was the first time Xie Ding had seen Su Yu like this. He was a little surprised and asked, ¡°By the way, you haven¡¯t told me why you wanted to help Shen Xin. When did you become friends with the Shen family?¡±


    At this moment, there was no one around. Su Yu sighed and said, ¡°It¡¯s not me. It¡¯s my son, Mingfeng. He told me last night that the Shen family is just the first target of the royal family. When the Shen family is gone, it will inevitably be the Su family¡­¡±


    ¡­


    The news of what happened in the imperial court quickly spread throughout the capital. Emperor Wen Hui spared Shen Xin and his family¡¯s lives, but he took back the military power. This made the commoners praise the royal family for being benevolent.


    The commoners couldn¡¯t grasp the whole picture, but the officials could. The Shen family, which had lost its military power, was like a toothless tiger. It was no longer as powerful as before.


    In the Shen family, Shen Gui and Shen Wan were discussing this matter. Although Shen Xin was not punished as severely as they thought, the two of them were very satisfied with the emperor taking back Shen Xin¡¯s military power. This meant that Shen Xin¡¯s influence and power were now far inferior to theirs.


    In the west courtyard, when Jingzhe told Shen Miao this news, Shen Miao had just finished lunch.


    ¡°Miss.¡± Jingzhe looked at Shen Miao¡¯s relaxed expression and asked, ¡°Miss, you don¡¯t look worried at all. Is it¡­ because the situation is not as bad as the rumors say?¡±


    Shen Miao wiped her mouth with a handkerchief and said, ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid. What¡¯s yours will always be yours. What¡¯s not yours will eventually be taken away.¡±

 Chapter 402 - No Future (1)

    Chapter 402: No Future (1)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    On the day Shen Xin was released from the palace and returned to the mansion, Shen Miao personally went to the palace gate to pick him up.


    The others in the Shen family were naturally unhappy with this outcome, especially Old Madam Shen. She thought that Shen Xin was doomed, but she did not expect him to be spared in the end. However, when she heard from Shen Gui what it meant to have no military power, Old Madam Shen was delighted again.


    Shen Xin, without his military power, was no longer on par with Shen Gui and Shen Wan in terms of influence in the imperial court. Old Madam Shen was short-sighted. She didn¡¯t realize that the Shen family was a whole. When the people thought of the Shen family, they first thought of Shen Xin. Once Shen Xin lost his power, the Shen family would no longer be as glorious.


    However, Old Madam Shen probably did not care. In her heart, the two people she gave birth to, Shen Gui and Shen Wan, were countless times better than Shen Xin. If not for the fact that the old general was biased back then, Shen Xin would not be where he was today. She would take this opportunity to expel Shen Xin from the Shen family.


    However, how the assets should be divided was also another matter worth thinking through.


    Shen Miao did not take the assets to heart at all. At this point in time, she had to do as she had previously planned. Without the military power, the Shen family was indeed nothing to be afraid of. If the first branch continued to stay here, given how many enemies they had, the first branch would sooner or later be forced into a desperate situation.


    At the end of the day, they still had to retreat.


    For some reason, Shen Miao thought of Xie Jingxing¡¯s warning to her that day. The word ¡°retreat¡± was indeed the only way out for the first branch of the Shen family.


    The carriage stopped at the corner of the palace gate to prevent others from seeing it. Shen Miao knew better than anyone what kind of people the royal family were. They wanted to be benevolent on the surface, but secretly, they would still figure out ways to make people who offended them suffer. Now that Shen Xin was bereft of his military power, many people would definitely be happy to see him in such a miserable state.


    Shen Miao had suffered a lot in her previous life. She could tolerate humiliation, but she could not tolerate her family being treated like this. She could only park the carriage here and wait for Shen Xin to come out to pick them up.


    Just as she was thinking, she heard Mo Qing shout from outside, ¡°Stop!¡± A strong wind blew in. Shen Miao¡¯s vision blurred, and the curtain of the carriage was lifted. In an instant, there was another person in the spacious carriage.


    Gu Yu cried out in shock and her mouth was immediately covered by Jingzhe. Mo Qing said in a panic, ¡°Miss!¡±


    Shen Miao looked at the person opposite her.


    On the carriage, the young man was wearing a dark red official robe. His eyes were flirtatious, and his thin lips were slightly curled. Even if he was wearing a dark red official robe, people still could not take their eyes off his face.


    ¡°Mo Qing, back off,¡± Shen Miao reprimanded softly.


    ¡°But¡­¡± Mo Qing¡¯s voice sounded through the curtain of the carriage. That person was too fast, and he could not stop him in time. Letting a stranger inside the carriage with Shen Miao was by no means appropriate.


    ¡°You are not his match,¡± Shen Miao said calmly to the outside. She looked at Jingzhe and Gu Yu. ¡°You two go out, too. Guard the carriage.¡±


    Jingzhe and Gu Yu had seen Xie Jingxing before and knew that he and Shen Miao were friends, but they were confused about how close they were. The two of them were sometimes enemies, so why would Shen Miao be so friendly to her enemies?


    However, with previous experiences, Jingzhe and Gu Yu were not worried about Xie Jingxing hurting Shen Miao. Otherwise, Shen Miao wouldn¡¯t allow Xie Jingxing to be in the carriage. Jingzhe and Gu Yu did not say anything and got out of the carriage.

 Chapter 403 - No Future (2)

    Chapter 403: No Future (2)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    In an instant, only Xie Jingxing and Shen Miao were left in the carriage.


    ¡°I heard that the Marquis of Lin¡¯an spoke up for my father yesterday. Thank you, Young Marquis,¡± Shen Miao said.


    On the surface, Xie Ding helped Su Yu impeach Shen Xin, but in fact, he was giving Shen Xin a way out. Shen Miao believed that an old fox like Xie Jingxing could tell.


    As expected, as soon as she said that, Xie Jingxing smiled and leaned back lazily. He loosened his arms and said, ¡°What the Marquis of Lin¡¯an did has nothing to do with me.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡± Shen Miao looked at him and smiled. ¡°Then Young Marquis, didn¡¯t you get into my carriage uninvited just to hear me thanking you?¡± She deliberately emphasized the words ¡°my carriage¡±, clearly very angry at Xie Jingxing for being rude.


    Xie Jingxing stared at her and said, ¡°Are you planning to make Shen Xin retreat to the northwest? To seek refuge with the Luo family?¡±


    Shen Miao¡¯s heart skipped a beat. She looked at Xie Jingxing and did not speak.


    This was indeed her plan. Xie Jingxing had pointed out a way for her to ¡°retreat¡±, but she did not want to retreat while at a disadvantage. She had not finished playing the game yet. Once she retreated, her opponent would gain the momentum. Her revenge had to be abandoned before it even started. How could she accept it?


    It did not matter if the military power was confiscated. What Shen Xin had to offer was never the Shen army, but rather his ability to lead troops in battle. If he could nurture one Shen army, he could naturally nurture another one. Among the army that was confiscated, there were people planted by Shen Yuan and Fu Xiuyi. It was too tiring to lead such an army as he had to be on guard against anyone trying to stab him from behind.


    The Shen family¡¯s military power was gone, but the Luo family still had soldiers. It was just that the combat power of the Luo family¡¯s army was not as good as the Shen family¡¯, so it wasn¡¯t as well known.


    Shen Miao wanted to use the Luo family¡¯s army and turn it into another Shen army as a trump card that no one knew about. Wasn¡¯t the royal family worried about Shen Xin rebelling? She would make their worry come true.


    However¡­ This secret thought could not be hidden from Xie Jingxing¡¯s sharp gaze. The moment her mind was seen through, Shen Miao panicked.


    If Xie Jingxing knew what she was thinking¡­ What would this person, the tragic hero who left a deep mark in the history of Ming Qi, do? Threaten her? Turn her in? Or¡­ kill her?


    However, he probably wouldn¡¯t have the chance to do so. Shen Miao had survived all the difficult times in her previous life. Even if she was temporarily shocked, she quickly suppressed the emotions in her heart. She thought that Xie Jingxing was about to go to the northern border. If this trip to the northern border followed the trajectory of her previous life, Xie Jingxing would die and be shot in the heart by ten thousand arrows. Even if Xie Jingxing was smart and all-knowing, he still couldn¡¯t escape this fate.


    Shen Miao looked up at Xie Jingxing.


    Xie Jingxing was really good-looking. In her previous life, she had seen many talented and good-looking young men. Even Fu Xiuyi, who she was infatuated with, did not have such a charm. He had long eyebrows, a tall nose, thin lips, and a rosy face. His smile always looked a little evil. He was handsome and a little domineering. His facial features were well-defined and he had a pair of dark and bright eyes. When he looked at people, his eyes were filled with coldness.

 Chapter 404 - No Future (3)

    Chapter 404: No Future (3)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    No one knew how cruel this person was under his cynical and arrogant appearance.


    Xie Jingxing was still a young man and had the handsomeness of a young man. However, today, he was wearing a dark red court robe, making him look more mature. When Shen Miao¡¯s son, Fu Ming, was reading the history of the Xie family in Ming Qi, he sighed. ¡°A young talent, a figure to be remembered by people for generations to come. He died young, and his death is the sorrow of Ming Qi!¡± It can be seen how high his evaluation of Xie Jingxing was.


    In her previous life, when Shen Miao really noticed Xie Jingxing, she was already the empress. She had only seen him from afar at the palace banquet and vaguely had an impression of him being a very good-looking young man, but Fu Xiuyi did not treat him very warmly. Who would have thought that this handsome young man with a charming smile on his face would die on the battlefield before long?


    There was a trace of pity in Shen Miao¡¯s eyes. She was not a kind person, but she still admired people who had been praised by Fu Ming and Wanyu.


    Xie Jingxing was a little puzzled by her sorrowful gaze. He suddenly thought of the first time he saw Shen Miao at the door of Guangwen Hall. At that time, she also looked at him with such sadness. Xie Jingxing asked thoughtfully, ¡°Do you pity me?¡±


    This person is even better at reading people¡¯s expressions than me! Shen Miao thought to herself, but a smile appeared on her face. ¡°Who am I to pity others?¡±


    Xie Jingxing nodded, as if he felt that what she said made sense. However, he suddenly reached out and lifted the curtain of the carriage.


    This place was in a remote corner, so no one would come over. Lifting the curtain of the carriage, one could see the high palace wall.


    Shen Miao couldn¡¯t help but look into the distance.


    Xie Jingxing smiled and said, ¡°Do you want to live there?¡±


    Shen Miao was slightly stunned.


    ¡°If you want to live there, I can help you,¡± Xie Jingxing said. His tone was a little strange, but his smile seemed to hide something deeper. ¡°When the time comes, how will you thank me?¡±


    ¡°Young Marquis, if you can burn this palace down, I might be grateful to you,¡± Shen Miao replied.


    Xie Jingxing raised an eyebrow in surprise. ¡°I thought you wanted to be¡­ a noble.¡±


    ¡°I want to be a noble.¡± Shen Miao turned around and looked at him with a mocking smile. ¡°However, it¡¯s not the kind of noble you¡¯re talking about. It¡¯s a noble who¡¯s even more noble than a noble.¡±


    ¡°You want to be the empress?¡±


    The empress? Shen Miao was in a daze. She had once worn the empress¡¯s court dress and had a phoenix hairpin on her head. At the empress¡¯s coronation ceremony, it was glorious. The officials knelt down in front of her, and the people cheered for her.


    At that time, she thought she had everything she wanted.


    Now, it seemed that the higher she climbed, the more painful it was to fall. The empress? That was just an empty title.


    ¡°It¡¯s easy to be the empress, but it¡¯s difficult to be the emperor,¡± Xie Jingxing said matter-of-factly.


    In Ming Qi, the nine princes each had their own merits. Even the position of the crown prince was not stable. Who knew who would get the imperial seal in the future? Big families were all taking gambles by marrying their daughter to one of the princes.


    Riches came from danger. Greed was a human¡¯s instinct. If they chose a wrong prince for their daughter, it would be equivalent to pushing their daughter into the fire.


    Xie Jingxing said casually, ¡°Who did you choose?¡±

 Chapter 405 - No Future (4)

    Chapter 405: No Future (4)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    He was asking her which prince she liked, which one she wanted to marry, and which one she supported.


    ¡°Young Marquis, who do you think has a better future?¡± Shen Miao asked.


    ¡°From the looks of it, no one has a future.¡± What Xie Jingxing said shocked her. ¡°What are you going to do?¡±


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll find someone with a future.¡±


    ¡°Then what do you think of me?¡± Xie Jingxing raised his eyebrows and asked. This question was probably intended as a joke as the tone was quite teasing.


    ¡°Young Marquis has no future either.¡± Shen Miao looked at him seriously.


    Xie Jingxing was stunned by Shen Miao¡¯s words. Although he was not angry, he was a little unhappy. The women he had seen all liked him, and the men he had seen were all afraid of him, but Shen Miao neither liked nor was afraid of him. She even kept provoking him. Was he being too amiable to Shen Miao? Was that why Shen Miao thought he was a good-tempered person?


    ¡°Young Marquis, what exactly do you want to say? Please say it and leave.¡± Shen Miao was already asking him to leave. ¡°It won¡¯t be good if people see us together and misunderstand it.¡±


    ¡°Misunderstand?¡± A smile flashed across Xie Jingxing¡¯s eyes. He deliberately said softly, ¡°What will they misunderstand?¡±


    ¡°A lecher taking advantage of a young girl,¡± Shen Miao replied without batting an eyelid. She could tell that Xie Jingxing was not a first time offender when it came to disregarding the rules of etiquette.


    Even Xie Jingxing, who had seen all kinds of women, was stunned by Shen Miao¡¯s bold words. He cleared his throat and sat up straight. He did not tease Shen Miao anymore and only said, ¡°Retreat to the northwest. The sooner the better. The longer you wait, the worse it will be for Shen Xin.¡±


    Shen Miao looked up at him, not expecting Xie Jingxing to give her this reminder. After all, she did not want to go against someone like Xie Jingxing. It was already very good that Xie Jingxing was not hostile to her.


    ¡°Thank you very much.¡±


    Xie Jingxing said, ¡°It would be best if Shen Xin can leave the capital before I set off.¡±


    Shen Miao was a little helpless. ¡°That is not up to me.¡± Not everyone was as capable as Xie Jingxing. Shen Miao always felt that the background Xie Jingxing relied on did not seem to be completely the Marquis of Lin¡¯an. However, in Ming Qi, what was more powerful than the Marquis of Lin¡¯an apart from the royal family?


    Shen Miao could not figure it out.


    Xie Jingxing paused for a moment and suddenly lifted the curtain to rush out. Before Shen Miao could react, she heard someone shouting outside, ¡°Madam, Master, Eldest Young Master!¡±


    Shen Miao lifted the curtain and saw Shen Xin, his wife, and Shen Qiu walking over from the palace gate. When they saw Jingzhe and Gu Yu, they were stunned. Shen Miao looked around again but did not see Xie Jingxing. She thought to herself that this person was very vigilant and skilled.


    When Luo Xueyan saw Jingzhe, she quickly walked over and saw Shen Miao jumping out of the carriage.


    After only a few days, Shen Xin, his wife, and Shen Qiu looked much more haggard. Shen Miao had seen the royal family do this before. Sometimes, before they could decide how to punish people, they would detain them and wear them down. Shen Xin was a general and a martial artist, so his will was very strong. However, Shen Miao was left alone in the mansion, so it was inevitable that he would be worried sick about her.


    Luo Xueyan took a few steps forward and held Shen Miao¡¯s hand to size her up. ¡°Jiaojiao, has anyone made things difficult for you these few days?¡±


    Shen Miao shook her head.


    Only then did Luo Xueyan heave a sigh of relief. Shen Qiu asked, ¡°Sister, why didn¡¯t you stay in the mansion? Why did you come here?¡±


    ¡°I heard that Father and Mother are returning to the mansion today. I¡¯m afraid you won¡¯t have a carriage, so I came to pick you up,¡± Shen Miao said with a smile.

 Chapter 406 - No Future (5)

    Chapter 406: No Future (5)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    Shen Xin moved his lips, wanting to say something, but in the end, he did not say it. He knew that there were many people waiting to see him in this miserable state. Shen Miao was considerate enough to bring a carriage so that he wouldn¡¯t be seen. However, Shen Xin felt frustrated. He promised he would protect his family, but with his military power gone, he couldn¡¯t even protect himself.


    He got into the carriage in silence. Luo Xueyan did not want Shen Miao to worry, so she pulled her into the carriage too. Jingzhe and the others sat in the carriage behind. In the first carriage, there was only Shen Miao and her family.


    ¡°Mother, what did His Majesty say?¡± Shen Miao asked.


    Luo Xueyan hesitated for a moment before smiling and saying, ¡°It¡¯s nothing. It¡¯s just a misunderstanding.¡±


    Shen Miao said, ¡°If it¡¯s a misunderstanding, why did he take away your military power?¡±


    Shen Qiu was stunned and subconsciously looked at Shen Xin. The person who was most angry now was Shen Xin. He did not know what went wrong, but the only possibility was that there were spies in the Shen army. Otherwise, no one would know about him disobeying the emperor to massacre the city.


    ¡°Actually, it¡¯s fine if the military power is taken.¡± Luo Xueyan tried to comfort Shen Miao. She was afraid that Shen Miao would feel scared. She said, ¡°Without the military power, we can still go to war. Your father is still a general. We¡¯re still the same as before.¡±


    Shen Miao lowered her eyes. Shen Xin and Shen Qiu looked at her worriedly. In the past, Shen Miao was a little arrogant because she had the backing of the mighty general. Once she lost her backing, it was normal for this noble young lady to not be able to accept it.


    ¡°Are you still going to war?¡± Shen Miao said softly, ¡°Are you going to war with that small group of personal guards?¡±


    Luo Xueyan and Shen Qiu were instantly stunned. These days, they were used to Shen Miao being gentle and obedient. When they suddenly heard such a sharp question, they were in disbelief.


    Shen Xin¡¯s face turned ashen. The general¡¯s pride could not be trampled on by anyone. Emperor Wen Hui had spared his life, but he had also humiliated him deeply. This made Shen Xin feel worse than dying.


    ¡°Without soldiers, isn¡¯t the title of general empty?¡± Shen Miao looked up, her eyes extremely calm, as if she was talking about something normal.


    Shen Xin clenched his fists. ¡°Jiaojiao, I will try to clear my name, and I will eventually take back the Shen army. Don¡¯t be afraid.¡±


    Shen Xin had been relying on military achievements his entire life. He believed that other than Xie Ding, no one in Ming Qi was braver than him and no one had the ability to lead a large army.


    ¡°But how long will we have to wait? At that time, will the Shen army still be loyal to Father? There were spies in the Shen army when it was under your command. In the future¡­ who can guarantee that there won¡¯t be more spies?¡±


    As soon as she said that, Luo Xueyan¡¯s expression darkened and she asked, ¡°Jiaojiao, who told you this?¡±


    Shen Miao knew that Shen Xin¡¯s military power had been snatched, and she also knew that the Shen army had been integrated into the royal army because everyone knew about it. However, it was impossible for her to hear from outsiders about the spies being planted in the Shen army. The person who knew this must be an insider of the imperial court. Luo Xueyan was afraid that Shen Miao would be used by others.


    Shen Miao shook her head. ¡°I¡¯m not a fool. I don¡¯t always need people to tell me about things.¡±


    Shen Qiu said, ¡°Sister is very smart.¡± Shen Qiu could tell what Shen Miao was capable of from Prince Yu¡¯s matter. He knew that Shen Miao¡¯s horizons were not that of a normal girl.

 Chapter 407 - No Future (6)

    Chapter 407: No Future (6)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    It was rare for Shen Qiu to say that. Shen Xin frowned and asked, ¡°Jiaojiao, what are you trying to say?¡±


    ¡°Since the Shen army is no longer ours, let¡¯s abandon it. How about giving up?¡± Shen Miao said.


    ¡°Jiaojiao!¡± Luo Xueyan stopped her. Suddenly, she felt that her tone was too harsh, so she quickly softened. ¡°The Shen army was nurtured by your father alone. There are countless trusted aides among them. How can it be easy to give up? They¡¯re all our comrades on the battlefield. This¡­ is impossible.¡±


    ¡°Then what are your plans, Father?¡± Shen Miao asked, ¡°Are you going to endure it like this? If you endure it, you might be able to wait for a good opportunity, but if someone tries to bring you down, you won¡¯t even be able to fight back.¡±


    Shen Xin stared at Shen Miao, as if he couldn¡¯t recognize his daughter. He asked thoughtfully, ¡°Jiaojiao, what do you think we should do?¡±


    Shen Miao¡¯s eyes were shockingly bright. ¡°Father, if you can nurture one army, why can¡¯t you nurture another one?¡±


    Shen Xin was stunned at first, then he laughed out loud and stroked Shen Miao¡¯s head, as if what Shen Miao said made him happy. He said, ¡°You are indeed still a young girl. Where are the soldiers needed to form an army?¡± At the end of his sentence, there was a hint of sadness in his voice.


    The Shen army was like a child raised by Shen Xin. How could he explain the pain of losing his child?


    Shen Miao smiled faintly. ¡°Then, what about the Luo family?¡±


    Shen Xin¡¯s smile disappeared. Luo Xueyan and Shen Qiu thought of something at the same time and their gazes immediately landed on Shen Miao.


    Shen Miao said slowly, ¡°Doesn¡¯t grandfather still have a group of soldiers under his command? Although they can¡¯t compare to the Shen army as of now, if you train them well, they might be the next Shen army.¡±


    The Luo family was also a military family, but they were declining day by day. It was true that they had soldiers under them, but later, when Shen Xin was stationed in the northwest, the soldiers of the Luo family in Spring City retired as they weren¡¯t needed. Over the years, they were no different from ordinary people.


    ¡°That won¡¯t do.¡± The Shen family had been loyal to the emperor and patriotic for so many years. It was their instinct to serve the emperor. Shen Miao¡¯s words could even be considered treacherous. Raising soldiers in a place that the emperor did not know¡­¡± Luo Xueyan said, ¡°Jiaojiao, this is not a joking matter.¡± She did not know how to explain to Shen Miao how much the royal family hated generals who had soldiers. How could a little girl like Shen Miao understand?


    Shen Qiu, who was very quiet, said, ¡°Sister, do you want to replace the Shen army with the Luo army?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not really a replacement.¡± Shen Miao smiled. ¡°It¡¯s just that Father is a general after all. He can¡¯t have no soldier by his side. He naturally has to have followers. In that case, what¡¯s so bad about using the Luo army? With the Luo army, Father can protect us all.¡±


    Luo Xueyan felt that what Shen Miao said today was really unbelievable. When she looked up, she saw Shen Xin frowning, as if he was seriously thinking about Shen Miao¡¯s words.


    Shen Xin looked at Shen Miao and deliberately asked, ¡°Jiaojiao, you¡¯re right, but the Luo army is far away in Spring City. How are we going to get there?¡±


    ¡°That will depend on you.¡± Shen Miao smiled at him. ¡°Perhaps you can give it a try and tell His Majesty that you want to retreat to the northwest and volunteer to guard Spring City.¡±


    Shen Xin and the other two were stunned again.


    Spring City was a small city at the northwest border, thousands of miles away from the capital. If Shen Xin really made this request, everyone would think that this mighty general was disheartened because he lost his military power and wanted to escape far away. As for his reputation as the mighty general, it would slowly be wiped off by time.


    Shen Xin widened his eyes. ¡°This is a retreat. No!¡±


    ¡°Father, what are you afraid of? The retreat is for the sake of advancing.¡± Shen Miao did not back down at all. For the first time, her eyes, which had always been calm and clear, looked like they were provocative. ¡°Are you afraid of not being able to recover from the setback, afraid of retreating again and again and having no way to retreat, or are you afraid that time will pass quickly and you won¡¯t be able to bring the Shen family back to its former glory?¡±


    These questions made Shen Xin¡¯s heart tighten. Not only Shen Xin, but Luo Xueyan and Shen Qiu were also stunned. Shen Xin stared at Shen Miao. He suddenly realized that this delicate and soft-looking daughter seemed to have inherited the tenacity and boldness in his bones.


    ¡°Besides.¡± Shen Miao chuckled. ¡°In two years, His Majesty will definitely summon Father back to the capital. The day you are summoned back to the capital will be the day you win back the glory that is yours.¡±

 Chapter 408 - Brother Xie (1)

    Chapter 408: Brother Xie (1)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    The lights in the west courtyard of the Shen family were bright all night.


    Shen Gui and Shen Wan wanted to come in and ask, but Shen Xin asked his trusted aides to guard the entrance of the courtyard, not allowing anyone to enter.


    In the room, Shen Qiu poured a cup of tea for Shen Miao and said, ¡°Sister, take your time. Tell us your plan in detail.¡±


    When it came to military matters, Shen Xin, Luo Xueyan, and Shen Qiu never discussed with Shen Miao. The military matters were so complicated and deep that even the officials couldn¡¯t understand, let alone Shen Miao, a little girl who had never been outside the capital.


    However, Shen Miao said it so logically that Shen Xin and his wife couldn¡¯t help but look at her in shock.


    ¡°Give up the Shen army and retrain the Luo army.¡± Luo Xueyan said in confusion, ¡°But the Shen army is all elite. The Luo army is¡­¡± At the mention of the soldiers her father used to lead, Luo Xueyan was still a little sad.¡± How can they compare to the Shen army? ¡±


    ¡°Although the Luo army is not as experienced, it¡¯s safer to lead them.¡± Shen Miao said, ¡°There¡¯s already spies planted by people in the Shen army. Who knows if they will try to stab Father in the back some day?¡±


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    As soon as she said that, the three of them fell silent.


    Shen Xin said, ¡°I¡¯ve thought about what Sister said too.¡±


    Shen Qiu and Luo Xueyan looked at Shen Xin at the same time. At this moment, Shen Xin no longer looked suspicious. He looked at Shen Miao with admiration in his eyes. ¡°However, Jiaojiao, what did you mean when you said in the carriage that I will definitely be summoned back to the capital within two years?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Shen Qiu also turned to look at Shen Miao. ¡°Sister, how did you know that His Majesty will summon Father back to the capital within two years?¡±


    No one could guess what the emperor was thinking. When Shen Miao said this, it seemed to mean something. Luo Xueyan immediately became nervous. The person who could figure out the emperor¡¯s thoughts was definitely someone close to Emperor Wen Hui. Could it be Prince Ding? What Luo Xueyan was most worried about was that Shen Miao would also be involved in the power game between the princes.


    Shen Miao lowered her eyes. Within two years, Emperor Wen Hui would naturally have to summon Shen Xin back to the capital because Ming Qi was under threat from the State of Qin. At that time, Emperor Wen Hui¡¯s health was already very poor. The crown prince was bedridden, and Prince Zhou and Prince Li were fighting each other to the death, and the net Fu Xiuyi had laid out was gradually spreading.


    As a loyal official and general, Shen Xin would definitely be used by Emperor Wen Hui to deter the enemy country.


    However, these were something Shen Miao couldn¡¯t speak out loud. Facing their gazes, Shen Miao smiled and said, ¡°I just had a very realistic dream. In the dream, within two years, Father will make a comeback and win back the title of the mighty general.¡±


    Whether or not Shen Xin could be summoned back to the capital within two years was something that no one could say for sure. However, whether it was a year, two years, or three or four years, retreating to the Northwest at this moment was indeed the best solution. Not only was it to make a comeback, but it was also because the competition for the throne was now very intense. If the Shen family stayed in the capital, even if they did not have military power, they would inevitably be dragged into this mess. He had to make sure his family was safe before thinking about making contributions.

 Chapter 409 - Brother Xie (2)

    Chapter 409: Brother Xie (2)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    This was what Shen Xin was thinking.


    He smiled and looked at Shen Miao. ¡°Jiaojiao, since you said that she knew it from your dream, then the dream will definitely come true. I believe you.¡± He actually did not intend to ask further at all.


    The words ¡°I believe you¡± almost made Shen Miao cry. Back then, she insisted on marrying Fu Xiuyi. Shen Xin tried all he could to stop her. Later, when she threatened him with her life, Shen Xin finally compromised. The mighty general who had been giving commands all his life revealed a dejected and helpless expression and said, ¡°Since you chose him, I believe you.¡±


    After that, Shen Miao slowly pushed the Shen family into the abyss.


    Shen Miao closed her eyes, and those tragic memories disappeared. She said, ¡°Father, if you really believe me, make a request to His Majesty to retreat to Spring City tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°Tomorrow?¡± Luo Xueyan was shocked. ¡°Why the hurry?¡±


    ¡°Only when we act hurriedly will His Majesty think that Father does it because he is angry about his military power being snatched away. That way, His Majesty won¡¯t be paranoid and think too much,¡± Shen Miao explained.


    Shen Qiu wanted to say something, but Shen Xin said first, ¡°Let¡¯s do that.¡±


    ¡°Shen Xin!¡± Luo Xueyan was a little anxious. Although she also thought what Shen Miao said made sense, it was an important matter after all. Making a decision so rashly was too risky.


    Shen Xin shook his head. ¡°You and I have been on the battlefield for many years, but we can¡¯t even see the situation as clearly as Jiaojiao did.¡± He looked at Shen Miao with a complicated gaze. In the end, he reached out and rubbed Shen Miao¡¯s head. ¡°If Jiaojiao is a man, how many people in the world can compare to her?¡±


    Shen Miao looked at him quietly.


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    A young girl would definitely not be able to figure out all this alone. Shen Xin might be a boor, but that did not mean he was brainless. He had probably already seen through Shen Miao. However, Shen Xin did not ask. Even if he asked, Shen Miao would not tell him the secret of her rebirth. Perhaps this was the unconditional trust between a family.


    Just like how Shen Xin had always been on her side in her previous life.


    ¡°The Shen family will be fine,¡± Shen Miao promised.


    ¡°I will go to the court tomorrow morning to make the request.¡± Shen Xin smiled and pulled Luo Xueyan up. ¡°Let¡¯s go back and rest early.¡±


    Luo Xueyan wanted to say something, but when she saw Shen Xin¡¯s expression, she suddenly froze. She had been with Shen Xin for so many years and had never seen him so serious. He was supposed to be a hero respected by the people, but he was deprived of his military power and was now going to a small city in the middle of nowhere. No one was more aggrieved than Shen Xin at this moment. For the first time, her expression softened. She held Shen Xin and said, ¡°Alright.¡±


    Shen Qiu, on the other hand, was left behind. He looked at Shen Miao and wanted to say something but hesitated. In the end, he couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Sister, do you¡­ want Father to rebel?¡±


    Among the people of the Shen family, Shen Qiu was most aware of how ruthless Shen Miao was. When Prince Yu coveted her, she would kill everyone in Prince Yu¡¯s mansion. The Jing family schemed against her and now, they all died. The emperor took military power from the Shen family. Was Shen Miao really doing this just to protect herself?


    ¡°We¡¯re the emperor¡¯s people, and we are loyal to the emperor.¡± Shen Miao smiled faintly. ¡°The Shen family has served the emperor for generations. How could that happen? Brother, don¡¯t think too much. If anyone hears us talking about this, I¡¯m afraid we¡¯ll both be in trouble.¡±


    Shen Qiu paused for a moment before saying, ¡°That¡¯s for the best. Sister¡­ don¡¯t do anything stupid.¡± Only then did he turn around and walk out of the room.


    Shen Miao slowly sat down.


    She really wanted to rebel, but she needed to find a good cause to justify her rebellion. The most important thing now was to avoid trouble. However, when she returned from the Northwest, she would definitely give the royal family a big gift

 Chapter 410 - Brother Xie (3)

    Chapter 410: Brother Xie (3)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    She only hoped that the royal family could take it.


    ¡­


    The news of Shen Xin¡¯s military power being snatched only circulated for a day in the capital before it was replaced by new rumors the next day. However, the new rumors were still related to Shen Xin.


    It was said that the second day after Shen Xin lost his military power, he handed a letter to Emperor Wen Hui in front of the civil and military officials during the morning assembly, saying that he wanted to retreat to Spring City with the remaining guards of the Shen family.


    Others found it unbelievable that the once famous general would end up becoming a watcher of a city in the middle of nowhere. Shen Xin must be very disappointed with Emperor Wen Hui and feel aggrieved, so much so that he made the decision in a fit of anger.


    The storyteller in the teahouse recounted the scene vividly. He said that Emperor Wen Hui¡¯s expression changed on the spot in the throne hall and he threw the letter at Shen Xin¡¯s face. Unexpectedly, Shen Xin remained stubborn and insisted on retreating to Spring City. The emperor was naturally not someone with a good temper. No matter how many contributions Shen Xin had made in the past, it was useless. Didn¡¯t you want to retreat to the border? Good, very good. Then go and guard that small city!


    Therefore, the entire capital knew that the mighty general was leaving the capital for Spring city tomorrow.


    Almost everyone in the teahouse was talking about this. Some people felt that Shen Xin had done the right thing. The mighty general had become a general without an army. Even if he stayed in the capital, no one would respect him. It was better to stay far away and avoid being talked about. Some people felt that Shen Xin had been given too much power and was arrogant. He was spared a life sentence after deceiving the emperor. But not only did he not show gratitude, but he even openly threw a tantrum at Emperor Wen Hui. If not for Emperor Wen Hui¡¯s benevolence, Shen Xin would¡¯ve been beheaded a thousand times.


    In the Pleasure Restaurant, Ji Yushu held his chin and looked at Gao Yang. ¡°What do you think Shen Xin is doing? Is he going to abandon the Shen army just like that?¡±


    ¡°If that¡¯s the case, he¡¯s really decisive.¡± Gao Yang sighed and said, ¡°Not everyone can retreat peacefully after such a humiliation.¡± After taking a sip of tea, Gao Yang said to Xie Jingxing, who was silent at the side, ¡°Why aren¡¯t you saying anything?¡±


    Xie Jingxing was interrupted. He came back to his senses and looked at the two of them. ¡°The Shen family is too fast.¡±


    ¡°Fast?¡± Ji Yushu was a little puzzled.


    Xie Jingxing played with the teacup in his hand and smiled faintly. He pointed a way out for the Shen family to Shen Miao, but he did not expect the Shen family to take action so quickly. Yesterday, Shen Xin was stripped of his military power, and today, he went to court to request retreating to the far northwest. Shen Xin was a person who wouldn¡¯t make a move unless he was confident. For Shen Xin to make up his mind in such a short time, Shen Miao must have said something to him.


    Emperor Wen Hui asked Shen Xin to pack his things and leave the capital tomorrow. On the surface, he was making things difficult for Shen Xin, but little did he know that his thoughts were completely read by a little girl from the Shen family. Xie Jingxing had a feeling that in this chess game being played in Ming Qi, Shen Miao might play a crucial part. However¡­ to him, who was about to leave the capital, this was meaningless.


    ¡°Yushu, leave the capital with me.¡± He said, ¡°Gao Yang, I¡¯ll leave the rest to you.¡±


    Ji Yushu rubbed his nose and looked a little excited. ¡°Alright, Third Brother Xie. The pastries made by the chef here are really awful. Third Brother¡¯s chef is the best. At least I don¡¯t have to go hungry.¡±


    Gao Yang rolled his eyes at him and said coldly, ¡°You¡¯ve eaten everything in the capital. When have you gone hungry?¡± With that, he changed to a serious expression and said to Xie Jingxing, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, leave the rest to me.¡±

 Chapter 411 - Brother Xie (4)

    Chapter 411: Brother Xie (4)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    Xie Jingxing nodded.


    ¡­


    The Shen family was a big family in the capital. In the past, they had many colleagues who were in close contact with them. Given how much of an influential figure Shen xIn was, many people wanted to suck up to him. However, when a tree fell, the monkeys would scatter. This time, Shen Xin was clearly demoted and forced out of the capital. Other than the few officials who were extremely close to Shen Xin, no one came to send him off.


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    Shen Miao took a trip to Guangwen Hall herself.


    Once she set off, she naturally could not attend Guangwen Hall anymore. After her performance in the yearly test, many students of Guangwen Hall changed their opinions of Shen Miao and were a little afraid of her. However, when they heard that the Shen family¡¯s military power was confiscated, they started ridiculing Shen Miao openly again. However, Shen Miao walked past them without looking back, as if she did not hear them.


    Feng Anning cried when she saw her. She grabbed her sleeve and said, ¡°Shen Miao, when will you come back?¡±


    Shen Miao was a little at a loss for what to do with Feng Anning¡¯s tears. In her previous life, because of her stupidity, the noble ladies in the capital were unwilling to befriend her. In this life, she became indifferent to friendship and did not deliberately try to please anyone. Feng Anning was a friend Shen Miao made by accident. Although she was a little arrogant, she did not have any evil intentions towards Shen Miao. Sometimes, looking at her, Shen Miao would even think of Wanyu.


    She comforted Feng Anning. ¡°I won¡¯t be gone for too long.¡±


    ¡°You are lying.¡± Feng Anning sobbed. ¡°I heard from my father that General Shen really angered His Majesty this time. How can he be allowed to back so quickly¡­ Shen Miao, you have to write me letters every now and then. When you come back, will I already be married?¡±


    Shen Miao almost laughed out loud. Looking at Feng Anning¡¯s red eyes, she couldn¡¯t bring herself to laugh. She knew better than anyone what would happen to Feng Anning later on. Although the Feng family wouldn¡¯t fall in two years,¡­ She patted Feng Anning¡¯s shoulder. ¡°It¡¯s fine. I promise you I will be there on your wedding day.¡±


    Feng Anning wanted to say something, but she saw Pei Lang walk in with a book. Pei Lang was dressed in green. His gaze landed on Shen Miao. He paused for a moment and said, ¡°Shen Miao, come with me.¡±


    It was only right for Shen Miao to bid goodbye to her teacher, so no one felt that there was anything wrong. Feng Anning reluctantly let go of Shen Miao¡¯s hand.


    Pei Lang brought Shen Miao to a triangular courtyard of Guangwen Hall. The teachers of Guangwen Hall lived inside the school. This was Pei Lang¡¯s own courtyard, and no one could enter. He pushed the door open and walked into the nearest study. Shen Miao followed him in and closed the door at the right time.


    ¡°Are you leaving?¡± This time, Pei Lang did not beat around the bush and asked bluntly.


    Shen Miao nodded.


    Pei Lang¡¯s expression changed. He hesitated for a moment before saying, ¡°The thing about Liu Ying¡­¡±


    ¡°Miss Liu Ying has already been settled.¡± Shen Miao interrupted him. ¡°She¡¯s doing very well in the embroidery shop. Her double-sided embroidery is outstanding. In the future, she can definitely make a living with her embroidery skills. She might be able to take in a few apprentices.¡±


    Pei Lang gradually relaxed. Shen Xin¡¯s family was about to leave the capital. What he was afraid of was that Liu Ying¡¯s matter couldn¡¯t be settled in time.


    Shen Miao stared into his eyes and asked, ¡°Then Mr. Pei, did you think it over?¡±


    Pei Lang was stunned.


    What Shen Miao wanted him to think over was naturally to be a spy by Fu Xiuyi¡¯s side. That day at the Pleasure Restaurant, Pei Lang had already made his stance clear, but he had to think about it further. Hearing this, Pei Lang frowned and said, ¡°What do you want to say exactly?¡±

 Chapter 412 - Brother Xie (5)

    Chapter 412: Brother Xie (5)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    ¡°Two years.¡± Shen Miao said, ¡°In two years, I will definitely return to the capital. At that time, Mr. Pei, you must become Prince Ding¡¯s trusted aide, the kind he relies on the most.¡±


    Pei Lang smiled, but there was a hint of anger in his smile. ¡°Shen Miao, don¡¯t you think too highly of me? I¡¯m just a poor scholar. I have nothing. Even if I¡¯m lucky enough to become Prince Ding¡¯s aide, how can I get him to rely on me the most?¡±


    ¡°Sir, there¡¯s no need to belittle yourself. You¡¯re a talent, and he has an eye for talent.¡± Shen Miao smiled. ¡°Even if you¡¯re not a talent, sir, you have to make yourself a talent.¡± She lowered her voice and looked at Pei Lang provocatively. ¡°If you can¡¯t do it, guess what¡¯ll happen if I tell Miss Liu Ying who you are? Do you think Miss Liu Ying will be so touched that she will cry?¡±


    ¡°You!¡± Pei Lang was furious. Shen Miao was clearly threatening him. If she told Liu Ying that he was the one who helped her, she might return to the Treasure Fragrance Chamber to become a prostitute again in a fit of anger.


    Pei Lang said, ¡°I¡¯ve never seen a woman as vicious and cunning as you.¡± The young girl treated him neither as her teacher nor as her senior. Pei Lang even had the illusion that Shen Miao was always one step ahead of him. She provoked and threatened him, and there seemed to be some inexplicable resentment in her voice, making Pei Lang look puzzled. Who would have thought that a gentle and delicate girl like her was actually more cold-hearted than anyone?


    ¡°Sir, you must be joking. It¡¯s a difficult world. I¡¯m just trying my best to survive,¡± Shen Miao said with a humble smile, as if she was a student who was receiving a lecture from her teacher. She quietly took out something from her sleeve, reached into Pei Lang¡¯s sleeve, and handed it to him.


    Pei Lang was stunned. Her soft fingertips rested on his palm for a second before they fluttered away like butterflies. For some reason, Pei Lang actually had the urge to want them to linger a bit longer. However, immediately, he brought his wandering mind back to the present moment. He held the letter in his sleeve and looked at Shen Miao in confusion.


    ¡°The address is written on the letter. If you have time, you can naturally go and take a look at Miss Liu Ying. In addition, there are some other things I wrote. In the next two years, I hope you can do as I say,¡± Shen Miao said.


    Pei Lang froze. Instead of being angry, he smiled helplessly, ¡°Shen Miao, you want me to be your puppet?¡±


    ¡°A scholar has the pride of a scholar. SIr, you are knowledgeable and I truly admire you. If it were any other scholar, I would not have to use such a method.¡± Shen Miao looked up and saw Pei Lang¡¯s angry expression. She smiled and said, ¡°But do you have a choice?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine if you don¡¯t want to do it. Even if I¡¯m thousands of miles away, I still have a way to tell Miss Liu Ying a story.¡± She smiled gently, but her tone was sharp.


    Pei Lang felt inexplicably angry and aggrieved. In front of Shen Miao, he had no dignity as a teacher at all. Every time he felt like losing his temper, Shen Miao always had a way to make him choke back his anger. Pei Lang even wondered if he owed Shen Miao something in his previous life so Shen Miao was here to collect the debts.


    He suppressed the humiliation in his heart and said, ¡°Will I be able to meet your requirements as long as I follow what you wrote in the letter?¡±


    ¡°I believe in your ability.¡± Shen Miao lowered her eyes. On the letter was what Fu Xiuyi would do in the next few years. On the surface, Fu Xiuyi did not look ambitious, but in private, he had been recruiting knowledgeable people. As for how he would recruit knowledgeable people, no one knew better than Shen Miao. Pei Lang was not an ordinary person to begin with. As long as he revealed some of his ¡°talent¡±, he would naturally be chosen by Fu Xiuyi.

 Chapter 413 - Brother Xie (6)

    Chapter 413: Brother Xie (6)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    In the entire letter, Shen Miao did not mention what she wanted Pei Lang to do exactly. She only told Pei Lang the opportunities to get close to Fu Xiuyi. How he could get Fu Xiuyi¡¯s trust depended on him.


    This was the greatest trust Shen Miao could give Pei Lang.


    In her previous life, Fu Xiuyi and Pei Lang were in the same boat. Now, she became the first person to discover this talent and use it. She also wanted to let Fu Xiuyi have a taste of what it felt like to be betrayed by someone closest to him.


    She glanced at Pei Lang and suddenly felt a little disgusted. After finishing what she had to say, she did not want to talk to Pei Lang anymore and turned to leave.


    ¡°Shen Miao!¡± Pei Lang stopped her. He hesitated for a moment before saying, ¡°Take care.¡±


    Shen Miao was a little surprised, but she only said indifferently, ¡°Thank you.¡± Then, she left, leaving Pei Lang standing there alone, staring at Shen Miao¡¯s back with a complicated gaze.


    When Shen Miao left Pei Lang¡¯s courtyard, she saw a fair meatball standing in the garden outside the school. When he saw her, his eyes lit up and he ran over, shouting in surprise, ¡°Sister Shen!¡±


    Su Minglang rolled over like a ball.


    Shen Miao was speechless.


    In fact, Su Minglang was already ten years old this year. Unlike Su Mingfeng, his mature brother, Su Minglang looked even more childish than a five or six-year-old child. After running a few steps, he was panting. Shen Miao walked up to him and held his chubby arm, asking, ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±


    ¡°Sister Shen, are you leaving?¡± Su Minglang stammered for a while. ¡°I¡¯ll wait here for you to come back, okay?¡±


    Shen Miao was stunned. After everyone here found out that Shen Xin was going to Spring City, the first thing they said was: When are you coming back or are you not coming back? Everyone always felt that if Shen Xin went, he might stay in Spring City forever. The first thing Su Minglang said was that he wanted to wait for her to come back, as if he was sure that Shen Miao would definitely return to the capital. Shen Miao found it interesting and tapped his forehead, deliberately teasing him. ¡°Who said I would come back? Maybe I won¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Su Minglang looked up and said matter of factly, ¡°Sister Shen will definitely come back!¡±


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    Shen Miao tilted her head to look at him. When Su Minglang said this, his eyes were firm and did not have a trace of doubt. She asked, ¡°Why are you so sure?¡±


    ¡°Brother Xie said that you would come back in less than two years!¡± Su Minglang said excitedly.


    Brother Xie? Shen Miao thought for a moment. Xie Jingxing?


    ¡°My father said that General Shen angered His Majesty this time, and most likely, General Shen will never be summoned back again to the capital.¡± Su Minglang didn¡¯t care if his words would hurt Shen Miao. He just continued, ¡°But when Brother Xie came to see my brother, he told him that General Shen will definitely return to the capital in two years!¡±


    Xie Jingxing¡­ could actually read her thoughts so accurately. Shen Miao was a little frightened.


    ¡°Brother Xie is a very bad person. He bullied me, my brother, and my father¡­ But what he said will always turn out to be true!¡± This was the first time Su Minglang spoke so fluently, as if he was proving something. He continued, ¡°If he says that you will come back, you will come back. Sister Shen, right?¡± As he spoke, his eyes were filled with anticipation.


    Shen Miao immediately thought of Fu Ming and her heart softened. She smiled and said, ¡°He¡¯s right. I¡¯ll come back.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s great!¡± Su Minglang jumped up and said word by word, ¡°Then I¡¯ll wait for you here. When you come back, I¡¯ll treat you to candies, steamed sugar cake¡­¡±


    Shen Miao couldn¡¯t help but laugh. When she was with Su Minglang, it was as if some of her dark memories would be swept away in an instant. It was as if days had become carefree. She said, ¡°Be a good boy. And¡­ remember you can¡¯t tell anyone else what we talked about today.¡±


    When Su Minglang saw Shen Miao¡¯s serious expression, he immediately said obediently, ¡°Got it. I won¡¯t tell anyone else.¡± He whispered to Shen Miao, ¡°Sister Shen, but you can¡¯t tell Brother Xie about this either. I eavesdropped on their conversation. If Brother Xie finds out that I eavesdropped, he¡¯ll beat me up again.¡±


    In the eyes of the second young master of the Su family, the elegant and noble Young Marquis of the Xie family was an out-and-out black-hearted bandit.


    Shen Miao said, ¡°Alright, I won¡¯t tell him.¡±

 Chapter 414 - Kiss (1)

    Chapter 414: Kiss (1)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    Shen Xin¡¯s family started to pack their luggage that night. The most shocking thing was that before they left, they forced Old Madam Shen to split up the assets in front of the Shen family.


    That day, when Shen Xin and his wife were summoned to the palace, Shen Miao¡¯s argument with Old Madam Shen at the entrance of the mansion eventually reached Shen Xin¡¯s ears. Shen Xin was naturally furious that the Shen family couldn¡¯t wait to kick him when he was down. Luo Xueyan was even more angry that she was stupid enough back then to treat this family sincerely.


    Trained to be a general since he was young, Shen Xin was quite well-built. Even if all the people of the Shen family joined forces, they were still not his match. Before Old General Shen left, he hoped that this family would be harmonious, but in the end, they still fell apart.


    Old Madam Shen kicked up a fuss and snatched away more than half of Old General Shen¡¯s shops and fields. Shen Miao did not mind. All these years, because of poor management, those shops and fields were no longer as profitable as before. Keeping them was a burden. Moreover, they were about to go to Spring City, so these things were useless.


    Shen Xin did not lack money. The emperor gave him a lot of money every year. Old Madam Shen originally thought that the money given by Shen Xin had long been cleared out of the account books, but she did not expect Shen Miao to actually find another account book from somewhere. It clearly stated how much money given by Shen Xin was left.


    Shen Miao thought that no matter how much she could get back, even if Shen Xin and Luo Xueyan didn¡¯t care about these worldly possessions, it would still be good to disgust Old Madam Shen.


    Chen Ruoqiu was also very angry. Now that she was in charge of the expenditure and the money was already very tight, if Shen Xin still took away a portion of it, the Shen family would have to cut down on their expenses. If anything went wrong, Old Madam Shen would definitely take it out on her.


    Shen Yue was also angry. Over the past few days, she had been watching Chen Ruoqiu work herself to death over money. Shen Yue, who had been raised to disdain money, had also changed. Initially, she did not care about money, but now, she felt that she had to compete for it. She could not say anything to the seniors, so she looked at Shen Miao and pretended to be worried. ¡°I don¡¯t know when Fifth Sister will be back. I heard that Spring City is short of supplies. It¡¯s better to bring more money.¡±


    She was clearly mocking Shen Miao for going to a remote desert. Luo Xueyan was about to flare up when she saw Shen Miao smile and say, ¡°That¡¯s right, but the price of goods in the capital is very high. Without His Majesty¡¯s reward in the future, Second Sister, you need to learn to be frugal.¡± Her gaze landed on Shen Yue¡¯s wrist and she said with a smile, ¡°After all, my father will not be able to send you a bracelet in the future.¡±


    Shen Yue was stunned. She looked at the bracelet on her wrist and blushed. That bracelet was one of the rewards Shen Xin received. Every year, when Shen Xin¡¯s reward was handed in to the Shen family, Shen Yue would also choose some beautiful jewelry. She didn¡¯t expect Shen Miao to say it out loud in front of everyone that the bracelet Shen Yue was wearing belonged to Shen Xin. Was Shen Miao asking her to take off the jewelry and return it to its original owner?


    However, this bracelet was extremely precious, and Shen Yue was unwilling to take it off and return it to Shen Xin.


    Shen Miao seemed to have seen through her mind. She smiled and said, ¡°Sister, you don¡¯t have to return this bracelet. We won¡¯t take back what we gave out. It¡¯s just that¡­ I wonder if you will have such a good bracelet in the future.¡±

 Chapter 415 - Kiss (2)

    Chapter 415: Kiss (2)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    This time, even Shen Wan, who was standing at the side without saying anything, had an ugly expression on his face. What Shen Miao meant was that it was impossible for Shen Wan to get such a good reward with his ability. Shen Wan would never be able to reach Shen Xin¡¯s level in his career.


    He looked at Shen Miao coldly and said to Chen Ruoqiu and Shen Yue, ¡°Go back.¡± He left without looking at Shen Miao again.


    Since Shen Xin was no longer powerful and was about to leave the capital, there was no need to pretend to be brothers. Shen Wan would never bother to talk to people who were useless to him.


    Shen Gui also bowed to Shen Xin with a smug look and said, ¡°Brother, I¡¯ll take my leave first.¡± With that, he left without looking at them. Seeing this, Concubine Wan quickly pulled Shen Dongling and followed suit.


    Shen Gui was snobbish. In his official career, he relied on flattery to climb up. In terms of talent, he was not as good as his son, Shen Yuan. In terms of temperament, he was not as tenacious as Shen Wan and was heartless. He wasn¡¯t someone to be afraid of.


    However, Shen Qiu was so angry that he said with a snort, ¡°What a bunch of ingrates!¡±


    Shen Miao smiled but did not say anything. Let¡¯s not talk about Shen Wan and Chen Ruoqiu for the time being. In two years, Shen Yuanbai would die because of smallpox. At that time, Shen Gui had already been drugged by Ren Wanyun and would lose his ability to have another child in this life. Even if he had money, power, and beauties for the time being, he would eventually die without descendants.


    The wicked would be dealt with by the wicked. She would leave this mess to the Shen family and let them clean it up themselves.


    ¡­


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    When Prince Ding, Fu Xiuyi, heard that Shen Xin requested to go to Spring City, Emperor Wen Hui had already granted it.


    At this moment, Fu Xiuyi naturally could not say anything else. The more he said, the more suspicious he would appear. However, he found it a little strange that Shen Xin would suddenly do this. He could clearly see Shen Xi was definitely not an impulsive person. Even if he was angry that his military power was taken away, he wouldn¡¯t be in such a hurry to leave the capital.


    Fu Xiuyi couldn¡¯t help but recall what Shen Yuan had reminded him before.


    ¡°Your Highness, don¡¯t underestimate my fifth sister.¡±


    However, Fu Xiuyi did not take these words to heart at that time. Now, for some reason, he thought about it again. Could it be that Shen Miao was urging Shen Xin to make this decision? However, why would a pampered young lady from the capital take the initiative to go to a cold place like the Northwest?


    Fu Xiuyi was sensitive enough to sense that something was wrong, but he could not tell what was wrong exactly. He only felt that things should not have developed like this.


    The aide beside him asked, ¡°Your Highness, are you worried about the mighty general? Although Shen Xin¡¯s departure was very unexpected, the Shen army has already dispersed, and his military power has been taken away. The mighty general is not very useful. Your Highness, you can rest assured.¡±¡±


    Fu Xiuyi pulled back his mind and nodded absent-mindedly. Shen Xin was not his important chess piece after all. If Shen Miao still loved him, he didn¡¯t mind using Shen Xin to his benefit. However, for some reason, Shen Miao¡¯s love for him was gone all of a sudden, making him lose the chance to rope Shen Xin in.


    Anyhow, it didn¡¯t seem to be a bad thing that Shen Miao stopped taking a fancy to him. If he really married Shen Miao, even if he could gain the Shen army in return, he would be mocked by everyone. Fu Xiuyi was extremely self-conceited. How could he allow himself to be a laughing stock? Now that Shen Xin and his family were about to leave the capital, those rumors would be gone too. He said, ¡°In the next few days, go and recruit more people.¡±

 Chapter 416 - Kiss (3)

    Chapter 416: Kiss (3)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    The aide was stunned for a moment before cupping his hands in agreement.


    Fu Xiuyi looked away. Since the competition had already begun, it was only a matter of time before he must vie for the throne. The most important thing now was to recruit more talents in the shortest time possible.


    ¡­


    Shen Xin left the capital early the next morning.


    Shen Xin left in a low key manner. Firstly, he did not want to make things difficult for his friends. If they came to send him off, they would be going against Emperor Wen Hui. The heart of an emperor was capricious, and Shen Xin didn¡¯t want the emperor to take his anger out on his friends. Secondly, Spring City was thousands of miles away from the capital. If they set off early, he would probably be able to arrive early.


    However, even if they traveled at full speed, it would still take them more than half a year to arrive.


    Shen Xin had a group of trusted aides by his side. Coupled with Shen Qiu¡¯s subordinates, as well as Mo Qing and Ah Zhi, they were not afraid of encountering any danger. The journey was not bad. At first, Luo Xueyan and Shen Xin were worried that Shen Miao would not be able to withstand such a long journey and would probably feel uncomfortable along the way. Unexpectedly, Shen Miao did not say a word of complaint the entire journey. Even Shen Xin praised, ¡°Jiaojiao is indeed my daughter. Which girl in the capital has such a tenacious personality?¡±


    Luo Xueyan rolled her eyes at him. She felt more and more guilty towards Shen Miao. A girl at her age was supposed to live in the comfort of her boudoir, but because of them, she had to take this arduous journey.


    Jingzhe leaned against the curtain of the carriage. Because this was the first time she was on a long trip, she was a little excited. One moment, she pointed at the birds in the sky, and the next, she pointed at the hare in the forest and screamed. Seeing Shen Miao¡¯s calm expression, she asked curiously, ¡°Miss, why don¡¯t you find it interesting? We don¡¯t get to see these things in the capital.¡±


    Hearing that, Gu Yu also looked at Shen Miao and asked tentatively, ¡°Miss, you don¡¯t look like you miss the capital at all.¡±


    Luo Xueyan, who was sitting in the carriage, was stunned.


    Every girl who was about to leave a prosperous place for a remote city in the middle of nowhere would show reluctance. However, Shen Miao was very calm from the beginning to the end. Sometimes, she even looked a little happy.


    What was there to be happy about leaving one¡¯s hometown?


    Sensing Luo Xueyan¡¯s gaze, Shen Miao smiled and looked at the scenery outside the carriage. ¡°Father, Mother, and Brother are all by my side. What¡¯s there to miss? Even if I stay in the capital, I don¡¯t have any family.¡±


    As soon as she said that, Luo Xueyan¡¯s heart ached. After coming back this time, she had seen the ugly side of the entire Shen family. For so many years, they had left Shen Miao with that family and thought that she was doing well. Now, it seemed like it was a huge joke. Shen Miao had probably never treated those people as her family either. Otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t say that.


    At the thought of this, Luo Xueyan pulled Shen Miao into her arms and said guiltily, ¡°That¡¯s right. Jiaojiao, you will be with us in the future. No one will dare to bully you.¡±


    Shen Miao leaned into Luo Xueyan¡¯s arms and lowered her eyes to hide the coldness in them.


    How could this be the first time she had left her hometown and traveled alone? In her previous life, when she went to the State of Qin to be a hostage, she took the journey alone. How many of her trusted maids had died in a foreign country? At that time, the scenery was just like now. Though the memory had blurred, she still remembered the feeling at that moment clearly. From the capital to the State of Qin, from the State of Qin to the capital, she took two very bleak paths. She thought that she did it for a good cause to benefit the dynasty and the people, but little did she know that in the eyes of the people, she was nothing more than a joke.

 Chapter 417 - Kiss (4)

    Chapter 417: Kiss (4)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    Now that she did not travel alone, she would definitely not be alone when she returned.


    The mountain path reached out to as far as the eye could see, and before they knew it, it was already dark. Because they were on the mountain path, there were no taverns around, so they could only seek temporary lodging with a farmer. Fortunately, the farmer¡¯s family was warm-hearted. They welcomed everyone warmly and even cooked many dishes for them.


    Because they had to travel, Shen Xin and the others did not dare to drink. They were afraid that drinking would delay their departure the next day. On the other hand, Shen Miao drank quite a lot probably because she was in a good mood or because the plum wine brewed by the farmer was delicious. After drinking a few glasses, her face turned red.


    ¡°Jiaojiao, why did you drink so much?¡± Luo Xueyan didn¡¯t notice it at first, but when she saw how red Shen Miao¡¯s face was, she couldn¡¯t help but be shocked. Seeing that Shen Miao was holding her cheek with one hand and looking a little sleepy, she quickly reached out to touch her head.


    ¡°This young lady probably doesn¡¯t know how strong this wine is.¡± The farmer¡¯s wife said with a smile, ¡°The plum blossom wine made by our family tastes sweet, but it has a strong delayed effect. Every time my daughter drinks a few more glasses, she¡¯ll get drunk too. However, after a good night of sleep, she¡¯ll recover. Madam, don¡¯t worry.¡±


    Only then did Luo Xueyan feel relieved. Shen Qiu looked at Shen Miao, who was a little drunk, and found it funny. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect I would live to see Sister getting drunk one day. How interesting.¡±


    When Shen Qiu returned this time, he saw a calm and gentle Shen Miao. She was so mature and serious that sometimes, Shen Qiu even thought that Shen Miao was his elder sister. Sometimes, he would miss the Shen Miao of the past. Although she was willful and rude, she was more like a little girl. Looking at her now, Shen Qiu thought of the Shen Miao of the past and felt a little close to her.


    ¡°Brat.¡± Shen Xin kicked Shen Qiu. ¡°Your sister is already so drunk, but you¡¯re still making fun of her!¡±


    Shen Qiu quickly stuck out his tongue and apologized. The entire family, including the farmer, was filled with laughter. There was no sadness of leaving one¡¯s hometown at all.


    Shen Miao rested her chin on her hands and narrowed her eyes at the scene in front of her. Although this plum wine was intoxicating, she was still a little sober. She was indeed extremely happy today. In fact, not only did she want Shen Xin to leave the capital, but she also wanted him to stay away from the danger.


    The lively dinner lasted until late at night. The enthusiastic farmer arranged enough rooms for them to sleep. Originally, Luo Xueyan wanted to stay in the same room as Shen Miao, but Shen Miao insisted on staying in the room next to the courtyard wall that was far away from the others.


    At first, Shen Xin felt that it was not good. If there was any danger, he was afraid that he would not be able to save Shen Miao in time. However, for some reason, perhaps due to drunkenness, Shen Miao wouldn¡¯t give in no matter what and insisted on staying in that room. When the farmer¡¯s wife saw this, she smiled and said, ¡°Miss, you probably want to see the flowers outside the courtyard, right? These flowers look good on a snowy day. All girls like them. Madam, don¡¯t worry. No bandits will visit a small place like this. If you¡¯re worried about your daughter, you can get a few guards to watch outside.¡±


    Only then did everyone realize that when the window was opened, there was a large snow-white garden outside. Under the moonlight, the shadows of the flowers swayed, looking very beautiful.


    Shen Qiu was amused. He pinched Shen Miao¡¯s nose. ¡°Look at how spoiled you are. Even when you are drunk, you still wants to find a place with a good scenery.¡±

 Chapter 418 - Kiss (5)

    Chapter 418: Kiss (5)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    Luo Xueyan slapped Shen Qiu¡¯s hand away and said angrily, ¡°Don¡¯t annoy your sister.¡± She looked at the drunk Shen Miao and shook her head. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll let Mo Qing, Ah Zhi, and the others set up a tent outside the courtyard for the night. Jingzhe and Gu Yu, come out after helping Miss change.¡±


    This farmer¡¯s house was not like the house in the capital. There was a sleeping room and an outer room where Jingzhe and Gu Yu could make do for the night. Luo Xueyan and Shen Xin were not harsh people. They wouldn¡¯t let Jingzhe and Gu Yu sleep on the ground. With Ah Zhi and Mo Qing guarding outside, even Shen Miao slept alone, there shouldn¡¯t be any problem.


    After Jingzhe and Gu Yu helped Shen Miao change, they left the room. Mo Qing, Ah Zhi, and the others, who had set up the tent in the courtyard outside, also took turns keeping watch at night.


    In the ¡°beautiful¡± side room, only Shen Miao was left.


    Shen Miao, who was helped to lay down on the bed by Jingzhe, suddenly got up.


    The aftereffects of the plum wine finally surged up at this moment. At this moment, Shen Miao¡¯s eyes were blurry. She stood up shakily and was about to walk towards the window when she staggered and almost knocked over the corner of the table.


    In the darkness, a pair of strong arms helped her up. She could vaguely smell the faint fragrance on the other party¡¯s body. A familiar voice sounded in her ear with a faint teasing tone. ¡°Tsk, you don¡¯t have to pounce on me like that.¡±


    Shen Miao wrapped her arms around his waist to steady herself, but she did not notice that the other party¡¯s body tensed up.


    A moment later, with a whoosh, a flame was lit. The person found a match from somewhere and lit the oil lamp in the room.


    The windows of the farmer¡¯s house were carved straight from wood. The lights in the room could not be seen from the outside, so the people in the courtyard did not notice anything unusual in the room.


    Under the dim light, she could see the other party¡¯s face clearly. He was wearing a snow-white fox fur coat and a dark red brocade robe. His dark eyes were as bright as the starry sky. Who could this person be other than Xie Jingxing?


    Shen Miao was stunned and said, ¡°Xie Jingxing?¡± When she said this, her body was heavy. She accidentally leaned against Xie Jingxing again, almost hugging him.


    Xie Jingxing frowned. ¡°How much did you drink?¡± He sized up Shen Miao and said in disdain, ¡°I was kind enough to come to send you off, but I didn¡¯t expect to bump into a drunkard.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re the drunkard,¡± Shen Miao immediately retorted.


    ¡°Oh, you recognized me. It seems like you¡¯re not drunk,¡± Xie Jingxing said as he helped Shen Miao to the couch and brought the oil lamp closer.


    Under the dim light, Shen Miao was wearing a plain white inner robe with her hair down. She looked at him in a daze, looking like a different person from her usual smart and calm self. She really looked like a pitiful little girl. Xie Jingxing thought for a moment and couldn¡¯t help but pinch her face.


    Shen Miao puffed out her cheek and glared at him.


    It was rare to see her like this. Xie Jingxing found it interesting and thought that since Shen Miao was drunk now, he might be able to get something out of her. He asked, ¡°Who am I?¡±


    ¡°Xie Jingxing,¡± Shen Miao replied quickly.


    ¡°Do you know who Xie Jingxing is?¡±


    Shen Miao stared at him and slowly frowned, not saying anything for a long time. Xie Jingxing was a little puzzled by her gaze and thought to himself that this girl was probably cursing him in her heart. Unexpectedly, Shen Miao suddenly smiled and said, ¡°He¡¯s an amazing person!¡±

 Chapter 419 - Kiss (6)

    Chapter 419: Kiss (6)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    Xie Jingxing was dumbfounded.


    He stared at Shen Miao thoughtfully and asked, ¡°Are you pretending to be drunk?¡±


    ¡°Young Marquis Xie, a young talent, an eternal figure, died¡­¡± The rest of her sentence gradually trailed off, as if she couldn¡¯t remember it.


    At first, Xie Jingxing was a little suspicious, but when he saw that Shen Miao did not seem to be pretending, he found it a little strange. He raised his eyebrows and said, ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to think so highly of me.¡± He leaned closer and teased, ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you like me.¡±


    Shen Miao reached out and pushed his head away.


    Xie Jingxing was a little speechless. Normally, it would be very interesting to tease Shen Miao. However, now that Shen Miao was so drunk that she even commented on him as an ¡°eternal figure¡±, he found it very boring to tease her now. He said, ¡°I wanted to see you for the last time. But since you are so drunk, forget it. Farewell.¡± As he spoke, he was about to leave when he heard a thud and Shen Miao fell to the ground again.


    Xie Jingxing first wanted to help Shen Miao up, but then he stopped and stood at the side with his arms crossed. He watched Shen Miao struggle on the ground in enjoyment for a while before saying, ¡°I really should let you see yourself like this.¡±


    Shen Miao was dizzy from drinking and her body was weak. How could she stand up? She struggled on the ground for a long time but to no avail. In the end, Xie Jingxing couldn¡¯t stand it anymore. He helped her up again to sit on the couch. He heard Shen Miao say, ¡°Eunuch Li, I want to see the fireworks.¡±


    In the quiet night, Shen Miao¡¯s words were especially clear.


    Eunuch Li, I want to see the fireworks.


    The charcoal in the room seemed to have frozen.


    The corners of Xie Jingxing¡¯s lips slowly lowered, and his eyes were no longer filled with a teasing smile. He squatted down slightly and looked at Shen Miao, who was sitting on the couch. He said, ¡°What did you say?¡±


    Shen Miao opened her eyes and looked at him. Under the light, her eyes became clearer and clearer. In her clear eyes, there was a hint of drunkenness, making the young girl suddenly look more like a woman. She stretched out a hand, as if she was about to put it on the hand of a palace maid, and ordered, ¡°Eunuch Li, I want to see the fireworks. Go and call the crown prince and princess over.¡±


    Crown Prince? Princess?


    Xie Jingxing stared fixedly at Shen Miao. His eyes were as handsome as a painting. When he smiled, he was as charming as spring flowers and autumn moon. When he did not smile, he was as dangerous as the abyss. He looked at Shen Miao and suddenly chuckled.


    However, although he was smiling, there was no smile in his eyes. He gently lifted Shen Miao¡¯s chin. This extremely seductive action was elegant and natural when it was done by him.


    He asked, ¡°Shen Miao, do you want to be the empress?¡±


    Shen Miao blinked at him and said, ¡°That¡¯s mine to begin with.¡±


    ¡°Yours?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s mine.¡±


    The latest_epi_sodes are on_the novel(bin).???.website.


    Xie Jingxing slowly tightened his grip. Shen Miao frowned in dissatisfaction.


    ¡°Little girl, you already have the ambition to be the empress at such a young age.¡± His tone was unclear, but his eyes were dangerous. ¡°A woman with ambition is the most beautiful, but¡­ you¡¯re not a woman yet.¡±


    Shen Miao also looked at him. Under the moonlight, the snow was clear, and the plum trees were swaying gently. The atmosphere was filled with danger and ambiguity.


    She was like a girl who had been pampered since she was young. If she were an ordinary girl, she would soon be married to a good husband. However, she had been patiently scheming and planning step by step. Although Xie Jingxing had already guessed that she was ambitious, he couldn¡¯t help but be surprised when he really heard it.

 Chapter 420 - Kiss (7)

    Chapter 420: Kiss (7)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    Shen Miao was covered in thorns. From a notorious idiot to a player in the power game, from the daughter of a general to a rich girl who had lost her home, she seemed to have never changed. It was this docile but fierce gaze that made her look noble and unyielding.


    Xie Jingxing slowly let go of Shen Miao¡¯s chin and glanced at her, his eyes filled with complicated emotions. After a pause, he was about to get up and leave when he heard Shen Miao mutter, ¡°Little Li, go and get my cloak. I¡¯m cold.¡±


    In an instant, he went from ¡°Eunuch Li¡± to ¡°Little Li¡±.


    Xie Jingxing was at a loss whether to laugh or cry. He asked, ¡°Are you giving me an order?¡±


    ¡°Cold.¡± Shen Miao looked at him aggrievedly.


    Xie Jingxing took a deep breath and held back the urge to pull Shen Miao up and beat her up. He took off his cloak and threw it on Shen Miao.


    Wrapped in his cloak, Shen Miao smiled at him. ¡°I¡¯ll reward you with a few pieces of satin later.¡±


    Xie Jingxing looked at her expressionlessly. ¡°Thank you for your kindness, Your Highness. I¡¯ll take my leave.¡± As he spoke, he was about to leave when Shen Miao grabbed his sleeve.


    Tonight, Shen Miao was really too abnormal. Xie Jingxing never dreamed that the drunk Shen Miao would look like this. He thought that he could bully Shen Miao while she was drunk, but in the end, it seemed like he was the one getting bullied. The young marquis of the Xie family was ordered around like a eunuch¡­ Eunuch Li or Little Lizi?


    Shen Miao tugged at Xie Jingxing¡¯s sleeve and pulled him to squat down. When their eyes met, she was satisfied. She let go and grabbed Xie Jingxing¡¯s collar.


    Xie Jingxing was confused by Shen Miao¡¯s action. Shen Miao muttered to herself, ¡°In the previous dynasty, there was a widowed princess who built a mansion dedicated to accommodate her gigolos. Since His Majesty doesn¡¯t treat me well, I might as well pretend I¡¯m a widow and find a gigolo too.¡±


    Xie Jingxing originally couldn¡¯t understand the first sentence, but when he heard the second sentence, he found it unbelievable. He stared at Shen Miao. ¡°In your dream, are you an unfavoured empress?¡±


    ¡°Not unfavoured but widowed!¡± When Shen Miao heard that, she glared at him.


    Xie Jingxing nodded and said lazily, ¡°You must be a venomous empress.¡±


    ¡°Anyhow, you¡¯re quite good-looking.¡± Shen Miao suddenly said, ¡°Are you the new gigolo?¡±


    Xie Jingxing was speechless.


    ¡°The princess of the previous dynasty found a beautiful gigolo. I¡¯ve seen a portrait of him before, but I don¡¯t think he¡¯s as beautiful as you.¡± Shen Miao said, ¡°If you follow me, I¡¯ll take care of your life.¡±


    When Xie Jingxing heard that, he was completely stunned. Was he¡­ being treated as a gigolo?


    He was still in a daze when he saw the hand that was holding his collar suddenly exert force, followed by a soft touch on his lips. Shen Miao gently licked his mouth and then nibbled.


    ¡°From now on, you¡¯re mine.¡± Shen Miao let go and looked at him with a dignified smile.


    When Xie Jingxing came back to his senses, he only had one thought. He wanted to strangle the woman in front of him to death!


    At this moment, a whistle suddenly came from outside. It was a signal given by Xie Jingxing¡¯s people to show that Mo Qing and the others had noticed the commotion. Xie Jingxing gritted his teeth, glanced at Shen Miao, and flew out through the window.


    Ah Zhi opened the door, but there was no one inside. He scratched his head and said, ¡°No one.¡±


    ¡°I guess we are being overly vigilant.¡± Mo Qing frowned.


    In the snow, the handsome young man in dark red clothes looked a little ill at ease. When the middle-aged man beside him saw this, he could not help but ask, ¡°Master, you look troubled¡­ What happened there just now?¡±


    Xie Jingxing was just going to say goodbye to Miss Shen. Why did he look so strange when he came out?


    The young man in red said, ¡°Tie Yi, do I look like¡­ like a¡­¡±


    Tie Yi was puzzled. ¡°Like what?¡±


    ¡°Forget it!¡± He gritted his teeth and said, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±

 Chapter 421 - The Luo Family

    Chapter 421: The Luo Family


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    The next morning, at dawn, Jingzhe and Gu Yu came over to help Shen Miao get up. When they entered the room, they saw Shen Miao sleeping on the couch. The blanket was gone, and she was covered in a fox fur coat.


    The two of them were shocked. When they left yesterday, they did not see such a coat. Where did this fox fur coat come from? Jingzhe woke Shen Miao up. When Shen Miao woke up, she looked at the fox fur coat in confusion.


    Although the aftereffects of the plum wine were strong, just as the farmer¡¯s wife said, it wouldn¡¯t cause hangover. Shen did not feel dizzy when she woke up the next day, but she could not remember what happened last night at all. She didn¡¯t even know why she insisted on staying in this room alone.


    Gu Yu held the snow-white fox fur coat and said, ¡°Miss, where did you get this fox fur coat?¡±


    Shen Miao took the coat and shook her head.


    ¡°The boxes of clothes are all here. Miss, did you get too cold last night and took the coat out yourself?¡± Jingzhe asked tentatively, ¡°But why do I feel like this is the first time I¡¯ve seen this fox fur coat?¡±


    They did not think of the possibility that someone might have snuck into the room because there were guards keeping watch outside. However, the appearance of this fox fur coat was too strange. Shen Miao said, ¡°Take it and go out to ask the farmer if it¡¯s his.¡±


    When they brought the fox fur coat to ask the farmer, he shook his head and said, ¡°I don¡¯t have such a high quality fox fur coat.¡±


    Shen Qiu took the fox fur coat and said, ¡°This fox fur coat doesn¡¯t look ordinary. Sister, where did you get this? I¡¯m afraid it¡¯s worth a lot of money. The workmanship looks masterful, but the tailoring is not good. I feel that it¡¯s too big for you.¡±


    Shen Miao took the fox fur coat and was puzzled. She really couldn¡¯t remember when she bought such a coat. However, when she heard it was worth a lot of money, she took it back and lied without changing her expression. ¡°Now that you mention it, I think I bought it in the capital. Jingzhe, put it away.¡±


    Jingzhe was still thinking about when and where Shen Miao bought the coat. Hearing that, she immediately nodded and put the coat into the box. Shen Miao shook her head. No matter where the coat came from, she could exchange it for a lot of money when they needed it. Now that Shen Xin was not doing as well as before, they had to carefully plan their spending.


    Time always passed especially quickly.


    Although the road to Spring City was arduous, Shen Miao had never uttered a word of complaint.


    They finally arrived at Spring City at the beginning of August. It had been almost six months since they set off back in February.


    Spring City was located at the border of Ming Qi. It was a very small city. The largest official in the city was the general, General Luo Sui. All along, Luo Sui had been protecting the people of Spring City and maintaining peace. However, because it was too far from the capital, everyone knew that this general was not as glorious as it sounded. In addition, over the years, the Luo family¡¯s army had mostly dispersed.


    When the guards at the city gate saw Luo Xueyan take out the Luo family¡¯s token from her pocket, they immediately felt a deep sense of respect and asked someone to send a message to the Luo family. Spring City was only so big, and when the Shen family marched into the city, it immediately attracted the attention of the surrounding commoners. When they found out that it was the daughter of the Luo family who brought her family over, the street immediately became bustling.

 Chapter 422 - Luo Family (2)

    Chapter 422: Luo Family (2)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    Jingzhe quietly lifted the curtain of the carriage and looked outside. She said to Shen Miao, ¡°Miss, we are here in Spring City.¡±


    Shen Miao also looked out.


    Spring City was not as bad as the noble ladies in the capital made it out to be. Although it was a small place at the border, it was quite lively. It was just that the wind could be strong and sandy. Because of it, the skin of the girls here was a little dark, and they were not as delicate as the girls in the capital. There were vendors and small shops on the streets, and it was by no means short of goods.


    As Jingzhe watched, she became happy. Her initial nervousness was swept away and she said, ¡°Miss, Spring City is not much different from the capital.¡±


    ¡°Jiaojiao, do you like this place?¡± Luo Xueyan asked uneasily. What she was most afraid of was that Shen Miao was not used to living here. Luo Xueyan had grown up in Spring City, so of course, there was no problem for her. Shen Qiu and Shen Xin were both generals who had been on the battlefield, so they would not complain about living conditions. However, her pampered daughter had never left the capital.


    Shen Miao smiled. ¡°This place is pretty good.¡±


    Only then did Luo Xueyan feel relieved. She smiled and said, ¡°Let¡¯s go to see your grandparents. You also have two uncles, three cousin brothers, and a cousin sister. They¡¯re all good people. When you get there, they will definitely like you very much.¡±


    Mrs. Luo died young, and Luo Sui had been alone for many years. The Luo family had three children, and Luo Xueyan was the youngest sister. When Shen Miao was born, the Luo family came all the way to the capital to see her once. After that, because Spring City was really too far away, Shen Miao and the Luo family had never seen each other. In her previous life, Shen Miao had a very vague impression of the Luo family. Now that she heard Luo Xueyan say that, she was actually excited to meet them.


    At this moment, there were already many people gathered in front of the Luo family. Some of them were commoners who wanted to join the fun, and of course, there were people from the Luo family.


    Luo Sui stood at the front, followed by a middle-aged couple. Behind the couple stood three young men and a girl. The young men all had fine features and looked upright. Although they were still young, they had the bearing of a general. The girl¡¯s skin was a healthy wheat color, and she had a pair of almond-shaped eyes and a diamond-shaped mouth. She pulled the young man beside her and asked, ¡°Brother, what kind of person do you think that cousin is?¡±


    The young man had a good temper and said gently, ¡°She should be a good person.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean by a good person? Can you be more specific?¡± The girl wasn¡¯t satisfied with that answer. ¡°Is she beautiful? Do you still remember the girls who visited Spring City? All of them are very beautiful, but they are so neurotic and annoying. Moreover, didn¡¯t that official¡¯s daughter who came to Spring City as a guest last year say that she knows our cousin?¡± She lowered her voice, but because of her clear voice, it could still be heard. ¡°She said that our cousin doesn¡¯t have a good reputation in the capital.¡±


    ¡°Tan!¡± A shout interrupted the girl. It was Luo Sui who spoke and glared fiercely at the girl called Tan. The girl quickly stood straight, stuck out her tongue, and stopped talking.


    She did not speak, but another young man who looked more lively walked over and tugged at Tan¡¯s hand. ¡°Grandpa is just biased. This cousin is not here yet, but he¡¯s already speaking up for her. I want to see what kind of person this cousin is.¡±


    Shen Xin fought in the northwest all year round. When he went to the northwest border, he had to pass by Spring City, so he came over every year. Shen Qiu and the Luo family knew each other. The person the Luo family was most interested in was probably Shen Miao, who they had never seen since she was born. The world was neither big nor small. Occasionally, some officials who were demoted or passed by would come to Spring City. They knew the rumors in the capital. From all the information the Luo family gathered over time, they didn¡¯t have a positive impression of Shen Miao.

 Chapter 423 - Luo Family (3)

    Chapter 423: Luo Family (3)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    Just as the girl and the young man were whispering, a group of carriages slowly approached. The people riding in the lead were Shen Xin, Shen Qiu, and the others, followed by a group of soldiers.


    ¡°Father.¡± Shen Xin got off the horse. Shen Qiu quickly followed and ran to Luo Sui with a smile. ¡°Grandfather.¡±


    Luo Sui¡¯s gaze swept past the father and son before landing on the carriage. After all, who he wanted to see the most was his granddaughter.


    A chubby madam smiled and said, ¡°Jiaojiao should be in the carriage. They must be travel-worn after taking such a long journey.¡±


    As soon as she finished speaking, the curtain of the carriage was lifted. Jingzhe and Gu Yu helped Luo Xueyan out. Luo Xueyan reached into the carriage to help a little girl get down.


    The little girl bent down and got off the carriage. She looked up, revealing a beautiful face. Luo Xueyan held her hand and said, ¡°Jiaojiao, we¡¯re home.¡±


    The girl called Luo Tan opened her mouth but did not speak.


    The wind in Spring City was strong and the weather was dry. It was rare for girls to have fair skin. Shen Miao, on the other hand, was very delicate, and because of her snow-white skin, she looked like a painting. She had dark eyebrows, black eyes, a small nose, and red and moist lips.


    However, what was most eye-catching was her aura. Held by Luo Xueyan, she looked very delicate but by no means weak. Instead, she looked even more dignified and noble, as if she was the one in charge.


    The surrounding commoners and the Luo family were a little dumbfounded.


    For a woman, appearance was secondary. Compared to having a good appearance, temperament was more attractive.


    She followed Luo Xueyan step by step and walked up to Luo Sui. Luo Sui was tall, with deep eyes and a high nose. Compared to Shen Xin¡¯s roughness, he looked even more serious and unapproachable. He frowned and stared at Shen Miao. With such a cold expression, if she was a timid girl, she would probably be frightened to tears. Shen Miao looked like a delicate and noble girl from the capital. Everyone thought that she would definitely be frightened out of her wits. Tan and the young man revealed a stifled smile, wanting to see the good show.


    Shen Miao looked up and met Luo Sui¡¯s eyes. Her eyebrows were relaxed, and her body was at ease. Clearly, she was not nervous under Luo Sui¡¯s gaze. Her eyes were calm, and she even smiled slightly. The attitude of a superior to a subordinate actually stunned Luo Sui.


    The attitude of a superior to a subordinate?


    The Luo family was like a city lord in Spring City. How could there be a superior?


    After being stunned for a moment, Luo Sui suddenly laughed out loud. His laughter shocked the people around him. Luo Sui patted Shen Miao¡¯s head and shouted loudly, ¡°Girl, why are you not greeting me?¡±


    ¡°Grandfather,¡± Shen Miao replied meekly.


    Only then did Luo Xueyan heave a sigh of relief. Luo Sui was different from Shen Xin. Shen Xin doted on Shen Miao to the extreme, but Luo Sui had been a strict father. Even Luo Xueyan was afraid of him. Now that Luo Sui was old, he was not as stern as before, but his habit of intimidating young people did not change. She was afraid that Shen Miao would be scared. Fortunately, Shen Miao did not have a big reaction.


    At the same time, Shen Miao¡¯s attitude surprised the people around her. She didn¡¯t seem to be a good-for-nothing and actually had some courage. Tan whispered into the young man¡¯s ear indignantly, ¡°She must be pretending to be calm!¡±

 Chapter 424 - Luo Family (4)

    Chapter 424: Luo Family (4)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    The oldest and most good-tempered young man looked at Shen Miao thoughtfully but did not speak.


    Luo Xueyan pulled Shen Miao forward to introduce her to the Luo family. The Luo family had two sons, Shen Miao¡¯s two uncles, Luo Lianying and Luo Liantai.


    Luo Lianying¡¯s wife was Madam Yu, a gentle and honest woman. She gave birth to two sons, Luo Ling and Luo Sa.


    Shen Miao¡¯s second uncle, Luo Liantai, was married to Madam Ma. Her family were merchants and were shrewd. She gave birth to a twin. The elder sister was called Luo Tan, and the younger brother was called Luo Qian.


    Luo Ling was Shen Miao¡¯s eldest cousin. This cousin was now 18 years old and had a gentle and honest personality, just like Madam Yu. When he saw Shen Miao, he greeted her gently and politely. He was a very considerate person. As for the second cousin, Luo Sa, he was Luo Ling¡¯s younger brother. He looked like a violent person. He looked at Shen Miao and snorted, mocking, ¡°Can a young lady from the capital withstand the sandstorm in Spring City?¡±


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    Luo Tan was 16 years old this year and looked a little wary of Shen Miao. Her attitude was not friendly, but she was curious. Luo Tan¡¯s brother was the same age as Shen Miao and had been sizing her up. He had a round face and was a little picky.


    After Shen Miao greeted the people in the Luo family, Luo Sui asked Luo Xueyan to bring her to settle down in the mansion first.


    The entire Luo family lived together and were quite harmonious with each other. The Shen family was arranged to stay in Luo Xueyan¡¯s original courtyard. When the servants went to tidy up the house, everyone was talking in the hall.


    ¡°Xueyan, what are your plans for the future after returning to Spring City this time?¡± Luo Sui asked.


    Shen Xin retreated to Spring CIty because his military power had been snatched away. Previously, he had written a letter to inform the Luo family. However, at that time, he was too far away, so the Luo family couldn¡¯t get to ask questions. Now that he was here, questions were naturally unavoidable.


    Luo Xueyan smiled and said, ¡°Father, why do you ask? Since we¡¯re here in Spring City, of course we want to settle down here.¡± Luo Xueyan and Shen Xin did not know how to tell Luo Sui about wanting to revive the Luo army. With Luo Sui¡¯s old-fashioned personality, they probably needed to persuade him for quite a while.


    ¡°Third Sister,¡± Luo Lianying said. He glanced at Shen Xin and hesitated for a moment before asking, ¡°But the Shen army was taken away just like that¡­ Is there really no way to salvage the situation?¡±


    They were generals and could understand the significance of the army to generals. Shen Xin had been in the military for so many years. If they were in his shoes, they would probably be furious.


    Shen Xin cupped his hands and said, ¡°Brother, instead of being indignant and resentful, I would rather come to terms with reality. Spring City is not bad either. I also want to live in the place where Xueyan grew up.¡±


    Hearing this, Luo Sui took a few more glances at Shen Xin, and the serious expression on his face softened a little. ¡°It¡¯s rare that you¡¯ve changed.¡±


    Everyone knew Shen Xin¡¯s straightforward personality. It was indeed beyond everyone¡¯s expectation that Shen Xin would compromise so easily.


    Shen Miao looked at the Luo family members with different expressions and suddenly asked, ¡°Grandpa, I heard that there are Turks at the border of Spring City. Is it true?

 Chapter 425 - Luo Family (5)

    Chapter 425: Luo Family (5)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    As soon as she said that, the surroundings fell silent.


    A moment later, Madam Ma reacted. She smiled and said, ¡°Jiaojiao, don¡¯t be afraid. Those Turks are all outside the city and don¡¯t dare to come in. Even if they do, the soldiers will chase them away. We¡¯ve been safe and sound for so many years. There¡¯s nothing to be afraid of.¡±


    Shen Qiu also thought that Shen Miao was afraid and comforted her softly, ¡°Aunt is right. Jiaojiao, don¡¯t be afraid.¡±


    Shen Miao lowered her eyes. Spring City was a small place at the border. At the border, nomads had always been harrassing. The Turks in the east were one of them. These Turks had strong bodies and strong horses, and they were very brave in battle. If they really fought, Ming Qi might be the one at a disadvantage. However, because Spring City was easy to defend and difficult to attack, and the Luo family was famous, these Turks did not dare to advance and only caused small skirmishes at the border. Every August to October, the grassland where the Turks lived would be dry, and the Turks would enter Spring City to snatch things. The people were used to this, so they did not take it to heart.


    However, Shen Miao remembered that this year, something big happened in Spring City.


    She nodded and said casually, ¡°Is the Luo army as brave as the Shen army? If that¡¯s the case, if the Turks attack the city, we¡¯ll definitely be able to resist.¡±


    Luo Sui¡¯s expression froze. Luo Lianying and Luo Liantai¡¯s expressions were not good either. The Luo family could not afford to maintain such a huge expenditure of running an army. In addition, Emperor Wen Hui did not care about Spring City at all. After so many years, the Luo army was no different from non-existence. The soldiers went home to farm and do business, and the Luo army that was left was no different from commoners. Other than deterring the Turks at the border every year, they did not have anything else to do. Comparing the Luo and Shen armies was simply slapping the faces of the Luo family.


    Luo Sa immediately turned hostile. He looked at Shen Miao and said angrily, ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    Luo Ling quickly tugged at him and looked at Shen Miao. ¡°Second Brother is being too harsh. Cousin, don¡¯t take it to heart.¡±


    ¡°The people from the capital are indeed different.¡± Luo Tan curled her lips. ¡°They are easily frightened. We¡¯ve lived here for so many years and have enjoyed peace. Cousin, don¡¯t worry. The Turks won¡¯t enter the city¡­.¡±


    Shen Miao smiled. ¡°So what if they enter the city?¡±


    Luo Tan did not expect Shen Miao to refute and was stunned.


    Luo Sui, who was sitting at the head seat, did not say anything. This was how the Luo family educated their young descendants. They let them compete and argue on their own. Only by debating could they learn something new. The elders only watched quietly from the side. Some of what Shen Miao said just now was interesting. If Luo Sui did not speak, Luo Lianying and the others would not speak anything either. They just sat back and watched the juniors argue.


    ¡°How can they enter the city?¡± Luo Tan said angrily, ¡°Those Turks only want food and tools. After October, when the drought ends, they will stop the harassment. If they enter the city, they have to fight our soldiers. Why would they take the risk?¡±


    Shen Miao¡¯s expression did not change. She said indifferently, ¡°Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s too easy for them to be satisfied with just food and tools?¡±


    Everyone was stunned.


    Luo Qian was about the same age as Shen Miao. He asked curiously, ¡°Cousin, what do you mean?¡±


    ¡°If it were me, I wouldn¡¯t be satisfied,¡± Shen Miao replied gently. ¡°They have brave soldiers, strong horses, and an enormous grassland to retreat to. Compared to the scattered soldiers in Spring City, they have much better winning conditions. Why won¡¯t they take the risk? The only reason they haven¡¯t done anything yet is because they are not familiar with the layout of Spring City. However, after exploring it for more than ten years, even if they only come to this small city once a year, they¡¯ll still be able to come up with a rough map.¡± She tilted her head and smiled. ¡°As far as I know, there is no agreement between the Turks and Spring City to not invade each other. Am I right?¡±

 Chapter 426 - The Luo Family (6)

    Chapter 426: The Luo Family (6)


    For a long time, no one in the room spoke.


    Everyone took it for granted that the Turks had no ambitions for Spring City. Every time, they would only snatch something because they couldn¡¯t get it. Unexpectedly, Shen Miao talked about this matter through a different perspective and caught everyone off guard.


    That was right. The Turks had everything. Why shouldn¡¯t they have ambition for Spring City? If the Turks wanted to take over Spring City, how could the people of Spring City resist?


    Luo Sa¡¯s expression slowly changed. He glanced at Shen Miao. Although his tone was still not friendly, it was much better than his angry tone just now. He said, ¡°Then what do you propose?¡±


    ¡°I think the Luo army is not as united as the Shen army,¡± Shen Miao said politely. However, as a matter of fact, the Luo army was simply a mess. ¡°When I was young, I heard from my mother that when Grandpa was young, he led the Luo army to war. Grandpa, have you never thought about restoring the Luo army back to its former glory?¡±


    Everyone in the room gasped. Even Shen Xin and Luo Xueyan looked at Shen Miao in disbelief.


    Luo Qian and Luo Tan¡¯s eyes lit up. The younger generation always looked forward to becoming a hero. The scene Shen Miao painted could at least satisfy the vanity of the younglings. Luo Ling and Luo Sa were older and did not show much enthusiasm, but a trace of hope still flashed across Luo Sa¡¯s eyes.


    Luo Sui looked at Shen Miao for a while and suddenly said with a smile, ¡°Little girl, you¡¯re quite ambitious. It¡¯s rare that a place like the capital can nurture a tough nut like you.¡±


    Luo Xueyan and Shen Xin immediately felt honored. However, after a moment, Luo Sui sighed and said in an unclear tone, ¡°It¡¯s just that. Restoring the glory of the Luo army is not as simple as you say. The army and food require money, so how can the Luo family afford it? Do you want us to spend all the money of the Luo family on an army that has no use?¡±


    ¡°The emperor doesn¡¯t want to give the Luo family money to maintain the army because the Luo army is not outstanding. However, if the Luo army is famous and wins the war, His Majesty will take the initiative to send money here. As for the enemy¡­¡± Shen Miao smiled.¡± Ming Qi has never lacked enemies. When the army gathers enough victories, it will surely be put to better use by His Majesty. Grandpa, what do you think?¡±


    Put aside whether what Shen Miao said was true or not, just the fact that she was analyzing the situation calmly with a smile showed her shocking ambition. Despite just arriving from the capital, she gave people an impression that she had gone through all the calamities life had to offer.


    Luo Sui suddenly flared up. He stood up and flicked his sleeve, saying coldly, ¡°There¡¯s no need to mention rebuilding the Luo army. I don¡¯t agree! Xueyan, bring them down to rest. There¡¯s no need to discuss this matter in the future.¡± With that, he turned around and left without looking at everyone in the hall.


    Luo Sui¡¯s fury came so suddenly that even Luo Xueyan was caught off guard. Shen Qiu rubbed Shen Miao¡¯s head and stood firmly on her side. ¡°Sister, good job!¡±


    Luo Sa glanced at her and whispered to Luo Ling, ¡°This little cousin is not simple.¡±


    Luo Ling smiled and said, ¡°Maybe.¡±


    Luo Tan curled his lips. ¡°She¡¯s just glib-tongued. Even Grandpa is angered by her.¡±


    Luo Qian shook his head and stared at Shen Miao, who was talking to Shen Qiu. ¡°Not only is she glib-tongued, but she¡¯s also very beautiful. Sister, she¡¯s prettier than you!¡±


    Luo Tan glared at him.

 Chapter 427 - Attack of the Turks (1)

    Chapter 427: Attack of the Turks (1)


    They settled down in the Luo family just like that.


    Shen Xin and Shen Qiu weren¡¯t lazy people. Every day, they trained on the simple drill ground outside the Luo mansion.


    Luo Xueyan was busy bringing Shen Miao to visit her old friends. Spring City was where she grew up, so naturally she had many friends here.


    At first, everyone served the delicate young lady from the capital very well. She ate the most delicate food and wore the most delicate material. In the past, those daughters of officials who came to Spring City from the capital had a really bad temper. Everyone was afraid that they couldn¡¯t satisfy Shen Miao¡¯s demand. Unexpectedly, after living for a while, they realized that their worries were unnecessary. Shen Miao had integrated very well in Spring City and did not need anything special. There would occasionally be hail here. When Shen Miao saw it, she was just a little curious and was not afraid.


    As time passed, the younglings in the Luo family gradually let down their guard against this cousin. Among the four juniors of the Luo family, Luo Ling and Luo Sa had already started to take up their posts in the army. They rarely saw each other. At home, Luo Tan and Luo Qian spent the most time together with Shen Miao. When Shen Miao gave her a western mirror, Luo Tan shook hands with Shen Miao and made peace. As for Luo Qian, he was lively and was like a grown-up version of Su Minglang. He pestered Shen Miao all day long to tell him the stories that happened in the capital.


    In Spring City, Shen Miao did not have to be wary of Fu Xiuyi. She was much more relaxed and treated Luo Qian as her brother.


    On this day, Luo Qian and Luo Tan came to see Shen Miao. Spring City was not like the capital where one could spend years shopping around. Spring City was small. After shopping for a few days, they had pretty much explored every nook and cranny of this place. Shen Miao stayed in the mansion. Luo Qian and Luo Tan must be bored, so they came to talk to her.


    As Luo Qian ate the snacks made for Shen Miao by the kitchen, he said, ¡°Yesterday, I went to the drill ground to see Cousin Qiu practice. Cousin Qiu¡¯s martial arts skill is very impressive. Also, I can¡¯t even withstand a few moves from Guard Mo. Cousin, can you get Cousin Qiu to teach me a few moves?¡±


    Shen Miao smiled. ¡°If you want to learn, just ask him. He will be more than happy to help.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± Luo Qian immediately became happy. Most of the young masters in the capital were arrogant. However, Luo Qian was different. He was sincere and innocent.


    ¡°Cousin.¡± Luo Qian was also very friendly to his good-looking cousin and had long treated her as one of his own and said, ¡°Cousin Qiu¡¯s martial arts are really good. Is he the number one person in the capital? No, no, no, he should be the number one person in Ming Qi, right? Eldest Brother and Second Brother are both outstanding in martial arts, but they are not as good as Cousin Qiu.¡±


    Luo Tan, who had been flipping through the painting book at the side, finally couldn¡¯t stand it anymore. She bit the orange in her mouth and rolled her eyes at Luo Qian. ¡°Are you stupid? You¡¯re so ignorant. Don¡¯t say that I¡¯m your sister. How embarrassing.¡±


    Shen Miao was used to Luo Tan and Luo Qian bickering all day long. As expected, when Luo Qian heard that, he said indignantly, ¡°What do you know? How am I ignorant? Do you mean that Cousin Qiu isn¡¯t the number one?¡±

 Chapter 430 - Attack of the Turks (4)

    Chapter 430: Attack of the Turks (4)


    Most of the people in the hall were women, and there were also some maids and servants.


    A pot had been set up in the hall, and the kitchen was cutting mutton. The boiling soup in the pot began to emit a fragrance, but at this moment, no one was in the mood to chat.


    Luo Qian felt a little hungry. When he saw that there were some snacks beside Shen Miao, he walked over and sat down to eat a piece of the cake.


    Shen Miao looked at him without blinking. Luo Qian was a little puzzled by Shen Miao¡¯s gaze. He scratched his head and asked, ¡°Cousin, why are you looking at me? Are you afraid¡­¡±


    The two of them were sitting far away from Madam Yu and the others, so they could not hear their voices. Shen Miao said, ¡°Cousin Qian, why is Grandpa unwilling to reorganize the Luo army?¡±


    Luo Qian was stunned.


    ¡°That day, when I proposed that idea, Grandpa immediately flared up. I¡¯m afraid it¡¯s not just because we don¡¯t have money to maintain an army, right? Cousin Qian, can you tell me the reason?¡±


    Luo Qian¡¯s eyes darted around as he stammered, ¡°There¡¯s no particular reason¡­ We just don¡¯t have money. Cousin, don¡¯t think too much. Without money, how can we build an army?¡±


    Shen Miao looked at him quietly. Her eyes were bright and clear, without any excess emotion. However, being stared at by such a pair of eyes, one felt that lying was blasphemy.


    Luo Qian was an honest young man after all and had a good relationship with Shen Miao. In the end, he gave in and said in a low voice, ¡°Cousin, no one in our family dares to talk about this. However, you¡¯re one of us, so I¡¯ll tell you. Please don¡¯t tell anyone else. If my parents find out that I told you about this, I¡¯ll definitely be punished.¡±


    Shen Miao nodded.


    ¡°Actually, you¡¯re not the first person to mention the reorganization of the Luo army.¡± Luo Qian said, ¡°When the Luo army really began to decline, it was not long after your mother was born. At that time, the Luo family was already in decline, and Grandpa was down in spirits. Seeing that he was unhappy all day, Grandma suggested reviving the Luo army.¡±


    ¡°Grandpa had this thought in his mind for a long time, so when Grandma brought it up, he immediately started preparing. However, at that time, we were still short of money, so Grandma said exactly what you said to Grandpa that day. As long as we win the war, His Majesty will naturally allocate money to the Luo army Therefore, Grandpa took the initiative to request to go to war.¡±


    Luo Qian sighed. ¡°Little Cousin, I think you¡¯ve already guessed the outcome. Grandpa was defeated and almost became a laughing stock. The Luo army was in decline to begin with, and after being severely injured, they couldn¡¯t recover. Most importantly, when Grandpa led the army to war, Grandma was seriously ill. In order to not affect Grandpa, Grandma didn¡¯t let the family tell him about it. When Grandpa returned from the war, Grandma had already passed away.¡±


    ¡°All these years, he hasn¡¯t reorganized the Luo army because he doesn¡¯t have the courage to face the failures of the past.¡± Luo Qian put down the snack in his hand and looked at Shen Miao. ¡°Little Cousin, I know you want the Luo army to regain its glory, but our Luo family doesn¡¯t want to be famous. My mother said that we have to cherish the people in front of us. For example, if Grandpa could go back in time, he would definitely not fight that war and would choose to stay by Grandma¡¯s side. Therefore, as long as Grandpa is happy, it¡¯s fine even if the Luo army is in a state of disunity.¡±

 Chapter 431 - Attack of the Turks (5)

    Chapter 431: Attack of the Turks (5)


    Shen Miao looked at Luo Qian and was a little surprised. She did not expect to hear that from Luo Qian. The Luo family was indeed righteous and kind.


    However, when she heard this from Luo Qian, she sighed in her heart. It was not that Luo Sui could not afford to lose this battle, but that he could not afford to lose his wife. No wonder when Shen Miao mentioned reorganizing the Luo army, Luo Sui¡¯s expression instantly changed. Shen Miao¡¯s words must have cut the general to the quick.


    ¡°But will Grandma be happy to see the Luo army collapse just like that?¡± Shen Miao suddenly said.


    ¡°Eh?¡± Luo Qian turned to look at her in confusion.


    Shen Miao smiled. ¡°If I love someone and he¡¯s a hero, I will definitely want him to wear the sword that he deserves to wear, ride the fierce horse that he deserves to ride, and lead the bravest soldiers to obtain the achievements that are his to obtain. I don¡¯t want him to be wronged. If Grandpa is wronged and Grandmother finds out, won¡¯t her heart break? If it were me, my heart would break.¡±


    Luo Qian was a little confused by Shen Miao¡¯s words. The fact that Shen Miao talked about love openly and unrestrained shocked him a little. Madam Ma even said that Shen Miao was a girl from the capital and would definitely be shy easily. Now, it seemed that¡­ she was not shy at all. She was probably even more open-minded than Luo Tan!


    Just as he was thinking, he heard a servant shouting outside, ¡°Eldest Young Master and Second Young Master are back!¡±


    Everyone looked at the door of the hall and saw Luo Ling and Luo Sa walking over. It was probably about to rain outside, so the air was a little humid. Their clothes were wet, and they looked a little travel-worn after coming back from the garrison.


    Madam Yu first instructed the servant to pour tea for the two of them. Luo Sa drank it in one go. Luo Tan had already run up and asked Luo Ling, ¡°Brother Ling, how is it outside?¡±


    ¡°It looks like there is going to be a hailstorm tonight. I¡¯ve already asked the people to go back to prevent being injured by the hailstorm. Everything is ready outside.¡± Luo Ling smiled and replied, ¡°Second Brother and I will stay here for the night. Our mansion is sturdy, so we don¡¯t have to be afraid.¡±


    ¡°What happened to Father, Uncle, and Grandpa?¡± Luo Tan asked relentlessly.


    Luo Sa frowned and said, ¡°They¡¯re not back yet.¡±


    Luo Tan was about to say something when Luo Ling saw Luo Qian and Shen Miao walking over. He quickly said, ¡°It¡¯s fine. I think they¡¯re probably a little busy tonight and will be back tomorrow.¡± He changed the topic. ¡°It smells so good. Are we going to have hotpot mutton tonight? Cousin Miao hasn¡¯t tried it before. I don¡¯t know if she likes it.¡±


    Shen Miao walked up to Luo Ling. Luo Ling was 18 years old this year. He was as handsome as Luo Lianying, but his personality was as gentle and considerate as Madam Yu¡¯s. He was worlds apart from Luo Sa, who was violent and difficult to get along with. Shen Miao said, ¡°Cousin Ling, has the army of the city guards been deployed?¡±


    Luo Ling was stunned. He did not expect Shen Miao to ask this. He replied, ¡°It¡¯s all arranged.¡±


    ¡°How many people are guarding the city?¡± Shen Miao asked.


    This time, Luo Sa¡¯s gaze landed on Shen Miao.


    When these juniors talked, Madam Yu and Madam Ma were far away. Luo Qian asked, ¡°Little Cousin, why are you asking this? It¡¯s going to hail tonight. Probably no one will enter the city.¡±


    ¡°Thirty on the west gate, thirty on the east gate, and ten on the north gate. That will be more than 70 people in total,¡± Luo Ling replied patiently.

 Chapter 432 - Attack of the Turks (6)

    Chapter 432: Attack of the Turks (6)


    ¡°Are there usually so many people?¡± Shen Miao asked.


    After a moment of thinking, Luo Ling said, ¡°There are usually more people. It¡¯s just that Father and the others transferred them away today, so there aren¡¯t many guards left. However, if nothing happens in the city, 70 people will be enough. The weather is not good tonight. It¡¯s right. No one will enter the city.¡±


    There were only so many soldiers in the Luo army who could be used. If they wanted to chase after the Turks, they naturally had to take away all the soldiers they could. The remaining city guards were not many, but Spring City had been safe and sound for so many years.


    Luo Sa stared at Shen Miao for a while and suddenly said, ¡°Are you afraid that the Turks will attack?¡±


    As soon as he said that, everyone was stunned. Luo Tan opened his mouth wide and Luo Qian asked, ¡°Second Brother, what are you talking about? Why would the Turks attack?¡±


    Luo Sa sneered and stared into Shen Miao¡¯s eyes without blinking. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say on the day you came that the Turks are ambitious and powerful? Why wouldn¡¯t they attack us? Is this what you¡¯re afraid of?¡±


    Luo Sa was a little aggressive. Facing his sharp gaze, Shen Miao nodded. ¡°That¡¯s right. That¡¯s what I¡¯m afraid of.¡±


    ¡°How is that possible?¡± Luo Tan said, ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about whether what you said will happen or not. Today, Father and Uncle went to the grassland to chase after the Turks. Why would those Turks split their main force to attack Spring City? If they really want to take down Spring City, wouldn¡¯t it be better for them to find a better opportunity?¡±


    ¡°The people of Ming Qi are not the only ones who know the tactic of luring the enemy away from his base,¡± Shen Miao said indifferently. ¡°Although the Turks are nomads, they are not fools. They have lived with the people of Spring City for so many years. Do you think they haven¡¯t learned anything?¡±


    Shen Miao¡¯s abnormally cold attitude surprised them. After a moment of silence, Luo Ling was the first to speak. ¡°Little Cousin, is this your speculation, or¡­ how did you know this?¡±


    Shen Miao had always been afraid that the Turks would attack the city. Today, she looked extremely abnormal. Everyone noticed this. Anyone who was not a fool would be able to tell that something was wrong.


    ¡°Intuition.¡±


    ¡°Intuition?¡± Luo Sa smiled instead of being angry. ¡°Little cousin, this is not the time to joke.¡±


    ¡°Cousin brothers, after being in the city guard army for so many years, don¡¯t you know that it¡¯s better to be safe than sorry?¡± Shen Miao¡¯s expression darkened, and the gentleness in her eyes gradually disappeared. She said, ¡°If the Turks really attack, everyone will be safe if we¡¯re prepared in advance. If they don¡¯t attack, won¡¯t it be a good thing that Spring City is spared from a bloody calamity? Do we only need to make preparations when we know something bad is going to happen? If you don¡¯t even understand this simple logic, it¡¯s no wonder the Luo family is declining day by day.¡±


    ¡°You!¡± Luo Sa was furious. Luo Tan and Luo Qian¡¯s expressions were also a little ugly.


    On the other hand, Luo Ling stared at Shen Miao for a while, his expression unchanged. He was still as gentle as before. He cupped his hands at Shen Miao and said, ¡°Cousin Miao, you¡¯re right. We¡¯re not as insightful as you. However, there are only so many soldiers we can deploy. In your opinion, what should we do?¡±


    Luo Ling seemed to be asking Shen Miao for an opinion, but in fact, he was throwing an intractable problem at Shen Miao and testing her. Shen Miao sneered in her heart. This gentle cousin of hers was not as gentle as he looked on the surface.


    She said, ¡°If my intuition is right, there isn¡¯t much we can do as the Turks must be well-prepared. I¡¯m just a little girl and don¡¯t know much about military tactics. Instead of taking risks, it¡¯s better to protect ourselves. Cousin Ling, why don¡¯t you gather all the guards at the entrance of the Luo mansion to protect the Luo family? If something really happens, we can at least hold on for a while.¡±


    As soon as she said that, everyone was stunned again. One second, Shen Miao spoke with the domineering aura of a commander, but the next, she humbled herself to that of an ignorant girl. The juniors of the Luo family did not understand what Shen Miao meant.


    Luo Sa was the most frustrated. He looked at Shen Miao and wanted to flare up, but he could not find a reason to. He sat at the side in a sulk.


    Luo Ling looked at Shen Miao meaningfully and said unexpectedly, ¡°Then we¡¯ll do as you say.¡±


    Everyone sat down in the hall again. For some reason, the atmosphere became a little stiff because of Shen Miao¡¯s words. Even Luo Qian and Luo Tan seemed to be nervous. Only Madam Ma and Madam Yu were unaware and were still instructing the chefs in the kitchen.


    When the sky was completely dark, Luo Ling¡¯s guard suddenly came to see him. Luo Ling asked him to come in. The guard looked anxious and whispered something into Luo Ling¡¯s ear. Luo Ling¡¯s expression suddenly changed and he looked at Shen Miao.


    Shen Miao was sipping her tea leisurely.

 Chapter 433 - 3: He’s Dead (1)

    Chapter 433: He¡¯s Dead (1)


    Shen Miao was sipping her tea leisurely. At this moment, the wind was blowing outside, and she sat in a corner of the hall, holding the teacup that Jingzhe handed her. She looked really like an innocent young lady who was waiting for the mutton slices to be ready.


    Luo Ling¡¯s expression became a little serious. Luo Sa noticed that something was wrong with him and followed Luo Ling¡¯s gaze to look at Shen Miao. His expression darkened as he asked, ¡°What happened?¡±


    Luo Ling ignored him. Instead, he stood up and walked up to Shen Miao. ¡°Little cousin, let¡¯s talk in private.¡±


    ¡°Cousin Ling, if you have anything to say, say it here.¡± Shen Miao put the teacup aside and smiled at him. ¡°If anything really happens, you won¡¯t be able to hide it.¡±


    Seeing this, Luo Qian and Luo Tan walked over. This time, the commotion was a little loud, and Madam Ma and Madam Yu noticed it. They thought that there was an argument between Shen Miao and Luo Ling. At this moment, they naturally had to side with girls. Madam Yu immediately walked over and glanced at Luo Ling. She shook her head in disapproval and said, ¡°Ling, don¡¯t scare Jiaojiao.¡±


    Luo Sa sneered and said, ¡°Who¡¯s scaring who?¡±


    ¡°Brother, what exactly happened?¡± Luo Qian asked without thinking.


    Luo Ling looked at Shen Miao. Shen Miao smiled at him, as if she knew what he was going to say next. That calmness made Luo Ling slightly stunned. A moment later, he sighed and said helplessly, ¡°There¡¯s news from the city guards that the Turks¡­ seem to be entering the city.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Luo Tan exclaimed. Then, she realized that her voice was a little loud and covered her mouth. The maids and servants were far away, so they did not hear the conversation clearly. However, the most taboo thing in this world was to have the morale of the army waver. At this moment, everyone was gathered here to avoid the hail. If others found out that the Turks had entered, they would probably panic.


    Madam Yu and Madam Ma were both from ordinary families and did not have a tactical mind. When Madam Ma heard this, she immediately said in panic, ¡°Ling, Sa, shouldn¡¯t we get someone to protect Jiaojiao and the others first? How long can we last? When will your father and the others come back?¡±


    Even the smartest and most capable woman at home couldn¡¯t help but panic when faced with such a situation. As for Madam Yu, she was even more at a loss. She subconsciously suggested, ¡°Why don¡¯t we hide somewhere first?¡±


    Luo Tan and Luo Qian¡¯s faces were a little pale. They had lived in Spring City since they were born. Although they had heard Luo Sui tell stories about the battlefield in the past, they felt that those were things that were very far away from them. The Turks had never entered the city, but what would happen after they entered the city was often mentioned in the books. Even if Ming Qi¡¯s own soldiers took down a city, there would be times when they slaughtered the entire city, let alone the Turks.


    ¡°Little Cousin¡­ was actually right¡­¡± Luo Qian muttered.


    Madam Ma and Madam Yu were stunned. Madam Yu looked at Shen Miao. ¡°Jiaojiao¡­ was right?¡±


    ¡°Cousin Miao said before that the Turks might attack the city.¡± Luo Ling looked at Shen Miao, and an inexplicable glint flashed across his eyes. ¡°You must have a countermeasure too. If you don¡¯t mind, please tell us. Now is a time of life and death.¡±

 Chapter 434 - He’s Dead (2)

    Chapter 434: He¡¯s Dead (2)


    When Madam Ma and the others saw Luo Ling¡¯s humble attitude, they were extremely dumbfounded. Luo Ling was the most outstanding among the younger generation of the Luo family, but now, he actually wanted to seek the opinion of Shen Miao.


    Shen Miao said, ¡°Cousin Ling hasn¡¯t told me what¡¯s happening yet.¡±


    Luo Ling motioned for the guard who came to deliver the message to come over. When the guard saw that Luo Ling was going to ask an unfamiliar girl, he looked a little surprised, but he still replied honestly, ¡°Miss, someone in the guard army saw the Turks gathering at the city gate. The general hasn¡¯t returned yet, and there are not enough guardsa€|¡± At the end of his sentence, he was so embarrassed that he could not speak.


    Shen Miao did not have the time to care about his embarrassment. Instead, she asked directly, ¡°Do the Turks have a lot of people? Are they scattered or gathered?¡±


    Luo Sa stared at Shen Miao with a burning gaze. The guard thought for a moment and said, ¡°There are a lot of them. Although they¡¯re scattered, there¡¯s the sound of horses from the yonder. There should be their reinforcements coming soon.¡±


    The people present immediately gasped, and Luo Ling and Luo Sa¡¯s expressions instantly became extremely ugly. They realized the seriousness of the matter at this moment. Having horses meant having an army. At this moment, the Luo army that could usually fight against the Turks was fighting in the grassland. At this moment, Spring City had almost no real soldiers, but it had to defend an entire Turk army.


    Shen Miao was right. These Turks had learned to lure the enemy away from his base and become cunning after years of interacting with Ming Qi. This branch of the army might not be as strong as the one Shen Xin was dealing with, but it was more than enough to massacre Spring City.


    Madam Ma and Madam Yu also realized that something was wrong. Madam Ma said, ¡°Why don¡¯t we call back all the soldiers we can usea€| No matter what, we have to protect you juniors first.¡±


    When something happened, it was always the tradition of the Luo family to keep the younger generation safe first. Luo Tan¡¯s eyes immediately turned red. She grabbed Madam Ma¡¯s sleeve and said, ¡°Mother, I don¡¯t want to leave!¡±


    ¡°If there¡¯s no other way, we¡¯ll fight them to the death!¡± Luo Qian gritted his teeth, his eyes flickering with anger. ¡°We have the blood of generals in us. Why should we be afraid of those barbarians? Take the sword. At most, we¡¯ll die together!¡±


    ¡°Qian!¡± Madam Ma reproached angrily, ¡°What nonsense are you talking about? Do you want us all to die with you?¡±


    ¡°How about this? Eldest Brother and I will cover your escape.¡± It was Luo Sa who spoke. He said solemnly, ¡°There are still carriages in the mansion. There¡¯s a mountain path behind the south gate. It¡¯s a safe place to hide.¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Shen Miao interrupted them.


    Luo Sa looked at her. ¡°You have a way?¡±


    Shen Miao shook her head.


    A trace of disappointment flashed across Luo Qian and Luo Tan¡¯s faces at the same time. For some reason, they felt that Shen Miao seemed to be very capable. Although she looked nothing different from a vulnerable young lady from the capital, every time Shen Miao spoke, she was calm and confident, making them feel safe and secure. However, at this moment, seeing that Shen Miao was at her wit¡¯s end, Luo Qian and Luo Tan felt a little hopeless.


    ¡°Then do as Second Brother says.¡± Luo Ling said, ¡°I¡¯ll take you all to the carriage first. All the guards in the mansion will follow you. Only Second Brother and I will stay in the Luo mansion.¡±


    This was to sacrifice the two of them to buy time for the others. Madam Yu¡¯s tears fell immediately, and she held Luo Ling¡¯s hand and almost fainted.


    ¡°How can I let the two of you stay here?¡± Madam Ma shook her head. ¡°We¡¯re family. If we want to leave, we¡¯ll leave together!¡±


    Shen Miao shook her head and said again, ¡°No.¡±

 Chapter 435 - He’s Dead (3)

    Chapter 435: He¡¯s Dead (3)


    ¡°Little Cousin, what exactly do you mean by no?¡± Luo Qian couldn¡¯t help but ask.


    Shen Miao glanced at everyone and said, ¡°In Spring City, the Luo family has the most soldiers. The leaders of the city guards are also Cousin Ling and Cousin Sa. The Turks also know this. If they really attack the city, in order to boost morale, the first one they will definitely deal with will be the Luo family. As long as they destroy the Luo family, the people of Spring City will lose their fighting spirit and surrender. If I¡¯m a Turk, I will target the Luo family first no matter what. It¡¯s impossible for us to escape unscathed.¡±


    The brutal truth was revealed to everyone. Luo Tan couldn¡¯t help but tremble and look at Luo Ling. ¡°Brother¡­ is what she said true?¡±


    Luo Ling stared at Shen Miao and said, ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±


    Luo Sa was furious again. ¡°This won¡¯t do, and that won¡¯t do. Since we can¡¯t escape and the Turks came prepared, why don¡¯t we just fight them to the death? Our Luo family has never had a coward. Why should we be afraid of them?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no hurry,¡± Shen Miao suddenly said.


    There was a moment of silence in the hall. Luo Ling looked at Shen Miao and said softly, ¡°Cousin Miao, do you have a brilliant plan?¡±


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t say it¡¯s a brilliant plan.¡± Shen Miao¡¯s eyes were calm. Among the anxious crowd, only her expression was calm. Only then did everyone realize that from the beginning to the present, Shen Miao had not shown any signs of fear. When faced with the sudden attack of the Turks, she was supposed to be terrified. However, Shen Miao, a delicate young lady who had always been well-protected in the capital, acted as if she was not surprised.


    ¡°The Turks brought troops, but they haven¡¯t advanced into the city yet. Clearly, they are hesitating and have some scruples. I think after so many years, although the Luo army has already dispersed, their presence is still intimidating. We can make use of this.¡±


    Madam Ma and Madam Yu did not understand what Shen Miao said, but they felt that what Shen Miao said made sense. They did not speak and listened to her quietly. Luo Sa frowned and asked, ¡°How can we use that?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s stall for time,¡± Shen Miao replied indifferently. ¡°My parents, Grandpa, and Uncles are not fools. I think they will soon realize that something is wrong and quickly rush back to Spring City. Before that, we just have to stall for time.¡±


    ¡°But how can we stall for time?¡± Luo Tan was an impatient person. She couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°According to what you said, the Turks are smart. They know that time is tight and will make a move soon.¡±


    ¡°Whatever they are afraid of, just show them.¡± Shen Miao smiled faintly. ¡°What they¡¯re afraid of the most is that the Luo family has more soldiers than they anticipated. Then let¡¯s show them what the Luo family is made of.¡±


    ¡°Little Cousin.¡± Luo Qian said anxiously, ¡°Where are we going to get more soldiers now?¡±


    Shen Miao smiled. ¡°I¡¯ll have to ask everyone to cooperate with me. However, before that¡­ I wonder if my two cousin brothers will believe me.¡± She looked at Luo Ling and Luo Sa. Her attitude was obviously humble, but there was a faint hostility in her voice.


    Luo Ling looked at her seriously and said, ¡°I believe you.¡±


    ¡­


    The city tower of Spring City was already very dilapidated. Over the years, a lot of soil and dust had accumulated on it, and they were all marks of time. There had been generations of people here, and there had also been generations of heroic generals who protected the peace and quiet of Spring City.


    However, just like how cracks would appear on the city wall, the once indestructible city gate gradually became rotten. At this moment, on the city gate tower, not many guards were pacing back and forth, staring vigilantly at the sound of hooves and torches that gradually became clear. Large drops of cold sweat flowed down their faces.

 Chapter 437 - He’s Dead (5)

    Chapter 437: He¡¯s Dead (5)


    Shen Miao smiled. ¡°I was just lucky.¡±


    ¡°Jiaojiao, don¡¯t be humble.¡± Madam Ma looked at her enthusiastically and said, ¡°If not for you today, we would all be in trouble. Not only did you save the people in our family, but you also saved the people of Spring City. Thank you.¡±


    Shen Miao laughed in her heart. In fact, she was really not being humble. In her previous life, a similar thing happened. It was just that Shen Miao could not remember the exact date. She only knew that it was a rainy day. The Turks attacked Spring City. Although Luo Sui rushed back with his troops in the end and saved Spring City from being taken down, he also paid an extremely tragic price. Countless people in Spring City were killed or injured.


    At that time, in order to please Fu Xiuyi, she was working hard to learn military tactics. She also used this matter to ask Pei Lang for his opinion. That day, Pei Lang answered her like this. Pei Lang said, ¡°The Turks are wary and don¡¯t dare to rashly make a move. It¡¯s not a good thing to fight them head-on. Instead, it¡¯s better to create the illusion that the city is heavily guarded to confuse them. As long as Spring City can stall for time until the reinforcements arrive, they can solve the situation.¡±


    Shen Miao knew that she did not have a tactical mind, but she trusted Pei Lang. Over the years in the palace, she had consulted with many excellent trusted aides of Fu Xiuyi and learned many ways to handle a situation.


    Those were all gifts from Fu Xiuyi.


    ¡°Little Cousin, you¡¯re so bad.¡± When Luo Qian heard the good news from the guards, the uneasiness in his heart dissipated and he started to tease Shen Miao. ¡°You were confident that your plan could work, but you still tried to scare us like that. You really scared me to death.¡±


    Luo Tan slapped his head. ¡°How embarrassing! You¡¯re worse than a little girl!¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you the same!¡± Luo Qian retorted.


    Shen Miao smiled and did not comment. She naturally knew that everything would be resolved in the end, but she deliberately made it so serious to make everyone in the Luo family understand that it was difficult to even protect their loved ones, let alone the entire Spring City. Without enough strength, one could not protect people they wanted to protect. The Turks were eyeing them covetously, and sooner or later, they would make a comeback. When that day came, what would the Luo family do?


    Only when they truly realized the danger would the people of the Luo family feel nervous. The juniors of the Luo family, Luo Lianying, Luo Liantai, and even Madam Ma and Madam Yu would do their best to persuade Luo Sui to reorganize the Luo army. As for Luo Sui himself, his responsibility was naturally to protect his family.


    It was impossible for Shen Miao to persuade a stubborn person like Luo Sui alone. Moreover, because of her identity, it was inevitable that Luo Sui would be wary of her if she pushed too hard, but the Luo family was different.


    Sometimes, when trying to achieve something, you didn¡¯t have to use the most direct method. You had to be tactful. In her previous life, Shen Miao would say whatever she wanted and do it. In the end, she lost miserably. On the other hand, Consort Mei used tactful methods. She hated Consort Mei, but she wanted to learn something from her.


    The next morning, when the sun came up, Spring City returned to normal.


    The Turks suffered a heavy blow and retreated to the depths of the grassland. It seemed that they would not have the energy to make a comeback for a long time.


    Although they had won the war, the atmosphere in Spring City was not relaxed, especially in the Luo family. The Turks¡¯ invasion this time meant that Shen Miao¡¯s terrifying speculation from a few days ago was proven right. With such a terrifying neighbor eyeing them covetously all day, no one could sleep peacefully.

 Chapter 438 - He’s Dead (6)

    Chapter 438: He¡¯s Dead (6)


    After knowing that Shen Miao was the one who saved Spring City, Luo Sui thought more highly of her. Shen Xin was naturally proud and praised his daughter for being braver than a man.


    Two days later, Luo Sui announced to everyone in the Luo family that he wanted to reorganize the Luo army.


    The entire Spring City was cheering and spreading the news. Even the juniors of the Luo family were excited. Only Shen Miao was calm, because she had long expected this. The invasion from the Turks would eventually make Luo Sui make up his mind. Instead of being bullied, he might as well strike back.


    As for the money needed, Luo Xueyan still had some savings. As for the soldiers, Shen Qiu and Shen Xin were bored these days and couldn¡¯t wait to get the retired soldiers back and train them. The Luo family was filled with powerful generals. Once they made up their minds, they wouldn¡¯t give up. For a moment, Spring City became lively.


    The days passed peacefully and meaningfully.


    One day, Shen Miao was sitting at the table and reading when Luo Tan rushed in, almost knocking over the chair at the door. Gu Yu was shocked. Shen Miao looked at her. Before she could speak, she saw Luo Tan panting and rubbing her chest. ¡°Cousin Miao, have you heard about it?¡±


    ¡°About what?¡± Shen Miao asked.


    ¡°That Young Marquis of the Xie family!¡± Luo Tan shouted excitedly, ¡°He went to war.¡±


    Shen Miao¡¯s heart skipped a beat. She looked at Luo Tan and nodded slowly. ¡°I know.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve heard the news before, right? Young Marquis Xie won battles after battles. The Xiongnu is forced to retreat to the edge of the desert.¡± Luo Tan said, ¡°Everyone is saying that when Young Marquis Xie returns to the capital, his official rank will probably be even higher than the Marquis of Lin¡¯an.¡±


    Not long after Shen Miao arrived in Spring City, Xie Jingxing also led the Xie army to the northern border. The bravery that Xie Jingxing displayed on the battlefield amazed people. Whether it was arranging the troops or fighting alone with the leader of the enemy army, the ferocity and coldness he displayed made the enemy tremble in fear. Shen Miao thought that Xie Jingxing would not be able to lead such an enormous army, but the Xie army made extraordinary contributions in Xie Jingxing¡¯s hands, which finally dispelled people¡¯s doubt about his military capability. Everyone said that Xie Jingxing was the most outstanding man in Ming Qi and would definitely surpass the Marquis of Lin¡¯an in the future. When Shen Xin and Luo Sui occasionally chatted about this, they were full of praise for Xie Jingxing, saying that he was a genius. Shen Miao knew about Xie Jingxing¡¯s ability in her previous life, so she was not surprised.


    Seeing that Luo Tan¡¯s eyes were red, Shen Miao had a bad feeling and asked softly, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s dead.¡± Luo Tan couldn¡¯t hold back her tears anymore. ¡°Young Marquis Xie is dead!¡±


    Xie Jingxing was a hero like Shen Qiu in Luo Tan¡¯s heart. She admired him very much. At this moment, she couldn¡¯t hold back her tears. ¡°Yesterday, Young Marquis Xie was surrounded by the enemy. Ten thousand arrows pierced his heart, and his corpse was hung on the city gate tower and skinned.¡± Luo Tan cried, ¡°Little cousin, he¡¯s dead!¡±


    He was dead!


    The teacup in Jingzhe¡¯s hand fell to the ground with a bang. She immediately looked at Shen Miao in panic. Shen Miao and Xie Jingxing were friends. If Xie Jingxing died, how would Shen Miao react?


    What was Shen Miao¡¯s reaction?


    Shen Miao sat at the table and looked at the crying Luo Tan quietly. Her expression was terrifyingly calm, as if what Luo Tan said was not something strange, but something ordinary. However, the calmer she looked, the tighter she held the book in her hand.


    Was Xie Jingxing dead? Was he shot in the heart by ten thousand arrows, skinned, and hung on the city gate tower for display just like in his previous life?


    Shen Miao thought in a daze, as if she wanted to distinguish if this news was a joke or reality. However, what appeared in her mind was the young man dressed in ivory and white clothes with silver threads on the sides. He was handsome and arrogant as he walked towards her elegantly.


    The corners of his lips curled into a mischievous smile. The faint smile in his eyes was very intoxicating.


    ¡°So it¡¯s you,¡± he said.

 Chapter 439 - Two Years Later (1) 1

    Chapter 439: Two Years Later (1) 1


    In late spring, the grass grew crazily and the birds were flying around. Wherever the drizzle passed, the flowers bloomed. The entire Spring city was filled with the fragrance of spring.


    The raindrops dripped down from the eaves, making small puddles on the bluestone slab. In the birdcage hanging on the beam, the chirping of the yellow oriole and the crisp sound of the rain were even more beautiful than the music played by the best musicians.


    At the end of the corridor, a young girl ran over in a hurry. This girl was wearing a peach-pink embroidered long dress. The color was bright and cute, but she held the corner of the dress with both hands and looked a little comical as she rushed over. Her skin was wheat-colored, and she looked lively and mischievous. As she rushed over, she shouted, ¡°Little cousin! Little cousin!¡±


    ¡°Sister, slow down!¡± The young man behind her shouted, ¡°The ground is slippery. Be careful not to fall!¡±


    As soon as he finished speaking, the lively girl running in front staggered and almost fell down. Fortunately, she had some martial arts skills, so she stabilized herself with a light tap of her toes. She turned around angrily and complained to the young man, ¡°Luo Qian, shut up, you jinx.!¡±


    Luo Qian stuck out his tongue. Behind Luo Qian, two slender figures appeared, and a dissatisfied voice sounded, ¡°Luo Tan, if you behave like this, no one will want to marry you.¡±


    ¡°Brother Sa!¡± Luo Tan stomped her feet anxiously. ¡°If I can¡¯t get married, I¡¯ll marry Cousin Qiu!¡±


    Luo Qian sneered. ¡°Cousin Qiu won¡¯t like a tigress like you.¡±


    ¡°Luo Qian!¡± Luo Tan raised her fist at him.


    ¡°Alright, stop fooling around.¡± The gentle young man walking at the back smiled and said, ¡°Aren¡¯t we here to talk to Cousin Miao? Let¡¯s go.¡±


    When they went to the innermost courtyard, they saw Bai Lu and Shuang Jiang moving the flowers outside. When they saw them, they quickly said, ¡°Miss is waiting for you in the room.¡±


    Luo Tan lifted the curtain and shouted, ¡°Little cousin!¡±


    The entire room was filled with the fragrance of flowers. A girl sat in front of the window. She was wearing a purple dress with jade patterns. Though in an extremely dark color, she did not look old at all. Instead, her skin was made as translucent as jade. The rain was pattering in front of the window. When she heard movement, she looked up slightly, revealing a delicate face.


    She tilted her head and smiled. Her eyes were bright, but they made people¡¯s hearts tremble. It was as if with a casual smile, this simple study became a palace made of carved jade, and she was the noble sitting on the high seat, looking down at everyone.


    The people at the door were slightly stunned. Even though they had seen her many times, they were still occasionally shocked by this girl¡¯s unintentional elegance.


    After being stunned for a moment, Luo Tan was the first to react. She waved her hand and ran in, saying, ¡°Cousin Miao, your dress is really beautiful!¡±


    Shen Miao smiled. ¡°If you like it, I¡¯ll get the tailor to make one for you.¡±

 Chapter 440 - Two Years Later (2)

    Chapter 440: Two Years Later (2)


    Luo Tan pursed her lips. ¡°I can¡¯t wear this color. I can only appreciate it.¡± She sized up Shen Miao and sighed. ¡°No wonder the young men in Spring City are asking Brother Ling and the others about you all day long. Little cousin, you¡¯re really getting better and better looking.¡±


    This was the 71st year of Ming Qi. Two years had passed, and in these two years, Shen Miao was also slowly growing. Her slightly childish face gradually revealed a delicate outline, and even her cute facial features looked more exquisite. However, her gentle temperament did not change. The more she was like this, the more noticeable her aura became. When she was on the road, people would throw a second glance at her. No wonder Luo Ling and Luo Sa¡¯s friends were secretly asking if Shen Miao was married.


    Although there were beauties in Spring City, there was no one with such a unique and outstanding temperament.


    Luo Qian went forward and placed one hand on the desk in front of Shen Miao. ¡°Little Cousin, do you know that His Majesty sent money over again?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a good thing.¡± As Shen Miao spoke, she put away the book on the table. Luo Qian¡¯s eyes were sharp. When he saw the name of the book, he asked curiously, ¡°The Record of the State of Qin? What do you think about the State of Qin?¡±


    ¡°No comment. I haven¡¯t read much of it,¡± Shen Miao replied indifferently.


    Luo Sa¡¯s eyes flashed. Luo Ling stared at Shen Miao and said softly, ¡°We¡¯ve been allocated money quite a lot lately. Little Cousin, Why do you think that¡¯s the case?¡±


    He asked Shen Miao for advice very naturally, as if he did not think it was embarrassing to ask a girl who was much younger than him for advice. Of course, the four juniors in the room would not laugh at him. How capable was Shen Miao? This was a question that was worth investigating. However, the four of them tacitly did not tell the elders of the Luo family about Shen Miao¡¯s hidden talent, as if they firmly believed that even if Shen Miao had any secrets, she would definitely not harm the Luo family.


    ¡°It¡¯s abnormal.¡± Shen Miao said, ¡°The emperor is extremely paranoid. The Luo army is gaining momentum rapidly, and the emperor will definitely try to suppress it. However, not only did the allocated funds not decrease, it even increased.¡± She pondered for a moment and said, ¡°I think His Majesty wants something from the Luo army, or he¡¯s deliberately putting the Luo army under the limelight. As for what he wants, well, it¡¯s about time to pay tribute to Ming Qi, right?¡±


    Everyone was stunned. Luo Tan rubbed her chin and said, ¡°I think so.¡±


    ¡°The State of Qin and the Daliang Dynasty will send people to pay tribute to Ming Qi. The State of Qin and Ming Qi are evenly matched, and the Daliang Dynasty is far better than Ming Qi. His Majesty will have some fear,¡± Shen Miao said indifferently. ¡°The Shen army is not around. The Xie army is severely injured. Ming Qi doesn¡¯t have a formidable general. How can His Majesty accept that?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why His Majesty wants to use the Luo family to intimidate the State of Qin and the Liang Dynasty!¡± Luo Tan added.


    Shen Miao nodded.


    ¡°I see¡­¡± As Luo Qian spoke, he looked at Shen Miao with admiration. She was clearly the same age as him, but every time, Luo Qian had a feeling that Shen Miao seemed to be much older than him and was even more mature and reliable than Luo Ling. Shen Miao had never avoided to analyze the situation in the imperial court. Compared to the elders who tended to use euphemistic language to discuss the state matters, Shen Miao was much more straightforward. For example, the elders would never say anything like the emperor being paranoid. The juniors of the Luo family liked to play with Shen Miao and sincerely accepted her as one of them because there was something extremely attractive about Shen Miao. Perhaps the people in the capital were more knowledgeable than the people in Spring City. Shen Miao always knew something they did not know.


    ¡°That¡¯s not necessarily a good thing.¡± Luo Sa frowned. ¡°The higher we are, the more painful it will be to fall.¡±

 Chapter 441 - Two Years Later (3)

    Chapter 441: Two Years Later (3)


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Shen Miao said, ¡°But it¡¯s also an opportunity.¡±


    ¡°Cousin, what kind of opportunity do you think this is?¡± Luo Ling asked with a smile.


    ¡°It¡¯s not easy for the Luo army to be reorganized in the past two years. His Majesty wants to make use of it. Although the higher we are, the more danger we will face, the Luo army already has the power to protect us. The Luo army is rebuilt by the Luo family and will only listen to the Luo family¡¯s command, not the emperor. This is the Luo family¡¯s own army, not Ming Qi¡¯s. If the Luo army is benefited, the Luo family will also be benefited.¡±


    It was said that all the lands in the world belong to the Emperor, and all the people in the world are Emperor¡¯s people. Shen Miao clearly separated the Luo family from Ming Qi. If Luo Sui heard this, he would probably faint from anger. Such treacherous words clearly showed one¡¯s ambition for rebellion. However, when the juniors of the Luo family heard this, although they were surprised, they did not feel angry.


    Unlike their ancestors, when the younger generation of the Luo family was born, the Luo family was already on the decline. The royal family did not allocate money and forgot about the Luo army at the border. The younger generation had complaints and grudges, so over time, their loyalty towards the Imperial court was gradually worn away.


    After a moment of silence, a trace of fanaticism appeared in Luo Sa¡¯s eyes. He said, ¡°Cousin Miao, you¡¯re right.¡± He was violent and impulsive, completely different from Luo Ling. He rarely praised anyone. At this moment, it was obvious that he agreed with Shen Miao.


    Luo Ling approved Shen Miao¡¯s words too.


    Luo Qian and Luo Tan were young and believed Shen Miao¡¯s words for no reason. Therefore, the juniors all reached a consensus that it was a good thing that the Luo army was allocated money.


    ¡°Speaking of which.¡± Luo Tan leaned on the table and looked at Shen Miao. ¡°Little Cousin, you are already 16 years old. Yesterday, one of my friends came to ask me if you¡¯re married. If not, she wants to introduce her brother to you. Little Cousin, do you want to go and see him?¡±


    Luo Qian cut in, ¡°What nonsense are you talking about? Little Cousin is only 16 years old. You¡¯re already 18 years old. Why don¡¯t you worry about yourself?¡±


    ¡°Why should I worry about myself?¡± Luo Tan shook her head. ¡°I¡¯m so beautiful and smart. Even at the age of 80, people will still propose marriage to me. I¡¯m just worried about my little cousin. She¡¯s so soft and weak. She needs someone to protect her. Luo Qian, if you continue to be so not gentlemanly, I guarantee that no girl will marry you in the future!¡±


    ¡°Who said that no girl will marry me?¡± Luo Qian said indignantly, ¡°If that¡¯s really the case, there¡¯s still my little cousin, right? My little cousin is kind-hearted. When that day comes, she will marry me and help me out, right?¡±


    Luo Tan slapped his face away and said, ¡°Why don¡¯t you take a look at yourself in the mirror? Brother Ling and Brother Sa are not married yet. Everyone is better than you. Brother Ling and Brother Sa, don¡¯t you want to marry Cousin Miao?¡±


    Caught off guard by this sudden question, Luo Ling was stunned and blushed slightly. Luo Sa coughed and turned his head away. The atmosphere was a little awkward.


    Luo Tan did not notice it at all. She smiled and rested her chin on her hand. ¡°Little cousin, tell me, what kind of man do you like? A handsome man? A rich man? A good martial artist? A poet?¡±


    Shen Miao looked at Luo Tan. Although the eyes of the three men in the room were darting around, their ears perked up. Shen Miao said, ¡°Someone who can beat my brother.¡±

 Chapter 442 - Two Years Later (4)

    Chapter 442: Two Years Later (4)


    With a bang, Luo Qian slipped off his chair and fell down. He shouted aggrievedly, ¡°No, no. Cousin Qiu is so good at martial arts. No one can beat him!¡±


    ¡­


    Coincidentally, on the other side, someone was talking about Shen Miao¡¯s marriage too.


    In the room, Madam Ma, Madam Yu, and Luo Xueyan were talking. Unlike the Shen family in the capital, the sisters-in-law of the Luo family got along extremely well. Madam Yu was gentle, Madam Ma was outspoken, and Luo Xueyan was straightforward. The three women got along extremely well in the past two years.


    Madam Yu held an invitation in her hand and said to Luo Xueyan, ¡°This is an invitation from Mrs. Zhang in the city. She wants us to go to the Zhang family¡¯s mansion sometime.¡± At this point, she hesitated for a moment and continued, ¡°We have to bring Jiaojiao along.¡±


    When Madam Ma heard that, she smiled and said, ¡°I mean, Mrs. Zhang usually looks down on us martial artists just because she has a scholar in her family. I was wondering why such an arrogant person would invite us over. It turns out that she has ulterior motives and wants to see Jiaojiao.¡± Madam Ma nudged Luo Xueyan with her arm. ¡°Xueyan, Jiaojiao is even more popular in Spring City than our father now.¡±


    As Shen Miao grew older and more beautiful, many families in Spring City came to ask if Shen Miao was engaged or married. Previously, the people in Spring City thought that girls from the capital must be very hard to please. Unexpectedly, in the past two years, Shen Miao struck them as someone calm and magnanimous and was extremely to the liking of those madams. In addition, Shen Miao was not bad-looking, and the Luo family was famous in Spring City. Almost everyday, there would be matchmakers coming to the Luo family to ask about Shen Miao¡¯s marriage.


    At this point, Madam Ma said enviously, ¡°It¡¯s really good to have such an outstanding daughter. She¡¯s not like Tan. Tan is older than Miao, but she¡¯s still fooling around every day. No matchmakers ever came to ask about her marriage. If this continues, will she become a spinster?¡± Madam Ma was originally just joking, but as she spoke, she became a little worried.


    Luo Xueyan said, ¡°Tan has a lively personality. That¡¯s a good thing. There will always be a suitable man for her. Sister-in-law, what¡¯s the hurry? As for Jiaojiao, she¡¯s just 16 years old. Why does she look even more mature than an old woman in her sixties? Her personality is not like mine, nor is she like her father. I wonder who she gets that personality from.¡±


    ¡°Why are you worried?¡± Madam Ma said, ¡°There aren¡¯t many girls like Jiaojiao these days. Everyone says that she has a noble aura. In my opinion, even the empress in the palace doesn¡¯t have such an aura. That¡¯s why I said that Jiaojiao¡¯s aura is natural.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Madam Yu also praised, ¡°Sister-in-law and I have been in Spring City for so many years, but we haven¡¯t seen a girl who is like Jiaojiao.¡±


    Luo Xueyan shook her head and sighed. It was good that Shen Miao was obedient and sensible, but the calmness she exuded was in no way befitting a girl of her age. Luo Xueyan would rather Shen Miao be happy-go-lucky and lively like Luo Tan.


    ¡°Speaking of which,¡± Madam Yu said seriously, ¡°Jiaojiao is already 16 years old now. If she is not going back to the capital, she has to get married sooner or later. Xueyan, do you have a suitable candidate in mind?¡±

 Chapter 443 - Two Years Later (5)

    Chapter 443: Two Years Later (5)


    Luo Xueyan was a woman with a liberal mind. In the past, it was she who took the initiative to be with Shen Xin. She had never agreed to any of the marriages arranged by her parents. When she heard Madam Yu mention this, she was a little stunned. A moment later, Luo Xueyan said, ¡°That depends on what Jiaojiao wants.¡±


    ¡°Xueyan, are you really willing to let a girl like Jiaojiao get married?¡± Madam Ma sighed and said, ¡°She¡¯s smart and good-tempered, and her personality is very lovable. If it were me, I definitely wouldn¡¯t want to marry her off. I wouldn¡¯t mind keeping her by my side for the rest of my life.¡± Unlike the families in the capital, the people in Spring City did not think that the sooner a girl got married, the better. On the contrary, they felt that the longer a girl stayed at home, the more desirable she would be. Madam Ma said, ¡°Speaking of which, Ling and Sa are already at the age of marriage. How about¡­ letting Jiaojiao marry one of them?¡±


    When Madam Yu heard this, her eyes lit up. She had been a patient woman, but for the first time, she couldn¡¯t wait to say, ¡°That works! I think Ling and Sa both like Jiaojiao, especially Sa. You all know that Sa usually finds girls annoying, but in the past two years, he has been going to Jiaojiao¡¯s place a lot. The cousins are very close. I know my son very well. He definitely likes Jiaojiao.¡±


    Luo Xueyan opened her mouth, but before she could speak, she saw Madam Yu shake her head again. ¡°But Sa is impulsive and doesn¡¯t know how to dote on girls. If Jiaojiao marries him, I¡¯m afraid she¡¯ll suffer, and that kid is a blockhead. Ling is better. He has a gentle personality and is more mature. Speaking of which, there have been many people who have proposed marriage to Ling in the past few years, but Ling doesn¡¯t like it. I can¡¯t persuade him no matter what. He definitely likes Jiaojiao too. Otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t have gone to talk to her as soon as he comes back from the camp.¡±


    As Madam Yu continued to talk, Madam Ma was unhappy and said, ¡°Sister-in-law, did you forget about Qian. He is about the same age as Jiaojiao. They¡¯re quite close usually. Although Qian is a little naughty, he¡¯s considerate. It¡¯s best if they can be together. Also, Tan and Qiu are a good match too!¡± After saying that, Madam Ma looked at Luo Xueyan. ¡°Xueyan, what do you think?¡±


    Luo Xueyan was speechless.


    Two pairs of eager eyes looked at her. Luo Xueyan said, ¡°That depends on what the children want¡­¡± She did not expect Madam Yu and Madam Ma to have such thoughts. However, after thinking about it carefully, Luo Xueyan did not think that it was a bad idea. First of all, they were all family, and second of all, the juniors of the Luo family were all upright and good-looking. She didn¡¯t want her future son-in-law to be rich or have a high official position as long as he could treat her daughter well. The sons of the Luo family, Luo Ling, Luo Sa, and Luo Qian, were gentle, brave, and lively. Most importantly, they were kind-hearted. If Shen Miao was married to any of them, her life in the future would only be sweet and not bitter.


    However, Luo Xueyan still had to ask Shen Miao. She did not know what kind of person Shen Miao liked. At first, she thought that Shen Miao liked people like Fu Xiuyi, but in the past two years, Shen Miao had never mentioned Fu Xiuyi at all, which gradually made her feel relieved.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you find an opportunity to ask Jiaojiao what she thinks?¡± Madam Ma hurriedly said, ¡°If Jiaojiao really likes one of the boys, no matter who it is, it will be a blessing to the Luo family. We have to hold a wedding for them as soon as possible. The son they have will definitely be smart, and the daughter they have will definitely be beautiful.¡±

 Chapter 444 - Two Years Later (6)

    Chapter 444: Two Years Later (6)


    Luo Xueyan was a little embarrassed. ¡°Sister-in-law, Miao is the youngest. Why should the youngest get married first?¡±


    Madam Ma waved her hand. ¡°I¡¯m just afraid that Jiaojiao will be secretly taken by someone without us knowing.¡±


    Just as they were chatting and laughing, a servant at the door suddenly came to report, ¡°Madams, there¡¯s a message from the palace. General wants you all to hurry to the front hall.¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t the people from the palace just leave? Why are they here again? Are they here to send money again?¡± Madam Ma stood up and asked casually.


    ¡°I think they are here to summon Master Shen back to the capital,¡± the servant replied.


    Luo Xueyan froze.


    ¡­


    The front hall of the Luo family was in chaos.


    The imperial edict wrote that Emperor Wen Hui wanted to give the title of the mighty general back to Shen Xin and asked him to return to the capital with his family. He even said that he would hand over the Shen army to Shen Xin.


    Two years ago, Emperor Wen Hui humiliated Shen Xin in front of the entire court. Now, he was giving Shen Xin a sweet candy. However, whether Shen Xin was willing to eat this sweet candy or not was another matter.


    Luo Sui sat on the high seat. Over the past two years, because he had been busy reorganizing the Luo army, his hair had almost turned all white. However, he was still as intimidating as before. Perhaps because he had a decent army under his command, he looked even more like a general. He said, ¡°The Ming Qi tribute is about to begin. The emperor wants you to return to the capital before the tribute.¡±


    A tribute would be held every hundred years. The previous tribute in Ming Qi was almost taken advantage of by the State of Qin. At that time, the late emperor relied on the Xie and Shen families to barely tide over the crisis. Now, other than the State of Qin, even the Daliang Dynasty would come.


    If the State of Qin was only enough to make Ming Qi worry, the Daliang Dynasty was enough to make Ming Qi afraid. The Daliang Dynasty was located in the south. The country was rich and powerful, and the army was strong. Emperor Yong Le was a wise emperor. Unlike the foul imperial court of Ming Qi, the Daliang Dynasty was filled with meritorious and loyal people. If the Daliang Dynasty wanted to, it was only a matter of time before they annexed Ming Qi. However, for some reason, Emperor Yong Le did not seem to have such an intention. Of course, there was another possibility. Emperor Yong Le wanted to destroy the State of Qin and Ming Qi together and unify the world.


    It was just a matter of time before the world was unified, but the only unknown thing was when the day would come. Emperor Wen Hui clearly did not want to see this day while he was on the throne. However, ever since Xie Jingxing died, Xie Ding had no intention of going to court, and Shen Xin was bereft of his military power and chased to Spring City.


    No one knew if Emperor Wen Hui regretted making the decision of taking Shen Xin¡¯s military power, but at the moment, Emperor Wen Hui hoped that Shen Xin could come back to the capital to hold the fort. The fact that Shen Xin could help Luo Sui rebuild a broken army proved his outstanding military capability.


    Emperor Wen Hui was making it clear that Ming Qi needed Shen Xin.


    In the past, perhaps Shen Xin would appear when he was needed, and when he was not, he would quietly leave. However, after being treated unfairly by the royal family, he might not be so loyal anymore.


    ¡°You should go back.¡± Luo Sui said, ¡°Shen Xin, take back everything that was taken away from you. Show them what the son-in-law of the Luo family and the son of the Shen family is like.¡±


    Shen Miao suddenly looked up.


    She expected Emperor Wen Hui to call Shen Xin back to the capital two years later, and she also expected the situation in the capital to change drastically. However, she did not expect General Luo, who had always been old-fashioned and stubborn, to say something that betrayed his treasonable intent.


    Shen Miao looked at Luo Sui with her eyes widened. Luo Sui smiled and looked at her. ¡°Girl, you think so too. Am I right?¡±


    Everyone in the hall looked at Shen Miao. Luo Lianying and Luo Liantai¡¯s expressions changed slightly, but they did not say anything.


    Shen Miao sighed in her heart. At the end of the day, she couldn¡¯t hide it from an old general like Luo Sui. Luo Sui had a pair of sharp eyes and had seen the world. Perhaps from the beginning, he had vaguely guessed what she was up to.


    She thanked Luo Sui for his trust and support. It felt good to have a family behind her. Shen Miao looked at Luo Sui and smiled. ¡°Yes, Grandpa.¡±


    Luo Sui laughed out loud. Luo Ling looked at Shen Miao with a smile in his eyes, and the corners of Luo Sa¡¯s mouth curled up. Luo Tan and Luo Qian looked at each other in confusion.


    Luo Xueyan and Shen Qiu had complicated expressions. They had left the capital for two years. Now¡­ were they still going back?


    Were they going back to take back what was theirs? Military power, prestige, reputation, and dignity.


    They had to show the world what the real Shen family was like. A tiger would not turn into a dog just because it fell off a cliff. A dragon that swam in the water would one day soar into the sky.


    Shen Xin cupped his hands at Luo Sui and said, ¡°I¡¯ll listen to you, General!¡±

 Chapter 445 - Returning to the capital (1)

    Chapter 445: Returning to the capital (1)


    The road from Spring City to the capital was bumpy and long. It took half a year to make the trip. The day after Shen Xin received the imperial edict, he set off. Luo Ling and Luo Tan also followed along.


    Luo Ling was asked by Luo Sui to go. As the eldest grandson of the Luo family, Luo Ling would eventually take on the responsibility as the head of the entire Luo family. Luo Sui wanted Luo Ling to go to the capital to broaden his horizon and understand the current situation in Ming Qi. Luo Sa had to stay in Spring City and continue to train the Luo army with his elders.


    Luo Tan and Luo Qian weren¡¯t allowed to go, but Luo Tan secretly climbed into the carriage and hid in the box. When they were far away from Spring City, she suddenly crawled out. At that time, it was too late to send her back. They could only get someone to send a letter back to inform the Luo family.


    Luo Tan was yearning for the capital. After repeatedly promising not to cause trouble, she was allowed to stay.


    This time, Shen Xin also brought back a batch of the Luo army. This batch was personally trained by Shen Xin and Shen Qiu, and it consisted of the most elite soldiers. Every one of them could be considered a leader in other teams. This batch was nurtured by Shen Xin himself and followed him as guards.


    They set off in spring and only arrived in late autumn. The green trees along the way turned into withered leaves and fell into the soil with the wind. When the group started to put on clothes, they were about to reach the capital.


    The sky gradually darkened. The group of people rested in an inn outside the city. Shen Qiu said, ¡°Let¡¯s enter the city tomorrow morning and find a house to stay in.¡±


    Before they left, the Shen family had split up, so it was naturally impossible for them to return to the Shen mansion.


    Previously, when they were in the Luo family, Luo Xueyan told Luo Sui about the Shen family splitting up. Luo Ling and Luo Tan were not surprised. Luo Tan rested her chin on her hand and said with a yearning expression, ¡°Auntie, Uncle, let¡¯s find a bustling place to stay, okay? I¡¯ve never been to the capital.¡±


    Luo Xueyan smiled and said, ¡°East of the city was the most bustling place in the capital, but we haven¡¯t been back for two years. I wonder if it has changed.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s simple.¡± Luo Tan asked the waiter, ¡°Waiter, do you know the most bustling place in the capital?¡±


    The waiter did not know the identity of this group of people, but seeing that they had brought so many guards and were dressed exquisitely, especially the little girl sitting in the middle, he knew at a glance that she was from a noble family. He did not dare to be negligent and replied enthusiastically, ¡°Miss, there are many busy places in the capital. The east and south of the city are quite busy. There are many shops in the east of the city. It¡¯s more convenient for girls to buy rouge and powder. There are many restaurants in the south of the city. If you want to eat something, go to the south.¡±


    Luo Tan was obviously not satisfied with this answer. She frowned and said, ¡°Is that all?¡±


    The waiter was afraid of making her unhappy, so he thought for a moment and added, ¡°Miss, if you really want to have fun, go to the south of the city. Recently, people from the State of Qin and the Daliang Dynasty have come. The emperor provided accommodation for them in Yanqing Alley in the south of the city.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s Yanqing Alley?¡± Luo Tan asked.


    ¡°Yanqing Alley is the most expensive land in the capital.¡± Shen Qiu explained, ¡°It¡¯s a good place that even the royal family can¡¯t afford to live in. Even the princes didn¡¯t live there. Only the empress¡¯s brother lived in Yanqing Alley for a while.¡±


    Luo Tan was surprised at first. ¡°Yanqing Alley is actually so expensive.¡± Then, she was a little disappointed. ¡°But since it¡¯s so expensive, we definitely can¡¯t afford a house there.¡±

 Chapter 446 - Return to the Capital (2)

    Chapter 446: Return to the Capital (2)


    When the waiter heard this, he suspected that his impression of this group of people was wrong. They were just country bumpkins who had just entered the city for the first time.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± Shen Miao said, ¡°There¡¯s a street next to Yanqing Alley that¡¯s adjacent to a restaurant. It¡¯s outside the alley, so the price is not that expensive. We can find a house there.¡±


    As soon as she said that, the waiter subconsciously said, ¡°Miss, you are right.¡±


    ¡°Jiaojiao, do you want to live in a busy place too?¡± Shen Xin asked. Shen Miao was not a person who liked to join in the fun, but from what she said, she seemed to be interested.


    ¡°I think it¡¯s not a bad idea.¡± Shen Miao smiled.


    ¡°That¡¯s great.¡± Luo Tan looked at Shen Miao with shining eyes. ¡°Little Cousin, you¡¯re the best!¡± She thought that Shen Miao said that on purpose for her, so she was very grateful.


    Shen Miao looked up at the waiter. ¡°Are the people from the State of Qin and the Daliang Dynasty already here?¡±


    The waiter had never taken his eyes off this girl who looked the youngest from the beginning. He felt that when she sat there, even her chair had become golden. When he heard Shen Miao¡¯s question, he immediately replied respectfully, ¡°Yes. The Ming Qi tribute will begin in a few days. The State of Qin and the Daliang Dynasty have sent people to pay tribute to the emperor. Now, these people are all arranged to stay in the mansion in Yanqing Alley.¡±


    ¡°Who from the State of Qin and the Daliang Dynasty are sent here?¡± Shen Miao asked.


    The waiter scratched his head. ¡°The State of Qin sent the Crown Prince and Princess Mingan. The Daliang Dynasty sent the younger brother of Emperor Yong Le, Prince Rui.¡±


    Shen Miao lowered her eyes and said, ¡°Thank you.¡±


    After the waiter left, Luo Ling asked, ¡°Cousin Miao, do you have any thoughts about the people from the State of Qin and the Daliang Dynasty?¡±


    Shen Miao smiled. ¡°Nothing. I just find it a little strange.¡±


    Luo Tan smiled and said, ¡°No matter what, when we reach the capital tomorrow, we can watch the show.¡±


    a€|


    In the palace of the capital, in the emperor¡¯s bedroom, it was filled with a strong smell of medicine. The incense burning in the incense burner made people feel even more depressed.


    On the dragon bed, Emperor Wen Hui was leaning on the couch with his eyes half-closed. The beautiful woman in palace clothes beside him was feeding him medicine spoon by spoon. This person was none other than Consort Dong.


    She fed him extremely patiently and carefully. She would blow on the spoon until the medicine was cold. She tried to test the temperature before slowly feeding it to Emperor Wen Hui. As she fed him, she gently patted Emperor Wen Hui¡¯s back, making his breathing smoother.


    After the bowl of medicine was emptied, Consort Dong grabbed a sugar-stained fruit from the enamel bowl at the side and fed it to Emperor Wen Hui. Emperor Wen Hui frowned and swallowed it. After the last trace of bitterness in his mouth faded, he said, ¡°It¡¯s really thoughtful of you.¡±


    ¡°Your Majesty, I¡¯m just afraid that you might find the medicine too bitter, so I prepared some.¡± Consort Dong smiled gently and said, ¡°Eat some of this fruit for my sake.¡±


    Emperor Wen Hui chuckled. His eyes softened as he said, ¡°In this palace, you know me the best.¡±


    Two years was enough to change many things. No matter how vigorous Emperor Wen Hui was, he could not withstand the corrosion of time. He was much older and his health was deteriorating.


    The crown prince¡¯s illness was also getting serious, and the crown prince¡¯s faction was gradually losing. Prince Zhou and Prince Jing were ambitious and pushy, and Prince Xuan and Prince Li were eyeing the throne covetously. Because of this, Emperor Wen Hui found all the consorts in the harem annoying. At this moment, Consort Dong and Prince Ding, who were not openly involved in this game of thrones, caught his eye.

 Chapter 447 - Return to the Capital (3)

    Chapter 447: Return to the Capital (3)


    When Emperor Wen Hui was sick, Consort Dong was the one he liked to summon the most to serve him. Even when she was gaining the emperor¡¯s favor, Consort Dong was still as cautious as usual and would not take the initiative to talk to Emperor Wen Hui about Prince Ding. Emperor Wen Hui was even more satisfied. Occasionally, he would talk to Consort Dong about things that did not go well in the imperial court.


    ¡°The tribute is about to begin.¡± Emperor Wen Hui sighed. ¡°The person who went to deliver the imperial edict said that Shen Xin will return to the capital in the next few days. I chased him out two years ago. I¡¯m afraid he¡¯s still angry with me. If not for the urgency of the situation, I would definitely not have opened the door to the wolf.¡±


    ¡°Your Majesty.¡± Consort Dong smiled and said, ¡°General Shen is your official, so he naturally has to obey your order. Why are you worried?¡±


    ¡°My official?¡± Emperor Wen Hui sneered. ¡°This official is even more influential than me. How can I be sure that he only wants to be an official? Back then, Xie Ding was the same. However, now that he lost his son and the Xie family is weak, I can¡¯t be bothered to kill them all. After the tribute is over, Shen Xin¡­ I can¡¯t be relieved with him around.¡±


    Consort Dong stopped talking. At this moment, if she spoke, she would be suspected of interfering in politics. Therefore, she lowered her head and did not say a word.


    At this moment, a person was standing in Consort Dong¡¯s Shufang Palace. That person was dressed in luxurious clothes and had a tall crown. He was cold and elegant. It was Fu Xiuyi. Compared to two years ago, he looked more mature and had an indescribable charm.


    ¡°Shen Xin is resting outside the city today. He will enter the city tomorrow morning.¡± The guard in front of him bowed and whispered to him.


    Fu Xiuyi held the cup in his hand tightly, thinking about something. A moment later, he suddenly smiled. ¡°Mr. Pei was right. They are indeed coming back¡­¡± He said,¡± Pass down the order. When Shen Xin returns to the capital, he has to receive the utmost decorum.¡±


    The guard cupped his hands and quickly left.


    Fu Xiuyi stood with his hands behind his back, a pensive look flashing across his face. Two years ago, the drastic move from Shen Xin disrupted his plan. Now that Shen Xin was back in the capital, Fu Xiuyi had a feeling that this was also Shen Xin¡¯s preplanned move. Perhaps Shen Xin had long known that he would return to the capital, so he was not at all hesitant when leaving that day.


    In that case, how about roasting the Shen family on the grill again? He would use the Shen family as a target for Emperor Wen Hui, Prince Zhou, Prince Li, and even the State of Qin to shoot at. He was a very vengeful person and hated being played by others.


    If they dared to play with him, Fu Xiuyi would make sure the Shen family paid the price.


    ¡­


    The next morning, Shen Xin and the others set off again. They would be able to reach the capital before noon. Because they still had to find a house, the sooner they arrived, the better.


    When they reached the city gate of the capital, the guards looked at Shen Xin¡¯s token and were immediately filled with respect. ¡°It¡¯s General Shen!¡± As they spoke, they got someone to quickly open the city gate and welcome Shen Xin and the others in.


    Luo Tan said, ¡°Uncle, they seem to respect you very much. It seems your official rank is very high.¡±


    Shen Qiu and Shen Miao frowned at the same time. When they left the capital that day, those guards gave them a cold shoulder, eager to hit them when they were down. Now, they were so enthusiastic. It was definitely not just because Shen Xin¡¯s title was reinstated. It was probably¡­ because they were instructed to do so by someone.


    Luo Tan lifted the curtain and looked out. She exclaimed, ¡°This is the capital. It¡¯s so big and busy. There are many more people here than in Spring City. Ah, little cousin, the girls here are really beautiful. How can they be so beautiful? Oh my god, even the young men here are fair and tender.¡±

 Chapter 448 - Chapter 448: Returning to the capital (4)

    Chapter 448: Returning to the capital (4)


    Someone nearby heard her voice and turned to look. The moment he saw the group of people, he screamed, ¡°It¡¯s General Shen. General Shen is back!¡±


    Shen Xin had always remained a respectable figure in the hearts of the people of Ming Qi. In the past two years, the Xie family couldn¡¯t recover from the death of Xie JIngxing and the Shen family moved away, it really made people feel sad. When the people of the State of Qin and the Daliang Dynasty came to the capital, they suddenly felt that no one was there to protect them anymore. At this moment, Shen Xin¡¯s appearance undoubtedly gave the people a boost of confidence. Immediately, more and more people surrounded Shen Xin and exclaimed, ¡°General Shen is back!¡±


    For a moment, the cheering crowd almost blocked the entire street. The citizens were shouting fanatically, and their faces were filled with admiration. Luo Tan covered her mouth. ¡°Oh my god, Uncle is so respected by the people in the capital.¡±


    Outside, Luo Ling and the others looked a little troubled. It was a good thing to be welcomed and praised. Every year, when Shen Xin returned to the capital in triumph, he would receive the respect of the people. However, this time, Shen Xin did not come back after winning a battle. Instead, he was summoned back by the emperor two years after he was chased out of the capital. The louder the cheers of the people, the louder the slap was on the emperor. How could the emperor be happy with that?


    In the carriage, Luo Xueyan and Shen Miao¡¯s expressions darkened, especially Shen Miao¡¯s. Her gaze suddenly turned cold. Only Luo Tan did not know the hidden danger and was happy.


    The street was blocked, so Shen Xin could only ask his guards to explain to the people. When the people heard this, although they were still standing on both sides of the street and looking, they were not as excited as before and made their way.


    Mo Qing and Ah Zhi rode their horses to find a house first. Just as Shen Miao said, there was a street next to Yanqing Alley in the south of the city, and the house there was not bad. Now that Shen Xin had spent a lot of money on reorganizing the Luo army, he was not as rich as before. Even so, Shen Miao insisted on living in a house in the south of the city, so Shen Xin agreed without hesitation.


    The carriage headed south of the city.


    The closer they were to Yanqing Alley, the fewer people there were. This was because most of the people living around Yanqing Alley were either rich or noble. The commoners could not afford to live there. Most of the commoners who followed along had dispersed gradually, and the carriage was moving smoothly. Mo Qing and the others quickly returned to report that they had already found a house. The renter trusted Shen Xin, so he didn¡¯t ask for a security deposit.


    When they were only a wall away from Yanqing Alley, a gust of wind suddenly blew open the curtain of the carriage Shen Miao was sitting in.


    Shen Miao narrowed her eyes. Seeing this, Luo Tan asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    Shen Miao glanced at the curtain of the carriage and shook her head. ¡°Nothing.¡± However, she was secretly alarmed. Just now, she actually felt like she was being watched. That kind of gaze made her extremely uncomfortable.


    On a tall building in the distance, a young man holding a jade flute and a woman stood side by side. The woman was as beautiful as a flower and was wearing a golden dress. She had large eyes and a small mouth, and her entire body was covered in pearls. This tacky jewelry did not look ugly on her. Instead, it made her look exquisite and beautiful. She glanced at the carriage in the distance and said disdainfully, ¡°Is this General Shen¡¯s family? Looks like he¡¯s not what he used to be.¡±


    The man beside her was about 20 years old and looked a little like her. He was considered handsome, but because his nose was a little crooked, he looked more vicious. He smiled and said, ¡°To be able to make the Ming Qi royal family afraid, he¡¯s not simple.¡±

 Chapter 449 - Chapter 449: Returning to the Capital (5)

    Chapter 449: Returning to the Capital (5)


    ¡°Crown Prince, you must be joking again.¡± The girl frowned and said arrogantly, ¡°Back then, the Xie family was also above the law, but now after Xie Jingxing died, they are in a complete mess. The Shen family might be the second Xie family.¡±


    The man smiled and did not continue after the girl.


    On the other side, someone was leaning against the building. The lush evergreen trees covered half of his figure, revealing only the corners of his golden robe. He held the teacup in front of him with one hand. His hand was handsome and strong with a white jade ring on his middle finger, making his entire hand look like it was carved out of jade.


    The corners of his mouth slowly curled into a smile.


    a€|


    The house Mo Qing found was across the street from Yanqing Alley. After passing through an alley, it would be the busiest restaurant in the south of the city. The location was very good. The landlord was also very easy to talk to. Luo Xueyan and Shen Xin were both straightforward people, and the price given by the landlord was fair. That night, they decided to buy the house.


    As soon as they settled down, a eunuch from the palace sent an imperial edict to Shen Xin to ask him to go to the palace to meet the emperor the next day. Emperor Wen Hui was impatient, obviously because the situation was really critical now. After receiving the imperial edict and busying himself with unpacking the things, it was already late. After dinner, because they had been travel-worn for a long time, they couldn¡¯t wait to hit the bed.


    Shen Miao and Luo Tan lived in the adjacent courtyard. The house here was not as spacious as the Shen Mansion, but it was considered neat and clean. However, Shen Xin and Shen Qiu felt a little disappointed that they could not train in the courtyard. Luo Xueyan and Luo Tan were extremely satisfied. Shen Miao had never cared about living conditions, so she naturally had no objections.


    At night, Luo Tan sneaked into Shen Miao¡¯s room to talk.


    Luo Tan sat on Shen Miao¡¯s bed with a cloak around her and said, ¡°Little Cousin, I can¡¯t sleep. Can we talk for a while?¡±


    ¡°What do you want to talk about?¡± Shen Miao asked Jingzhe and the others to leave while she lit the oil lamp. At this moment, she was in no mood to sleep, so she casually found a book and placed it on the table to flip through, but she did not read it seriously.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t expect the capital to be like this.¡± Luo Tan¡¯s tone was filled with both disappointment and joy. ¡°I grew up in Spring City and thought that the outside world was the same as Spring City. I didn¡¯t expect the capital to be bigger and livelier than what the storyteller said. Cousin, I¡¯m a little afraid.¡±


    Shen Miao smiled. ¡°What¡¯s there to be afraid of?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m new to this place, so of course I¡¯m afraid. Although Brother Ling is also here, this is not Spring City we are familiar with. Cousin, is there a time when you feel afraid like this? Back then, when Aunt and Uncle were in the northwest and left you alone in the capital, weren¡¯t you afraid?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing to be afraid of,¡± Shen Miao replied indifferently. Back then, staying in the Shen family was not scary to her, because in her eyes, the people of the Shen family were all her family. Was there a time when she felt afraid because she was new to the place? That was back when she was in the State of Qin.


    At the thought of the State of Qin, Shen Miao¡¯s eyes narrowed. She suddenly thought of what the waiter had said today. The people from the State of Qin and the Daliang Dynasty were both here. In her previous life, at this time, she saw the Crown Prince of the State of Qin and the people from the Daliang Dynasty. At that time, the Daliang Dynasty was already showing some ambitions to annex Ming Qi. The Ming Qi royal family was afraid, so in order to counterattack the Daliang Dynasty, after Fu Xiuyi ascended the throne, he formed an alliance with the State of Qin and sent Shen Miao, the empress, to the State of Qin as hostage. The Crown Prince of the State of Qin, Huangfu Hao, was a person with a vicious heart and, for some reason, liked to go against Shen Miao. Princess Ming An was even more arrogant and terrifying. Many of her difficult and humiliating days in the State of Qin were caused by this pair of siblings.

 Chapter 450 - Chapter 450: Returning to the Capital (6)

    Chapter 450: Returning to the Capital (6)


    As for Prince Rui of the Daliang Dynasty¡­ Shen Miao frowned. Back then, during the Ming Qi tribute, the envoy sent by the Daliang Dynasty did not seem to be this Prince Rui, but another royal member. This Prince Rui was a well-known figure. He was Emperor Yong Le¡¯s brother, but he did not show up much, and the outside world knew very little about him. In her previous life, even as the empress of Ming Qi, Shen Miao knew very little about this Prince Rui, and Fu Xiuyi did not mention him either.


    In the end, some things had indeed changed.


    Luo Tan did not notice that Shen Miao was in a daze and continued, ¡°I used to tell myself that if I ever went to the capital in my lifetime, I would definitely visit the young marquis of the Xie family. But¡­ It¡¯s not going to happen anymore.¡± At this point, she actually felt a little sad. ¡°Why didn¡¯t he wait for me to come and see him?¡±


    Shen Miao paused for a moment, and the figure that she had rarely thought of in the past two years gradually became clear in her mind. When she returned to the capital, she found a servant who lived in the original house and asked him about what had happened in the past two years. Ever since Xie Jingxing died, the Xie army suffered a huge blow, and the news caused Xie Ding to age ten years overnight. Xie Ding wanted to step down from his position, but Emperor Wen Hui did not allow him to. Although Xie Ding still had an official title, he was in low spirits and didn¡¯t even go to the imperial court. On the other hand, his two illegitimate sons had both become officials. Although they did not have a high status in the imperial court, they had a good reputation. In a few years, they would probably be able to become the best among the younger generation of Ming Qi.


    When the news of Xie Jingxing¡¯s death spread to the capital, Princess Rong Xin went to the Marquis¡¯s Residence to make a fuss. She scolded Xie Ding for being heartless and the culprit of both Princess Yuqing and Xie Jingxing¡¯s death. Princess Rong Xin cried madly. She almost destroyed the entire Marquis¡¯s Residence. Then, she lived in seclusion and rarely came out.


    In the past two years, the Su family, which was on good terms with the Marquis of Lin¡¯an, had also been declining. All in all, the decline of the Xie family started from the death of Xie Jingxing.


    People of the capital also felt bad about the loss of this talented young man. He was a hero on the battlefield, but in the end, he died a tragic death. When the girls of Ming Qi heard the news of Xie Jingxing¡¯s death, they shed tears of sadness and were brokenhearted.


    Shen Miao looked at the dancing flame and lowered her eyes. In the blink of an eye, she saw that Luo Tan had already fallen asleep on the bed.


    ¡­


    Luo Xueyan combed her long hair with a comb. Although she was already the mother of two children, her hair was still black and shiny without any white hair, just like a young girl .


    Shen Xin took off his heavy armor and heard Luo Xueyan say, ¡°I don¡¯t know why but I feel very ill-at-ease about us entering the palace tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°What are you afraid of?¡± Shen Xin walked behind her and held her shoulder, comforting her. ¡°It¡¯s not the first time we¡¯ve entered the palace. Don¡¯t worry. Nothing will happen with me around.¡±


    Luo Xueyan glanced at him. ¡°We both know very well that the person in the palace probably has a knot in his heart. Previously, I told my father about this. My father said that he was afraid that His Majesty would use something to tie the Shen family down.¡±


    Shen Xin frowned. ¡°Madam, what do you mean?¡±


    ¡°Jiaojiao and Qiu are not married yet.¡± Luo Xueyan reminded him, ¡°It would have been good if the two of them could get married in Spring City. However, I didn¡¯t expect the emperor¡¯s imperial edict to come so quickly. Now that our Shen family is back in power, I¡¯m afraid many people in the capital are watching us closely. Will the emperor bring up Qiu and Jiaojiao¡¯s marriage?¡±


    Shen Xin was shocked. ¡°Impossible! I won¡¯t let that happen!¡± No matter what, Shen Xin would never allow Shen Qiu and Shen Miao¡¯s marriages to become a tool for politics.


    ¡°Qiu can wait, but Jiaojiao can¡¯t.¡± Luo Xueyan said, ¡°Jiaojiao is already 16 years old. In the capital, at this age, girls need to be engaged. After two years, she¡¯ll be 18 years old. It¡¯s just the right time for her to get married. We have to help Jiaojiao find a good husband while there¡¯s no move from the royal family.¡±


    ¡°Why are you in such a hurry?¡± Shen Xin hesitated and said, ¡°There¡¯s no good family around here. Moreover, we still need time to get to know their character.¡±


    ¡°What do you think about¡­¡± Luo Xueyan looked at him.¡± Ling?¡±

 Chapter 451 - 451 Prince Rui (1)

    451 Prince Rui (1)


    Early the next morning, Shen Xin and Luo Xueyan entered the palace with Shen Qiu. They only returned in the afternoon. Emperor Wen Hui reinstated a few of their official positions and returned the Shen army to Shen Xin, but Shen Xin didn¡¯t seem to be very happy.


    Pain was the thing that could train one¡¯s will the most. After training the Luo army for two years in a harsh environment like Spring City, Shen Xin became more composed. After taking back what was originally his, he didn¡¯t even express his gratitude.


    Not long after Shen Xin and Luo Xueyan entered the palace, the Shen mansion actually sent people to Shen Miao¡¯s place to invite her back. Shen Miao couldn¡¯t be bothered with those people and asked the servants to say that they had all gone out. The people from the Shen family didn¡¯t believe it. First, they shouted at the door that it was all a misunderstanding back then. Later, they scolded Shen Xin and his wife for being heartless and unfilial. When Luo Ling heard that, he frowned. Luo Tan was an impulsive person and immediately rushed out to quarrel with the people. When it came to quarreling, Luo Tan had never been at a disadvantage. Her words were harsh and to the point, causing the people from the Shen mansion to blush and scurry away in embarrassment.


    When Shen Xin and the others returned, Shen Miao told them about this. Shen Xin was silent for a moment before instructing Mo Qing to arrange more guards at the entrance of the mansion in the future.


    At the dining table, Luo Xueyan said, ¡°Three days later is the day of tribute. We¡¯re all going to the palace. In the afternoon, get the tailor to come and make some new clothes, especially for Tan and Jiaojiao. We have been away for two years. I wonder what kind of fabric is more popular now. We must catch up.¡± At the end of her sentence, she looked at Shen Miao with a satisfied gaze. Two years ago, everyone was still calling Shen Miao an idiot, but now, two years later, Shen Miao had already become a different person. She was so beautiful and elegant.


    ¡°Yay! We¡¯re going to the palace!¡± Luo Tan was a little excited. ¡°Then we can see the people in the palace. Can we also see the people of the State of Qin and the Daliang Dynasty? I heard that the people of the State of Qin are all tall, and the people of the Daliang Dynasty Royal Family are extremely handsome. I wonder how many of them we can see this time?¡±


    Luo Xueyan laughed. ¡°Tan, if you take a liking to any young master at the banquet, Aunt and Uncle will help you matchmake.¡±


    When her marriage was mentioned, Luo Tan did not blush or feel shy at all. Instead, she said, ¡°I¡¯m not in a hurry. Instead, Cousin Miao needs to seriously consider it. Those men in Spring City are too rough for you. There are many noble young masters in the capital. If you like them, you have to choose for yourself first.¡± She looked at Shen Miao and smiled mischievously.


    Shen Miao glanced at her and did not speak. On the other hand, Luo Ling, who was holding her chopsticks, paused and looked a little hesitant.


    In the afternoon, a tailor came to make clothes for them. In order to rope in Shen Xin, Emperor Wen Hui rewarded Shen Xin quite a lot when he first returned to the palace. Among them, there were a few pieces of fabric of excellent quality that could be used to make clothes. Luo Xueyan also picked a lot of jewelry to dress the two girls up. It was as if she wanted to make the two girls stand out the most among the crowd.


    In fact, Luo Xueyan did not do this on purpose. The tribute was a big deal. Ming Qi had to show the most powerful side in front of the State of Qin and the Daliang Dynasty. All the civil and military officials had to dress luxuriously and not embarrass Ming Qi

 Chapter 452 - 452 Prince Rui (2)

    452 Prince Rui (2)


    Luo Ling would also go with them. This time, Shen Xin planned to find a job for Luo Ling in the Ministry of War to train his ability. Before that, he naturally had to introduce Luo Ling to some of his colleagues so that they could help him in the future.


    During the three days of waiting, Shen Miao listened to Jingzhe and Gu Yu as they told her what had happened in the past two years. However, what surprised her was that the Exiled Immortal Pawnshop in the capital closed not long after Shen Xin went to Spring City. For some reason, it only reopened a few days ago. It was said the owner of the shop went on a long trip and just came back.


    Knowing that Shen Miao was back, Feng Anning got someone to send her a letter. She said that she wanted to look for Shen Miao personally, but since they would meet at the banquet, there was no need to make this trip. In addition to Feng Anning, Su Minglang also sent her a letter. The handwriting was very bad. Reading the letter, Shen Miao couldn¡¯t help but laugh.


    In the blink of an eye, three days passed, and it was time for the tribute.


    The Ming Qi tribute was a big matter for the entire dynasty. Early in the morning, the bell and drum of the south mountain rang.


    The peddlers on the street were all talking about this matter. However, the commoners could not enter the palace. They could only listen to the sounds and movements outside the palace wall. Most of them were envious of the officials. The families of the officials could enter the palace. If the officials were more powerful, they could even attend the banquet.


    The grandness of the banquet gave people the illusion that it was a prosperous era. The common people were always very simple. They could only see what was in front of them and felt that Ming Qi could really last for generations. Only a few smart people could understand that Ming Qi was far from being stable as it was faced with both internal and external conflicts.


    Shen Xin¡¯s carriage stopped at the entrance of the palace. A eunuch, who had been waiting outside, led them in. Luo Tan looked around curiously, her head pressed down by Shen Qiu to prevent her from bumping into the nobles in the palace. Luo Ling, on the other hand, looked very calm, although this was his first time in the palace. He behaved in a way befitting a future general.


    When it was time for the ceremony, most of the civil and military officials had arrived. The sound of drums, music, and cannons shot into the sky.


    The emperor and empress sat high in the main seat. Shen Miao looked up. Emperor Wen Hui was wearing a dragon robe, and his expression was dignified. He looked no different from two years ago. However, if one looked carefully, they would find that he was walking with the help of his personal eunuch. His footsteps were not as steady as before.


    Fu Xiuyi stood at the side with the princes. Being the youngest and most outstanding among the nine princes, he attracted the attention of many high-ranking officials and women present. Fu Xiuyi had finally reached the point where he could not even hide his brilliance. Probably the other princes would no longer dare to take him lightly.


    Shen Miao also looked at Fu Xiuyi, but her gaze landed on the green-robed man behind Fu Xiuyi. That person had a different aura and looked nothing like the other officials. He was Pei Lang.


    Pei Lang was standing not far behind Fu Xiuyi. On such an occasion, the fact that Fu Xiuyi was willing to bring Pei Liang along meant that he trusted him very much. As if sensing her gaze, Fu Xiuyi suddenly turned his head to look at her. Shen Miao¡¯s gaze lingered on him for a moment before turning around.

 Chapter 453 - 453 Prince Rui (3)

    453 Prince Rui (3)


    Sitting on the guest seat was a man and a woman. The two of them were very young. It was late autumn, and the weather was actually a little cold. Even the daughters of officials who were dressed gorgeously would put on cloaks to avoid catching a cold. This woman was wearing a thin golden dress with complicated patterns embroidered on it. Such an exquisite embroidery would probably take a year or so to complete. This woman¡¯s eyebrows were also exquisite, but her behavior was not respectful. When the official in charge of the banquet started to read the congratulatory speech, she glanced at everyone with disdain.


    This woman was Princess Ming An. Beside Princess Ming An was the Crown Prince of the State of Qin, Huangfu Hao. Huangfu Hao was better than Princess Ming An. At least, he was not as impertinent as Princess Ming An. He was still smiling as he listened to the speech, as if he sincerely wished Ming Qi prosperity. However, there was a danger hidden under that smile that made people feel a chill run down their spines.


    This was the first time Luo Tan had come to such an occasion and found it novel. She was also looking at the seats arranged for honored guests. She thought for a moment and tugged at the sleeve of an official¡¯s daughter beside her. When no one was looking, she asked in a low voice, ¡°Why are there only the crown prince and princess of the State of Qin? Where¡¯s Prince Rui?¡±


    The young lady was almost shocked by Luo Tan¡¯s tug. Although she was a little displeased, she still answered Luo Tan¡¯s question politely. ¡°Prince Rui is not feeling well and did not come today.¡±


    Luo Tan was enlightened. She looked at Shen Miao, who was standing beside her, and said, ¡°Prince Rui is really arrogant. He¡¯s deliberately embarrassing the emperor.¡±


    The people from the State of Qin and the Daliang Dynasty came to congratulate Ming Qi, but in the end, Prince Rui was absent at the ceremony. Wouldn¡¯t that be a slap to the face of the Ming Qi royal family in front of the world? However, the people of the Ming Qi royal family did not dare to flare up. Not only that, but they also had to treat him well. In this world, the strong had the say. Ming Qi did not dare to go against the Daliang Dynasty.


    The tribute ceremony took a full six hours from beginning to end. When it ended, it was almost evening. All the civil and military officials and their families could not leave. This was a long period of torture, and it was the same for the emperor. The higher the status, the more attention they received, and the less they could show signs of impatience and fatigue.


    Even a girl like Luo Tan, who was trained since she was young, felt tired. When she turned around, she saw Shen Miao standing upright with her hands folded in front of her, looking dignified. Luo Tan couldn¡¯t help but be slightly stunned. She asked quietly, ¡°Little cousin, aren¡¯t you tired?¡±


    Shen Miao said, ¡°I¡¯m not tired.¡±


    Luo Tan was amazed. The surrounding women were all slouching. It was rare to see someone standing as straight as Shen Miao. Luo Tan wanted to persuade Shen Miao to relax a bit, but for some reason, she couldn¡¯t bring herself to say it.


    Luo Tan had always known that Shen Miao¡¯s bearing was rare. It was just that she was not well-educated and could exactly find a word to describe it. Her intuition told her that Shen Miao was different from the other girls in Spring City. Even the empress on the throne was not as graceful as Shen Miao at this moment.


    Luo Tan was not the only one who noticed this. It seemed that some young masters of noble families were also gradually attracted by Shen Miao. Among the group of dispirited noble ladies, Shen Miao was really too eye-catching. Seeing this, Luo Ling frowned slightly and quietly turned around, hiding Shen Miao from the impudent gazes.

 Chapter 454 - 454 Prince Rui (4)

    454 Prince Rui (4)


    Seeing this, Luo Xueyan smiled in relief. Shen Miao was completely clueless. Luo Tan winked at Luo Ling. Luo Ling blushed and turned his head away as if nothing had happened.


    After the six-hour ceremony was completed, the banquet would begin. The banquet for the tribute would naturally have to be grand, filled with singing and dancing. They wanted to show the people of the State of Qin and the Daliang Dynasty how rich Ming Qi was.


    Shen Miao and Luo Tan had just taken a few steps into the hall when someone patted her shoulder from behind. Shen Miao turned around and saw a familiar face.


    ¡°Hey, I saw you earlier, but we were too far away, so I couldn¡¯t come over. Shen Miao, long time no see!¡± Feng Anning hugged Shen Miao passionately.


    Compared to two years ago, Feng Anning grew more beautiful, looking more like a girl. She had her hair combed into a bun and was wearing a pomegranate-red dress. She let go and looked at Shen Miao unhappily. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you surprised to see me?¡± Without waiting for Shen Miao to answer, she continued, ¡°Forget it, you¡¯ve always been like this. I forgive you. However,¡± She sized up Shen Miao from head to toe, ¡°I haven¡¯t seen you for two years. How did you become so good-looking? Is the soil in Spring City so nourishing? Why do you look like a different person from before?¡±


    Shen Miao was also instructed by Luo Xueyan to dress up well today. She was wearing a purple crescent dress with a phoenix tail. Her dress was embroidered with large lilacs, and her hair was combed into a bun. There was a jade begonia hairpin on it, and her earrings were made of small pearls. Her facial features were small and delicate, but her aura was oppressive. Standing there quietly, she exuded a natural dignified aura. Her eyes were as clear and dark as a newborn deer, making many young men turn around to look at her.


    Luo Tan had been standing beside Shen Miao and looking at Feng Anning curiously. Feng Anning finally noticed her and asked, ¡°Who is this?¡±


    ¡°My cousin, Luo Tan,¡± Shen Miao said. ¡°This is Feng Anning.¡±


    Luo Tan greeted Feng Anning. Feng Anning was outgoing, and Luo Tan was straightforward and lively. The two of them hit it off at first sight and began chatting noisily, making Shen Miao¡¯s ears hurt. When it was time to take seats, Feng Anning went to tell Mrs. Feng before taking a seat next to Shen Miao so that she could talk to her.


    Because Shen Xin had just returned to the capital, he did not have any particularly good friends, so he casually found a seat. However, now that he was ¡°invited¡± back by Emperor Wen Hui, his surrounding colleagues naturally did not dare to slight him and spoke respectfully.


    Feng Anning whispered into Shen Miao¡¯s ear, ¡°Tsk, these fence-sitters. When General Shen set off, none of them went to see him off. Why are they being so enthusiastic now? A bunch of hypocrites.¡±


    Shen Miao smiled and did not comment. Feng Anning continued, ¡°Look, your sister is here too.¡±


    Shen Miao was stunned. She looked up at the place Feng Anning was pointing at and met her gaze.


    After two years, she finally saw Shen Yue again.


    After Shen Yuan was beheaded, the court officials treated Shen Gui like a plague and could not wait to stay away from him. Shen Gui was not very capable and was getting worse by the day. He wasn¡¯t invited to attend such an occasion. However, Shen Wan¡¯s family came.


    Shen Wan¡¯s official career was probably smooth sailing now. At this moment, he was clinking his glass with someone with a smile. Chen Ruoqiu sat beside him and was speaking to a noble lady with a smile on her face, looking just as two years ago. However¡­ she was no longer as radiant as before. It seemed that Old Madam Shen had been putting pressure on the third branch to have more children since the second branch had no children.

 Chapter 455 - 455 Prince Rui (5)

    455 Prince Rui (5)


    The person looking at Shen Miao was Shen Yue. Shen Yue sat with Yi Peilan, Bai Wei, and Jiang Xiaoxuan, staring at her. From afar, Shen Miao could feel the hatred in Shen Yue¡¯s eyes.


    Shen Yue was wearing a smoky-pink pleated dress and a corolla. She was now 18 years old. Born with a gentle temperament, she was considered good-looking. However, Shen Miao¡¯s gaze landed on the bracelet on her wrist and then glanced at the agate silver hairpin on her head. The corners of her lips curled up.


    With how much Shen Yue liked to be in the limelight and show off, the fact that she still used jewelry from two years ago meant that the third branch wasn¡¯t doing well now. Old Madam Shen was spendthrift, and after splitting up, she did not have Shen Xin¡¯s support. Chen Ruoqiu must be having a hard time managing the mansion. In addition, Shen Wan still needed money to socialize, so the money that Shen Yue could use was probably much less.


    With Shen Yue¡¯s background and appearance, it was not difficult for her to marry a young master from an official family of equal social status. This way, she could more or less help Shen Wan. However, Shen Yue remained single. In her previous life, Shen Miao did not understand why. However, later on, she realized that Shen Yue was ambitious and wanted to marry Fu Xiuyi.


    Shen Yue stared straight at Shen Miao, her heart filled with endless jealousy. She could clearly see that the clothes Shen Miao was wearing were made of materials that only the palace had. Previously, Shen Wan was lucky enough to get one. She originally wanted to keep it to make clothes, but she did not expect that Shen Wan would give it away to please his superior. Over the past two years, Shen Wan was climbing the official ladder higher and higher, but Shen Yue was getting less and less pocket money. Shen Yue blamed Shen Xin for taking most of the money and making her so poor. She thought that after going to a desolate place like Spring City, Shen Miao would never have a chance to come back. Unexpectedly, not only did Shen Miao come back, but she also came back so gloriously. Those young masters kept looking at Shen Miao. Shen Yue was indignant and jealous, wishing that Shen Miao was dead.


    Shen Miao smiled faintly and turned to talk with Luo Tan and Feng Anning, ignoring Shen Yue.


    At this moment, the emperor and empress began to take seats. The crowd gradually quieted down. Emperor Wen Hui smiled and instructed everyone to enjoy themselves.


    Immediately after that, Crown Prince of the State of Qin, Huangfu Hao, and Princess Mingan sat down. Princess Mingan ignored the palace rules and etiquette. She did not even greet Emperor Wen Hui. Emperor Wen Hui¡¯s smile was a little stiff, but Huangfu Hao acted very respectfully.


    Luo Tan looked around. Seeing this, Feng Anning asked, ¡°What are you looking at?¡±


    ¡°I wonder why Prince Rui isn¡¯t here yet.¡± Luo Tan said, ¡°Isn¡¯t it said that everyone in the royal family of the Daliang Dynasty is extremely handsome? I can¡¯t wait to see him.¡±


    When Feng Anning heard that, she said, ¡°Forget it. Ever since Prince Rui came to the capital, other than His Majesty, no one has seen him. Besides, even if he shows up today, you won¡¯t be able to see his handsome face.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± Luo Tan was puzzled. ¡°Is he very ugly?¡±


    Before she could finish her sentence, she heard a eunuch shout from outside, ¡°The Daliang Dynasty¡ªPrince Rui is here¡ª¡±


    Everyone looked at the door.


    A slender figure walked over from outside, followed by the guards. He was extremely tall and straight, wearing a purple robe with golden threads. As he walked, his purple and golden robe fluttered with a hint of magnificence. There was a rhinoceros horn belt on his waist, a white jade pendant on his neck, and deer boots on his feet. However, his outfit was not the most eye-catching.

 Chapter 456 - 456 Prince Rui (6)

    456 Prince Rui (6)


    What was most eye-catching was that half of his face was covered by a silver mask.


    The mask started from his forehead and stopped at the tip of his nose. However, because it fit his facial features perfectly, it revealed extremely smooth lines. One could see that his nose was high and his eyes seemed to be straight out of a painting. With a casual glance, he could infatuate all the women present. The jaw that was revealed was beautifully curved, and his lips were thin and red.


    Everyone was silent.


    They stared at that face without blinking. The silver mask was emitting a cold light, making people feel a chill run down their spines. His eyes were dark and bright, as if they were filled with a playful smile.


    He was a young man who was as dazzling as the sun.


    He sat down in the seat arranged for the honored guests, his every move elegant and noble.


    Emperor Wen Hui laughed and looked at Prince Rui. ¡°Prince Rui, aren¡¯t you feeling unwell today? Why did you come to the banquet? You surprised us.¡±


    Prince Rui nodded at Emperor Wen Hui and said casually and lazily, ¡°I¡¯m suddenly in the mood to attend the banquet, so I came.¡±


    His voice was very pleasant to the ear, low and magnetic, making all the young girls present blush slightly. However, his words were extremely rude and impudent. The tribute banquet in Ming Qi was a big deal, but in Prince Rui¡¯s mouth, it was like a banquet for ordinary people where he could come and go as he wished.


    The officials of Ming Qi were angry but did not dare to say anything. If Emperor Wen Hui did not dare to say anything, what could they say? While being impudent, he also gave off an oppressive pressure that made people not dare to challenge him.


    Emperor Wen Hui did not pursue the matter and let the officials continue to eat and drink. Clearly, he planned to let this matter rest.


    While eating the pastries, Luo Tan whispered to Shen Miao, ¡°Prince Rui is really bold. He actually dares to speak to the emperor like that. Isn¡¯t he afraid that the emperor will punish him?¡±


    ¡°What punishment?¡± When Feng Anning heard that, she said, ¡°He is Prince Rui of the Daliang Dynasty and an honored guest of Ming Qi.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve never heard of this Prince Rui before.¡± Luo Tan held her chin and said, ¡°He looks like a handsome man. I really want to see what he looks like under the mask.¡± Luo Tan liked handsome men the most. When she saw this Prince Rui, her eyes were almost glued to him.


    ¡°Maybe there¡¯s an ugly monster under the mask.¡± Feng Anning poured cold water on her. ¡°Otherwise, why would he wear a mask?¡±


    ¡°I bet he¡¯s a rare handsome man in the world.¡± Luo Tan nudged Shen Miao. ¡°Cousin Miao, what kind of person do you think Prince Rui is?¡±


    Shen Miao did not even look up. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±


    ¡°Tell me.¡± Luo Tan did not give up. ¡°Do you think Prince Rui is more beautiful than the Young Marquis of the Xie family?¡±


    Shen Miao did not expect Luo Tan to use the word ¡°beautiful¡± to describe Xie Jingxing. She was drinking tea and choked on it. She suddenly coughed, scaring Luo Tan and Feng Anning so much that they quickly covered Shen Miao¡¯s mouth to prevent her from spitting on others.


    Shen Miao wiped the corners of her mouth and looked up to see a pair of eyes staring at her.


    The masked man lingered his gaze on her for a moment before moving away.


    His gaze was very playful.

 Chapter 457 - 457 Forced to Compete (1)

    457 Forced to Compete (1)


    The banquet was naturally filled with wine. Everyone drank and chatted. In the high seats, when Emperor Wen Hui was talking to the Crown Prince of the State of Qin, there was some fear in his eyes. The smart ones could naturally tell what was going on.


    Among the State of Qin, the Daliang Dynasty, and Ming Qi, Ming Qi was the weakest, followed by the State of Qin, and the Daliang Dynasty was the strongest. Emperor Yong Le was known for being merciless, which made both the State of Qin and Ming Qi afraid, so they were very respectful to this Prince Rui. As for Huangfu Hao, when he spoke to Prince Rui, he was also trying to sound him out.


    Most of the women¡¯s eyes were glued to Prince Rui. Every move he made was pleasing to the eye. In fact, there were many men in Ming Qi who were outstanding, such as Fu Xiuyi. However, in front of Prince Rui, they lacked the natural elegance and nobility.


    Luo Ling was also sitting close to Shen Miao. Seeing that Shen Miao was not eating, he handed a piece of snowflake cake to Shen Miao and said gently, ¡°Cousin, eat something too. Otherwise, you won¡¯t have the strength to go back.¡±


    Shen Qiu wanted to give Shen Miao a piece, but Luo Ling had already beaten him to it. He did not know where to put the snowflake cake in his chopsticks. His bowl was already full. Moreover, why would a man eat snowflake cake? After thinking for a moment, he placed it on Feng Anning¡¯s plate, who was closest to Shen Miao.


    Feng Anning was flattered and took it. After thanking him, she did not eat it and just looked at the snowflake cake in a daze.


    At this moment, Huangfu Hao suddenly said, ¡°I heard that the mighty general, General Shen, returned to the capital a few days ago. I¡¯ve always heard of his name. I wonder if I have the honor to see him today?¡±


    As soon as he said that, the noisy banquet fell silent again.


    The Crown Prince of the State of Qin wanted to see Shen Xin? What did he mean?


    Shen Xin and Huangfu Hao had nothing to do with each other. One of them was the general who had just been summoned back to the capital by Emperor Wen Hui, and the other was the crown prince of the State of Qin. Their identities were very sensitive. Everyone couldn¡¯t help but look at Emperor Wen Hui¡¯s expression.


    Emperor Wen Hui¡¯s expression was very calm, as if Huangfu Hao was just making a very small request. He looked at Shen Xin and said, ¡°General Shen.¡±


    Shen Xin quickly stood up and bowed to Huangfu Hao. ¡°Greetings, Your Highness.¡±


    Huangfu Hao smiled and said, ¡°I¡¯ve long heard that General Shen is brave and invincible. You can even rebuild the scattered soldiers at the border into a powerful army. When you returned to the capital that day, the people cheered for you. Sigh.¡± He sighed and said, ¡°How I wish my country had such a talent like you.¡±


    Emperor Wen Hui¡¯s eyes narrowed, and the expressions of the officials at the banquet changed. They looked at Shen Xin with complicated gazes.


    On the surface, Huangfu Hao was praising Shen Xin for being talented, but in fact, he was pointing out how dangerous Shen Xin was. The tallest tree would be destroyed by the wind was a never-changing axiom. The fact that the people cheered for a general who had been forced out of the capital by the emperor meant that they stood with Shen Xin. No royal family would tolerate officials who were more respected than them.


    As for the last sentence, it really pushed Shen Xin to the center of attention. Huangfu Hao wanted to poach Shen Xin in front of Emperor Wen Hui. The officials present were all looking at Shen Xin as if they were judging a traitor.

 Chapter 458 - 458 Forced to Compete (2)

    458 Forced to Compete (2)


    Shen Miao¡¯s eyes darkened as she stared coldly at Huangfu Hao.


    Huangfu Hao took a strange delight in making things difficult for people the most, as if everyone in the royal family of the State of Qin had a vicious nature. Shen Xin was not at odds with the State of Qin and didn¡¯t offend Huangfu hao, but Huangfu Hao still refused to let him off. This might be a destined grudge.


    Before Emperor Wen Hui could speak, he heard a chuckle. Everyone looked over. Prince Rui put down the wine cup in his hand and looked at Huangfu Hao.


    His voice was low and pleasant to the ear, carrying a hint of drunkenness, but his words were not polite.


    He said, ¡°Brother Huangfu, since you like General Shen so much, you can ask the emperor to give him to you. The emperor is generous and will definitely agree.¡±


    When everyone heard these words, they felt like Prince Rui was suggesting something.


    Why would Huangfu Hao really want Shen Xin? He was only trying to push Shen Xin into trouble to see him struggling. If Emperor Wen Hui really gave Shen Xin to him, the State of Qin would have no choice but to provide for Shen Xin. However, who knew if Shen Xin was a spy of Emperor Wen Hui? The State of Qin and Ming Qi were still testing each other. Who would keep a person they did not trust by their side all day long?


    Emperor Wen Hui also thought of this. He smiled and said, ¡°The world cherishes talent. If Crown Prince Huangfu insists on wanting General Shen, I can only fulfill your wish.¡±


    This time, Huangfu Hao was placed in an awkward situation. Instead of pushing Shen Xin into trouble, he was the one who ended up in a disadvantageous situation. It was impossible for him to take Shen Xin back to the State of Qin, but if he went back on his words, he would appear to be dishonest. All of this was because of what Prince Rui said. Huangfu Hao glared at the masked man.


    Princess Ming An was on the same side as Huangfu Hao. Seeing that Huangfu Hao was in a difficult situation, she naturally wanted to help him out. However, firstly, she did not want to become enemies with Prince Rui whom she had taken a liking to, and secondly, she could not afford to offend the Daliang Dynasty. She took it all out on the Shen family and suddenly smiled at Shen Xin.


    Her voice was soft and sweet, but at this moment, it sounded sarcastic. She said, ¡°My country is too small to accommodate such a mighty general like General Shen. How about we take Miss Shen back instead. I heard that Miss Shen is the apple of General Shen¡¯s eye and a beauty. I wonder if the State of Qin will have the honor to have her.¡±


    Luo Tan and Feng Anning immediately grabbed Shen Miao¡¯s hand, their gazes vigilant. Luo Ling and Shen Qing¡¯s expressions changed slightly, and Shen Qiu and Luo Xueyan¡¯s faces darkened. Shen Xin suddenly looked at Princess Ming An.


    Shen Miao lowered her head and looked at the teacup in front of her, as if she did not hear Princess Ming An. She only watched as the tea leaves in the teacup floated and slowly sank to the bottom.


    A general of a country could not leave easily, but his daughter could. If Emperor Wen Hui wanted to build a good relationship with the State of Qin, it was common for him to marry a princess or a daughter of an official to the State of Qin. However, no one was willing to marry to a foreign country, because that meant they would have no one to rely on.


    Shen Xin smiled and said, ¡°My daughter is mischievous and doesn¡¯t deserve such good treatment.¡± His words clearly intended as rejection.


    Emperor Wen Hui had a pensive look on his face, but he did not intend to help Shen Miao out. Shen Xin was always straightforward, and when it came to Shen Miao, his attitude was extremely unyielding.

 Chapter 459 - 459 Forced to Compete (3)

    459 Forced to Compete (3)


    When Shen Yue saw this, a trace of schadenfreude flashed across her eyes. She really wanted Shen Miao to be sent to the State of Qin. It would be best if Shen Miao could marry an old man and be tortured to death in a foreign country.


    Princess Ming An did not expect Shen Xin to reject her so bluntly. A trace of displeasure immediately appeared on her face.


    She said, ¡°How can you put it that way? Everyone knows that Miss Shen is talented and virtuous. Why? Miss Shen, are you looking down on me and unwilling to greet me?¡±


    With the accusation of being rude thrown at her, Shen Miao couldn¡¯t avoid it anymore even if she wanted to. She stood up and bowed to Princess Ming An. ¡°Greetings, Your Highness.¡±


    As she stood up, everyone in the hall fixed their gazes at Shen Miao.


    Two years was enough to change too many things, including the impression of Shen Miao being a fool in people¡¯s minds. Because she had been away for too long, she was gradually forgotten. Looking at the girl in front of them, everyone felt that she was like a different person from the person in their memory. The light purple dress made her skin look translucent. After staying in a place like Spring City for two years, the sand and wind did not roughen her up at all. Instead, she gave off a noble aura that was even more obvious. Her facial features were as delicate as a painting, making people want to linger their eyes on her. Her every move was dignified, gentle, and graceful.


    Even the empress beside the emperor did not seem to have such an unique aura.


    Princess Ming An frowned. She did not expect Shen Miao to be so good-looking and elegant. She had long heard that Shen Miao was an idiot, so she wanted to use Shen Miao to embarrass the Shen family, but she ended up shooting herself in the foot.


    However, the reason why Princess Ming An could afford to always be arrogant was because she was Princess Ming An. She immediately raised her eyebrows and sized up Shen Miao like she was an item. She said, ¡°Miss Shen is indeed an outstanding beauty. No wonder General Shen wants to hide you like you are a treasure. I wonder which family will be lucky enough to marry you in the future.¡±


    Shen Xin glared at Prince Ming An. Although he had to consider her identity, he could not tolerate his daughter being spoken to like this in public. Just as he was about to speak, Princess Ming An changed the topic. ¡°Miss Shen, I think you¡¯re also talented, right?¡±


    As soon as she said that, everyone in the hall looked excited. Yi Peilan and the others covered their mouths to fight back the urge to laugh.


    Everyone knew very well what talent Shen Miao had. In the past two years, she had stayed in Spring City, a place in the middle of nowhere. What talents could she learn over there?


    Shen Miao lowered her eyes slightly. ¡°Princess, you flatter me. I¡¯m not as talented as you.¡±


    ¡°Miss Shen, there¡¯s no need to be humble.¡± Princess Ming An smiled innocently. ¡°Speaking of which, when I was in the State of Qin, I heard that a few years ago, Miss Shen competed with someone and got first place in archery. When I heard that, I was extremely curious. Now that I see Miss Shen again, I remember this old story.¡±


    Shen Miao lowered her head and did not speak. Luo Xueyan and Shen Qiu were anxious. They could tell that Princess Ming An was deliberately picking a fight with Shen Miao.


    With Princess Ming An mentioning it, everyone in the hall recalled the competition between Shen Miao and Cai Lin in the archery test. Shen Miao was able to render Cai Lin speechless and convinced with three arrows. It was also from that time onward that people started to see Shen Miao through different lenses.

 Chapter 460 - 460 Forced to Compete (4)

    460 Forced to Compete (4)


    At the banquet, Lord Cai and Cai Lin happened to be there too. Cai Lin was immediately embarrassed. Cai Lin was two years older than Shen Miao, and he was much more mature than before. As time passed, he had long forgotten about his grudge with Shen Miao. He did not expect this matter to be brought up again in front of so many people.


    Cai Lin was not the only one who called the past. In the corner of the banquet, the Marquis of Lin¡¯an, Xie Ding, and his two sons were seated there. The current Marquis of Lin¡¯an was old and no longer as high-spirited as before. Even on such an occasion, he only wanted to hide in an inconspicuous corner. Unexpectedly, when people mentioned the test, he remembered that Xie Jingxing was also there that time. He even went on stage and challenged Xie Changwu and Xie Changchao. At that time, after returning to the mansion, he scolded Xie Jingxing angrily, but inside, he was proud of him.


    At the thought of the past, his heart ached even more. Xie Ding looked dejected. Xie Changwu and Xie Changchao saw it. A trace of gloom flashed across their eyes.


    Princess Ming An continued, ¡°Why don¡¯t we compete in archery to make this occasion more lively? Just take it as an unharmful game.¡±


    Emperor Wen Hui was the first to find it amusing and laugh. He said, ¡°Miss Shen is a delicate girl. How can she know something like archery?¡±


    ¡°Your Majesty, you probably are not aware of Miss Shen¡¯s talent.¡± Princess Ming An smiled and said, ¡°Back then, even people from the State of Qin were amazed by Miss Shen¡¯s brilliance. Like father, like daughter, General Shen is a hero, so Miss Shen must be a heroine. Moreover, Miss Shen is a delicate girl. Am I not a delicate girl too? Or does Your Majesty think that the State of Qin is not worthy of being compared to Ming Qi?¡±


    Princess Ming An looked beautiful, but her words were very vicious. If Shen Miao refused to compete, it would send a message to everyone present that Ming Qi looked down upon the State of Qin. At this moment, how could Emperor Wen Hui let the State of Qin fall out with Ming Qi? He immediately looked at Shen Miao and said gently, ¡°Miss Shen, what do you think?¡±


    Shen Xin clenched his fists. He wanted to reject this rude request on Shen Miao¡¯s behalf, but even if he rejected it, it would only give Princess Ming An a more legitimate excuse to kick up a bigger fuss.


    On the other hand, Shen Miao glanced at Princess Ming An and lowered her head. ¡°I don¡¯t dare to disobey Your Highness.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t dare to disobey¡± implied that Shen Miao was unwilling, as if Princess Ming An was forcing her.


    Princess Ming An also understood what Shen Miao meant. Her expression darkened, and then she thought of something and giggled. She said, ¡°I heard that during the test, Miss Shen and that opponent betted their lives. Today, we¡¯ll bet our lives on it too, okay?¡±


    ¡°No!¡± Shen Xin refused without waiting for Shen Miao to answer. His face was cold, and he did not care about Emperor Wen Hui¡¯s expression at all. He looked at Princess Ming An and said word by word, ¡°Since Your Highness said it¡¯s a game, just treat it as a game. Why do you have to bet your life on it? Moreover, the banquet is a joyous occasion. It¡¯s better not to see blood.¡±


    When Luo Xueyan saw Shen Xin speak, she couldn¡¯t help but tighten her grip on the teacup in front of her. Back then, they didn¡¯t know that Shen Miao was betting her life with Cai Lin during the test. Later, when they returned to the capital and found out, their hearts skipped a beat. If they were present, they definitely wouldn¡¯t let Shen Miao bet her life. Now that Princess Ming An was clearly up to no good, why would they let Shen Miao take the risk?


    Unexpectedly, as soon as Shen Xin said that, Huangfu Hao spoke. He smiled and said, ¡°Although that¡¯s the case, taking the game seriously will show how serious the State of Qin is towards Ming Qi. General Shen, are you afraid? Or is Ming Qi a bunch of cowards?¡± His words were sarcastic as he looked at Emperor Wen Hui. ¡°If Ming Qi is afraid of losing, it¡¯s fine. We¡¯ll pretend nothing happened.¡±

 Chapter 461 - 461 Forced to Compete (5)

    461 Forced to Compete (5)


    If Emperor Wen Hui continued to remain silent and let the people from the State of Qin openly humiliate Ming Qi, how could he maintain his prestige in the future? He immediately said to Shen Miao without looking at Shen Xin, ¡°Since Princess Ming An is in mood to play a game, Shen Miao, play with her for a while.¡±


    As soon as the emperor said that, no matter how hard Shen Xin objected, it was useless. Shen Qiu clenched his fists, and Luo Tan and Feng Anning looked at each other uneasily.


    Shen Miao said in a low voice, ¡°Yes.¡±


    She did not panic, which stunned everyone. Princess Ming An turned to look at Shen Miao and met her gaze.


    Shen Miao¡¯s eyes were extremely clear, as innocent as a child¡¯s. Originally, with such a pair of eyes, one could probably tell at a glance what was on her mind. However, when she looked at Princess Ming An, her gaze was like a pool of water that had been stagnating for a thousand years.


    It was unfathomable.


    Princess Ming An became frustrated for no reason. She smiled and asked her maid to get the bow and arrow. She stared at Shen Miao with a smile and said, ¡°In the State of Qin, we play this way. One of us will hold a bow and arrow and be blindfolded, while another one will place the fruit on her body for the other party to shoot.¡± She fixed her gaze at Shen Miao and said, ¡°Miss Shen, do you understand?¡±


    The surrounding people gasped. The last time at the test, Shen Miao and Cai Lin each had apples on their heads, but their eyes were still open. If they shot arrows blindfolded, wouldn¡¯t their lives be at risk? Just hearing it made them break out in cold sweat. Shen Xin and Luo Xueyan were already furious.


    Shen Miao smiled, as if she was not frightened by Princess Ming An¡¯s words at all. She only said, ¡°Thank you for your explanation, Princess.¡±


    The composure she displayed made more than half of the famous people present think highly of her. Huangfu Hao stared at her with a strange glint in his eyes.


    Luo Tan tugged at the corner of Shen Miao¡¯s shirt. ¡°Cousin Miao, how about I do it for you? I¡¯ve practiced martial arts and know at least one or two things about archery.¡±


    Shen Miao shook her head and looked at Shen Xin and Luo Xueyan, who were about to stop her. She said in a low voice, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Since she said that, she¡¯s confident that she won¡¯t miss the mark and shoot me. If she does, they¡¯ll be in a lot of trouble. Huangfu Hao and Ming An are both smart people and won¡¯t do anything stupid. She¡¯s just trying to scare me and make a fool of me.¡±


    ¡°But Sister.¡± Shen Qiu held her shoulder worriedly. ¡°No matter if she¡¯ll shoot you or not, how can we let you go alone?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not afraid,¡± Shen Miao replied gently. ¡°Besides, if she hurts me, I¡¯ll have a chance to make her pay for it. How can I let her off easy?¡± When she said this, the corners of her lips curled up slightly. It was clearly a smile, but it made people feel a chill run down their spines.


    Luo Ling patted Shen Miao¡¯s shoulder and said softly, ¡°Be careful.¡±


    Shen Miao nodded and walked straight into the main hall.


    She and Princess Ming An were actually walking into the main hall together. When the two of them walked side by side, it gave people a strange feeling. Princess Ming An was really born and raised in the royal family. She was beautiful and supposed to look noble. However, when she walked beside Shen Miao, she looked like a maid. Shen Miao had her hands placed in front of her and was standing straight. As she walked, she didn¡¯t look around, and her dignified and graceful aura overshadowed Princess Ming An.


    Boos and hisses gradually sounded in the hall.


    Huangfu Hao¡¯s expression also gradually turned ugly.

 Chapter 462 - 462 Forced to Compete (6)

    462 Forced to Compete (6)


    Shen Miao was only the daughter of a general. However, on the other hand, Princess Ming An was brought up in the palace since she was young, so why was she not as graceful as Shen Miao? People were puzzled.


    They naturally did not know that Shen Miao had been the empress for many years. She was extremely demanding of herself to be suitable for Fu Xiuyi, and the hardship she experienced in the State of Qin enabled her to remain indifferent whether granted favors or subjected to humiliation. In her previous life, if not for the fact that Consort Mei set her up, she could actually be a very good empress to the people.


    Princess Ming An did not notice the change of expressions on everyone¡¯s face. She only looked at Shen Miao with the shiny black bow in her hand. This bow was probably made of top-grade wood and had been soaked in special herbs, making it look extremely hard and cumbersome. Princess Ming An said to Shen Miao, ¡°This is my bow. Let¡¯s each shoot an arrow, okay? I¡¯ll shoot you first, then it will be your turn.¡±


    Without being asked to, she took the initiative to request shooting first. The people on Ming Qi¡¯s side looked indignant again. Princess Ming An was obviously bullying Shen Miao.


    However, Shen Miao only nodded indifferently, her expression unchanged.


    The more she appeared indifferent, the more flustered Princess Ming An was. She glanced at Prince Rui and her eyes suddenly lit up. She said sweetly, ¡°Why don¡¯t we let Prince Rui be the judge and check if there is anything wrong with the arrow and bow?¡± After saying that, she looked at Prince Rui affectionately.


    The girls in Ming Qi all cursed Princess Ming An in their hearts for being shameless. She was obviously taking the opportunity to get close to Prince Rui. However, Prince Rui probably wouldn¡¯t agree to Princess Ming An¡¯s request.


    Unexpectedly, when Prince Rui heard this, he thought for a moment and nodded. ¡°Sure.¡±


    This was beyond everyone¡¯s expectations. Even Emperor Wen Hui and Huangfu Hao looked at Prince Rui. Prince Rui stood up lazily. His legs were long, and he walked to the center of the hall in two steps and stood beside Shen Miao and Princess Ming An.


    Princess Ming An was overjoyed. She reached out and placed the bow in Prince Rui¡¯s hand with a smile. ¡°Then I¡¯ll ask Prince Rui to check this bow first. Is there anything wrong?¡±


    In the princes¡¯ section, Prince Zhou sneered and said in a low voice, ¡°This Princess of the State of Qin is really wild. She¡¯s openly flirting with Prince Rui in front of so many people.¡± His tone was filled with disdain.


    ¡°I¡¯m more surprised by this Miss Shen.¡± Prince Jing looked at Shen Miao, who was standing beside Princess Ming An. ¡°She¡¯s so calm. Even if she¡¯s pretending, she¡¯s still brave.¡±


    ¡°Speaking of which.¡± Prince Zhou rubbed his chin. ¡°This Miss Shen is getting more and more interesting.¡± He looked at Fu Xiuyi, who was silent. ¡°Ninth Brother, do you regret it?¡±


    Fu Xiuyi said indifferently, ¡°Fourth Brother, you must be joking.¡±


    Behind Fu Xiuyi, the man in green stood quietly. His gaze passed everyone and landed on the girl in purple. Pei Lang looked very calm, as if he was looking at a stranger he had just met for the first time. However, his hands were clenched into fists and were trembling.


    In the past two years, this girl had become more and more charming. Just as she said, she was ¡°invited¡± back by the royal family. As soon as she returned to the capital, trouble came knocking on her door one after another. Shen Miao did not do anything, but people wouldn¡¯t stop giving her a hard time.

 Chapter 463 - 463 Forced to Compete (7)

    463 Forced to Compete (7)


    However, Pei Lang knew that Shen Miao would not put herself in a risky situation because she had a heart that was more cold-blooded than everyone else.


    Prince Rui quickly returned the bow to Princess Ming An. Princess Ming An took it shyly and said to Shen Miao, ¡°Miss Shen, please stand over there. And¡­¡± She picked up an apple from the maid¡¯s tray and handed it to Shen Miao with a smile.¡± Miss Shen, put this on your head. ¡±


    Shen Qiu clenched his fists nervously.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Shen Miao said with lowered eyes. She took the apple and walked to the other side.


    Everyone watched her. Princess Ming An had already asked someone to tie black cloth around her eyes, and Prince Rui walked to Shen Miao¡¯s side.


    Under everyone¡¯s gaze, he snatched the apple from Shen Miao¡¯s hand. Shen Miao was stunned. Prince Rui held the apple and gently placed it on her head.


    Shen Miao looked up at him.


    Because there was something on her head, Shen Miao was afraid that if she lifted her head too much, the apple would fall, so she could only roll her eyes upward at him without moving. The young man was extremely tall. Even if Shen Miao had grown a few centimeters in the past two years, she could only reach his chest.


    The silver mask revealed this man¡¯s good-looking chin and red lips. The corners of his lips were slightly curled, making people wonder if he had the same smile under the mask. His black eyes were like the stars, like autumn water. When he looked over, he seemed to be gentle, but also seemed to be teasing.


    Teasing?


    He placed the apple on the top of Shen Miao¡¯s head and stroked Shen Miao¡¯s hair with one finger, as if he was stroking a small beast in captivity. However, in just a moment, he retracted his finger. Because his body was turned to the side, from the angle of others, they would only see Prince Rui placing the apple for Shen Miao.


    He turned around and walked to the side, crossing his arms as if he was watching a show.


    Shen Miao¡¯s attention was attracted by Princess Ming An, who was slowly drawing her bow.


    The bow seemed to be very heavy, and Princess Ming An was having a hard time pulling it. The harder she pulled, the heavier everyone¡¯s hearts were, especially Shen Xin and his family.


    The more fully the bow was drawn, the more powerful the arrow would be. The more powerful the arrow was, the more dangerous Shen Miao would be. This game was no longer as unharmful as Princess Ming An claimed. It concerned the dignity of a country. If Shen Miao revealed a look of fear and begged, Ming Qi would be greatly humiliated. Everyone actually thought for certain that Princess Ming An would eventually win. They just hoped that Shen Miao would not make a fool of herself too much.


    Shen Miao looked quietly at Princess Ming An, whose eyes were wrapped in black cloth. It was unknown if Princess Ming An was deliberately torturing Shen Miao, but she drew the bow more and more slowly. The soft sound of the bow being drawn cut everyone¡¯s hearts.


    Shen Miao was in a trance, feeling as if she wasn¡¯t in a banquet at home but the State of Qin far far away. The princes and princesses of the State of Qin surrounded her as if she was a clown. She was wearing clothes that had been mended countless times and had a fruit on her head.


    The person opposite her was arrogant and domineering. She was dressed gorgeously and exquisitely, and her eyes were tied with white cloth. She said to the men and women around her, ¡°Look! Today, I¡¯ll use the empress of Ming Qi as a target. Later, all of you, look carefully and see if this empress will pee her pants in fear. Hahaha, you have to look carefully and tell me!¡±


    She pulled the bow arrogantly, and the arrow shot over with a whoosh, missing a little. Shen Miao screamed in panic and held her head in her arms, but the mocking laughter from all directions became louder.


    What a humiliating memory, but it coincided with the one in front of her.


    Shen Miao slowly curled her lips, but no one knew if it was because of sadness or hatred. There seemed to be a layer of black fog slowly spreading to the bottom of her clear eyes, making them look unfathomable.


    Prince Rui, who was at the side, clenched his fingers. He paused for a moment before quietly letting go.


    She tilted her head slightly, almost unnoticeable.

 Chapter 464 - 464 Scared You to Death (1)

    464 Scared You to Death (1)


    Everyone present held their breaths and focused as the arrow shot at Shen Miao. Some timid women even covered their eyes, not daring to look at this scene. The officials knew very well that no matter how arrogant and vicious the princess of the State of Qin was, she would not shoot the general¡¯s daughter to death in front of so many people.


    However, knowing it in their hearts was one thing, but what they saw was another. If even the bystanders felt their hearts racing, how would Shen Miao be feeling at this very moment?


    Shen Miao did not even close her eyes. Instead, she stared at the arrow that was flying at her intently, as if she wanted to catch it. In everyone¡¯s eyes, she looked calm and composed.


    The arrow whizzed past Shen Miao¡¯s head and missed the apple.


    Shen Qiu heaved a sigh of relief. Shen Xin and Luo Xueyan opened their tightly clenched hands slightly. Feng Anning and Luo Tan patted their chests. Luo Ling picked up the teacup in front of him and took a sip to hide his worried expression.


    The entire hall was silent. Huangfu Hao originally had a smile on his face, but gradually, it was replaced by a frown.


    Princess Ming An waited for a while, but she did not hear any cheers for her or mockery for Shen Miao from the hall. She had a bad feeling. She tore off the black cloth that covered her eyes and saw that the apple above Shen Miao¡¯s head was still intact. As for the purple-clothed girl, she did not panic at all. She just looked at her indifferently and said, ¡°Your Highness, I think my hand slipped just now, so the arrow missed the apple.¡±


    Shen Miao said it in a casual tone, but it was filled with obvious mockery.


    After being stunned for a moment, Princess Ming An came back to her senses. She looked at Shen Miao and said angrily, ¡°You must have moved just now. You moved! I¡¯ve never missed my mark. If you didn¡¯t move, how could I miss?¡±


    No one expected Princess Ming An to suddenly become unreasonable. Even Emperor Wen Hui looked unhappy and said, ¡°Princess, are you saying that hundreds of people at the banquet are lying to you for Miss Shen?¡±


    Shen Miao stood straight. From the beginning to the end, she did not even flinch. Although no one knew if she was pretending or not, if she wasn¡¯t, her courage was enough to amaze the people in the world. No matter how afraid Emperor Wen Hui was of the Shen family, the Shen family was still Ming Qi¡¯s people. How could he, the emperor of Ming Qi, let a princess of the State of Qin slander Shen Miao in front of him? If he allowed Princess Ming An to fool around today, tomorrow, the prestige of the emperor among the officials would plummet.


    Princess Ming An felt aggrieved and looked at Huangfu Hao. When Huangfu Hao looked at her with a dark expression, Princess Ming An shuddered. She did not dare to look at Huangfu Hao anymore and turned to look at Prince Rui, who was standing at the side. She said sweetly, ¡°Prince Rui, did Miss Shen move?¡± As she said this, Princess Ming An stared at Prince Rui flirtatiously, making everyone present feel awkward.


    Prince Rui smiled and said, ¡°No.¡±


    Princess Ming An was stunned. ¡°Prince Rui, are you saying that Shen Miao didn¡¯t move?¡±


    ¡°Are you questioning my eyes?¡± Prince Rui asked. He looked handsome and charming, but when his voice turned cold, it made people feel a chill and not dare to look at him directly.


    Princess Ming An was taken aback. She saw Shen Miao standing opposite her and looking at her with a smile. ¡°Your Highness, do you admit defeat? Or¡­ are you a sore loser?¡±

 Chapter 465 - 465 Scared You to Death (2)

    465 Scared You to Death (2)


    ¡°How dare you!¡± Princess Ming An screamed. She suddenly saw angry gazes directed at her from all directions and suddenly understood that she was in Ming Qi¡¯s territory. Screaming at Shen Miao had already angered everyone. She looked at Shen Miao and suddenly sneered. ¡°I can afford to lose, but¡­ don¡¯t be smug too early. Let¡¯s see if you can hit the mark.¡±


    Princess Ming An was angry. Her archery had already reached the point of perfection. This bow was the bow she had used since she was young. She had been shooting blindfolded for many years in the State of Qin and had never made a mistake. How could she miss at the critical moment? However, she couldn¡¯t question Shen Miao in front of everyone.


    She was the one who proposed the competition with arrogance, but in the end, not only did she fail to make a fool out of Shen Miao, but she also missed the target. If the princesses and princes of the State of Qin heard this, they would laugh at her. At the thought of this, Princess Mingan hated Shen Miao even more.


    Shen Miao looked at Princess Ming An with an unfathomable gaze. In her previous life, she stayed in the State of Qin for five years and lived with this princess for five years. Shen Miao knew Princess Ming An¡¯s personality better than anyone. Princess Ming An liked to make fun of her the most. She would propose to compete with Shen Miao on archery. When she shot, one arrow would shoot off Shen Miao¡¯s hairpin, causing her hair to fly in all directions, and the other would tear off her clothes. Occasionally, Princess Ming An would ¡°accidentally¡± hurt her body. When Princess Ming An drew the bow, Shen Miao knew what she was up to. How could she not know?


    Therefore, Shen Miao tilted her head slightly and let the arrow ¡°coincidentally¡± whiz past her.


    No one would believe Princess Ming An¡¯s words, just like back then, no one believed Shen Miao who was held hostage in a foreign land.


    Of course, the game had just begun.


    Shen Miao held the red apple and smiled. ¡°Now, it¡¯s my turn. Princess, please bite this apple.¡±


    At first, everyone was whispering to each other under their breath. When they heard what Shen Miao was saying, they were instantly shocked into silence.


    Princess Ming An widened her eyes and looked at Shen Miao in disbelief. ¡°What did you say?¡± Her voice became sharper and hoarser.


    Shen Miao smiled at her, her eyes curled into a crescent shape. ¡°Didn¡¯t Your Highness just say that this is how the game is played in the State of Qin where the person who shoots the arrow has a right to decide where the apple is placed. You wanted the apple to be put on my head, and I did as I was told. Now¡­¡± She smiled gracefully.¡± If Your Highness is afraid, you can find someone else to do it.¡±


    As soon as she said that, Princess Ming An was so angry that she almost fell to the ground. If Princess Ming An found someone else to do it for her, wouldn¡¯t it mean that she, the princess of the State of Qin, was timid and couldn¡¯t afford to lose?


    Yi Peilan gasped and said to Shen Yue, ¡°Is she crazy? How dare she go against Princess Ming An?¡±


    At the school test, Shen Miao dared to confront Cai Lin because Shen Xin¡¯s official position was not inferior to Lord Cai¡¯s. However, this time, her opponent was a princess of a country. It was really unexpected that Shen Miao dared to provoke Princess Ming An like this. Cai Lin and Lord Cai looked at each other. They originally thought that Shen Miao had a grudge against Cai Lin, but now it seemed that Shen Miao did not take him seriously.

 Chapter 466 - 466 Scared You to Death (3)

    466 Scared You to Death (3)


    In the princes¡¯ seats, Prince Li smiled meaningfully. ¡°This Miss Shen is very unforgiving.¡±


    Princess Ming An glared at Shen Miao. Facing her sharp gaze, Shen Miao only smiled faintly. Helpless, Princess Ming An could only look to Huangfu Hao for help.


    Huangfu Hao cleared his throat and was also a little angry at Shen Miao for pushing her luck. Princess Ming An represented the State of Qin, so he couldn¡¯t let her suffer humiliation. Therefore, he looked at Emperor Wen Hui and glanced at Shen Miao. ¡°It¡¯s just a game. Why does Miss Shen have to push so hard?¡±


    Emperor Wen Hui looked at the Shen family.


    Shen Xin and Luo Xueyan drank their tea as if they did not hear anything. Shen Qiu and Luo Ling looked up calmly, but they did not say anything. Feng Anning and Luo Tan stared at Princess Ming An with indignant gazes.


    The Shen family¡¯s attitude was very clear. They did not intend to let it go just like that. They were openly going against Princess Ming An. Shen Xin was also angry. Just now, Shen Miao was put in a dangerous situation by Princess Ming An and no one spoke up for her. Now, it was naturally Princess Ming An¡¯s turn to have a taste of this. When Princess Ming An schemed against others, she should be prepared to be retaliated. Since the Shen family was already at the center of the storm, and since the people of the State of Qin had been targeting the Shen family from the beginning, there was nothing to be afraid of. Shen Xin thought that he would kill Princess Ming An today if it was absolutely necessary.


    Emperor Wen Hui looked at Shen Xin¡¯s attitude and understood. Shen Xin was protective of his children. Since Shen Xin wanted to take the brunt of offending the State of Qin, Emperor Wen Hui was happy to see it happen. Moreover, he did not like Princess Ming An¡¯s arrogant attitude. He planned to give Princess Ming An a lesson, so he smiled and said to Huangfu Hao, ¡°It¡¯s just a game between children. Crown Prince, why are you so worried? Since they¡¯re having fun, I naturally won¡¯t stop them.¡±


    Huangfu Hao did not expect the Shen family to be so stubborn, nor did he expect Emperor Wen Hui, this old fox, to want to sit back, do nothing, and watch the show. For a moment, he was helpless. Moreover, the officials of Ming Qi gradually showed dissatisfaction and started to whisper. If he really interfered to stop the competition, the State of Qin would be looked down upon. He glared at Princess Ming An warningly and said, ¡°Ming An, since you¡¯re the one who proposed it, play to the end.¡± He glanced at Shen Miao and said meaningfully, ¡°Since Miss Shen is just having fun, she definitely won¡¯t hurt you.¡±


    In other words, if anything happened to Princess Ming An, Shen Miao would pay the price.


    Hearing such a threat, Shen Miao only smiled. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Your Highness. I have no reason to hurt Princess.¡±


    The more she said that, the more uneasy Princess Ming An felt. However, now that she had no way to back down, she could only do as Shen Miao said. When she walked to the other side, Princess Ming An¡¯s gaze was like a knife that stabbed at Shen Miao. She suddenly thought of something, and her eyes lit up. She smiled and said, ¡°But Miss Shen, not everyone can pull my bow. I¡¯m afraid you¡­¡±


    Before she could finish her sentence, Shen Miao had already drawn the bow.


    Unlike Princess Ming An, who struggled to draw the bow, Shen Miao drew the bow extremely gracefully and easily, as if this bow had been with her for decades and she was very familiar with it. She smiled and looked at Princess Ming An. Facing Princess Ming An¡¯s disbelieving gaze, she said indifferently, ¡°Good bow. I¡¯m very used to it. Thank you.¡±

 Chapter 467 - 467 Scared You to Death (4)

    467 Scared You to Death (4)


    She waved her hand and instructed the maid to tie a black cloth to her eyes. Just as the maid was about to move, she saw Prince Rui pick up the black cloth from the maid¡¯s tray and play with it with his fingers. Everyone looked at him in surprise. Prince Rui walked behind Shen Miao and held her chin with one hand, raising her head slightly. With the other hand, he wrapped the black cloth around Shen Miao¡¯s eyes.


    Luo Tan¡¯s eyes widened. She pulled Feng Anning and said, ¡°What¡­ what does this mean?¡±


    Luo Tan wasn¡¯t the one surprised by Prince Rui¡¯s action. Emperor Wen Hui, who was sitting on the throne, frowned slightly. Princess Ming An looked at Shen Miao jealously, her eyes filled with killing intent.


    Shen Miao couldn¡¯t see anything with her eyes locked in place. She could only feel the gentle touch of the person behind her. His fingertips were cold. When they accidentally touched Shen Miao¡¯s face, it was like snowflakes landing on her skin, making her feel a faint chill.


    When the person finished tying the black cloth, Shen Miao faced Princess Ming An and drew her bow.


    Everyone held their breaths and watched her movements, feeling extremely nervous. Some people secretly blamed Shen Miao for doing this. Letting Princess Ming An bite the apple could indeed humiliate her. However, this also meant that if Shen Miao was not careful, she would injure Princess Ming An and even kill her. If the princess of the State of Qin lost her life in Ming Qi, how could the State of Qin let the matter rest easily? Even if Shen Miao paid with her life, it would probably not be enough. She would also implicate the entire Ming Qi. If Shen Miao wanted Princess Ming An to not get hurt, she would have to deliberately miss the mark. However, this way, Ming Qi would also be mocked.


    In order to make the best of both worlds, Shen Miao had to shoot the apple squarely in Princess Ming An¡¯s mouth. However, that was almost impossible.


    Huangfu Hao stared at Shen Miao. Others might not know, but he knew very well how heavy Princess Ming An¡¯s bow was. Ordinary women could not draw that bow, and even those with martial arts skills would have to practice with it for a while. However, just now, Shen Miao casually drew the bow. That skillful posture, skillful gestures, and relaxed expression made people suspect that she had already used this bow countless times.


    However, that was impossible. This was the first time Princess Ming An had been to Ming Qi, and it was also the first time Shen Miao had touched this bow. Huangfu Hao suddenly became interested and looked at Shen Miao curiously.


    Shen Miao did not notice it at all. Her eyes were closed, and her hands were rubbing the patterns on the arrow and the heavy bow.


    It was exactly the same one as in her previous life.


    She had touched this bow countless times. After Princess Ming An humiliated her, she would generously hand the bow to her and say, ¡°It¡¯s your turn.¡± In fact, Shen Miao had practiced countless times in private. She could hit the mark, but every time, she would deliberately miss it, making the princesses and princes of the State of Qin laugh at her.


    Because she was a hostage, she should keep her profile low and not be arrogant. Even if she could win, she had to lose. Only then would she have a chance to go back and see Fu Ming and Wanyu alive.


    Those most difficult years were engraved in her heart like the ancient patterns on this bow. In her previous life, she endured it all, and now, she could finally perform her skill. She was no longer the empress of Ming Qi. She was free and could openly challenge Princess Ming An without any worries, just like what Princess Ming An did to her.

 Chapter 468 - 468 Scared You to Death (5)

    468 Scared You to Death (5)


    She said, ¡°Princess, please don¡¯t dodge.¡±


    After saying that, she let go of the bow and shot the arrow at Princess Ming An like a meteor!


    Princess Ming An was so frightened that her vision blurred. The arrow came too quickly. She wanted to dodge, but it was too late. She felt a pain in her mouth and the arrow was right in front of her. She wanted to scream, but with the apple in her mouth, she couldn¡¯t. Her body went limp and she fell to the ground.


    The palace maid behind her quickly helped her up. Huangfu Hao stood up immediately, his expression extremely dark. The hall was filled with wows. Shen Miao slowly took off the black cloth tied to her eyes and walked to the unconscious Princess Ming An to take out the apple from her mouth.


    On the red apple, half of the arrowhead was inside, and the remaining half was outside. She wanted to show everyone that Princess Ming An was safe and sound.


    And she hit the mark.


    ¡°It seems like I¡¯m very lucky today.¡± She smiled.


    The officials of Ming Qi were stunned at first, then their faces turned red with joy and they began to clap. Someone said, ¡°Like father, like daughter!¡±


    It was Princess Ming An who suggested an archery competition. Shen Miao had no choice but to accept it. However, in the end, Princess Ming An failed while Shen Miao succeeded. Princess Ming An even fainted from fright. It was obvious who was the winner and who was the loser. Emperor Wen Hui was wary of the Shen family, but now that Shen Miao had made him proud. He was very happy. He looked at Shen Xin and said, ¡°General Shen, you raised a good daughter!¡±


    Shen Xin cupped his hands.


    Shen Miao stood in the center of the hall. The wind blew past her, making the corners of her dress flutter like a blooming flower. She quietly stared at Princess Ming An, who was helped away by a maid. She restrained the emotions in her eyes and turned around to meet Prince Rui¡¯s gaze.


    She couldn¡¯t see his expression under the mask, but the man¡¯s gaze was warm and cold, making her a little confused. She didn¡¯t know if he was smiling or not. He glanced at Shen Miao and walked back to his seat.


    Huangfu Hao felt embarrassed, but he did not know how to salvage the situation. Today, it happened suddenly, and it was started by Princess Ming An. Looking at Shen Miao, Huangfu Hao snorted. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect Miss Shen to be so skilled.¡±


    Shen Miao lowered her head and returned to her seat.


    She always behaved so gently and harmlessly. When she shot the arrow, she did not hold back at all and was filled with hostility. However, at this moment, she went back to being an obedient girl, as if she was not the one who did those things.


    ¡°Shen Miao, you were really¡­¡± Feng Anning held her hand. ¡°If you were a man, I would have married you.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s really satisfying to see the villain getting punished.¡± Luo Tan added, ¡°Cousin Miao, I knew you wouldn¡¯t let others bully you.¡± When they were in Spring City, the Luo family gradually came to understand that Shen Miao wasn¡¯t someone who could take humiliation lying down.


    Shen Miao lowered her eyes. Everyone thought that she held a grudge because Princess Ming An had made things difficult for her. Little did they know that she did it for herself in her previous life. Facing a scheming person like Fu Xiuyi, she naturally had to plan step by step. As for a person like Princess Ming An, if she did not return the humiliation she suffered in her previous life, she would be wasting the god-given rebirth.


    She was careful, but at the same time, she still had her usual temper. With her family protecting her and a bargaining chip in hand, why wouldn¡¯t she dare to go against Princess Ming An? If it started all over again, she would still do so.

 Chapter 469 - 469 Scared You to Death (6)

    469 Scared You to Death (6)


    Luo Ling handed her a cup of tea and asked gently, ¡°Are you alright?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± she replied with a faint smile. She was sensitive enough to sense that someone was looking at her, but when she looked around, she didn¡¯t see anyone.


    Below the seat far away, the masked young man bent his finger and flicked the wine cup in front of him. A white jade ring on his finger emitted a faint jade-colored light.


    ¡­


    No one expected such an occurrence to happen during the tribute banquet. Shen Xin, who had just returned to the capital, stole the show perfectly all thanks to his daughter. No matter what the outcome was, such a high-profile return made people a little afraid.


    In the princes¡¯ section, Fu Xiuyi¡¯s expression had changed from that of a relaxed to serious. From time to time, he would throw glances at Shen Xin. Occasionally, his gaze would stop at the purple-clothed girl sitting quietly.


    He was not the only one curious about Shen Miao. Many people present were sizing her up as well. Some young talents felt that Shen Miao was attractive and charming, Luo Tan noticed all the gazes and said, ¡°Why are they looking at my little cousin? How can we eat in peace like this?¡±


    Luo Ling smiled and said to Shen Miao, ¡°Cousin, change seats with me.¡±


    Luo Ling sat a little further in. After Shen Miao changed seats with him, Luo Ling was tall and could block her from the gazes.


    Until the banquet ended, nothing else happened.


    Huangfu Hao left halfway, saying that he wanted to check Princess Ming An, who had fainted from shock. No one stopped him, but everyone knew that after today, Princess Ming An would probably hate Shen Miao. Although Shen Miao was protected by Shen Xin, it was very easy for Princess Ming An to find a reason to make things difficult for Shen Miao. Everyone looked at Shen Miao with sympathy.


    Only Shen Yue and her female friends were happy that Shen Miao had made an enemy of Princess Ming An. Shen Wan wanted to get close to Shen Xin. Now that Shen Xin¡¯s official title had been reinstated and was ¡°invited¡± back by Emperor Wen Hui, it was not a good thing if he fell out with Shen Xin. However, this time, Shen Xin made up his mind. When he walked past Shen Wan, he looked straight ahead and had no intention of greeting him. Everyone saw this and understood.


    After being ignored, Shen Wan did not put in the effort to suck up to Shen Xin either. The two brothers were like strangers.


    After the banquet, some of Shen Xin¡¯s former colleagues came over to greet him. Luo Xueyan brought Shen Miao outside to wait for the carriage to arrive.


    Luo Tan bounced about in front. Feng Anning had already gone back with Mrs. Feng, and Luo Ling and Shen Qiu walked behind. After turning a corner, there was a carriage arranged by Shen Xin. Shen Miao turned around and saw a slender figure walking slowly towards her at the end of the long corridor in the palace.


    She saw from afar that the half of the silver mask on his face looked a little dark and resplendent under the light of the lantern. The pattern embroidered on the corner of the robe with gold thread was especially dazzling in the night. As it fluttered in the wind, she could not see what texture it was made of, but she felt that it was surprisingly gorgeous.


    Shen Miao looked carefully. When the young man was still a distance away from Shen Miao, he stopped and turned his head slightly, not knowing if he was looking over at her.


    Shen Miao looked at him quietly.


    In the darkness, the long corridor in the palace was deep. This person was covered in the light of the moon and was stepping on the shadow of the swaying trees. His expression could not be seen, but he gave people a feeling that he was an immortal demon that came straight out of a painting. He slowly reached out and knocked three times on the pillar at the entrance of the palace.


    When Shen Qiu and Luo Ling realized that Shen Miao did not follow them, Shen Qiu walked up to Shen Miao and asked, ¡°Sister, what are you looking at?¡±


    ¡°Nothing,¡± Shen Miao said.


    ¡°Go and wait in the carriage first. It¡¯s windy outside. You will catch a cold,¡± Luo Ling said gently.


    Shen Miao nodded and was about to walk towards the carriage when she suddenly stopped and turned to look at the long corridor.


    The moonlight in the corridor was like flowing water, and the flowers planted on both sides swayed gently as the breeze blew past. However, there was no one in the empty corridor. It was as if everything Shen Miao saw just now was an illusion.


    Luo Tan urged from inside the carriage. Shen Miao turned around and got into the carriage.

 Chapter 470 - 470 Meeting an Old Friend (1)

    470 Meeting an Old Friend (1)


    On the way back, Shen Xin and Luo Xueyan did not speak much. Although they tried their best to look relaxed, their faces betrayed their anxiety. Shen Qiu was also abnormal. Although Luo Tan was carefree and happy-go-lucky, she was sensitive enough to feel that the atmosphere was wrong and did not speak.


    Today, they had offended Princess Ming An no matter what, which was equivalent to offending the crown prince of the State of Qin. As soon as the Shen family returned, they were pushed to the center of the storm. Although Shen Xin tried his best to avoid it, it was as if there was an invisible hand behind him that wanted to push the Shen family out. Shen Xin and Luo Xueyan were not afraid of any trouble that might arise. However, today, Shen Miao was the one who came forward. They were afraid that Princess Ming An would hold a grudge towards Shen Miao and use tricks to harm her.


    However, since it had already happened, all they could do was protect Shen Miao better.


    When they returned to the house, Shen Miao entered her courtyard to wash up. It was already a little late. She lit the oil lamp. Seeing that she had no intention of sleeping, Gu Yu said, ¡°Miss, are you still worried about what happened at the banquet? It¡¯s fine. With Master and Madam around, you won¡¯t be in danger of retaliation.¡±


    Shen Miao shook her head. She knew Princess Ming An¡¯s personality better than anyone else. Princess Ming An was very selfish and stubborn. At the tribute banquet in her previous life, Princess Ming An also made things difficult for her. This was because Princess Ming An thought that someone as outstanding as Fu Xiuyi was too unlucky to marry a vulgar wife like Shen Miao. Now with Prince Rui around, the most outstanding person in Princess Ming An¡¯s eyes became Prince Rui, but she still did not let Shen Miao off. Perhaps this was what people meant by hatred was destined, no matter how many lifetimes passed.


    ¡°You can leave.¡± Shen Miao said, ¡°I¡¯ll play chess for a while before going to bed.¡±


    Gu Yu wanted to say something, but Jingzhe tugged at her sleeve. Jingzhe said, ¡°Then we¡¯ll leave first. Miss, don¡¯t think too much. When you feel sleepy, rest early. Don¡¯t tire yourself out. It¡¯s cold at night, so don¡¯t stay up too late.¡±


    Shen Miao agreed, and Jingzhe and Gu Yu retreated.


    On the table, the chessboard was empty. Shen Miao held a white piece in one hand and a black piece in the other, playing with herself seriously.


    Time passed slowly as she played. The chessboard gradually changed from nothing at the beginning to being filled with black and white pieces, looking extremely complicated.


    The courtyard outside was so quiet that she could not hear anything as the entire capital fell into a deep slumber.


    Shen Miao looked at the chessboard and heaved a sigh of relief.


    In the past two years, all the factions had taken turns to make a move, and the chess pieces that had been set up had reached the position where they should go. In some ways, even if she had the upper hand, she might not be able to win every time. This was a game between her and Fu Xiuyi, but now it seemed that she still thought too simply of some things.


    Everything in this world was changing. She was changing, no longer the person she used to be in her previous life, so there would naturally be others who would change. The only thing that did not change was the change itself, and no one could predict what kind of changes these changes would bring to the chessboard.


    She glanced at the chessboard on the table, stood up, walked to the window, and pushed it open. The autumn wind blew in from outside, making her feel a little cold. The shadow of the tree in front of the window swayed. She looked at it for a while in a daze and turned around to see that the oil lamp in the room had burned out.


    With the lamp out, the moonlight flowed into the room like water, illuminating it brightly.


    With a faint sound, a person sat in front of the chessboard. He held a black chess piece and casually placed it on the chessboard before looking up at Shen Miao.

 Chapter 471 - 471 Meeting an Old Friend (2)

    471 Meeting an Old Friend (2)


    Translator: Henyee Translations


    Editor: Henyee Translations


    The purple-gold robe looked even more gorgeous under the moonlight, and the patterns seemed to be a little familiar. However, his face was blocked by a silver mask, making him look a little dangerous.


    Shen Miao was not surprised to see this uninvited guest in the middle of the night. She closed the window again without changing her expression, and the room immediately darkened. Shen Miao walked to the table and lit another oil lamp.


    Under the warm yellow light, her clothes and hair looked especially hazy. Shen Miao held the lamp and sat down opposite the person.


    ¡°Are you waiting for me?¡± The purple-clothed young man¡¯s voice was low and especially pleasant to the ear in the quiet night. Because he deliberately lowered it, it was a little hoarse, but it sounded like a lover¡¯s whisper. His voice was filled with smiles, as if he was very happy.


    Shen Miao stared at the mask on his face. Even the mask could not hide his good looks. His beautiful chin and red lips made him look even more mysterious and charming. It was rumored that everyone in the royal family of the Daliang Dynasty was beautiful. She had never seen Prince Rui¡¯s true appearance, but even with a mask on, he was already outstanding enough.


    ¡°Your Highness, you knocked on the pillar three times to remind me that you will drop in on me at three. I dared not to shut the door on you,¡± she replied.


    The person opposite her smiled and said, ¡°How smart.¡±

 Chapter 472 - 472 Meeting an Old Friend (3)

    472 Meeting an Old Friend (3)


    At that moment, the air seemed to have stopped. In the oil lamp, the sparks burned with a small crackling sound.


    Shen Miao looked up at him.


    The young man in purple smiled faintly and looked at Shen Miao. Their shadows were reflected on the ground, making them look like he was kissing Shen Miao.


    He slowly retracted his hand and sat back down. His voice was still happy as he said, ¡°Long time no see, Shen Miao.¡±


    The purple-clothed young man reached out and removed the mask on his face.


    His eyebrows were sharp, and his eyes were filled with gentleness. It was as if he was still the handsome young man two years ago. The smile on his lips was as frivolous and mischievous as ever, but his eyes were no longer arrogant.


    It was a deepness that made people¡¯s hearts palpitate. It was like the dark night, beautiful because of the starlight, but it was also terrifying because of the darkness. His nobility and elegance were displayed to the extreme two years later. Every move he made had the innate arrogance of a noble. He was as cold and indifferent as the moon, but he was also as dazzling as the sun.


    Without the shackles of his identity, Xie Jingxing, who appeared again, really had an incompatible charm.


    He looked at Shen Miao with a faint smile and said ambiguously, ¡°We haven¡¯t seen each other for two years. Who gave you the guts to call me by my name?¡±


    Shen Miao said, ¡°Now that you¡¯re not the Young Marquis of Lin¡¯an anymore, I can call you Prince Rui if you don¡¯t like me to call you by your name.¡± There was finally a hint of sarcasm in her words. From the Young Marquis of Lin¡¯an to Emperor Yong Le¡¯s younger brother in the Daliang Dynasty, Xie Jingxing was really unpredictable.


    Xie Jingxing smiled lazily and said, ¡°If you want to call me by my name, I don¡¯t mind. However, I forgot to tell you that Xie Yuan is my real name and Jingxing is my pet name¡­ Why? Did you become more affectionate towards me after two years?¡± The smile on his lips was evil and frivolous. ¡°Have we reached the point of calling each other by our pet names?¡±


    Shen Miao glared at him.


    Other than family members, only lovers and husband and wife would call each other by pet names. Shen Miao did not expect that after Xie Jingxing changed his identity, Jingxing would actually become his pet name. Only then did she remember that Emperor Yong Le¡¯s surname was also Xie. The royal family of the Daliang Dynasty was the Xie family.


    What a coincidence.


    Xie Jingxing poured himself some tea. After two years, Shen Xin had already moved out of the Shen Mansion and bought a new house. Xie Jingxing still came uninvited and treated Shen Miao¡¯s new house as his own house just like two years ago. He took a sip of tea and glanced at the angry Shen Miao. He seemed to find it very interesting and said, ¡°What do you want me to call you, Jiaojiao?¡±


    If it were an ordinary woman, she would probably have been mesmerized by the way Xie Jingxing called their pet name. Shen Miao thought that even if Xie Jingxing was not from the royal family, he would probably be able to live a good life as a gigolo.


    ¡°What is on your mind?¡± Xie Jingxing asked.


    ¡°I was thinking that you¡¯re more handsome than all the top gigolos in the capital. No wonder you have to wear a mask to hide it.¡± Shen Miao deliberately angered him.

 Chapter 473 - 473 Meeting an Old Friend (4)

    473 Meeting an Old Friend (4)


    Xie Jingxing choked. He seemed to have thought of something and his lazy expression froze for a moment. Seeing him like this, Shen Miao was extremely happy. Before she could speak, Xie Jingxing raised his eyebrows and said, ¡°Why are you so worried about me? It seems like you like me a lot.¡±


    Shen Miao said, ¡°Prince Rui, don¡¯t flatter yourself.¡± Shen Miao decided to call him by ¡°Prince Rui¡± instead, obviously wanting to draw a line.


    ¡°When you hugged me and forced a kiss on me, you weren¡¯t so heartless,¡± he said.


    Shen Miao widened her eyes and stared at him in disbelief, not knowing that she looked like a deer that had just been born in a deep mountain. Her black eyes were clear and round, looking very pitiful.


    She said, ¡°What do you mean by that?¡±


    Xie Jingxing reached out and pinched her face. He was so fast that Shen Miao couldn¡¯t dodge. By the time she reacted, Xie Jingxing had already retracted his hand. He thought for a moment and said, ¡°It seems like you can¡¯t remember. On the first night you left the capital, I went to send you off.¡±


    Shen Miao was stunned and looked at him without saying anything.


    Xie Jingxing sighed. ¡°As expected, you didn¡¯t recognize me after being drunk. Don¡¯t you remember what you did to me?¡±


    Shen Miao looked troubled.


    As the saying went, drinking alcohol would cause trouble. She actually had a good alcohol tolerance, but the plum blossom wine that night was too intoxicating. In order to not blurt out saying something she shouldn¡¯t and to prevent others from suspecting her, she avoided everyone and slept in a room alone. She did not expect¡­ Xie Jingxing to have been there.


    ¡°Prince Rui, you must be joking. What can I do to you? We are barely friends.¡± Shen Miao suppressed the uneasiness in her heart, looking calm on the surface. She knew very little about the thing between men and women. In her previous life, she spent all her time trying to please Fu Xiuyi and never had anything to do with other men. In this aspect, she was really clueless.


    Xie Jingxing smiled and was not in a hurry to refute. He said unhurriedly, ¡°You seem to want to be the empress very much. After getting drunk, you wanted Eunuch Li to take you to watch fireworks and ask the crown prince and princess to accompany you.¡± He looked at Shen Miao with interest. ¡°Empress Shen?¡±


    Shen Miao almost spat out her tea!


    It had been many years since she heard people calling her Empress Shen. For a moment, Shen Miao almost thought that she was in a dream. She was afraid that after she woke up from the dream, she was still in that cold palace, walking step by step towards the end of her life and her family.


    Shen Miao¡¯s entire body froze, but she had to admit a fact. She originally thought that Xie Jingxing was deliberately lying to her. Now, it seemed that Xie Jingxing really came that night and really saw her drunk. Otherwise, how could he know so much? However¡­ How much did she say and how much did Xie Jingxing hear? Xie Jingxing was so smart. How much did he have guessed?


    When Xie Jingxing saw her uneasy expression, his eyes darkened, but he smiled and said, ¡°You don¡¯t have to be so afraid. I¡¯ve always been tolerant of women. Do you want to know what you did to me?¡±


    ¡°What did I do?¡± Shen Miao looked at him calmly.


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing outrageous.¡± Xie Jingxing supported his chin with his hand lazily, as if he was thinking, but what he said was shocking. ¡°You just hugged me and refused to let me go. You pressed me down and kissed me. You cried and shouted that you wanted to be my empress and asked me not to neglect you.¡±


    Shen Miao was dumbfounded.


    ¡°You liar, I didn¡¯t do that,¡± Shen Miao said. No matter how drunk she was, she would not have any designs on Xie Jingxing. Moreover, that was not her style.

 Chapter 474 - 474 Meeting an Old Friend (5)

    474 Meeting an Old Friend (5)


    ¡°You want to deny it?¡± Xie Jingxing frowned. ¡°That¡¯s not right, Shen Jiaojiao.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll give you money.¡± Shen Miao made a prompt decision. ¡°I can compensate you however much you want.¡±


    Xie Jingxing looked at her quietly for a while. For some reason, Shen Miao felt that his gaze was filled with knives, as if Xie Jingxing wanted to kill her. After a while, Xie Jingxing smiled and gritted his teeth. ¡°Do you take me as a gigolo or a toy boy? Money? I¡¯ve never lacked money.¡±


    Shen Miao was silent.


    Xie Jingxing took a deep breath and said, ¡°How did you find out?¡±


    Shen Miao was caught off guard by the sudden change of topic. ¡°What?¡±


    Xie Jingxing picked up the mask on the table. ¡°How did you find out my identity? I died in battle two years ago. No matter what, it doesn¡¯t make sense for you to recognize me the moment we met.¡±


    ¡°I guessed it before we met.¡± Shen Miao said, ¡°I knew that you were from the Daliang Dynasty, but I didn¡¯t expect you to be from the royal family. Later, when I saw you at the tribute banquet, I vaguely felt a sense of familiarity, so I made this bold guess.¡±


    When Xie Jingxing heard this, he gradually frowned and looked at Shen Miao. ¡°You guessed it two years ago?¡±


    ¡°That night at the Wolong Temple, you came and left some snacks,¡± Shen Miao said calmly, ¡°I was lucky enough to eat some of that snack.¡±


    Xie Jingxing raised an eyebrow. ¡°So what?¡±


    ¡°Well,¡± Shen Miao said, ¡°that snack seems to be from the Daliang Dynasty. It tastes very delicious.¡±


    Xie Jingxing was slightly stunned.


    Two years ago, he saw Shen Miao setting up Shen Qing and Prince Yu in the Wolong Temple. Later, out of interest, he went to Shen Miao¡¯s room. Because he was hungry in the middle of the night, he ate some snacks¡­ and even fed Shen Miao a piece. While he was in Ming Qi, the pastry chef of the Great Liang Dynasty¡¯s royal family was also by his side.


    Xie Jingxing had thought of many explanations as to how Shen Miao could guess his identity, but he did not expect this to be the case. However¡­ his gaze was sharp as he looked at Shen Miao and said, ¡°How did you know that the snack was made by the chef of the Daliang Dynasty?¡±


    ¡°I was lucky enough to eat it once,¡± Shen Miao said.


    She had indeed eaten it once. At the tribute banquet in Ming Qi, there would naturally be congratulatory gifts sent by other countries. Emperor Yong Le liked to eat pastries, so the royal chef of the Daliang Dynasty had to be creative. He added fruit juice to the pastries, and the pastries had a fruity fragrance. Shen Miao ate some pieces and felt that it was very novel, so she specially made them for Fu Xiuyi a few times. However, Fu Xiuyi did not like sweet food, so she gave them to her maids every time, which made her sad for a while.


    The pastry Xie Jingxing ate that night was filled with the fruit fragrance of the pastry from the royal family of the Daliang Dynasty, which caused Shen Miao to be suspicious.


    Although Xie Jingxing did not know where Shen Miao ate this pastry, he did not ask further. He only said, ¡°That¡¯s all?¡±


    ¡°I was just lucky that I got it right.¡± Shen Miao lowered her eyes. How could she be sure that Xie Jingxing was from the Daliang Dynasty with just some pastries? Her real suspicion started from the imperial physician Gao Yang she saw in the palace. At that time, she only felt that he looked familiar, but later, she finally remembered that she had seen this imperial physician before. At the tribute banquet in the previous life, the people sent by the Daliang Dynasty were a prince and an important official. That important official was a famous strategist in the Daliang Dynasty. Back then, Fu Xiuyi even asked Pei Lang to pay more attention to this person. It was none other than Gao Yang. At that time, Gao Yang¡¯s identity was not that of Imperial Physician Gao, but a court official of the Daliang Dynasty. That day in the Ming Qi Palace, she saw Xie Jingxing and Gao Yang talking with each other. Coupled with the pastries from before, she more or less guessed it.

 Chapter 475 - 475 Meeting an Old Friend (6)

    475 Meeting an Old Friend (6)


    Shen Miao came back to her senses and looked at him. ¡°You too, Prince Rui.¡±


    From Young Marquis Xie of the Marquis of Lin¡¯an to Prince Rui, Xie Jingxing¡¯s status was becoming higher and higher. Originally, he could do whatever he wanted in Ming Qi. Now that as Prince Rui, he might start to challenge the immortals.


    Xie Jingxing picked up the mask on the table and put it on. The silver mask fit his facial features very well, and it also made him more charming because of the mysterious aura.


    His gaze was even more charming than the autumn moon outside. He glanced at Shen Miao and said, ¡°Did you remember you said that I¡¯m yours?¡±


    Shen Miao refused to admit it. ¡°Prince Rui, you must have remembered it wrong.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll help you remember it in the future.¡± Xie Jingxing stood up. A corner of his purple robe suddenly swept across the table, disrupting the layout of the chess game.


    He said, ¡°I¡¯ll come and see you next time, Shen¡­ Jiaojiao.¡±


    Shen Miao was speechless.


    Xie Jingxing rushed out of the window. Shen Miao looked at his back and thought to herself that tomorrow, she had to ask Shen Qiu to arrange a few more guards at the door of the courtyard. After all, many of the people living in this house were martial artists. Shen Xin, Luo Xueyan, and Shen Qiu had been in the army for many years. Why didn¡¯t they notice any movements at all?


    Outside the window, a man in purple was walking on the street beside the wall of the Shen mansion. At midnight, the street was empty, except for this man and the guard behind him.


    The silver mask gave off a cold light under the moonlight. The guard behind him said, ¡°Master, you seem to be in a good mood.¡±


    Xie JIngxing said that he was going to meet an old friend. After he came out, he had been smiling non-stop.


    The young man glanced at the guard. His eyes were half-smiling, and his voice was as pleasant as the spring breeze.


    ¡°It¡¯s naturally not a bad thing to see interesting people.¡±

 Chapter 476 - 476 Guessed It (1)

    476 Guessed It (1)


    The next day, Shen Miao woke up late.


    Xie Jingxing only came at midnight yesterday. After talking to him, she was already extremely tired. When she woke up, it was already very late.


    Luo Xueyan thought that Shen Miao was tired from the tribute banquet yesterday, so she asked someone to specially save food for Shen Miao to eat when Shen Miao woke up. Shen Xin and Luo Xueyan went to the Ministry of War early in the morning. They had just been reinstated and had many old matters to deal with. Shen Qiu and Luo Ling were not in the house. Because Luo Ling wanted to find a new job, Shen Xin asked Luo Ling to help Shen Qiu so that those people would not make things difficult for Luo Ling just because he was new here.


    In this way, only Luo Tan and Shen Miao were left in this new ¡°Shen mansion¡±. Coincidentally, today, Feng Anning sent an invitation to Shen Miao, asking her to accompany her to shop for some jewelry. Shen Miao asked Luo Tan to go and send a few guards to protect Luo Tan. She only said that she was tired and wanted to rest in the mansion for a day.


    Luo Tan did not object. After Luo Tan left, Shen Miao asked Mo Qing to send a letter to Guangwen Hall.


    After two years, the capital had changed in many ways. For example, Miss Liu Ying, who had once been a brothel girl in the Treasure Fragrance Chamber and was once popular, was redeemed by a young master called Mo for a high price of 1,000 taels of gold. However, with Miss Liu Ying gone, two-sided embroidery that had been lost for a long time had quietly appeared in the capital in the past few years. A piece of embroidery silk could be sold for a hundred taels of silver. It was said that not only was that embroiderer¡¯s craftsmanship outstanding, but she was also beautiful.


    The people who were worried about Liu Ying would naturally be happy to see her doing so well. Pei Lang was a man of his word. The moment Shen Miao saw Pei Lang at the tribute banquet, she knew that Pei Lang had already gained Fu Xiuyi¡¯s trust, which was why Fu Xiuyi brought him along. Although Fu Xiuyi was paranoid, that was only after he became the emperor. Currently, Fu Xiuyi still valued talent very much. Pei Lang was someone with knowledge and vision, so Fu Xiuyi would definitely think of a way to keep him by his side.


    After Fu Xiuyi tested Pei Lang¡¯s talent, it was time to test Pei Lang¡¯s loyalty. She could not go and see Pei Lang rashly, lest Fu Xiuyi become suspicious.


    She said, ¡°Bring out a cloak.¡±


    Bai Lu and Shuang Jiang were tidying up the house. When they heard this, they asked curiously, ¡°Miss, are you going out?¡±


    Shen Miao said, ¡°I have something to do.¡±


    After leaving the mansion, because Mo Qing went to Guangwen Hall, Shen Miao brought Ah Zhi along. She was now much closer to Shen Qiu¡¯s personal guards. When she was in the northwest, Shen Miao gave Shen Qiu many ideas about military tactics. The soldiers all thought that Shen Miao was smart and talented. They admired her strategy ability and respected her a lot.


    Shen Miao said to Ah Zhi, ¡°Don¡¯t tell anyone about us going out today.¡±


    Ah Zhi¡¯s heart skipped a beat. He was Shen Qiu¡¯s guard, but at this moment, he felt like he had been Shen Miao¡¯s guard all these years. He nodded and said, ¡°Yes.¡±

 Chapter 477 - 477 Guessed It (2)

    477 Guessed It (2)


    Ah Zhi found an ordinary carriage for Shen Miao. This carriage was not eye-catching, and no one would recognize it as the Shen family¡¯s carriage. Yesterday, Shen Miao offended Princess Ming An from the State of Qin. Princess Ming An and Huangfu Hao lived in Yanqing Alley, which was not far from here. If they bumped into each other, Princess Ming An would cause trouble for Shen Miao. This princess was very arrogant. There were many guards from the State of Qin. If anything really happened, it would be too late by the time Shen Xin and his wife rushed over.


    However, Ah Zhi was still very puzzled. After being away from the capital for two years, if anyone in the capital had a relationship with Shen Miao, it would be the eldest daughter of the Feng family, Feng Anning. However, today, Shen Miao rejected Feng Anning¡¯s invitation. She was obviously not going to see Feng Anning. Ah Zhi¡¯s thoughts ran wild. If Shen Miao was really going to meet a strange young man in private, Ah Zhi thought that he would tell Shen Qiu about it no matter what. It was not easy for their Shen family to have such a talented and beautiful girl. How could she be taken away by an unknown boy?


    Unexpectedly, Shen Miao was going to the Exiled Immortal Pawnshop.


    Just like two years ago, the Exiled Immortal Pawnshop was still empty. After all, not everyone had treasures to pawn here.


    Shen Miao got out of the carriage, followed by Ah Zhi. Jingzhe and Gu Yu also jumped down. Before Ah Zhi could size up the shop, he saw that Shen Miao was already walking into the pawnshop.


    The shop assistant, who was still wiping the dust on the table with a handkerchief, saw four people walking over. The person in the lead was wearing a cloak. She pulled down the hood of the cloak, revealing a stunned and delicate face. She was clearly a pampered girl from a rich family, and her noble aura was not to be underestimated. He smiled ingratiatingly and said, ¡°Miss, are you pawning something?¡±


    Shen Miao glanced at him. The previous shop assistant had already been replaced. She heard that ever since she went to Spring City, the Exiled Immortal Pawnshop closed for two years. It had only reopened not long ago, but she did not know if Miss Hong Ling and Ji Yushu were still around. She said, ¡°I¡¯m looking for Hong Ling.¡±


    The shop assistant was stunned for a moment before carefully sizing up Shen Miao again. Shen Miao looked at him calmly. The shop assistant paused for a moment and quickly said, ¡°Miss, please wait a moment.¡± He turned around and entered the back hall.


    A moment later, a woman in red came over, followed by the shop assistant. She was still wearing a red dress and looked quite charming, even more charming than two years ago. When she saw Shen Miao, her eyes narrowed and she suddenly smiled. ¡°It¡¯s been a long time since we last met. Miss, you¡¯re getting more and more dazzling that I can¡¯t even open her eyes.¡±


    Shen Miao nodded slightly, and Hong Ling smiled again and said, ¡°As usual, Miss, follow me, but¡­¡± She pointed at Ah Zhi and said with a charming smile,¡± This big guy must stay here.¡±


    Ah Zhi was not as cold as Mo Qing. He blushed when he was pointed at by a flirtatious lady boss like Hong Ling. However, he still insisted, ¡°Miss, I¡¯ll go with you.¡±


    ¡°Wait here.¡± Shen Miao said, ¡°I¡¯m going to see a friend. Jingzhe and Gu Yu will be by my side.¡± Her tone was firm, so Ah Zhi could not refute.


    When Hong Ling saw this, a strange look flashed across her eyes. She probably did not expect the guard Shen Miao brought to be so obedient to her. Moreover, be it Mo Qing or Ah Zhi, they all respected Shen Miao from the bottom of their hearts. A capable subordinate would more or less be a little arrogant, but in front of Shen Miao, these people were humble.

 Chapter 478 - 478 Guessed It (3)

    478 Guessed It (3)


    Shen Miao was a capable person.


    Hong Ling brought Shen Miao to the pavilion inside. Jingzhe and Gu Yu followed behind. Shen Miao asked, ¡°I heard that the Exiled Immortal Pawnshop reopened not long ago. Two years ago¡­¡±


    ¡°Two years ago, something happened to the shopkeeper¡¯s family. He closed his shop and returned to his hometown. Not long ago, he returned to the capital.¡± Hong Ling smiled and continued, ¡°Speaking of which, Miss is the first old customer we received in our pawnshop.¡±


    Shen Miao thought for a moment and nodded with a smile. When they arrived at the small pavilion, Hong Ling said, ¡°I will go and call the shopkeeper now. Miss, sit here and rest for a while.¡± With that, she left.


    There were plums and tea on the table, and the incense was wafting. This elegant room was exactly the same as before. A shop as big as the Exiled Immortal Pawnshop that had not been doing business for two years was actually still running. It did not look like it was rented to someone else.


    Before Shen Miao could finish her tea, the sound of someone pushing the door open came from outside. She put down the teacup and saw someone walking in with a smile.


    This person still had a baby face, but after two years, he looked a little mature. However¡­ Shen Miao looked at Ji Yushu who was dressed in loud clothes and thought that he was probably the only person in the capital who had the guts to dress like that.


    When Ji Yushu pushed open the door and saw Shen Miao, his eyes lit up. Without holding back, he praised, ¡°I originally thought that Miss Shaoyao was the most beautiful girl I¡¯ve ever seen. Now, it seems that Miss Shen is not inferior either. It¡¯s been two years since we last met, and Miss Shen has become even more beautiful. I can¡¯t find words to praise you.¡±


    Hearing this, Jingzhe and Gu Yu both looked displeased. Ji Yushu¡¯s words were like a hooligan catcalling a girl on the street.


    Shen Miao smiled. ¡°Shopkeeper Ji is richer than before.¡± She sized up Ji Yushu¡¯s fancy clothes.


    Ji Yushu sat down opposite Shen Miao and poured himself a cup of tea. He looked very happy, as if he was really happy to be reunited with her. He said, ¡°I didn¡¯t expect Miss Shen to still remember me. I heard that General Shen has just returned to the capital. Instead of visiting your friends, Miss Shen came to meet me. You really treat me as someone you trust. I¡¯m very touched.¡±


    Shen Miao was speechless. Last night, she had just met someone annoying, and now another one came. Shen Miao felt a headache coming on. Moreover, Ji Yushu said it with a serious expression, as if he really thought that Shen Miao was close to him.


    Shen Miao coughed lightly. ¡°Actually, I came today to do business with Shopkeeper Ji. I just returned to the capital and don¡¯t know many things. I have to rely on All Knowing Scholar.¡±


    Ji Yushu was stunned for a moment before saying, ¡°Doing business? That¡¯s easy. If Miss Shen wants to know anything, All Knowing Scholar will naturally do his best. As for the money, since I¡¯m friends with Miss Shen, I¡¯ll give you a 20% discount.¡±


    Shen Miao smiled. ¡°Money is not the issue, but the business I want to do with you this time is not easy.¡±


    Ji Yushu said, ¡°Miss Shen, you¡¯re really funny. What can be harder than creating a fake rumor to bring down Prince Yu?¡±

 Chapter 479 - 479 Guessed It (4)

    479 Guessed It (4)


    ¡°But Shopkeeper Ji hasn¡¯t been in Ming Qi for two years. I¡¯m afraid the All-Knowing-Scholar is not as all-knowing as before.¡±


    Ji Yushu smiled, his eyes filled with indescribable smugness. ¡°Miss Shen, don¡¯t underestimate the Exiled Immortal Pawnshop. Although we weren¡¯t in the capital for the past two years , we still had to work. Otherwise, where will we get the money to support the shop? Miss Shen, what do you want to know? My Exiled Immortal Pawnshop is at your service.¡±


    Shen Miao chuckled. ¡°Shopkeeper Ji, I¡¯m relieved to hear that. I came today to do three businesses, all related to information. The first one¡­ Shopkeeper Ji, do you know the news of the young marquis of the Xie family dying in battle two years ago?¡±


    Ji Yushu was stunned and looked at Shen Miao. ¡°Miss Shen, why do you want to know about that?¡±


    ¡°The Xie family and my Shen family are both families of generals in Ming Qi. Although the Marquis of Lin¡¯an and my father don¡¯t see eye to eye with each other, they still appreciate each other. As the saying goes, the fox is sad at the death of the hare. I feel sorry that Young Marquis Xie, a talented man of his generation, died tragically on the battlefield. I want Shopkeeper Ji to help me find out more about Young Marquis Xie¡¯s death, including the whereabouts of his corpse.¡±


    Ji Yushu took a sip of tea and smiled. ¡°That¡¯s easy. It¡¯s just that everyone knows about Xie Jingxing¡¯s death. It¡¯s not easy to find out anything different. I can¡¯t guarantee that I can find out anything you want. After all, it¡¯s been too long since he died.¡±


    ¡°Shopkeeper Ji, just do your best. If you really can¡¯t find it, I don¡¯t mind.¡± Shen Miao picked up the teapot and poured herself a cup of tea. She said casually, ¡°Shopkeeper Ji, do you know that there¡¯s an imperial physician in Ming Qi called Gao Yang?¡±


    Ji Yushu spat out a mouthful of tea. Shen Miao gave Jingzhe a look, and Jingzhe quickly handed him a handkerchief.


    Ji Yushu took the handkerchief and wiped the water off his body in a hurry. Shen Miao said, ¡°Shopkeeper Ji, you seem very surprised.¡±


    ¡°Ahem.¡± Ji Yushu said, ¡°I¡¯m indeed a little surprised. Why would Miss Shen be interested in an imperial physician in the palace?¡±


    ¡°I was asked by someone to do so.¡± Shen Miao looked at him. ¡°Shopkeeper Ji, have you never heard of this name?¡±


    Ji Yushu shook his head. ¡°This is the first time I¡¯ve heard of the name. I think his medical skills are not very good. Otherwise, he would have long been famous.¡± He looked at Shen Miao and said awkwardly, ¡°To be honest, why would Miss stick your nose into the palace? Although All Knowing Scholar does all kinds of business, the palace is deep water. It¡¯s best if we don¡¯t tread the water.¡±


    Shen Miao looked at him and did not speak, but her calm gaze made Ji Yushu feel a little uneasy. Ji Yushu cleared his throat and said in a low voice, ¡°It¡¯s not impossible, but I have to ask for more money¡­¡±


    ¡°Shopkeeper Ji, don¡¯t worry about the money.¡± Shen Miao smiled.


    After Ji Yushu heard the first two businesses Shen Miao wanted to do with him, he was already feeling on tenterhooks. He coughed and said, ¡°I wonder what the third business Miss Shen wants to do is about?¡±


    ¡°The third one is a little difficult.¡± Shen Miao looked at him. ¡°But I believe with Shopkeeper Ji¡¯s ability, it¡¯s only a matter of time.¡±


    When Ji Yushu heard that, he forced a smile. ¡°Thank you for your trust, Miss Shen, but¡­ what exactly is it?¡±


    ¡°I want to ask about someone.¡± Shen Miao put down her teacup. ¡°Prince Rui from the Daliang Dynasty.¡±


    Ji Yushu¡¯s hand that was holding the teacup trembled slightly, but he had an unfathomable expression on his face. ¡°Oh? Why would Miss Shen want to ask about Prince Rui? According to what I know, Prince Rui has just arrived in the capital. I gather that Miss Shen has just met him once at the banquet. Could it be that Miss Shen is like those noble ladies who are infatuated with Prince Rui¡¯s beauty and specially came to ask about him?¡± At the end of Ji Yushu¡¯s sentence, for some reason, he became happy again. His voice was no longer low like before, but filled with rare excitement.

 Chapter 480 - 480 Guessed It (5)

    480 Guessed It (5)


    Jingzhe and Gu Yu were about to explode from anger. If anyone outside heard Ji Yushu¡¯s nonsense, they would definitely think badly of Shen Miao. However, the servants could not interrupt when their master was talking, so the two of them could only suppress their anger and look at Ji Yushu in disdain.


    Shen Miao looked at Ji Yushu¡¯s excited expression and suddenly smiled. She said, ¡°That¡¯s right. I also admire his peerless beauty.¡±


    Ji Yushu was stunned. He suddenly opened his mouth and pointed at Shen Miao in disbelief. He stammered, ¡°Are you serious?¡±


    Shen Miao nodded and said seriously, ¡°I am serious.¡±


    Ji Yushu seemed to have discovered a huge secret and couldn¡¯t suppress his excitement. He chuckled and said, ¡°In that case, I¡¯ll definitely help Miss Shen find out more about Prince Rui¡­ and see if there are any other girls around him.¡±


    ????0????(e)????????i????,nett


    Shen Miao stood up and nodded at Ji Yushu. ¡°Thank you, Shopkeeper Ji. If you find anything, please get someone to send a letter to my mansion. I¡¯ll naturally come to the Exiled Immortal Pawnshop to meet you.¡± She took out a silver ingot from her sleeve and placed it in front of Ji Yushu. ¡°This is the deposit.¡±


    Ji Yushu smiled and said, ¡°Miss Shen, that¡¯s not necessary. There¡¯s no need to talk about deposits between us.¡± As he spoke, he put the money into his sleeve, causing Jingzhe and Gu Yu to roll their eyes at him disdainfully.


    Shen Miao smiled and said, ¡°Shopkeeper Ji, I never owe anybody anything.¡± Her eyes were gentle, but her words were sharp. ¡°Since I¡¯m here to ask Shopkeeper Ji for information, I naturally don¡¯t want to hear fake information. The information has to be absolutely true, and it¡¯s best if it¡¯s useful to me. Otherwise, if I spend money and get useless information¡­¡± Shen Miao lowered her head and smiled.¡± The reputation of the Exiled Immortal Pawnshop will be ruined. You don¡¯t want to see that happening, do you?¡±


    Ji Yushu was stunned. Shen Miao had already called Jingzhe and Gu Yu to push the door open and walked out. He was stunned for a moment when he heard Hong Ling send Shen Miao away. He looked at the teacup in front of him and suddenly sneezed.


    He rubbed his nose and stood up. He pushed the door open and walked to the next room. He pulled open a landscape painting in front of him. Behind it was a door. As soon as Ji Yushu opened the door and walked in, he was kicked and almost fell. He closed the door and shouted angrily, ¡°Gao Yang!¡±


    The person sitting behind the door was dressed in white and looked like a sage. He waved his folding fan and looked gentle and refined, but his words were not polite. ¡°Ji Yushu, are you crazy? If this continues, you won¡¯t even know if you¡¯re being sold out.¡±


    Ji Yushu said angrily, ¡°If you were so smart, why would she be suspicious of you. She said that she wants to find out who Imperial Physician Gao is!¡±


    ¡°Shut up.¡± The person dressed in purple in the corner finally couldn¡¯t help but speak. He glanced at Ji Yushu. ¡°You are noisy.¡±


    Ji Yushu looked aggrieved and said, ¡°Third Brother, I don¡¯t know anything. I left the capital with you. As soon as I came back, Miss Shen came to ask for information. This is clearly Gao Yang¡¯s fault.¡± Ji Yushu looked at Gao Yang fiercely. ¡°Tell me! Did you do something that exposed your identity?¡±


    This elegant room was adjacent to the room outside, so they could hear Ji Yushu and Shen Miao¡¯s conversation clearly.


    ¡°Ji Yushu, are you stupid?¡± Gao Yang said, ¡°Shen Miao only returned to the capital a few days ago. Unless she has clairvoyance, how will she know what I¡¯m doing in the palace? I even suspect that you did something wrong.¡±

 Chapter 481 - 481 Guessed It (6)

    481 Guessed It (6)


    ¡°What I could¡¯ve done wrong? Miss Shen didn¡¯t ask about me. Instead, she asked about you. Could it be that she likes you, but Miss Shen just said that she admires Third Brother¡¯s beauty?¡± Ji Yushu thought of something and smiled mischievously. ¡°Hehehe, apparently, Miss Shen is also infatuated by Third Brother.¡±


    ¡°Only a fool like you can believe such nonsense.¡± Gao Yang looked at him coldly. ¡°Do you think everyone is a lovefool just like you?¡±


    Ji Yushu patted his chest. ¡°I don¡¯t want to argue with you. I¡¯m not talking to you anymore. Third Brother, what should we do now? Do you want me to help her? Or do you want me to create fake information to lie to her?¡±


    ¡°Since Shen Miao came to ask about these three things deliberately, she must know something. She can probably tell if you are lying or not. What is Miss Shen up to? Now, we are not even certain about what Shen Xin is going to do. And that Pei Lang, who was roped in by Shen Miao, has now become Fu Xiuyi¡¯s trusted aide. Why is a little girl so complicated?¡± Gao Yang rambled on. When he realized that Xie Jingxing was not listening to him at all and was looking at the teapot on the table, he reminded him, ¡°Xie¡­ Your Highness, how should we deal with it this time?¡±


    Xie Jingxing came back to his senses and thought for a moment. ¡°Do nothing.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± Without waiting for Gao Yang to ask, Ji Yushu was the first to speak. ¡°Are we going to refuse doing business with her? Moreover, Miss Shen is very smart. If we really reject her like this, she will definitely suspect something. What if she finds out that there¡¯s something wrong with our Exiled Immortal Pawnshop?¡±


    ????0????(e)????????i????,nett


    Xie Jingxing smiled faintly. ¡°It¡¯s precisely because she¡¯s smart that we must do nothing.¡±


    ¡°You mean¡­¡± Gao Yang frowned.


    ¡°She was just here to test the water.¡± Xie Jingxing narrowed his eyes and smiled. ¡°What she said out there wasn¡¯t directed to you, but to me.¡±


    ¡°Including the praise about your peerless beauty?¡± Ji Yushu¡¯s focus was always on something else.


    Xie Jingxing glanced at him coldly and said, ¡°To me as well.¡±


    In the carriage outside, Jingzhe and Gu Yu carefully looked at Shen Miao¡¯s expression. Gu Yu said softly, ¡°Miss, did Shopkeeper Ji say something wrong¡­ Miss, you look a little angry.¡±


    She was indeed very angry. Although Shen Miao looked calm on the surface, the coldness around her made the two maids feel unable to ignore it. She seemed to be sulking, but also angry. Jingzhe and Gu Yu were both very puzzled. They heard Shen Miao and Ji Yushu talking in the room just now. Although Ji Yushu¡¯s words were not pleasant to the ear, Shen Miao was fine just now. Moreover, she was not someone who would be angered simply by words.


    Jingzhe and Gu Yu did not understand. Shen Miao replied indifferently, ¡°Nothing.¡± Her tone became even colder.


    She clenched her fists in her sleeves, but she couldn¡¯t help but feel frustrated. The Exiled Immortal Pawnshop closed down immediately after she left, and it reopened not long before she returned to the capital. How could there be such a coincidence in the world? Shen Miao thought carefully. When the Exiled Immortal Pawnshop closed, other than Shen Xin going to Spring City, something else happened at the same time. Xie Jingxing led the Xie army to war. As for the reopening of the Exiled Immortal Pawnshop¡­ Other than her returning to the capital, it also happened at the time of the Ming Qi tribute and the arrival of Prince Rui.


    The Shen family had nothing to do with the Exiled Immortal Pawnshop. No matter how Shen Miao thought about it, the closing and reopening of the shop were undoubtedly related to Xie Jingxing. She came to the Exiled Immortal Pawnshop today to test the water.


    The result of the test was as she had expected. Ji Yushu and Xie Jingxing were probably old friends, and Gao Yang was the same. After connecting the dots, Shen Miao was certain that Ji Yushu and Gao Yang were both people from the Daliang Dynasty who hid their identities in the capital. What was more infuriating was that when she did business with Ji Yushu back then, she told him her entire plan about bringing down Prince Yu. Xie Jingxing probably already knew everything. She thought that she had the upper hand and had Ji Yushu under her control, but in the end, Xie Jingxing was still far ahead of her. At the thought of Xie Jingxing playing with her like a fool, Shen Miao wanted to tear him apart.


    Seeing Shen Miao¡¯s uncomfortable expression, Jingzhe thought that it was too stuffy in the carriage and lifted the curtain to bring in some air. Shen Miao glanced outside and saw a familiar face in the crowd on the street.


    Jingzhe lowered the curtain, but Shen Miao stopped her. She lifted the curtain and looked at the place, but the person in the crowd was no longer there.


    ¡°Miss?¡± Jingzhe and Gu Yu were shocked by Shen Miao¡¯s unusual behavior today. Shen Miao looked outside the carriage carefully for a while before lowering the curtain and saying, ¡°Nothing. Let¡¯s continue.¡±


    However, her brows were tightly furrowed, and her expression was even more solemn than before.

 Chapter 482 - 482 Prince Rui’s Neighbor (1)

    482 Prince Rui¡¯s Neighbor (1)


    With Shen Xin and his family returning to the capital with such fanfare and Shen Miao stealing the show at the royal banquet, while everyone was discussing, they also paid attention to the original mighty General¡¯s Mansion.


    The mighty general was no longer around, so naturally the plaque with Mighty General written on it was taken off and replaced with the Shen family. Back then, when Shen Xin was demoted and left the capital, not only did the Shen family not provide him with help, but they also proposed to split up at the critical moment to make things harder for Shen Xin. Now that Shen Xin was invited back by the Emperor Wen Hui, no matter what Emperor Wen Hui was up to, outsiders looked at the Shen family with schadenfreude. As for the Shen family, they couldn¡¯t only swallow the bitter fruit.


    In Rongjing Hall, Old Madam Shen sat on the couch decorated by the fur Shen Xin brought up from the northwest long ago. Because it had been too long, it looked a little worn off. Every year when Shen Xin returned to the capital, he would bring Old Madam Shen some animal skins he hunted from the northwest. Those were good things that could not even be bought with money in the capital. Now that Shen Xin no longer gave her animal skins, Old Madam Shen could only use old ones.


    Rongjing Hall was no longer as exquisite and luxurious as before. Even the decorations were much fewer. Back then, because Shen Xin was constantly rewarded by the emperor, the entire Shen family lived a comfortable life. Now that Shen Xin was gone, their life was a little difficult.


    ¡°The third branch is getting more and more unreasonable recently.¡± Old Madam Shen took a sip of ginseng tea and said with a frown, ¡°It¡¯s almost winter. Yesterday, I asked Chen Ruoqiu to find a tailor to make a fur cloak for me. She hesitated and wouldn¡¯t agree. I guess she pocketed all the money.¡±


    ????0????(e)????????i????,nett


    The maid behind her carefully rubbed Old Madam Shen¡¯s shoulders and lowered her head without saying a word. Now, Old Madam Shen was getting more and more temperamental. Ever since Shen Yuanbai died of smallpox a year ago, Old Madam Shen had often lost her temper.


    Shen Yuanbai¡¯s sudden death was a pain the entire Shen family could not get over until now. A year ago, many people were infected with smallpox. Although they managed to control it in the end and stopped the spread of the epidemic, some people still died in the end. Unfortunately, Shen Yuanbai was one of them.


    In the second branch of the Shen family, Shen Gui originally had two sons. Shen Yuan died under the executioner¡¯s knife. Originally, they still had Shen Yuanbai to pass down the bloodline. After Shen Yuanbai died, Shen Gui went crazy and Ren Wanyun hung herself in the courtyard with a belt. After Ren Wanyun died, Shen Gui began to take in concubines. However, there was no news of anyone getting pregnant for a year and a half. Later, Old Madam Shen finally felt that something was wrong and asked a doctor to take a look at Shen Gui. The doctor said that Shen Gui had taken an infertility pill. It was impossible for him to have any children in this life.


    Old Madam Shen fainted after hearing that, and Shen Gui was also dumbfounded. He investigated and found that the deceased Ren Wanyun was the one who drugged him just so she could make sure Shen Yuanbai could remain to be the legitimate child and the rightful heir. However, no one expected that Shen Yuanba would die of smallpox. Since Ren Wanyun was already dead, Shen Gui naturally couldn¡¯t do anything to her. In the second branch, Shen Dongling became the only child Shen Gui had.


    Ever since Shen Gui found out that he would die without an heir, he did not have the spirit to climb up the official ladder anymore. There was no one to inherit his position. What was the point of getting more power?


    It was impossible for the second branch to have another son, so Old Madam Shen could only pin her hope on the third branch, Shen Wan. Shen Wan didn¡¯t take an infertility pill, but he was only loyal to Chen Ruoqiu. Even the two concubines that Old Madam Shen gave to Shen Wan in the early years were all neglected.

 Chapter 483 - 483 Prince Rui’s Neighbor (2)

    483 Prince Rui¡¯s Neighbor (2)


    Old Madam Shen said, ¡°Not only is she a failure in managing the household, but she¡¯s also a jealous woman! She said that she¡¯s a decent lady raised by a scholarly family. I wonder where she learned all these nasty tricks to make Shen Wan so enchanted by her. Is she just going to sit back and watch as Shen Gui dies without a heir too?¡±


    Mrs. Zhang smiled and said, ¡°Old Madam, why are you angry? Third Master still doesn¡¯t know how good other girls are. Third Master is a very devoted man. When the new girls arrive in a few days, you can send them to Third Master. They¡¯re all young and beautiful like jade. Third Master will naturally want to favor them.¡±


    Old Madam Shen asked someone to buy some talented women from Yangzhou. For a person like Shen Wan, beauty was probably not enough to win his heart. Didn¡¯t Chen Ruoqiu make Shen Wan love her so much because she knew poetry and painting? Those women from Yangzhou had been trained with these talents since they were young. They were good at the Guqin, chess, calligraphy, and painting. They were also good-looking. Old Madam Shen did not believe that Shen Wan wouldn¡¯t be attempted because he was a man after all. No matter how good Chen Ruoqiu was, she was getting old.


    ¡°All of them make me angry.¡± Old Madam Shen said unhappily, ¡°Even Shen Yue is like her mother. She¡¯s very arrogant. I¡¯ve introduced a lot of young and rich men to her, but she doesn¡¯t like any of them. Could it be that she still wants to marry a prince?¡±


    Mrs. Zhang smiled and said, ¡°I¡¯m afraid Third Master already has a suitable son-in-law in his mind and wants to marry Second Miss to him.¡±


    ????0????(e)????????i????,nett


    Old Madam Shen snorted. ¡°Let¡¯s wait and see. I want to see what kind of marriage he can find for Shen Yue.


    In the Autumn Water Garden, Chen Ruoqiu rubbed her forehead.


    Her personal maid, Shi Qing, said, ¡°Madam, I went to Rongjing Hall to ask around. Old Madam really found a few women from Yangzhou for Third Master. They will arrive in the mansion in a few days. Madam, Old Madam obviously wants to replace you.¡±


    Chen Ruoqiu closed her eyes and suddenly brushed all the books on the table to the ground, causing the maid to shudder.


    Even though Chen Ruoqiu was still as gentle and considerate as before in front of Shen Wan, the servants could clearly feel that Chen Ruoqiu had become more and more fierce in the past two years. It was probably because she was in charge of managing the household and Old Madam Shen liked to be extravagant, so Chen Ruoqiu had to fork out a lot of her own money. In the past, she did not care about money. Now that she was burdened with worldly affairs, she felt that her life was in a mess everyday.


    Of course, the most important thing was that she couldn¡¯t give birth to a son.


    She said coldly, ¡°This old fart is really shameless to buy women for his son!¡±


    If Shen Wan was present, his jaw would probably drop, not believing that such unpleasant words would come out of his gentle and graceful wife.


    Hua Yi said, ¡°Madam, you are just being too kind. At this rate, Old Madam will sooner or later shove women into Master¡¯s bedroom.¡±


    Chen Ruoqiu took a deep breath and turned to look at the two maids, Shi Qing and Hua Yi. These were the personal maids she had for many years. They were at the right age, 18 or 19 years old, like blooming flowers, and their entire bodies were filled with a honey-like aura. Such a beauty¡­ She curled her lips and said, ¡°Old Madam is really stupid. If she really wants to thrust women upon my husband, why go to such lengths to find these women from far away? We don¡¯t know their backgrounds at all, and they might ruin the family¡¯s reputation. Why doesn¡¯t¡­ she just use these clean and obedient maids by her side? I think the two of you are not bad. With you serving my husband, I can be relieved.¡±

 Chapter 484 - 484 Prince Rui’s Neighbor (3)

    484 Prince Rui¡¯s Neighbor (3)


    Although her tone was gentle, her gaze was very sharp. The two maids freaked out and quickly knelt down. ¡°We don¡¯t dare. We just want to serve Madam wholeheartedly. We don¡¯t dare to have any other thoughts.¡±


    Chen Ruoqiu lowered her head and looked at them for a while. The two maids were so frightened that their legs were trembling. Only then did she say indifferently, ¡°Get up. Since you don¡¯t want to, I have no reason to force you.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Madam.¡± The two maids stood up shakily and heaved a sigh of relief in their hearts. Chen Ruoqiu looked gentle on the surface and was kind to people, but as Chen Ruoqiu¡¯s personal maids, they had seen Chen Ruoqiu¡¯s methods. In fact, there were a few maids who looked good and attempted to get close to Shen Wan. Although Shen Wan did not show much interest, he did not explicitly reject them. These maids were later sold by Chen Ruoqiu. Shi Qing and Hua Yi knew very well that Chen Ruoqiu was an extremely jealous person and was ruthless. If they really got involved with Shen Wan, they would probably end up the same.


    Chen Ruoqiu sighed. ¡°I can only blame myself for not being capable enough to give birth to a son for my husband. If I could give birth to a son, things wouldn¡¯t be like this now.¡±


    Chen Ruoqiu did not dare to comment casually. After all, not having a son was a sore point for Chen Ruoqiu. Chen Ruoqiu muttered, ¡°Now that the Shen family is in such a state, we actually don¡¯t have a son among the younger generation. Even if the second branch used to have two, they¡¯re all dead now¡­ Now, I¡¯m envious of Luo Xueyan. She has a son and a daughter and has no in-laws. Shen Xin treats her like a jewel and never takes in a concubine. I¡¯m really jealous.¡±


    ????0????(e)????????i????,nett


    At the banquet yesterday, Shen Miao stole the show and was in the limelight. However, as for Shen Yue, she was clearly much more talented and beautiful than Shen Miao, but because of the Shen family¡¯s declining status, she couldn¡¯t even find a good husband, let alone marry Prince Ding.


    Chen Ruoqiu felt a little indignant that her daughter was inferior to the daughter of a vulgar general she looked down on.


    At this moment, a servant suddenly came in from outside and said, ¡°Madam, someone is looking for Old Madam outside the mansion, but she was stopped by the servant. She said that she¡¯s here to seek refuge with the Shen family.¡±


    When Chen Ruoqiu heard that, she frowned, thinking that it must be one of Old Madam Shen¡¯s relatives who came to ask for money. She immediately said with a cold expression, ¡°Since they¡¯re here to ask for money, give them some and send them away. We have no space for freeloaders. Don¡¯t let any Tom, Dick, or Harry in.¡±


    ¡°No.¡± The servant scratched his head. ¡°Madam, that person doesn¡¯t look like she¡¯s here to ask for money. She said that she¡¯s the daughter of the old general¡¯s friend. Something happened to her family, so she came to ask for help.¡±


    Old General Shen?


    Chen Ruoqiu thought for a moment and stood up. ¡°Bring her to the side room. I¡¯ll go and see her.¡±


    ¡­


    After Shen Miao returned from the Exiled Immortal Pawnshop, it was still early. As soon as she entered the house, she locked herself in the room, thinking about something. When it was almost evening, Luo Tan returned. Luo Tan bought some jewelry and generously gave some to Shen Miao. She said, ¡°Cousin, we went to a jewelry shop today. The jewelry shop in the capital is huge. Miss Feng and I also picked some for you. I don¡¯t know if you like it or not. Take it first. When you want to go out, we¡¯ll go shopping.¡±


    She looked like she hadn¡¯t had enough.


    Shen Miao turned around and nodded. After Luo Tan left, she looked at the half box of jewelry and thought about how much money she could pawn.

 Chapter 485 - 485 Prince Rui’s Neighbor (4)

    485 Prince Rui¡¯s Neighbor (4)


    Not long after Luo Tan returned, Shen Xin and the others also came back. They all had dinner together. Things were probably going smoothly in the bureaucracy, and Shen Xin and Luo Xueyan looked like they were in a good mood. Only Shen Miao looked a little tired. Luo Ling noticed and said, ¡°Cousin Miao, you look a little unwell. What happened?¡±


    Shen Qiu stopped eating. ¡°Sister, what¡¯s wrong?¡±


    Shen Miao was stunned. Seeing that everyone at the table was staring at her, she smiled and said, ¡°It¡¯s nothing. I just came back from Spring City and am not accustomed to it. I¡¯ll be better after a few days.¡±


    Shen Qiu smiled and said, ¡°What¡¯s there to be unaccustomed to? I¡¯ll bring you around from the east to the west of the city in a few days. You¡¯ll get accustomed to it in no time.¡±


    ¡°Cousin Qiu, bring me too!¡± Luo Tan hurriedly added, ¡°I can also protect my little cousin.¡±


    ¡°Nonsense.¡± Luo Xueyan said, ¡°The capital is so big. What if she gets lost?¡± She glared at Shen Xin, wanting him to say something.


    Shen Xin chuckled and said, ¡°As long as the children are happy. It¡¯s fine. Brat, if you bring your sisters out to have fun, take your guards with you. If anyone dares to cause trouble, beat them up. Don¡¯t be afraid!¡±


    Luo Xueyan pinched him angrily.


    The couple¡¯s relationship was very good. Shen Xin was fierce outside, but when he returned home, he listened to Luo Xueyan. Shen Miao was originally looking at him with a smile. As she looked at him, she seemed to have thought of something and her expression gradually darkened. She quickly lowered her head to prevent the people around her from noticing that something was wrong with her expression. Luo Ling, who was paying attention to her every move, paused for a moment and lowered his head thoughtfully.


    After dinner, they chatted in the hall for a while before returning to their rooms. Shen Miao was about to return to her courtyard when she was stopped by Luo Ling.


    ¡°Cousin, wait a minute.¡±


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    Shen Miao turned around and looked at him. ¡°Cousin Ling, what¡¯s the matter?¡±


    Luo Ling hesitated for a moment before taking out something that was folded into a square from his sleeve. He said gently, ¡°When I went out with Cousin Qiu today, I happened to see a shop selling this outside. I saw that a lot of people were buying it, so I bought one. I heard that you have a lot of dreams at night. This thing is soaked in spices and can help you calm down. If you don¡¯t mind, please take it.¡±


    Shen Miao was slightly stunned and looked up at the young man in front of her.


    Luo Ling was good-looking. Although he was not as brave as Shen Qiu and was not as handsome as Xie Jingxing, the natural gentleness he exuded made people feel comfortable being around him. Among the younger generation of the Luo family, he was the most outstanding, not only because he was the most reliable, but also because he had the ability to take on the responsibility of inheriting the Luo family.


    In the night, Shen Miao seemed to be able to see Luo Ling¡¯s slightly red face. He said with clumsiness, ¡°If you don¡¯t like it¡­¡±


    Shen Miao took the thing from Luo Ling¡¯s hand and smiled. ¡°Cousin, how can I refuse your kindness? Thank you.¡±


    Luo Ling smiled and said, ¡°It¡¯s good that you like it.¡±


    His eyes were filled with gentleness, and his tone was filled with concern. If it were any other woman, she would have a very good impression of the person in front of her. However, Shen Miao took a step back and looked at him. ¡°If there¡¯s nothing else, I¡¯ll go back to my room first.¡±


    A trace of disappointment flashed across Luo Ling¡¯s eyes, but he quickly hid it and said, ¡°Then, I won¡¯t disturb you.¡± He turned around and left.

 Chapter 486 - 486 Prince Rui’s Neighbor (5)

    486 Prince Rui¡¯s Neighbor (5)


    Shen Miao looked at Luo Ling¡¯s back as he left and watched quietly for a while. She was not a young girl who was ignorant of the world. Even if she had never experienced the intimacy and love between a man and a woman with Fu Xiuyi, she had been an empress for many decades after all. Luo Ling was a good person. It would be too selfish of her to drag such a good person into her life. The Luo family had treated her well. She could not bring herself to harm Luo Ling.


    She turned around and returned to her room. After washing up, Jingzhe and Gu Yu left. Shen Miao sat at the table and spread out the item Luo Ling had given her.


    It was a handkerchief. Coincidentally, it was actually a double-sided embroidery that was the most difficult to get now. Luo Ling must have spent a lot of money to buy this handkerchief. There was a white crane embroidered on it. It emitted a faint fragrance that was indeed a little soothing.


    Shen Miao looked at it for a long time. The patterns on the handkerchief were obviously made by Liu Ying. Liu Ying¡¯s craftsmanship was one of the best in the capital, and this was a rare double-sided embroidery. It seemed that Liu Ying was doing well. As Shen Miao looked at it, her mood improved.


    She felt a little tired, so she took off her outer robe and only wore her inner clothes. She walked to the couch and sat down. Just as she was about to take off her inner clothes to rest, she heard a chuckle. ¡°Wait.¡±


    Shen Miao¡¯s hand froze. When she turned around, her eyes were filled with anger. She looked at the person who had come uninvited outside the window and said word by word, ¡°Xie, Jing, Xing.¡±


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    Xie Jingxing entered the house and closed the window like he was at home. This time, he was not wearing a mask. His handsome and beautiful face was exposed under the light, but Shen Miao only wanted to drag him out and kill him.


    ¡°In the entire world, you¡¯re the only one who can call me by my pet name now.¡± Xie Jingxing pulled a chair over and sat down not far from Shen Miao¡¯s bed. He smiled casually. ¡°You¡¯re the only one in the world who has this honor.¡±


    Even while seated, he was still much taller than Shen Miao.


    Shen Miao looked at him coldly. ¡°Prince Rui, you seem to be free every day and have familiarized yourself with the road from Yanqing Alley to my house.¡±


    ¡°Simple.¡± Xie Jingxing rested his chin on his hand. ¡°I¡¯ve bought all the houses here in Yanqing Alley. The house next to yours is also my house. We¡¯re neighbors, so it¡¯s only right for me to come and say hello.¡±


    Shen Miao gasped. Although Yanqing Alley was also close to Shen Miao¡¯s house, there was still some distance. Xie Jingxing had bought all the mansions from Yanqing Alley to Shen Miao¡¯s house¡­ Didn¡¯t that mean that more than half of the south of the city was his playground? The house next to Shen Miao¡¯s house also belonged to Xie Jingxing. Even if Xie Jingxing was rich, he shouldn¡¯t spend money like this. Did he bring the treasury of the Daliang Dynasty with him? Did Emperor Yong Le know that he was squandering money like dirt?


    When she saw the lazy smile on Xie Jingxing¡¯s face, Shen Miao was furious. Xie Jingxing was so shameless. Who would visit their neighbor in the middle of the night just to say hello? Why did he come uninvited? Was the royal family of the Daliang Dynasty so unruly?


    ¡°You don¡¯t look very happy.¡± Xie Jingxing looked at her with interest. ¡°If you have any difficulties, you can tell me. My identity as Prince Rui can do much more than you can imagine. For the sake of us being old friends, I don¡¯t mind offering you some help.¡±


    Shen Miao rolled her eyes at him. She was getting more and more confused about what Xie Jingxing was up to. Xie Jingxing¡¯s words reminded her of what she said to Ji Yushu at the Exiled Immortal Pawnshop today. Shen Miao¡¯s interest was suddenly aroused and she deliberately asked, ¡°Xie Jingxing, what do you think of Concubine Fang of the Marquis of Lin¡¯an?¡±

 Chapter 487 - 487 Prince Rui’s Neighbor (6)

    487 Prince Rui¡¯s Neighbor (6)


    Concubine Fang of the Marquis of Lin¡¯an was the biological mother of Xie Changwu and Xie Changchao. Back then, Princess Yuqing¡¯s death was more or less related to Concubine Fang. Everyone knew that Princess Yuqing was a sore point for Xie Jingxing, but Shen Miao deliberately brought it up.


    Xie Jingxing looked at her with a faint smile. ¡°Are you trying to get information out of me?¡±


    ¡°Will you tell me?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no harm in telling you.¡± Xie Jingxing said lazily, ¡°In my eyes, she¡¯s more insignificant than nothing.¡±


    Shen Miao looked at him. ¡°Why don¡¯t you kill her and take revenge then?¡±


    Xie Jingxing narrowed his eyes. He stared at Shen Miao for a while and suddenly smiled. His voice was as pleasant as the spring breeze, but also as cold as the winter. He said, ¡°Shen Miao, are you worried that Shen Xin will become the second Xie Ding?¡±


    Shen Miao lowered her eyes. ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± After a pause, she said, ¡°If I were in your position, I would do everything I can to take revenge. I¡¯ll kill Concubine Fang and her two sons. Only then will the revenge be complete.¡±


    When Xie Jingxing heard this, he was not surprised. He only smiled, as if he was laughing at her naivety. Xie Jingxing said, ¡°I didn¡¯t kill Concubine Fang because I couldn¡¯t be bothered and I don¡¯t like trouble. Xie Ding and Princess Yuqing have nothing to do with me. Why should I take revenge?¡±


    Shen Miao was stunned.


    Shen Miao had heard from Xie Jingxing saying that he wasn¡¯t related to Xie Ding before and was not surprised. However, why was it that even Princess Yuqing had nothing to do with Xie Jingxing? If he was not the son of Xie Ding and Princess Yuqing, how did he become the son of the Xie family?


    Shen Miao thought of something and asked Xie Jingxing, ¡°Then Princess Yuqing¡¯s son¡­¡±


    ¡°Died,¡± Xie Jingxing said indifferently. ¡°He died at birth.¡±


    ¡°If Xie Ding¡¯s son was still alive, he would die before he reached the age of three.¡± Xie Jingxing said indifferently, ¡°Because it was me, Concubine Fang didn¡¯t dare to do anything. Because¡­¡± He smiled evilly.¡± The people sent by her to kill me would all disappear mysteriously for no reason. ¡±


    Shen Miao was enlightened. She knew it. Since Concubine Fang could force Princess Yuqing to a dead end and cause her to die in grief, she must be someone with schemes and ambitions. How could such a person be willing to let Xie Jingxing grow up safely? It turned out that the people she sent would always disappear for no reason, so she probably felt scared and decided to restrain her ambition. As for why those people disappeared, since Xie Jingxing was the Prince Rui of the Daliang Dynasty and had some capable people around him, it should be more than enough to deal with Concubine Fang.


    The confusion Shen Miao had was all cleared. Xie Jingxing looked down at her and said, ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry. Shen Xin is different from Xie Ding.¡±


    Shen Miao said, ¡°I¡¯m also different from you.¡±


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    Xie Jingxing was slightly stunned. Shen Miao said, ¡°You couldn¡¯t be bothered to deal with her because there is no need. I¡¯m different. If someone has designs on my family like Concubine Fang, I¡¯ll do everything I can to make her the victim of her own evil doing. If someone with ulterior motives like Concubine Fang tries to ruin my family, I¡¯ll tear her into pieces and drag her corpse to feed the dogs.¡± At the end of her sentence, she lowered her head, but there were other emotions in her eyes.


    Xie Jingxing placed a hand on her head and said, ¡°If there¡¯s such a person, just tell me. I¡¯ll kill them for you since, you know, we are neighbors.¡±


    Shen Miao shook off his hand and Xie Jingxing looked at her with a smile. His expression was relaxed and his words were joking, but his eyes were serious.


    For Xie Jingxing to kill someone like Concubine Fang, it was indeed easy.


    Shen Miao said, ¡°I can kill people myself.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not a good move to make until the last moment.¡± Xie Jingxing said, ¡°If you feel bad about it, you can give me something as a reward for helping you kill.¡±


    Shen Miao said sarcastically, ¡°Prince Rui, you are noble. I can¡¯t afford to hire you to kill someone.¡±


    Xie Jingxing smiled. ¡°I¡¯ll give you a 20% discount.¡± He stood up and walked to the table. The handkerchief given by Luo Ling was lying there. Xie Jingxing picked it up and sniffed it. He raised his eyebrows and said, ¡°Although the fragrance is bad, my dog hasn¡¯t been sleeping well recently. This might help it sleep better.¡± Without waiting for Shen Miao to speak, Xie Jingxing put the handkerchief into his pocket. ¡°I¡¯ll take it as my reward.¡±

 Chapter 488 - 488 My Jiaojiao (1)

    488 My Jiaojiao (1)


    After the tribute banquet, the capital was still lively. In order to entertain the nobles from the Daliang Dynasty and the State of Qin, the streets looked much more prosperous than before. The royal family of Ming Qi wanted to paint a picture of prosperity for others to see.


    In the Shen family, the servants in the Autumn Water Garden were talking about something new.


    ¡°Who exactly is that new girl in the mansion? Why is Third Madam treating her so nicely?¡±


    ¡°Could she be someone noble?¡±


    An old woman in a green robe said in a low voice, ¡°I heard that this girl¡¯s father used to be especially close to the old general. Back then, he even took a knife for the old general and almost died¡­¡±


    A young maid quickly covered her mouth and said in surprise, ¡°No wonder this girl is treated as a distinguished guest.¡±


    ¡°She said she¡¯s here to seek refuge because something unfortunate happened to her family. From the looks of it, Third Madam wants to take good care of this girl.¡±


    ¡°Taking care of her? Now that the Shen family itself is struggling to make ends meet, why do they want a freeloader? It¡¯s better to send her away as soon as possible.¡±


    As soon as she said that, the surroundings fell silent. Now, on the surface, the Shen family looked good, but the servants knew very well that ever since Shen Xin split up from the family, the money had become much scarcer. Even the monthly salary of the servants had decreased a lot.


    ¡°I wonder why Third Madam is so generous to that girl this time,¡± someone said in confusion.


    In the Autumn Water Garden, Ren Wanyun was sitting in the room. She pushed the teacup in front of her to the girl opposite her and smiled. ¡°It¡¯s a new tea. Miss Chang, try it.¡±


    The girl sitting opposite her was wearing an emerald green dress. There was no top-grade embroidery on the dress. This dress was very simple and the color was very loud. If this dress was worn by someone else, they might look like a country girl. However, when it was worn by the girl, it actually made her look very pleasing to the eye.


    This girl looked to be in her early twenties. Her clothes and hair accessories were very simple, and she was very gentle. Most importantly, she had a strong scholarly aura. One look and one could tell that she was raised by a scholarly family and had a good upbringing.


    Seeing that Chen Ruoqiu was enthusiastic, the girl did not refuse. She picked up the teacup and took a sip. She smiled and said, ¡°The tea is extremely light, but it¡¯s fragrant and rich. Madam, you¡¯re also outstanding at making tea.¡±


    ¡°Miss Qing, do you also know about tea-making?¡± Chen Ruoqiu smiled even wider. ¡°Tea-making is the best form of art, but very few young girls like you know it these days.¡±


    The girl smiled. ¡°Madam, you¡¯re right. Tea-making is the best form of art. But Madam, don¡¯t make fun of me. I¡¯m 26 years old now. How can I be considered a young girl?¡±


    ¡°You are 26 years old?¡± Chen Ruoqiu exclaimed, ¡°Looking at you, I thought you were in your early 20s. However, that¡¯s good. You have the face of a girl in her early 20s and the temperament of a girl in her late 20s. It¡¯s really rare.¡±


    ????0????(e)????????i????,nett


    The girl in green in front of Chen Ruoqiu was the person who came to seek refuge yesterday. Her name was Chang Zaiqing. Her father, Chang Hu, was once a subordinate of Old General Shen. Back then, he took a knife for Old General Shen on the battlefield and got injured. From then on, he could no longer go to the battlefield. Chang Hu¡¯s family was supported by Chang Hu alone. Old General Shen felt guilty, so he had been using money to help them in private. At that time, Chang Zaiqing was still young, but Shen Xin was already old enough to start a family. Old General Shen even joked that he wanted Chang Ziqing to be his daughter-in-law. However, before he could see Shen Xin marry, Old General Shen passed away. Because no one knew that Old General Shen was secretly helping Chang Hu¡¯s family, the Chang family and the Shen family stopped contacting each other after that.

 Chapter 489 - 489 My Jiaojiao (2)

    489 My Jiaojiao (2)


    Unexpectedly, someone from the Chang family came knocking at the door all of a sudden.


    A trace of worry flashed across Chang Zaiqing¡¯s eyes. ¡°I really feel bad for suddenly dropping in on you this time and causing such trouble for the Shen family¡­¡± She looked at Chen Ruoqiu.¡± If Madam feels that it¡¯s inconvenient, I¡¯ll leave now. I won¡¯t cause trouble for the Shen family.¡± Even so, the moment she lowered her eyes, she couldn¡¯t help but bite her lip.


    Chen Ruoqiu held her hand affectionately. ¡°Miss Chang, what are you talking about? Since your father saved my father-in-law¡¯s life, your family is our Shen family¡¯s benefactor. Moreover, the old general and your father were sworn brothers back then. We¡¯re all family. Since you¡¯re in trouble, we can¡¯t just stand by and do nothing.¡± She patted Chang Zaiqing¡¯s hand. ¡°Miss Qing, just stay here. I¡¯ll bring you to see Old Madam tomorrow. However, Old Madam is not feeling well these days and is quite temperamental. I¡¯m afraid you have to bear with her.¡±


    Chang Zaiqing nodded repeatedly. Her attitude was natural and polite. She was not shy, but she didn¡¯t make herself at home immediately either. It was easy for people to have a good impression of her. Even someone like Chen Ruoqiu, who was cautious, treated Chang Zaiqing well.


    Chang Zaiqing¡¯s family lived in Liuzhou. The reason why she suddenly came to the Shen family was that she had indeed encountered a problem. Chang Hu had passed away a few years ago, and only Chang Zaiqing and her mother were left in the Chang family. Mrs. Chang was bedridden all year round and fell seriously ill a while back. After Mrs. Chang was buried, a young man from an official family in Liuzhou wanted to snatch Chang Zaiqing away to be his concubine. Chang Zaiqing was forced into a corner and almost committed suicide with a white handkerchief, but she was saved by her nanny. The nanny told Chang Zaiqing that perhaps Old General Shen, Chang Hu¡¯s old friend, could help her out.


    Chang Zaiqing had seen Old General Shen when she was young. She vaguely remembered that he was a very forthright and magnanimous general. She really could not think of anyone else who could help her out, so she gathered the money and came to the capital. As soon as she came to the Shen family, she happened to meet Chen Ruoqiu. After Chen Ruoqiu found out what happened, she brought her in.


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    Chen Ruoqiu smiled and looked at Chang Zaiqing. ¡°Miss Chang, the capital is not like Liuzhou. I wonder if the food is to your liking. Do you like the west courtyard?¡±


    ¡°Madam, you¡¯re too kind.¡± Chang Zaiqing smiled and replied, ¡°Madam, you¡¯ve taken very good care of me. The place where I live in the west courtyard is also very comfortable. However¡­¡± She was a little puzzled.¡± Is such a big courtyard usually empty?¡± After saying that, she felt that she was a little rude and smiled.¡± I hope Madam won¡¯t mind me asking.¡±


    ¡°I treat you as one of us, so of course I don¡¯t mind.¡± Chen Ruoqiu smiled and said, ¡°I won¡¯t hide it from you. You know that there are actually three branches in the Shen family. I think you¡¯ve heard of the mighty general, the first branch. It¡¯s just that two years ago, there was a misunderstanding between us, so the first branch moved out. My husband and I wanted to explain, but they went to Spring City and just came back not long ago. This misunderstanding is too deep.¡± As Chen Ruoqiu spoke, she looked helpless and shook her head. ¡°I don¡¯t know what to do.¡±


    Chang Zaiqing was stunned. ¡°If that¡¯s the case, then the west courtyard¡­¡±


    ¡°The west courtyard used to be where the first branch lived,¡± Chen Ruoqiu said.


    Chang Zaiqing was enlightened. Seeing that Chen Ruoqiu was a little sad, she comforted, ¡°Madam, don¡¯t worry too much. Blood is thicker than water in the world. Since it¡¯s a misunderstanding, it will eventually be resolved. As time passes, I think General Shen will get over it and come back to reunite with the family.¡±

 Chapter 490 - 490 My Jiaojiao (3)

    490 My Jiaojiao (3)


    Chen Ruoqiu smiled and said, ¡°After hearing you say that, I feel much better.¡± She looked at Chang Zaiqing. ¡°If only everyone in the Shen family is as considerate as you. If you have time, please teach Yue in the future. My husband and I usually dote on her. I¡¯m afraid she¡¯s been spoiled. It¡¯s good to have a smart person like you to teach her.¡±


    ¡°Madam, you flattered me.¡± Chang Zaiqing smiled and said, ¡°Yue is knowledgeable and smart. I¡¯ve never seen such a smart girl in Liuzhou. I think she¡¯s one of the best in the capital. Women should be like her, knowledgeable and talented.¡±


    Chen Ruoqiu felt extremely satisfied with this undisguised compliment. She chatted more and more enthusiastically with Chang Zaiqing until it was almost noon.


    After Chang Zaiqing left, Shi Qing wiped the table and asked carefully, ¡°Madam, are you really going to keep Miss Chang?¡± She hesitated for a moment before reminding, ¡°Now that the expenses in the mansion are getting bigger, I¡¯m afraid Old Madam will be unhappy if she finds out there is a freeloader.¡±


    Old Madam Shen was getting more and more stingy. If she really found out that Chang Zaiqing was living in the Shen mansion for free, she would naturally be dissatisfied. Therefore, Chen Ruoqiu had told Chang Zaiqing in advance that Old Madam had been quite temperamental these days and hoped she could understand it.


    ¡°What does that short-sighted old woman know?¡± Chen Ruoqiu looked disdainful. ¡°She can¡¯t do anything right and has no vision for the future.¡±


    ¡°Madam, do you think this Miss Chang is still useful?¡± Hua Yi asked. If it were two years ago, Chen Ruoqiu would also be willing to pretend to be kind to gain a good reputation. However, now that she did not have money, she could not even take care of herself. It was a little strange for her to go and help others.


    ¡°She¡¯s not like ordinary women who are short-sighted. She¡¯s good-looking and smart. It¡¯s fine if she¡¯s not ambitious, but once she is, she¡¯ll definitely make a name for herself in less than five years.¡± Chen Ruoqiu smiled. The place where she was born was filled with women¡¯s schemes every day. Chen Ruoqiu¡¯s mother had plenty tricks up her sleeve and was able to suppress all the other women. Chen Ruoqiu was reminded of her mother when she saw Chang Zaiqing. Chang Zaiqing was still so young now. She would probably have more outstanding achievements in the future.


    ¡°But what can she bring to the table?¡± Hua Yi was puzzled. ¡°Madam, could it be that you want to befriend her and wait until Miss Chang becomes successful and climbs up the social ladder before repaying you?¡±


    When Chen Ruoqiu heard that, she smiled. ¡°My observation of her tells me that she only looks docile on the surface, but she¡¯s actually proud and arrogant. How can she be willing to submit to others? If she really climbs up the social ladder, don¡¯t expect anything in return from her. She looks down on people who are inferior to her.¡±


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    ¡°Then¡­¡±


    Chen Ruoqiu looked out of the window. ¡°She will be a good knife to use. I don¡¯t think I can defeat such a smart girl. I wonder¡­ if that girl can.¡±


    On the other side, Chang Zaiqing returned to the west courtyard. The west courtyard, where Shen Xin¡¯s family used to live, was now much empty. Originally, there were many servants in the west courtyard. Later, after Shen Xin¡¯s family moved out, the servants in the west courtyard were fired by Chen Ruoqiu one after another.

 Chapter 491 - 491 My Jiaojiao (4)

    491 My Jiaojiao (4)


    When Nanny Zhao, who was Chang Zaiqing¡¯s nanny, saw that Chang Zaiqing had returned, she quickly came forward to put a cloak on Chang Zaiqing and said worriedly, ¡°Miss, how did it go with Third Madam Shen today?¡±


    It was Nanny Zhao¡¯s idea to get Chang Zaiqing to enter the capital to ask the Shen family for help. If she still did not think of a way, Chang Zaiqing would really be hopeless. However, the Shen family and the Chang family had not been in touch for so many years. People were capricious. Old General Shen was willing to take care of the Chang family. Without Old General Shen around, who knew how the Shen family would treat Chang Zaiqing?


    Chang Zaiqing rubbed her forehead and sat down on the soft couch in the room. ¡°Third Madam Shen is very enthusiastic and agreed to let us stay for a while. Even if those people come to the capital, they probably won¡¯t dare to provoke the Shen family.¡±


    Only then did Nanny Zhao pat her chest and heave a sigh of relief. ¡°Amitabha. Your father said that everyone in the Shen family has a kind heart. I was originally worried for you. I¡¯m afraid the Shen family won¡¯t help. Now it seems that I can rest assured.¡±


    ¡°Nanny, you¡¯re thinking too much.¡± Chang Zaiqing sneered and looked disdainful. ¡°There is no free lunch in the world. Even Old General Shen took care of the Chang family because my father took a knife for him back then. There¡¯s no such thing as being good to people for no reason. Third Madam Shen is so enthusiastic because she thinks I¡¯m useful to her.¡±


    Nanny Zhao was shocked and looked at Chang Zaiqing. ¡°Miss, do you mean that Third Madam Shen is not a good person? What should we do?¡±


    ¡°Nanny, don¡¯t worry.¡± Chang Zaiqing comforted her, but his eyes were cold. ¡°Third Madam Shen wants something from me, and I want something from her too. Although I don¡¯t know what she¡¯s up to, I¡­ will find a way.¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡± Nanny Zhao was still a little uneasy.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Nanny.¡± Chang Zaiqing smiled and said, ¡°We¡¯ve been through all kinds of difficulties. Now that we have a way out, what¡¯s there to be afraid of? Since the Shen family is a springboard, we naturally have to make good use of it. Third Madam Shen wants to use me, but I¡¯m also using her.¡±


    Nanny Zhao looked at Chang Zaiqing and finally nodded.


    ¡­


    The land in the capital was naturally expensive. Apart from the palace, the most expensive land was Yanqing Alley. Yanqing Alley was located in the south of the city, and not far away were the most prosperous restaurants and shops. Facing the river, the scenery was unique. The reason why the land in Yanqing Alley was expensive was not only because it was the residence of the nobles of the previous dynasty, but also because once a particularly famous Daoist who came to look at feng shui here said that this place had dragon qi. Other than the nobles, no one could suppress the dragon qi here.


    The royal family of Ming Qi was not in the south of the city, so they could not build a new palace. That way, the people would have complaints, and the treasury would not be able to fork out so much money. However, who dared to live in a place with dragon qi? Wouldn¡¯t that be disrespectful to the emperor if they lived there? Even if some people were bold enough to do that, they could not fork out so much money, so Yanqing Alley was empty for many years.


    At this moment, Yanqing Alley was finally occupied by the people of the State of Qin and the Daliang Dynasty. They were both nobles and had inexhaustible money. There was no place more suitable for them to live than Yanqing Alley. They could not live in the palace. If that happened, Emperor Wen Hui would probably not be able to sleep at night.


    At this moment, there were soldiers guarding the mansion in the innermost part of Yanqing Alley. Although it was a mansion, it looked like a smaller palace. It was luxuriously decorated and had a huge area.

 Chapter 492 - 492 My Jiaojiao (5)

    492 My Jiaojiao (5)


    This mansion was where Prince Rui lived. There were several mansions in Yanqing Alley. The crown prince of the State of Qin chose the mansion closest to the street, but the innermost one was chosen by Prince Rui. No one knew if it was because he wanted to keep a distance from the State of Qin. No matter what, this mansion was the most expensive one in Yanqing Alley, twice as expensive as the one taken by the crown prince of the State of Qin. Prince Rui did not even bat an eyelid. It made people think that it was true that the treasury of the Daliang Dynasty was filled with gold.


    Prince Rui was also very arrogant. On the first day he lived here, he got someone to remove the plaque at the door and change it to a golden plaque to hang it up. It said: Prince Rui¡¯s mansion. It made people angry and amused. This Prince Rui came to Ming Qi to buy a mansion and hung up such a plaque. Was he really going to stay here forever?


    At this moment, in the courtyard of Prince Rui¡¯s mansion, something snow-white was struggling on the ground.


    ¡°It¡¯s too fierce. It¡¯s already so fierce as a cub. Master, why would you want to keep it?¡± A woman in yellow squatted on the ground and played with the snow-white creature in front of her with a wooden stick. Looking at it carefully, the creature¡¯s eyes were clear and dark, making it look quite adorable. At this moment, it was scratching the woman¡¯s hand with its claws. It was a young tiger that had probably been born not long ago. It was very tender. The fur on its body was a rare light color, and the patterns were not obvious. From afar, it was like a snow-white tiger.


    As the woman played with the tiger cub, she suddenly gasped and threw down the wooden stick in her hand. She said angrily, ¡°This cub looks so docile, but it actually bites people. It really hurts. I¡¯ll tear you apart later!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯d better not.¡± Another female voice sounded. It was a woman in a slightly charming light red dress. She looked at the tiger cub on the ground and said, ¡°Master brought this back personally. Nightingale, I¡¯m afraid you¡¯ll be torn apart by Master before you can touch it.¡±


    The woman called Nightingale stood up. The white tiger cub excitedly went forward and bit the corner of her dress. It tried to drag her back and was kicked away by Nightingale. She walked to the woman in red. ¡°Huo Long, is Master crazy? Why is he raising a tiger for no reason? This tiger looks good and cute, but it¡¯s ferocious by nature. What if it hurts people by accident?¡±


    Huo Long shrugged. ¡°It¡¯s probably just being playful. After this white tiger was brought back, it has been eating, sleeping, and eating. It only opened its eyes for a few days, but it already knows how to bite.¡±


    ¡°In the future, if Master takes an enormous tiger back, His Majesty will probably have a headache.¡± Nightingale said with a bitter expression.


    ¡°Are the two of you slacking off here?¡± A man¡¯s sharp voice sounded. The two women turned around and saw a middle-aged man striding over. He walked to the side of the cage and picked up the bowl on the top of the cage to take a look. He looked at Nightingale and Huo Long and said unhappily, ¡°Didn¡¯t I ask you to feed the tiger?¡±


    ¡°Tie Yi!¡± Nightingale said angrily, ¡°When we came out of the tower jail, we thought we would be entrusted with an important task by Master. Who knew that we would be asked to take care of a tiger? We¡¯re soldiers from Black Feather Army, not nannies.¡±


    ¡°Do whatever Master tells you to do. Don¡¯t ask so many questions.¡± Tie Yi squatted down and fed the white tiger on the ground with a bowl. The cooked meat was cut into slices with some eggs added on it. The white tiger went forward and sniffed, eating happily.

 Chapter 493 - 493 My Jiaojiao (6)

    493 My Jiaojiao (6)


    The tiger stopped eating after finishing half a bowl. Tie Yi put away the bowl and turned around to see Huo Long and Nightingale suddenly bowing behind him. ¡°Master.¡±


    Xie Jingxing waved his hand and walked out of the house. The two people behind him were Ji Yushu and Gao Yang.


    When Ji Yushu saw the white tiger, his eyes widened. ¡°What¡¯s this? A dog?¡±


    Tie Yi trembled. Gao Yang said, ¡°Are you stupid? It¡¯s clearly spores.¡±


    Spores¡­


    Tie Yi said, ¡°Young Master Ji, Young Master Gao, it¡¯s¡­ a white tiger.¡±


    ¡°Tiger?¡± Ji Yushu looked at Xie Jingxing. ¡°Third Brother, are you alright? Why are you raising a tiger now?¡±


    Nightingale said in a crisp voice, ¡°Young Master Ji, Master saw this on the way to the capital. A hunter wanted to sell the tiger cub¡¯s skin at a high price, so he saved it.¡±


    n(0)velbIn[.]nEt


    Gao Yang glanced at Xie Jingxing from the corner of his eye. ¡°When did you become so kind? You don¡¯t seem to be the kind of person who would do this.¡±


    Xie Jingxing ignored the two of them. He was wearing a dark purple robe with narrow sleeves. However, no matter how gorgeous the clothes were, they could not overshadow his appearance. He slowly walked to the white tiger cub¡¯s side. When the white tiger cub saw a person suddenly appear in front of it, it opened its claws and pounced forward to bite!


    Xie Jingxing grabbed the fur on the back of its neck and lifted it up.


    He lifted the white tiger cub in the air. The cub seemed to be very uncomfortable in this position and kept flapping its legs. Xie Jingxing ignored it and sized it up thoughtfully.


    ¡°Is he going to kill this tiger now¡­¡± Nightingale made a beheading gesture at Huo Long. Huo Long shivered and shook her head.


    In the end, Xie Jingxing looked at it for a while before pushing away the white tiger cub¡¯s legs. He smiled and said, ¡°It¡¯s a female tiger.¡±


    Everyone was speechless.


    So what if it was a female tiger? Was Xie Jingxing planning to bring it back to the Daliang Dynasty to be his wife?


    The tiger cub let out a roar, but its voice was soft because it was too young. Xie Jingxing placed it on his chest and reached out to hug it. The white tiger cub lay on his chest and raised its head to roar at him non-stop.


    Xie Jingxing stretched out his finger and tugged at the white tiger¡¯s whiskers to tease her. Nightingale was shocked and shouted, ¡°Master, don¡¯t! That white tiger hates people touching its whiskers the most. It will bite!¡±


    Before she could finish his sentence, the white tiger bit Xie Jingxing¡¯s finger. Huo Long and Tie Yi were also shocked. Ji Yushu covered his mouth with both hands and looked exaggeratedly frightened, while Gao Yang was gloating.


    Xie Jingxing looked at the white tiger calmly. The white tiger looked at him for a while and suddenly seemed to be a little afraid. It opened its mouth and turned to look elsewhere. There was a faint bite mark on Xie Jingxing¡¯s finger.


    ¡°Her eyes and temper are like Shen Miao. They even have the same habit of biting people.¡± Xie Jingxing looked down at the white tiger in his arms. He was not angry. Instead, he reached out and patted the white tiger¡¯s head.


    The white tiger seemed to be a little sleepy. It yawned and stretched, but it did not struggle. It let Xie Jingxing rub its head and lay on Xie Jingxing¡¯s chest to rest.


    The sun cast its warm light on the courtyard. The man in purple was gorgeous and handsome. He lowered his eyes and looked at the white tiger in his arms. His long eyelashes were slightly curled, but they could not hide his gentle and doting gaze. The white tiger¡¯s fur was extremely beautiful, and it lay obediently in his arms. The man and the tiger were as beautiful as a painting, completely different from the strange feeling of Tie Yi feeding the white tiger just now.


    Xie Jingxing raised an eyebrow and looked at the tiger cube, who was about to fall asleep with its eyes narrowed. He said, ¡°I haven¡¯t named you yet. Since you two are so alike, I¡¯ll call you Jiaojiao in the future.¡±


    Ji Yushu clapped his hands. ¡°Third Brother, why do you want to give this tiger cub such a girly name? It¡¯s too strange!¡± He protested. ¡°Change her name to Tiger Tyrant, Iron Hammer, and Brother Biao!¡±


    Gao Yang looked like he couldn¡¯t bear to watch and covered his eyes with a fan.


    Xie Jingxing glanced at Ji Yushu and continued to tickle the young tiger¡¯s chin. He said indifferently, ¡°Shut up. This is my Jiaojiao.¡±

 Chapter 494 - 494 Worse Than A Tiger (1)

    494 Worse Than A Tiger (1)


    The next day, Shen Miao received an invitation from Princess Ming An of the State of Qin, asking her to go to her mansion.


    This invitation was sent by a servant. Gu Yu took it and handed it to Shen Miao. She originally thought that it was sent by Feng Anning to invite her to go out, but she did not expect it to be from Princess Ming An. Jingzhe said worriedly, ¡°This is fake, right? How can it be from Princess Ming An? Princess Ming An doesn¡¯t have anything to do with Miss.¡±


    Gu Yu shook her head. ¡°There¡¯s Princess¡¯s seal on it. I don¡¯t think it¡¯s fake.¡± She looked at Shen Miao and said, ¡°Princess Ming An made a fool of herself at the banquet. I¡¯m afraid she wants to find a chance to take revenge. Miss, let¡¯s send this invitation back.¡±


    Jingzhe nodded repeatedly. ¡°Yes, yes, yes. Why don¡¯t we tell Master and Madam about this and let them decide?¡±


    Shen Miao thought for a moment and shook her head. ¡°Don¡¯t tell anyone about this. With Father and Mother¡¯s personality, they will definitely go to question Princess Ming An. The relationship between the State of Qin and Ming Qi is sensitive to begin with. If it¡¯s just a conflict between me and Princess Ming An, it¡¯s fine. But if my father and mother are involved, I¡¯m afraid the imperial court will also be involved. It won¡¯t be good if it backfires.¡±


    Jingzhe asked, ¡°Miss, do you want to accept this invitation?¡± Jingzhe was naturally unwilling. Shen Miao was going to see a princess who had evil intentions, and the princess¡¯s mansion was not their territory. If Shen Miao was set up, no one would be able to save her in time.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± Shen Miao said, ¡°Since Princess Ming An sent me an invitation and the invitation is in my hands, if something really happens to me, Princess Ming An will not be able to get away with it. If Crown Prince Qin finds out, he will stop her. She won¡¯t dare to do anything to me. She¡¯s just playing a small trick. I¡¯m not afraid.¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡± Gu Yu was still very worried.


    n(0)velbIn[.]nEt


    ¡°No buts. Let¡¯s do that. I¡¯ll go there in two days. Don¡¯t let anyone know.¡± After a pause, she continued, ¡°I¡¯ll get Mo Qing to follow me. I¡¯ll leave the invitation in the mansion. If anything happens, get Bai Lu and Shuang Jiang to look for my brother with the invitation.¡±


    Jingzhe and Gu Yu were extremely unwilling, but they could only listen to Shen Miao.


    In a mansion on the outermost side of Yanqing Alley where the royal family of the State of Qin was temporarily staying, Princess Ming An received a letter from a servant. She opened it and took a closer look. Suddenly, she flared up. She threw the letter on the table and said coldly, ¡°She¡¯s really bold!¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s making you angry again?¡± A man pushed open the door and asked with a frown when he saw Princess Ming An like this.


    When Princess Ming An saw him, she stood up and walked over. She handed the letter to him and said, ¡°Brother Crown Prince, look at what Shen Miao wrote. She actually replied to me and agreed to come. She¡¯s really not afraid of death!¡±


    ¡°You sent her an invitation. If she doesn¡¯t accept it, you¡¯ll be unhappy. If she accepts it, you¡¯ll be unhappy too. Don¡¯t be so unreasonable.¡± Huangfu Hao, who knew Princess Ming An very well, did not go along with her words. Instead, he poured cold water on her.


    ¡°Brother Crown Prince!¡± Princess Ming An stomped her feet. ¡°Are you helping me or her? That day at the tribute banquet, she made a fool out of me. She clearly wanted to embarrass me and embarrass the State of Qin. Now, not only are you not helping the State of Qin regain its dignity, but you¡¯re also blaming me. What kind of logic is this?¡±

 Chapter 495 - 495 Worse Than A Tiger (2)

    495 Worse Than A Tiger (2)


    Huangfu Hao glanced at Princess Ming An coldly. When he thought of what happened at the tribute banquet, his face immediately darkened. Although what Princess Ming An said was not the truth, after all, it was Princess Ming An who took the initiative to compete with Shen Miao in archery. He was not sure if Shen Miao asked Princess Ming An to bite the apple on purpose, but when this matter spread to the State of Qin, the emperor would definitely blame him. For some reason, Huangfu Hao felt that Shen Miao was very special. Everyone had to familiarize with Princess Ming An¡¯s bow for a few days before they could master it, but Shen Miao seemed to have practiced it thousands of times. When he stole glances at Shen Miao, her eyes seemed to be filled with hostility.


    Ming Qi and the State of Qin were not enemies yet. Why was Shen Miao hostile to him and Princess Ming An? Before this, they did not know each other. Was it just because Princess Ming An made things difficult for her? Then Shen Miao was too unforgiving.


    Seeing that Huangfu Hao was not talking and was thinking about something, Princess Ming An suddenly widened her eyes in surprise. ¡°Crown Prince, are you bewitched by her? What¡¯s so good about that little b*tch? Don¡¯t forget that before this, everyone knew that she was infatuated with Prince Ding. She¡¯s an out-and-out idiot. Don¡¯t be bewitched by her!¡±


    Huangfu Hao waved his hand impatiently. ¡°What are you talking about? And you. Don¡¯t forget what Father told us to do this time. I don¡¯t care what you want to do to Shen Miao. Don¡¯t do it in this mansion, and don¡¯t leave any evidence behind. Now that the emperor of Ming Qi has to rely on Shen Xin, if you touch Shen Miao, Shen Xin will definitely fall out with the State of Qin and the alliance with Ming Qi will be ruined. You¡¯d better think of the bigger picture.¡±


    After being warned, Princess Ming An¡¯s expression softened. However, when she looked at him seriously, the anger in her eyes intensified. She smiled and said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Brother Crown Prince. I won¡¯t cause trouble for us. I invited her over just to see what kind of person Shen Miao is. If I really want to make a move, I won¡¯t do it openly. Have you forgotten what we loved to do when we were young? We watched dogs fight each other. There are so many dogs in Ming Qi. It won¡¯t be difficult to find one to fight for us.¡±


    Huangfu Hao also smiled. ¡°As long as you know your limits.¡±


    ¡­


    The sky gradually darkened. In the Shen family¡¯s mansion in the capital, in the dimly lit west courtyard, Chen Ruoqiu and Chang Zaiqing were talking.


    Chen Ruoqiu smiled and said, ¡°This handkerchief is embroidered with poems. It¡¯s really beautiful. At first, I didn¡¯t know what it meant to be ingenious. Now that I see Miss Chang, I completely understand.¡±


    Chang Zaiqing pursed his lips and smiled. ¡°Madam, you flatter me. It¡¯s just that I can¡¯t help much here. I feel bad staying here for free, so I can only embroider some handkerchiefs for you. They¡¯re not worth much. I hope Madam won¡¯t mind.¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t mind.¡± Chen Ruoqiu looked at the handkerchief and carefully folded it before putting it away in her sleeve. She smiled and said, ¡°I have to hide such a good thing. Otherwise, if Yue sees it, she will try to take it from me. Whatever she likes from me, she will nag me until I give it to her. This handkerchief is exquisite. I can¡¯t bear to give it to her.¡±


    Chang Zaiqing smiled. ¡°If Second Miss likes it, I¡¯ll embroider another one for her.¡±


    ????0????(e)????????i????,nett


    ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± Chen Ruoqiu also smiled. ¡°This way, I won¡¯t have to worry about Yue taking it away from me.¡± She smiled at Chang Zaiqing and asked, ¡°Speaking of which, Miss Chang, have you thought about what I said to you before?¡±

 Chapter 496 - 496 Worse Than A Tiger (3)

    496 Worse Than A Tiger (3)


    When Chen Ruoqiu was chatting with Chang Zaiqing previously, she had mentioned Shen Xin. Now, Chang Zaiqing had met everyone in the Shen family, except for the first branch that had moved out. Chen Ruoqiu suggested that since she was the daughter of Old General Shen¡¯s old subordinate and Chang Hu was Old General Shen¡¯s savior, Shen Xin would naturally not refuse to see Chang Zaiqing. Moreover, Shen Xin was the eldest son of Old General Shen. Logically speaking, it was only right for Chang Zaiqing to pay him a visit.


    Hearing this, Chang Zaiqing hesitated for a moment and shook her head with a smile. ¡°I already feel bad about disturbing Madam now. How can I disturb General Shen? Moreover, I came to the capital this time to run away from that young master who has been pestering me. As long as this matter is over, I¡¯ll leave. It¡¯s not good to let General Shen know about this.¡±


    ¡°Miss Chang, there is one thing I don¡¯t like about you. You are being too polite.¡± Chen Ruoqiu pretended to be angry. ¡°The Chang family and the Shen family are so close. You¡¯re like a family to us. I heard that when you were young, Shen Xin had also seen you. You can be considered his younger sister. Why would he feel troubled to see you? If you really don¡¯t pay him a visit, I¡¯m afraid he will be angry when he finds out.¡±


    Chang Zaiqing did not speak. Chen Ruoqiu patted her hand and said, ¡°Besides, since you want to hide from that man in Liuzhou, it¡¯s safer for Shen Xin to protect you. He has a lot of soldiers and guards. Even if that man chases you all the way to the capital, he won¡¯t dare to challenge Shen Xin. Since I treat you as one of us, I¡¯ll tell you honestly that his place is the safest for you.¡±


    Hearing that, Chang Zaiqing¡¯s expression changed, and a hesitant expression began to appear on her face. Chen Ruoqiu continued, ¡°Miss Chang, just treat it as being a guest to your own brother¡¯s house for a few days. What¡¯s inappropriate about that?¡±


    n(0)velbIn[.]nEt


    Chang Zaiqing forced a smile. ¡°After all, it¡¯s been too long. I don¡¯t know if General Shen still remembers me. Moreover, there¡¯s still Mrs. Shen, Fifth Miss, and Eldest Young Master. I¡¯m afraid I¡¯ll disturb them if you drop in for no reason.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡± Chen Ruoqiu smiled when she heard that. ¡°My sister-in-law has the best personality. Because she¡¯s a heroine from a military family, she¡¯s straightforward and honest. She¡¯s not scheming and is a kind person. When she finds out what¡¯s causing to come to the capital, she will even sympathize with you. Moreover, Shen Xin doesn¡¯t have any other women in his family. It¡¯s hard for my sister-in-law to find someone to talk to. When she sees you, she¡¯ll definitely treat you very well. As for Eldest Young Master and Fifth Miss, they¡¯re both sensible children, so they won¡¯t mind.¡±


    Seeing that Chang Zaiqing was a little convinced, Chen Ruoqiu smiled and said, ¡°How about this? If Miss Chang thinks it¡¯s not a bad idea, I¡¯ll get someone to write a letter for you and send it over. Miss Chang, go and visit him first and see what his attitude is. If he thinks it¡¯s inappropriate, just come back.¡±


    Chang Zaiqing thought for a long time and finally nodded. She smiled gratefully at Chen Ruoqiu and said, ¡°Third Madam, thank you for thinking about me.¡±


    ¡°Look, you¡¯re getting more and more courteous with me.¡± Chen Ruoqiu smiled and stood up. ¡°It¡¯s getting late, so I won¡¯t disturb you anymore. I¡¯ll get someone to send it over tomorrow after I write the letter. Miss Chang, you don¡¯t have to worry about anything. A smart girl like you will be likable everywhere.¡±


    After sending Chen Ruoqiu off, Nanny Zhao came over to clean up the table. Nanny Zhao heard what Chen Ruoqiu and Chang Zaiqing said just now. Nanny Zhao asked, ¡°Miss, why would Third Madam Shen mention General Shen for no reason? Could it be that she wants to chase you out of the mansion?¡±

 Chapter 497 - 497 Worse Than A Tiger (4)

    497 Worse Than A Tiger (4)


    Chang Zaiqing sneered. ¡°At first, I didn¡¯t understand what Third Madam Shen wanted me to do, but now I understand. Third Madam Shen is very scheming and wants to use me to deal with her enemy.¡±


    Nanny Zhao was shocked. ¡°Miss¡­ what does Third Madam Shen want you to do?¡±


    Chang Zaiqing sat down at the table, her expression unreadable. She was not a fool. She could tell what Chen Ruoqiu was implying. She said that only Shen Xin could protect her. If she could stay in the Shen family for the rest of her life, she would not have to worry about being pestered by the man from Liuzhou. Chen Ruoqiu said that Luo Xueyan came from a military family, was really straightforward, and was not scheming. She was indirectly saying that Luo Xueyan was stupid and easy to deal with. As for the fact Shen Xin had never taken a woman home, the hint was even more obvious. If Chang Zaiqing could become Shen Xin¡¯s woman, other than dealing with a not-so-smart Luo Xueyan, she would have nothing to worry about.


    She said, ¡°Since Third Madam Shen thinks so highly of me, I should go and see what¡¯s going on first.¡±


    ¡°Miss, are you going to General Shen¡¯s Mansion?¡± Nanny Zhao was stunned for a moment. ¡°You know what Third Madam Shen is up to, but you still want to go?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not a bad idea.¡± Chang Zaiqing waved her hand. ¡°Living in the Shen family is not a long-term solution. I have to plan for my future. It¡¯s fine. I¡¯m just going to take a look. If it¡¯s a fire pit, I naturally won¡¯t jump in.¡±


    ¡°If¡­¡± Nanny Zhao looked at her carefully.


    ¡°If it¡¯s not a fire pit.¡± Chang Zaiqing smiled faintly and said, ¡°I¡¯ll consider what Third Madam Shen suggested.¡±


    ¡­


    The night fell on the capital. Every house was lit up, making the city look prosperous. However, other than the palace, the most prosperous section was probably in the south of the city. There was singing and dancing everywhere in the restaurant, the sound of drinking, the laughter of women and men, and the sound of all kinds of instruments mixed together, making it sound especially dreamlike.


    In Prince Rui¡¯s mansion, the lanterns were embroidered with gold thread. Once they were lit up at night, they were dazzling. Some passers-by coveted them and wanted to steal a gold thread. When they saw the fierce-looking guard at the door, they could only look away and leave.


    Who would dare to steal something from the Daliang Dynasty?


    n,O,v,e,1,b,i,n[dot]n,e,t


    The mansion was quiet, as if there was no one in it. At the end of the mansion was a huge courtyard. In the courtyard, there was a pavilion that was very exquisitely decorated. The pavilion was adjacent to a clear pond, and the water in the pond was emerald-colored. The moonlight was luminescent. If it was summer, this place would be very pleasant to stay in. Unfortunately, the weather was gradually getting colder and colder. Sitting in the pavilion, one would uncontrollably shiver with cold.


    At this moment, there was a person sitting in the pavilion. HIs wide flowing gold and purple robe almost covered the bench he was sitting on. It was a very handsome young man. Under the gentle moonlight, his usual heroic aura gradually became gentle. He lowered his head and played with the tiger cub in his arms.


    The tiger cub was pressed onto his chest by him. It twisted its head in discomfort and tried to turn around to bite the hand that was rubbing its head. Unfortunately, it was to no avail. However, the tiger cub was not discouraged and continued to bite the purple-robed young man¡¯s sleeve.


    Xie Jingxing pulled out his sleeve from the cub¡¯s mouth and stared at the spot that was mostly wet by the cub¡¯s saliva. After looking at it for a while, he flicked the cub¡¯s head. The cub let out a soft cry and finally turned around, playing with Xie Jingxing¡¯s fingers with its claws.

 Chapter 498 - 498 Worse Than A Tiger (5)

    498 Worse Than A Tiger (5)


    In the grass in the distance, two heads suddenly stuck out. Nightingale stared at the man and the tiger in the pavilion in disbelief. It had to be known that Xie Jingxing was seriously obsessed with cleanliness and usually did not like animals. Even people close to him were not allowed to touch his things. Now that his sleeve was stained with saliva by an animal, he actually did not mind. She said, ??Has Master gone crazy recently? Why does he hug a tiger all day long? He hugs it even when he??s sleeping. I heard that he also hugs it when he??s taking a shower today. Does he really want to bring this tiger back home to be Princess Consort Rui??? Seeing that there was no response from the person beside her, Nightingale turned around. ??Huo Long, say something too.??


    Huo Long cupped her face with both hands and looked at the person in the pavilion. ??Master is really good to that tiger cub. Look at how gentle he is when he looks at the tiger. I would rather turn into that tiger and sleep and bathe with Master.?? When Huo Long spoke about these things, she looked calm and did not feel ashamed at all. In the end, she sighed and shook her head. ??We are even worse than a tiger.??


    ??I think you??re crazy.?? Nightingale looked at her with disdain.


    In the pavilion, Xie Jingxing rubbed the tiger??s head until it was almost pressed to his chest. The tiger struggled desperately. When it struggled, it accidentally pounced on Xie Jingxing??s neck and licked his face.


    ??You even stole a kiss on me.?? Xie Jingxing chuckled and grabbed the tiger??s neck with both hands to lift it up. He looked at the tiger struggling in the air and raised his eyebrows. ??You and her are the same.??


    The tiger cub looked at him, baring its fangs and brandishing its claws. Xie Jingxing kissed its head. ??Good girl.??


    In the grass, Nightingale leaned forward. ??Master is crazy.??


    ??I??m going to kill that tiger,?? Huo Long said murderously.


    At this moment, Tie Yi suddenly appeared in the pavilion. Xie Jingxing put the tiger back into his arms and asked, ??What??s the matter???


    n,O,v,e,1,b,i,n[dot]n,e,t


    ??Master, Princess Ming An sent an invitation letter to Fifth Miss Shen today.??


    ??Oh??? Xie Jingxing paused carressing the tiger.


    ??Princess Ming An invited Fifth Miss Shen to the mansion for a chat. Fifth Miss Shen accepted the invitation. She will go in two days,?? Tie Yi replied with a bow.


    ??Got it.?? Xie Jingxing waved his hand. Tie Yi glanced at the tiger in Xie Jingxing??s arms and the corners of his mouth twitched. He turned around and left into the night.


    ??You??re quite bold.?? Xie Jingxing placed his finger in the cub??s mouth. The cub and Xie Jingxing probably became familiar with each other after eating, showering, and sleeping together. It bit his finger, but it did not really bite it.


    ??Are you going??? Xie Jingxing asked.


    The white tiger cub howled and looked at him with sparkling eyes.


    ??You are??? Xie Jingxing raised an eyebrow. ??Ok then.??


    ?????


    In the blink of an eye, two days passed.


    This morning, Shen Miao woke up early. Jingzhe and Gu Yu found clothes for her to wear. The season was gradually approaching early winter, and the winter in Ming Qi was always especially early and cold. A few days ago, it rained consecutively, so Shen Miao??s thick clothes were quite damp. Gu Yu took out a coat from under the box and said, ??This one is still dry. Although it??s a little thick, it??s very cold today. Miss, it won??t be eye-catching if you wear it.??


    Shen Miao looked at the coat in Gu Yu??s hand. It was a snow-white coat made of fox skin. It was a rare white fox skin, and there was not a single hair on it. Even after a few years, it was still as smooth as new.


    This coat was obtained when Shen Miao left the capital with Shen Xin two years ago. She stayed in a farmer??s house, and the next day, a coat suddenly appeared in the house. The farmer did not have this coat, and Shen Miao did not know where this thing came from. Previously, she was thinking about using it to exchange for money. Later, Shen Qiu tried his best to stop her, saying that this white fox fur coat was priceless and rare.

 Chapter 499 - 499 Worse Than A Tiger (6)

    499 Worse Than A Tiger (6)


    Although she kept it, the coat really did not fit her. It was too big for Shen Miao, so it had been neglected on the bottom of the box and she had never taken it out. If not for the fact that Gu Yu took it out of the box today, Shen Miao would have forgotten about it.


    She looked at the coat and thought of something. A while ago, Xie Jingxing sneaked into her bedroom at night and said that he went to see her off at the farmer¡¯s house two years ago. She did not remember what happened that day because she was drunk. Now that she thought about it, this coat should have been left behind by Xie Jingxing.


    Jingzhe and Gu Yu looked at each other, not knowing what was wrong with Shen Miao. Jingzhe called out softly, ¡°Miss?¡±


    Shen Miao came back to her senses and looked at the coat in Gu Yu¡¯s hand. She said angrily, ¡°Find a time to pawn it.¡±


    ¡°But Eldest Young Master said that this skin is very good and doesn¡¯t want you to pawn it.¡± Gu Yu found it strange.


    ¡°No matter how good the skin is, I don¡¯t want it.¡± Shen Miao said, ¡°Pack it up and send it to the Exiled Immortal Pawnshop. The Exiled Immortal Pawnshop collects treasures. Shopkeeper Ji will ¡°like¡± this coat very much.¡±


    Seeing Shen Miao like this, Gu Yu and Jingzhe did not dare to say anything else. They shrugged and continued to find other coats for Shen Miao.


    In the end, they chose a brocade coat with rabbit fur. After helping Shen Miao dress up, they found an excuse and went out. Luo Tan was easy to fool. Shen Xin and the others usually only returned in the evening from the Ministry of War. Without the eyes and ears of the other two branches of the Shen family, they were much more free now.


    Mo Qing acted as the coachman again. Although Mo Qing was already Shen Qiu¡¯s subordinate, he still worked for Shen Miao. And every time, Shen Miao wouldn¡¯t let Mo Qing tell anyone about what she was up to. As a matter of fact, Mo Qing looked more like Shen Miao¡¯s subordinate. However, Mo Qing was probably used to that. Every time Shen Miao went out to do something and asked him to follow along, he would obey without a word.


    However, today, after knowing where Shen Miao was going, Mo QIng was shocked. It was actually the mansion where the crown prince of the State of Qin lived. Shen Miao¡¯s performance at the tribute banquet spread throughout the capital, so Mo Qing naturally knew. Princess Ming An clearly had ill intentions. Mo Qing was very worried, but Shen Miao looked confident, so he didn¡¯t stop her.


    When they arrived at Crown Prince Qin¡¯s mansion, the guards outside took the invitation letter from Shen Miao and asked her to wait outside. They said that they would go in and inform the crown prince, but they never returned.


    After a long time, Jingzhe couldn¡¯t help but say, ¡°It¡¯s been almost an hour, but these people still haven¡¯t come back yet. It¡¯s obvious that the princess of the State of Qin is deliberately making things difficult for you. It¡¯s very cold outside. If you fall sick from the cold, how are we going to explain it to Master and Madam?¡±


    Gu Yu also said, ¡°She¡¯s really too much. Since she took the initiative to invite Miss, why does she keep Miss waiting outside the mansion?¡±


    Usually, the guest would be received by the host at the gate, but Princess Ming An was nowhere to be seen.


    Mo Qing said, ¡°Miss, why don¡¯t we go back?¡±


    Shen Miao shook her head. ¡°Since we¡¯re already here, let¡¯s wait. We have to show them what appropriate etiquette looks like.¡±


    When she was in the State of Qin, Princess Ming An liked to treat people like this. In the cold winter, early in the morning, she would send people to summon Shen Miao, saying that she wanted to discuss something with her. Then, she would keep Shen waiting in the cold garden for a few hours. Sometimes, Shen Miao would wait for an entire day without seeing her. Later, she would send a maid over to deliver a message, saying she was held back by something urgent and couldn¡¯t come. In her previous life, Shen Miao endured it. In this life, an hour was nothing.


    Inside the mansion, Princess Ming An was sitting in the room. The maid was adding charcoal to the brazier. Princess Ming An picked up the tea on the table and took a sip, looking a little happy.


    She asked the servant outside, ¡°Has that b*tch left?¡±


    ¡°Your Highness.¡± The servant said, ¡°Fifth Miss Shen¡¯s carriage is still at the entrance of the mansion.¡±


    A trace of displeasure flashed across Princess Ming An¡¯s face. ¡°She¡¯s actually so patient.¡± She originally thought that if she ignored Shen Miao, Shen Miao would go back in a fit of anger. This way, she could find a reason to accuse Shen Miao of being disrespectful to her.


    Unexpectedly, Shen Miao was so patient. However¡­ she smiled and said, ¡°After waiting for so long, I think her patience is about to run out. It¡¯s not a bad idea to change the plan. Someone, send my order to invite Shen Miao in.¡±

 Chapter 500 - 500 I’ll Help You (1)

    500 I¡¯ll Help You (1)


    The mansion where the people of the State of Qin lived had probably been renovated, and the layout was a little different from the ones in Ming Qi. As soon as Shen Miao entered, she realized that it was in the same style as the palace in the State of Qin.


    The people of the State of Qin liked shiny and golden things, just like Shen Miao in the past. They probably felt that gold and silver could show off the wealth of their country. When Shen Miao first went to the State of Qin, she was very envious when she saw that the palace was so exquisitely renovated. Now that she thought about it, the preferences of the royal family of the State of Qin were really vulgar.


    After being brought to the garden by the maid, Shen Miao finally saw Princess Ming An.


    Princess Ming An sat at a small stone table in the garden. On the stone table was a thin handkerchief embroidered with butterflies. On it were a few plates of exquisite snacks and a pot of tea. Next to the table was a small pond. At this time of the year, the water in the pond had not frozen yet. There were many red carps shaking their heads and tails in the pond. A few maids sat at the side and fed the fish in small bowls.


    Shen Miao stood in front of Princess Ming An and bowed to her.


    Princess Ming An turned around.


    Among the three countries, Ming Qi, the Daliang Dynasty, and the State of Qin, the Daliang Dynasty was undoubtedly the most powerful. In comparison, Ming Qi and the State of Qin were much inferior. However, compared to the State of Qin, the State of Qin was better because the State of Qin had stronger troops.


    Perhaps because of this, the royal family of Ming Qi wanted to take back the military power so much. However, over the years, it had been very difficult for Ming Qi to produce outstanding generals to replace Shen Xin and Xie Ding. Therefore, Emperor Wen Hui called Shen Xin back in a hurry.


    The State of Qin also knew that they could not compare to the Daliang Dynasty, but they were above Ming Qi. In front of the people of Ming Qi, the people of the State of Qin always felt a sense of superiority. This attitude was very upsetting. In Shen Miao¡¯s previous life, when she went to the State of Qin, it seemed that even the palace maids looked down on her from the bottom of their hearts. The royal family of the State of Qin did even worse. It was as if they could trample Shen Miao¡¯s dignity under their feet.


    At this moment, when she saw Princess Ming An, some memories from her previous life flooded her mind.


    ¡°I invited you here today. I thought you wouldn¡¯t dare to come, but I didn¡¯t expect you to come alone. You¡¯re quite bold.¡± Princess Ming An glanced at Shen Miao, and her gaze suddenly darkened. Today, she was wearing a red dress with gold gilt and accessorized with the best-looking hairpin from the State of Qin. However, when she saw Shen Miao wearing a simple coat and not wearing any makeup, she paled in comparison.


    ¡°Princess, you must be joking.¡± Shen Miao¡¯s expression did not change. ¡°Princess is a guest of Ming Qi. Since I am lucky enough to be invited, how can I refuse to come?¡±


    Jingzhe and Gu Yu stood behind Shen Miao. Mo Qing was stopped by the guards at the door, but Shen Miao did not say anything. Shen Miao knew Princess Ming An¡¯s temper very well. Since Princess Ming An invited her here, it was impossible for her to do anything really dangerous to her. Princess Ming An would at most do something to make Shen Miao¡¯s time here humiliating. When Shen Miao came, she was already prepared.

 Chapter 501 - 501 I’ll Help You (2)

    501 I¡¯ll Help You (2)


    ¡°You have a glib tongue. Of course I know you¡¯re very bold. Otherwise, you wouldn¡¯t have deliberately made a fool of me at the tribute banquet.¡± At the thought of what happened at the tribute banquet, a trace of killing intent flashed across Princess Ming An¡¯s eyes. She was the most favored princess of the State of Qin. Even in the royal family of the State of Qin, everyone had to respect and fear her. She didn¡¯t expect to be so frightened by Shen Miao that she fainted at the tribute banquet. At the thought of how embarrassed she was, Princess Ming An wanted to kill the person in front of her. If not for the fact that she was still in Ming Qi and was warned by Huangfu Hao, Princess Ming An would have killed Shen Miao now.


    She suddenly looked at Shen Miao and smiled. ¡°Given how outstanding you are at archery, I want to suggest to Emperor Wen Hui to take you back. Do you want to go back to the State of Qin with me?¡±


    Shen Miao almost smiled. In both of her lives, Princess Ming An seemed to be destined to be at odds with her. Now, hearing that, Shen Miao felt like she had returned to her previous life. When Shen Miao volunteered to be a hostage in the State of Qin, Princess Ming An said the same thing to Fu Xiuyi. She said, ¡°Your Majesty, don¡¯t worry. Since she¡¯s the empress of Ming Qi, the State of Qin will naturally treat her well.¡±


    In the end, in the State of Qin, she suffered no less humiliation than when she was in Ming Qi. Later, after coming back from the State of Qin, Shen Miao was able to fight with Consort Mei for so long in the harem all thanks to the tricks she learned while in the state of qin.


    ¡°If Your Highness has such intentions, just tell His Majesty.¡± Shen Miao smiled indifferently. ¡°If His Majesty agrees, I will be obliged to go to the State of Qin with Your Highness.¡±


    Princess Ming An wanted to mock Shen Miao, but she did not expect Shen Miao to retort. Shen Miao was Shen Xin¡¯s precious daughter. Emperor Wen Hui wanted to keep Shen Xin, so he would not touch Shen Miao for the time being. She glared at Shen Miao. ¡°You!¡±


    Shen Miao smiled at her and did not say anything.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t let you go back empty-handed like this.¡± Princess Ming An smiled coldly, her eyes filled with malice. ¡°Why don¡¯t you marry my brother and be a concubine? Or a consort? I think the emperor of Ming Qi will be very happy to see that happening.¡±


    Shen Miao frowned slightly. If Ming Qi wanted to be on good terms with the State of Qin, marriage was indeed a good method. If Princess Ming An really persuaded Huangfu Hao to marry Shen Miao and make her his consort, Emperor Wen Hui would agree. When the fate of an entire country was involved, no matter how unwilling Shen Xin was, he could not resist.


    Seeing that Shen Miao was in a daze, Princess Ming An smiled coldly. Suddenly, she gestured to the maid beside Shen Miao. The maid suddenly reached out and pushed Shen Miao, who was standing by the pond, into the pond!


    Shen Miao was caught off guard and fell into the pond. Jingzhe and Gu Yu screamed and wanted to come over to help, but it was too late. This was Princess Ming An¡¯s usual method. Since she could not really hurt Shen Miao today, she had to make Shen Miao suffer one way or the other.


    Shen Miao fell into the water with a splash. She knew how to swim. Although the water in the early winter was cold, it was not enough to make her unable to move. However, she heard another splash beside her. At first, she thought that she had heard wrongly. When she surfaced, she saw Princess Ming An struggling in the water.


    Princess Ming An¡¯s scream almost pierced through the sky. She seemed to not know how to swim and screamed, ¡°Someone! Help!¡±

 Chapter 502 - 502 I’ll Help You (3)

    502 I¡¯ll Help You (3)


    Princess Ming An¡¯s maids panicked and went to look for bamboo poles to save her. However, the guards who could swim were all men. If they touched Princess Ming An¡¯s body, their heads would probably be chopped off the next day, and no one dared to come forward to save her. Moreover¡­ The place where Princess Ming An fell into the water was really too far.


    Shen Miao was pushed into the pond, so she wasn¡¯t far from the edge of the pond, but Princess Ming An fell into the middle of the pond out of the blue. Even a bamboo pole might not be long enough to reach her.


    Looking at her comical face, Shen Miao actually found it a little funny. However, now was not the time to watch a show in the water. While everyone was flustered, she swam leisurely towards the pond.


    When she swam to the edge of the pond, Jingzhe and Gu Yu were about to pull her up in panic when she heard an angry shout. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±


    Two men walked in from outside the garden. One of them was dressed in golden clothes and had a jade crown on his head. His expression was extremely dark, ruining his handsome appearance. The other person was wearing a golden purple robe and a black cloak. Half of his face was covered by a silver mask, but it still couldn¡¯t cover his handsome face. He followed Huangfu Hao over unhurriedly.


    ¡°Your Highness, the princess fell into the water!¡± The servants quickly reported. Looking at the flustered servants, Huangfu Hao took a deep breath and subconsciously looked at Prince Rui beside him. However, Prince Rui was wearing a mask, and his lips were slightly curled under the mask. No one could tell what he was thinking at this moment.


    He shouted at the guard behind him, ¡°Go, what are you waiting for?¡±


    The guard¡¯s expression froze. He flew into the pond and immediately pulled the wet Princess Ming An to the shore.


    Princess Ming An choked on a lot of water. The first thing she did when she came ashore was to scream and point at Shen Miao. ¡°This b*tch pushed me into the water. Brother Crown Prince, kill her for me!¡±


    Princess Ming An was so flustered and exasperated that she didn¡¯t watch her language. Huangfu Hao was shocked and warned her. ¡°Ming An!¡±


    Princess Ming An was stunned. Only then did she see Prince Rui standing beside Huangfu Hao. She was taken aback, and then her face turned red with anger. If there was a hole in the ground, Princess Ming An would want to crawl into it. Everything that she suffered today was because of Shen Miao.


    Jingzhe couldn¡¯t help but retort on Shen Miao¡¯s behalf, ¡°Princess, what you said makes no sense. My Miss was the one who fell into the water first. How could she have pushed you into the pond? My Miss is not a god. How can she be so capable?¡±


    ¡°Who do you think you are? How dare you speak to me like that?¡± Princess Ming An smiled instead of being angry. ¡°Do you mean that I¡¯m slandering Shen Miao? Guards! Arrest this b*tch who is talking nonsense!¡±


    Shen Miao smiled coldly and shielded Jingzhe behind her. She said, ¡°Your Highness, you are from the State of Qin, and Jingzhe is my maid. This is Ming Qi. Since when can the people from the State of Qin do whatever they want in Ming Qi?¡±


    ¡°How dare you!¡± Princess Ming An shouted.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯m being unreasonable.¡± Shen Miao¡¯s aura was not weak at all. She was no longer the Empress Shen who needed to endure humiliation in the State of Qin. Moreover, if she could not even protect a maid, she might as well die.

 Chapter 503 - 503 I’ll Help You (4)

    503 I¡¯ll Help You (4)


    This was the mansion of the people of the State of Qin. Princess Ming An¡¯s servants had long brought over a cloak to cover her wet body. However, Shen Miao was still wet-through. The cloak was already drenched and almost stuck to her body. Huangfu Hao stared at Shen Miao intently, making her feel uncomfortable.


    At this moment, Prince Rui chuckled and suddenly took off his black cloak. He threw it on Shen Miao and covered her tightly. This action stunned the people around him. Ever since Prince Rui came to the capital, he had been alone. He was not on good terms with Ming Qi¡¯s royal family and did not deliberately befriend the people from the State of Qin. However, strangely enough, he actually helped Shen Miao out.


    Huangfu Hao looked at Shen Miao in deep thought, while Princess Ming An bit her lip enviously.


    Jingzhe and Gu Yu helped Shen Miao stand up. Princess Ming An couldn¡¯t help but say, ¡°You were the one who pushed me into the water. If not you, why would I fall into the water? Did my servants push me?¡±


    !!


    Shen Miao smiled. Although her hair was all wet, her calm expression was much more dignified and presentable than Princess Ming An¡¯s angry expression. She said, ¡°My maid has already explained for me. I fell into the water first. How could I have pushed you into the water? Perhaps you accidentally slipped.¡±


    Princess Ming An said angrily, ¡°If I slipped, how could I fall into the middle of the pond?¡±


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s even more strange.¡± Shen Miao said indifferently, ¡°I¡¯m not a strong man. Do you think I can push you that far?¡±


    A chuckle suddenly sounded. Everyone looked at Prince Rui who had his lips curled up. However, although he was smiling, they could not see his expression under the mask.


    Princess Ming An gritted her teeth and looked at Prince Rui. ¡°Your Highness, you¡¯re not from Ming Qi or the State of Qin. Please be the judge and see who is lying.¡±


    When Huangfu Hao wanted to stop Princess Ming An, it was too late. Huangfu Hao was furious. Princess Ming An was arrogant, willful, and brainless. Although he knew that Princess Ming An was dealing with Shen Miao today, he did not expect her to use such a stupid method. If Shen Miao went back and complained about it to her father, Princess Ming An would be in trouble. Coincidentally, Prince Rui suddenly came to visit today and saw this chaotic scene. Huangfu Hao wanted to strangle Princess Ming An to death.


    Shen Miao lowered her eyes. Princess Ming An looked up at Prince Rui with hope. Huangfu Hao looked a little embarrassed, while Prince Rui said with a smile. ¡°Why should I care about these trivial matters between you?¡±


    Princess Ming An was stunned. Shen Miao rolled her eyes.


    ¡°Your place is quite lively.¡± It was hard to tell if Prince Rui was being sarcastic or not, but his calm tone suddenly made Huangfu Hao a little unhappy. He glanced at Shen Miao, who was wearing Prince Rui¡¯s cloak, and suddenly smiled. ¡°It was just a misunderstanding today. I just didn¡¯t expect Miss Shen to fall into the water today. I apologize to Miss Shen on behalf of my sister. I hope Miss Shen won¡¯t take it to heart.¡±


    ¡°Brother Crown Prince!¡± Princess Ming An did not expect Huangfu Hao to give in to Shen Miao. She was anxious and shouted unhappily. However, she was glared at by Huangfu Hao and did not dare to say anything else. She only looked at Shen Miao with jealousy and hatred.


    Shen Miao looked at Huangfu Hao and said indifferently, ¡°Since His Highness the Crown Prince has spoken, I don¡¯t dare to disobey.¡± Her forgiving words sounded unwilling and forced, making Princess Ming An angry again. Huangfu Hao was also stunned and looked at Shen Miao meaningfully.

 Chapter 504 - 504 I’ll Help You (5)

    504 I¡¯ll Help You (5)


    Shen Miao lowered her eyes and suppressed the thousands of emotions in her eyes. Huangfu Hao looked generous and polite on the surface, but he was actually the most ruthless. This kind of ruthlessness was different from Fu Xiuyi¡¯s ruthlessness. When she was in the State of Qin, there was once when Huangfu Hao was drunk and actually wanted to molest her. If not for Gu Yu protecting Shen Miao with her life, Shen Miao would probably be asked to hang herself to death by Fu Xiuyi after returning to Ming Qi. The Ming Qi Royal Family would not tolerate an unchaste empress.


    Then, because Gu Yu offended Huangfu Hao, she was stabbed to death by his guard¡¯s sword. Shen Miao would never forget that Huangfu Hao stabbed a few holes in the dead Gu Yu¡¯s body with his sword. Blood kept flowing out, but Huangfu Hao ordered someone to throw Gu Yu¡¯s corpse into the wolf pile.


    She could not do anything to help her closest friend in the State of Qin, not even collecting Gu Yu¡¯s corpse.


    Shen Miao hated Huangfu Hao to the core, but she couldn¡¯t make Huangfu Hao pay the price yet.


    Huangfu Hao¡¯s gaze became more and more suspicious. The moment Shen Miao narrowed her eyes, he seemed to have sensed some hostility, making him feel a chill run down his spine. He did not understand why, but he instinctively wanted to find out.


    Just as he was about to speak, Prince Rui suddenly turned his body to the side. He was extremely tall, and Shen Miao, who was petite, was completely blocked by him.


    ¡°Apparently, I came at the wrong time today.¡± Prince Rui glanced at Huangfu Hao and Princess Ming An. They could not see his expression clearly, but the two of them felt that his eyes were a little cold. He continued, ¡°I¡¯ll come by another day.¡±


    Huangfu Hao wanted to persuade him to stay. The current situation was still unclear. No matter what, the State of Qin did not want to be enemies with the Daliang Dynasty. If Prince Rui, who represented the Daliang Dynasty, could show any signs of wanting to form an alliance with the State of Qin, the State of Qin would naturally be happy to see it happen. He thought that he could get closer to Prince Rui today, but he did not expect Princess Ming An to ruin this opportunity. He glared at Princess Ming An and said to Prince Rui, ¡°My apology for ruining your mood. When Your Highness comes again next time, I will definitely treat you with the utmost cordiality.¡±


    Prince Rui forced a smile. Just as he was about to turn around and leave, he suddenly stopped and looked at Shen Miao with a faint smile. ¡°Miss Shen, since you¡¯re drenched, it¡¯s better for you to return home early. Do you want me to give you a ride?¡±


    Shen Miao took a deep breath and said with an amiable smile, ¡°Thank you, Prince Rui.¡±


    Huangfu Hao and Princess Ming An watched as the two of them left. Princess Ming An almost bit her lip open. She said, ¡°Brother Crown Prince, that b*tch is seducing Prince Rui! She even pushed me into the water. We can¡¯t let this matter rest!¡±


    ¡°Shut up, idiot.¡± Huangfu Hao glanced at her coldly and warned, ¡°I¡¯ll let you off today. If there¡¯s a next time, I won¡¯t be able to protect you if Father gets angry!¡± He turned around and left.


    After being taught a lesson by Huangfu Hao, Princess Ming An did not dare to retort, but her hatred for Shen Miao deepened. Especially when Shen Miao left with Prince Rui, it made her feel like her heart was being cut by a knife. She had always been willful and selfish, but because of her beauty and wealth, she had never met a man of an equal status. It was not easy for her to have a man she liked, but he seemed to be biased towards Shen Miao. How could she tolerate it? Princess Ming An clenched her fists and said hatefully, ¡°Shen Miao, I will definitely make you wish you were dead!¡±


    Outside the mansion, Shen Miao¡¯s carriage was still parked at the door. Seeing Shen Miao appear wearing an unfamiliar man¡¯s coat, Mo Qing immediately became anxious and said, ¡°Miss¡­¡±

 Chapter 505 - 505 I’ll Help You (6)

    505 I¡¯ll Help You (6)


    ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± Shen Miao waved her hand and said, ¡°Let¡¯s go back first.¡±


    ¡°Miss Shen, I helped you, but you didn¡¯t even say a word of thanks. Isn¡¯t that too impolite?¡± Prince Rui crossed his arms and said unhurriedly, making Jingzhe and the others stunned.


    Shen Miao looked at him coldly and said, ¡°Did Prince Rui have a good time today?¡±


    ¡°That depends on whether you¡¯re happy or not.¡± He smiled. Even through the mask, Shen Miao could tell that the person in front of her had a teasing expression.


    ¡°You pushed Princess Ming An, right?¡± She leaned closer to Xie Jingxing and whispered, ¡°Why did you do this?¡±


    Xie Jingxing looked down at her. She was petite. If Xie Jingxing wanted to talk to her in a low voice, he had to bend down slightly. When their gazes were at the same level, he was a little too close to her. His voice was low and pleasant, with a hint of teasing. ¡°Who does she think she is to bully you?¡± After a pause, Xie Jingxing stared at Shen Miao and said, ¡°Am I not yours? It¡¯s only right for me to help you.¡±


    Shen Miao suddenly took a step back and distanced herself from him. She said indifferently, ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°Thank you is not enough.¡± Xie Jingxing curled up his lips. ¡°I have to think about how you should thank me.¡±


    Shen Miao couldn¡¯t be bothered to talk to him. Without a word, she got into the carriage. Worried that Shen Miao would catch a cold, Mo Qing rushed back. Soon, the carriage disappeared from sight.


    Looking into the distance where the carriage could no longer be seen, a tall man suddenly appeared behind Xie Jingxing. Xie Jingxing¡¯s eyes turned cold as he said, ¡°Go and investigate if Huangfu Hao has been to the capital before.¡±


    The man bowed and left. Xie Jingxing turned around and glanced at the door of Crown Prince Qin¡¯s mansion. He smiled, but his eyes were cold.


    ¡­


    On the way back to the mansion, Jingzhe and Gu Yu did not dare to speak. They didn¡¯t expect that Shen Miao would suffer this humiliation. Princess Ming An was really too lawless. She even dared to push someone into the water in broad daylight. Jingzhe¡¯s eyes were red from anger. At that time, in the critical moment, she did not care about Princess Ming An¡¯s identity. Now that she thought about it, that person was the princess of the State of Qin after all, and she was just a lowly servant. If Princess Ming An really wanted to do something to her, Jingzhe would not even have a chance to fight back. Only now did she start to feel terrified.


    Shen Miao, on the other hand, was calm. She had long known that Princess Ming An was up to no good, but since they were in Ming Qi¡¯s territory, even if no one came to save Shen Miao today, Princess Ming An would still get someone to pull her out of the water. She did not expect a devil to suddenly appear and push Princess Ming An into the water.


    This was naturally Xie Jingxing¡¯s doing. Xie Jingxing was lawless and supercilious. He schemed against Princess Ming An in front of Huangfu Hao. Huangfu Hao would probably realize that something was wrong when he thought about it later. After all, Princess Ming An fell into the middle of the pond as soon as Shen Miao was pushed. Xie Jingxing was the only outsider present who knew martial arts and had the strength to do that.


    However¡­ Shen Miao¡¯s eyes flickered. It was really satisfying to see Princess Ming An in such a sorry state. If not for Xie Jingxing today, she would have suffered a lot. However, seeing Princess Ming An suffer, she felt that this suffering was worth it.


    Jingzhe and Gu Yu looked at Shen Miao worriedly, but they saw that Shen Miao seemed to have thought of something and the corners of her lips curled up slightly, as if she was happy. The two of them looked at each other, puzzled. They didn¡¯t know why Shen Miao would be happy about being pushed into the water.


    When they returned to the Shen family¡¯s mansion, because Shen Miao was wet, she could only sneak in from the back door. Jingzhe quickly went to get a handkerchief to wipe Shen Miao¡¯s hair and change her into a clean dress. Gu Yu went to instruct the kitchen to make ginger tea. Shen Miao sat for a while and asked, ¡°Where are Bai Lu and Shuang Jiang?¡±


    Before she left, she asked Bai Lu and Shuang Jiang to wait for news in the mansion, but neither of them was around. As she spoke, she saw Bai Lu return from outside. When she saw Shen Miao, she said in surprise, ¡°Miss, you¡¯re finally back. Just now, Madam asked me where you went and why you¡¯re not back yet.¡±


    ¡°Why is my mother looking for me?¡± Shen Miao asked.


    ¡°I heard that the daughter of one of the old general¡¯s benefactors is here. Madam is chatting with that lady outside and wants you to go and take a look.¡±


    Shen Miao¡¯s hand that was holding the handkerchief paused, and her gaze was sharp. ¡°What¡¯s that person¡¯s name?¡±


    Bai Lu was stunned. She felt that Shen Miao¡¯s gaze was a little cold and subconsciously replied, ¡°I heard that her surname is Chang.¡±

 Chapter 506 - 506 Chang Zaiqing (1)

    506 Chang Zaiqing (1)


    This was the first time someone had visited Shen Xin¡¯s family in their new house since they returned to the capital. Luo Xueyan was sitting in the central room and talking to a young woman.


    When Shen Miao arrived, Luo Xueyan was drinking tea with that woman. It was unknown what they were talking about, but Luo Xueyan actually looked very happy. The two of them chatted happily, not even noticing that Shen Miao was here.


    When Luo Tan, who was eating snacks at the side, saw Shen Miao, she greeted her warmly, ¡°Cousin, there¡¯s a new snack with milk today. Do you want to try it too?¡±


    Shen Miao smiled and shook her head. She walked to Luo Xueyan¡¯s side and asked, ¡°Mother, this is¡­¡±


    The young woman quickly stood up. She was wearing bean-green clothes, and there was no extra jewelry on her body. There was only a wooden hairpin loosely inserted into her bun and a plain silver bracelet on her wrist. This could be considered a shabby outfit, but this woman had a faint scholarly aura. Although she was only considered not bad-looking, she had a graceful aura that made people find her likable.


    ¡°She is the daughter of your grandfather¡¯s benefactor. Her name is Chang Zaiqing. Jiaojiao, you have probably never seen her before.¡± Luo Xueyan smiled and said, ¡°Sister Chang, this is my daughter, Jiaojiao.¡±


    Shen Miao smiled and nodded at her. ¡°Auntie Chang.¡±


    Luo Xueyan pulled Chang Zaiqing to sit down and asked Shen Miao to sit down with her. She smiled and said, ¡°Auntie Chang doesn¡¯t sound right. Sister Chang is still so young. Calling her Auntie is not appropriate. If Sister Chang doesn¡¯t tell me her age, I¡¯ll think she¡¯s not much older than Jiaojiao. Even if Jiaojiao calls you Sister, I don¡¯t think anyone will find it strange.¡±


    ¡°Madam, don¡¯t make fun of me,¡± Chang Zaiqing said with a smile.


    Luo Tan looked at Shen Miao with a smile. ¡°Cousin Miao, since Auntie Chang is in the capital, she can come over often in the future. I heard that she likes to play chess and read. I don¡¯t know much about chess, but you will have a playmate in the future.¡±


    Shen Miao smiled. Luo Tan had always been a straightforward person. Perhaps the people of the Luo family were all so straightforward. For example, Luo Xueyan and Luo Tan were all warm-hearted and hospitable. Shen Miao looked up at Chang Zaiqing opposite her. Although that was the case, it was not easy to please Luo Xueyan, especially because the Luo family were all generals. Generals and civil servants had never been compatible with each other. The more straightforward Luo Xueyan and Luo Tan were, the more impatient they were with people who liked to read and write. However, in less than half a day, Luo Xueyan and Chang Zaiqing called each other sisters and liked Chang Zaiqing very much. Shen Miao was alerted and her gaze turned cold.


    Seeing that Shen Miao did not speak, Luo Xueyan held her hand and said, ¡°Jiaojiao, why is your hand so cold? It¡¯s been getting cold outside recently. It¡¯s better not to catch a cold.¡±


    Jingzhe and Gu Yu lowered their heads guiltily. After being informed that there was a guest, Shen Miao rushed over before she even had time to rest. Luo Xueyan did not know that Shen Miao had gone to Princess Ming¡¯an¡¯s place today.


    ¡°Winter is coming, so it¡¯s naturally very cold. My hometown has a medicine pouch that contains some spices that can ward off colds. When I rest at night, I hang it at the head of the bed. If Fifth Miss doesn¡¯t mind, I¡¯ll make a few and send them over,¡± Chang Zaiqing said with a smile.


    ¡°Sister Chang, you can even make that?¡± Luo Xueyan smiled. ¡°It¡¯s said that the girls from Liuzhou are ingenious. I¡¯ve never seen them before, but now that I see Sister Chang, I know it¡¯s true. Unlike the girls in my family¡­¡± She glanced at Luo Tan and Shen Miao and sighed helplessly.¡± Not to mention medicine pouches, they don¡¯t even know how to embroider a handkerchief. ¡°

 Chapter 507 - 507 Chang Zaiqing (2)

    507 Chang Zaiqing (2)


    Shen Miao had never liked to do needlework. She felt that it was a waste of time, let alone Luo Tan. Luo Tan curled her lips. ¡°Aunt, don¡¯t talk about me and my little cousin. Aren¡¯t you the same?¡±


    Luo Xueyan was speechless and glared at Luo Tan.


    ¡°Auntie Chang, are you from Liuzhou?¡± Shen Miao turned to look at her and asked with a smile, ¡°Liuzhou is far from the capital. Why are you here?¡±


    Chang Zaiqing immediately looked a little embarrassed. Luo Xueyan quickly changed the topic and said, ¡°Nothing. She just came to the capital to play for a few days.¡±


    !!


    Shen Miao smiled and said, ¡°Then where is Auntie Chang staying now?¡±


    Chang Zaiqing smiled and said, ¡°I¡¯m staying in the Shen mansion currently.¡±


    Shen Miao said indifferently, ¡°Oh, you are staying with Grandmother.¡± She said, ¡°Since Auntie Chang¡¯s father is Grandfather¡¯s benefactor, I think Grandmother will take good care of you. That¡¯s reassuring.¡±


    Luo Xueyan thought that given what kind of a person Old Madam Shen was, she might not be very considerate towards Chang Zaiqing. However, hearing what Shen Miao said, Luo Xueyan felt relieved. She said, ¡°That¡¯s true.¡±


    Chang Zaiqing¡¯s smile froze slightly. Shen Miao continued, ¡°I heard that Liuzhou is an interesting place, but unfortunately, I¡¯ve never been there. However, when I studied in Guangwen Hall, a classmate¡¯s hometown was Liuzhou. Perhaps you two know each other.¡±


    ¡°The Chang family is a small family.¡± Chang Zaiqing lowered her head and said, ¡°I¡¯m afraid Fifth Miss¡¯s classmate doesn¡¯t even know about the Chang family.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t believe it. With someone as outstanding as you, the Chang family must be famous.¡± Shen Miao smiled casually and said, ¡°But Auntie Chang, why isn¡¯t your husband with you here in the capital?¡±


    Chang Zaiqing¡¯s expression became even more awkward. Luo Xueyan forced a smile and said, ¡°Jiaojiao, don¡¯t spout nonsense. Sister Chang is not married yet.¡±


    Shen Miao was stunned. She glanced at Chang Zaiqing and asked, ¡°I wonder how old Auntie Chang is this year?¡±


    It was considered rude to ask about the age of an unmarried girl, especially when Chang Zaiqing was not young to begin with. Luo Tan stopped eating snacks and looked at Shen Miao strangely. Shen Miao usually knew the rules of etiquette the best. Why would she say such a rude thing today?


    Chang Zaiqing said calmly, ¡°I¡¯m 26 years old this year.¡±


    Shen Miao widened her eyes at the right time. As if trying to hide it, soon, she smiled and said, ¡°Auntie Chang, if you didn¡¯t tell me, I would think you were only 18 or 19 years old. How enviable.¡±


    Chang Zaiqing smiled and stopped talking. Luo Xueyan said, ¡°Sister Chang, you are such a considerate and talented person. I believe there will be lots of men wanting to marry you. I don¡¯t know about the men in Liuzhou, but there are countless outstanding men in the capital. If you stay here longer, you might meet someone you like.¡±


    Chang Zaiqing quickly smiled and waved her hand, telling Luo Xueyan not to tease her. After chatting for a while, Chang Zaiqing saw that the sky was gradually turning dark, and Shen Xin, Shen Qiu, and Luo Ling should be back from the Ministry of War soon. She stood up and bade farewell. Luo Xueyan urged her to stay. ¡°My husband, Qiu, and Ling will be back soon. Why don¡¯t you have dinner together with us before leaving? If my husband sees you, he will definitely be very happy.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no need.¡± Chang Zaiqing smiled. ¡°It won¡¯t be easy to find my way back when it gets too dark later. Thank you for your kindness. I will come and visit them in the future. Now it is already too late.¡±

 Chapter 508 - 508 Chang Zaiqing (3)

    508 Chang Zaiqing (3)


    Luo Xueyan looked out and saw that night was indeed approaching. She held her hand and said, ¡°In that case, I can¡¯t keep you, lest you get lost on the way back. It¡¯s just that I¡¯m especially happy to see you today. You have to come back another day. It¡¯s been a long time since I¡¯ve met such a like-minded friend.¡±


    Chang Zaiqing smiled and said, ¡°Surely, Madam, when I have time.¡±


    Luo Xueyan instructed someone to prepare a carriage for Chang Zaiqing, and Shen Miao and Luo Tan followed behind. Luo Tan sighed and said, ¡°Although Auntie Chang came from a small family in Liuzhou, her etiquette is even better than that of the noble ladies in the palace. She¡¯s gentle and kind. I really didn¡¯t expect her to be unmarried at such an age. I wonder who will be lucky enough to marry her in the end.¡±


    Shen Miao looked at Chang Zaiqing¡¯s back and did not speak. Seeing this, Luo Tan suddenly whispered into Shen Miao¡¯s ear, ¡°Cousin, do you not like this Auntie Chang?¡±


    Shen Miao was a little surprised. She did not expect Luo Tan to be able to tell that. She raised her eyebrows and said, ¡°I have no grudge against her. Why would I not like her?¡±


    ¡°Hey, others might not be able to tell, but I know very well.¡± Luo Tan said proudly, ¡°You¡¯re normally very indifferent to everyone. However, today, you asked Auntie Chang many questions. Moreover, you were rude. You clearly did it on purpose. The way you looked at her is a little strange. It¡¯s different from the way you look at others.¡±


    Shen Miao laughed. ¡°You¡¯re thinking too much.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not thinking too much. You obviously didn¡¯t like her.¡± Luo Tan continued, ¡°Although this Auntie Chang is good and friendly, I¡­ feel that something is not right.¡±


    ¡°What is not right?¡± Shen Miao asked.


    ¡°Think about it. Auntie Chang¡¯s father is Old General Shen¡¯s subordinate and benefactor. He must be a fierce general. As the saying goes, like father, like daughter. You look gentle on the surface, but deep down, you¡¯re like your father. You¡¯re very brave and not afraid of the Turks. However, this Auntie Chang is too gentle and mild. Why doesn¡¯t she have the aura of a general at all?¡±


    Shen Miao sneered. No, Chang Zaiqing was more like a young lady from a general¡¯s family than anyone else. She studied the art of war to the point of perfection and strategized every move calmly. The reason she didn¡¯t have the aura of a general was because she was hiding it well.


    Shen Miao looked at Luo Tan and did not correct her. She only said, ¡°Who said that people from a general¡¯s family have to be brave? This Auntie Chang grew up in Liuzhou. Perhaps Mrs. Chang is from a scholarly family. Auntie Chang just takes after her mother.¡±


    Luo Tan curled her lips. ¡°Maybe. Actually, I quite like her. However, if you don¡¯t like her, I won¡¯t like her either. I¡¯m with you.¡±


    Shen Miao said, ¡°Well, in that case, thank you.¡±


    ¡°But why don¡¯t you like her?¡± Luo Tan asked curiously, ¡°Are you jealous that she knows more than you?¡±


    Shen Miao glanced at Chang Zaiqing, who was being put into the carriage by Luo Xueyan, and a trace of coldness flashed across her eyes. ¡°Of course not. I¡¯m more than happy to see such a smart person.¡±


    ¡­


    Not long after Chang Zaiqing left, Shen Xin and the others returned. Luo Xueyan told them about Chang Zaiqing. Shen Xin was surprised at first, but then he sighed. When Old General Shen was alive, he often mentioned to Shen Xin that Chang Hu was a loyal and brave person. The Shen family took repaying kindness most seriously. However, after Old General Shen died, the Chang family moved to Liuzhou and there was no news of them for many years. Shen Xin did not expect someone from the Chang family to suddenly appear now. Shen Xin had seen Chang Zaiqing in the past. At that time, Chang Zaiqing was still a little girl. He told her that if she had any difficulties, he could help her.

 Chapter 509 - 509 Chang Zaiqing (4)

    509 Chang Zaiqing (4)


    Chang Zaiqing naturally had difficulties, but she did not want to say it in front of the juniors. After dinner, Luo Xueyan was in a hurry to pull Shen Xin back to his room, probably to tell him about what was troubling Chang Zaiqing.


    Over the past few days, Shen Qiu had been busy dealing with the matters in the capital. Even Luo Ling, who had just taken a position at the Ministry of War, was very busy. When the two of them were free, they would gather together and talk. As for Luo Tan, she was tired after playing outside for the entire day and returned to her room to rest early. Late at night, only the light in Shen Miao¡¯s room was still on.


    Seeing that Shen Miao had no intention of going to rest, Jingzhe and Gu Yu thought that she was worried about what happened at Princess Ming An¡¯s place today. After everyone left, Shen Miao rubbed her forehead, not turning a page of the book in front of her for a long time.


    She was not worried about Princess Ming An at all. After being warned by Huangfu Hao, Princess Ming An would stop causing trouble for the time being. What troubled her was Chang Zaiqing, who dropped in on them all of a sudden.


    That day, when she went to the Exiled Immortal Pawnshop to test Ji Yushu, she saw a figure on the way back. At that time, she was taken aback. When she looked closer again, the figure had already disappeared from the crowd. At first, Shen Miao thought that she was mistaken, but now that she thought about it, she wasn¡¯t. At that time, she saw Chang Zaiqing.


    Some things had already changed, but due to perhaps fate, some people still showed up in the exact timeline as her previous life.


    Shen Xin¡¯s official career started to go downhill not only because his military power was taken, but also because there were traitors in the mansion. His bravery on the battlefield made him fearless of any problems that might arise. However, in the end, he was forced into a desperate situation by Fu Xiuyi, and a large part of it was not just because of Fu Xiuyi cracked down on the Shen army.`


    Shen Qiu died because of Jing Chuchu, and the arrival of Chang Zaiqing would eventually cause Luo Xueyan to lose her life.


    It was true that Chang Zaiqing was from Liuzhou. At this time in Shen Miao¡¯s previous life, Chang Zaiqing also dropped in on the Shen family all of a sudden. At that time, the Shen family had yet to split up. Chang Zaiqing was gentle and friendly. Everyone in the Shen family liked her, including Luo Xueyan.


    Luo Xueyan was a general. In the Shen family, Luo Xueyan couldn¡¯t get along well with Ren Wanyun and Chen Ruoqiu because they were too scheming. However, after Chang Zaiqing arrived, the two of them became close friends.


    Shen Miao used to think that Chang Zaiqing was a good person. At that time, she was already married to Fu Xiuyi. When she came back a few times, she saw Chang Zaiqing and chatted happily with her. Chang Zaiqing was very good at talking. With Chen Ruoqiu, she would talk about poetry, and with Luo Xueyan, she would talk about military strategy. She would also teach Shen Miao about how to win her husband over. She was considerate and could always come up with ideas. Shen Miao liked her very much.


    Later, she found out that Chang Zaiqing had never been married until the age of 26 because a young master of a rich family in Liuzhou wanted to make her a concubine. That family was rich and powerful, and no one in Liuzhou dared to challenge them. No matter how outstanding Chang Zaiqing was, no man dared to take the risk to go to the Chang family to propose marriage. After so many years, that family became more and more overboard. Forced to a corner, Chang Zaiqing left home for the capital to seek refuge with her father¡¯s old friend.


    Shen Miao was very sympathetic to what happened to Chang Zaiqing. She thought that Chang Zaiqing would continue to live in the Shen mansion as a guest until Chen Ruoqiu took out a marriage contract. It was actually a marriage contract between Shen Xin and Chang Zaiqing. It was probably written by Old General Shen and Chang Hu back then.

 Chapter 510 - 510 Chang Zaiqing (5)

    510 Chang Zaiqing (5)


    However, this marriage contract changed some things.


    It was unknown if Chang Zaiqing did not get married for so many years because of being threatened by the rich young master, or because she was keeping her chastity for Shen Xin.


    Shen Xin and Luo Xueyan loved each other deeply, so the marriage contract became a little awkward.


    At that time, Chang Zaiqing knelt in front of Luo Xueyan and said that she had no intention of marrying Shen Xin. That marriage contract was just a joke by their fathers, and she did not take it to heart. For the rest of her life, she only wanted to live a quiet life and did not want to think about anything else. As for getting married, she had long given up on it. If the Shen family felt that she was an eyesore, she would find a nunnery and be a nun. She would definitely not disturb the Shen family.


    How could they turn a blind eye to the daughter of their father¡¯s benefactor? Everyone in the Shen family tried to persuade Chang Zaiqin to stay, especially Chen Ruoqiu and Ren Wanyun. In the end, for some reason, Old Madam Shen actually suggested that Shen Xin take Chang Zaiqing as his concubine.


    Shen Xin naturally did not agree, and Chang Zaiqing did not agree either, but in the end, it was Luo Xueyan who agreed.


    Chang Zaiqing had no choice but to accept the kindness. However, she added that she would not fulfill her duty as a concubine.


    At that time, Shen Miao felt that Chang Zaiqing was really sensible. She had no ambition and only wanted to be a concubine. After marrying Fu Xiuyi, Shen Miao was often upset by the concubines sent by the officials, but Chang Zaiqing was nothing like those concubines.


    Chang Zaiqing became Shen Xin¡¯s concubine in name. She did not have much of a relationship with Shen Xin, and they looked like siblings. However, she had a good relationship with Luo Xueyan. At first, Shen Miao was a little worried, but later, Shen Miao felt that it was good that her mother had someone to talk to.


    Not long after, Luo Xueyan got pregnant, so Chang Zaiqing was by her side all day long to take care of her. For some reason, Luo Xueyan had a miscarriage. After the miscarriage, she became depressed and died shortly after.


    Shen Xin was in extreme pain, and his hair almost turned all white overnight. As soon as Luo Xueyan died, Shen Xin seemed to have lost his vitality and quickly aged. Later, he was in no mood to fight. When he was set up by Fu Xiuyi, he did not even have the ability to fight back, which gave the second and third branches to take advantage of him.


    Why would Luo Xueyan have a miscarriage for no reason at that time. She was a heroine who had fought countless battles. It was strange that she would die of depression. The only person who was with Luo Xueyan all the time was Chang Zaiqing. Shen Miao knew that Chang Zaiqing must have something to do with it.


    At that time, Shen Xin had also sent people to investigate, but they could not find any clues. Chang Zaiqing was innocent. Ever since Luo Xueyan died, Shen Xin did not remarry. Chang Zaiqing was still a concubine. However, the first branch of the Shen family needed a woman to manage the household. Very naturally and gradually, Chang Zaiqing became the madam of the first branch. She was gentle and easy to get along with, which helped her rope in all the servants.


    This was what Shen Miao felt was the most terrifying.


    Chang Zaiqing was very smart. She knew that Shen Xin did not have any place for another woman in his heart, so she did not even attempt to win his heart at all. Instead, she made a move on Luo Xueyan to gain her trust and make her treat her as family. Then, she would stab Luo Xueyan in the back. Words could hurt. As long as a smart person like Chang Zaiqing said a few words ¡°accidentally¡±, she might be able to make Luo Xueyan suffer. When Luo Xueyan was bedridden, Chang Zaiqing had said countless ¡°consoling words¡± that could kill Luo Xueyan.

 Chapter 511 - 511 Chang Zaiqing (6)

    511 Chang Zaiqing (6)


    It did not matter to Chang Zaiqing if Shen Xin did not have a place for her in his heart, because what Chang Zaiqing cared the most from the beginning to the end was the opinion of outsiders. Once Luo Xueyan died, she would be Shen Xin¡¯s only wife. She would be able to live without worry for the rest of her life. Chang Zaiqing was the most realistic person. She never pursued love.


    She was a clear-minded and smart woman.


    If nothing went wrong, perhaps Chang Zaiqing would continue to live a rich life, and Shen Miao would even feel that she was a pitiful woman. However, the truth could not be hidden forever. Two years after Luo Xueyan passed away, Chang Zaiqing¡¯s husband and son from Liuzhou came to look for her.


    That¡¯s right, it was Chang Zaiqing¡¯s gambler husband and sick son. Chang Zaiqing got married a long time ago. Perhaps at that time, the two of them were indeed in love, but nothing went smoothly and well to poor couples. How could a proud person like Chang Zaiqing tolerate living in poverty for the rest of her life? She took the money, abandoned her family, and went to the capital.


    Her husband asked around for a long time before finding out that Chang Zaiqing was now in the capital and had become Shen Xin¡¯s concubine. He brought his son to look for her. It caused a huge sensation in the capital. Chang Zaiqing was gentle and elegant, but she actually abandoned her sick son. It was obvious that she was not as kind as she looked on the surface.


    Chang Zaiqing was taken away, leaving Shen Xin to become a laughing stock in the capital. He had actually been raising someone¡¯s wife for so many years.


    Shen Miao closed her eyes.


    She had always been worried about the day when the past would repeat itself, but she did not expect the day to come so quickly. Chang Zaiqing appeared just like in her previous life, and she quickly made Luo Xueyan feel close to her.


    In terms of acting, Shen Miao admired only two women. One was Chang Zaiqing, and the other was Consort Mei. However, Consort Mei was arrogant and would show her true colors. On the other hand, Chang Zaiqing was meticulous. She wouldn¡¯t do anything that would expose herself.


    However, this life was different from her previous life. Shen Miao would not let Chang Zaiqing have her way no matter what. She still had to plan how to use this chess piece well.


    As she was thinking, she saw the lights in the room flicker. Suddenly, someone said in her ear, ¡°What are you thinking about?¡±


    Shen Miao was stunned for a moment. She subconsciously leaned back and almost fell. The person grabbed her arm and held her back with one hand.


    Under the light, his face was unbelievably handsome. With a familiar mischievous smile, he looked down at her and said, ¡°You¡¯re so lost in thought. Are you thinking of how to repay me?¡±


    ¡°What are you doing here?¡± Shen Miao was so used to Xie Jingxing doing this that she couldn¡¯t even be bothered to be angry. However, she was a little surprised. She had clearly instructed Mo Qing to put more guards outside the courtyard, but she didn¡¯t expect Xie Jingxing to still be able to come in and out freely.


    Xie Jingxing smiled. ¡°I¡¯m here to get my cloak.¡±


    This afternoon, at Princess Ming An¡¯s place, Xie Jingxing took off his black cloak and handed it to Shen Miao to help her out. Only then did Shen Miao remember that Xie Jingxing was looking at the ground with a meaningful gaze.


    As soon as Shen Miao came back this afternoon, she was asked to see Chang Zaiqing. After changing her clothes, she brought Jingzhe and Gu Yu out. The black cloak was casually thrown on the chair, but for some reason, it slipped off the chair. At this moment, it was on the ground, curled up into a ball, looking tragic.


    Xie Jingxing crossed his arms and said coldly, ¡°You¡¯re really rude.¡±


    Prince Rui¡¯s clothes were expensive after all, but they were treated worse than a rag by Shen Miao. Shen Miao did not feel embarrassed at all. ¡°Your Highness, your cloak is on the ground. Thank you.¡± She did not even bother to say anything. Anyway, the royal family of the Daliang Dynasty had money, so they did not lack one or two cloaks. As she thought about it, Shen Miao glanced at Xie Jingxing. Everyday, he would be dressed in a completely different outfit. Shen Miao did not know how the Daliang Dynasty could afford this prodigal son. The money in the treasury was probably all used to make clothes for him.


    Xie Jingxing looked at Shen Miao for a while and said with interest, ¡°Are you angry because of that woman called Chang Zaiqing?¡±

 Chapter 512 - 512 Invitation (1)

    512 Invitation (1)


    Shen Miao was slightly stunned and looked up at Xie Jingxing. Xie Jingxing lived in the capital since he was young and knew every corner of the capital. In addition, with the Exiled Immortal Pawnshop behind him, Xie Jingxing might even be better informed than Fu Xiuyi.


    He could naturally know whatever he wanted to know.


    ¡°What does this have to do with you?¡± Shen Miao said angrily, ¡°Prince Rui, are you so free as to worry about other people¡¯s family matters?¡±


    ¡°Family matters?¡± Xie Jingxing raised his eyebrows and said, ¡°You seem to be very afraid of that woman.¡±


    !!


    A trace of coldness flashed across Shen Miao¡¯s eyes. She said, ¡°What¡¯s there to be afraid of?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not right.¡± Xie Jingxing rubbed his chin and glanced at her. Suddenly, he leaned over and stared into Shen Miao¡¯s eyes carefully. He did not feel that it was inappropriate for him to be so close to her. He pondered for a moment and said, ¡°You¡¯ve never been to Liuzhou. Why do you seem to know her very well?¡±


    Shen Miao suddenly looked up and met Xie Jingxing¡¯s gaze. The young man¡¯s face was as attractive as ever, but his eyes were sharp. He said, ¡°It¡¯s same with Princess Ming An. You¡¯ve never been to the State of Qin, but you seem to have a deep grudge against her.¡±


    Shen Miao still did not speak, but her eyes gradually turned cold.


    ¡°You¡¯ve lived in the capital since you were young. The furthest you¡¯ve been is Spring City. While you were in Spring City, you didn¡¯t go anywhere. It¡¯s impossible for you to have been to Liuzhou or seen the princess of the State of Qin.¡± His voice echoed in the room, carrying the faint coldness of early winter.


    ¡°What do you want to say?¡± Shen Miao looked at him.


    He said in a low voice, ¡°Are you Shen Miao?¡±


    For a moment, a thin layer of goosebumps appeared on Shen Miao¡¯s entire body. It was as if a chilling wind was blowing down from the top of her head, making her shiver in an instant. She had seen many people. Relying on the experience from her previous life, she knew those people like the back of her hand. However, towards the man in purple in front of her, she seemed to be clueless.


    Shen Miao¡¯s impression of Xie Jingxing was that in her previous life, he was just a handsome young man who died young. In this life, when she found out that he was unfathomable, she felt even more afraid. What she did would indeed arouse suspicion, but she didn¡¯t expect Xie Jing to actually suspect her identity as Shen Miao.


    She was not Shen Miao, but Empress Shen. Xie Jingxing had a wild imagination, and his imagination was very close to the truth. The discomfort of having her secret exposed made Shen Miao panic for a moment. However, she did not lose her composure. She only stared at Xie Jingxing¡¯s face and smiled.


    However, that smile only lasted for a moment before her expression turned cold. ¡°Not everyone in the world has a double identity like Prince Rui.¡±


    Xie Jingxing¡¯s playful smile froze.


    It was unknown if Shen Miao was really Shen Miao, but Xie Jingxing was no longer Xie Jingxing. Now that Young Marquis Xie of Lin¡¯an had become Prince Rui, were they still the same person? After all, Xie Jingxing had nothing to do with the Daliang Dynasty in the past.

 Chapter 513 - 513 Invitation (2)

    513 Invitation (2)


    ¡°You got me there.¡± Xie Jingxing stood up straight, and his eyes darkened. He said with a faint smile, ¡°I¡¯ll just take it that you are still Shen Miao.¡± He seemed to be talking to himself, but at the same time, he seemed to be talking to Shen Miao. ¡°It¡¯s really difficult to find out all the secrets about you.¡±


    ¡°Prince Rui, why won¡¯t you let me off?¡± Shen Miao looked at him. ¡°Whether I have secrets or not, it has nothing to do with you.¡±


    ¡°Unfortunately, I¡¯m interested in your secrets.¡± Xie Jingxing said leisurely, ¡°Besides, after thinking about it, you seem to be the only person I can trust in Ming Qi.¡±


    Shen Miao smiled instead of being angry. ¡°Prince Rui, don¡¯t you still have Su Mingfeng and Princess Rong Xin?¡±


    !!


    Xie Jingxing smiled. ¡°Let the past stay in the past.¡±


    For some reason, under the light, the smile on his lips looked a little lonely.


    Xie Jingxing looked at her and continued, ¡°How do you plan to deal with Chang Zaiqing? If you beg me, I might help you.¡±


    Shen Miao said expressionlessly, ¡°I only hope that Prince Rui can stay out of my matters.¡±


    ¡°It seems like you¡¯ve already thought of what to do.¡± Xie Jingxing raised his eyebrows. ¡°Impressive.¡±


    Shen Miao lowered her eyes and heard Xie Jingxing say, ¡°The princess of the State of Qin won¡¯t let this matter rest.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to remind me.¡± Shen Miao glared at him. ¡°I have to thank Prince Rui for ¡®helping¡¯ me today.¡±


    With Princess Ming An¡¯s jealous personality and the fact she seemed to be quite infatuated with Xie Jingxing, after Xie Jingxing was protective of Shen Miao, she would definitely vent her anger on Shen Miao.


    ¡°She¡¯s not your match.¡± Xie Jingxing reached out and rubbed Shen Miao¡¯s head. She shook his hand off.


    She did not want to speak. Princess Ming An was not smart to begin with, so Shen Miao was not worried at all. The most difficult person to deal with was Huangfu Hao. In fact, Huangfu Hao and Princess Ming An came to Ming Qi this time to form an alliance with Ming Qi. Ming Qi was also interested in befriending the State of Qin.


    No matter what, she could not let Fu Xiuyi and Huangfu Hao get together. It would naturally take a lot of effort to break the tacit alliance between the two countries. Shen Miao¡¯s gaze involuntarily landed on Xie Jingxing. She did not know what kind of role the Daliang Dynasty would play in this chess game.


    In her previous life, she died too early, so she did not know what kind of accomplishment Xie Jingxing had made at the end of his life. It was clear that he did not die in battle, but instead, he escaped and returned to the Daliang Dynasty to be Prince Rui.


    Xie Jingxing noticed her gaze and smiled. ¡°What is on your mind now?¡±


    Shen Miao looked at him steadily. ¡°When does Prince Rui plan to return to the Daliang Dynasty?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t want me to leave?¡± Xie Jingxing glanced at her with a smile and looked out of the window. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t leave for the time being.¡± He said, ¡°I also want to see the show between Huangfu Hao and Prince Ding to the end.¡±


    Shen Miao¡¯s heart palpitated. Xie Jingxing said, ¡°Don¡¯t you want to see it too?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what Prince Rui is talking about.¡± Shen Miao didn¡¯t mean what she said.


    Xie Jingxing bent down and picked up the black cloak on the ground. The cloak was wet from the pond water and crumbled into a ball. His expression froze for a moment before he said casually, ¡°Shen Miao, you and I are the same kind of people.¡±


    ¡°Your Highness, you¡¯re noble, and I am humble. We have nothing in common.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re underestimating yourself.¡± The corners of the purple-robed young man¡¯s lips curled up. ¡°You¡¯re just like me, born to rule.¡±

 Chapter 514 - 514 Invitation (3)

    514 Invitation (3)


    When that person was no longer in the room, the candlelight seemed to have gradually dimmed. Shen Miao was still sitting at the table. What Xie Jingxing said before he left made her unable to calm down for a long time.


    You¡¯re just like me, born to rule.


    Could it be that Xie Jingxing had discovered something? However, that was impossible. She thought carefully about her interaction with Xie Jingxing in her previous life and realized that they had never interacted at all. Shen Miao thought about it and suddenly realized that she had wasted too much time dwelling on this. Thinking that Xie Jingxing had disrupted her life for no reason, she was angry.


    On the other side, in Prince Rui¡¯s mansion, Xie Jingxing returned to the room. The room where he slept was almost as big and exquisite as the emperor¡¯s bedroom. He threw away the cloak in his hand and wiped his hands with a handkerchief. A white thing suddenly pounced out of the corner and bit the black cloak, shaking its head happily.


    !!


    Xie Jingxing looked coldly at the white tiger playing with the cloak for a while before lifting it up from the ground.


    ¡°How naughty.¡± He looked displeased.


    The white tiger cub sneezed and branshished its claws at Xie Jingxing. Xie Jingxing threw it into the nest by the bed expressionlessly.


    ¡°Tie Yi,¡± Xie Jingxing said.


    A black figure rushed in from outside. ¡°Master, what can I do for you?¡±


    Xie Jingxing pointed at the cloak on the ground. The corners of Tie Yi¡¯s mouth twitched. That was a cloak made of black lion fur. It was hard to find. How could the only cloak made of black lion fur be ruined like this? Tie Yi felt sorry for Emperor Yong Le.


    ¡°Take it out and throw it away.¡± Xie Jingxing started to take off his clothes.


    Tie Yi picked up the cloak in a daze and nodded. Everyone knew that Prince Rui was obsessive about cleanliness. No one was allowed to touch his things. Now that this cloak had been ravaged to this state, Xie Jingxing probably would not want it anymore.


    Just as Tie Yi walked to the door, He heard Xie Jingxing say, ¡°Wait.¡±


    Tie Yi turned around. Xie Jingxing hesitated for a moment and frowned. ¡°Forget it, wash it and put it away.¡±


    Tie Yi was stunned for a moment before nodding happily. He carried the cloak and quickly left the room. It was good that Xie Jingxing could learn to be less extravagant and wasteful. This way, he could lead the Daliang Dynasty towards lasting prosperity.


    ¡­


    The capital welcomed the first snow of this winter.


    In the winter, the women on the street began to put on thick coats with all kinds of patterns embroidered on them, giving colors to the monochrome capital.


    In the west courtyard of the Shen family, someone was standing in front of the courtyard and looking at the snow falling outside.


    ¡°Miss Chang, why don¡¯t you go in and get warm? It¡¯s cold outside. The capital is not as warm as Liuzhou. The wind in the winter is very strong,¡± Chen Ruoqiu said with a smile.


    Chang Zaiqing turned around. She smiled and said, ¡°It rarely snows in Liuzhou in the winter. The snow in the capital is really beautiful, so I want to take a good look.¡±


    Chen Ruoqiu smiled, ¡°If Miss Chang settles down in the capital, after seeing the snow for a few times, you won¡¯t find it rare anymore. It¡¯s cold every year.¡±

 Chapter 515 - 515 Invitation (4)

    515 Invitation (4)


    Chang Zaiqing smiled but did not say anything. The two of them were both elegant and from scholarly families. Their every move was pleasing to the eye, like a pair of sisters. Chen Ruoqiu held Chang Zaiqing¡¯s hand. ¡°No matter how much you like this snow, don¡¯t stay outside for too long. There¡¯s a heater in the house. Let¡¯s go in and sit.¡±


    Chang Zaiqing did not decline, and the two of them entered the house hand in hand. After entering the house, the maid brought them hot tea.


    Chen Ruoqiu was the first to pick up the tea and take a sip. She smiled and looked at Chang Zaiqing. ¡°I have been looking for a friend who can appreciate the tea and arts with me but to avail. Now that you¡¯re here, I¡¯m very happy.¡±


    ¡°Third Madam, you are very kind.¡± Chang Zaiqing smiled back.


    ¡°Miss Chang has a likable personality. Anyone will like you.¡± Chen Ruoqiu said, ¡°I hit it off with you at first sight. I knew you were an intelligent and elegant person. We get along unexpectedly well. I wonder how you got along with my sister-in-law a few days ago?¡± After a pause, Chen Ruoqiu sighed. ¡°My sister-in-law came from a family of generals. She doesn¡¯t know anything about tea or arts, but she¡¯s a good person. I wonder if she made things hard for you.¡±


    Chen Ruoqiu was obviously probing. Chang Zaiqing rubbed the tea lid and replied obediently, ¡°First Madam is a very good person and told me many interesting things that I¡¯ve never heard of. She didn¡¯t look down on me because of my humble background. I¡¯m very thankful.¡±


    ¡°I knew it.¡± Chen Ruoqiu nodded. ¡°Have you seen General Shen?¡±


    Chang Zaiqing shook her head. ¡°It was too late that day. I left before General Shen returned. I planned to pay him a visit another day.¡±


    Chen Ruoqiu smiled deeper. ¡°It¡¯s good to visit him another day. After all, we¡¯re all family. Now that we¡¯re both living in the capital, it¡¯s very convenient for us to see each other.¡±


    As she spoke, she saw a maid coming in with an invitation. Seeing that Chen Ruoqiu was also here, she first bowed to Chen Ruoqiu and handed the invitation to Chang Zaiqing. ¡°Miss, this is the invitation sent by the servant.¡±


    Chen Ruoqiu¡¯s eyes flashed as she smiled and said, ¡°Miss Chang, you¡¯ve only been in the capital for a short time, but you already made a good friend? Who is it?¡±


    Chang Zaiqing opened the invitation letter and took a look. She smiled and said, ¡°Third Madam, the only people I know in the capital are from the Shen family. I don¡¯t have any other friends. This invitation is sent by First Madam.¡±


    ¡°Sister-in-law?¡± Chen Ruoqiu was stunned. She looked at Chang Zaiqing in surprise. ¡°It seems like Sister-in-law likes you a lot. When Sister-in-law was living with us, she rarely invited anyone home.¡± After saying that, she seemed to be very happy for Chang Zaiqing. ¡°It seems like the two of you really hit it off at first sight. I¡¯m a little jealous.¡±


    Chang Zaiqing smiled. ¡°Third Madam, you are teasing me again.¡±


    ¡°Today is the day of this invitation.¡± Chen Ruoqiu looked at the invitation in Chang Zaiqing¡¯s hand and said in surprise, ¡°Miss Chang, aren¡¯t you going?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid¡­ It¡¯s too early.¡± Chang Zaiqing was a little hesitant.


    Chen Ruoqiu smiled and patted her hand. ¡°Why are you so shy? You have to know that we¡¯re family. Moreover, with Sister-in-law¡¯s personality, she won¡¯t be happy with you being so shy. She likes straightforward people. Why do you have to make people not like you?¡±


    Chang Zaiqing looked at the invitation and Chen Ruoqiu continued, ¡°To be honest, I also have selfish motives. I think if you become good friends with Sister-in-law, it will be much easier to resolve the misunderstanding between us in the future. I¡­ still have to rely on you.¡± As she spoke, she sighed.

 Chapter 516 - 516 Invitation (5)

    516 Invitation (5)


    ¡°Third Madam, don¡¯t say that.¡± Chang Zaiqing quickly said, ¡°I¡¯m grateful that the Shen family took me in. Moreover, I went to see First Madam a few days ago. She¡¯s a broad-minded person. I think she won¡¯t take the misunderstanding to heart. I¡¯ll go. If there¡¯s a chance, I¡¯ll definitely help you explain. Third Madam, I have been meaning to do it even if you don¡¯t tell me.¡±


    When Chen Ruoqiu heard that, she was very relieved. ¡°I knew you were a good person.¡± As she spoke, she took off a bracelet from her hand and put it on Chang Zaiqing. Chang Zaiqing wanted to decline, but Chen Ruoqiu held her hand and said firmly, ¡°This bracelet is not worth a lot of money, but it¡¯s well-crafted. I know you¡¯re not greedy for money, so you won¡¯t accept anything expensive. Take this bracelet. General Shen might be at home today. It¡¯s not wrong to dress up to see him. You can¡¯t let people look down on the Chang family, right? You have to think for the Chang family.¡±


    These words came from the bottom of her heart, and every word she said was for Chang Zaiqing¡¯s sake. Chang Zaiqing did not decline anymore and only said, ¡°I will remember Third Madam¡¯s kindness to me.¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about? We¡¯re family.¡± Chen Ruoqiu stood up and looked outside. ¡°Miss Chang, dress up first. I won¡¯t disturb you anymore. Go before it snows so that you can come back early at night.¡± She reminded the two maids who served Chang Zaiqing something before leaving.


    After Chen Ruoqiu left, Nanny Zhao put away Chang Zaiqing¡¯s invitation letter and said, ¡°Miss, are you really going to see First Madam Shen?¡±


    ¡°Why not.¡± As soon as Chen Ruoqiu left, Chang Zaiqing¡¯s smile faded, and she seemed to have changed into a different person.


    ¡°That First Madam Shen¡­¡± Nanny Zhao was a little hesitant.


    ¡°She¡¯s a good person.¡± Chang Zaiqing sat at the table, opened a small box of rouge, and pursed her lips. The color of the rouge was light, looking like it was the natural color of her lips.


    ¡°In that case, I am relieved.¡± Nanny Zhao heaved a sigh of relief.


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Chang Zaiqing looked at herself in the mirror, but it was unknown if she was talking to herself or to others. ¡°I¡¯m also relieved.¡±


    Outside, Chen Ruoqiu returned to the Autumn Water Garden and held the hand warmer in her hand. When she turned around, she met Shen Yue.


    ¡°Mother.¡± Shen Yue said, ¡°Why do you keep going to see Chang Zaiqing? I¡¯ve been looking for you.¡±


    ¡°Why are you looking for me?¡± Chen Ruoqiu stroked Shen Yue¡¯s head. Shen Yue was getting older and older, but her standards were still high. Chen Ruoqiu couldn¡¯t just keep her daughter at home like that. Chen Ruoqiu knew that her daughter liked Prince Ding, but why would Fu Xiuyi take a liking to her? Shen Yue would definitely not be happy with just being a concubine. Shen Wan had already flared up with Chen Ruoqiu a few times because she turned down all the people who came to propose marriage to Shen Yue.


    ¡°I just received new dresses from the embroidery workshop.¡± Shen Yue said, ¡°I want you to see which one looks better.¡±


    Looking at her daughter, who was like a flower, Chen Ruoqiu felt a headache coming on. She said, ¡°What¡¯s the use of these colorful patterns? You¡¯re already beautiful. You might as well spend the time learning something from that person in the west courtyard instead of dressing yourself up.¡±


    ¡°The west courtyard?¡± Shen Yue was puzzled. ¡°Mother, are you talking about Chang Zaiqing? What can I learn from her?¡±


    Chen Ruoqiu shook her head. ¡°There¡¯s a lot to learn from her. If you have 30% of her ability, I won¡¯t have to worry about you anymore.¡±


    She knew what kind of a person Luo Xueyan was. Although Luo Xueyan was hospitable, it was never likely for her to invite someone she had just met once. Chen Ruoqiu knew that Chang Zaiqing was a person who made people feel comfortable but not hostile. However, it was really beyond her expectations that Chang Zaiqing could get Luo Xueyan¡¯s trust so quickly.

 Chapter 517 - 517 Invitation (6)

    517 Invitation (6)


    However, this was a good thing for Chen Ruoqiu.


    She tapped Shen Yue¡¯s forehead and said, ¡°In short, learn more from her. It¡¯s much more useful than dressing up.¡±


    ¡­


    In the new Shen mansion, Gu Yu said as she combed Shen Miao¡¯s hair, ¡°Miss, if Madam finds out that you sent an invitation to Miss Chang in her name, will you be in trouble?¡±


    Shen Miao said indifferently, ¡°It¡¯s all the same. We¡¯re family after all.¡±


    ¡°But Miss, why don¡¯t you send the invitation in your own name?¡± Jingzhe was wiping the table at the side. She was a little curious as to why Shen Miao would invite someone she barely knew using her mother¡¯s name.


    ¡°I have no relationship with her whatsoever. Why should I invite her here for no reason?¡±


    Jingzhe and Gu Yu looked at each other, not knowing how to respond. That¡¯s right. Shen Miao did not have much of a relationship with Chang Zaiqing. Why would she use her mother¡¯s name to write an invitation letter to Chang Zaiqing? When Chang Zaiqing came to visit that day, Shen Miao didn¡¯t look happy at all.


    Shen Miao lowered her eyes. Luo Xueyan was not around today, so Shen Miao invited Chang Zaiqing over. She had to meet her alone. Luo Tan had been sent away early in the morning. In the entire mansion, Shen Miao was in charge.


    Just as she was thinking, she heard a servant inform her that Miss Chang had arrived.


    ¡°So soon?¡± Jingzhe was a little surprised.


    Shen Miao smiled. People who had ambitions would naturally show them here and there. In the past, she couldn¡¯t tell because she was in the dark and didn¡¯t care about anything in the Shen family. Things were different now. She wanted to find out what Chang Zaiqing was made of.


    Chang Zaiqing was welcomed by a servant to the main hall to wait. The maid brought over a cup of tea, and she quietly sized up the new Shen mansion.


    The new Shen mansion was different from the old Shen mansion. Because the old Shen family was where Old General Shen lived, the feng shui was good. Coupled with Old Madam Shen¡¯s extravagant tastes, it was quite garish. On the other hand, the new Shen mansion had a spacious courtyard, perhaps because Shen Xin and Luo Xueyan needed a place to practice martial arts, and the decorations in the main hall were simple. Although the decorations were simple, for some reason, they gave off a dignified feeling. The first time Chang Zaiqing came, she did not look around carefully. At this moment, she felt like her body was covered in a layer of cold sweat. It was as if she could not help but feel nervous.


    The maids were coming in and out as they cleaned the house, and no one spoke to Chang Zaiqing. Chang Zaiqing had always been well-mannered and patient. However, after the tea turned cold, no one came out . Chang Zaiqing grabbed a maid and asked her why Luo Xueyan was not here yet.


    The maid had a smile on her face, and her attitude was respectful and polite. She said that she would go and ask, but after she was gone, she never came back. For some reason, this happened several times in a row. Chang Zaiqing couldn¡¯t sit still anymore. The first time she met Luo Xueyan, she had almost figured out her temper. Luo Xueyan was a straightforward person and was very enthusiastic. Why did she deliberately make things difficult for her this time?


    For the first time, Chang Zaiqing actually felt a little uncertain. The maids coming and going seemed to be looking at her, but at the same time, they didn¡¯t seem to be looking at her. She finally lost her patience and wanted to get up to leave, but she heard someone say with a smile, ¡°Auntie Chang, I¡¯m really sorry for keeping you waiting. I wet my clothes in the room just now and took a while to dry it up.¡±


    Chang Zaiqing was stunned and quickly stood up. She saw a few maids following her as Shen Miao walked in.


    The girl was wearing a jade-patterned brocade cloak with a heater in her hand. When she entered the room, she took off the cloak, revealing the purple embroidered dress inside. It had an extremely gorgeous and complicated pattern. What was rare was that the purple color didn¡¯t look ugly on her. Instead, it made her look noble. As she walked in, the room seemed to have brightened up.


    Chang Zaiqing felt dizzy for a moment.


    She had seen many people, including Shen Yue, who was praised by Chen Ruoqiu for being outstanding and beautiful. However, only Shen Miao could give her a sense of awe. That day, Shen Miao was accompanying Luo Xueyan and didn¡¯t look all that dazzling. Today, she came by herself and stole all the limelight, making people feel pressured.


    ¡°Fifth Miss?¡± Chang Zaiqing glanced behind Shen Miao.


    ¡°There¡¯s no need to look for anyone else.¡± Shen Miao smiled. ¡°It was me who sent you the invitation, Auntie Chang.¡±

 Chapter 518 - 518 Nightmare (1)

    518 Nightmare (1)


    Chang Zaiqing was stunned and asked with a forced smile, ¡°Fifth Miss, this¡­¡±


    ¡°Last time, Auntie Chang came and went in a hurry, so I didn¡¯t get to chat with you. You said that you would come back another day. I waited for a long time, but I didn¡¯t see you coming, so I took the initiative to invite you over. I was afraid that it wouldn¡¯t be appropriate to use my name, so I used my mother¡¯s name. Auntie Chang won¡¯t blame me, right?¡±


    Chang Zaiqing looked at the girl in front of her. Shen Miao had a natural smile on her face, not looking embarrassed at all. If Chang Zaiqing got angry, it would make her look like she was being petty. She immediately smiled and said, ¡°Of course I won¡¯t. It¡¯s my honor to be invited by Fifth Miss.¡± As she spoke, she sized up Shen Miao again. Last time she was here, although Shen Miao was not cold to her, she was definitely not friendly. She even made some rude remarks a few times. Being invited by Shen Miao unexpectedly, Chang Zaiqing couldn¡¯t help but be on guard.


    ¡°It¡¯s cold in the main hall. Auntie Chang, come to my room.¡± Shen Miao smiled and stood up. ¡°It¡¯s not far from here. I really can¡¯t stand the cold wind.¡±


    Chang Zaiqing agreed. When they arrived at Shen Miao¡¯s room, Shen Miao asked the maid to serve tea and pastries. The stove was burning. Shen Miao opened the window a little before closing the door. The room was warm, but it was not stuffy.


    Shen Miao pushed the teacup to Chang Zaiqing. Chang Zaiqing smiled and took a sip, her expression suddenly becoming a little strange.


    ¡°This is Zhudan tea. It tastes very bitter and doesn¡¯t smell good. Auntie Chang is probably not used to it,¡± Shen Miao explained with a smile.


    Chang Zaiqing¡¯s expression froze. She was a little confused, not knowing what Shen Miao was up to. The way to treat guests was naturally to take out the best tea. Why did Shen Miao use such lousy tea to treat guests? Was it to humiliate her? However, Shen Miao¡¯s expression was kind and did not seem to be hostile towards her.


    ¡°Although this tea is bitter, it¡¯s extremely good for the body. If you drink it in the winter, it can ward off the cold and keep you warm. My father and brother are both martial artists. They always drink Zhudan tea in the winter. Gradually, this tea also grew on me.¡± Shen Miao looked at Chang Zaiqing. ¡°Auntie Chang comes from a scholarly family. You probably don¡¯t like to drink such tea, but in our military family, we¡¯re not so particular about tea.¡±


    Chang Zaiqing waved her hand and smiled. ¡°Fifth Miss, you must be joking. The Chang family is just an ordinary family. Although this Zhudan tea is bitter at first, after I take a few more sips, it doesn¡¯t taste bitter anymore.¡±


    Shen Miao shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s easy to force yourself for a moment, but it¡¯s difficult to force yourself for a lifetime.¡±


    Chang Zaiqing was stunned. She felt that there was something else in Shen Miao¡¯s words and couldn¡¯t help but look at her.


    Shen Miao smiled. ¡°Speaking of which, I heard that Auntie Chang has been living in the old Shen mansion. Do the people there treat you well?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re all good people.¡± Chang Zaiqing smiled and said, ¡°They take good care of me.¡±


    ¡°You and Third Aunt are like-minded. I think you two must hit it off very well.¡± Shen Miao smiled and said, ¡°Third Aunt has always liked to draw and write. Back then, Third Uncle took a liking to her very much because of this. I think you¡¯ve seen how well Third Uncle treats Third Aunt. Third Aunt is the only wife in the entire third branch.¡± As she spoke, she sighed. ¡°Unfortunately, Third Aunt hasn¡¯t been able to give a son to Third Uncle. If she did, she wouldn¡¯t be so sad.¡±


    Chang Zaiqing had been in the old Shen mansion for quite some days, so she naturally knew that because the third branch didn¡¯t have a son, Chen Ruoqiu and Old Madam Shen were not on good terms. However, she did not expect Shen Miao to bring this up. After all, Shen Miao was an unmarried girl. Chang Zaiqing felt a little awkward. However, when Shen Miao spoke, her expression was natural, as if she did not think that this was something inappropriate for her to say. Chang Zaiqing could not tell if Shen Miao was smart or just naive.

 Chapter 519 - 519 Nightmare (2)

    519 Nightmare (2)


    ¡°Third Madam is so kind-hearted. She will definitely be blessed to have a lot of descendants in the future,¡± Chang Zaiqing said.


    ¡°People always liked to compare the first branch with the third branch.¡± Shen Miao picked up the teacup and blew at the tea leaves on the surface. She smiled and continued, ¡°But my family is alright. At least I have a brother. My brother is about to reach the age of marriage. In no time, he will be engaged. When I have a sister-in-law and a nephew, this house will be quite crowded and lively.¡± Shen Miao seemed to be a little smug. ¡°But the third branch is not as lively as our first branch.¡±


    Chang Zaiqing first felt that Shen Miao was probably naive and was at odds with the third branch. However, when she heard everything Shen Miao said, she suddenly thought of something and her expression changed.


    That¡¯s right. In the first branch, Luo Xueyan was foolish and straightforward. Shen Xin didn¡¯t take in any concubines, so she didn¡¯t have to be wary of being schemed against. However, Chang Zaiqing almost forgot that there was still Shen Qiu. Shen Qiu was the eldest son of Shen Xin. He was young and promising. If he married a wife from a powerful family, even if Chang Zaiqing kept a low profile, she would not be able to get anything.


    When Shen Miao saw the change in Chang Zaiqing¡¯s expression, her eyes turned cold.


    p1ease visit n0ve1b(in).ne)t


    In her previous life, when Chang Zaiqing moved in with the first branch, Shen Qiu was already harmed. After Shen Miao married Prince Ding, no one in the entire first branch could become a threat to Chang Zaiqing. With such a smooth start, how could Chang Zaiqing let this good opportunity slip?


    However, it was different now. Shen Qiu was still doing very well. With a healthy and living heir, the possibility of her becoming the legitimate wife of Shen Xin would forever be gone.


    What kind of path would this woman who liked to weigh the pros and cons choose?


    Shen Miao picked up the pastry on the table and said with a smile, ¡°What a pity. When Grandpa was still around, he used to say that Third Uncle is the smartest in the Shen family. He¡¯s handsome and gentlemanly. If he had a son, his son would definitely be as smart as him. Unfortunately, Second Sister is the only child he has. Second Sister is about to get married. When Second Sister gets married, there will only be Third Uncle and Third Aunt in the third branch. They will definitely feel lonely.¡±


    Chang Zaiqing was originally listening absent-mindedly, but as she listened, her heart started to race.


    Speaking of which, the situation in the first branch and the third branch was almost similar. Shen Xin and Shen Wan only had one woman. However, Shen Yue was two years older than Shen Miao. Shen Yue was about to get married, and the third branch didn¡¯t have an heir. It seemed like the third branch was easier to get into.


    ¡°Auntie Chang and Third Aunt have similar personalities, and, I dare say, look alike in some way. You are both gentle and know a lot about elegant things. Those who don¡¯t know might think that you¡¯re sisters.¡± Shen Miao looked Chang Zaiqing straight in the eyes and said unhurriedly, ¡°However, in my opinion, Auntie Chang is more outstanding than Third Aunt, because¡­ Auntie Chang is younger.¡±


    The corners of Chang Zaiqing¡¯s mouth curled up subconsciously. She knew that the people in the Shen family compared her to Chen Ruoqiu. She was also a talented woman like Chen Ruoqiu. However, Shen Miao was right. No matter how beautiful a woman was, when she was old, she would begin to wither. In comparison, Chang Zaiqing looked more charming. Moreover, Chen Ruoqiu thought that she was the daughter of a noble family and was even a little arrogant. However, Chang Zaiqing had grown up in a humble family and knew when to make compromises. When it was time to lower her head, she would lower it. This was why people found her likable.


    Chang Zaiqing thought with a dark gaze that she was better than Chen Ruoqiu.


    Shen Miao picked up the tea and drank it. The tea tasted bitter, but she drank it like honey and smiled.

 Chapter 520 - 520 Nightmare (3)

    520 Nightmare (3)


    Chang Zaiqing was already 26 years old. Most unmarried women of her age in the capital could only be accepted as a concubine. They had to raise a child who did not belong to them. Moreover, the Chang family was small. Even with the help of the Shen family, it was still difficult for her to marry into a good family.


    Chang Zaiqing abandoned her husband and son and came to the capital in search of a better life, so naturally she wouldn¡¯t just marry an ordinary man. She was just too hung up on Shen Xin that she forgot Shen Wan was also a choice. Since Chang Zaiqing was best at weighing the pros and cons, Shen Miao would help Chang Zaiqing see what choices she had and let her choose for herself.


    Chang Zaiqing¡¯s expression changed drastically, and her heart was in a mess. Shen Miao¡¯s suggestion reminded her of something that she had not discovered.


    That¡¯s right. Since Shen Wan liked Chen Ruoqiu¡¯s personality, he would naturally like her too. Compared to a martial artist like Shen Xin, Shen Wan was a gentleman and knowledgeable. He was the man after her own heart.


    However, how did things suddenly end up like this? She originally wanted to come to test Shen Xin, and Shen Xin was the man she had in mind¡­ But in the end, the arrow was directed back at Chen Ruoqiu. Was it because Shen Miao kept talking about irrelevant things that she was distracted? Was it Shen Miao¡­ Shen Miao?


    Chang Zaiqing suddenly looked at Shen Miao.


    The girl in purple sat in front of the window. The snow outside had stopped at some point. The sun came out and shone on the side of her fair face. Her neck was slender, and she was holding a teacup and slowly sipping it.


    She had a dignified aura.


    Chang Zaiqing shuddered. It was as if she had just realized now that she had been led by the nose by Shen Miao from the beginning until now.


    This girl was definitely not stupid and naive. Instead, she was like a monster.


    Chang Zaiqing thought of the first time she came to the new Shen mansion. Shen Miao was already rude to her at that time. Her heart skipped a beat. Could it be that at that time, Shen Miao already knew what she was up to, so she gave her a hard time on purpose?


    Shen Miao looked at her and smiled. ¡°Auntie Chang, why are you sweating profusely? Is the room too hot?¡±


    Chang Zaiqing suddenly came back to her senses. She braced herself up and looked at Shen with a smile. ¡°Probably.¡±


    Shen Miao said indifferently, ¡°If you close the window too tightly, it will be uncomfortable in the room. It¡¯s much cooler outside.¡± She instructed Jingzhe to open the window and looked at Chang Zaiqing. ¡°Auntie Chang, am I right?¡±


    ¡°Fifth Miss is right.¡± Chang Zaiqing forced a smile, but when she saw Shen Miao¡¯s smile, she was a little frightened. Even if she had been hiding her ambition so well, Shen Miao could still see through her at a glance. She was simply a monster. Chang Zaiqing was glad that she had discovered it early. If she really married Shen Xin and had to confront Shen Miao, her life would be a misery.


    Chang Zaiqing would not take the risk. She would only choose the safest way.


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    As expected, after chatting with Shen Miao for a while, Chang Zaiqing said that she had to leave. Shen Miao naturally would not stop her. After Chang Zaiqing left, Gu Yu said curiously, ¡°Why is Miss Chang so strange? She seems to be hiding from something. What frightened her?¡±

 Chapter 521 - 521 Nightmare (4)

    521 Nightmare (4)


    Shen Miao said, ¡°Tell the servants not to mention what happened today to anyone. Chang Zaiqing has never been here. Remember that.¡±


    The two maids nodded and left. Although they did not understand why Shen Miao paid so much attention to Chang Zaiqing, the maids knew that Shen Miao had a reason to do so and did not interfere.


    After everyone left, Shen Miao sat at the table and looked at the bronze mirror in a daze.


    Shen Miao got Chang Zaiqing to target Chen Ruoqiu instead because Chen Ruoqiu was really detestable, and Shen Miao was too busy to deal with her. In her previous life, Chen Ruoqiu ¡°accidentally¡± discovered the marriage contract between Chang Zaiqing and Shen Xin. It was Chen Ruoqiu who kept saying that the Shen family must not let Chang Zaiqing down and wanted to seek justice for her. Shen Miao thought that Chang Zaiqing was probably instigated to marry Shen Xin because Chen Ruoqiu had been persuading her in private.


    Since they were good friends, there was no harm in putting them together to see who could win Shen Wan¡¯s heart. Shen Miao¡¯s eyes turned cold. She could naturally save herself a lot of trouble by letting Chang Zaiqing deal with Chen Ruoqiu, but still, she wouldn¡¯t let Chang Zaiqing off easily either.


    However¡­ Shen Miao frowned. What exactly did Chang Zaiqing do in her previous life that caused Luo Xueyan to die in the end? Even now, it was still a mystery.


    Because of Chang Zaiqing, Shen Miao had been absent-minded during family dinner. When everyone asked her what she was troubled with, Shen Miao said that she was a little tired. Luo Xueyan got someone to make some milk soup for Shen Miao and told her to rest early.


    Jingzhe and Gu Yu tucked Shen Miao in and blew out the candlelight. Shen Miao closed her eyes.


    The dark night gradually enveloped the entire capital, and Shen Miao started to feel that her body was getting lighter and lighter.


    The sun suddenly shone brightly outside. She opened her eyes and felt that it was a little dazzling. The air in the room was stuffy and hot, feeling like summer.


    It was early winter, so how could it be summer? Shen Miao sat up and felt a strange headache. She looked down and found herself sitting on the soft couch in a room, the sound of a woman talking could be heard. An extremely bitter herbal smell spread out.


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    The herbal smell was actually a little familiar.


    Shen Miao stood up. There was not a single maid in the room, and the woman¡¯s voice became clearer. She thought for a moment and walked into the room to take a look.


    In the spacious room, the windows were tightly shut. The weather was very hot to begin with, and with the windows tightly shut, the room was almost suffocating. Coupled with the annoying bitter herbal smell, Shen Miao felt as if there was something stuck in her chest.


    Shen Miao took a few steps forward and was about to open the window when she heard someone say, ¡°Go and open the window. I feel uncomfortable.¡±


    Shen Miao was stunned. The woman lying on the bed looked haggard. She was wearing a dark apricot-colored thin cotton robe. Her hair was soaked in sweat, and most of the clothes on her chest were wet from sweat. Her face was extremely pale, and her eyes were filled with death. Shen Miao widened her eyes. It was Luo Xueyan!


    When had Luo Xueyan ever looked so haggard?


    ¡°Sister, lie down.¡± The woman sitting by the bed comforted her. ¡°It won¡¯t be good if you catch a cold in this weather.¡±


    Shen Miao turned to look at the woman. Her light green clothes were simple, but the material was expensive. She was dressed refreshingly and elegantly, making a sharp contrast with the lifeless Luo Xueyan. At this moment, Chang Zaiqing was holding Luo Xueyan¡¯s hand and saying, ¡°Sister, you have to get better.¡±

 Chapter 522 - 522 Nightmare (5)

    522 Nightmare (5)


    ¡°I can¡¯t take it anymore.¡± Luo Xueyan was almost at her last breath, and there was no more vitality in her eyes. ¡°My child is gone, and there¡¯s nothing to look forward to. It doesn¡¯t make a difference if I live or not. It¡¯s wasteful to feed me these expensive herbs.¡±


    ¡°Sister, don¡¯t say that.¡± Chang Zaiqing said, ¡°If Fifth Miss finds out that you think this way, she will be very sad.¡±


    ¡°Jiaojiao¡­¡± Luo Xueyan¡¯s eyes hurt. Shen Miao took a step forward and wanted to hold Luo Xueyan¡¯s hand, but her hand went right through it.


    It was as if she did not exist.


    !!


    ¡°Jiaojiao hates me.¡± Luo Xueyan closed her eyes. ¡°But what can I do? The Shen family can¡¯t be tied to Prince Ding. Prince Ding can hide it from Jiaojiao, but he can¡¯t hide it from me. Jiaojiao even hates her father now. She doesn¡¯t even want to see me. What will Jiaojiao do in the future? There¡¯s no way out for me. I¡­¡± The more she spoke, the more heartbroken she became. She suddenly covered her mouth with a handkerchief and coughed violently. When she opened the handkerchief again, there was a pool of dark red blood on it.


    ¡°Sister, don¡¯t let these thoughts trouble you.¡± Chang Zaiqing held her and comforted her. ¡°Perhaps Prince Ding really likes Fifth Miss. Besides, there¡¯s no real hatred between parents and children. Fifth Miss will understand you in the future. This hatred is only temporary.¡±


    Shen Miao glared at Chang Zaiqing. Chang Zaiqing sounded like she was comforting Ruo Xueyan, but in fact, she was adding fuel to the flames. In her previous life, when Shen Miao married Fu Xiuyi, although she also wanted the Shen family to help, Shen Xin refused, so she was quite angry. However, it wasn¡¯t so much as hatred. Now that Luo Xueyan was on the verge of death, how could she not be sad when she heard that Shen Miao hated her?


    Shen Miao¡¯s eyes suddenly blurred. When her vision cleared, she saw a girl in autumn-colored clothes sitting on a chair opposite Chang Zaiqing, looking a little impatient. The girl was young. She had delicate facial features, but her makeup was extremely heavy, making her look a little strange. Shen Miao opened her mouth. Who else could this girl be but her?


    Chang Zaiqing smiled and said, ¡°Fifth Miss, don¡¯t be angry with your mother. It¡¯s just that military strength has always been very important. Your parents refused you probably because they have their own thoughts.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re all family. Since I married Prince Ding, he is considered half a member of the Shen family. Why do they still treat him as an outsider? I know that my parents have never liked me since I was young, so they abandoned me in the capital and left me alone.¡±


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    Chang Zaiqing smiled again. ¡°Fifth Miss, what are you talking about? Although your parents are not as close to you as Eldest Young Master, blood is thicker than water no matter what.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t care.¡± The young Shen Miao said arrogantly, ¡°They all say that Auntie Chang is the smartest. Can you think of a way for me to get my parents to agree to lend the troops to Prince Ding?¡±


    Chang Zaiqing seemed to be in a difficult position. A moment later, she said, ¡°Fifth Miss, if you throw a tantrum, perhaps your mother will give in and agree. If not, just make a fuss like a child.¡± She smiled and said, ¡°But I¡¯m just spouting nonsense. Fifth Miss, you have to consider it carefully.¡±


    Shen Miao, who was watching from the side, was so angry that her face turned ashen. Chang Zaiqing was clearly trying to sow discord!


    Shen Miao remembered that in her previous life, Luo Xueyan did not tell anyone about her pregnancy. She wanted to wait until the pregnancy was stable before spreading the news, but something unexpected happened. Coincidentally, Prince Ding wanted to borrow troops from Shen Xin, but Shen Xin refused. Shen Miao went to consult with Chang Zaiqing, and Chang Zaiqing instigated her to kick up a fuss.

 Chapter 523 - 523 Nightmare (6)

    523 Nightmare (6)


    Shen Miao did not know that Luo Xueyan had a miscarriage at that time. She went and had a quarrel with Luo Xueyan. When Luo Xueyan was at her most vulnerable, Shen Miao said some harsh words, which hurt like a knife. No mother wanted her child to hate her. At the same time, Shen Miao also said something that suggested that she was being treated badly by Prince Ding, which made Luo Xueyan worried.


    In addition to the pain of having a miscarriage, Luo Xueyan was heartbroken and worried for Shen Miao. No matter how hard-hearted a person was, they would not be able to withstand this blow.


    How Shen Miao wished she could rush up and tear apart Chang Zaiqing¡¯s hypocritical face.


    In the blink of an eye, the scene changed and she was in a courtyard. The courtyard was very elegantly built. Chang Zaiqing was wearing an emerald green dress, and the maid beside her was slowly fanning her.


    ¡°I heard that Madam is about to die.¡± The nanny beside Chang Zaiqing said, ¡°The doctor said that it will probably be in the next few days.¡±


    ¡°Get someone to serve her well.¡± Chang Zaiqing said, ¡°We need to keep the show going until the very end.¡±


    The nanny nodded and said, ¡°You finally made it.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Chang Zaiqing picked up the purple grape in the jar and ate it. ¡°After so many years, I¡¯ve finally made it.¡±


    ¡°I wonder what General Shen¡­¡±


    ¡°General Shen loves his wife deeply, so he¡¯ll naturally be sad.¡± Chang Zaiqing smiled. ¡°But what does this have to do with me? I just need to grab the position of the first wife of the house. I don¡¯t care if General Shen acknowledges me or not as long as the servants do.¡±


    The nanny nodded and said, ¡°You¡¯re right. I originally thought that Madam could last a little longer, but I didn¡¯t expect her to¡­¡±


    ¡°Her heart is broken and she¡¯s worried sick all day. She¡¯s already lived a long life.¡± Chang Zaiqing said indifferently, ¡°Luo Xueyan was very lucky. She married into such a good family and her husband only doted on her. Unfortunately, after giving birth to a daughter like Shen Miao, her good luck was all gone.¡±


    Shen Miao was stunned. Chang Zaiqing continued, ¡°She listens to Prince Ding unconditionally. Prince Ding is really capable. He made Shen Miao fall head over heels for him and even abandoned her parents. However, if not for the fact that Shen Miao is stupid, how could I be where I am today?¡±


    Shen Miao stood opposite Chang Zaiqing. It was a hot summer day, but her heart felt like it had fallen into an icehouse.


    ¡°Shen Miao asked someone to send food over from Prince Ding¡¯s mansion, but the food was all swapped. She was stupid, but Luo Xueyan doted on her a lot and ate all the food. She didn¡¯t know that the food was poisonous. That day, you saw it too. Shen Miao fed Luo Xueyan the food. Every bite was poisonous, but Luo Xueyan still had delightful smile on her face.¡±


    Shen Miao trembled and almost fell to the ground.


    At that time, in order to help Fu Xiuyi convince Shen Xin and curry favor with Luo Xueyan, she ordered someone to buy some food for Luo Xueyan. Luo Xueyan had always felt that Shen Miao was cold to her, so she was naturally very happy. She ate all of them. It turned out that¡­ the food had been swapped.


    Shen Miao suddenly felt so cold, and her mind was in a mess.


    She was vicious and stupid at that time. She did not even deserve to be forgiven. She was the one who pushed her mother to death. She was the most unfilial person!


    ¡°Luo Xueyan has been a tough woman her entire life, but she died in the hands of her daughter. Speaking of which, I have to thank Shen Miao.¡± Chang Zaiqing smiled smugly. ¡°From now on, I¡¯ll be in charge of the Shen family. Luo Xueyan didn¡¯t make a single mistake in this life. The only mistake she made was probably giving birth to Shen Miao. Shen Miao is indeed a jinx.¡±


    Suddenly, a maid ran over in a hurry. Her shadow was long under the summer sun, her voice was low, and her face was sweaty.


    ¡°Concubine Chang, Madam died just now.¡±


    ¡°Madam is gone! Madam is gone!¡±


    A thunderclap spread out from the horizon, illuminating the capital in the night. The sound of rain, thunder, and lightning covered the screams of the girl in the room.


    Shen Miao¡¯s face was covered in tears. She screamed, ¡°Mother, Mother, it¡¯s my fault! It¡¯s my fault! I shouldn¡¯t have liked Fu Xiuyi. I don¡¯t like him anymore! It¡¯s my fault, It¡¯s my fault! Mother!¡±


    The lightning shone on Shen Miao¡¯s pale face, making her look as miserable and desperate as a ghost. The purple-robed young man stood by the bed and stared at Shen Miao with a complicated expression as she struggled in the nightmare.


    A moment later, he finally sighed and reached out.

 Chapter 524 - 524 Marriage (1)

    524 Marriage (1)


    It was an extremely terrifying dream, as if all her struggles were useless. She knew that the ending was extremely tragic, but she could not stop it from happening. She could only watch helplessly as it unfolded.


    She was a murderer.


    The thunder struck across the sky. Shen Miao sat up on her bed and panted heavily.


    She subconsciously grabbed something with her hand and felt someone gently patting her back. She leaned into his arms and grabbed her neck. She felt that her face was covered in sweat and she was about to suffocate.


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    Shen Miao¡¯s body was trembling violently as she bit his shoulder. His body trembled, but he did not move. He only patted Shen Miao¡¯s head comfortingly.


    After an unknown period of time, the thunder gradually subsided, and only the sound of rain could be heard from outside the window. Shen Miao gradually calmed down. She let go of her mouth and touched something cold with the tip of her nose. It was a golden button.


    She slowly sat up from that person¡¯s arms.


    The person stood up. A moment later, the candles in the room were lit. Someone held a candle and placed it on the table next to the bed. He walked to the bed and sat down. His eyes were deep and piercing, and he was as elegant and noble as ever. Who else could it be but Xie Jingxing? Under the light, his gaze was less playful than usual. It was more comforting and filled with concern.


    Shen Miao¡¯s heart tightened.


    She was too engrossed in the terrifying nightmare that she was in a daze. That dream was not just a dream. It felt as if it had really happened. She was shocked by the terrifying truth and lost her composure for a moment. When she touched something warm, she was like a drowning person holding onto a life-saving straw and refused to let go. However, she forgot that in this late night, Xie Jingxing¡¯s arrival was something worth being wary about.


    The secret that she had locked up inside her heart seemed to have cracked at this moment, and she was facing the smartest hunter. Xie Jingxing had sharp eyes. He would probably be able to guess something from just a few words.


    ¡°What did you dream about?¡± Xie Jingxing cut off the extra wick in the oil lamp. His silhouette under the lamp was pleasing to the eye.


    ¡°It¡¯s just a nightmare,¡± Shen Miao said with her eyes lowered. However, her voice was unnatural for a moment.


    Xie Jingxing paused and turned to look at her. ¡°You¡¯ll be afraid too?¡±


    Shen Miao was suddenly angry. She said, ¡°I¡¯m not Prince Rui. It¡¯s hard for me to survive in the world, so I naturally have times when I¡¯m afraid.¡±


    Xie Jingxing looked at her. His eyes were very beautiful. Usually, he was sometimes frivolous and sometimes serious, making people unable to tell if he was sincere or not. However, now that he was looking at Shen Miao, his eyes were like the water in the autumn pool, like black jade, making it difficult for people to discern his emotions. He said, ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid. It¡¯s just a dream.¡±


    Shen Miao felt a lump in her throat, and an incomparable sadness suddenly surged up within her. She thought ever since her rebirth, she had controlled her emotions very well. Sometimes, she couldn¡¯t hide her hatred and love, but after calming down, she would still be able to conceal it. However, tonight¡¯s dream was so terrifying that she found herself unable to face it alone. Perhaps the rain outside was too cold, or perhaps Xie Jingxing¡¯s gaze was too gentle, making her feel vulnerable. She really wanted to find a place to cry.

 Chapter 525 - 525 Marriage (2)

    525 Marriage (2)


    She felt her vision blur and something was on her face. She looked up and saw Xie Jingxing wiping her tears with a handkerchief.


    She cried in the end.


    The young man¡¯s hand was slender and he lowered his head slightly. His movements were very gentle, and his eyes were very serious, as if he was doing the thing that required the most meticulous work. His long eyelashes were lowered, and he was already as handsome as a painting. He was no longer the indifferent and mischievous person in the day, but he was like the gentlest partner, like an elder brother, and also like a friend.


    Shen Miao was a little lost in thought. When Xie Jingxing finished wiping, he saw her gaze and raised an eyebrow. ¡°You¡¯re not crying anymore?¡±


    She looked away. ¡°Thank you.¡± This time, the thank you was finally not as forced and mocking as before. It seemed to be the first time she had spoken in such a gentle tone.


    Xie Jingxing also looked at her in surprise. Suddenly, he smiled and rubbed her head. ¡°What did you dream about? You kept saying that it¡¯s my fault, Mrs. Shen.¡±


    Shen Miao was shocked and looked at Xie Jingxing, asking, ¡°What did I say in my sleep?¡±


    Xie Jingxing pondered for a moment and said, ¡°You said it¡¯s your fault and you are sorry.¡± He asked thoughtfully, ¡°What did you do wrong in your dream? Is it that serious?¡±


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    When Shen Miao heard that, she heaved a sigh of relief and said, ¡°It¡¯s nothing. It¡¯s just a dream.¡± However, she did not know that Xie Jingxing noticed her sigh of relief.


    ¡°However.¡± Shen Miao suddenly thought of something and looked at him. ¡°It¡¯s already so late. What are you doing here?¡± Shen Miao did not notice that she was already used to Xie Jingxing barging into her room in the middle of the night. There was no anger in her voice when she asked that, as if it was something very usual.


    Xie Jingxing took out a letter from his sleeve. ¡°I wanted to give you a gift.¡±


    Shen Miao looked at him in confusion. She took the letter and opened it, only to be stunned.


    The things written on the letter were none other than what happened to Chang Zaiqing in Liuzhou, including the fact that Chang Zaiqing had a husband and son who were abandoned by her. She was stunned for a moment, not because of the content of the letter, but because Xie Jing gave it to her.


    ¡°You don¡¯t seem surprised.¡± Xie Jingxing tilted his head to look at her. ¡°You already knew?¡±


    ¡°Thank you for your kindness, Prince Rui.¡± Shen Miao put away the letter. ¡°Prince Rui, don¡¯t interfere in this matter. I¡¯ll do it myself.¡±


    Xie Jingxing looked at her for a while and shook his head with a smile. ¡°I guess I¡¯ve stuck my nose into something I shouldn¡¯t again.¡±


    Shen Miao was silent for a while. For some reason, she felt that the room was a little cramped. She lowered her head and her gaze subconsciously landed on the corner of Xie Jingxing¡¯s robe. The material was very gorgeous, and the patterns embroidered with gold thread were exquisite. She seemed to be able to feel Xie Jingxing¡¯s probing gaze on her. Shen Miao looked up and tried her best to look at him calmly. ¡°If there¡¯s nothing else, you can go back.¡±


    Xie Jingxing stared at her fixedly.


    Shen Miao frowned slightly. She indeed should thank him for pulling her out of her nightmare. However, she knew what kind of person Xie Jingxing was. The longer she stayed with him, the more likely she would be eaten up. Shen Miao did not want her secret to be exposed to others yet, not to mention that Xie Jingxing¡¯s identity had become sensitive. Even if Xie Jingxing did not show any hostility to her now, Shen Miao did not dare to let down her guard.


    Xie Jingxing said, ¡°It¡¯s raining so heavily outside, and you want me to leave?¡±


    The rain outside the window was accompanied by the sound of thunder, looking like it would not stop for the entire night. Shen Miao was so angry by his words that she almost forgot about the nightmare. She said, ¡°Is Prince Rui going to stay here for the night?¡±

 Chapter 526 - 526 Marriage (3)

    526 Marriage (3)


    Xie Jingxing frowned. ¡°Good idea.¡±


    ¡°Xie Jingxing!¡± Shen Miao shouted.


    Xie Jingxing stuffed the handkerchief that was used to wipe Shen Miao¡¯s tears into her hand and said, ¡°Go to sleep. I¡¯ll leave when the rain stops.¡±


    How could she fall asleep with a man in her bedroom? What kind of nonsense was this?


    ¡°I can¡¯t sleep with Prince Rui here.¡± Shen Miao looked at him expressionlessly. After being interrupted by Xie Jingxing, the gloominess she felt because of Chang Zaiqing dissipated a lot, and even her expression relaxed a lot.


    Xie Jingxing reached out and raised her chin, forcing Shen Miao to stare into his eyes. He said slowly, ¡°Look carefully. I¡¯m of the royal family and have the aura of a true dragon. If I stay in your room, no demons will dare to come. You won¡¯t have nightmares.¡±


    Shen Miao smiled and broke free from his hand. ¡°In that case, should I thank Prince Rui?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±


    Shen Miao glared at Xie Jingxing, but her mood gradually improved. Xie Jingxing did not ask her anything else about her nightmare. Whether Xie Jingxing really did not care or pretended not to care, it made her feel like she had escaped a calamity. Now, she did not have the strength to deal with anyone else. Not to mention Xie Jingxing who was just helping her.


    Xie Jing walked to the window and pulled it open to prevent the rain from drifting in. He walked to the table not far from the bed and sat down. He took a book and looked like he was going to read. Without looking back, he said, ¡°I¡¯ll sit here. You can sleep without worry.¡±


    Shen Miao moved her lips, wanting to say something, but in the end, she did not say anything. The wind and rain outside were hawling, and the lightning was terrifying. She wrapped herself in the blanket, revealing only her head, but her gaze subconsciously landed on the person at the table.


    The young man looked slender and tall even when he was sitting. He casually flipped through the book, but his expression was very serious. His side profile looked really handsome. Under the yellow light, he looked gentler. Compared to a few years ago, his temperament had become more mature. His figure seemed to be able to block all the wind and rain. Even if he did not say anything, he still made people feel a sense of security.


    He was unfathomable, cold, and ruthless. He deceived the world and was decisive. He fooled the royal family of Ming Qi and changed his identity. On the surface, he looked cynical, but he was capable of wreaking havoc. He was not a good person, but¡­ he was not as bad as she thought.


    Accompanied by the sound of the wind and rain outside, Shen Miao slowly closed her eyes and fell asleep.


    The rain finally stopped after a long time. There was only a little oil lamp left on the table. The candle flame swayed slightly, looking like it was about to be extinguished.


    The purple-clothed young man at the table closed the book in his hand, stood up, and walked to the bed.


    On the bed, the girl slept peacefully, breathing evenly. Her long hair was spread on the pillow, and with her eyes closed, she was not as dignified as usual. Instead, she looked more childish.


    She was actually only 16 years old and was still a little girl. In an ordinary family, a 16-year-old girl would probably be thinking about which young man was good-looking or which dress looked better.


    Xie Jingxing had a complicated gaze.


    From the first time he saw Shen Miao, what she exuded was a ruthlessness that was unbefitting of a girl her age. The situation the Shen family was facing was very complicated, but she never seemed to panic and was able to help the Shen family get over one hurdle after another as if she had long seen it coming.

 Chapter 527 - 527 Marriage (4)

    527 Marriage (4)


    However, she was, after all, just a little girl who was forced to grow up. Just because she had never shown weakness did not mean that she was really not weak. For example, when she woke up from a nightmare just now, the despair in her eyes was enough to shock people.


    She grabbed his collar, her entire body trembling, as if she had experienced a huge horror. However, in an instant, she returned to her usual dignified self. She was like an injured ferocious beast, but she had to show her strength at all times, because once her wound was discovered by the enemy, she would be killed without mercy.


    Xie Jingxing was confused. He was not a kind person and had a ruthlessness that ordinary people did not have, but every time he was with Shen Miao, he would always hold back. From the first time he saw Shen Miao, he had actually been giving in to her.


    However, he did not know why.


    !!


    He deliberately said that the rain had not stopped just to see her fall asleep. She was obviously very afraid, but she wanted to put on a brave front, so he could only pretend not to know.


    When the rain stopped, he put down the gauze curtain and left the room.


    On the bed, Shen Miao¡¯s eyelashes fluttered, but she did not open her eyes.


    The house opposite the new Shen mansion had been bought by Prince Rui. Xie Jingxing walked out and Tie Yi and Nan Qi, who were waiting outside, quickly followed.


    ¡°Reply to the invitation from the palace, and tell themI¡¯m going,¡± Xie Jingxing said.


    Tie Yi paused for a moment. ¡°Master, didn¡¯t you you weren¡¯t going?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve changed my mind.¡± Xie Jingxing glanced at him.


    Tie Yi quickly nodded, but he was very puzzled. The invitation was sent by a few princes in the palace. Xie Jingxing did not want to get involved with the crown prince of the State of Qin and the princes of Ming Qi, so he rejected it. Why did he suddenly change his mind now? Tie Yi carefully glanced at his master and felt that Xie Jingxing¡¯s eyes were cold, making him even more puzzled.


    Xie Jingxing¡¯s gaze turned cold.


    In Shen Miao¡¯s dream, not only did she call Luo Xueyan¡¯s name, but also Fu Xiuyi, Prince Ding.


    He recalled what Shen Miao said in her sleep about how she used to like Fu Xiuyi, and a mocking smile suddenly appeared on his lips.


    The fact that she liked someone made him feel uncomfortable.


    ¡­


    The unexpected rain made the capital extremely cold the next day. People were talking about the heavy rain last night and felt that it was a sign of something bad coming.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t expect the rain to come so suddenly. I forgot about the flowers and plants in the courtyard. When I came out this morning, a few pots were broken. Those flowers are expensive. What a pity.¡± As Chen Ruoqiu helped Shen Wan put on his clothes, she talked about the heavy rain last night.


    Chen Ruoqiu had always been particular about elegance. Even those flowers and plants were especially rare. Shen Wan listened absent-mindedly and did not look at Chen Ruoqiu.


    Chen Ruoqiu noticed Shen Wan¡¯s abnormality and asked with a smile, ¡°Master, is there something on your mind?¡±


    Shen Wan came back to his senses and looked at Chen Ruoqiu. ¡°I think Yue is already at the age of marriage.¡±


    Chen Ruoqiu¡¯s heart skipped a beat, but she smiled and said, ¡°I know. I¡¯ve always been looking for a suitable husband for Yue. However, we have to choose carefully. We can¡¯t let Yue suffer. Master, your heart will ache too, right?¡±


    This time, Shen Wan didn¡¯t just stop at that. He said with a straight face, ¡°It¡¯s been two years since Yue turned 16. Even if the girls of other families are not married, they¡¯ve already been engaged. If this continues, it¡¯ll be difficult to find a suitable husband for her in the future. The families I told you about a few days ago are not bad. I¡¯ve seen them. They¡¯re compatible. Yue won¡¯t suffer if she marries over.¡±

 Chapter 528 - 528 Marriage (5)

    528 Marriage (5)


    ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± Chen Ruoqiu forced a smile. ¡°But I have to let Yue get to know them first.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s been two years. Every time we talk to her about her marriage, she throws a tantrum. You¡¯re too indulgent.¡± Shen Wan said with a sharp gaze, ¡°Although our family is not bad, Yue is aiming too high. If she has thoughts about someone she should never have, it will bring our family destruction.¡±


    Shen Wan¡¯s gaze was meaningful, and Chen Ruoqiu¡¯s heart skipped a beat. Shen Wan was not a fool. As a father, he could naturally tell what was on Shen Yue¡¯s mind. If Shen Yue fell in love with Fu Xiuyi, Shen Wan would be first to say no.


    ¡°Some people are beyond our reach.¡± There was a hidden meaning in Shen Wan¡¯s words. ¡°It¡¯s better to let Yue be down-to-earth and give up on thoughts she shouldn¡¯t have as soon as possible. Otherwise, it¡¯ll be too late for her to come out of the quagmire.¡±


    !!


    Chen Ruoqiu broke out in cold sweat. After being husband and wife with Shen Wan for so many years, she was almost certain that Shen Wan knew what Shen Yue was thinking. However, Chen Ruoqiu knew Shen Yue¡¯s temper very well. When Shen Miao was still around, Shen Yue was infatuated with Prince Ding. Now that Shen Miao was gone, Shen Yue would be less likely to give up.


    ¡°But Master.¡± Chen Ruoqiu still wanted to help Shen Yue. ¡°Yue is still young. There are some things that can¡¯t be rushed. You used to dote on her too. Can¡¯t you understand this time?¡±


    Shen Wan took a deep breath and looked at Chen Ruoqiu with a disappointed gaze. He said, ¡°Madam, you¡¯ve always been sensible. Why don¡¯t you understand what¡¯s going on now? Prince Ding is not as simple as he looks. In the past, when the first branch was still around, the Shen family had military power, so Prince Ding might be afraid. Now that the first branch has moved out, Second Brother and I are both civil servants, and our careers are not smooth-sailing, Prince Ding will not take us seriously. When Prince Ding marries, he will definitely marry a wife who is beneficial to him. Yue is not very valuable to him. Why would he marry Yue? At most, she will just be a concubine. Even if Yue is liked by him, how can a concubine fight with the first wife with a powerful background? At that time, Yue will still be the one who suffers.¡±


    When Chen Ruoqiu heard this, she broke out in a cold sweat. She thought that Shen Wan did not agree with Shen Yue marrying Prince Ding because he did not think highly of Prince Ding in the competition for the throne. But now, it seemed that Shen Wan¡¯s evaluation of Prince Ding was that he was not an ordinary man, but someone who weighed the pros and cons. It was very difficult for such a man to be sincere.


    She said, ¡°I see. I didn¡¯t think it through. Master is always thinking about Yue, but I still blame you¡­ It¡¯s all my fault.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t blame yourself.¡± Shen Wan sighed. ¡°Yue is a little more arrogant and wilful than before. You have to lecture her well so that she won¡¯t get herself into trouble in the future. I¡¯ll get my subordinates to make a list of good families in the capital and send it over later. Choose a family and let Yue meet them another day.¡± After a pause, he said, ¡°We can¡¯t wait.¡±


    This time, Chen Ruoqiu stood on the same side as Shen Wan and immediately agreed. After Shen Wan went to court, the list was sent back. Chen Ruoqiu carefully went through it. She really planned to let Shen Yue marry as soon as possible.


    In the Autumn Water Garden, among the maids who were sweeping the courtyard outside, someone quietly put down her work and went out.

 Chapter 529 - 529 Marriage (6)

    529 Marriage (6)


    ¡­


    The brush in Shen Yue¡¯s hand suddenly paused, and a long ink mark instantly appeared on the unfinished painting. However, she did not take it to heart at all. Instead, she asked the maid in front of her angrily.


    ¡°What did you say? Mother is going to choose a husband for me?¡±


    ¡°Second Miss.¡± The maid lowered her head and said carefully, ¡°Madam has already selected a few families from the list and sent someone to send an invitation. She is planning to bring you to visit them in a few days.¡±


    !!


    ¡°Bastard!¡± Shen Yue slammed the brush on the desk in exasperation. No one knew who she was scolding, but her gentle and elegant aura was all gone. The surrounding maids did not even dare to breathe loudly.


    Shen Yue looked frustrated.


    She was already 18 years old. In the capital, it was the age where girls should get married. Even if she was not married, she should be engaged. However, she was still unmarried. She was a talented girl and was good-looking. She was gentle and smart, and there were countless men who liked her. However, she only wanted to marry one person, and that was Fu Xiuyi.


    Prince Ding, Fu Xiuyi, was the youngest among the princes and the one who had yet to marry a consort. Back then, Shen Miao fell in love with Fu Xiuyi at first sight and was bewitched by his charm. Very few knew that Shen Yue was the same. Perhaps such a man was born to dazzle and infatuate women. He did not have the strange temper of a prince. He was young and handsome, and he was probably the most noble man in Ming Qi other than the emperor. Shen Yue had always felt that only she was worthy of Fu Xiuyi. Therefore, when Shen Miao shamelessly revealed that she liked Fu Xiuyi to the public, Shen Yue felt that Shen Miao was humiliating her sweetheart.


    Fortunately, Fu Xiuyi treated Shen Miao extremely coldly. Now, Shen Miao and Fu Xiuyi had nothing to do with each other, which made Shen Yue feel relieved. Back then, she eavesdropped on Shen Wan and Shen Gui¡¯s conversation where they said that in order to obtain Shen Xin¡¯s military power, it was possible for Fu Xiuyi to marry Shen Miao. She had been uneasy for a long time, wishing that Shen Miao did not exist in the world. Fortunately, Shen Miao gave up later.


    Now that Shen Miao was gone, why were her parents getting in her way?


    ¡°I¡¯m going to tell my mother that I¡¯m not getting married! I¡¯m not getting married!¡± Shen Yue stood up and swept everything off the desk. The surrounding maids quickly knelt on the ground, but no one dared to persuade her.


    On the other side, someone in Rosy Cloud Garden also heard the commotion.


    Compared to two years ago, Rosy Cloud Garden was much more deserted. Ever since Ren Wanyun died and Shen Gui became infertile, Old Madam Shen was furious and did not allow Shen Gui to bring back any more random women. Shen Gui knew that he would never be able to have a child with a woman again in his life. When he returned to the mansion and looked at the empty courtyard, he felt annoyed, so he simply stayed at the brothel every day. Other than the servants, there were only Concubine Wan and Shen Dongling left in Rosy Cloud Garden.


    Shen Gui once had two sons. Unfortunately, now, he only had an illegitimate daughter. No matter what, Shen Dongling was the only child of Shen Gui now, so the servants treated Shen Dongling and Concubine Wan with respect.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on outside?¡± Concubine Wan, who was doing needlework, looked up. She had been doing well for the past two years and looked much plumper than before.


    The maid at the door said, ¡°Concubine, Second Miss is throwing a tantrum because Third Madam wants to choose a husband for her. She¡¯s rushing towards the Autumn Water Garden.¡±


    Concubine Wan laughed out loud and shook her head. ¡°Second Miss is really pampered. She even gets angry about this.¡± She suddenly thought of something and her eyes darkened. ¡°She really doesn¡¯t know how lucky she is.¡±


    Shen Dongling was also a daughter of the Shen family and was about the same age as Shen Yue. However, Old Madam Shen did not like the daughter of a concubine, and Shen Gui did not care about the matters at home at all. Shen Dongling¡¯s status was not high. After so long, very few people came to propose marriage. Even if there were people who came to propose marriage, they were all from strange families. It was obvious that they were not good people.


    As she was thinking, she saw Shen Dongling stand up from behind the screen. Shen Dongling had grown a lot. She was slender and had sharp eyebrows, looking very much like Concubine Wan.


    ¡°Where are you going?¡± Concubine Wan asked casually.


    Shen Dongling said, ¡°Mother, aren¡¯t you worried about my marriage?¡±


    Concubine Wan was stunned, not knowing what she meant.


    ¡°I¡¯ve waited for two years. Now, this opportunity has come,¡± Shen Dongling said.

 Chapter 530 - 530 I Want It (1)

    530 I Want It (1)


    Shen Yue caused a commotion in the Autumn Water Garden for a while. Unfortunately, this time, Chen Ruoqiu seemed to have made up her mind. No matter how Shen Yue begged, Chen Ruoqiu was unmoved. She was so angry that she wanted to lock Shen Yue up. Shen Yue panicked, but Chen Ruoqiu ignored her. When she left the Autumn Water Garden, she was angry and anxious.


    A few people walked out of Rosy Cloud Garden. When the blue-clothed girl in the lead saw Shen Yue, she went forward and said, ¡°Second Sister.¡±


    Shen Yue glanced at the woman and nodded, but her attitude was cold.


    This woman was none other than the illegitimate daughter of the second branch, Shen Dongling. In the past, Shen Dongling was suppressed by Ren Wanyun and did not leave the courtyard all year round. There were even servants in the Shen family who did not recognize her. Ever since the children in the second branch died, Shen Dongling became the only child. However, even so, on the surface, Shen Yue treated her gently, but in fact, she looked down on Shen Dongling because of her background. Even if she was the only child of the second branch now, it still did not change the fact that Shen Dongling was an illegitimate daughter.


    !!


    However, Shen Dongling did not seem to notice her cold gaze. She continued with a smile, ¡°I plan to get a few pieces of silk to make silk cloth. A few days ago, I heard my mother talking about some new embroidery patterns, so I wanted to make one. Second Sister, do you want some?¡±


    ¡°No need,¡± Shen Yue said.


    Being treated coldly like this, Shen Dongling still said good-naturedly, ¡°Nevermind then. I originally wanted to make a few for Second Sister.¡±


    Shen Yue was a little annoyed. At this moment, she was so worried about having to marry someone that she couldn¡¯t care less about anything else. She saw that Shen Dongling had her head lowered, revealing a fair neck, and a thought struck her. She turned around and carefully sized up Shen Dongling.


    Shen Dongling and Shen Yue were only half a year apart in age. Among the legitimate daughters of the Shen family, Shen Qing was generous, Shen Yue was elegant, and Shen Miao was delicate. The three of them still had the temperament unique to legitimate daughters, but Shen Dongling had the charm of a concubine¡¯s daughter. Back then, Concubine Wan was an actress in a troupe and was considered gorgeous. Shen Dongling did not look like Shen Gui, but she looked almost the same as the young Concubine Wan. Her eyes were big, and her chin was sharp, making her look like an outstanding concubine. However, compared to those ambitious concubines who wanted to climb up, Shen Dongling was more docile.


    Shen Yue¡¯s heart suddenly skipped a beat. She took the initiative to hold Shen Dongling¡¯s hand and said with a smile, ¡°I don¡¯t want you to do it for me because I¡¯m afraid I¡¯ll tire you out. You¡¯re a proper young lady of the Shen family, not an embroiderer in the embroidery shop. Why do you have to do this kind of needlework every day?¡±


    Shen Dongling was stunned, as if she was surprised by Shen Yue¡¯s sudden friendliness. Her face turned slightly red and she said, ¡°Second Sister, you¡¯re too kind. I usually don¡¯t have anything else to do. My mother asked me to do needlework, so I did some. It¡¯s fine.¡± Concubine Wan seemed to have lost her personality after being suppressed by Ren Wanyun for so long. Even now, with Ren Wanyun gone, her favorite thing to do was embroider in her room.


    Seeing that Shen Dongling was so obedient, the smile in Shen Yue¡¯s eyes deepened. ¡°It¡¯s time for you to change your personality. It¡¯s good that you like to do embroidery, but what kind of rich young lady does embroidery all day long? I¡¯m going to the jewelry shop to pick some jewelry tomorrow. Come with me. There are some new styles this year. Perhaps there¡¯s something you like. If you like something, I¡¯ll buy it for you.¡±

 Chapter 531 - 531 I Want It (2)

    531 I Want It (2)


    ¡°This¡­¡± Shen Dongling waved her hand in a panic.¡± No, that¡¯s¡­¡±


    ¡°Why are you hesitating?¡± Shen Yue pretended to be angry. ¡°We¡¯re the closest sisters after all. It¡¯s only right for me to buy something for you.¡±


    Shen Dongling was a little at a loss, but she did not know how to answer Shen Yue. Seeing this, Shen Yue smiled and patted her shoulder gently. ¡°Third Sister, you¡¯re still so timid. I still have something to do, so I won¡¯t talk to you anymore. Tomorrow, go to the jewelry shop with me.¡± Her tone was unnegotiable.


    Shen Dongling nodded in agreement.


    !!


    After Shen Yue and the others gradually walked away, Shen Dongling¡¯s maid, Wu Mei, said, ¡°What is Second Miss trying to do? She¡¯s distant one moment and enthusiastic the next. Why did she suddenly invite you to the jewelry shop?¡±


    Shen Yue had always been indifferent to Shen Dongling, but her enthusiasm at this moment was indeed suspicious.


    ¡°She¡¯s trying to please me.¡± Shen Dongling looked at Shen Yue¡¯s departing figure and smiled. ¡°She probably thinks that I¡¯m easy to bribe and wants me to rely on her and trust her. In the future, it¡¯ll be much easier for me to help her.¡±


    Wu Mei was shocked. ¡°Then what should we do? This Second Miss clearly has evil intentions and wants to use you.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± Shen Dongling smiled happily. ¡°I¡¯ll take the jewel. I¡¯m not a saint. Why should I refuse to take something for free?¡±


    Shen Yue, who was walking towards the Autumn Water Garden, had a dark gaze. Her mind was filled with Shen Dongling¡¯s weak and obedient appearance just now. For some reason, Shen Yue had a feeling that winning over Shen Dongling might be very useful to her in the future.


    ¡­


    While Shen Yue was making a fuss, on the other side, at the entrance of the west courtyard of the Shen family, someone was moving flowers out. Shen Wan passed by the west courtyard and happened to hear an old woman scream, ¡°Miss, be careful!¡±


    Shen Wan looked over and saw a young woman moving a pot of extremely heavy flowers to the stage. The pot in her hand was probably too heavy and she almost hit her foot. The nanny beside her heaved a sigh of relief. The woman turned around and smiled at the nanny.


    Shen Wan stopped in his tracks.


    The woman was wearing a green dress. Her hair was tied into a lily bun, and there was an agate hairpin on her head. Last night, there was a thunderstorm, and the sun had come out this morning. She was not born to be devastatingly beautiful, but she was good-looking nonetheless. The sunlight made the sweat on her forehead crystal clear. Because she was sweating, her face was red, which made her look indescribably charming.


    Everyone loved beauty. Although Shen Wan did not take in concubines, it did not mean that he didn¡¯t like beauty. Chen Ruoqiu was the only woman in his family. Although they were in love, after spending so many years togehter, he unavoidably got tired of her. Now that he saw this beauty in front of him, he could not help but be stunned.


    It was like appreciating a painting and a poem he liked. At this moment, Shen Wan did not have any other thoughts. The woman seemed to have noticed that someone was looking at her and turned around. When she saw Shen Wan, she paused for a moment before walking over.


    She walked up to Shen Wan and bowed bracefully. ¡°Third Master.¡±

 Chapter 532 - 532 I Want It (3)

    532 I Want It (3)


    Shen Wan glanced at her and said, ¡°Miss Chang.¡±


    Chang Zaiqing had only seen Shen Wan once. That was when she first came to the Shen mansion. At night, Chen Ruoqiu brought her to Rongjing Hall to pay her respect to Old Madam Shen. At night, the lights were dim, and everyone was tired, so Shen Wan did not notice Chang Zaiqing. Unexpectedly, when he looked closer, he found that she was a rare and extremely elegant beauty. Thinking that Chen Ruoqiu and Chang Zaiqing seemed to be very good friends, his attitude became even friendlier.


    ¡°Miss Chang, what are you doing?¡± Shen Wan asked with a smile.


    Chang Zaiqing turned around and glanced at the flower pots at the entrance of the courtyard. She smiled and said, ¡°It rained last night, and many of the branches were blown away by the rain. I¡¯m ¡®bandaging¡¯ them.¡±


    ¡°Bandage?¡± Shen Wan was a little curious and asked, ¡°How do you bandage the flowers?¡±


    Chang Zaiqing smiled. ¡°Third Master, you can take a look for yourself.¡±


    Shen Wan walked to the flower pot to take a closer look. Indeed, he saw that some of the branches were wrapped in cloth, and some were coated with something that looked like medicine. There were some scissors and cloth around, and one of the flowers was snapped in half by the wind and pieced together by a cloth.


    ¡°You¡¯re quite considerate.¡± Shen Wan sighed. ¡°It¡¯s rare to see someone who is willing to put in the work to take care of the flowers.¡± In the thunderstorm last night, the flowers and plants were inevitably damaged. Even someone like Chen Ruoqiu, who loved flowers, would just throw away the damaged flowers. The damaged flowers and plants were not as pleasing to the eye as before, and they were annoying to keep. However, not only did Chang Zaiqing not throw them away, but she even bandaged them.


    ¡°Flowers have a life of their own.¡± Chang Zaiqing smiled and said, ¡°Since I said that I love flowers, I can¡¯t abandon them just because they don¡¯t look as beautiful anymore, right? Everything has a spirit. I don¡¯t want to be a hypocritical person. If I say I like flowers, I will take care of them no matter what.¡± Chang Zaiqing said heartily, ¡°Besides, it¡¯s not a taxing job. Why not?¡±


    ¡°Miss Chang is really a refined person.¡± Shen Wan looked at Chang Zaiqing with admiration.


    ¡°Third Master, you flatter me.¡± Chang Zaiqing teased, ¡°We¡¯re all just normal people, and I have my own selfish motives. If I can keep the flowers and plants well, I¡¯ll feel much more at ease living in the mansion in the future. At least I can still do something to help.¡±


    Shen Wan smiled happily. ¡°Miss Chang, you¡¯re overthinking. Even if you don¡¯t know anything, no one in the Shen family will chase you away.¡±


    Chang Zaiqing also smiled. ¡°Thank you, Third Master.¡± She suddenly thought of something and looked at Shen Wan. ¡°Speaking of which, I accidentally saw a chess game yesterday and couldn¡¯t solve it. I wanted to ask Third Madam to help me take a look, but Third Madam seems to be a little busy today. I heard that Third Master is also an expert in chess. Can you give me some pointers?¡±


    She thought of something and continued. ¡°I can make tea for Third Master. Third Madam might have told you that the tea I made is very delicious.¡±


    Her attitude was natural and graceful. If Shen Wan rejected it, it would seem like he was being rude. Shen Wan thought for a moment and smiled. ¡°Then I won¡¯t stand on ceremony.¡±


    The two of them went to the stone table in the garden and started to play chess. When they played chess, they chatted casually. Shen Wan was surprised to find that not only was Chang Zaiqing¡¯s chess skills outstanding, but she was also knowledgeable in many fields. Shen Wan had always valued inner beauty more than outer beauty. He only married Chen Ruoqiu because she was proficient in Guqin, chess, calligraphy, and painting. She was undoubtedly a talented woman. However, there was something annoying about Chen Ruoqiu. Because she came from a scholarly family, occasionally, she would put on airs and pretend to be noble.

 Chapter 533 - 533 I Want It (4)

    533 I Want It (4)


    Chang Zaiqing was very different. She was also a very talented woman, but Chang Zaiqing did not have the arrogance and aloofness of a rich family. Instead, she was quite straightforward. When he spoke to Chang Zaiqing, he felt very comfortable. Unknowingly, Shen Wan¡¯s eyes lingered on Chang Zaiqing longer and longer.


    Nanny Zhao watched from afar, a trace of joy flashing across her eyes. She instructed the maids to guard the courtyard door and not let anyone in.


    ¡­


    In Ming Qi¡¯s palace, it was especially lively today.


    In order to entertain the two guests from the State of Qin and the Daliang Dynasty, the crown prince of Ming Qi specially held a banquet. The crown prince and princess of the State of Qin were present, and Prince Rui of the Daliang Dynasty also accepted the invitation. The nine princes of Ming Qi attended the banquet together.


    It was a fact that the crown prince¡¯s health was getting more and more serious. It was precisely because of this that even Prince Chu and Prince Xuan, who sided with the crown prince, were starting to think about joining other factions.. In the past two years, the crown prince¡¯s power was gradually being taken by other princes. Almost everyone tacitly agreed that the crown prince would not be in the position for long. The crown prince probably realized that in the past two years, he had rarely participated in the affairs of the imperial court. It was not that he did not want to participate, but there were too few people who followed him.


    On the other hand, the two brothers, Prince Zhou and Prince Jing, as well as Prince Li, were doing exceedingly well. Prince Li had always been a two-faced person with many followers. As for the two brothers, they relied on their mother, Consort Xu. These two factions were now at odds with each other.


    The most stable one was Prince Ding, Fu Xiuyi. Prince Ding had also been participating in the matters of the imperial court for the past two years, but most of the things he handled were very trivial, as if he was deliberately trying to show that he was not ambitious. Even so, Emperor Wen Hui was very satisfied with him. Because of the neutrality and peace he displayed, no matter if it was the crown prince, Prince Zhou, or Prince Li, they weren¡¯t particularly wary of him.


    Prince Ding was the safest person.


    In the hall, the crown prince smiled and raised his glass in invitation. ¡°Everyone, thank you for making the trip all the way to Ming Qi.¡±


    Huangfu Hao sat next to the crown prince and raised his cup to clink it with the crown prince¡¯s. He smiled and said, ¡°Thank you for your hospitality, crown prince.¡±


    Princess Ming An sat beside Huangfu Hao. After being grounded by Huangfu Hao for a few days, Princess Ming An was finally allowed to go out. Today, she looked at the purple-robed young man sitting opposite her with a loving gaze.


    Unfortunately, Prince Rui did not look at her at all. However, he did not look at the crown prince either. Instead, he stared at the wine cup, thinking about something.


    The crown prince smiled and asked, ¡°Prince Rui, why don¡¯t you drink? Is the wine not to your liking?¡±


    Prince Rui curled his lips and said, ¡°I¡¯m not feeling well. It¡¯s not appropriate for me to drink.¡±


    Prince Rui had been mysterious since he came to Ming Qi, and no one could tell what his attitude was towards Ming Qi, but he was well-mannered. Today, everyone present could not help but think that Prince Rui seemed to be a little unhappy.


    But who dared to provoke him for no reason?


    The crown prince looked a little embarrassed. Fu Xiuyi said, ¡°In that case, Prince Rui, you can drink tea instead of wine. Someone, serve Prince Rui tea.¡±


    Fu Xiuyi spoke to alleviate the tense atmosphere. The crown prince looked less embarrassed and was grateful to Fu Xiuyi. The other princes all agreed with Fu Xiuyi. Although Prince Rui was powerful, no one was willing to lower themselves in front of other countries. Fu Xiuyi¡¯s witty remark came just in time.

 Chapter 534 - 534 I Want It (5)

    534 I Want It (5)


    Huangfu Hao looked at Prince Rui inquisitively, but Princess Ming An looked at him worriedly and said, ¡°Prince Rui, are you alright? Are you feeling unwell? Do you want us to call the imperial physician over to take a look at you?¡±


    When Huangfu Hao heard this, his face immediately darkened and he glared at Princess Ming An. He could spare Princess Ming An if she was only fooling around in private. However, now that with so many princes around, she actually openly showed her concern for Prince Rui. Wasn¡¯t she rushing to make a fool of herself? Moreover, Huangfu Hao was a man himself. Men knew men the best. The way Prince Rui looked at Princess Ming An clearly showed that he was annoyed. If Prince Rui was a bad-tempered person, this might even affect the relationship between the State of Qin and the Daliang Dynasty.


    Prince Rui ignored her and looked at the last person in the seat opposite him. Everyone noticed his gaze and looked over. It was Prince Ding, Fu Xiuyi.


    Fu Xiuyi had always been the most obedient among the nine princes. At this moment, Prince Rui was looking at him alone. The way the princes looked at Fu Xiuyi changed. Fu Xiuyi was not flustered. He stared back at Prince Rui calmly.


    Prince Rui suddenly smiled and said, ¡°Before I came to Ming Qi, I heard that the Ninth Prince was a young talent. He indeed lives up to his name, I wonder if he¡¯s married?¡±


    No one expected Prince Rui to suddenly bring up this question, and their expressions suddenly became strange. Fu Xiuyi was also stunned for a moment before answering, ¡°Not yet.¡±


    Prince Zhou laughed out loud. He sat beside Fu Xiuyi and patted his shoulder. ¡°Ninth Brother is the only one of us who hasn¡¯t married. Why, Prince Rui, are you also interested in Ninth Brother¡¯s marriage?¡±


    Prince Rui smiled under his mask and said leisurely, ¡°There are also many princesses of the right age in the Daliang Dynasty. When I saw the Ninth Prince, I felt that we hit it off very well. I wanted to introduce him to someone.¡±


    As soon as he said that, the expressions of everyone present changed drastically.


    What Prince Rui meant was that he actually wanted to be in-laws with Fu Xiuyi. If it was really as Prince Rui said, marrying a princess of the Daliang Dynasty meant having a powerful backup. If the reason why the princes were not on guard against Fu Xiuyi previously was because Fu Xiuyi had never expressed his interest in the throne, then what Prince Rui said at this moment made everyone wary of Fu Xiuyi. This was because once Fu Xiuyi married the princess of the Daliang Dynasty, he would become the most powerful competitor for the throne!


    Fu Xiuyi tightened his grip on the wine cup and looked at Prince Rui calmly.


    Was Prince Rui really interested in befriending him? Fu Xiuyi did not think so.


    Prince Rui was not helping him, but harming him!


    Fu Xiuyi had always kept a low profile. Until the very end, he would not show his ambition. Although Prince Rui¡¯s offer was tempting, Fu Xiuyi was definitely unwilling to take this offer in front of all the princes. With just one sentence from Prince Rui, the other princes looked at Fu Xiuyi with meaningful gazes.


    No matter how tempted he was, he wouldn¡¯t agree. Fu Xiuyi gritted his teeth. For some reason, he felt that this Prince Rui, who he had never interacted with, seemed to be very hostile to him. Otherwise, he would not have pushed him to the center of attention.


    He became wary of Prince Rui, but on the surface, he smiled and said, ¡°Thank you for your kindness, Prince Rui. It¡¯s just that I don¡¯t have the intention of getting married yet.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± Prince Rui smiled. ¡°Ninth Prince, do you have a woman you like in mind so that you don¡¯t want to marry the princess from the Daliang dynasty? If that¡¯s the case, I won¡¯t force you.¡±

 Chapter 535 - 535 I Want It (6)

    535 I Want It (6)


    ¡°Your Highness, you must be joking.¡± Fu Xiuyi cupped his hands. ¡°It¡¯s just that I am not ready yet.¡±


    Seeing that Fu Xiuyi had rejected Prince Rui¡¯s offer, the other princes looked a little better. However, after what happened just now, they were no longer at ease with Fu Xiuyi. Today, Fu Xiuyi said no, but who could guarantee that he would not change his mind in the future?


    ¡°How strange.¡± Prince Rui seemed to be very interested in Fu Xiuyi and did not let him off just because Fu Xiuyi rejected his offer. He said with a faint smile, ¡°The Ninth Prince is not married and has no girls in mind. Why won¡¯t you consider my offer? I see that the Ninth Prince is also a handsome young man. Don¡¯t tell me you don¡¯t have a girl who likes you.¡±


    As soon as she said that, Prince Cheng, who had always been a little slow on the uptake, laughed and said, ¡°Prince Rui, you might not know this, but in Ming Qi, there was a girl who liked our Ninth Brother. Everyone in the capital knows that.¡±


    !!


    ¡°Is it Shen Miao?!¡± Before Prince Cheng could finish speaking, Princess Ming An interrupted him anxiously. Princess Ming An had heard those rumors about Shen Miao and even mocked her back then.


    ¡°So Princess Ming An knows about it too?¡± Prince Cheng was a little surprised.


    ¡°Even people in the State of Qin know that Shen Miao is infatuated with Prince Ding,¡± Princess Ming An said gloatingly. As long as she could embarrass Shen Miao, she wouldn¡¯t hesitate.


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Prince Cheng smiled and said, ¡°Prince Rui, you might not know this, but Shen Miao is the daughter of the mighty general. She is the girl who competed with Her Highness over archery at the banquet that day.¡± He sighed and said, ¡°Back then, Shen Miao was still young, so she spent all her time thinking of ways to find Ninth Brother. She knew no shame and directly told Ninth Brother that she loved him. She even made clothes, pastries, played the Guqin, and wrote poetry for Ninth Brother¡­ Tsk tsk, she really did a lot of things.¡±


    ¡°That day at the tribute banquet, she was quite charming.¡± The person who spoke was Huangfu Hao. Huangfu Hao couldn¡¯t help but be a little surprised. In his mansion and at the tribute banquet, Shen Miao did not look like the fool she was rumored to be. What was more, the way Shen Miao looked at Princess Ming An was very strange and cold.


    ¡°Back then, Miss Shen was young.¡± Prince Cheng continued, ¡°Who knew that two years later, she would actually become so beautiful? Moreover, she was originally stupid and timid, but now, she¡¯s no longer the same as before. Among the ladies in the capital of Ming Qi, those who can compare to her are very few.¡± Prince Cheng chuckled. ¡°If Nine Brother knew that she would change so much, he probably wouldn¡¯t have turned her down back then. But it¡¯s too late to regret now.¡±


    Princess Ming An sneered. ¡°Miss Shen is quite something. As a girl, she doesn¡¯t know shame at all and openly expressed her love towards a man.¡±


    Knowing that Princess Ming An was at odds with Shen Miao, the princes only smiled and did not comment.


    Fu Xiuyi shook his head gently and said, ¡°Miss Shen is a good person. Everyone, don¡¯t make fun of her.¡±


    ¡°Ninth Brother, you¡¯re too serious.¡± Prince Chu smiled and said, ¡°Are you telling me you don¡¯t want her and you also don¡¯t want others to have her? If not for the fact that I¡¯m already married, I¡¯m willing to marry Miss Shen!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right!¡± The other princes echoed.


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Huangfu Hao smiled and said, ¡°If I were the Ninth Prince, I would definitely marry her.¡±


    Princess Ming An was extremely unhappy. She looked at Prince Rui and realized that he was not laughing with everyone. Instead, his eyes were calm. She was delighted and asked, ¡°Prince Rui, do you think so too?¡±


    Prince Rui paused.


    Everyone looked at him.


    The young man with the mask picked up the wine cup and played with it. He said indifferently, ¡°Making clothes, pastries, playing the Guqin, writing the poetry for someone she likes¡­¡±


    Princess Ming An said, ¡°That¡¯s right. It¡¯s simply unbefitting and laughable!¡±


    Prince Rui smiled and said, ¡°As it happens, I want such a good girl too.¡±

 Chapter 536 - 536 Robbery (1)

    536 Robbery (1)


    Everyone present was originally smiling, but as they listened, the smile on their faces gradually froze. Huangfu Hao stared into Prince Rui¡¯s eyes, and Fu Xiuyi also looked at him in surprise. Princess Ming An¡¯s face was stiff, and her expression was almost distorted.


    The crown prince laughed and tried to ease the situation. ¡°Miss Shen is talented and beautiful, so she naturally attracted countless heroes!¡±


    Everyone nodded in agreement. Prince Rui picked up the wine cup with a faint smile and stopped talking.


    Everyone thought that he was just joking. How could Prince Rui of the Daliang Dynasty marry a general¡¯s daughter of Ming Qi? Not to mention that the two of them were not compatible, in this sensitive and tense situation, marrying a girl from another country was no different from plating a spy on his side. No matter how bold Prince Rui was, he would probably not dare to take this risk.


    Everyone was still smiling and drinking. However, ever since Prince Rui said that, Princess Ming An had been consumed by hatred. Her eyes were filled with hostility, making Huangfu Hao frown.


    All in all, the banquet held by the crown prince was considered successful. The princes of Ming Qi probably wanted to find out what kind of attitude the State of Qin and the Daliang Dynasty had towards Ming Qi. Up until now, the State of Qin had been very close to Ming Qi and had no intention of becoming enemies. On the other hand, Prince Rui was neither warm nor cold, making the princes confused.


    In the end, Prince Rui was the first to leave. Because of his absence, Princess Ming An¡¯s expression became even worse. On the way back, she punished several servants. Even the subordinates who came to deliver the official letter to Prince Ding were scolded by her.


    The two subordinates were none other than Xie Changwu and Xie Changchao. Fu Xiuyi reprimanded the two of them for a while before Princess Ming An stopped. When Fu Xiuyi returned, he told his advisors what happened at the banquet today. He thought for a moment and said, ¡°That Prince Rui seems to be a little hostile to me. Is he deliberately putting me in a difficult spot at the banquet?¡±


    Fu Xiuyi had recruited a group of capable people. Among the princes, he was not the most scheming. However, no one could compare to him in terms of recruiting talents and perseverance. In order to recruit someone, he was willing to travel far to see the person and wait outside his door for an entire night on the coldest day. Therefore, in addition to being talented, his advisors were also loyal to him. Once there was a problem, he could always get an answer from his advisors.


    The art of choosing who he could trust was what an emperor should learn the most. In this aspect, Fu Xiuyi was indeed the most outstanding emperor.


    While the advisors were deep in thought, Fu Xiuyi looked at the green-robed man at the front and said, ¡°Mr. Pei, do you have any thoughts?¡±


    Among the advisors, Pei Lang was trusted the most by Fu Xiuyi. Pei Lang was recruited by Fu Xiuyi two years ago. At that time, Fu Xiuyi was amazed by Pei Lang¡¯s talent, but Pei Lang was not greedy for power and didn¡¯t want to get involved. In the end, Fu Xiuyi spent a lot of effort and even swore that he would be a righteous and benevolent emperor before Pei Lang was convinced to follow him. Pei Liang didn¡¯t disappoint Fu Xiuyi. In the past two years, he helped Fu Xiuyi solve many problems. Therefore, now, every time he encountered something he couldn¡¯t solve, Fu Xiuyi would always think of Pei Lang immediately.

 Chapter 537 - 537 Robbery (2)

    537 Robbery (2)


    Pei Lang frowned and said, ¡°Your Highness, have you ever interacted with Prince Rui elsewhere?¡±


    Fu Xiuyi shook his head.


    ¡°That¡¯s strange.¡± Pei Lang analyzed, ¡°If you didn¡¯t interact with him before, I really can¡¯t think of a reason why he would make things difficult for you. You didn¡¯t get in his way. Even if the Daliang Dynasty wants to make things difficult for Ming Qi, he should target His Majesty or the Crown Prince instead.¡±


    Fu Xiuyi nodded. ¡°I think so too. Perhaps¡­¡± He pondered for a moment.¡± Perhaps it¡¯s for Shen Miao?¡±


    ¡°Your Highness, what do you mean?¡± Another advisor asked.


    ¡°I thought about it. Among all the things Prince Rui said, Shen Miao was the only one who was related to me in some way. However, at that time, I couldn¡¯t tell if he was joking or doing it on purpose, and I felt that Shen Miao had nothing to do with him. Now that I think about it, I find it a little strange.¡±


    An advisor said, ¡°Could it be that Prince Rui and Shen Miao have a secret relationship?¡±


    Pei Lang said firmly, ¡°That¡¯s impossible.¡±


    Everyone looked at him. Pei Lang¡¯s words carried authority. What he said or predicted would always come out true in the end.


    ¡°Prince Rui just arrived in Ming Qi, and Shen Miao returned to the capital with Shen Xin not long ago. It¡¯s definitely impossible for them to have any contact before then.¡± Pei Lang cupped his hands and said, ¡°Your Highness, you should know that Prince Rui is not an easy person to deal with. Since the Daliang Dynasty sent him to Ming Qi, Prince Rui must be a person who weighs the pros and cons before doing anything. In such a short time, it¡¯s not beneficial for him to be enemies with you for a woman like Shen Miao.¡±


    Hearing this, Fu Xiuyi pondered for a moment and said, ¡°You have a point. In your opinion, what should we do now?¡±


    ¡°If we act rashly, it will alert Prince Zhou and the others. Ever since the banquet, Prince Rui has never mentioned leaving Ming Qi. He must have something to do in the capital. However, with the State of Qin around, we¡¯re not afraid. Why don¡¯t we wait and see what Prince Rui is up to?¡±


    Pei Lang said slowly.


    Fu Xiuyi nodded. ¡°In that case, let¡¯s do as Mr. Pei says.¡± He pressed his forehead. ¡°I drank too much today. I still have to go to court tomorrow morning. I need to rest first. Everyone, that¡¯s it for today.¡±


    After Fu Xiuyi left, the advisors in the hall dispersed in twos and threes. No one was with Pei Lang because Pei Lang was trusted by Fu Xiuyi too much. He would more or less make people jealous. In Prince Ding¡¯s mansion, no one was on good terms with him.


    Pei Lang walked out of the hall and looked at the stars in the sky in a daze.


    It had been two years. He complied with the agreement with that girl and finally became Fu Xiuyi¡¯s trusted advisor. His life had been peaceful. He relied on his intelligence to gain Fu Xiuyi¡¯s trust. Everything went very naturally. Sometimes, Pei Lang even felt that this was how the trajectory of his life should be. However, Shen Miao¡¯s return broke this illusion. From the beginning, Pei Lang knew there was going back on the agreement with Shen Miao. From the moment he was recruited by Fu Xiuyi, he had become a spy that he originally despised the most.


    Fu Xiuyi treated him extremely well, but he was destined to betray him.


    Pei Lang sighed deeply.


    The peaceful days were over. From now on, the path he had to walk would be like today, filled with danger. If he was not careful, he would fall into a bottomless abyss.


    Shen Miao¡­ The delicate face of the girl in purple appeared in Pei Lang¡¯s mind.

 Chapter 538 - 538 Robbery (3)

    538 Robbery (3)


    If it was already so difficult for a man like him, how could a girl who was planning behind the scenes take on everything on her shoulder?


    He would never understand this in his life.


    ¡­


    Under the oil lamp, Shen Miao was writing carefully. The snow-white paper was spread out, and Gu Yu was grinding ink at the side. Jingzhe carefully added some oil to the oil lamp from time to time.


    She wrote extremely seriously. From time to time, she would stop writing and think for a while before continuing. After filling up the paper, it was already dark and quiet outside. Shen Miao put down her brush, picked up the letter, and blew on it. After making sure that the ink on it was dry, she found an envelope, put it in, and handed it to Jingzhe.


    ¡°Tomorrow morning, find a reliable person and send this letter to Chang Zaiqing in the Shen mansion. Don¡¯t let anyone else take it. It has to be received by Chang Zaiqing herself,¡± Shen Miao said.


    Jingzhe nodded and put the letter away. Although she was puzzled as to why Shen Miao would write to Chang Zaiqing, she did not ask further.


    Gu Yu put away the brush, ink, paper, and inkstone on the table and said with a smile, ¡°Miss, rest early. It¡¯s late now. It¡¯s not good for your health to stay up.¡±


    Shen Miao nodded. After Jingzhe and Gu Yu left, she placed the oil lamp on the table next to the bed and sat on the bed in a daze.


    After having such a nightmare last night, she couldn¡¯t fall asleep no matter what. Today, she spent the entire day thinking about the dream and seemed to have finally understood how Chang Zaiqing could slowly push Luo Xueyan to her death. If Chang Zaiqing was the culprit, then Shen Miao was the knife she used to kill.


    At the thought of this, hatred surged inside Shen Miao. She wished she could skin Chang Zaiqing alive.


    However, now, ruining Chang Zaiqing¡¯s reputation was too lenient a punishment. Chang Zaiqing had always been thinking about endless wealth and status. Why didn¡¯t she let Chang Zaiqing get everything she wanted and then take it all away from her? If Shen Miao could use Chang Zaiqing to deal with Chen Ruoqiu, she could save herself a lot of effort.


    This time, it was Shen Miao¡¯s turn to use the knife to kill.


    She thought about it for an entire day and finally came up with a letter filled with Shen Wan¡¯s likes and dislikes. She had been Shen Wan¡¯s nephew for so many years. In the past, because she really respected Shen Wan, Shen Miao was close to him and knew a lot about him. Shen Miao believed that with how smart and ambitious Chang Zaiqing was, she could definitely make a hypocrite like Shen Wan fall for her.


    On the surface, they looked like a perfect match, but on the inside, they were all bad people. Wouldn¡¯t it be more interesting to see them slap each other in the face?


    A trace of a cold smile flashed across Shen Miao¡¯s eyes.


    She took off her outer clothes and got into the bed. Just as she was about to lie down, she glanced at the window.


    The window was tightly shut, and the wind was blowing outside. In the dark night, there was no one else.


    Shen Miao was frustrated with herself for a moment. Why would she suddenly look at the window for no reason? It was as if she found it strange that Xie Jingxing didn¡¯t come uninvited tonight. She shook her head and suppressed the strange feeling in her heart. She blew out the oil lamp and fell asleep.


    In Prince Rui¡¯s mansion, someone was feeding the white tiger in the courtyard.


    The white tiger was nestling at the young man¡¯s feet. From time to time, it would crane its head to ask for food from the young man. Perhaps because the tiger was taken good care of, its fur was shining, and it looked like it had gained weight, looking like a beautiful big cat.

 Chapter 539 - 539 Robbery (4)

    539 Robbery (4)


    ¡°Stop feeding. If you continue, it¡¯ll really become a cat.¡± Gao Yang watched from the side and urged.


    Xie Jingxing turned a deaf ear. As he continued to feed the white tiger, he said casually, ¡°I dote on it. Do you have a problem with that?¡±


    Gao Yang choked and waved his hand. ¡°Alright, alright, alright. I don¡¯t care if you feed cats or tigers. What happened in the palace today? For some reason, why did you make things difficult for Prince Ding? A person like Fu Xiuyi must be suspicious of you now. It¡¯s not appropriate to alert the enemy, right? What are you thinking?¡±


    When Gao Yang heard about what happened in the palace, he could not believe it at first. Xie Jingxing had his own way of doing things, and it was not a good time to go against Fu Xiuyi now. Fu Xiuyi also had some tricks up his sleeve. Although he would not hurt Xie Jingxing, he could cause him some trouble. Now was not the time to make any mistakes.


    Seeing that Xie Jingxing was ignoring him, Gao Yang rolled his eyes. ¡°Could it be because of Shen Miao?¡±


    Xie Jingxing said, ¡°Don¡¯t you have anything to do?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Have you settled the matters about the Su family?¡± Xie Jingxing asked.


    Gao Yang was stunned for a moment before saying, ¡°I¡¯ve already arranged for someone to do it. However,¡± After a pause, he continued, ¡°Is there a point in doing this? Although you and Su Mingfeng are good friends, one day, when he finds out your true identity, he will definitely become your enemy. At that time, everything you do will be a conspiracy in his eyes. Why do you have to do this?¡±


    Emperor Wen Hui had the intention to suppress the Su family. Even though the Su family had already deliberately kept a low profile, they still left some evidence from what they previously did. This evidence was very likely to become a weakness for the Su family in the future. What Xie Jingxing asked Gao Yang to do was to secretly get rid of the evidence for the Su family so that nothing would happen to the Su family in the future.


    Gao Yang did not comment on Xie Jingxing¡¯s actions. Xie Jingxing was now wearing a mask, so no one knew that he was Prince Rui. One day, with his mask gone, Su Mingfeng would definitely be able to recognize him. Being deceived by his childhood brothers, Su Mingfeng would be disappointed. Moreover, the Daliang Dynasty and Ming Qi would one day be enemies.


    Xie Jingxing could protect the Su family, but he could not protect the friendship he had with Su Mingfeng. This was an unavoidable fact.


    ¡°When I want to do something, do I ever consider what others might think?¡± Xie Jingxing said, ¡°I do it just because I want to do it.¡±


    Gao Yang said sharply, ¡°Perhaps you¡¯ve forgotten that you¡¯re different from before. With this identity, no one in Ming Qi can be your trustworthy friend. If you take off your mask, you will be enemies with those you were once close to.¡±


    The night breeze blew. The white tiger was full. It burped and happily went to bite Xie Jingxing¡¯s sleeve. The entire courtyard was filled with the sound of the wind.


    After a while, Xie Jingxing said, ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Not everyone. There¡¯s one person who¡¯s different.¡± He said, ¡°Someone who I can befriend as Prince Rui of the Daliang Dynasty.¡±


    ¡°Are you talking about Shen Miao?¡± Gao Yang reminded, ¡°Your Highness, don¡¯t forget that Shen Miao is friends with you now because she also wants to deal with Prince Ding, Fu Xiuyi. Your Highness can help her, but once the day really comes, in the end, she will still stand against you. Isn¡¯t Your Highness prepared to be hated by the world from the beginning? If you¡¯re just greedy for a moment of happiness, you¡¯ll only feel sad when the happiness is shattered.¡±


    ¡°So what?¡±


    Gao Yang was stunned.

 Chapter 540 - 540 Robbery (5)

    540 Robbery (5)


    Xie Jingxing asked, ¡°So what?¡±


    He picked up the white tiger from the ground and held it in his arms. He stood up, his slender figure as straight as a pine tree in the night.


    ¡°Everything in the world has a cost.¡± He said, ¡°Power and people are all the same. If that day really comes, I¡¯ll think of a way to snatch it.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll snatch the dynasty, the throne, the women, and the hearts.¡±


    ¡°This path was destined from the beginning. So what if everyone in the world hates me? If you can¡¯t even understand this, go back to Daliang.¡±


    ¡°I will never forget the path I want to walk. On the contrary, I know very well what I want. Therefore, don¡¯t doubt my decision.¡±


    ¡°If everything is just a dream, then I¡¯ll turn the dream into reality.¡±


    He said indifferently, giving no room for retort, ¡°I have the confidence to do what I think is right. Gao Yang, do you have a question about that?¡±


    Many years later, when Gao Yang thought of this winter night again, he still felt passion running through his veins. He was used to Xie Jingxing being playful, arrogant, and cold. But at that very moment, he saw a domineering and dignified aura befitting a king in Xie Jingxing.


    ¡°If everything is just a dream, then I¡¯ll turn the dream into reality.¡±


    How many people in the world dared to say such a thing?


    Gao Yang paused for a moment. A moment later, he knelt down and bowed to Xie Jingxing.


    ¡°I swear to follow Your Highness to the death.¡±


    ¡°Get up.¡± Xie Jingxing teased the white tiger in his arms.


    Gao Yang patted the dust off his knees and thought for a moment before asking seriously, ¡°Then, how do you plan to snatch Miss Shen?¡±


    Xie Jingxing said, ¡°Get lost.¡±


    ¡­


    After the beginning of winter, life passed especially quickly. However, everyone seemed to be busy, and nothing new happened in the capital.


    After talking to Shen Wan that day, Chen Ruoqiu was bent-on marrying Shen Yue off. Every day, she would bring Shen Yue to socialize with the madams. Shen Yue was extremely unwilling. After being locked up in the ancestral hall by Shen Wan, she did not dare to kick up a fuss again. Shen Yue was pampered and couldn¡¯t take hardship, so she could only obediently go with Chen Ruoqiu to see those madams.


    Although Chen Ruoqiu urgently wanted to marry Shen Yue off, she was still very careful when choosing. Shen Yue was the apple of Shen Wan¡¯s eye. The families included on the list were indeed well-matched with the Shen family and Shen Yue was able to marry a talented young man in the capital.


    Because she was worried about Shen Yue all day, Chen Ruoqiu neglected Shen Wan a little. However, at some point, Chang Zaiqing actually became Shen Wan¡¯s confidante. In the past, after Shen Wan returned from the court, he would confide in Chen Ruoqiu. Now that Chen Ruoqiu did not have the time to care about him, Chang Zaiqing seized the chance to get close to Shen Wan. Not only that, Chang Zaiqing could occasionally help Shen Wan out.


    For some reason, Chang Zaiqing had many interests and habits that were exactly the same as Shen Wan. For example, Shen Wan did not like sweetness, and the pastries that Chang Zaiqing made were not very sweet either. Shen Wan liked fragrant tea, and most of the tea that Chang Zaiqing made was fragrant. Even the painters they admired the most turned out to be the same. People had the tendency to be close to like-minded people. Shen Wan felt that Chang Zaiqing hit it off very well with him. He was used to seeing Chen Ruoqiu¡¯s gentleness and aloofness. Chang Zaiqing¡¯s straightforwardness and intelligence were like a breeze, making Shen Wan¡¯s heart flutter again.

 Chapter 541 - 541 Robbery (6)

    541 Robbery (6)


    However, Chen Ruoqiu did not know any of this.


    Chen Ruoqiu naturally did not know that Chang Zaiqing was very scheming. Chang Zaiqing would not take the initiative to look for Shen Wan, so it was always Shen Wan who took the initiative to look for her. When the two of them were together, they sat or stood far away from each other and looked very distant. Even if others saw them, they would not think too much about it and would not remind Chen Ruoqiu.


    Another unbelievable thing was that the third miss of the Shen family, Shen Dongling, suddenly became close to Shen Yue.


    Shen Yue was like Chen Ruoqiu by nature. She looked down on people with lower status than her, let alone the daughter of a concubine. They had not interacted for so many years, but for some reason, they had become close sisters in a matter of days.


    In the Rosy Cloud Garden of the Shen mansion, Shen Dongling was pushing the pastry towards Shen Yue and saying with a smile, ¡°This is a new pastry made by the kitchen. It¡¯s added with cow milk and osmanthus. Second Sister, try it too.¡±


    Shen Yue glanced at the pastry and did not reach out to take it. Instead, she sighed in frustration and said, ¡°I¡¯m not in the mood to eat now. I¡¯m so angry.¡±


    Shen Dongling looked at her and said worriedly, ¡°Second Sister, are you still worried about your marriage?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t know about this.¡± Shen Yue said angrily, ¡°Yesterday, I went to the minister counselor¡¯s mansion. My mother is extremely satisfied with Young Master Wang. If I¡¯m not wrong, she wants me to marry him. I¡¯m so anxious that my head hurts.¡±


    ¡°Minister Counsellor?¡± Shen Dongling asked curiously, ¡°Is it that young man called Wang Bi?¡±


    ¡°You actually know him?¡± Shen Yue looked at her suspiciously.


    ¡°I once heard my father mention him.¡± Shen Dongling smiled shyly.


    Shen Gui was also an official in the court, so he might indeed be friends with the Wang family. Shen Yue said, ¡°That¡¯s right, it¡¯s him.¡±


    ¡°I heard that Young Master Wang is very knowledgeable and has also become an official. It¡¯s only a matter of time before he makes a name for himself. Second Sister, this is a good thing. Why are you angry?¡± Shen Dongling asked.


    ¡°I don¡¯t like him no matter how big a name he can make for himself.¡± Shen Yue said angrily, ¡°If I want to marry, I have to marry someone who is born with a bright future. Who does he think he is?¡±


    When Shen Dongling heard that, she asked tentatively, ¡°Could it be¡­ that Second Sister has someone you like already?¡±


    Shen Yue was stunned for a moment before saying, ¡°No, what nonsense are you talking about?¡±


    Shen Dongling smiled apologetically. ¡°I originally thought that a person like Young Master Wang is not bad. If Second Sister doesn¡¯t like him, it¡¯s because you have someone you like. It turns out that I misunderstood you. Second Sister, don¡¯t be angry with me.¡±


    Shen Yue waved her hand, but her eyes were a little absent-minded. When she thought of Fu Xiuyi, her heart couldn¡¯t help but ache. Chen Ruoqiu had told her that what Fu Xiuyi wanted to marry was someone who could help him. She was just the daughter of an ordinary civil servant, so Fu Xiuyi wouldn¡¯t marry her. However, Shen Yue still couldn¡¯t help but wonder that if Fu Xiuyi fell in love with her one day, would he forget about the pros and cons and treat her with respect? She was beautiful and smart, and her talent was well-known throughout the capital. Naturally, she had to marry a peerless man. In Ming Qi, only Fu Xiuyi was worthy of her.


    She had kept her chastity for Fu Xiuyi for so long, but now she had to marry someone else. Shen Yue was extremely indignant.


    Shen Yue heard Shen Dongling say softly, ¡°Second Sister, why don¡¯t you give it a try? Actually, Young Master Wang might not be as bad as you think. After all, the Wang family and the Shen family are well-matched. Speaking of which, Young Master Wang is a good person. If Second Sister marries him, you won¡¯t suffer. Isn¡¯t that good?¡±


    The more she said that, the more annoyed Shen Yue became. What Shen Yue wanted was never stability but glory. Only Fu Xiuyi could give her the envious gazes of everyone.


    ¡°Second Sister, don¡¯t think too much. Some people can¡¯t get such a blessing even if they beg for it. For example, me.¡± Shen Dongling said, ¡°If I were Second Sister, I would definitely not reject it. Instead, I would feel very happy. Isn¡¯t stability what women want the most?¡±


    Shen Yue was a little impatient at first, but when she heard the last part, she couldn¡¯t help but pause. A strange feeling slowly rose in her heart, and she couldn¡¯t help but look at Shen Dongling. Shen Dongling¡¯s head was slightly lowered, making her look especially docile.


    She seemed to be an easy person to manipulate.


    A thought slowly surfaced in Shen Yue¡¯s mind.

 Chapter 542 - 542 Heartbeat (1)

    542 Heartbeat (1)


    For the next few days, the capital was very peaceful.


    Princess Ming An had also been well-behaved. Over the past few days, other than going out to walk around the streets of the capital, she did not do much.


    However, under the surface, that might not be the case.


    In the mansion, Princess Ming An was wearing a golden-red dress. She was eating the preserved fruits on the plate. Opposite her were two people who looked like officials. The two of them did not look angry at all at Princess Ming An¡¯s humiliation. These two people were none other than the sons of the Marquis of Lin¡¯an, Xie Changwu and Xie Changchao.


    Ever since Xie Jingxing died, Xie Ding had been in low-spirit and never went to court again. Instead, he gave his power to his two illegitimate sons and let them fend for themselves. Xie Changwu and Xie Changchao were quite capable. They were both working under Prince Ding now. Although Prince Ding did not entrust them with important tasks, he still nurtured them as his future officials. The two of them hoped to achieve something.


    If there was anything that Xie Changwu and Xie Changchao hated about, it was that even if Xie Jingxing and Princess Yuqing were both dead, Xie Ding still refused to make Concubine Fang the first wife. If Concubine Fang did not change her title, the two of them would always be the sons of a concubine. The reason why Xie Changwu and Xie Changchao were eager to make a name for themselves was that they wanted to force Xie Ding to change them to legitimate sons.


    Why they appeared in Huangfu Hao¡¯s mansion was because of Fu Xiuyi¡¯s instructions.


    Fu Xiuyi wanted to befriend the crown prince of the State of Qin and reach some kind of agreement in private, so he naturally had to spend some effort on Huangfu Hao¡¯s sister, Princess Ming An. Thinking that Princess Ming An might not be familiar with the capital, he sent Xie Changwu and Xie Changchao to be the guide.


    Xie Changwu and Xie Changchao were only Fu Xiuyi¡¯s people in private. What they usually did was to accompany the big shots. Therefore, no one would be surprised if the two of them were with Princess Ming An.


    Princess Ming An had a fiery temper. Over the past few days, she had made Xie Changwu and Xie Changchao suffer quite a lot.


    It was the same today.


    She looked at the two people opposite her and mocked, ¡°Don¡¯t you find it boring to follow me all day long? Do all the officials in Ming Qi like to follow the princesses of other countries?¡±


    ¡°My duty is to let Your Highness enjoy herself.¡± Xie Changwu said, ¡°If Your Highness is satisfied, I will be happy.¡±


    Princess Ming An sneered. ¡°You¡¯re not my official. I don¡¯t need people who have nothing to do with my country. I heard that the Marquis of Lin¡¯an once had a brilliant heir, but unfortunately, he died young. If it¡¯s him, I might consider making him my official.¡±


    The two people lying on the ground lowered their heads, but their expressions were gloomy for a moment.


    Ever since Xie Jingxing died two years ago, Xie Changwu and Xie Changchao thought that they would never live in his shadow again. However, every time people mentioned the Marquis of Lin¡¯an, the first person they thought of was still Xie Jingxing. They always said, ¡°If that Young Marquis Xie didn¡¯t die, I¡¯m afraid the Marquis of Lin¡¯an would be extremely proud of his son.¡±


    However, they forgot that the two of them were also the sons of the Marquis of Lin¡¯an, but no matter how outstanding they were, they could not surpass the heroism that Xie Jingxing left in the hearts of everyone in the world.


    Xie Changchao¡¯s eyes flashed as he said, ¡°My brother is indeed brilliant. He once had a good relationship with Fifth Miss Shen, the daughter of the mighty general. Speaking of which, they¡¯re quite fated.¡±

 Chapter 543 - 543 Heartbeat (2)

    543 Heartbeat (2)


    Hearing Shen Miao¡¯s name, Princess Ming An was stunned at first. Then, she frowned and said in a serious tone, ¡°What¡¯s going on? Tell me!¡±


    Xie Changchao looked up at Princess Ming An in surprise and said, ¡°Princess, do you remember how Fifth Miss Shen came out first at the Ming Qi test?¡±


    Princess Ming An¡¯s expression darkened. Xie Changchao¡¯s words reminded her of the humiliation she suffered when she competed with Shen Miao at the tribute banquet.


    ¡°At that time, after Cai Lin left the stage, my second brother wanted to challenge Fifth Miss Shen. If my second brother went on stage, he would definitely be able to defeat Fifth Miss Shen. However, at that moment, Xie Jingxing rushed out to protect Miss Shen,¡± Xie Changchao said. He would never forget that day. He originally wanted to stand up for Cai Lin in order to win favor of Lord Cai, but he did not expect Xie Jingxing to suddenly jump out. Although Xie Jingxing looked flirtatious on the surface, he had never taken the initiative to help anyone. At that time, Xie Changwu and Xie Changchao were almost certain that Xie Jingxing had some other intentions towards Shen Miao. Otherwise, why would he help Shen Miao out?


    The two of them were beaten up badly by Xie Jingxing at the test and almost became a laughing stock. Xie Changwu and Xie Changchao could never let go of the humiliation.


    ¡°I see.¡± Hearing that, Princess Ming An sneered. ¡°It seems like Xie Jingxing is not a good person either. Since he hooked up with that b*tch, he deserves to die!¡±


    Xie Changchao and Xie Changwu¡¯s eyes lit up with joy. As long as they defamed Xie Jingxing and heard someone bad-mouth Xie Jingxing, they would be very happy, as if this could express their dissatisfaction.


    ¡°That Shen Miao is also an eyesore to me. If not for my brother protecting her, she would¡¯ve died in my hands countless times.¡± Princess Ming An was a little frustrated. What Prince Rui said that day in the palace still echoed in her ears.


    ¡°I want such a good girl too.¡±


    She was crazily jealous. The combination of new and old hatred made her want to tear Shen Miao into pieces. However, she was grounded by Huangfu Hao. Even if she went out, she would be surrounded by Huangfu Hao¡¯s guards and could not do anything. Now that Xie Changchao mentioned Shen Miao, the hatred grew wildly from the bottom of her heart.


    Princess Ming An had been arrogant her entire life. There was nothing she couldn¡¯t get. Now that Shen Miao had become her obstacle, there was no reason for Princess Ming An to not get rid of her.


    She suddenly looked at Xie Changwu and Xie Changchao.


    Xie Changwu and Xie Changchao knelt on the ground. They wouldn¡¯t get up unless Princess Ming An said so. They had been like this all day and were very obedient, as if they could easily be manipulated to do anything.


    She suddenly smiled. Princess Ming An picked up a pastry and looked at the exquisite patterns on it carefully. She said, ¡°Xie Changwu, Xie Changchao. You¡¯ve been with Prince Ding for a few years, right? Why are you still just an errand boy?¡±


    Xie Changwu and Xie Changchao were stunned. They did not expect Princess Ming An to suddenly make them the center of the conversation. However, Princess Ming An was right to the point. It had to be known that they had been secretly working for Fu Xiuyi for two years, but the tasks given to them were all insignificant. They were actually no different from the servants in the palace, asked to please and serve a princess. The reason why they were not valued by Fu Xiuyi was not because they weren¡¯t worthy. Xie Changwu and Xie Changchao thought that they were very outstanding in literature and martial arts. The reason why they could not make a name for themselves until now was because they were the sons of a concubine.


    Princess Ming An¡¯s words were filled with mockery. Although they did not say anything, they could not help but look angry.

 Chapter 544 - 544 Heartbeat (3)

    544 Heartbeat (3)


    Princess Ming An said, ¡°You really want to be promoted, right? You really want to be valued by Prince Ding, right? You really want to climb up the official ladder, right?¡±


    The Xie brothers did not speak.


    ¡°I have a way to make the two of you get what you want,¡± Princess Ming An said slowly.


    Xie Changwu and Xie Changchao looked at each other and bowed in unison. ¡°Princess, please enlighten us!¡±


    !!


    ¡°That¡¯s me.¡± Princess Ming An smiled. ¡°I¡¯m the princess of the State of Qin. Now, Prince Ding wants something from my brother, the crown prince. That¡¯s why he asked the two of you to come and please me. If I put in a good word for you in front of Prince Ding, he will naturally think highly of you two.¡± She looked at her nails. ¡°Isn¡¯t that what you want?¡±


    Xie Changchao and Xie Changwu did not speak. They were sent to make Princess Ming An happy. From the beginning, they did not dare to have the thought that Princess Ming An would put in a good word for them. It had to be known that Princess Ming An was domineering and arrogant. It would be a blessing if they did not make her angry. Xie Changwu and Xie Changchao were not fools. They knew that Princess Ming An must have some conditions for an exchange, so they did not speak for a moment.


    Seeing that the two of them were silent, Princess Ming An couldn¡¯t help but say, ¡°Many people beg me to put in a good word for them, but I won¡¯t. The two of you are not related to me, so why should I help you? If you want me to, I naturally have to get something in return.¡±


    It wouldn¡¯t be appropriate if they continued to play dumb. Xie Changwu said, ¡°Your Highness, please instruct me.¡±


    ¡°As you know,¡± Princess Ming An crossed her little nails and said, ¡°I¡¯ve always been very benevolent. In Ming Qi, I also want to be kind to others, but there are always some blind b*tches who want to provoke me.¡± Her voice suddenly became sharp. ¡°What I hate the most now is that little b*tch from the Shen family!¡±


    Xie Changwu and Xie Changchao both knew about the grudge between Shen Miao and Princess Ming An. Princess Ming An would definitely not let the matter rest. However, she was in Ming Qi¡¯s territory now, and Shen Miao was not an ordinary girl. If something really happened, Princess Ming An would be in serious trouble.


    Princess Ming An looked at Xie Changwu and Xie Changchao. This was the first time her gaze was so amiable. She said, ¡°I know the two of you are top young talents in Ming Qi and are brave. I wonder if you¡¯re willing to help me?¡±


    Xie Changwu and Xie Changchao were stunned. Xie Changchao asked tentatively, ¡°Your Highness, what are your plans?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m kind-hearted and don¡¯t want her life.¡± Princess Ming An smiled and said, ¡°But you have to sell her to the lowest-grade brothel in Ming Qi. When she slowly gets used to life there, I¡¯ll think of a way to get people to save her.¡±


    The Xie brothers gasped.


    If they sold her to the lowest-grade brothel, her life would almost be destroyed. The customers in the lowest-grade brothel were all roughest hooligans and robbers. Many maids who made a mistake and were sold by their master there would die in less than a day. However, Princess Ming An specially instructed them not to let Shen Miao die. When Shen Miao was almost done being tortured to death and became a walking corpse, wouldn¡¯t it be more painful for her to be saved at that timer? Everyone would know that the fifth miss of the Shen family had become a prostitute.


    Letting the most noble lady be ravaged by the roughest and barbaric men was probably worse than death for Shen Miao.

 Chapter 545 - 545 Heartbeat (4)

    545 Heartbeat (4)


    Xie Changwu forced a smile and said, ¡°The guards of the Shen family are all skilled in martial arts. How can we possibly sell Fifth Miss Shen to¡­ that place?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s your problem.¡± Princess Ming An returned to her high and mighty self. ¡°How you kidnap Shen Miao will depend on your ability. Otherwise, what¡¯s the use of having you?¡±


    Seeing that Xie Changwu and Xie Changchao were still hesitating, Princess Ming An softened her tone and said patiently, ¡°However, after this matter is done, I will put in a good word for you in front of Prince Ding. At least Prince Ding will find a good job for the two of you. Are you going to reject such a good deal?¡±


    Xie Changwu and Xie Changchao looked at each other and saw conflict in each other¡¯s eyes.


    !!


    Riches came from danger. People like them, who had been on the official path but did not make much progress, yearned for nothing more than to become successful one day. Princess Ming An had provided the two of them with a shortcut. It seemed that in just a short period of time, they could get closer to what they dreamed of.


    However, kidnapping Shen Miao was indeed not an easy task. The Shen family was a military family to begin with, and those guards were all extraordinary. Any one of the guards around Shen Miao was probably very skilled in martial arts. Moreover, once Shen Miao went missing, Shen Xin would definitely lock down the capital and impose martial law. At that time, it would still take a lot of effort to transport Shen Miao to the brothel.


    If they succeeded, they would be rich and powerful. If they failed, everything they had, including their lives, would be gone. The two of them could not make up their mind.


    Seeing this, Princess Ming An sneered. ¡°Since the two of you are hesitating, pretend that I didn¡¯t say anything today. You only have one chance, and I won¡¯t give you a second chance. You can leave. You¡¯re not the only bold people in Ming Qi. I think there will definitely be people who are willing to bet on this.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m willing!¡± Without waiting for Princess Ming An to instruct the servants, Xie Changchao was the first to shout. He pulled Xie Changwu. Seeing that Xie Changchao had already said it, Xie Changwu had no choice but to bow and say, ¡°I¡¯m willing to go through hell for Your Highness!¡±


    Princess Ming An smiled and said, ¡°Get up. If you work hard and get your job done, I won¡¯t treat you badly. I¡¯ll wait for your good news here.¡±


    After coming out of Princess Ming An¡¯s mansion and returning to the Marquis¡¯s Residence, the Xie brothers closed the door and discussed this matter in private. Xie Changwu complained, ¡°Third Brother, you¡¯re too impatient. This matter is extremely risky. If we¡¯re not careful, we¡¯ll be doomed.¡±


    Xie Changchao disagreed with him and said, ¡°Second Brother, the princess also said that if we don¡¯t take the job, she¡¯ll find someone else to do it. What we lack now is not ability, but opportunity. If we succeed, we¡¯ll naturally be able to rise. Isn¡¯t this what you and I both want?¡±


    ¡°But Shen Miao is not the daughter of an ordinary family.¡± Xie Changwu sighed. ¡°Even if we can kidnap Shen Miao, what will happen after that? Shen Xin will search the entire city. It¡¯s not safe for us to hide her anywhere.¡±


    Xie Changchao smiled and pointed at the room.


    Xie Changwu looked at him. ¡°You mean¡­¡±


    ¡°No matter how hard Shen Xin searches the entire city, he won¡¯t have a reason to search the residence of large families. No one will suspect that the two of us kidnapped Shen Miao. We have no grudge against Shen Miao. Why would we kidnap her?¡± Xie Changchao smiled. ¡°The plan is flawless!¡±

 Chapter 546 - 546 Heartbeat (5)

    546 Heartbeat (5)


    Xie Changwu, who was originally a little worried, gradually relaxed. Xie Changchao said, ¡°It¡¯s just that we still have to think about how to kidnap Shen Miao.¡±


    ¡­


    Shen Miao did not know about the agreement between the Xie brothers and Princess Ming An. The winter in the capital turned dark early. Not long after dinner, the sky darkened completely. These days, Shen Xin and the others were busy in the imperial court.


    Today, she was replying to the letters under the oil lamp.


    Feng Anning had invited her out many times, but because she was busy dealing with Chang Zaiqing, she had never shown up. She asked Luo Tan to accompany Feng Anning to shop around. After a few times, Feng Anning became angry and sent her a letter today, asking her to come out and shop with her two days later. If she didn¡¯t show up this time, their friendship would cease to exist.


    Shen Miao thought about it and felt that Feng Anning was after all her friend. In order to maintain this ¡°hard-won¡± friendship, she would go.


    After writing the reply letter and handing it to Gu Yu, Gu Yu went out and closed the door. Shen Miao yawned and planned to sleep early, so she walked to the bed.


    When she walked to the bed, she suddenly saw something curling up and squirming under her blanket.


    Shen Miao was taken back. Just now, Gu Yu was also in the room and did not notice anything. For a moment, Shen Miao actually froze on the spot. However, after a moment of silence, she calmed down. She had already died once. What was there to be afraid of?


    She immediately walked to the bed and lifted the blanket.


    Under the blanket was something that looked like a big cat. Its fur was a rare snow-white color, and it was furry. With the blank gone, the big cat was puzzled and looked up at her.


    Shen Miao was stunned for a moment.


    The little thing ran happily on her bed and played with her clothes. When it got closer, Shen Miao could see that it was¡­ a white tiger?


    Shen Miao was mad. Where did this white tiger come from out of nowhere?


    Someone in the shadows chuckled and called out, ¡°Jiaojiao.¡±


    Shen Miao subconsciously turned around and saw the white tiger cub standing up and running to the other side.


    Under the light, his purple robe was illuminated inch by inch, and the places embroidered with golden threads and dragon patterns reflected a small and dazzling light. His face was also illuminated with a warm color by the faint yellow candle flame, making him look not so much like someone from the mortal world.


    Xie Jingxing leaned over and picked up the white tiger that was biting the corner of his robe. He casually put the white tiger into his sleeve and said, ¡°Naughty.¡±


    Shen Miao blinked and suddenly realized something. She looked at the white tiger in Xie Jingxing¡¯s sleeve and said in disbelief, ¡°What did you call it?¡±


    ¡°Jiaojiao.¡± Xie Jingxing raised an eyebrow and walked over unhurriedly. He even asked, ¡°Isn¡¯t it a good name?¡±


    Shen Miao was so angry with Xie Jingxing using her name to name an animal that she didn¡¯t want to talk to him anymore.


    Xie Jingxing had already walked to the table and sat down. He poured himself a cup of tea and said, ¡°The tea is still warm. Thanks, it¡¯s very thoughtful of you.¡±


    Shen Miao said, ¡°Shameless!¡±


    How could there be such a shameless person in the world? However, Xie Jingxing actually glanced at the chrysanthemum cake on the table and said, ¡°Tsk, you even prepared some pastries for me, but I¡¯m not hungry. Thank you.¡±

 Chapter 547 - 547 Heartbeat (6)

    547 Heartbeat (6)


    That pastry was prepared by Jingzhe because she was afraid that Shen Miao would be hungry at night. Did Xie Jingxing actually think that she specially prepared it for him? Shen Miao looked at Xie Jingxing coldly.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been very tired these past few days.¡± Xie Jingxing said, ¡°Thank you for providing a place to rest for a while.¡±


    Shen Miao¡¯s heart skipped a beat. It had been a few days since Xie Jingxing came, and she was not used to him not coming uninvited at night. She asked, ¡°What¡¯s been keeping you busy?¡±


    Xie Jingxing looked at her with a faint smile. ¡°Are you trying to get information out of me again?¡±


    Shen Miao did not comment.


    ¡°It¡¯s not fair to keep doing this.¡± Xie Jingxing said lazily, ¡°You know a lot of my secrets. I know nothing about you. Why don¡¯t you tell me about yourself?¡±


    Shen Miao rolled her eyes at Xie Jingxing. Xie Jingxing had an intelligence place like the Exiled Immortal Pawnshop under him. He was informed of everything in Ming Qi, but he still said he knew nothing about Shen Miao.


    ¡°Prince Rui, if you want to know anything about me, you can go and ask Shopkeeper Ji,¡± Shen Miao said coldly. ¡°Shopkeeper Ji will be very happy to tell you.¡±


    ¡°Shopkeeper Ji doesn¡¯t know anything about your romantic past.¡± Xie Jingxing said, ¡°Shopkeeper Ji doesn¡¯t have an answer to what I want to know. Only you can answer me.¡±


    Shen Miao asked, ¡°What do you want to know?¡±


    Xie Jingxing held his chin and looked at Shen Miao calmly. After a while, he suddenly said, ¡°What do you like about Fu Xiuyi?¡±


    Shen Miao was slightly stunned.


    She had thought about Xie Jingxing asking her some tough questions. Over the years of interacting with Xie Jingxing, she clearly realized that her understanding of Xie Jingxing in her previous life was very shallow. Xie Jingxing was a smart and dangerous hunter. If she wasn¡¯t careful, she would be easily caught by the hunter.


    She knew that she had revealed a lot of information and made some mistakes that made Xie Jingxing suspicious. She even expected that Xie Jingxing would ask her how she knew so much about the future, but she did not expect him to ask such an irrelevant question.


    Shen Miao asked, ¡°Why do you ask this?¡±


    After not hearing a response for a long time, Shen Miao turned around and met his gaze.


    Under the light, Xie Jingxing was staring at her intently. At this moment, his black eyes were bright like stars, even outshining the starry sky outside. However, in the brightness, there was a sharpness that locked people in place and made people unable to look away.


    There seemed to be something else in that gaze.


    ¡®Why do you ask this?¡¯ He didn¡¯t answer.


    When Shen Miao heard her heart beating violently, she panicked for a moment. This long-lost heartbeat coming from her chest made her helpless and confused.


    In the cold winter, the dim candlelight shone warmly. The young man¡¯s gaze was sharp, as if he could see through everything. The corners of his lips slowly curled up.


    The white tiger in Xie Jingxing¡¯s arms sneezed, breaking the silence in the room.


    Shen Miao came back to her senses and said, ¡°Your pet is sick.¡± She skillfully smoothed things over.


    Xie Jingxing did not go on asking either. Instead, he picked up the white tiger from his sleeve and looked at it. ¡°You delicate little thing!¡± It was unknown who he was talking about.


    Shen Miao took a deep breath. She felt that Xie Jingxing had a very bad intention of using her pet name to name the white tiger. At the thought of this, she was a little unhappy with the white tiger and even was displeased with Xie Jingxing.


    ¡°Since it¡¯s so delicate, ask Imperial Physician Gao to take a look at it later.¡± Shen Miao mocked, ¡°In any case, Imperial Physician Gao¡¯s medical skills are brilliant. He can treat animals just as well as humans.


    Xie Jingxing smiled. ¡°Jiaojiao doesn¡¯t like Imperial Physician Gao. She only likes to stick to me.¡±


    Shen Miao glared at him.


    Xie Jingxing must have done it on purpose!


    ¡°Prince Rui, why aren¡¯t you leaving?¡± Shen Miao said, ¡°I¡¯m going to rest.¡±


    Xie Jingxing said with displeasure. ¡°You can go out with Feng Anning for an entire day, but you can¡¯t even tolerate me staying here for a little while longer. How heartless.¡± Although he said that, he still stood up from his seat and walked to the window. Suddenly, he thought of something and turned around. ¡°About that question I ask you just now. You can tell me the answer in the future.¡±


    He disappeared from the window.


    Shen Miao walked over and closed the window. She blew out the light and went to bed.


    The room fell into silence, as if all that happened just now was an illusion. However, the teacup at the table still reminded her that it was not just an illusion.


    Everything was real, but¡­


    On the bed, Shen Miao placed her hand on her chest.


    The violent heartbeat just now had yet to calm down.


    It was not an illusion.

 Chapter 548 - 548 Dying (1)

    548 Dying (1)


    The weather was not good for the next few days, but on the day Shen Miao went out with Feng Anning, the sun came out.


    The sun was warm, and it was especially comfortable. However, even so, Shen Miao still put on the rabbit fur cloak. If she caught a cold in such weather, it would be troublesome.


    Early in the morning, Feng Anning came to pick up Luo Tan and Shen Miao at the entrance of the new Shen mansion. The Feng family had always doted on Feng Anning very much. Now that Feng Anning had finished studying in Guangwen Hall and she was restless at home, she went out to shop almost every day. However, no matter how big the capital was, there would eventually be a day when she was tired of shopping. The arrival of Luo Tan made Feng Anning very happy. She was very willing to be a guide for Luo Tan and bring her to interesting places to play.


    However, gradually, Feng Anning couldn¡¯t take it anymore. Luo Tan was indeed a girl from the Luo family. She ignored the jewelry and clothes shops and was only focused on the weapons shop all day long. When she saw the weapons, her eyes lit up. How could Feng Anning know anything about weapons? She complained endlessly, so she insisted on bringing Shen Miao along.


    Feng Anning was wearing a cherry-colored dress and a brocade cloak, looking extremely bright in the winter. Over the years, she had become more and more beautiful. However, when she spoke, she immediately gave off an aura of an arrogant and pampered rich girl. She lifted the curtain of the carriage and said anxiously, ¡°I¡¯m dying of waiting. Hurry up!¡±


    Unexpectedly, it was Shen Qiu standing outside the carriage.


    Shen Qiu sent Shen Miao and Luo Tan out. He knew that Shen Miao seemed to have only one friend in the capital, Feng Anning. His memory of her was still of that bossy little girl two years ago. Unexpectedly, when the curtain of the carriage was lifted, he saw a pretty girl inside.


    When the girl saw that it was him, she shrank her head and lowered her arrogant attitude. She said timidly, ¡°Young General Shen.¡±


    Shen Qiu looked at Feng Anning and nodded as a way of greeting. He asked Shen Miao and Luo Tan to get into the carriage and left after instructing them to be careful. Because Feng Anning was the one who invited them today, the Feng family sent many guards. Shen Miao and Luo Tan did not bring any other guards, thinking that Feng Anning would send them back to the Shen mansion when the time came.


    After Shen Qiu left, Feng Anning patted her chest and heaved a sigh of relief. Strangely, every time she saw Shen Qiu, Feng Anning felt instinctively afraid. Although Shen Qiu never spoke harshly to her, the powerful aura of a young general was still too intimidating. Feng Anning thought of Shen Qiu¡¯s appearance just now. After not seeing him for two years, Shen Qiu, who had been training in Spring City, had become more and more mature and handsome. Although he was still a gentle elder brother, in the eyes of outsiders, he was scary.


    Luo Tan asked Feng Anning, ¡°Eh? Why are you blushing?¡±


    Feng Anning was stunned for a moment before touching her cheek. It was indeed surprisingly hot. She fanned her face with her hand and said, ¡°It¡¯s stuffy and hot in this carriage.¡±


    Luo Tan did not suspect anything and said, ¡°Are you wearing too much?¡± As she spoke, she thought of something. ¡°Anning, why are you afraid of Cousin Qiu?¡±


    ¡°When have I ever been afraid of him?¡± Hearing Luo Tan say this, Feng Anning quickly retorted.


    ¡°You were obviously very afraid just now,¡± Luo Tan said. ¡°What¡¯s there to be embarrassed about? Cousin Qiu is a very good person. He just looks somewhat fierce. If you¡¯re even afraid of Cousin Qiu, you¡¯ll probably be frightened to death by my Brother Sa.¡±


    Feng Anning emphasized, ¡°I¡¯m not afraid of him!¡±

 Chapter 549 - 549 Dying (2)

    549 Dying (2)


    Luo Tan said, ¡°Alright, alright, alright. If you say so.¡±


    Shen Miao, who had been watching silently, saw the redness on Feng Anning¡¯s cheeks and her heart skipped a beat.


    In her previous life, because Feng Anning¡¯s family took the wrong side, Mr. Feng was also implicated. In order to protect his beloved daughter, he had no choice but to marry Feng Anning to her cousin in advance. Unexpectedly, that cousin turned out to be an awful person. After the Feng family was destroyed, he raised a mistress and had a son. How could a proud person like Feng Anning stand this humiliation? Later, she took the scissors and died with that mistress.


    In this life, because of Shen Miao¡¯s interference, the forces of the Ming Qi Royal Family were evenly matched. However, no one could guarantee that the ending would not repeat again.


    Shen Miao did not have any sympathy for the Feng family, but if it was Feng Anning, she wanted to help, because Feng Anning always reminded her of Wanyu.


    ¡°Why are you looking at me?¡± Seeing that Shen Miao was staring straight at her, Feng Anning thought that Shen Miao was still brooding over Luo Tan¡¯s words. She said angrily, ¡°Do you also think I¡¯m afraid of your brother?¡±


    Luo Tan chuckled at the side. Shen Miao came back to her senses and shook her head. ¡°No, I just think your dress is quite unique.¡±


    Women liked to hear people praise them. No matter how angry Feng Anning was, Shen Miao¡¯s words made her unable to flare up. She said proudly, ¡°Of course. My mother asked someone to specially make this for me.¡±


    Shen Miao lowered her eyes and sighed in her heart. Forget it, everyone had their own fate. She couldn¡¯t expect everything to go her way.


    ¡­


    When the three of them shopped around together, it was more tiring than if there were only two. This was because Feng Anning wanted to shop at a jewelry and dress shop, and what Luo Tan wanted to see were weapons. Luo Tan and Feng Anning kept bickering, and Shen Miao felt a headache. When she went out with the two of them, she was like a mother taking her children out for fun. In the end, the two of them pointed at Shen Miao, saying that she was ¡°like a little old woman¡± and ¡°duller than a monk in a temple.¡± In the end, Shen Miao simply ignored the two of them.


    The day was especially lively. The three girls walked around and bought stuff that almost filled up the entire carriage. Feng Anning was very generous. If Shen Miao and Luo Tan liked anything, she would shout. ¡°Buy!¡± If not for Shen Miao stopping her, Feng Anning would probably move the entire jewelry shop back to the mansion.


    They ate, drank, and played. When the sun was about to set, everyone planned to return home. Because Shen Miao and Luo Tan were invited by Feng Anning, they didn¡¯t bring any guards. Shen Miao wanted Feng Anning to send her back. Unexpectedly, just as they went into the carriage, Feng Anning flipped through her purse and said anxiously, ¡°I can¡¯t find the cat eye hairpin I bought just now.¡±


    Feng Anning walked around the jewelry shop in the capital for a day. The thing she was most satisfied with was a butterfly-shaped cat eye hairpin. The cat eye was a rare and transparent royal blue and was very beautiful. When Feng Anning was eating in the restaurant, she took it out and appreciated it with Shen Miao.


    Shen Miao said, ¡°Look again. It was still in your hand just now. How could it be gone?¡±


    Feng Anning rummaged through her purse and asked her personal maids, but they all said that they did not see it. Luo Tan asked, ¡°Could it have been left in the restaurant?¡±


    Feng Anning said, ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±

 Chapter 550 - 550 Dying (3)

    550 Dying (3)


    ¡°Why don¡¯t we go back and take a look?¡± Shen Miao said, ¡°If you really left it there, the people in the restaurant will probably pick it up. I¡¯ll go with you to take a look.¡±


    Feng Anning thought for a moment and said, ¡°I¡¯ll go myself. It¡¯s fine if I can¡¯t find it. I¡¯m not sad about the money. It¡¯s just that it¡¯s rare to find something I like so much.¡±


    Luo Tan was a little speechless. Feng Anning was indeed rich. In fact, although the Feng family was rich, it was not to the point where they could squander money like this. The Feng family really loved Feng Anning and they never hesitated to give her money. As a result, Feng Anning did not have a clear definition of money. When she lost something, she¡¯d just get another one.


    ¡°I¡¯ll bring a few guards up to take a look.¡± Feng Anning said, ¡°Wait for me here. I¡¯ll come back soon.¡±


    Shen Miao nodded. Feng Anning left with more than half of the guards.


    After Feng Anning left, only Luo Tan and Shen Miao were in the carriage. There were still four guards guarding outside. Luo Tan looked at the sky and said, ¡°It¡¯ll probably be dark when we return home.¡± As she spoke, she stretched and said, ¡°I¡¯m really tired today. I¡¯m going to sleep in tomorrow. No one can wake me up.¡±


    At this moment, they heard the guard outside say, ¡°Miss Shen, Miss Luo, I just found Miss Feng¡¯s hairpin.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Luo Tan was stunned. She lifted the curtain of the carriage and saw a guard outside holding a flickering gemstone hairpin. If it wasn¡¯t the cat eye hairpin that Feng Anning had lost, then what was it?


    Luo Tan frowned. ¡°Anning is really reckless. She didn¡¯t even know she dropped it on the ground.¡±


    The guard took two steps towards the carriage. Luo Tan reached out to take the hairpin.


    Just as she held the hairpin, the guard suddenly pulled Luo Tan out!


    Another guard of the Feng family suddenly jumped into the carriage and knocked the coachman down. He whipped the horses hard. The horses felt the pain and suddenly started galloping, running crazily on the street!


    Everything happened too quickly. Before the other two guards of the Feng family could react, the carriage was already more than ten meters away!


    Fortunately, Luo Tan was also on the carriage. Luo Tan reacted extremely quickly when the guard tried to pull her out. She grabbed the edge of the carriage tightly and leaned back. It was a critical moment. Seeing that he could not drag Luo Tan out of the carriage, the man did not insist. He jumped onto another horse and ran out of the city with the carriage.


    There were many commoners on the street who were stunned by the rampaging carriage. Some vendors could not dodge in time and their stalls were overturned. The carriage ran extremely quickly, and Shen Miao and Luo Tan were dizzy from the sway.


    Read m0re at nO¦ÍE?nEX§ä


    At the critical moment, Luo Tan still remembered to hold Shen Miao¡¯s hand and say, ¡°Cousin, don¡¯t be afraid. Let¡¯s jump out of the carriage and reveal our identities. There are so many people outside. They won¡¯t dare to drag us back in.¡±


    Shen Miao felt a warmth in her heart. She couldn¡¯t help but say, ¡°It¡¯s too late. Look outside.¡±


    Luo Tan grabbed the edge of the carriage and looked out. She was stunned to realize that the street was gone. Instead, they were in a deserted alley. Luo Tan suddenly felt despair. Just now, she wanted to jump out of the carriage. At least, this could save her life. But in this narrow alley, she had nowhere to run.

 Chapter 551 - 551 Dying (4)

    551 Dying (4)


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, they should be here for me. When the time comes, just pretend you fainted and find an opportunity to escape,¡± Shen Miao said.


    ¡°How can I abandon you and run for my life?¡± Luo Tan grabbed Shen Miao¡¯s hand. ¡°Back then, you saved the Luo family in Spring City. Even if I can¡¯t save you, I won¡¯t abandon you. If we have to die, we¡¯ll die together!¡±


    Shen Miao did not know whether to laugh or cry. Now was not the time to be heroic. She stood up with difficulty in the swaying carriage and whispered into Luo Tan¡¯s ear, ¡°Remember, if you successfully escape, think of a way to send a letter to Prince Rui. Tell him that you have a deal to make and that you¡¯ll talk about the price later.¡±


    Luo Tan was stunned when she heard that. She looked at Shen Miao suspiciously. ¡°Why do you know Prince Rui? Cousin, you¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t ask so many questions.¡± Shen Miao said, ¡°This matter is very important. Don¡¯t mention Prince Rui to anyone. I¡¯ll tell you because I trust you.¡±


    Luo Tan nodded, then shook her head. ¡°No, I won¡¯t leave you alone.¡±


    Before Shen Miao could say anything, the carriage suddenly stopped. Then, the curtain of the carriage was suddenly lifted, and someone came in and dragged Shen Miao out.


    Luo Tan hugged Shen Miao¡¯s thigh. ¡°Cousin!¡± She used all her strength to keep Shen Miao from being taken away. The person was probably very angry and suddenly gave Luo Tan a hard kick.


    Even if Luo Tan practiced martial arts in the Luo family all year round, she was still a young girl. After being kicked in the check, she immediately fell out of the carriage.


    The other person urged, ¡°Hurry up. Don¡¯t be discovered.¡±


    They cut off the carriage from the horse. Without a word, one of them covered Shen Miao¡¯s mouth with a cloth and tied her hands and feet. He knocked Shen Miao out and threw her onto the horse, making Luo Tan furious. Luo Tan suddenly saw a saber falling out of the carriage. Today, Feng Anning had enough of shopping in the jewelry shop, so she was kind enough to accompany Luo Tan to shop in the weapons shop. That was where she bought the saber. Without thinking, she grabbed the saber and charged at one of the men.


    That person was a martial artist. He knocked Luo Tan to the ground in a few moves. Luo Tan suddenly looked surprised. ¡°The military¡­¡±


    These two were not ordinary people. They knew the moves taught exclusively to the soldiers. They were from the army!


    When the person heard Luo Tan¡¯s words, his eyes suddenly turned fierce. He snatched the saber from Luo Tan¡¯s hand and stabbed her.


    Luo Tan held her waist and slowly fell down.


    Another person was still urging, ¡°Stop dawdling. Let¡¯s go!¡±


    Only then did the man throw down the saber and get on another horse. The two of them quickly disappeared into the alley.


    In the dark alley, there was an upturned carriage. Luo Tan lay on the ground, her apricot-colored dress gradually dyed red, looking especially terrifying.


    ¡­


    Feng Anning slapped the two guards.


    The two guards knelt down and kowtowed. ¡°Miss, please punish me!¡±


    ¡°Punish you?¡± Feng Anning smiled instead of being angry. ¡°How should I punish you? Flog you or sell you? What¡¯s the point of punishing you? Can Shen Miao and Luo Tan come back after I punish you?¡±


    The two guards did not say anything. They also tried to chase after the carriage, but the carriage was extremely fast. When they started to chase, there was already a distance between them. The other party seemed to have come prepared. They went into alleys and disappeared.

 Chapter 552 - 552 Dying (5)

    552 Dying (5)


    Feng Anning was about to go crazy. She just went to the restaurant to ask the waiter if he had seen her cat-eye hairpin. When she came back, she saw that the carriage was gone, and a lot of commoners gathered. She sent a maid to ask around and found out that someone had hijacked her carriage.


    In the carriage were Shen Miao and Luo Tan!


    Not long after, the remaining two guards returned, but they did not manage to bring the carriage back. Feng Anning looked at the hairpin on the ground and closed her eyes. No matter how reckless she was usually, she knew very well that someone had planned all this! They sneaked into the Feng family¡¯s guards to kidnap Shen Miao and Luo Tan.


    Who were Shen Miao and Luo Tan? One was Shen Xin¡¯s daughter, and the other was Luo Xueyan¡¯s niece. Both of them were quite famous in the capital. If someone dared to have designs on them, it meant that they had already thought about the consequences. Shen Miao and Luo Tan were definitely in danger.


    At the thought of this, Feng Anning shivered with fright. She was the one who asked Shen Miao and Luo Tan out to shop today. She was the one who brought the guards. If she didn¡¯t go back to find the hairpin, there would be more guards protecting Shen Miao from being kidnapped. If she didn¡¯t ask Shen Miao out, this wouldn¡¯t have happened.


    It was all her fault!


    Feng Anning¡¯s body was on the verge of collapse. The maid beside her was shocked and quickly went forward to support her. ¡°Miss, don¡¯t blame yourself. If you fall sick, Master and Madam will feel sad.¡±


    Feng Anning shook her head and said with a sad smile, ¡°If General Shen and Mrs. Shen find out about what happened to Shen Miao and Luo Tan, won¡¯t they be sad too? Even if they kill me, it¡¯s not enough to atone for my mistake.¡± She covered her face. This was the first time she cried in front of everyone without caring about her pride.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on? Where¡¯s Jiaojiao? Where is Cousin Tan?¡± A solemn male voice suddenly came from outside the restaurant. Feng Anning looked up and saw Shen Qiu walking in with large strides. Behind him was a group of soldiers. All of them were mighty and imposing, and the people in the restaurant couldn¡¯t help but shrink their heads.


    Shen Qiu came back early today. He wanted to return to the mansion and ask Shen Miao and Luo Tan if they wanted to go hunting together another day. Unexpectedly, before he could arrive at home, he was informed by his subordinates that Shen Miao and Luo Tan were in danger.


    Shen Xin and Luo Xueyan had yet to return to the mansion, so they naturally did not know this. When Shen Qiu found out, he rushed over without stopping. As soon as he arrived, he saw the arrogant Miss of the Feng family crying in the middle of the crowd. In an instant, Shen Qiu had an ominous feeling.


    He strode up to Feng Anning and asked, ¡°What happened?¡±


    Feng Anning was stunned. Shen Qiu was standing in front of her. He was tall, and his eyes were filled with anxiety. Feng Anning was suddenly lost for words.


    Everyone knew that Shen Qiu and Shen Miao were very close. For Shen Miao, Shen Qiu was willing to commit murder and arson. If Shen Qiu found out that Shen Miao had been kidnapped¡­


    With an embarrassed expression, she said with difficulty, ¡°After we finished shopping, I went back to the restaurant to get something. Shen Miao and Luo Tan stayed in the carriage¡­ Some people sneaked into the Feng family¡¯s guards. They hijacked the carriage and kidnapped Shen Miao and Luo Tan. I¡¯ve already asked my father to send people to investigate in secret, but¡­¡± Feng Anning held back her tears.¡± I¡¯m sorry. It¡¯s all my fault.¡±


    Shen Qiu did not even look at Feng Anning, but everyone saw him suddenly clench his fists and heard the sound of knuckles cracking.

 Chapter 553 - 553 Dying (6)

    553 Dying (6)


    He took a deep breath and instructed Mo Qing in a calm voice, ¡°Report to the government. Lock down the city and look for them. Immediately mobilize the Shen army. Take my token and pass down the order. Search the entire city. Anyone who finds the two of them, the Shen family will reward them ten thousand taels of gold!¡±


    Ten thousand taels of gold! The people around gasped.


    Feng Anning was also stunned when she heard that, but when she came back to her senses, she blamed herself even more. Shen Qiu was willing to pay 10,000 taels of gold without batting an eyelid. Didn¡¯t that mean that Shen Miao was like a pearl in his eyes? But now, Shen Miao¡¯s life and death were unknown.


    Mo Qing also turned around and left with a serious expression to carry out the order. Feng Anning said, ¡°Although reporting to the government can make it easier to lock down the city, this way, rumors will definitely spread in the capital and harm Shen Miao and Luo Tan¡¯s reputation.¡±


    Feng Anning was a woman, so she naturally understood the importance of reputation to women. If news of Shen Miao and Luo Tan being kidnapped spread, it would inevitably be maliciously speculated by people.


    Shen Qiu said, ¡°Reputation is worthless compared to their lives. Even if their reputation is really damaged, they still have the Shen family to rely on for the rest of their lives.¡±


    He turned around and walked out. Feng Anning said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m the one who caused all of this. I¡¯ll definitely go and apologize to the Shen family another day.¡±


    ¡°This has nothing to do with you.¡± Shen Qiu¡¯s voice was emotionless. ¡°Those people came prepared. Even if they didn¡¯t make a move today, they would sooner or later have done the same thing.¡±


    Feng Anning felt a little comforted. Before she could speak, she heard Shen Qiu¡¯s indifferent voice.


    ¡°But I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯ll inevitably take my anger out on you when I see you, so it¡¯s better if Miss Feng doesn¡¯t visit the Shen family for the time being.¡±


    He strode away without looking back, leaving Feng Anning standing alone in the hall.


    Outside, Ah Zhi asked Shen Qiu, ¡°Young Master, don¡¯t you need to ask General Shen before mobilizing the Shen army?¡±


    ¡°Ask my ass!¡± Shen Qiu scolded. ¡°Do you think we have time to ask and think about what to do now? Those people know the consequence of kidnapping Jiaojiao and Cousin Tan, and they are not afraid. Jiaojiao is in extreme danger. They actually have designs on my family. When I catch them, I¡¯ll f*cking kill them!¡± The young general was furious at this moment. He got on his horse and said, ¡°Go to the capital magistrate. Even if we have to turn the capital upside down, we have to find them!¡±


    The news of Miss Shen and Miss Tan being kidnapped by some people spread throughout the capital in no time. This was an incident that could not be hidden. Firstly, when Shen Miao was kidnapped, there were people around who were watching. Secondly, the capital magistrate, the city guards, the government, the Shen army, and the Feng family¡¯s guards were all mobilized to search. With such a big commotion going on, it was hard for anyone not to know.


    Everyone knew that Shen Xin doted on his daughter, but people were still shocked to see that Shen Xin was actually willing to go such an extent for his daughter. After Luo Xueyan and Shen Xin were informed, they immediately led their personal guards to search every house in person.


    They spent the entire night searching without even stopping to take a sip of water.


    Xie Jingxing returned from outside. As soon as he arrived at his mansion, he saw Ji Yushu and Gao Yang waiting for him. The two of them would usually see him at the Exiled Immortal Pawnshop because Gao Yang¡¯s identity was sensitive. Generally speaking, they would not take the risk to come to Prince Rui¡¯s mansion.


    Xie Jingxing looked at the two of them in surprise and handed the thing in his hand to Tie Yi. When the white tiger in the courtyard saw him enter, it pounced on Xie Jingxing¡¯s boots and bit his pants affectionately.


    Xie Jingxing bent down to pick up the white tiger and asked, ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡±


    Gao Yang glanced at Ji Yushu. Ji Yushu stared at the white tiger for a while and made up his mind. ¡°I have something to tell you.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s it?¡± Xie Jingxing went out of the city alone today, so he really did not know what happened in the capital.


    ¡°The security in the capital hasn¡¯t been very good recently. It¡¯s a little chaotic.¡± Ji Yushu scratched his ears and cheeks and said incoherently, ¡°It¡¯s just that a young lady went out to shop today. Outside the restaurant, her carriage was hijacked and she was kidnapped. She still hasn¡¯t been found yet.¡±


    Xie Jingxing stared at Ji Yushu.


    Ji Yushu was a little frightened by his gaze and said with a trembling voice, ¡°Gao Yang and I just want to remind you that your beauty is not inferior to those ladies. You have to be careful to not get kidnapped.¡±


    Xie Jingxing said calmly, ¡°Ji Yushu.¡±


    ¡°I mean! You know that person too. She¡¯s Fifth Miss Shen!¡± Ji Yushu quickly said. He took a step back and hid behind Gao Yang.


    There was a moment of silence in the room.


    ¡°Where is he?¡± Ji Yushu looked at the empty courtyard in a daze. Only the white tiger was thrown to the ground and was whimpering in pain.


    ¡°Are you stupid?¡± Gao Yang looked at him coldly.


    ¡°As long as I¡¯m smarter than you,¡± Ji Yushu replied.


    At the same time, Shen Qiu, who was searching for Shen Miao everywhere in the city, received news that Luo Tan was found.


    Mo Qing said, ¡°Miss Luo is dying.¡±

 Chapter 554 - 554 He’s Here (1)

    554 He¡¯s Here (1)


    When Luo Tan was found, she was in an almost abandoned alley in the west of the capital. The alley was connected to several alleys, and the route was very zigzagging and difficult to navigate.


    However, although they found Luo Tan, the situation wasn¡¯t great. Luo Tan was stabbed deeply near her abdomen, and the wound was very deep. When they brought her back to the Shen mansion, she was already on the verge of death.


    A few doctors came in a row. When they saw Luo Tan¡¯s injuries, they shook their heads repeatedly. Shen Xin was so angry that he almost pulled out his sword at the doctors. It was Luo Xueyan who stopped him and said, ¡°These doctors are all quacks. Go and invite the imperial physicians from the palace! Aren¡¯t the people from the Imperial Hospital all capable of bringing the dead back to life? Whoever cures Tan will be heavily rewarded by the Shen family!¡±


    Shen Qiu handed a letter signed by Shen Xin to his subordinate and asked him to go to the palace to invite the imperial physician. Everyone surrounded Luo Tan¡¯s bed. Luo Xueyan¡¯s eyes were red as she said, ¡°Who did it? How can they be so cruel!¡±


    Luo Ling¡¯s eyes darkened. Luo Tan was his cousin. Now that her life was uncertain, he naturally felt terrible. However, what made people even more uneasy was that they had found Luo Tan, but they still did not know where Shen Miao was. Luo Tan was already in such a state. The kidnappers did not show any mercy and were clearly vicious people. No one dared to imagine what would happen to Shen Miao.


    Best


    The soldiers of the Shen army searched the capital without stopping, but they could not find any clues. It was as if the kidnappers had disappeared into thin air. The houses of the commoners had already been searched as well as the streets and alleys. They could not search the mansions of those officials. Even if they wanted to, they did not have the right.


    The room fell into a terrifying silence.


    Shen Miao did not know what was happening outside. When she woke up, she did not know what time it was.


    Her hands and feet were tied and she could not move. Shen Miao slowly opened her eyes. The kidnappers had forgotten to blindfold her. Perhaps they felt that there was no need.


    This was an empty secret room. There was a desk, a cabinet, and a bed inside. She did not know where it was, but it looked like a secret room in someone¡¯s mansion. Shen Miao could not even move and could only observe her surroundings quietly.


    There was no sound outside and she could not hear anything. Shen Miao had been knocked unconscious previously, and she did not know what happened. She did not know if Luo Tan had escaped or not and if she had delivered the message to Xie Jingxing.


    Now, Shen Xin was a figure that everyone in the capital dreaded, especially since the people of the State of Qin and the Daliang Dynasty had not left yet. Because Emperor Wen Hui wanted to rely on Shen Xin to boost morale, Shen Xin¡¯s status was also rising steadily. In addition, he had taken back his military power, so ordinary people would not mess with him. Now, someone actually did it. Shen Miao could guess who it was without thinking. Other than Princess Ming An, who else would be so foolhardy?


    However, she did not expect Princess Ming An to find helpers in the capital so quickly. Clearly, Princess Ming An would not do it herself, and even Huangfu Hao would not allow Princess Ming An to do such a stupid thing. The people who kidnapped her were actually among the Feng family¡¯s guards. They knew something about the Feng family and seemed to know Feng Anning¡¯s schedule very well. At that time, they drove the carriage into a deserted alley and quickly shook off the Feng family¡¯s guards. Everything clearly indicated that the helpers Princess Ming An found were very familiar with the routes in Ming Qi. Clearly, they were born and raised in the capital.

 Chapter 555 - 555 He’s Here (2)

    555 He¡¯s Here (2)


    It was impossible for a high and mighty person like Princess Ming An to have anything to do with some small fry. However, if the kidnappers weren¡¯t just some hooligans, why would they be willing to take such a risk to help Princess Ming An? If they got caught, Shen Xin would find a thousand ways to make them suffer


    Therefore, those people must have a certain official status and were extremely eager to climb higher even at a heavy cost. Who would they be? Shen Miao couldn¡¯t think of anyone.


    For some reason, the first thing Shen Miao thought of was that if Xie Jingxing took action, he should be able to find her very quickly because he had the Exiled Immortal Pawnshop behind him. The Exiled Immortal Pawnshop had an intelligence network covering every cranny and nook of the capital.


    Shen Miao could only hope that Xie Jingxing would find her as soon as possible.


    She struggled to retract her hand into her sleeve. The kidnappers tied her up extremely tightly. Shen Miao almost scraped her wrist before touching the hairpin in her sleeve.


    This hairpin was specially made by her. Ever since she was reborn, for safety¡¯s sake, she had specially made a hairpin. The tip of the hairpin was bent into a hook. At the critical moment, she could probably use it to stab the other party¡¯s eyes. This was a method she learned in the palace in her previous life, but at the moment, she could use it to wear down the rope that was tied to her limbs.


    Just as she was about to do it, she heard footsteps outside. Shen Miao quickly stuffed the hairpin back into her sleeve and leaned against the wall with her eyes closed, pretending to be unconscious.


    The door opened, and there seemed to be more than one person walking in.


    One of them said, ¡°The entire capital is under watch. At this rate, when will we be able to transport her away?¡±


    Another person replied, ¡°What are you panicking for? She¡¯s in our hands. We can wait until they give up on her.¡±


    There were two people. Shen Miao thought to herself. From what they said, it seemed like they were only temporarily keeping her here. In the end, they would still send her away. Where could Princess Ming An send her to? It couldn¡¯t be a good place. She was slightly relieved that Shen Xin quickly locked down the capital. Now that the entire city was heavily guarded, it would be difficult for them to send her away. At least for the time being, she would not be in any danger.


    Best


    However¡­ Why did their voices sound familiar? However, Shen Miao was pretending to be asleep and could not open her eyes to look.


    One of them said with uncertainty, ¡°Why isn¡¯t she awake yet? Did we hit her too hard?¡±


    ¡°Second Brother, are you still in the mood to care if she wakes or not?¡± Another person said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, even if Shen Miao never wakes up, Princess will still be happy. You¡¯ve seen her attitude. The more miserable Shen Miao is, the better. It doesn¡¯t matter if she¡¯s dead or alive.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just worried.¡± The person called ¡°Second Brother¡± sounded worried. ¡°If Father finds out about this¡­¡±


    ¡°So what if Father finds out? Don¡¯t forget that you and I are his sons too. Ever since that little bastard died, Father can only rely on us in the future.¡± That person said, ¡°Besides, the Xie and Shen families are not on good terms to begin with. Do you think Father will turn in his sons for his enemy?¡±

 Chapter 556 - 556 He’s Here (3)

    556 He¡¯s Here (3)


    The Xie family? The Xie family!


    In the corner, Shen Miao¡¯s eyelashes fluttered slightly, unable to hide the shock in her heart.


    She did not expect the people who kidnapped her to be from the Xie family. Without a doubt, these two people were Xie Changwu and Xie Changchao!


    Shen Miao was in disbelief. She did not expect that the ones who would form an alliance with Princess Ming An would be Xie Changwu and Xie Changchao. Although Xie Changwu and Xie Changchao had always been at odds with Xie Jingxing, in her previous life, they were just like their master, Fu Xiuyi, who wouldn¡¯t make a move until the very end. Why would they be so reckless and willing to take such a risk in this life?


    The Marquis of Lin¡¯an was a big family in Ming Qi. Even if they were sons of a concubine, they were still better than the legitimate sons of many officials. Once Xie Changwu and Xie Changchao were caught, the entire Marquis of Lin¡¯an would be implicated. Were these two people crazy?


    Xie Changwu spat and said, ¡°Is this place safe?¡±


    ¡°Of course it¡¯s safe.¡± Xie Changchao said proudly, ¡°Who would have thought that the young lady of the Shen family would be hidden in our mansion? Besides, in this mansion, only the two of us know about this secret room. Even if Shen Xin is really permitted by His Majesty to search our mansion, I guarantee that he will go back empty-handed.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± Xie Changwu heaved a sigh of relief and said, ¡°We can¡¯t afford to make any mistakes. Once the lockdown is lifted, quickly send her away.¡±


    Xie Changchao nodded and took out water and food from the basket. He walked to Shen Miao¡¯s side and placed two bowls in front of her.


    ¡°Are we going to wake her up and feed her the food?¡± Xie Changwu asked.


    ¡°No need.¡± Xie Changchao said, ¡°It¡¯s not like she doesn¡¯t have a mouth. Don¡¯t you think Her Highness will be very happy to hear that she eats like a dog? At that time, Her Highness will be happy and put in a good word for us in front of His Highness.¡±


    Xie Changwu said, ¡°That makes sense. Third Brother, you are indeed more insightful. In that case, let¡¯s go out first to avoid suspicion.¡± After saying that, the two of them left.


    When there was no more sound outside, Shen Miao slowly opened her eyes.


    There were two bowls on the ground in front of her. One was water, and the other was¡­ Fortunately, Xie Changwu and Xie Changchao did not give her anything more disgusting to eat.


    Shen Miao sighed in her heart.


    It was not like she had never eaten it before. In her previous life, she had eaten leftovers and even rotten food. So what? In order to survive, she could put down her dignity for the time being. As long as she could survive to take revenge, she could put up with any humiliation.


    However, Xie Changwu and Xie Changchao¡¯s words made her frown slowly.


    This was actually the secret room of the Marquis of Lin¡¯an¡¯s mansion. If that was the case, it would probably be very difficult for Shen Xin to find this place. Firstly, without Emperor Wen Hui¡¯s permission, it was impossible to search an official¡¯s mansion unless there was concrete evidence. However, the Xie brothers and Shen Miao had nothing to do with each other. Why would anyone suspect them? Secondly, if Shen Xin was really permitted to search, as the Xie brothers said, this secret room must be well-hidden. How could Shen Xin find something that even Xie Ding did not know?


    The Xie brothers took an unconventional method. The most dangerous place was the safest place. This way, things became trickier.


    Best


    Shen Miao looked at the water in front of her.


    Could Xie Jingxing find her?


    ¡­


    On the other side, in the new Shen mansion, the imperial physician finally arrived.


    The person who came was dressed in white and held a folding fan in his hand. If not for the medical box on his back, he looked like a gentleman who came to admire the flowers instead of saving people.

 Chapter 557 - 557 He’s Here (4)

    557 He¡¯s Here (4)


    This person was the young imperial physician in the palace, Gao Yang.


    Luo Xueyan and Shen Xin looked suspicious. Although Gao Yang¡¯s medical skills were commendable in the palace, the people who sought treatment in the palace were mostly consorts. Women always liked flashy things. No one could say for certain that it was not necessarily because Gao Yang was good-looking that he was highly praised. Moreover, most people in the world had the same thought about doctors. The older they were, the more outstanding their medical skills were. As for the younger ones, they only knew a little.


    Shen Xin did not expect the imperial physician to be Gao Yang, but he could not reject him. If he went to get another imperial physician over, it would probably take a lot of time.


    The legendary Imperial Physician Gao was welcomed in and walked to the unconscious Luo Tan to take her pulse.


    Everyone looked at him with bright eyes. After a while, Gao Yang shook his head and sighed. ¡°Her breathing is weak, and her pulse is in a mess. The wound is too deep and has hurt her lungs. She also bled a lot. It¡¯s difficult.¡±


    Luo Xueyan immediately shouted, ¡°Another quack. Qiu, go and find another one.¡±


    ¡°Wait!¡± Gao Yang said unhappily, ¡°I just said that it¡¯s difficult. I didn¡¯t say that it¡¯s incurable. General Shen, what do you mean by inviting me over and then looking for another doctor?¡±


    ¡°Can you really save Cousin Tan?¡± Shen Qiu took a step forward and asked.


    Best


    ¡°If the treatment is delayed any longer, she¡¯ll really be incurable,¡± Gao Yang said.


    ¡°Alright.¡± Shen Xin said, ¡°I believe you. If Imperial Physician Gao can cure Tan, the Shen family will definitely pay you a lot of money!¡±


    Gao Yang smiled and said, ¡°There¡¯s no need for money. It¡¯s my duty to save lives. Miss Luo¡¯s life is at stake. I have to perform acupuncture on her first. Please wait outside.¡±


    Luo Xueyan was still a little hesitant, but Shen Xin had already walked out. He had traveled extensively and knew that some capable people had strange habits. Gao Yang was probably afraid of his medical skills being seen and stolen.


    Shen Qiu and Luo Ling followed closely behind Shen Xin. Seeing this, no matter how worried Luo Xueyan was, she could only follow suit.


    Only Gao Yang and the unconscious Luo Tan were left in the room. Gao Yang put down his medical box and muttered to himself as he opened it, ¡°What does this have to do with me?¡±


    He took out a cloth bag and opened it. There were dozens of golden needles of different sizes.


    Gao Yang said, ¡°It¡¯s fine if you want to please Shen Miao, but now you want to please her family too?¡± He shook his head and reached out to unbutton Luo Tan¡¯s shirt. He said helplessly, ¡°I don¡¯t want to offend you. If you are angry and want to vent your anger, go to Prince Rui¡¯s mansion and take everything out on the one wearing the mask.¡±


    ¡­


    Time passed quickly. Two days were gone in the blink of an eye.


    In the past two days, Imperial Physician Gao had indeed displayed outstanding medical skills. Gao Yang performed acupuncture twice and prescribed some medicine to Luo Tan. Luo Tan¡¯s breathing gradually stabilized, and her pulse was much stronger than before.


    Unlike before, Luo Xueyan treated Gao Yang as an esteemed guest. Because she was afraid that Luo Tan¡¯s condition would relapse midway, Luo Xueyan asked Gao Yang to stay in the Shen mansion now so that he could check on Luo Tan every day.


    Luo Tan was getting better, but there was still no good news about Shen Miao.


    When Emperor Wen Hui found out about this, he was furious. Putting aside his prejudice against Shen Xin, if someone kidnapped the daughter of an official at the territory of the emperor, wouldn¡¯t it show that the public safety was in danger and the people could not live and work in peace? Therefore, he tacitly agreed to Shen Xin¡¯s large-scale search for his daughter.

 Chapter 558 - 558 He’s Here (5)

    558 He¡¯s Here (5)


    However, even after turning the capital upside down, they still could not find Shen Miao.


    It was as if she had disappeared into thin air. The houses of the commoners had all been checked. Next, they could only start searching the houses of the officials. However, the relationship between the officials was complicated. If it wasn¡¯t done right, it would cause a huge chaos. Emperor Wen Hui was unwilling.


    Therefore, there was an awkward period. The soldiers patrolled the streets all day long, and the security in the capital was much better. However, to the Shen family, it was no different from a torture.


    In the study of the Marquis of Lin¡¯an, Xie Changwu and Xie Changchao were chatting.


    Xie Changwu said, ¡°The Shen family is watching the capital too closely. We can¡¯t transport Shen Miao out at all. If this continues, I¡¯m afraid Princess Ming An will blame us.¡±


    In fact, Princess Ming An was already angry. Although the Xie brothers had successfully kidnapped Shen Miao, Princess Ming An hated Shen Miao to the core and wished she could see Shen Miao end up in a brothel as soon as possible. Because the capital was under watch, Xie Changwu and Xie Changchao did not dare to act rashly. Shen Miao had been locked in a secret room for quite some days. How could an impatient person like Princess Ming An tolerate it? This morning, she sent someone over to warn Xie Changwu that if he did not send Shen Miao out, the previous deal would be invalid.


    In front of him was the Shen army patrolling the streets and searching from door to door. Behind him was Princess Ming An who pressed on unreasonably. No matter how smart Xie Changwu was, he felt a headache coming on at this moment.


    ¡°Second Brother, don¡¯t be anxious. Shen Xin is very good at interrogating and spotting suspects. We have to ensure that we won¡¯t be caught,¡± Xie Changchao said.


    ¡°I¡¯m not in a hurry, but Princess is rushing me.¡± At this point, Xie Changwu couldn¡¯t help but complain, ¡°Doesn¡¯t she have a brain? If anything goes wrong, she will be implicated too.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s enough.¡± Xie Changchao said, ¡°Princess just wants to see Shen Miao being humiliated. Although we can¡¯t send Shen Miao out, we can bring people in. It¡¯s not illegal for the Marquis of Lin¡¯an to hire some rough servants, right? There¡¯s nothing suspicious about that, right?¡±


    Xie Changwu was stunned. That¡¯s right. What Princess Ming An wanted to see was someone humiliating Shen Miao. They couldn¡¯t send Shen Miao away because the Shen army was everywhere, but if they could make Shen Miao a sex slave, wouldn¡¯t it also satisfy Princess Ming An?


    ¡°Third Brother, you¡­¡± Xie Changwu said,¡± You¡¯ve already thought of it?¡±


    ¡°There is a social engagement today. The two of us can¡¯t be absent at the same time, or people will suspect us.¡± Xie Changchao said, ¡°Second Brother, you can attend it while I go and get the butler to buy a few servants¡­ After the matter is done, I¡¯ll inform the princess.¡±


    Over the past few days, because they had to keep an eye on Shen Miao, the two of them declined a few social engagements. If this continued, it would arouse suspicion. Xie Changwu said, ¡°I understand. Third Brother, be careful. Don¡¯t let anyone catch you red-handed.¡±


    After Xie Changwu left, Xie Changchao took out the key to the secret room from his sleeve, and a strange glint flashed across his eyes.


    ¡­


    Shen Miao stayed in the secret room for two days. Although she did not know the exact time, she could guess from the number of times the food was delivered. It had been two days and she was still safe, which meant that Shen Xin had deployed lots of soldiers around the capital. However, they still couldn¡¯t find this place. It showed how well-hidden the secret room was. It was very difficult for anyone to think that the Xie brothers were the culprits.


    Just as she was thinking, she heard footsteps outside and the door was pushed open.


    In the dim light, the person looked straight into Shen Miao¡¯s eyes and was stunned for a moment. Then, he smiled. ¡°You¡¯ve been pretending to be asleep every time I come over these few days. Why aren¡¯t you pretending today?¡±

 Chapter 559 - 559 He’s Here (6)

    559 He¡¯s Here (6)


    Xie Changchao looked a little like Xie Changwu, but compared to Xie Changwu, he was more impetuous. At this moment, he walked closer to Shen Miao and looked at the bowl of rice that had been half-eaten by Shen Miao. He clicked his tongue and said regretfully, ¡°It¡¯s not just Her Highness. Actually, I also want to see what a rich girl looks like when she eats like a dog. Why don¡¯t you show it to me?¡±


    Shen Miao looked at him coldly.


    For a moment, Shen Miao felt that she could understand why Xie Jingxing hated these two half-brothers so much. They were just like Shen Qing and Shen Yue.


    As if angered by Shen Miao¡¯s disdainful gaze, Xie Changchao suddenly grabbed Shen Miao¡¯s chin and forced her to stare at him. Xie Changchao said, ¡°Miss Shen, you still don¡¯t know, right? General Shen and Mrs. Shen are searching for you in the capital for ten thousand taels of gold. Unfortunately, no one has claimed it yet. Do you think I¡¯ll get ten thousand taels of gold if I send you out?¡±


    Shen Miao didn¡¯t say anything.


    ¡°Unfortunately, I¡¯m also working for someone, so I naturally can¡¯t let you out so easily.¡± Xie Changchao smiled again. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, after today, your life will be a little better¡­ Her Highness originally planned to sell you to a low-grade brothel, but unfortunately, it¡¯s not safe out there, so we had no choice but to open a brothel in the Marquis¡¯s mansion.¡±


    Shen Miao¡¯s eyes darkened.


    As if extremely satisfied with Shen Miao¡¯s expression, Xie Changchao leaned closer to her and whispered in her ear in a strange tone, ¡°This morning, I instructed the butler to recruit a few rough men to guard the courtyard. Do you think you still have the strength to glare at me like this after tonight?¡±


    Shen Miao lowered her eyes, and the hand in her sleeve secretly grabbed the hairpin. Over the past two days, she did not stay idle. Every day, she would slowly use the hairpin to wear down the ropes on her hands and feet. She estimated that at this moment, there were only a few threads left where the ropes on her hands and feet were connected. She only needed to struggle slightly to break free. At that time, she would use the hairpin to stab Xie Changchao in the eyes.


    There was no such thing as a dead end in this world. The so-called dead end was just because one did not have the courage to step into the abyss.


    Xie Changchao said, ¡°But I¡¯m not willing to give up a delicate little beauty like you to someone else. Why don¡¯t you let me enjoy you first?¡±


    ¡°Back then, that little bastard, Xie Jingxing, seemed to treat you differently.¡± Xie Changchao smiled a little lecherously. ¡°I¡¯ve been brothers with him for more than ten years and know him the best. I¡¯m afraid your relationship with him is not that simple. Why? Are you his secret lover?¡±


    Xie Changchao¡¯s words were so unpleasant that even Shen Miao looked a little angry. However, this anger seemed to please Xie Changchao. He laughed and said, ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter if you¡¯re his lover. All these years, that little bastard has trampled us under his feet. Today, after sleeping with his woman, I¡¯ll call it even.¡± He smiled evilly. ¡°Miss Shen, you should thank me. Sleeping with me will be much more enjoyable than with those rough men! They have plenty of tricks up their sleeves.¡±


    He suddenly turned Shen Miao¡¯s head and rubbed his thumb on her face. An intoxicated expression appeared on his face, but it was disgusting.


    Shen Miao¡¯s gaze was calm, but she was thinking when to stab the hairpin into Xie Changchao¡¯s eyes. She would blind him and see if he could still be so arrogant.


    Xie Changchao suddenly sobered up and looked at Shen Miao. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you afraid?¡±


    Best


    Shen Miao looked at him.


    Xie Changchao¡¯s face was dark, as if he was very unhappy with her indifferent attitude. He said, ¡°Why aren¡¯t you afraid? Are you still waiting for someone to save you?¡±


    Shen Miao said, ¡°What exactly do you want?¡±


    Xie Changchao suddenly jumped up. Shen Miao could not dodge in time and was pushed to the ground by him. At this moment, she couldn¡¯t care less and struggled to break free from the rope. However, before she could reach out to take out the hairpin, Xie Changchao suddenly started to nibble on her body. He seemed to have gone crazy and shouted, ¡°Who are you waiting for to save you? Could it be that dead Xie Jingxing?¡±


    Shen Miao finally took out the hairpin. Xie Changchao buried his face in Shen Miao¡¯s neck and was about to pull off her clothes. Shen Miao¡¯s gaze was cold as she raised her hand to stab him in the back!


    However, when she saw the door from the corner of her eye, she suddenly stopped.


    ¡°Do you think Xie Jingxing will come and save you?¡± Xie Changchao shouted, ¡°That little bastard has already been skinned and beheaded. He¡¯s dead!¡±


    A calm and suppressed furious voice sounded in the empty secret room.


    ¡°Is that so

 Chapter 560 - 560 Alliance (1)

    560 Alliance (1)


    ¡°Is that so?¡±


    A man¡¯s low voice sounded in the empty secret room. This voice was very calm and even pleasant to the ears. However, at this moment, it seemed to have a terrifying power, making people¡¯s hair stand on end.


    Xie Changchao was stunned. He let go of Shen Miao and turned to look at the person.


    There were horns hanging on the wall of the secret room, and there were torches placed in the horns. The burning torches were bright, seemingly dividing the dark secret room into two parts. The person opposite him stood in the darkness, and under the dim light, one could vaguely see his face.


    It was an extremely tall young man. He was wearing a black cloak made of wolf fur, a purple-gold brocade robe inside, deer skin boots, and a dark gold belt. Even in such a dark place, his noble aura was still remarkable. He had a silver mask covering half of his face. It was clearly an extremely cold color, but under the light of the torches in the secret room, it emitted a hint of warmth, making people unable to help but be attracted.


    Xie Changchao was stunned for a moment before suddenly shouting, ¡°Prince Rui!¡±


    He had seen this person at the banquet in Ming Qi and at the crown prince¡¯s banquet. Who else could it be but Prince Rui? But why did Prince Rui suddenly appear here? Xie Changchao¡¯s heart suddenly skipped a beat. He asked, ¡°How do you know this place?¡±


    This was a secret room in the Marquis¡¯s Residence. Even if Prince Rui had the ability to sneak in, he would never find this secret room. Xie Ding knew nothing about this secret room. In the entire Marquis¡¯s Residence, only Xie Changwu and Xie Changchao knew. How did an outsider like Prince Rui discover this place? Xie Changwu would definitely not tell anyone.


    The moment Shen Miao saw Xie Jingxing appear, she heaved a sigh of relief and felt a little glad. Although she could fight with Xie Changchao, there was always a chance that she would fail. If anything went wrong, she would be in greater danger.


    ¡°Tell me! How do you know there¡¯s a secret room here?¡± A strong sense of uneasiness suddenly surged in Xie Changchao¡¯s heart. This uneasiness was not because he was afraid of Prince Rui, but an instinctive reaction. However, only he and Xie Changwu knew about this secret room. Even his subordinates did not know.


    Best


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing I don¡¯t know about this tiny mansion.¡±


    The young man in the purple robe slowly walked forward from the darkness to the light. The brighter the torch was, the brighter the silver mask was. He smiled, and it was unknown if his smile was mocking or sincere. He slowly reached out to touch the mask on his face.


    Shen Miao tensed up slightly. Xie Changchao swallowed his saliva and stared at the purple-robed young man in front of him without blinking.


    The silver mask was taken off.


    The light crept up the young man¡¯s almost perfect face inch by inch. His facial features were so handsome that even the sun lost its dazzle in comparison. His mischievous expression was as usual, and his eyes, after seeing the vicissitudes of life, had become deeper and more unfathomable.


    Xie Jingxing was more handsome, calmer, and more dangerous than two years ago.


    It was Xie Jingxing, who had his heart pierced by ten thousand arrows on the battlefield and was hung on the city wall as a warning.


    Xie Changchao could not believe his eyes.


    He shouted, ¡°Xie Jingxing! Xie Jingxing!¡±

 Chapter 561 - 561 Alliance (2)

    561 Alliance (2)


    ¡°It¡¯s good that you still remember my name.¡± Xie Jingxing walked forward with a smile, but the smile did not reach his eyes.


    ¡°How have you been, Xie Changchao?¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you dead?¡± A look of fear began to appear on Xie Changchao¡¯s face. He said anxiously, ¡°Didn¡¯t you get shot in the heart by ten thousand arrows on the battlefield in the Northern border and die long ago? Are you a human or a ghost? Don¡¯t come over!¡± He said it quickly and anxiously, trying to conceal his fear.


    Xie Jingxing said, ¡°Do you think I¡¯m a human or a ghost?¡±


    Xie Changchao was stunned.


    The young man in front of him was dressed in gorgeous clothes and had an arrogant posture. Two years ago, Xie Jingxing was a treasure sword, but now that this treasure sword was finally unsheathed, it carried a restrained killing intent, making everyone unable to ignore the sharp edge.


    Xie Changchao¡¯s gaze landed on the silver mask in Xie Jingxing¡¯s hand and his heart skipped a beat.


    If Xie Jingxing was really a ghost, how could he appear as Prince Rui? Xie Changchao remembered very clearly that when Xie Jingxing had the mask on, he was clearly Prince Rui of the Daliang Dynasty. No wonder he and Xie Changwu always felt that Prince Rui was very similar, but they could not remember who. Now that he thought about it, it was undoubtedly Xie Jingxing. It was just that everyone knew that Xie Jingxing died on the battlefield two years ago. No one would associate Prince Rui with a person who had been dead for two years.


    At the thought of this, Xie Changchao suddenly sneered and said, ¡°I see. So you didn¡¯t die, but you went to seek refuge with the Daliang Dynasty. I wonder what method you used to become Prince Rui. You faked your death and betrayed the country. You¡¯re not worthy of being a descendant of the Xie family. When Father finds out about this, he will definitely be ashamed of you. Brother, you are really admirable.¡±


    Xie Jingxing chuckled, his eyes gradually turning cold. ¡°We don¡¯t share the same bloodline. Xie Changchao, you¡¯re not qualified to be my brother.¡±


    Xie Changchao smiled disdainfully and said, ¡°Do you really think you¡¯re Emperor Yong Le¡¯s brother just because you¡¯re Prince Rui? Xie Jingxing, you always thought that you were better than everyone else, but now you¡¯ve learned to daydream.¡±


    Best


    Xie Jingxing did not comment.


    Seeing this, Xie Changchao¡¯s expression slowly changed. He said, ¡°You¡­ are you really Prince Rui?¡±


    ¡°So?¡± Xie Jingxing stared at him. ¡°Did I tell you not to touch my things?¡±


    Xie Changchao was stunned. Ever since he and Xie Changwu were young, they had hated Xie Jingxing. One day, when the servants were talking, he overheard that Concubine Fang was the one who forced Princess Yuqing to death. He did not know who Princess Yuqing was, but he hated Xie Jingxing very much because Xie Ding doted on him for no reason.


    Xie Jingxing always had the best things. No one dared to stop him from doing whatever he wanted. Even if he hit a prince or a young master of a minister, Xie Ding would only apologize on his behalf. Once, a tiger skin was sent over from the far north and was given to Xie Jingxing by Xie Ding. It was a very rare complete tiger skin. Xie Changchao and Xie Changwu were young and secretly went to Xie Jingxing¡¯s room to play with the tiger skin for the entire afternoon.

 Chapter 562 - 562 Alliance (3)

    562 Alliance (3)


    Xie Changchao would never forget the expression on Xie Jingxing¡¯s face when he returned. Xie Jingxing glanced at the tiger skin that Xie Changchao and Xie Changwu had crawled on and casually asked the butler to burn it.


    He said, ¡°Don¡¯t touch my things. You are dirty.¡±


    Xie Ding scolded the two brothers, but he did not scold Xie Jingxing for making a mountain out of a molehill. From that moment on, Xie Changchao had an obsession with touching Xie Jingxing¡¯s things.


    Therefore, when he heard Xie Jingxing¡¯s words, he immediately sneered. He glanced at Shen Miao in the corner and said maliciously, ¡°Xie Jingxing, so what? I touched your woman, and you want to burn her like before? I just touched her. Don¡¯t you find her dirty?¡±


    Shen Miao¡¯s eyes darkened. Xie Changchao indeed had the ability to make people want to kill him the moment he opened his mouth. Not to mention Xie Jingxing, even with her good temper, Shen Miao couldn¡¯t help but want to drag Xie Changchao out and kill him.


    ¡°She¡¯s different from a tiger skin.¡± Xie Jingxing smiled. ¡°Back then, the tiger skin was worthless to me, so I burned it. Now¡­¡±


    ¡°I think you are too dirty, so I¡¯ll bun you.¡±


    Xie Changchao first had a look of disdain on his face. Looking at Xie Jingxing¡¯s calm expression, he suddenly froze. Xie Changchao sat on the ground and took a step back. He suppressed the fear in his heart and said, ¡°What do you want to do?¡±


    ¡°Xie Changchao, you haven¡¯t learned anything after so many years.¡± Xie Jingxing seemed to be a little disappointed and sighed. ¡°You¡¯ve seen my face. Do you think I¡¯ll let you live?¡±


    Shen Miao actually found it a little funny.


    Xie Changchao was like a child in front of Xie Jingxing. No wonder Xie Jingxing was disappointed. When Xie Jingxing took off his mask, Shen Miao knew very well that it was impossible for Xie Changchao to get out alive today.


    A deep fear appeared in Xie Changchao¡¯s eyes. He said, ¡°This is the Marquis of Lin¡¯an¡¯s mansion. If you kill me, you won¡¯t have an easy time either!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡± Xie Jingxing smiled. ¡°The Marquis of Lin¡¯an and Xie Changwu are attending a banquet today. They¡¯ll only be back at night.¡± He said, ¡°Since you¡¯ve called me brother for so many years, I¡¯ll do you a favor. I won¡¯t let you go to hell alone. Xie Changwu will go down to keep you company. There¡¯s no need to thank me.¡±


    Xie Changchao finally seemed to believe that Xie Jingxing was serious. He stood up and was about to run out. Two years ago, he was not Xie Jingxing¡¯s match. How could he escape from Xie Jingxing now? He was kicked in the knee from behind and his throat was grabbed.


    Just as Shen Miao was looking, her vision suddenly darkened.. She reached out and saw that her eyes were covered with Xie Jingxing¡¯s cloak.


    Best


    Xie Jingxing covered her with a cloak and said, ¡°Don¡¯t look.¡±


    Meanwhile, he slowly tightened the grip on Xie Changchao¡¯s throat, and the crisp sound of bones breaking could be heard clearly in the secret room.


    After hearing a bang, Shen Miao lifted the cloak on her head. Xie Jingxing was wiping his hands with a handkerchief. On the ground, Xie Changchao lay on his back, his eyes wide open. Clearly, he was no longer breathing.


    This was the first time Shen Miao had seen him kill someone. Seeing that his expression was calm, she couldn¡¯t help but shiver.


    She handed the cloak to Xie Jingxing. Seeing this, Xie Jingxing glanced at her and looked away. ¡°Keep it for yourself.¡±

 Chapter 563 - 563 Alliance (4)

    563 Alliance (4)


    Shen Miao followed his gaze and realized that when she was struggling with Xie Changchao, her clothes had been torn by him. Now that a good part of her body was exposed, even revealing her undergarment, she was stunned for a moment before wrapping herself in Xie Jingxing¡¯s cloak.


    Xie Jingxing turned around and saw that Shen Miao was still buttoning the cloak, so he walked over and squatted down in front of her. He took out a ribbon from his pocket and helped Shen Miao tie it.


    His hands were very good-looking, and his joints were well-defined and slender. The way he tied the cloak was deft and gentle. Shen Miao looked up at him. Xie Jingxing¡¯s eyelashes were extremely long. When they were lowered, his sharp gaze became gentle.


    He was focused on tying the cloak, but his face was cold from the beginning to the end, as if he was in a bad mood, but Shen Miao did not know who angered him.


    Shen Miao said, ¡°Actually, you don¡¯t have to kill him.¡±


    She was talking about Xie Changchao. There was actually no need for Xie Jingxing to kill Xie Changchao. Xie Changchao was right. Although he was the son of a concubine, he was still Xie Ding¡¯s son. Although she did not know why Xie Jingxing stayed in Ming Qi, this would definitely cause him some unnecessary trouble.


    ¡°He saw my face. I can¡¯t let him live,¡± Xie Jingxing said.


    Shen Miao rolled her eyes in her heart. No one wanted to see Xie Jingxing¡¯s face at all. From the beginning until now, it was Xie Jingxing who took the initiative to take off his mask. Xie Jingxing simply wanted to kill Xie Changchao. Why did he have to find such a far-fetched reason?


    ¡°Don¡¯t go out so much in the future.¡± Xie Jingxing said, ¡°If I came any later, something would have happened to you today.¡± When he said this, he frowned slightly, looking like he was giving a lecture.


    Shen Miao was speechless for a moment. She thought for a moment and said, ¡°How are my parents and brother now?¡±


    ¡°The Shen army has all been mobilized. They searched every house in the capital a few times, but to no avail.¡± Xie Jingxing said, ¡°No one guessed that you were kidnapped to the Marquis of Lin¡¯an¡¯s mansion.¡± After a pause, he continued, ¡°Luo Tan is seriously injured and has been unconscious. Gao Yang has already gone to the Shen family to save her. I heard that she is getting better.¡±


    ¡°Luo Tan is injured?¡± Shen Miao was stunned. ¡°Why is she seriously injured?¡±


    ¡°She was stabbed.¡± Xie Jingxing turned to look at Shen Miao. ¡°Don¡¯t you know?¡±


    Shen Miao shook her head. ¡°At that time, I was knocked unconscious. I don¡¯t even know what happened after that.¡± After a moment of silence, Shen Miao suddenly thought of something and looked at Xie Jingxing. ¡°Luo Tan was injured and unconscious. Then how did you find me here?¡±


    Xie Jingxing was a little puzzled. ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    Shen Miao¡¯s heart skipped a beat. Luo Tan was seriously injured, so it was naturally impossible for her to see Xie Jingxing, nor was it possible for her to deliver a message to Xie Jingxing. Then, did Xie Jingxing come to her rescue on his own accord?


    Shen Miao felt a little complicated.


    On the other hand, Xie Jingxing¡¯s eyes narrowed. He suddenly approached Shen Miao and placed his hands beside her, almost hugging her. He smiled and said, ¡°From what you say, you asked Luo Tan to look for me? To ask me for help?¡±


    Shen Miao pushed him away. She knew that Xie Jingxing was smart and couldn¡¯t hide it from him, so she said, ¡°I just think that you have the ability to save me. Besides, with your status, no one can stop from doing anything.¡± She emphasized, ¡°I asked Luo Tan to look for you and tell you that if you save me, I¡¯ll pay you accordingly.¡±

 Chapter 564 - 564 Alliance (5)

    564 Alliance (5)


    ¡°Pay me?¡± Xie Jingxing said indifferently, ¡°The Shen family offered ten thousand taels of gold for your whereabouts, but I didn¡¯t care. There¡¯s a lot of money in the treasury of the Daliang Dynasty. What can you pay me with?¡±


    Shen Miao gritted her teeth. ¡°As long as you don¡¯t ask me to marry you, everything is fine.¡±


    Xie Jingxing raised his eyebrows at her and sighed. ¡°So that¡¯s what¡¯s on your mind? Are you reminding me of the fact that you want to marry me? Women have to be reserved. It¡¯s not good for you to be like this.¡±


    Shen Miao looked away.


    ¡°Forget it.¡± Xie Jingxing said, ¡°Saving someone is just a small matter to me. I won¡¯t make things difficult for you. What I want is simple.¡± He stared at Shen Miao and said with a faint smile, ¡°Writing poetry, playing the Guqin, making pastries and clothes for me. That¡¯s all for now.¡±


    Shen Miao was speechless.


    She said, ¡°Change to something else.¡±


    ¡°I only want these.¡± Xie Jingxing rejected Shen Miao. As if feeling that the ground was a little cold, he pulled Shen Miao up.


    ¡°I can¡¯t send you back to the Shen mansion now. You¡¯ve been missing for a total of three days. Rumors are spreading outside. If you go back now, people will inevitably suspect you.¡± Xie Jingxing said, ¡°I¡¯ll get someone to send you to the princess¡¯s mansion. Auntie Rong will help you.¡±


    Shen Miao was stunned. She looked at Xie Jingxing and asked, ¡°Princess Rong Xin also knows your identity?¡±


    Xie Jingxing shook his head. ¡°In Ming Qi, you¡¯re the only one who knows.¡±


    Shen Miao fell silent. Xie Jingxing looked at Xie Changchao¡¯s corpse on the ground, and a trace of disgust flashed across his eyes. He suddenly said, ¡°However, in order to save you today, I killed someone and inevitably caused trouble. This all started because of you. From now on, we¡¯re on the same boat. You¡¯re my ally, understand?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve agreed.¡± Shen Miao was angry.


    ¡°As long as I agree, it¡¯s enough.¡± Xie Jingxing snapped his fingers and two men in black walked in.


    ¡°Move it back.¡± Xie Jingxing kicked Xie Changchao¡¯s corpse with his foot.


    Shen Miao was surprised. ¡°Why do you want his corpse?¡±


    Xie Jingxing raised an eyebrow. ¡°It¡¯s still useful.¡±


    ¡­


    It had been a long time since a guest came to the princess¡¯s mansion.


    Ever since the news of Xie Jingxing dying on the battlefield two years ago, Princess Rong Xin had been seriously ill. Later, after she recovered from her illness, she seemed to have her spirits and rarely attended even the royal family¡¯s banquets. She left the princess¡¯s mansion less and less often and even refused to see anyone who came to visit. Everyone knew that this was because of Xie Jingxing¡¯s death. Princess Rong Xin had no children and treated her nephew as her son. When Xie Jingxing was alive, he would go to the princess¡¯s mansion every few days. Later, when Xie Jingxing died in battle, Princess Rong Xin hadn¡¯t had any guests.


    Today, a guest dropped in on Princess Rong Xin.


    The maid who was sweeping the floor outside was an old servant of the princess¡¯s mansion. She could tell at a glance that the girl sitting in the carriage had come to the princess¡¯s mansion two years ago. At that time, Princess Rong Xin even treated her very warmly. Shen, Shen, what was her name again? The maid couldn¡¯t remember. However, not long after, Princess Rong Xin¡¯s personal maid rushed out and welcomed the female guest and the guard in.


    Seeing this, the remaining maids gathered together and whispered, ¡°Which family is that girl from? Princess hasn¡¯t seen any guests in the past two years. It¡¯s weird that someone suddenly came.¡±


    ¡°From the looks of it, Princess seems to be very eager to see this guest. This female guest probably has some friendship with the princess in the past.¡±

 Chapter 565 - 565 Alliance (6)

    565 Alliance (6)


    ¡°She came here two years ago. At that time, Princess¡¯s personal maid, Lu Xi, sent her back home. Her surname is Shen.¡±


    One of the maids suddenly patted her head and said, ¡°I remember that girl¡¯s name. Isn¡¯t that Shen Miao, the daughter of the mighty general?¡±


    Everyone widened their eyes, then they became puzzled.


    They naturally knew Shen Miao. Recently, there had been a lot of commotion in the capital. Shen Miao had been missing for three days and Shen Xin was even willing to offer ten thousand taels of gold for anyone who could provide useful clues. Everyone guessed that Shen Miao must have met with misfortune, but they did not expect Shen Miao to actually appear in the princess¡¯s mansion.


    What was Shen Miao doing here?


    ¡­


    Shen Miao sat in the main hall. The maids came over to serve her tea and snacks. She could feel some gazes lingering on her and sizing her up. Shen Miao accepted it calmly. It was normal for them to be surprised to see her in the princess¡¯s mansion.


    However, she had no choice. Just as Xie Jingxing had said, if she returned to the mansion alone now, she would arouse suspicion. She had to find a person with a high status and a convincing voice to vouch for her. Previously, at the Lantern Festival, Princess Rong Xin helped her once. This time, she still needed Princess Rong Xin¡¯s help.


    Everyone knew that Princess Rong Xin was an upright person and was fair. With Princess Rong Xin vouching for her, no one would suspect anything.


    A moment later, footsteps came from behind. Shen Miao turned around and saw Princess Rong Xin walking over slowly.


    Shen Miao was shocked.


    The person who came was wearing a thin robe and a cloak. She probably had makeup on her face, but it could not hide her age and haggardness. The last time Shen Miao saw Princess Rong Xin two years ago, she was still a lively woman. Now, she looked as if her soul had been taken away.


    Shen Miao stood up and bowed to Princess Rong Xin.


    When Princess Rong Xin saw her, she looked nostalgic. She smiled and said, ¡°I haven¡¯t seen you for two years. Back then, General Shen left in a hurry, so I didn¡¯t have time to get someone to send you some farewell gifts. When you returned to the capital, I caught a cold and didn¡¯t go to the tribute banquet. I didn¡¯t have the chance to see you.¡± She sat down at the table and gestured for Shen Miao to sit down too.


    Shen Miao nodded slightly. ¡°I¡¯m the one who should come and visit you.¡±


    Princess Rong Xin smiled at her. ¡°You¡¯ve been a beauty since you were young, and now you¡¯re even more outstanding. If my nephew is still alive¡­¡± Her voice slowly lowered, and a trace of pain flashed across her eyes.


    Shen Miao did not know what to say.


    Princess Rong Xin chuckled again and continued, ¡°I always bring up these sad memories that make people unhappy. I try to not think about it, but in the end, it always comes back to my mind. I¡¯m really sorry if I put you in a bad mood.¡±


    Shen Miao was a little surprised that someone as stubborn as Princess Rong Xin would apologize to someone. However, Shen Miao was mostly sympathetic. In Princess Rong Xin¡¯s eyes, her nephew, who had accompanied her for many years, died miserably on the battlefield. It wasn¡¯t hard to imagine how heart-broken she was.


    Princess Rong Xin smiled and said, ¡°I¡¯ve heard about what happened to you. Don¡¯t worry, I helped you two years ago, and I¡¯ll help you this time.¡±


    Shen Miao only said that she was kidnapped by someone near the Marquis of Lin¡¯an¡¯s mansion and was saved by Xie Jingxing¡¯s former guard. Because Xie Jingxing¡¯s guard had seen Shen Miao before, he helped her. However, if she returned to the Shen mansion so rashly, it would probably cause rumors and she wanted to ask Princess Rong Xin for help.


    As long as Shen Miao mentioned Xie Jingxing, Princess Rong Xin would always become especially tolerant. In addition, that so-called guard of Xie Jingxing really had a token given to him by Xie Jingxing. After Princess Rong Xin saw it with her own eyes, she no longer doubted Shen Miao¡¯s story. In addition, she had a good impression of Shen Miao to begin with, so she naturally agreed.


    ¡°Thank you, Your Highness.¡± Shen Miao said, ¡°I¡¯m really sorry for troubling you again and again.¡±


    ¡°No trouble, no trouble.¡± Princess Rong Xin smiled and said, ¡°When Jingxing was around, he always liked to look for me whenever he caused trouble. Every trouble he caused was horrendous. I didn¡¯t see him feel guilty at all. I originally thought when I turned old, it would be my turn to cause trouble for him. Unexpectedly¡­¡± Princess Rong Xin¡¯s smile became sad.¡± Now, I want him to cause trouble for me, but it¡¯s no longer possible¡­¡±

 Chapter 566 - 566 Ask for Help (1)

    566 Ask for Help (1)


    Luo Tan woke up once at night.


    Shen Xin and the others were searching for Shen Miao in the capital. Luo Ling was taking care of Luo Tan with Gao Yang in the mansion when he suddenly received a report from his subordinates that they seemed to have seen a suspicious person sneaking around in the west of the city. Thinking that it might be related to Shen Miao, Luo Ling entrusted Luo Tan to Gao Yang and rushed to the west of the city with his subordinates.


    Only Luo Tan and Gao Yang were left in the room.


    When Luo Tan woke up, there were only two maids taking care of her in the room. It was Shen Miao¡¯s Bai Lu and Shuang Jiang. Seeing that she was awake, they were pleasantly surprised and said, ¡°Miss Luo, you¡¯re finally awake.¡±


    Luo Tan felt that her body was a little heavy. She lifted the blanket and saw that there was a white cloth wrapped under her inner shirt. Seeing this, Bai Lu thought that Luo Tan was worried that the wound would leave a scar in the future, so she comforted her, ¡°Miss Luo, you were lucky to have survived a calamity. That day, the wound was very deep, but it frightened Master and Madam. They called many doctors in a row but to no avail. Fortunately, Imperial Physician Gao from the palace is very skilled. He left a prescription. As long as you do as the prescription says, the scar will go away very quickly.¡±


    !!


    Luo Tan rubbed her forehead and asked, ¡°How many days have I been unconscious?¡±


    ¡°Miss, you¡¯ve been unconscious for almost three days,¡± Shuang Jiang said.


    ¡°Three days?¡± Luo Tan was shocked. She suddenly thought of something and asked anxiously, ¡°Where¡¯s my little cousin? Have you found her?¡±


    Bai Lu and Shuang Jiang shook their heads with sad expressions.


    Luo Tan¡¯s heart sank. She said, ¡°How are Aunt and Uncle now?¡±


    ¡°The city has been sealed off. Master and Madam are out all day searching for Miss, but there¡¯s no news.¡± Shuang Jiang said, ¡°I wonder how Miss is doing now.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s been three days. Why isn¡¯t there any news after three days? It¡¯s not like those kidnappers know witchcraft. How can they make people disappear?¡± Luo Tan said excitedly.


    Luo Tan clenched her fists, feeling extremely anxious. At that time, she remembered watching the two kidnappers knock Shen Miao unconscious and bring her into the carriage. Then¡­ Luo Tan¡¯s heart skipped a beat as she suddenly remembered what Shen Miao told her in the carriage.


    ¡°Remember, if you successfully escape, think of a way to send a message to Prince Rui. Tell him that you have a deal to make, and that you¡¯ll talk about the price later.¡±


    In the carriage, Shen Miao told Luo Tan that if anything happened, she must look for Prince Rui. Although Luo Tan did not understand why Shen Miao and Prince Rui were friends in private, during the two years in Spring City, Luo Tan knew Shen Miao very well. She would not do anything unnecessary. Luo Tan stood up and wanted to walk out. Seeing this, Bai Lu and Shuang Jiang were shocked and quickly came over to support her. ¡°Miss Luo, what are you trying to do? We¡¯ll do it. Miss Luo, you¡¯re not fully recovered yet. Don¡¯t let your wound reopen.¡±


    When Luo Tan stood up, she felt weak. Perhaps because she had been lying on the bed for too long, her legs were weak, which made her, who had always felt that she was strong, a little angry. She said, ¡°I have something to do. Don¡¯t worry about me.¡±


    Before she could finish her sentence, she heard an unfamiliar male voice coming from outside. ¡°Where are you going?¡±


    Luo Tan looked up and saw a young man walking in from outside the house. This man was dressed in white and looked like a gentleman. He took out a fan from his waist and asked again, ¡°Where are you going?¡±


    Luo Tan frowned. ¡°Who is he?¡±

 Chapter 567 - 567 Ask for Help (2)

    567 Ask for Help (2)


    Shuang Jiang quickly said, ¡°This is Imperial Physician Gao from the palace. He¡¯s the one who cured you. He¡¯s living in the mansion now just so that he can give you acupuncture and change the dressing.¡±


    Luo Tan frowned. Although Luo Tan was a little manly and lacked the delicateness of a woman, she liked beautiful things just like all the other women. Normally, Luo Tan would stop to appreciate this handsome young man in front of her. However, now that Shen Miao was in danger, she was not in the mood to do anything else. She said, ¡°Doctor Gao, I have something to do.¡±


    Gao Yang glanced at Luo Tan again. The girl¡¯s skin was not as fair and delicate as the women in the capital. It was a healthy wheat color. Even though she was weak, she was like a vibrant plant standing there. This was the first time Gao Yang had seen someone so energetic after being stabbed three days ago. Thinking of the bloody wound on Luo Tan¡¯s body on the first day, Gao Yang couldn¡¯t help but feel awed. It was rare for an ordinary man to withstand such an injury, but Luo Tan, a girl, lasted until she was found. Her desire to live was very strong.


    Gao Yang considered himself to have an eye for beauty, but he did not like a scheming and ruthless tigress like Shen Miao. He also did not like Luo Tan, who was rough, strong, and unyielding. He immediately said, ¡°General Shen and Mrs. Shen invited me to treat you. I treated you, but if you run around and cause your wound to worsen, I can¡¯t bear the consequence, so please don¡¯t move around.¡±


    Luo Tan was anxious, but she could only answer him with patience, ¡°I have something to do. I¡¯ll definitely explain it to Aunt and Uncle later. This has nothing to do with you, okay?¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Gao Yang said, ¡°As an imperial physician, I have to be responsible for my patient.¡± He emphasized the word ¡°imperial physician¡±, hoping that Luo Tan would understand that he was different from those doctors in the city.


    Luo Tan did not notice his emphasis, so she said angrily, ¡°You¡¯re just a doctor. What right do you have to ground me?¡±


    ¡°Firstly, I¡¯m an imperial physician. Secondly, before Luo Ling left, he entrusted you to me. If you really have something to do, I can run an errand for you.¡±


    Luo Tan bit her lips. At that time, Shen Miao told her not to tell anyone about Prince Rui. Luo Tan had always been stubborn. In addition, Prince Rui¡¯s identity was sensitive. She knew that no matter what, she could not let anyone else know, not even Shen Miao¡¯s maids. She glared at Gao Yang.


    ¡°Miss, it¡¯s better for you to drink the medicine first. After drinking the medicine, you¡¯ll naturally get better soon and be able to do important things,¡± Gao Yang said with a smile.


    Luo Tan asked Bai Lu to bring her the medicine bowl and drank it all in one go, looking quite manly. She put down the bowl and said to Gao Yang, ¡°Are you satisfied?¡±

 Chapter 568 - 568 Ask for Help (3)

    568 Ask for Help (3)


    ¡°I¡¯m impressed.¡± Gao Yang cupped his hands at Luo Tan. The medicine was bitter. Since Luo Tan was seriously injured, the medicine was even more bitter. Even the smell made one feel uncomfortable, but Luo Tan drank it without batting an eyelid.


    Luo Tan said, ¡°I¡¯m going to rest. Doctor Gao, please leave. Bai Lu, Shuang Jiang, you girls can leave too. I can¡¯t sleep with someone in the room. It¡¯s noisy.¡±


    Gao Yang left with the two maids with a smile.


    After everyone left, Luo Tan stood up and ran to the window to look out. Bai Lu and Shuang Jiang were sweeping the courtyard on the other side. She quickly took out her outer clothes and cloak from the closet and put them on. After thinking for a moment, she grabbed the few bottles of medicine on the table and moved the stool to the window, ready to jump out.


    In the past, when she was in Spring City, Luo Tan and Luo Qian had practiced sneaking out of the mansion to have fun to the point of perfection. In the end, even if Luo Liantai locked the two of them in the room, Luo Tan and Luo Qian would still be able to find a way to sneak out and do whatever they wanted.


    Therefore, Luo Tan really wasn¡¯t worried about being grounded in the Shen mansion. The most important thing now was to quickly go to see Prince Rui. Luo Tan believed Shen Miao¡¯s words without a doubt. She felt that as long as she found Prince Rui, she would definitely be able to save Shen Miao.


    However, the wound on her waist had indeed not healed yet. It hurt whenever Luo Tan moved. However, Luo Tan couldn¡¯t care less at this moment. She pressed one hand on the wound and successfully jumped out of the window. She tiptoed to a corner of the courtyard and pushed away the weeds by the wall, revealing a dog hole. She crawled through it without hesitation.


    Luo Tan did all of this extremely skilfully, but she did not see the white figure standing far away, looking at her with a dumbfounded expression.


    Gao Yang could not believe his eyes.


    Even if the Luo family was a family of generals, even if the people of Spring City were valiant, even if¡­ Luo Tan was still an official¡¯s daughter. Gao Yang thought that Shen Miao was already a weirdo in Ming Qi, but he did not expect Shen Miao¡¯s cousin to be no different.


    Luo Tan was about to go crazy.


    When she went out, she was afraid of alerting others, so she didn¡¯t use the Shen family¡¯s carriage. This way, she could only walk over herself. Although Prince Rui¡¯s mansion was not far from the Shen mansion, it was still too long for someone like her who was just saved from the brink of death.


    However, Luo Tan did not give up.


    The perseverance of the descendants of the Luo family was never to be underestimated. Luo Sui had taught them since they were young that they should never give up. Therefore, although Luo Tan felt dizzy and had a difficult time walking, she never thought of giving up halfway.


    Gao Yang watched from afar. At first, he was fanning himself as if he was watching a show, but gradually, his hand paused in midair.


    The girl¡¯s entire body was wrapped in a cloak. She was trembling uncontrollably. Every two steps, she had to stop and rest against the wall. No one knew better than Gao Yang how serious Luo Tan¡¯s injuries were. Just now in the Shen mansion, although Gao Yang had the intention of teasing Luo Tan, he meant it when he said if Luo Tan moved around, her wound would reopen. He could almost imagine the dripping sweat on Luo Tan¡¯s forehead.


    However, what was surprising was that Luo Tan did not stop. Every time Luo Tan stopped in her tracks, Gao Yang thought she was going to give up, but she would always pull herself together and continue. This made Gao Yang very curious. He wanted to see what Luo Tan was up to.

 Chapter 569 - 569 Ask for Help (4)

    569 Ask for Help (4)


    This short journey seemed to be especially long. Luo Tan missed the time when she could jump around. When she saw the words ¡°Prince Rui¡¯s Mansion¡±, her legs went weak and she almost knelt down.


    In the end, she did not kneel down because a pair of hands helped her up from behind.


    Luo Tan turned around and saw Gao Yang.


    ¡°Are you following me?¡± Luo Tan shook off his hand and said angrily.


    ¡°Yes.¡± Gao Yang admitted readily and asked, ¡°You went through so much trouble just to come to Prince Rui¡¯s mansion? Why are you looking for Prince Rui?¡± Gao Yang had probably guessed the purpose of Luo Tan¡¯s visit. He had never heard Xie Jingxing mention Luo Tan, so the only connection between Luo Tan and Xie Jingxing was Shen Miao. Luo Tan probably came to look for Xie Jingxing because of Shen Miao.


    Luo Tan looked at Gao Yang warily, feeling very anxious. She did not expect to meet Gao Yang at this time. She was half frustrated and half angry. This person looked like a decent person, but he actually did such a despicable thing. She was angry with herself being weak at this moment. Otherwise, she would¡¯ve noticed Gao Yang following her.


    Luo Tan thought to herself that the relationship between Shen Miao and Prince Rui must not be known to a third person. Moreover, Gao Yang came from the palace. What if he went back and reported it to Emperor Wen Hui?


    ¡°Do you know Prince Rui?¡± Gao Yang asked her.


    ¡°How can I know Prince Rui?!¡± Luo Tan retorted firmly. ¡°Prince Rui is noble. I¡¯m just the daughter of an ordinary official. How can I know him?¡±


    ¡°Then why are you looking for him?¡± Gao Yang continued to ask.


    Luo Tan stammered, ¡°Because, because¡­¡± She glanced at Gao Yang¡¯s face and suddenly had an idea. She shouted, ¡°I heard from people that Prince Rui is a peerless and beautiful man, so I wanted to see him!¡±


    When Gao Yang heard this, he burst out laughing.


    ¡°What are you laughing at?¡±


    ¡°You came all the way here just to see his face?¡± Gao Yang asked.


    Luo Tan said righteously, ¡°What do you know? It¡¯s rare to find a good-looking person in the world. If there is, of course I have to catch a glimpse of him.¡±


    Gao Yang shook his head. ¡°Well, I¡¯m also very good-looking. Miss, why don¡¯t you want to take a glimpse of me? Why did you have to come here?¡±


    Luo Tan said, ¡°Doctor Gao, you should take a closer look at yourself in the mirror.¡± She said, ¡°I¡¯m not gonna waste time with you anymore. I want to see Prince Rui.¡± As she spoke, she went up the stairs and arrived at the door of Prince Rui¡¯s mansion. She said innocently, ¡°Please inform Prince Rui that I have something important to tell him.¡±


    Gao Yang followed closely behind and gave the two guards a look. The guards naturally knew Gao Yang, so they immediately opened the door and said, ¡°I¡¯ll bring the two of you in to wait.¡±


    Luo Tan looked at Gao Yang. ¡°What are you doing here?¡±


    Gao Yang said, ¡°I also want to see his face. If you don¡¯t let me come along, I can only return to the Shen mansion. When Mrs. Shen and General Shen ask me later¡­¡±


    ¡°Wait!¡± Luo Tan glared at him and said, ¡°Come in with me.¡±


    The two guards looked at each other, confused by the scene in front of them. They originally thought that Young Master Gao had brought a girl to Prince Rui¡¯s mansion. Now, why did it look like¡­ that girl had brought Young Master Gao to Prince Rui¡¯s mansion?

 Chapter 570 - 570 Ask for Help (5)

    570 Ask for Help (5)


    Gao Yang and Luo Tan waited in the main hall for a moment. Half an hour later, Prince Rui, who was wearing a mask, appeared.


    Luo Tan was anxious. If it were in the past, when she was in such close contact with Prince Rui for the first time, she would definitely open her eyes and see what kind of person Prince Rui was. However, the current situation was urgent. Every moment she waited, Shen Miao might be in more danger. She glanced at Gao Yang, who was still drinking tea, and said to Prince Rui, ¡°Prince Rui, can we talk in private?¡±


    Prince Rui nodded slightly. Luo Tan was secretly delighted, thinking that Prince Rui was not as unapproachable as the rumors said.


    After entering the adjacent room, Luo Tan knelt down without a word and said, ¡°Prince Rui, please save my cousin!¡± She told him what Shen Miao had taught her to say and added in the end, ¡°Since my cousin trusts you so much, I also believe that you will be able to save her. Although I can¡¯t take anything out to pay you now, if you find my cousin, the Shen family will definitely reward you handsomely. Please save her!¡±


    She kowtowed on the ground.


    !!


    ¡°I hear you,¡± Prince Rui said.


    Luo Tan felt that something was amiss, but she could not tell what it was. She subconsciously said, ¡°Prince Rui, does it mean you agreed to save my cousin?¡±


    Prince Rui nodded slightly.


    ¡°Thank you, Prince Rui!¡± Luo Tan kowtowed to him again in joy and was about to stand up. Unexpectedly, as soon as she stood up, she felt her vision go dark and she suddenly fell to the ground and fainted.


    Prince Rui was shocked and subconsciously reached out to grab her, shouting, ¡°Guards! Gao Yang!¡±


    Gao Yang came in from outside and was shocked at first. He quickly walked forward and grabbed Luo Tan¡¯s arm to take her pulse. A moment later, he put down his hand and sighed. ¡°She¡¯s too weak. Make her a bowl of ginseng soup and pour it down her throat. When she wakes up, I¡¯ll send her back.¡±


    Two maids came in from outside and helped the unconscious Luo Tan to the bed. Gao Yang and Prince Rui walked out of the room. Prince Rui suddenly took the silver mask off his face. ¡°I¡¯m suffocating. Why did you ask me to pretend to be Third Brother?¡±


    This person was not Xie Jingxing, but Ji Yushu.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know when he¡¯ll be back. We can¡¯t let Luo Tan stay here until it¡¯s dark. When the Shen family comes looking for her, it¡¯ll be hard to explain. Anyway, Xie Jingxing has already gone to find out where Shen Miao is. Just pretend to be him and let her leave early,¡± Gao Yang said.


    Ji Yushu took a deep breath. ¡°I can¡¯t do this anymore. This is the first time someone has knelt down and kowtowed to me in my life. I can¡¯t take this. When she got down on her knees just now, my heart was about to jump out. Fortunately, I didn¡¯t make a mistake. Otherwise, if Third Brother finds out that I pretended to be him, he will definitely beat me up.¡±


    Gao Yang said, ¡°Fortunately, she¡¯s stupid.¡±


    ¡°Are you saying that my acting was bad?¡± Ji Yushu said angrily, ¡°She even knelt down and knowtowed. It¡¯s enough to show how excellent my acting was.¡±


    Gao Yang waved his hand. ¡°I can¡¯t be bothered to talk to you.¡±


    ¡°But why did she call you Doctor Gao?¡± Ji Yushu said suspiciously, ¡°Are you no longer in the palace and have opened a clinic to be a doctor?¡±


    Gao Yang was speechless.

 Chapter 571 - 571 Ask for Help (6)

    571 Ask for Help (6)


    ¡­


    When Luo Tan woke up, it was already evening and Gao Yang happened to come over to bring her medicine. Luo Tan did not stand on ceremony. She took it and gulped it down. Gao Yang¡¯s mouth twitched when he saw this. Without looking at her face, Gao Yan would have thought that Luo Tan was a man.


    After drinking the medicine, Luo Tan wiped her mouth and looked at the gradually darkening sky outside the window. ¡°I have to go back. Where is Prince Rui? I¡¯ll go and thank him.¡±


    Gao Yang glanced at her from the corner of his eye. ¡°There¡¯s no need. Prince Rui has already gone out.


    Luo Tan was stunned at first, then she was overjoyed. She thought that Prince Rui must have gone to save Shen Miao. It seemed that Prince Rui was also a kind-hearted person. As she thought about it, her impression of Prince Rui improved.


    Gao Yang looked at Luo Tan, who suddenly became happy, in confusion and said, ¡°Let¡¯s pack up and leave.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡± Luo Tan got up from the couch happily and put on her shoes. Suddenly, she thought of something and asked, ¡°Are you going back with me?¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡± Gao Yang said, ¡°If not for the fact that General Shen strongly requested me to stay, I wouldn¡¯t have wanted to. There are still many noble ladies in the palace waiting for me to treat them.¡±


    Luo Tan looked at him sympathetically. ¡°Doctor Gao, you¡¯ve been working too hard all day. In that case, you¡¯d better hurry back to the palace. It won¡¯t be good if your money is deducted because of your absence.¡±


    Gao Yang was speechless.


    Why did Luo Tan always make it sound like everyone was qualified to be the ¡°Imperial Physician¡±? Gao Yang was puzzled. He gritted his teeth and said, ¡°There¡¯s no need. I¡¯ve already applied for leave from the imperial hospital.¡±


    No matter what, in the end, Gao Yang still followed Luo Tan back to the new Shen mansion. On the way back, in order to prevent Luo Tan¡¯s wound from hurting, Gao Yang found a carriage.


    When they returned to the new Shen mansion, Shen Xin and the others had all returned. Seeing the two of them return, everyone heaved a sigh of relief. Shen Qiu asked, ¡°Cousin Tan, Imperial Physician Gao, where did you go?¡± Everyone thought that Luo Tan had been kidnapped again. Shen Qiu even suspected that Gao Yang was the one who kidnapped Luo Tan.


    ¡°That¡¯s right, Tan. You¡¯re not fully recovered yet. Where did you go?¡±


    Luo Tan¡¯s expression froze. She could not tell anyone about Shen Miao and Prince Rui. She had to find an excuse to get away with it. She stammered, ¡°I¡­ I just¡­¡±


    ¡°I brought her out.¡± Gao Yang cupped his hands and said, ¡°Miss Luo hasn¡¯t recovered yet, but she¡¯s been cooped up in the house all day and is in a depressed mood. It¡¯s not good for her recovery. I took her out for a walk.¡±


    Hearing this, Luo Xueyan¡¯s suspicious look disappeared. However, there was still a hint of anger in her words. She said to Gao Yang, ¡°Imperial Physician Gao, I know you are being considerate. However, if this happens again, you have to tell the servants. Tan didn¡¯t bring a single maid with her. We thought something happened to her.¡±


    Gao Yang said, ¡°I didn¡¯t think it through. My apology.¡±


    ¡°Forget it, forget it.¡± Luo Xueyan waved her hand.


    Luo Tan heaved a sigh of relief. Although the way she looked at Gao Yang was still not very friendly, it was better than before. Luo Tan was grateful that Gao Yang had taken the blame for her. The Luo family was particular about repaying kindness. Luo Tan thought that she would pay Gao Yang more to even it out.


    ¡°Where is Cousin Ling?¡± Luo Tan craned her neck and looked around. Shen Xin, Luo Xueyan, and Shen Qiu were all here, but Luo Ling was the only one missing.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t he with you?¡± Shen Xin asked with a frown.


    Luo Tan shook her head.


    ¡°That¡¯s strange.¡± Luo Xueyan also said, ¡°Before I went out today, I asked Ling to keep an eye on you. When I came back, I didn¡¯t see him. I thought you guys went out together. Did you only go out with Imperial Physician Gao?¡±


    Luo Tan nodded.


    ¡°Did Cousin Ling go out to buy something?¡± Shen Qiu asked, ¡°It¡¯s getting late. He should be back soon.¡±


    In order to exchange information, members of the Shen family would return home in the evening to tell each other the results of the search. Even if Luo Ling went out to look for someone, he should be back by now.


    ¡°Could it be that he found her?¡± Luo Tan¡¯s heart skipped a beat. ¡°Could it be that Brother Ling found Cousin Miao, so he¡¯s back late?¡±


    Shen Qiu and Luo Xueyan were stunned for a moment before looking happy. ¡°If only that was the case.¡±


    At this moment, a flustered voice suddenly came from outside. ¡°Not good, not good!¡±


    Everyone looked over and saw that the person who came was Luo Ling¡¯s subordinate. He was covered in blood and said, ¡°Not good, something happened to Young Master Ling!¡±

 Chapter 572 - 572 Right Hand (1)

    572 Right Hand (1)


    Everyone hurriedly walked out and saw someone helping Luo Ling in. Luo Ling¡¯s right hand was covered in blood, which was a shocking sight.


    ¡°Brother Ling!¡± Luo Tan was shocked to see Luo Ling being carried in by someone. His face was very pale, and countless drops of sweat rolled down his forehead.


    ¡°Imperial Physician Gao.¡± Luo Xueyan quickly said, ¡°Please take a look at Luo Ling.¡±


    Gao Yang looked a little helpless. He thought that after Luo Tan was alive and kicking, his mission would be completed. He did not expect another patient to come seamlessly. Although he was slightly displeased, he did not show it on his face. Gao Yang said, ¡°Help him into the room. I¡¯ll take a look at him.¡±


    When Luo Ling and Gao Yang entered the bedroom, Shen Xin said angrily to the subordinate who helped Luo Ling back, ¡°What exactly happened? Why is he so seriously injured?!¡±


    The subordinate was also on the verge of tears. He said, ¡°A group of us received a report that someone seemed to have seen Miss Shen¡¯s whereabouts. Young Master Ling brought us to look for her. Later, someone sent a note asking Young Master Ling to go alone. Unexpectedly, it was a trap. Those people seemed to have originally planned to scheme against Young Master Qiu, but they didn¡¯t expect the person to be Young Master Ling. Young Master Ling fought with them. Those people ambushed him and injured his right hand.¡± The subordinate paused and said with a worried expression, ¡°In the early years, Young Master Ling¡¯s right hand was injured once. Later, it healed. However, today, the knife stabbed on his old wound. When we arrived at the scene, he was already like this.¡±


    Luo Xueyan and Shen Xin did not know that Luo Ling¡¯s right hand had been injured before. Hearing this, they looked at Luo Tan and asked, ¡°Was he injured before?¡±


    Luo Tan nodded and said, ¡°When he was young, he went to hunt with Eldest Uncle. While being chased by wild beasts, he fell down the mountain and smashed his hand into a boulder. At that time, all the doctors said that Brother Ling might not be able to keep his hand. However, to everyone¡¯s surprise, he made it.¡±


    Everyone realized the severity of the matter. If Luo Ling had suffered such a serious injury in the past, the new injury would probably be much worse. Shen Qiu said, ¡°Who exactly is plotting behind the scenes? Did you see who they are?¡±


    The subordinate shook his head and said, ¡°Those people are very good at martial arts. They don¡¯t look like ordinary people. Their martial arts are better than Young Master Ling¡¯s.¡±


    ¡°This is strange.¡± Shen Xin said in a low voice, ¡°First Jiaojiao, then Qiu. They¡¯re clearly targeting our family. Damn it! If I don¡¯t find those people and skin them alive, I might as well retire from my post!¡±


    Luo Tan said, ¡°The most important thing now is to treat Brother Ling.¡± Luo Tan was a little anxious. ¡°His injuries are so serious¡­¡±


    The atmosphere in the room immediately became tense.


    After the time it took to burn an incense stick, Gao Yang walked out of the room and closed the door. Everyone looked at him eagerly. Luo Tan couldn¡¯t wait to go forward and ask, ¡°Doctor Gao, how is Brother Ling?¡±


    Gao Yang said, ¡°I¡¯ve already applied medicine for him. It¡¯s a knife wound. The wound is very deep and there¡¯s poison on it. Although it¡¯s not a fatal poison and I¡¯ve removed the poison for him, but¡­¡±


    ¡°But what?¡± Shen Qiu asked.


    ¡°But Young Master Luo¡¯s hand was injured in the early years. Even if he recovers, I¡¯m afraid he won¡¯t be able to carry anything heavy with his right hand.¡±


    Luo Tan took two steps back and suddenly looked at Gao Yang. ¡°What about the weapon?¡±


    Gao Yang shook his head.

 Chapter 573 - 573 Right Hand (2)

    573 Right Hand (2)


    Luo Xueyan accidentally broke the cup. Shen Xin and Shen Qiu gasped at the same time.


    Luo Ling was a child of a general family. This time, Luo Sui asked him to follow Shen Xin to the capital because he wanted him to broaden his horizon and train his mind so that when he returned to Spring City in the future, he would be able to take over the Luo army better. Luo Ling had also practiced martial arts since he was young. Not being able to hold a weapon meant that all these years of hard training would go to waste. This would be a huge blow to Luo Ling.


    ¡°Impossible, impossible!¡± Luo Tan went forward and grabbed Gao Yang¡¯s sleeve. She said anxiously, ¡°Previously, when Brother Ling was injured, those doctors also said that Brother Ling could not use his right hand anymore, but later on, Brother Ling recovered. Aren¡¯t you the best doctor? When those doctors said that I¡¯m hopeless, you were still able to save me from death. If you can save me, you can definitely save Brother Ling¡¯s right hand, right?¡± Luo Tan and Luo Ling were very close and had grown up together, so she naturally could not accept the accident.


    Gao Yang said patiently, ¡°Miss Luo, it¡¯s not that I don¡¯t want to save him, but he is too seriously injured.¡± He added, ¡°In all honesty, if I say someone can¡¯t be treated, then no one in the world can treat him.¡±


    These words almost dashed everyone¡¯s hope.


    ¡°How did this happen?¡± Luo Xueyan almost fainted. ¡°How should I explain it to Brother and Sister-in-law?¡±


    ¡°Did Cousin Ling already know about his injuries?¡± Shen Qiu asked.


    Gao Yang nodded and said, ¡°Compared to his injuries, I think it¡¯s best to focus on his emotions these days. Anyone who suddenly suffers such an accident will inevitably be depressed, especially a proud person like Young Master Luo. This is no different from a disaster to him. If you can¡¯t help him get over it, I¡¯m afraid it will be harmful to his recovery.¡±


    With that, Gao Yang picked up the medicine box at the side and said, ¡°I have to go back to the palace first. I need to prepare a few herbs. I¡¯ll come back to perform acupuncture on Young Master Luo later. Goodbye.¡±


    Gao Yang had been staying in the Shen mansion for the past few days. It had indeed been a long time since he returned to the Imperial Hospital. Luo Xueyan nodded and said, ¡°Sorry for troubling you for the past few days. Qiu, go and send Imperial Physician Gao off.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll go!¡± Luo Tan said. Then, she grabbed Gao Yang¡¯s sleeve and pulled him out of the mansion.


    Gao Yang stared at his sleeve that was almost ripped off by Luo Tan. Luo Tan only stopped when she reached the entrance of the mansion. Luo Tan looked at him and hesitated for a moment before asking, ¡°Doctor Gao, is his right hand really hopeless?¡±


    Gao Yang said helplessly, ¡°I never lie.¡±


    Luo Tan looked a little disappointed. A moment later, she said, ¡°Anyway, thank you for helping me out today.¡±


    ¡°Help you out?¡± Gao Yang looked at her in surprise. ¡°When did I ever help you out?¡±


    Luo Tan looked at him dumbfoundedly. ¡°Didn¡¯t you lie for me in front of my aunt and uncle¡­¡±


    ¡°I was just going with the flow. I¡¯ll talk to you about this in detail in the future when I figure out what I want in return from you.¡± Gao Yang ignored the instant change of expression on Luo Tan¡¯s face and looked outside. ¡°Tsk, it¡¯s getting late. I have to go first. See you another day, Miss Luo.¡± He cupped his hands and left.


    When Gao Yang was out of sight, Luo Tan sighed and was about to return when she saw a carriage running over from the other side. This carriage looked too gorgeous. The sky was a little dark, and Luo Tan could not see it clearly. She saw the carriage stop at the entrance of the Shen mansion and two people walk out.

 Chapter 574 - 574 Right Hand (3)

    574 Right Hand (3)


    Luo Tan rubbed her eyes. After confirming that she was not mistaken, she suddenly shouted, ¡°Cousin!¡±


    Shen Miao was sent back by Princess Rong Xin¡¯s personal maid, Lu Xi. When Shen Miao reached the door, she heard Luo Tan shout. Previously, she heard from Xie Jingxing that Luo Tan was extremely seriously injured. Shen Miao was still very worried. Now that she heard her shout, she was relieved.


    Luo Tan¡¯s shout alarmed Shen Xin and the others inside. Everyone rushed over and looked at Shen Miao in disbelief.


    Luo Xueyan was stunned for two seconds. She quickly walked up to Shen Miao and hugged her, tears flowing down her face. ¡°Jiaojiao!¡±


    Only then did Shen Qiu come back to his senses. He rushed over and shouted excitedly, ¡°Sister, you¡¯re finally back!¡±


    Shen Miao glanced around and said, ¡°Let¡¯s go back inside first. Also, don¡¯t make my return public.¡±


    When they arrived at the hall, Luo Tan asked, ¡°Cousin, what exactly is going on? This person is¡­¡± She looked at Lu Xi.


    Lu Xi bowed to everyone. After all, she was the personal maid beside Princess Rong Xin. Her etiquette was outstanding, and she did not look like an ordinary person. She said, ¡°I¡¯m Princess Rong Xin¡¯s personal maid. The day before yesterday, Her Highness¡¯s guard saved Miss Shen from evil people. Her Highness was afraid that Miss Shen would not be able to explain herself, so she asked me to send Miss Shen back home. Now that she¡¯s here, I should go back.¡±


    Two years ago, Shen Miao was saved by Princess Rong Xin at the Lantern Festival. Two years later, she was saved by Princess Rong Xin again. Shen Xin and Luo Xueyan were a little puzzled. Just as they were about to say something, they saw Shen Miao stand up and smile at Lu Xi. ¡°Thank you, Aunt Xi. I hope you can tell Her Highness for me that I will remember her kindness and will definitely visit her to thank her in the future.¡±


    Lu Xi quickly turned around and said with a smile, ¡°Miss, since you and Her Highness are old friends, there¡¯s no need to stand on ceremony. I¡¯ll go back first. Miss Shen, rest well. Tomorrow, Her Highness will send people to explain this matter to the capital magistrate.¡±


    After sending Lu Xi off, Shen Qiu finally couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Sister, what exactly is going on?¡±


    Shen Miao smiled and said, ¡°It¡¯s nothing. The people who kidnapped me that day actually mistook me for someone else and kidnapped the wrong person. Later, when they were about to release me, Princess Rong Xin¡¯s guard happened to pass by. The guard saw me once. He felt that I was in danger, so he saved me. Later, I told Princess Rong Xin what happened, and Her Highness planned to help me out.¡± She did not want to tell Shen Xin everything for the time being because it involved Princess Ming An. The relationship between the State of Qin and Ming Qi was now complicated. If Shen Xin was not careful, it would be easy for him to get dragged into the mess. Shen Miao had worked hard to pull the Shen family away from the mess. How could she allow herself to repeat the mistake of her previous life?


    Most importantly, she had discussed this excuse with Xie Jingxing. Although she did not know what Xie Jingxing was up to, Shen Miao thought that with Xie Jingxing¡¯s methods, Princess Ming An and the Xie brothers would definitely suffer a huge blow. Since that was the case, it was not necessary for Shen Xin to get involved.

 Chapter 575 - 575 Right Hand (4)

    575 Right Hand (4)


    Shen Xin frowned. ¡°Jiaojiao, tell me the truth. Does this have anything to do with Princess Ming An?¡±


    Shen Miao¡¯s heart raced.


    Shen Xin was not a fool. From the time the Shen family returned to the capital until now, the only person they had offended was probably that arrogant princess of the State of Qin.


    Shen Miao said, ¡°Father, what are you thinking? This is Ming Qi¡¯s territory. Even if Princess Ming An wants to deal with me, the crown prince of the State of Qin is not a fool. How can he let her cause trouble at this juncture?¡± Seeing that Shen Xin and Luo Xueyan still did not believe her, Shen Miao raised her arm and said softly, ¡°That day, they threw me out of the carriage. My hand hurt from the fall and I¡¯m very hungry. Mother, I want to eat.¡±


    When Luo Xueyan heard that, she couldn¡¯t care less about anything else. As she instructed the kitchen to prepare food, she asked the maid to help Shen Miao back to her room to rest.


    Luo Xueyan went to the kitchen to make soup. Shen Xin frowned and pulled Shen Qiu to do something. Luo Tan and Shen Miao returned to the room together. After Shen Miao sat down on the couch, Luo Tan said, ¡°Cousin, you were lying just now, right? Actually, it was Princess Ming An who did it, right?¡±


    Shen Miao¡¯s heart skipped a beat. She asked, ¡°Why do you say that?¡±


    Luo Tan rubbed her arm and pretended to have goosebumps all over her body. ¡°The way you acted like a spoiled child just now really gave me goosebumps. You were obviously acting just to get them to stop pestering you with questions.¡±


    Shen Miao chuckled and sized up Luo Tan again. ¡°I heard that you were seriously injured. Why are you bouncing around? Why don¡¯t you take some rest?¡±


    Luo Tan did a twirl. ¡°Doctor Gao from the palace is very skilled. He can revive the dead. I¡¯m lucky.¡± She looked at Shen Miao with bright eyes. ¡°I just asked Prince Rui for help this afternoon, and you came back tonight. Prince Rui is really resourceful. This speed is unexpected. I thought I would have to wait a few days. So in fact, that personal maid Lu Xi is just an actress, right?¡± Luo Tan sighed and said, ¡°This Prince Rui is really considerate.¡±


    Shen Miao was speechless.¡±


    Xie Jingxing had saved Shen Miao long before Luo Tan went to Prince Rui¡¯s mansion. When Luo Tan went, Shen Miao was probably already in the princess¡¯s mansion. Poor Luo Tan, she really thought that Xie Jingxing was so capable. Shen Miao thought to herself, but she did not correct Luo Tan. She thought of something and said, ¡°But why didn¡¯t I see Cousin Ling?¡± She asked, ¡°Has Cousin Ling gone out?¡±


    Luo Tan¡¯s originally happy face instantly darkened. Seeing this, Shen Miao was a little puzzled and asked, ¡°Why do you look so sad?¡±


    ¡°Cousin Ling is not doing well.¡± Luo Tan¡¯s voice was a little obscure. ¡°Gao Yang said that he will never be able to use his right hand again in this life¡­ Go and take a look.¡±


    ¡­


    In the Marquis¡¯s mansion, Xie Changwu was also on tenterhooks.


    After returning from the banquet with Xie Ding, Xie Changwu couldn¡¯t find Xie Changchao anywhere. Not only was there no sign of Xie Changchao in the secret room, but there was also no sign of Shen Miao. What puzzled him even more was that there was no sign of a fight happening in the secret room.


    Now, with the captive missing, when Princess Ming An sent someone over to ask, Xie Changwu could only find an excuse to brush him off. However, under the calm surface, he was burning with anxiety.

 Chapter 576 - 576 Right Hand (5)

    576 Right Hand (5)


    He sent his servants to go to the places Xie Changchao frequented the most. However, no matter how he looked, it was as if Xie Changchao and Shen Miao had disappeared from the face of the earth. For some reason, the longer time passed, the more uneasy Xie Changwu felt. He tried to find out if Shen Miao had returned home, but there was no sign of Shen Miao in the Shen mansion. This put Xie Changwu a little at ease.


    After a few days, even Xie Ding became suspicious and asked why he did not see Xie Changchao for so long. Xie Changwu could only say that Xie Changchao had gone out of the city to hunt with his friends. When Concubine Fang asked, he said the same thing. Princess Ming An sent someone to deliver a message that if the Xie brothers still did not take action, she would take Shen Miao away and do it herself.


    Xie Changwu was panicking. Now, not to mention Shen Miao, even Xie Changchao was missing. If Princess Ming An found out, she would blame him for not doing his job well. Not only would she not put in a good word for the two of them in front of Fu Xiuyi, but they would probably suffer a lot of humiliation. Xie Changwu really regretted agreeing to such a task.


    No matter what, Xie Changwu still kept sending people to search for Xie Changchao. A few days ago, they kidnapped Shen Miao, and the Shen family searched the entire city for her. Now, it was Xie Changwu¡¯s turn to search the entire city for Xie Changchao. How ironic!


    Xie Changwu naturally did not know that the brother he was searching for was now in Xie Jingxing¡¯s hands.


    Tie Yi followed behind the purple-robed young man and said, ¡°Xie Changchao¡¯s corpse is in the tower jail, stored in the ice coffin. Master, when will you use it?¡±


    ¡°Leave it for now. There¡¯s no hurry.¡± Xie Jingxing said, ¡°We can¡¯t waste such a good thing.¡±


    He slowly walked into the mansion. As soon as he entered the courtyard, he saw Ji Yushu, who was wearing a purple robe and a silver mask, chasing after the white tiger called Jiaojiao. As he chased, he said, ¡°Little brat, don¡¯t you recognize me? Open your eyes and look carefully. Come over!¡±


    Tie Yi was speechless. Only a person like Ji Yushu would pretend to be Xie Jingxing to tease a tiger.


    The white tiger was escaping from Ji Yushu¡¯s ¡°warm¡± arms. When it suddenly saw Xie Jingxing and Tie Yi coming, it turned around halfway and suddenly rushed towards Xie Jingxing. It bit the corner of Xie Jingxing¡¯s robe and shook its head happily.


    Xie Jingxing leaned over and picked up the white tiger. He looked at the ¡°Xie Jingxing¡± and said with a faint smile, ¡°Did you have a good time while I¡¯m gone?¡±


    ¡°Third Brother!¡± The fake Xie Jingxing took off his mask, revealing Ji Yushu¡¯s sweaty face. Ji Yushu panted and waved his hand. ¡°Third Brother, I didn¡¯t want to pretend to be you. Today, a girl came to look for you for help. Gao Yang insisted that I pretend to be you. However, I can assure you that I did quite well. When that girl saw me, she knelt down without a word and kowtowed to me many times.¡±


    ¡°A girl?¡± Xie Jingxing raised his eyebrows and looked at Tie Yi. Tie Yi quickly said, ¡°In the afternoon, Miss Luo and Young Master Gao came. At that time, Young Master Ji pretended to be you and agreed to Miss Luo¡¯s request¡­ Then, the two of them left.¡±


    Ji Yushu emphasized, ¡°Gao Yang forced me to do that!¡±


    As they spoke, they heard Tie Yi say, ¡°Young Master Gao is here.¡±

 Chapter 577 - 577 Right Hand (6)

    577 Right Hand (6)


    Who else could the person in white be but Gao Yang? Gao Yang¡¯s white clothes did not look as clean and new as before, and his face was a little haggard. In the afternoon, Ji Yushu was busy acting and did not look at Gao Yang carefully. Now that he saw him, he said in surprise, ¡°Gao Yang, why do you look ten years older?¡±


    Originally, when Gao Yang and Xie Jingxing stood side by side, his handsomeness was on par with Xie Jingxing¡¯s. Now that he stood next to Xie Jingxing, he was almost invisible.


    ¡°Don¡¯t mention it.¡± Gao Yang said, ¡°I¡¯ve been treating Miss Luo for the past few days. Do they really think I¡¯m just a normal doctor?¡± As he spoke, he looked a little angry. ¡°I¡¯m not a doctor. I¡¯m an imperial physician!¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the difference?¡± Ji Yushu ignored him and looked at Xie Jingxing. ¡°Have you found Fifth Miss Shen?¡±


    Xie Jingxing nodded.


    Ji Yushu heaved a sigh of relief and said, ¡°I¡¯m worried sick. If a good person like Fifth Miss Shen was really harmed by someone, I¡¯m afraid I won¡¯t be able to sleep well.¡±


    Xie Jingxing looked at him coldly. ¡°Oh? Are you very familiar with Shen Miao?¡±


    Ji Yushu instinctively sensed danger and subconsciously shook his head. He felt that Xie Jingxing¡¯s gaze was unfathomable. He quickly said, ¡°Third Brother, aren¡¯t you friends with her? I¡¯m not worried about her, I¡¯m worried about you. Now that you¡¯ve saved her, I¡¯m very happy. I think Fifth Miss Shen will be very grateful to you.¡±


    ¡°Bootlicker!¡± Gao Yang said disdainfully.


    ¡°None of your business,¡± Ji Yushu retorted.


    Gao Yang took a deep breath and asked Xie Jingxing with a serious expression, ¡°Did Princess Ming An do it?¡±


    In the entire capital, other than Princess Ming An, there was really no one else who dared to do anything to Shen Miao. If others had designs on Shen Miao, they had to take the Shen family into consideration. Everyone knew that Shen Xin doted on his daughter the most. If they wanted to touch Shen Miao, it would be no different from pulling the hair off a tiger¡¯s head. Only someone as brainless as Princess Ming An would do it.


    ¡°Not only that.¡± Xie Jingxing said indifferently, ¡°Xie Changwu and Xie Changchao are also involved.¡±


    ¡°Are they crazy?¡± Gao Yang could not hide his surprise. ¡°Even if Princess Ming An promised them benefits, how can Xie Changwu and Xie Changchao be so stupid as to use their lives to take the risk?¡±


    Most people would weigh the pros and cons before making a decision. But what Xie Changchao and Xie Changwu did was really not worth it. Gao Yang could not understand. The two brothers of the Xie family even went so far as to become enemies with the Shen family just to climb up. Did they ever think about the consequences?


    ¡°They¡¯ve probably lived a comfortable life for too long.¡± Xie Jingxing smiled coldly. ¡°They¡¯re just two idiots.¡±


    Gao Yang and Ji Yushu were silent for a moment. They could feel a coldness spreading out from Xie Jingxing. After silently mourning for the Xie brothers for a moment, Gao Yang said, ¡°Actually, Princess Ming An didn¡¯t just make a move on Shen Miao this time.¡±


    Xie Jingxing turned around and frowned. ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°They even tried to scheme against Shen Qiu. Today, in the Shen mansion, I heard that someone used Shen Miao¡¯s whereabouts to lure Shen Qiu out and set a trap for him. After Shen Qiu was alone, they waited for an opportunity to attack him. Those people¡¯s martial arts are top-notch. I think it¡¯s probably Princess Ming An¡¯s doing.¡±


    Not only did she want to destroy Shen Miao, but she also wanted to destroy Shen Qiu. Shen Miao and Shen Qiu were the two juniors of the Shen family. As long as she destroyed these two people, it would be difficult for the Shen family to rise again. Moreover, given the close relationship between Shen Miao and Shen Qiu, if Shen Miao came back to find that Shen Qiu was seriously injured for her, she would probably blame herself for the rest of her life. There was no worse punishment than making one live with remorse. Princess Ming An was indeed ruthless.


    Xie Jingxing panicked slightly and asked, ¡°How did it turn out?¡±


    ¡°Shen Qiu didn¡¯t fall for it,¡± Gao Yang said.


    Only then did Xie Jingxing look relieved. However, before he could speak, Gao Yang continued.


    ¡°However¡­ Although Shen Qiu did not fall for it, the young master of the Luo family didn¡¯t manage to escape it. Those people lured Luo Ling out and thought that he was Shen Qiu. Luo Ling¡¯s martial arts are not as good as Shen Qiu¡¯s, so he did not end up well in the hands of those people.¡±


    Xie Jingxing raised an eyebrow. ¡°How is he now?¡±


    ¡°Not good.¡± Gao Yang said, ¡°Even with my medical skills, I¡¯m helpless. He probably won¡¯t be able to hold a sword with his right hand in this life.¡±


    Xie Jingxing was stunned. His beautiful eyes gradually darkened, and his gaze turned cold.

 Chapter 578 - 578 Pastry (1)

    578 Pastry (1)


    On this day, the weather was warm. The sun was shining brightly outside. In the east courtyard of the Shen family, Chen Ruoqiu and Shen Yue were sitting and chatting.


    Over the past few days, because Chen Ruoqiu asked Shen Yue to start choosing a husband, Shen Yue and Chen Ruoqiu had quarreled a few times. Shen Yue had no choice but to go out with Chen Ruoqiu to meet all these young masters. After a few times, the mother and daughter became enemies.


    It was rare to see them sitting together so peacefully today.


    ¡°I heard that Shen Miao was kidnapped. There¡¯s still no news of her.¡± Shen Yue picked up a fruit from the porcelain plate on the table and ate it. As she ate, she looked like she was gloating. ¡°I wonder if she¡¯s still alive.¡±


    Chen Ruoqiu frowned. She had always wanted to train Shen Yue to be calm and composed. At least on the surface, she could maintain calmness at all times, but compared to Chen Ruoqiu when she was young, Shen Yue was much more quick-tempered. She showed all her emotions on her face, especially at home, which made Chen Ruoqiu very worried.


    ¡°Who would kidnap her?¡± Shen Yue pondered and said, ¡°Eldest Uncle has many enemies in the capital. I wonder who did it this time.¡±


    ¡°Since they dare to take such a risk, they must have a deep hatred for Shen Miao.¡± Chen Ruoqiu said, ¡°Besides, the Shen army has been searching for her for a few days, but they haven¡¯t found her. Shen Miao is not likely to survive this calamity.¡±


    Hearing this, Shen Yue looked a little afraid at first. Suddenly, she thought of something and smiled. ¡°Speaking of which, I¡¯d rather she survived.¡± She did not continue.


    After being abducted for so long, if she was still alive, she must have suffered a lot of inhumane torture. Rumors were the most hurtful in the world. If Shen Miao died, she would not need to care about the rumors. If she was alive, who knew what nasty words people would say about her? How many girls in the capital were kidnapped and saved? Although she survived, in the end, she would most likely kill herself because of all the criticism.


    Moreover, Shen Miao was the daughter of the mighty general.


    Chen Ruoqiu glanced at Shen Yue and sighed. ¡°No matter what, this is still her business. Yue, you haven¡¯t spoken to your father these days. How long are you going to throw a tantrum?¡±


    Shen Yue hated Shen Wan more than Chen Ruoqiu. She found out from the servants that Shen Wan was the one who instigated Chen Ruoqiu to look for a husband for Shen Yue in such a hurry. Therefore, Shen Yue pushed all the blame to Shen Wan, thinking that Shen Wan wanted her to get married early for the sake of his official career. Therefore, Shen Yue had not spoken to Shen Wan for the past few days. Hearing this, Shen Yue said impatiently, ¡°Father is nowhere to be seen all day. How can I talk to him?¡± After saying that, she turned around angrily and ignored Chen Ruoqiu.


    Chen Ruoqiu also noticed it. She did not know if it was because he had been too busy in the imperial court these days, but she didn¡¯t get to see Shen Wan as often.


    Chen Ruoqiu sighed in her heart. Old Madam Shen was urging Shen Wan to take in a concubine. If her marriage with Shen Was was in danger of breaking up, she would face the greatest crisis.


    Chen Ruoqiu did not know that at this moment, Shen Wan, who she thought was ¡°busy in the imperial court¡±, was playing chess with Chang Zaiqing in the west courtyard.


    Chang Zaiqing was wearing a green shirt and a light yellow palace satin dress. Her hair was tied into a bun, making her look especially elegant and gentle. The tea she made was extremely tasty. Shen Wan, who loved tea, often came here to talk about tea with her. When he came to talk about tea, Chang Zaiqing would ask him questions about chess. Gradually, Shen Wan got used to coming here.

 Chapter 579 - 579 Pastry (2)

    579 Pastry (2)


    Chang Zaiqing smiled and asked, ¡°I heard that Fifth Miss Shen was kidnapped a few days ago. I wonder if she¡¯s been found.¡±


    ¡°Still no news yet.¡± Shen Wan shook his head.


    Chang Zaiqing sighed. ¡°Why did such a tragedy happen to a girl¡­ In your opinion, was Fifth Miss Shen harmed by General Shen¡¯s enemies?¡±


    Shen Wan said, ¡°That¡¯s hard to say. After all, Shen Miao was the only one who was kidnapped. However, it¡¯s been so long. I¡¯m afraid even if she¡¯s found¡­¡±


    Chang Zaiqing looked sad, but she was secretly delighted. She did not know why, but when she faced Shen Miao, she felt an instinctive fear. Perhaps it was because of what Shen Miao said to her last time, or perhaps it was because Shen Miao read her mind too thoroughly. No matter what, with such a person around, Chang Zaiqing would always be uneasy. Hearing Shen Wan say that, she was very happy.


    In the Shen family, there were also people talking about Shen Miao in Rosy Cloud Garden.


    Concubine Wan said, ¡°I originally thought that it was really not good for you to stay in the mansion all day. Now, it seems like it¡¯s a good thing. There are so many kidnappers on the street outside, and you¡¯re good-looking. If you¡¯re kidnapped and harmed, I don¡¯t know what I¡¯m gonna do with my life.¡± As she spoke, she stopped sewing and said, ¡°I wonder if Fifth Miss is dead or alive.¡±


    When Shen Dongling, who was helping Concubine Wan with the embroidery, heard this, she smiled. ¡°Mother, that¡¯s not something a kidnapper can do.¡±


    Concubine Wan widened her eyes. ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°No kidnappers will blatantly abduct people on the street. Even if they do, they won¡¯t abduct an official¡¯s daughter, especially someone with a powerful background. Those people are obviously targeting Fifth Sister. I think they¡¯re probably enemies of the first branch. They just happened to bump into Fifth Sister.¡± Although Shen Dongling said that, she did not look sad, as if she was talking about something that happened to a stranger..


    Concubine Wan sighed. ¡°Fifth Miss¡¯s life is over. She was reincarnated into such a good family and blessed with such good parents, but she didn¡¯t have the chance to enjoy her life.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not necessarily the case.¡± Shen Dongling smiled. ¡°Fifth Sister can always escape danger with the help of someone. Who knows if someone will save her this time?¡±


    As they spoke, Shen Dongling¡¯s personal maid, Xing Hua, rushed in from outside, as if she had something to say.


    ¡°Concubine Wan, Third Miss, I heard that Fifth Miss was sent back to the Shen mansion in Princess Rong Xin¡¯s carriage. She¡¯s safe and sound!¡±


    ¡°Mother, look.¡± Shen Dongling smiled. ¡°I knew it. Fifth Sister is very capable.¡±


    ¡­


    A few days later, the news of Shen Miao being sent back by Princess Rong Xin¡¯s personal maid spread and caused another sensation in the capital.


    The story that circulated went as follows. After Shen Miao was abducted by the kidnappers, the kidnappers wanted to transport her out of the city. However, that day, the Shen army imposed martial law and was investigating house by house. On the way to transport Shen Miao, Shen Miao escaped and fell on her leg and fainted. However, she happened to meet Princess Rong Xin¡¯s guard. The guard sent Shen Miao back to the princess¡¯s mansion. When Shen Miao woke up, she saw Princess Rong Xin. There was no news of her whereabouts for the past few days because Shen Miao was not fully conscious. The people of the princess¡¯s mansion did not know her identity, so they did not inform the Shen family.


    All in all, Shen Miao was safe and sound and didn¡¯t suffer humiliation.

 Chapter 580 - 580 Pastry (3)

    580 Pastry (3)


    Perhaps there were still some voices of doubt, but most people did not doubt this story, because the person who spoke was Princess Rong Xin, who was the most impartial in Ming Qi. Since Princess Rong Xin had already said so, it should really be the case.


    However, what was strange was that ever since Shen Miao was sent back, she did not appear in public. Some people said that it was because Shen Miao was actually very seriously injured, so she could not go out now. Some people said that it was because the Shen family wanted to protect Shen Miao well and did not let her out of the mansion, in case she encountered something similar.


    No matter what, Shen Miao had returned home. It was just that no one had seen her with their own eyes.


    At this moment, Shen Miao was standing in front of Luo Ling¡¯s room.


    Luo Tan¡¯s words kept echoing in Shen Miao¡¯s ears. ¡°Little Cousin, go and persuade Brother Ling. Although Brother Ling doesn¡¯t say it, we all know that he must be very sad. We¡¯re all clumsy and don¡¯t know how to comfort him. Little Cousin, you¡¯ve read so many books and know what others are thinking the best. If you go and persuade Brother Ling, Brother Ling will probably listen to you. When we were in Xiaochun City, Brother Ling would listen to everything you said. This time, I beg you on behalf of the entire Luo family.¡±


    Shen Miao sighed in her heart and hesitated for a moment before knocking on the door.


    ¡°Who is it?¡± someone asked.


    ¡°It¡¯s me, Cousin Ling.¡±


    After a moment of silence, someone said, ¡°Come in.¡±


    Shen Miao walked in with a bamboo basket in her hand. As soon as she entered the room, she placed the bamboo basket on the desk.


    Luo Ling sat at the table with some books on it. His face was a little pale, and his hand was bandaged. He smiled at her and said, ¡°Cousin, you¡¯re here.¡±


    As the eldest grandson of the Luo family, Luo Ling had been the gentlest and most stable among the four juniors since he was young. He was a true gentleman. Unlike Pei Lang, who was selfish and cold-blooded at heart, Luo Ling was a person who could give people the warmth they needed.


    When Luo Ling found out that Shen Miao had returned safely, he was naturally happy for her, but he did not mention anything about his injured right hand. When he spoke during meals, he was laughing and smiling, as if he had never been injured. If he did not say anything, no one would dare to bring it up. However, the calmer Luo Ling was, the more uneasy people felt.


    Luo Tan came to beg Shen Miao, hoping that she could persuade Luo Ling.


    ¡°I brought you some pastries.¡± Shen Miao smiled and took out the plate containing the pastries from the bamboo basket. ¡°I added cow milk and honey. It¡¯s probably good for your injury.¡±


    She was the first person to directly say ¡°injury¡± to Luo Ling.


    Luo Ling paused for a moment before saying with a smile, ¡°But I just drank the medicine and can¡¯t eat it now. Cousin, leave it here. I¡¯ll try it later.¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t eat it.¡± Shen Miao looked at him and asked, ¡°Or you don¡¯t feel like eating it?¡±


    Luo Ling¡¯s hand that was holding the book trembled slightly. Then, he looked up and smiled. ¡°What do you mean? Are you angry because I didn¡¯t eat the pastry immediately?¡±


    Shen Miao sat down opposite Luo Ling.


    Luo Ling reminded her of someone, Wanyu.


    Luo Ling was gentle and tolerant, and he would not take it to heart even if he was hard done by. This characteristic of his was almost the same as Wanyu. Back then, perhaps because Wanyu knew that Shen Miao wasn¡¯t favored by Fu Xiuyi, or perhaps because she understood the danger of life in the palace, she didn¡¯t have the arrogance of a pampered princess at all. Later, Consort Mei urged Fu Xiuyi to marry Wanyu to Xiongnu. Shen Miao was in so much pain that she wanted to die. Wanyu comforted her, ¡°The grassland is not a bad place to be. I¡¯ve never been to the grassland in my life. Mother, if I see anything new and interesting, I¡¯ll definitely write a letter to you to share it with you.¡±

 Chapter 581 - 581 Pastry (4)

    581 Pastry (4)


    Wanyu and Luo Ling would never mention the pain they had suffered. Instead, they would smile at the person who cared about them.


    Shen Miao said, ¡°Is it so difficult to admit that you are angry, sad, and frustrated?¡±


    Luo Ling was stunned.


    ¡°Cousin Ling, you don¡¯t seem to plan to blame anyone, right?¡± Shen Miao said, ¡°Not blaming anyone means you are blaming yourself, right?¡±


    Luo Ling stared at Shen Miao for a while and suddenly smiled sadly. ¡°Cousin, do you have to be so straightforward?¡±


    Shen Miao said, ¡°If you keep everything to yourself, I will blame myself and live in guilt for the rest of my life because you suffered this injury for me.¡±


    Luo Ling was stunned. ¡°Cousin¡­¡±


    ¡°Cousin Ling, do you think everyone will be happy and forget about what happened just because you pretend that nothing happened? No! if you¡¯re unhappy deep down, everyone will be unhappy too.¡± Shen Miao¡¯s voice was very gentle, but her words were very sharp. She said, ¡°We only have a few decades to live. It¡¯s true that making compromises is a way to live, but sometimes, it¡¯s not necessarily bad to just be yourself. Why do you have to suffer for others? If you¡¯re unhappy, you can say it. You can be angry, hate, or complain. It¡¯s not a big deal.¡±


    This was probably the first time Luo Ling had heard such a thing. He sized up Shen Miao as if it was the first time he had seen her. Luo Ling felt that this little cousin of his had a clear line between love and hate. She was young but had an incredible bearing. She looked gentle but was stubborn. What Shen Miao said made Luo Ling change his opinion about her. In Shen Miao¡¯s heart, she had a cynical take on the social norms.


    It was as if she had no regard for the so-called good and bad, justice and virtue.


    ¡°Who should I hate? Who should I blame? Who should I be angry at?¡± Luo Ling asked.


    ¡°You can blame me because you fell into someone else¡¯s trap because of me. You can hate the mastermind because those people caused you to be injured. You can even be angry that no one in the capital can treat your injuries. They¡¯re all quacks. The only person you shouldn¡¯t blame is yourself.¡± Shen Miao said, ¡°Good people blame themselves, and bad people blame others, but bad people have a much easier life than good people. So if you can make yourself happier by blaming others, why not?¡±


    Luo Ling smiled and said, ¡°Little cousin, are you comforting me?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Shen Miao said, ¡°I said so much because I want you to stop burying everything in your heart.¡±


    Luo Ling sighed. ¡°That¡¯s right. After the injury, I¡¯m indeed unhappy. However, Aunt and Uncle are already blaming themselves, so I can¡¯t bring myself to make things harder for them. Tan is already worried about me all day long. I only blame myself for not practicing martial arts hard enough and letting the enemy get the upper hand of me. I blame myself for not being smart enough and being easily taken advantage of.¡±


    ¡°What about you now?¡± Shen Miao asked.


    Luo Ling said with a smile, ¡°Maybe you¡¯re right. I¡¯m not the one who should hate and be angry.¡±


    ¡°Being angry is not something you should forever be doing,¡± Shen Miao said. ¡°Since you can¡¯t use your right hand, why don¡¯t you try your left hand?¡±


    Luo Ling was stunned.


    ¡°I heard that there was a general in the previous dynasty who was brave and good at fighting. Later, he lost his right hand on the battlefield. The world thought that he would be dispirited, but he started to use his left hand. Later, he created a unique ¡®left-handed sword technique¡¯.¡± Shen Miao smiled. ¡°Cousin Ling, what do you think?¡±

 Chapter 582 - 582 Pastry (5)

    582 Pastry (5)


    When Luo Ling heard Shen Miao¡¯s words, a strange light gradually appeared in his eyes. He looked at Shen Miao with an excited gaze and said, ¡°Cousin, this story you told is really good.¡±


    ¡°I believe you can repeat the story.¡±


    Luo Ling laughed out loud. Luo Tan, who was eavesdropping outside, was shocked. Even through the door, one could hear the joy in his laughter.


    What did Shen Miao say to Luo Ling?


    ¡°Is this how you can face any difficulties calmly and walk step by step to your current invincible position?¡± Luo Ling asked.


    !!


    Shen Miao smiled. ¡°It¡¯s too early to say that I¡¯m invincible.¡±


    ¡°Looks like it.¡±


    Shen Miao neither confirmed nor denied it. Luo Ling was right, but not completely. If a person could experience what it meant to fall from the most noble position to the bottom of the abyss, to have everything they loved taken, and to have their loved ones killed, all because of a stubborn mistake in the beginning, they would know that nothing was more important than living. Not only did they have to live, but they also had to live well so that one day, they would be able to make a comeback, and one day, they could make their enemy have a taste of their own medicine.


    Shen Miao blamed herself too, just like Luo Ling. She often blamed herself for forcing the entire first branch of the Shen family to their demise because of her selfishness. In this life, she was trying her best to make up for this mistake. Fortunately, there was still time.


    She looked at Luo Ling and smiled. ¡°Cousin Ling, from today onwards, you won¡¯t be reading in the study all day, right?¡±


    Ever since Luo Ling¡¯s right hand was injured, Luo Ling had locked himself up in the study, reading all day long. Everyone knew that Luo Ling wanted to be alone because he was depressed.


    ¡°I will not let you down.¡± Luo Ling smiled.


    Shen Miao nodded. ¡°Then I¡¯m relieved.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s it?¡± Luo Ling looked at her and blinked mischievously. ¡°Since you are also the cause of my injury, you have to continue making these pastries for me as a compensation.¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± Shen Miao replied. ¡°Cousin, if you want to eat, tell me at any time. I¡¯ll make it and send it over.¡±


    Luo Ling stared at Shen Miao. The girl in front of him was smiling sweetly. She had a delicate and pretty face that could even be considered a little pure and childish. However, every time she spoke, she could make people feel at peace. If it were anyone else here to persuade him today, Luo Ling would be able to hold his ground. However, in front of Shen Miao, he felt like he was facing a respected elder.


    Luo Ling was shocked by his thoughts. Then, he found it a little funny. Shen Miao was only 16 years old now, a few years younger than him. No matter how mature Shen Miao was, she couldn¡¯t possibly be an elder.


    His gaze gradually softened. He looked at Shen Miao and teased, ¡°If I can¡¯t master the left-handed sword technique in the future, Cousin, don¡¯t turn me down because of that.¡± As soon as he said that, Luo Ling felt that he was being a little rude. However, for some reason, he looked at Shen Miao hopefully, as if he wanted to hear the answer he was looking forward to from her.

 Chapter 583 - 583 Pastry (6)

    583 Pastry (6)


    Shen Miao was slightly stunned. When she met Luo Ling¡¯s gaze, she felt a little awkward.


    Ever since she was reborn, Shen Miao had never had any thoughts about her marriage. If she could find a stable person to live with for the rest of her life, as long as that person respected her, it did not matter if she loved him or not. Therefore, Shen Miao had never fantasized about her future husband.


    However, Luo Ling¡­ Shen Miao sighed in her heart. She smiled and said indifferently, ¡°Cousin, you must be joking. Who will turn down such an excellent man like you?¡±


    She did not answer Luo Ling¡¯s question.


    The hope in Luo Ling¡¯s eyes gradually faded. After a moment of silence, he smiled and said, ¡°No matter what, thank you for comforting me.¡±


    !!


    ¡°You¡¯re welcome.¡± Shen Miao said, ¡°We¡¯re all family.¡±


    Shen Miao sat there for a while longer before getting up to leave. After Shen Miao left, Luo Ling sat at the table, looking like he was thinking about something. After being in a daze for a long time, he took a deep breath. His gaze landed on the plate with pastries at the corner of the table. He thought for a moment and was about to reach out to take it.


    For some reason, a gust of wind suddenly blew in from outside. The heavy porcelain plate fell to the ground with a bang, and fragments flew everywhere. The ink box on the table was knocked over, and a lot of ink splashed on the pastry.


    Luo Ling was stunned. He stood up to take a look, only to see that the window was tightly shut. He couldn¡¯t help but mutter, ¡°How did the wind get in here?¡± Then, his gaze landed on the pastry that was already contaminated by ink and he said regretfully, ¡°What a pity.¡±


    ¡­


    On the other side, Shen Miao returned to the house and lit the oil lamp. She asked Jingzhe and Gu Yu to leave before entering the room.


    What happened to Luo Ling was indeed an accident. Shen Miao really did not expect Princess Ming An to be so ruthless. Not only did she want to deal with Shen Miao, but she also wanted to deal with Shen Qiu. This time, if not for Luo Ling taking the bullet for Shen Qiu, Shen Miao did not know what would happen to Shen Qiu. Princess Ming An was even more arrogant than in her previous life. Moreover, because of a freak combination of circumstances, Princess Ming An¡¯s hatred towards Shen Miao was at an all time high. It was really difficult to feel at ease with such a crazy woman around. Shen Miao had to get rid of her as soon as possible.


    The tricky thing was that Xie Jingxing was also involved in this matter.


    Shen Miao did not know how Xie Jingxing wanted to deal with Princess Ming An, but on the way to Princess Rong Xin¡¯s mansion that day, Xie Jingxing told her not to go out for the next few days and not to be seen. Although she did not know anything about Xie Jingxing¡¯s plan, she knew that Xie Changwu would be his next target.


    Shen Miao always liked the idea of using someone as a knife. However, when she thought about how Xie Jingxing had never been a good person who helped others for nothing and how cunning he was, she felt that it was not a good idea to get Xie Jingxing to do it for her.


    As she was thinking, she saw the candle light sway slightly, and a shadow suddenly appeared on the screen.


    At this moment, Shen Miao was no longer surprised. She turned around as usual and saw Xie Jingxing walking in.


    Why did this person come uninvited like he was touring the garden of his mansion? Shen Miao was a little angry. She glared at Xie Jingxing as he walked to the table and sat down.


    Today, he was not wearing his usual purple and gold robe. Instead, he was wearing a black brocade robe. If not for the silver collar, he would have almost blended into the night. However, the night could not hide his good looks. His eyes were sparkling like stars, looking especially sharp today.


    ¡°There¡¯s no tea or pastries?¡± Xie Jingxing raised an eyebrow. ¡°Is this how you treat your guests?¡±


    Shen Miao said, ¡°I don¡¯t think I invited you.¡±


    ¡°Even if I¡¯m not a guest, I¡¯m at least your ally.¡± Xie Jingxing turned to look at her and slowly smiled. ¡°I¡¯m also my savior.¡±


    Shen Miao was speechless. Xie Jingxing had already claimed to be her savior. What else could she say? She might as well not say anything. Shen Miao watched as Xie Jingxing poured himself a cup of tea and drank it in one go. For some reason, he looked a little unhappy.


    She did not know who was so bald as to provoke the king of hell.

 Chapter 584 - 584 Angry (1)

    584 Angry (1)


    Shen Miao thought for a moment and asked Xie Jingxing, ¡°How do you plan to deal with Princess Ming¡¯an and Xie Changwu?¡±


    Although she repeatedly reminded herself not to be curious about Xie Jingxing or stick her nose into his business, Shen Miao still couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Are you planning to kill Xie Changwu?¡±


    ¡°What do you think? Should I wait for him to scheme against me and stab me in the back,¡± Xie Jingxing asked.


    Shen Miao rolled her eyes. Even if Xie Changwu really wanted to scheme against Xie Jingxing, he might not have the ability to do so. Not to mention that Xie Jingxing was Prince Rui of the Daliang Dynasty now, even when he was still the young marquis of the Marquis of Lin¡¯an, the Xie brothers did not have a good time fighting him.


    ¡°Actually, you can choose not to kill him. You could even choose not to kill Xie Changchao.¡± Shen Miao said, ¡°Your father¡­ I mean the Marquis of Lin¡¯an. If he loses two sons in a row, he will definitely do all he can to get to the bottom of it. I know you are resourceful and have tricks up your sleeve, but it¡¯s best to avoid unnecessary trouble.¡±


    !!


    Xie Jingxing¡¯s eyes turned cold. ¡°I have the right to decide if I want to kill them or not.¡± Suddenly, he glanced at Shen Miao and smiled. ¡°You seem to have realized that you are my ally now. Are you worried about me?¡± His tone suddenly became more frivolous. However, compared to the frivolousness of a young man two years ago, when Xie Jingxing, who had become more and more handsome, did this again, it made people unable to take their eyes off him.


    Shen Miao looked away calmly and said, ¡°I¡¯m worried that you¡¯ll pull me into trouble.¡±


    Xie Jingxing sneered and smiled playfully. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I have a way to protect you, and I have a way to protect myself. I won¡¯t cause trouble for anyone.¡±


    Xie Jingxing stood up and walked up to Shen Miao. He was extremely tall, and when he was beside Shen Miao, Shen Miao couldn¡¯t help but feel pressured. Usually, when he spoke to Shen Miao, he was either indifferent or flirtatious, which eased the pressure. Today, for some reason, Shen Miao felt that Xie Jingxing¡¯s gaze was much sharper than before.


    ¡°How do you want me to deal with Ming An?¡± He leaned closer to Shen Miao and whispered into her ear.


    Shen Miao subconsciously took a step back, but her shoulder was grabbed by Xie Jingxing. He looked a little strange, as if he was enduring something. Suddenly, he let go and turned around, saying coldly, ¡°What do you think?¡±


    ¡°Why are you asking me this?¡± Shen Miao said, ¡°Don¡¯t you already have an idea in mind?¡± Xie Jingxing had already taken Xie Changchao¡¯s corpse away. Shen Miao thought that Xie Jingxing had already thought of what to do next. Why was he asking her now?


    ¡°That¡¯s up to you.¡± Xie Jingxing did not turn around.


    ¡°How confident are you?¡± Shen Miao¡¯s mind raced. ¡°I mean, if you kill Princess Ming An, how confident are you that no one will find out?¡±


    Xie Jingxing paused and turned around to stare at Shen Miao for a while. Suddenly, he smiled and said, ¡°Shen girl, you really never ceased to surprise me.¡±


    Shen Miao was slightly stunned. It had been a long time since Xie Jingxing called her ¡°Shen girl¡±. Shen Miao was instantly brought back to the time when the two of them were at odds with each other, thinking that they would never have much to do with each other in this life. She did not expect that in just two years, they would be sitting together and calmly discussing the matter of killing someone.

 Chapter 585 - 585 Angry (2)

    585 Angry (2)


    Life was indeed full of twists and turns.


    Seeing that Shen Miao was in a daze, Xie Jingxing asked, ¡°Are you going to kill her?¡±


    Shen Miao came back to her senses and said, ¡°She conspired with the Xie brothers to kidnap me and tried to sell me to a brothel. She even secretly wanted to harm my brother. I¡¯m not a saint, nor will I repay evil with kindness. Given what she has done to me, just taking her life is already very merciful on my end.¡±


    ¡°You ruthless girl.¡± Xie Jingxing smiled indifferently, as if he was not surprised at all that Shen Miao wanted to kill the princess of a country. He crossed his arms and looked at Shen Miao calmly. ¡°However, why should I do that for you?¡±


    Shen Miao was speechless.


    It was said that when a woman was on her period, she would be fickle and moody. Now, Shen Miao couldn¡¯t help but wonder if men would also have periods. Otherwise, why was Xie Jingxing so fickle and moody today? A few days ago, Xie Jingxing took the initiative to stand up for her and even went out of his way to save her. Now that he was asked to stand up for her, Xie Jingxing put on airs. What was wrong with him?


    She said, ¡°Didn¡¯t you already take me as your ally? Isn¡¯t it only right for you to stand up for your ally?¡±


    Xie Jingxing choked and looked at Shen Miao. His gaze flickered as he said in a low voice, ¡°Although that¡¯s the case, not only did I save you, but I also killed someone because of you. Now, I even have to help you assassinate a princess. Allies are supposed to help each other, but you haven¡¯t done anything yet. The ones who help each other unconditionally are husband and wife. I don¡¯t think you treat me as an ally, but a husband.¡±


    Shen Miao was angry and sneered. ¡°Prince Rui is high and noble. It¡¯s fine if you don¡¯t want to. I won¡¯t force you. I¡¯ll think of a way to deal with Princess Ming An myself.¡±


    ¡°Think of a way?¡± Xie Jingxing said indifferently, ¡°Ask your Cousin Ling for help?¡±


    Shen Miao retorted, ¡°What does this have to do with Cousin Ling?¡±


    Xie Jingxing said, ¡°Why are you in such a hurry? I didn¡¯t say I wouldn¡¯t help. It¡¯s not something difficult anyway. I will certainly help. However, you have to do something for me.¡±


    Shen Miao glared at him.


    ¡°Ummm, I haven¡¯t figured out what I want you to do yet.¡± Xie Jingxing raised his eyebrows and sighed. ¡°Just make two baskets of pastries for me. I¡¯m afraid I¡¯ll go hungry during the assassination.¡±


    Shen Miao was speechless.


    It was not until Xie Jingxing left that Shen Miao sat back on the couch. At this moment, she was no longer sleepy. She did not know how Xie Jingxing would assassinate Princess Ming An, but she was surprisingly not worried. Xie Jingxing must have a lot of tricks up his sleeve. Even after changing his identity, he still dared to swagger around under Emperor Wen Hui¡¯s nose. As for taking a princess¡¯s life, looking at how confident he was, it should be a piece of cake for him.


    However¡­ Xie Jingxing seemed to really be in a bad mood today¡­


    ¡­


    After a few consecutive sunny days in the capital of Ming Qi, it began to snow again. The noble ladies were all pampered and unwilling to go out in such weather. If they had to go out, they would definitely bundle themselves up tightly. They also had to carry a few heaters in their hands to prevent themselves from catching a cold. The water in Lake Wanli was frozen. Even people who were fishing had to dig a hole in the ice to fish. It was as if overnight, the trees were filled with sparkling ice sticks. If someone splashed water on the threshold at night, the threshold would definitely be covered in a layer of ice the next day.

 Chapter 586 - 586 Angry (3)

    586 Angry (3)


    Ji Yushu came early in the morning to Prince Rui¡¯s mansion. Ever since Xie Jingxing bought this large house in Yanqing Alley, other than going to Exiled Immortal Pawnshop to check the accounts, Ji Yushu spent most of his time playing with the cat in Prince Rui¡¯s mansion.


    Seeing Xie Jingxing walking over from afar, Ji Yushu called out, ¡°Third Brother!¡±


    Xie Jingxing could not be bothered with him. The white tiger broke free from Ji Yushu¡¯s arms and quickly ran to Xie Jingxing¡¯s side. Gao Yang came out from the other side. He did not return to the palace yesterday and stayed in Prince Rui¡¯s mansion.


    ¡°Are you going to the Shen mansion to treat Miss Luo again?¡± Ji Yushu asked.


    At the mention of this, Gao Yang felt a headache coming on. He had treated many people, be it the consorts in the palace, the emperor, or the madams and daughters of high-ranking officials. This was the first time he had seen someone like Luo Tan. She was clearly already so weak a few days ago that her life was at stake. In the end, as soon as she felt slightly better, she started practicing martial arts in the courtyard of the Shen family, saying that after Shen Miao¡¯s incident, she realized that you could only protect people when you were strong enough.


    She was not concerned about her own health at all.


    With her tiring herself out everyday, how could her wound heal quickly? Whenever the wound didn¡¯t show signs of healing, Luo Tan would look at Gao Yang suspiciously and ask, ¡°Are you really a doctor from the palace? Why are you worse than the apprentices in our medical clinic in Spring City?¡±


    Gao Yang had never encountered such an uncooperative patient in his life, and she did not have any respect for him. If not for the fact that Luo Tan was afraid Gao Yang would reveal the secret of her going to see Prince Rui that day, Gao Yang felt that Luo Tan might have peed on his head.


    Seeing that Gao Yang was absent-minded, Ji Yushu nudged him with his arm. ¡°Why are you in a daze in broad daylight? You look like a fool.¡±


    Gao Yang came back to his senses and looked at Ji Yushu in disdain. ¡°Do you think everyone is like you?¡±


    Xie Jingxing suddenly asked, ¡°How¡¯s Luo Ling?¡±


    Gao Yang was caught off guard and wondered why Xie Jingxing would ask about Luo Ling. He said, ¡°He¡¯s not seriously injured.¡±


    ¡°How¡¯s his hand?¡±


    ¡°Hand?¡± Gao Yang said, ¡°His right hand is crippled. Are you doubting my analysis?¡±


    Xie Jingxing turned around and looked at Gao Yang with displeasure. ¡°Can¡¯t you treat his hand?¡±


    ¡°Although my medical skills are brilliant, I¡¯m not a divine doctor.¡± Gao Yang said helplessly, ¡°The injury on his right hand is too deep. There¡¯s nothing I can do. What kind of relationship do you have with him? Even if you want to treat Shen Miao well, Luo Ling is just her cousin, why do you have to take care of him too?¡± Gao Yang said in disbelief, ¡°You might as well help everyone in the world.¡±


    Xie Jingxing raised an eyebrow. ¡°Who said I want to take care of him?¡±


    ¡°Then why are you concerned about his injury?¡± Gao Yang was puzzled.


    ¡°I know!¡± Ji Yushu, who had been left aside, finally found a chance to chime in. He interrupted and said, ¡°I know, I know!¡± He rubbed his chin proudly and had the expression of an aha moment. ¡°Young Master Luo was injured because of Fifth Miss Shen. If Young Master Luo can¡¯t get well, Fifth Miss Shen will inevitably blame herself. Third Brother and Fifth Miss Shen are very close, so he naturally doesn¡¯t want to see Fifth Miss Shen sad. Isn¡¯t that right, Third Brother?¡±


    Xie Jingxing looked at him coldly. Ji Yushu rubbed his nose and whispered, ¡°I think that makes sense.¡±

 Chapter 587 - 587 Angry (4)

    587 Angry (4)


    Gao Yang thought about what Ji Yushu said carefully and seemed to have understood something. When he looked at Xie Jingxing again, his gaze was filled with confusion. ¡°If that¡¯s the case, it¡¯s actually a good thing that Luo Ling¡¯s hand is crippled. This way, he¡¯ll be even more inferior to you.¡±


    ¡°What a joke.¡± Xie Jingxing smiled instead of being angry. ¡°Even if he has an extra hand, he still pales in comparison to me!¡±


    Ji Yushu and Gao Yang were dumbfounded.


    Did they say something wrong? Why did they feel that Xie Jingxing seemed to be even angrier?


    Ji Yushu tried to comfort Xie Jingxing. ¡°Of course. Third Brother is Prince Rui, His Majesty¡¯s younger brother. No one in the world dares to look down on you. That Luo Ling is just the young master of a small local official in Ming Qi. In our country, he¡¯ll be nobody. Moreover, he can¡¯t even lift his right hand now. How can he compare to Third Brother?¡± Ji Yushu was good at bootlicking.


    !!


    ¡°Ji Yushu, are you comparing me to a cripple? Do you want me to send you back home?¡± Xie Jingxing¡¯s voice was even colder.


    Ji Yushu was stunned, not knowing what to say.


    Gao Yang was smart enough to interrupt and change the topic. He asked, ¡°The people in the tower jail asked about what to do with Xie Changchao¡¯s corpse. Now that Shen Miao has already returned to the Shen family, what¡¯s your next step?¡±


    At this moment, Xie Changwu must be feeling like he was sitting on pins and needles. Xie Changchao disappeared just like that, but Shen Miao, who was kidnapped, returned safely. What would he think?


    Hearing this, Xie Jingxing slowly curled his lips and said, ¡°The next step is naturally to settle the score.¡±


    Gao Yang looked at Xie Jingxing for a while and asked tentatively, ¡°Do you¡­ plan to deal with Princess Ming An too?¡±


    ¡°Otherwise?¡± Xie Jingxing said casually, ¡°The dogs raised in the State of Qin are not disciplined properly. They go crazy and bite people everywhere. If they¡¯re caught and killed, people in the State of Qin can¡¯t blame anyone.¡±


    ¡°However.¡± Gao Yang disagreed.¡± Even so, His Majesty has instructed us not to act rashly while we are in Ming Qi. If Princess Ming An is gone, Huangfu Hao will definitely investigate. If he gets to the bottom of it, even if you have a way to smooth things over, it will still cause a lot of trouble.¡±


    ¡°Who said I¡¯m going to use people from the Daliang Dynasty?¡± Xie Jingxing sneered. ¡°Can¡¯t I use my own people?¡±


    Gao Yang was stunned. A moment later, he said, ¡°Why do you have to get rid of Princess Ming An? You can beat her up and teach her a lesson, but why do you have to take her life?¡±


    ¡°That crazy dog has caused me a lot of trouble.¡± Xie Jingxing¡¯s gaze darkened. ¡°I can get rid of whoever I want. I don¡¯t have to tell you, right?¡± With that, he bent down to pick up the white tiger and walked out, ignoring the two of them.


    Ji Yushu frowned and said, ¡°Is Third Brother on period? Why has he been so moody recently? Did you provoke him?¡±


    ¡°No!¡± Gao Yang said, ¡°I still want to live a little longer.¡±


    ¡°It seems like Xie Changwu and Princess Ming An are doomed this time.¡± Ji Yushu said sympathetically, ¡°In that case, Xie Changchao was lucky that he died early and his death wasn¡¯t all that painful¡±

 Chapter 588 - 588 Angry (5)

    588 Angry (5)


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Gao Yang agreed with Ji Yushu, which was rare.


    ¡­


    Compared to two years ago, the Marquis¡¯s Residence in the capital was much quieter. It was no longer filled with people coming and going, and the number of people visiting Xie Ding was decreasing day by day. Ever since Xie Jingxing died, Xie Ding seemed to have lost interest in the matters of the imperial court. The Xie family, which used to pose the greatest threat to the royal family, eventually lost its momentum and could no longer get back up.


    Xie Changwu and Xie Changchao were the two people in the Xie family who were still climbing up the official ladder. Although these two people were not as outstanding as Xie Jingxing back then, they were still quite capable. If not for the fact that they were the sons of a concubine, they would probably climb up the ranks faster and higher.


    In the Marquis¡¯s Residence, Concubine Fang was handing the newly made clothes to Xie Changwu. Concubine Fang was almost 40 years old, but she did not look so. Unlike Princess Yuqing, who was born into the royal family, Concubine Fang still retained some of the beauty that was unique to women in Jiangnan. She spoke softly and slowly, making people unable to help but take a liking to her.


    !!


    No wonder when Xie Ding, the Marquis of Lin¡¯an, had a delicate wife like Princess Yuqing, he was still bewitched by Madam Fang.


    Concubine Fang said, ¡°I asked the tailor to make some winter clothes for the two of you. The days in the capital are getting cold. Don¡¯t catch a cold.¡±


    Xie Changwu reached out to take it and said, ¡°Thank you, Mother.¡± However, he was thinking about something else.


    ¡°Your brother¡¯s clothes are also here. I heard that Changchao went out to hunt with someone. Why isn¡¯t he back yet?¡± Concubine Fang complained. ¡°Yesterday, the Marquis told me that Changchao wanted to go to the Ministry of Official Personnel Affairs. He wanted to bring Changchao to see the Assistant Minister of the Ministry of Official Personnel Affairs, but in the past few days, Changchao was nowhere to be seen.¡± Concubine Fang sighed. ¡°Changchao was always thinking about improving himself. Why did he suddenly become so irresponsible?¡±


    Xie Changwu forced a smile and said, ¡°It¡¯s probably because the snow gets too heavy, so it¡¯s not easy for him to leave the mountain. He¡¯ll be back in a few days. At that time, I¡¯ll get Father to invite the Assistant Minister of the Ministry of Official Personnel Affairs over.¡±


    Hearing this, Concubine Fang was a little nervous. ¡°The snow is heavy. Will Changan be in danger?¡±


    ¡°Of course not.¡± Xie Changwu smiled and said, ¡°Many people are with him. They¡¯re all experienced. Don¡¯t worry, Mother.¡±


    Only then did Concubine Fang feel relieved. She held Xie Changwu¡¯s hand and said, ¡°I only have the two of you to rely on now. Back then, Xie Jingxing suppressed the two of you. Seeing the two of you suffer, I was very sad. After enduring for so many years, fortunately, the heavens have eyes and made him die. Now, there¡¯s no one in the Marquis¡¯s Residence who can stop you. You have to keep moving forward and trample on those who mocked us in the past. In the future, when you make enough contributions, the marquis will be pressured to give me a title. This way, you will be the legitimate sons and the entire Marquis¡¯s Residence will be yours.¡± When Concubine Fang said this, although she still kept her voice soft and low, there was obviously a hint of resentment.


    Xie Changwu said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Mother. The heavens are on our side. One day, we will be the rightful owner of the Marquis¡¯s Residence!¡±

 Chapter 589 - 589 Angry (6)

    589 Angry (6)


    Concubine Fang nodded.


    After sending Concubine Fang off, Xie Changwu returned to the bedroom and paced back and forth in frustration.


    It was easy to fob Concubine Fang off. However, now that even Xie Ding started asking about Xie Changchao¡¯s whereabouts, things became complicated.


    Ever since Xie Changwu returned from the banquet with Xie Ding that day, he had not seen Xie Changchao. If Xie Changchao had something urgent to attend to and left at the last minute, it would be fine, but the person in the secret room was also missing. This really made Xie Changwu panic.


    The secret room in the Marquis¡¯s Residence was built by Xie Changwu and Xie Changchao themselves, and it took a lot of effort. In the end, the workers who were involved in the construction of the secret room were all wiped out by Xie Changwu, so in the entire world, other than the two of them, no one else knew about its existence.


    !!


    At first, Xie Changwu thought that Xie Changchao had brought Shen Miao out. Perhaps he had found a way to transport Shen Miao to the brothel, or perhaps he had other plans. However, after waiting for a few days, he heard that Shen Miao had been sent back to the Shen family by Princess Rong Xin. Xie Changwu immediately felt that something was wrong.


    If Shen Miao was saved, where did the missing Xie Changchao go? Did those people rescue Shen Miao from the secret room? However, there were no signs of a fight in the secret room, and it was impossible for anyone to know about the secret room. Could it be that when Xie Changchao brought Shen Miao out, he was spotted and Shen Miao was saved? But how did Princess Rong Xin get involved in all of these?


    When Princess Ming An found out that Shen Miao had been saved, she flew into a rage and asked Xie Changwu to see her. Xie Changwu could only make up some excuses to appease Princess Ming An for the time being. However, the truth could not be hidden forever.


    Xie Changwu was so anxious that the corners of his mouth were blistered. He put on his robe and was about to go and get people to search every corner of the capital again when he suddenly saw a letter on the table.


    He did not know who placed this letter on the table, but Xie Changwu had never allowed servants to enter his study. He first looked around warily, but he did not see anyone. He picked up the letter and opened it. What entered his eyes was a familiar handwriting.


    It was Xie Changchao¡¯s handwriting.


    In the letter, Xie Changchao said that he wanted to bring Shen Miao out to look for a brothel that day. Unexpectedly, they encountered soldiers on the way, so they had no choice but to hide in a house by the lake. The news that Shen Miao had returned to the Shen family these days was actually a scam plotted by Shen Xin and Princess Rong Xin. The goal was to make the people who kidnapped Shen Miao let down their guard. On the surface, it looked like the Shen army and soldiers had stopped searching, but in fact, they did not relax at all. Therefore, Xie Changchao did not dare to show up with Shen Miao.


    At this moment, Princess Ming An was urging them to take action. It was better to sell Shen Miao to the brothel at Wanli Lake tonight. No matter what, they had to humiliate Shen Miao first. This way, Princess Ming An would be happy. It would be best if Princess Ming An could come in person and watch for herself how Shen Miao was tortured to make up for their mistake.


    After reading the letter, Xie Changwu believed 70 to 80% of it.


    Firstly, as the letter said, although it was said that Shen Miao was sent back by Princess Rong Xin, she had never shown her face publicly. In other words, no one had seen Shen Miao go back with their own eyes. Why didn¡¯t Shen Xin let Shen Miao show her face in public to clarify the rumors? Could it be that Shen Miao had not been found at all?


    Secondly, and most importantly, the handwriting on the letter was undoubtedly Xie Changchao¡¯s. If there was anyone else who was familiar with Xie Changchao¡¯s handwriting and could imitate, it was Xie Jingxing.


    However, it was impossible for Xie Jingxing to imitate Xie Changchao¡¯s handwriting. Xie Jingxing died on the battlefield two years ago without a corpse.


    Xie Changwu thought for a moment and walked to the table. He spread out the paper and started to write.

 Chapter 590 - 590 Giving a Beauty a Flower (1)

    590 Giving a Beauty a Flower (1)


    In Yanqing Alley, in the mansion of the royal family of the State of Qin, Princess Ming An sat in the room with all kinds of exquisite pastries and tea in front of her, but she was not in the mood to eat at all. A few maids had been scolded by Princess Ming An for no reason today, and everyone was afraid of approaching her.


    ¡°Is there any news from Xie Changwu?¡± Princess Ming An asked her subordinate.


    The man shook his head.


    With a bang, Princess Ming An suddenly threw the cup in front of her to the ground and said angrily, ¡°Useless!¡±


    The people around were already used to Princess Ming An¡¯s strange temper. They did not even dare to breathe loudly. Princess Ming An seemed to be very annoyed, so she stood up and walked out of the house to the courtyard.


    Princess Ming An was vexed by what Xie Changwu and Xie Changchao did. That day, they had already kidnapped Shen Miao from the Shen family, but they waited and did not do anything. In the end, Shen Miao was actually rescued and sent back to the Shen family unscathed. When she found out that Shen Miao had returned to the Shen family, Princess Mingan was furious. She immediately got someone to send a message to the Xie brothers, wanting to vent her anger on them for not doing their job well. However, Xie Changwu wrote to her and told her that he had plans. On the one hand, Princess Mingan had to be wary of Huangfu Hao finding out about this, and on the other hand, she was grounded. No matter how indignant she was, she could only wait for good news from Xie Changwu.


    In the end, after waiting for so many days, she finally couldn¡¯t hold it anymore. She was really angry and planned to make the Xie brothers suffer. There was no one in this world who could still live well after messing up what she had instructed.


    Just as she was about to call someone to look for the Xie brothers, she saw another servant running over. Seeing that there was no one around, the servant secretly handed Princess Ming An a letter and said, ¡°Your Highness, this is from the second young master of the Xie family.¡±


    Princess Ming An was stunned. She did not understand why Xie Changwu dared to take the initiative to send a letter. She quickly opened it and read it. After reading ten lines at a glance, the frustration on her face disappeared. She tore the letter into pieces and said to the palace maid beside her in a good mood, ¡°Let¡¯s go. Take out all the bright dresses and jewelry. I want to choose them.¡±


    The maids were all a little puzzled. Now that Princess Ming An was grounded, why did she want to dress up? For whom?


    Although they were puzzled, no one dared to provoke Princess Ming An, so they could only go in and dress her up.


    The day passed especially quickly, as if time was flowing like water. At night, the winter sky turned dark very early. Moreover, it began to snow again, but it was not light snow. The snowflakes fluttered like goose feathers. In the winter, the cold wind was bone-chilling. Even the night watchmen didn¡¯t want to stay outside. The entire capital was silent.


    At midnight, Wanli Lake was silent.


    The taverns were still brightly lit all night with people drinking and having fun. However, on the street, there was no one outside. Even the windows in the brothel were tightly shut. In such a late night, the howling wind was like a knife when it touched people¡¯s faces.


    In the lake, the pleasure boats were stuck in place. In winter, while the lake was frozen, the boats could not move at all. The scene looked especially desolate.

 Chapter 591 - 591 Giving a Beauty a Flower (2)

    591 Giving a Beauty a Flower (2)


    However, today, there was someone in the boat frozen in the middle of the water.


    Xie Changwu sat in the boat and rubbed his hands uneasily. Perhaps it was because he felt guilty, or perhaps it was because Xie Changchao said that Shen Xin¡¯s people were still investigating in the dark that he felt a little nervous, so he did not dare to light the stove to warm himself up. He was already wearing very heavy clothes, but it was still cold, especially when he was near the water.


    Xie Changwu looked out of the boat and was a little anxious when he did not see anyone.


    In the letter, Xie Changchao said that they would meet in the pleasure boat at Wanli Lake late at night. He said that the capital was infiltrated with Shen Xin¡¯s spies everywhere. It was even more dangerous outside. However, in winter, no one would go to Wanli Lake, so they would be safe. At that time, he would bring a few people and let Princess Ming An see Shen Miao being humiliated with her own eyes. Princess Ming An would naturally be happy. The wind on the lake was strong, and the restaurant closest to the lake was closed. No one would notice anything. They had the perfect condition to carry out the plan.


    Xie Changwu was a little unwilling to come, but since Xie Changchao had already arranged everything, he could only accept it. However, as midnight approached, he still didn¡¯t see anyone coming. He could not help but be a little anxious.


    Just as he was thinking, he heard a slight movement outside. Xie Changwu was startled. Then, he opened the window of the boat happily and saw a figure vaguely approaching from afar carrying something on his back. Xie Changwu thought that it must be Xie Changchao carrying Shen Miao. He heaved a sigh of relief and walked to the bow to receive him.


    That person walked closer and closer. When he got closer, Xie Changwu felt that something was wrong. Xie Changchao was not as tall as this person, and his figure did not look like him. Xie Changwu felt uneasy and was about to retreat when he saw the other party light a match. A familiar voice sounded, ¡°Xie Changwu, what are you doing!¡±


    Xie Changwu looked over in shock and saw that it was a person who looked like a guard. On his back was Princess Ming An.


    At this moment, Princess Ming An was clearly very unhappy.


    The letter Xie Changwu sent her said that they would meet at Lake Wanli at midnight. The State of Qin was warm all year round, so she was not used to the freezing winter in Ming Qi, and now, her entire body was shivering from the cold. Afraid of being discovered by Huangfu Hao, Princess Ming An could only go out quietly at night with a few of her personal guards. However, the place Xie Changwu chose was on the pleasure boat, so she could only get a guard to carry her over and leave the others ashore. If not for the fact that she wanted to see Shen Miao suffer today, she would not force herself to do this. When she saw Xie Changwu, she immediately flew into rage and took her anger out on him.


    Xie Changwu asked, ¡°Your Highness, why are you here?¡±


    ¡°Xie Changwu, are you crazy?¡± Princess Ming An said angrily, ¡°Didn¡¯t you ask me to come over to witness Shen Miao being humiliated? What nonsense are you talking about now?¡±


    Xie Changwu was a little puzzled. Although Xie Changchao¡¯s letter indeed mentioned that he wanted to invite Princess Ming An over to watch the show, Xie Changwu was careful. He was afraid that something would happen halfway and Princess Ming An would be implicated. Moreover, the plan was not foolproof. If Princess Ming An came but Shen Miao wasn¡¯t humiliated, wouldn¡¯t Princess Ming An become even angrier? Therefore, Xie Changwu did not intend to invite Princess Ming An.


    However, Princess Ming An appeared here now and said that Xie Changwu asked her to come. For some reason, Xie Changwu felt a strong sense of uneasiness.


    Seeing the confusion on Xie Changwu¡¯s face, Princess Ming An became even more angry and said, ¡°Xie Changwu, are you playing with me?¡±

 Chapter 592 - 592 Giving a Beauty a Flower (3)

    592 Giving a Beauty a Flower (3)


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t dare.¡± Xie Changwu was sweating profusely and said, ¡°It¡¯s just that I really didn¡¯t write a letter to you.¡±


    When Princess Ming An heard this, she shouted angrily, ¡°If you didn¡¯t write a letter to me, explain to me why you¡¯re here now. Just as the letter said, you¡¯re going to give Shen Miao an unforgettable painful experience tonight. Why didn¡¯t you tell me?¡±


    Xie Changwu didn¡¯t know what to say, but he was secretly surprised. That letter to Princess Ming An actually included everything he planned to do. Only he and Xie Changchao knew about the plan. If this letter was written by Xie Changchao to Princess Ming An, why would Xie Changchao do this? Xie Changwu forced a smile and said, ¡°That¡¯s indeed what I plan to do. It¡¯s just that Shen Miao is in my brother¡¯s hands now. I¡¯m still waiting for him to show up.¡±


    ¡°Xie Changchao?¡± Princess Ming An frowned. ¡°Aren¡¯t you brothers together?¡±


    Xie Changwu did not dare to say that Xie Changchao had been missing for many days, so he could only answer vaguely, ¡°I¡¯m afraid it will arouse suspicion, so my brother and I are acting separately.¡±


    Princess Ming An did not suspect anything. She thought for a moment and asked, ¡°You told me that the news that Shen Miao has returned to the Shen family these days is actually a scam plotted by Shen Xin and Princess Rong Xin. Is what you said true?¡±


    Xie Changwu¡¯s heart skipped a beat and he said, ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± In fact, Xie Changwu was not confident. After all, this was only Xie Changchao¡¯s one-sided story. However, at this moment, he could only choose to believe in Xie Changchao. Xie Changwu did not suspect that the letter on his table was fake. After all, in the world, other than Xie Changwu, there was probably no one else who could imitate Xie Changchao¡¯s handwriting. Moreover, it was impossible for others to know the secret code the two brothers used to communicate.


    Princess Ming An rubbed her hands and shouted at Xie Changwu, ¡°When is Xie Changchao coming over?¡±


    Xie Changwu said, ¡°He said he will come at midnight.¡±


    ¡°What time is it now?¡± Princess Ming An asked her personal guard, who replied, ¡°It¡¯s almost midnight.¡±


    The snow outside was blowing. For some reason, Xie Changwu suddenly felt more and more uneasy. Looking at the dark night sky, his heart was beating extremely fast. He instinctively wanted to escape as if he had sensed danger approaching. He looked at Princess Ming An and asked tentatively, ¡°Your highness, why don¡¯t you go back first? If there¡¯s any progress, I¡¯ll tell you the next day.¡±


    ¡°Do you think I¡¯ll let you order me around?¡± Princess Ming An flew into a rage. ¡°I¡¯ve already come personally. Xie Changwu, I can kill you at any time!¡±


    Princess Ming An was so domineering and fierce that Xie Changwu could only force a smile and stop talking. At this moment, they heard the sound of footsteps outside. Princess Ming An looked happy and said, ¡°They¡¯re here!¡±


    The two of them walked to the bow of the boat to take a look and saw a group of men in black suddenly appear on the frozen lake. These men in black were wrapped from head to toe, only revealing their eyes. Princess Ming An¡¯s expression softened slightly and she said, ¡°They did it quite secretly.¡± She threw a sweeping glance across the dozens of people and then frowned. ¡°Where¡¯s Shen Miao?¡±


    These people in black were all men, and there were no signs of Shen Miao. Princess Ming An looked back at Xie Changwu with a frown. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with Xie Changchao?¡±


    When Xie Changwu saw these ten or so people in black, he instinctively felt a chill run down his spine. They did not look like good people, not to mention that Xie Changwu didn¡¯t see Xie Changchao among them.


    Xie Changwu wanted to run, but in the snow, the surface of Lake Wanli was frozen. If he ran on the ice, he would slip. Moreover, the surface of the lake was quite big, and there was no place to hide. Escape was easier said than done. Xie Changwu shouted, ¡°Who are you?¡±

 Chapter 593 - 593 Giving a Beauty a Flower (4)

    593 Giving a Beauty a Flower (4)


    The men in black did not speak and only walked closer and closer to them. Princess Ming An finally realized that something was wrong and asked Xie Changwu, ¡°Aren¡¯t they Xie Changchao¡¯s men?¡±


    Xie Changwu panicked and did not know how to answer Princess Ming An¡¯s question. He only said, ¡°I didn¡¯t see my brother.¡±


    Princess Ming An yelled, ¡°How dare you! Why don¡¯t you kneel down when you see me?¡±


    However, those people didn¡¯t seem to hear anything and were still approaching. The guard beside Princess Ming An drew his sword and charged into the men in black to protect Princess Ming An. Princess Ming An finally understood that the men in black did not come with good intentions. She suddenly thought of something and looked at the shore. ¡°Where are the other guards? Where are they?¡±


    When Princess Ming An was brought over to the boat, she did not want anyone to hear her conversation with the Xie brothers, so she only brought one guard. However, the others did not leave either. They were supposed to be waiting a distance away from the pleasure boat. After hearing the shouts, they should have rushed over to help. Why was there no one at all?


    Xie Changwu was also flustered just like Princess Ming An. He did not come alone today. He had planted some subordinates in the other two boats just in case something happened midway. But why was no one coming to his aide?


    Princess Ming An¡¯s only guard was quickly thrown to the side by the man in black. Under the weak fire, blood spewed out of his throat and he was killed.


    The wind on the lake howled, cutting their faces like knives. Even so, cold sweat still broke out on Princess Ming An and Xie Changwu¡¯s foreheads.


    ¡°Who are you?¡± Princess Ming An suppressed the fear in her heart and said, ¡°I¡¯m the princess of the State of Qin. If you leave now, I¡¯ll let bygones be bygones and spare your lives. If you don¡¯t leave, my brother, the crown prince, will hunt you down and kill all of you!¡±


    For a moment, Xie Changwu wanted to curse Princess Ming An for being an idiot. She actually revealed her identity just like that. However, on second thought, what happened today was obviously a trap. The other party probably already knew Princess Ming An¡¯s identity. Otherwise, the letter Princess Ming An received would be difficult to explain.


    But what could they do at this moment? Xie Changwu thought to himself. He couldn¡¯t possibly shout for help here. Not to mention whether he could be heard or not, even if he was really rescued, he wouldn¡¯t be able to explain why an official of Ming Qi was meeting the princess of the State of Qin secretly in the middle of the night.


    At a loss of what to do, Xie Changwu forced himself to calm down. He looked at the men in black and sneered, ¡°Conspiring to murder a princess of a country is a serious crime. If you¡¯re not afraid of death, you can give it a try. Have a taste of what it¡¯s like to be skinned alive.¡±


    Xie Changwu¡¯s words put Princess Ming An slightly at ease. She said, ¡°That¡¯s right. My status is not something you can challenge. If you dare to touch me today, the royal family of the State of Qin will definitely find you and burn you to ashes!¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡± A male voice suddenly sounded among the men in black.


    The voice was low and hoarse, but it was as mellow as good wine in the winter, sounding extremely pleasant to the ear. Princess Ming An and Xie Changwu looked over and saw one of the men in black walking forward.


    Because they were all dressed in black, Xie Changwu and Princess Ming An did not notice this man just now. Now, they felt that this man in black was a little different from others. Under the faint light of the candle, he was obviously taller and straighter. Even the clothes he was wearing could not hide the noble aura spreading out from him, as if he could be distinguished at a glance.

 Chapter 594 - 594 Giving a Beauty a Flower (5)

    594 Giving a Beauty a Flower (5)


    ¡°Who are you?¡± Princess Ming An said angrily, ¡°Don¡¯t you know who I am? I¡¯m the princess of the State of Qin. With a word from me, I can kill all of you!¡±


    Hearing this, the man in black paused for a moment and chuckled. Even though his face was hidden by the cloth, Xie Changwu and Princess Ming An seemed to be able to see the mockery on his face through the cloth.


    Princess Ming An¡¯s face turned red. She had never been looked down on like this before. However, she was a little puzzled. She felt that this person¡¯s voice was familiar, as if she had heard it somewhere before. She asked, ¡°What are you laughing at?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m laughing at you for overestimating yourself.¡±


    ¡°You!¡± Princess Ming An was furious.


    ¡°You are just a princess.¡± The person¡¯s voice was pleasant, but his words were malicious. ¡°If you die, you¡¯ll just be a pile of bones.¡±


    ¡°How dare you!¡± Princess Ming An shouted.


    ¡°What can you do about it?¡± That person said calmly.


    Princess Ming An was stunned. In a flash, she suddenly thought of someone. That person also had a mesmerizing voice. She looked up. His face was covered by a cloth, but his eyes were as intoxicating as wine.


    ¡°You are¡­ Prince Rui!¡± Princess Ming An cried out.


    Prince Rui? Xie Changwu suddenly looked at the man in black. He also felt that this man in black gave him a familiar feeling, as if he had seen him somewhere before. However, he did not expect him to be Prince Rui.


    The man in black did not admit or deny it. Xie Changwu hesitated for a moment and asked, ¡°Prince Rui, why are you here?¡±


    No matter how hard Xie Changwu thought about it, he could not figure out why Prince Rui was here. After all, Prince Rui was not associated with him at all and did not seem to have anything to do with Princess Ming An either. Then why was he here? What did he want to do?


    Ever since Princess Ming An recognized the person in front of her as Prince Rui, the fear from before dissipated. In the blink of an eye, her voice turned soft as she asked gently, ¡°Prince Rui, why are you here so late at night?¡±


    Xie Changwu felt that Princess Ming An was really stupid. Since he had already killed the guards they brought, he was obviously not here to chat with them. Moreover, Prince Rui gave off an extremely dangerous feeling. Xie Changwu¡¯s heart trembled.


    Prince Rui ignored Princess Ming An and looked at Xie Changwu. ¡°You seem to have something to ask me?¡±


    Xie Changwu forced a smile and said, ¡°Your Highness, have you seen my brother?¡±


    That letter was written by Xie Changchao, but the person who came was Prince Rui. Could it be that Xie Changchao was kept in captivity by Prince Rui? What grudge did Xie Changchao have with Prince Rui?


    The man in black smiled. ¡°Yes.¡±


    Xie Changwu widened his eyes. ¡°He¡­¡±


    ¡°I killed him.¡±


    As soon as he said that, Princess Ming An and Xie Changwu were stunned and couldn¡¯t help but shiver.


    After a long pause, Xie Changwu asked, ¡°Why does Prince Rui want to kill my brother?¡±


    ¡°He provoked someone he shouldn¡¯t have.¡±


    Provoked someone he shouldn¡¯t have? Xie Changwu was puzzled. Who? Could it be Shen Miao? The only person Xie Changchao had offended now was Shen Miao. However, why did Prince Rui stand up for Shen Miao? What kind of relationship did Prince Rui have with the Shen family? Xie Changwu felt as if he had seen the tip of the iceberg of a shocking secret, but because he couldn¡¯t see the full picture, his mind was in a mess.

 Chapter 595 - 595 Giving a Beauty a Flower (6)

    595 Giving a Beauty a Flower (6)


    ¡°Prince Rui, why are you here?¡± Princess Ming An finally came back to senses from the shock of Xie Changchao¡¯s death. She seemed to have finally sensed the danger under the night sky. Her heart was beating abnormally fast.


    The man¡¯s voice was as gentle and calm as the breeze, but it was also like the snow falling from the sky on Lake Wanli. It looked beautiful, but it made people shiver. He said, ¡°Surrounded by such beautiful scenery, isn¡¯t this place very suitable for a burial ground?¡±


    Xie Changwu asked, ¡°Why would you do this? I have no grudge against you. Can¡¯t you let us go?¡± Knowing that Prince Rui was here to take his life but he had no way out, Xie Changwu finally couldn¡¯t hold back the fear in his heart and shouted.


    ¡°No grudge?¡± Prince Rui seemed to have heard a joke and said, ¡°You¡¯re really forgetful.¡±


    ¡°Xie Changwu, all these years, you haven¡¯t improved at all, just like your stupid brother,¡± he said.


    Then he slowly pulled off the cloth on his face.


    The boat was only dimly lit by the candle, but when this man revealed his face, he was as dazzling as the bright sun. His thin lips curled up into a mocking smile as usual. He looked at the two of them with a hint of disdain in his eyes.


    He was the nightmare of Xie Changwu¡¯s life.


    ¡°Xie Jingxing!¡±


    Princess Ming An was engrossed in this man¡¯s charming face. She was thinking to herself that Prince Rui¡¯s face under the mask was as mesmerizing as the rumors said, but her thoughts were suddenly interrupted by Xie Changchao¡¯s hysteric shout.


    Xie Jingxing? Wasn¡¯t that the son of the Xie family who died on the battlefield two years ago?


    ¡°It¡¯s good that you still remember me.¡± Xie Jingxing smiled, but his originally handsome smile was especially terrifying in Xie Changchao¡¯s eyes. He turned around and was about to run. It was an instinctive reaction, just like how prey would react when it was in danger.


    His body was pressed down, and his mouth was gagged. He could not move at all. Princess Ming An was also treated the same.


    The pleasure boat was stuck in the middle of Lake Wanli. At midnight, the street was empty. The tavern in the distance was still lit up, filled with singing and dancing. However, what happened on this side went unnoticed.


    Xie Changchao and Princess Ming An were held down by the men in black and watched helplessly as the person in the lead turned around and walked out of the boat.


    Even on the ice, his walking was steady and graceful, and his voice was as cold as the winter ice that chilled people to the bone.


    ¡°Game is over.¡±


    ¡­


    Shen Miao woke up with a start from her dream.


    For some reason, her sleep tonight had been restless. At this moment, she simply got out of bed. There was no sound outside, so it must be late at night.


    She rubbed her forehead and felt a pain in her head, but she could not fall asleep no matter what. The fire in the room was burning very brightly, but she had a heavy feeling in her chest. After thinking for a moment, she grabbed a cloak and casually draped it over her shoulders. She walked to the window and opened it, wanting to breathe some fresh air.


    The window was opened, and the trees in front of the window were swaying. It was still snowing outside, and large patches of snowflakes were falling. Shen Miao stretched out a hand and watched as the snowflakes gradually landed and melted in her palm.


    For some reason, she felt a little lonely.


    On such a night, unable to sleep, she could not help but think of some things from her previous life, such as Wanyu and Fu Ming.


    A small flower fell from the sky and landed in Shen Miao¡¯s palm. Shen Miao was stunned. With the help of the lantern hanging on the tree, she could see clearly that it was not a snowflake, but a red begonia.


    In this season, how could there be begonias? This tree did not grow begonias.


    Shen Miao subconsciously looked up and saw a person lying on the tree. His hands were behind his head, and he looked comfortable. Seeing that she was looking at him, he lowered his head slightly and looked down at her. He had a handsome face and a playful smile. He raised his eyebrows and said, ¡°What are you looking at?¡±


    Shen Miao asked, ¡°What are you doing here?¡±


    Why was Xie Jingxing sleeping on a tree in someone else¡¯s courtyard for no reason?


    ¡°I can¡¯t sleep.¡± The person sighed and suddenly jumped down from the tree, landing in front of Shen Miao. Separated by the window, one person was outside and the other was inside. He pouted at Shen Miao¡¯s palm. ¡°I wanted to send you a flower, but I was afraid that you were sleeping, so I waited for you to wake up on the tree.¡±


    What nonsense! Shen Miao thought to herself and rolled her eyes at him. Although he was smiling, he did not look like his usual self today.


    For some reason, Shen Miao blurted out, ¡°Come in. There are leftover pastries on the table.¡±

 Chapter 596 - 596 Asking for A Kiss (1)

    596 Asking for A Kiss (1)


    The tea and pastries were cold, but the arrogant and handsome young man did not mind it at all.


    Shen Miao adjusted the wick on the table and noticed that Xie Jingxing¡¯s clothes seemed to be wet, as if he had just returned from outside. She asked, ¡°Were you outside the entire night?¡±


    Shen Miao did not believe that someone as high and noble as Prince Rui would be so bored as to do that.


    Xie Jingxing smiled indifferently. ¡°Didn¡¯t you ask me to kill Princess Ming An?¡±


    Shen Miao was stunned. She looked at Xie Jingxing and asked tentatively, ¡°Did you kill her?¡±


    !!


    ¡°That¡¯s not all.¡±


    Shen Miao stopped talking. She had actually seen what Xie Jingxing was capable of. Two years ago, when Xie Jingxing was still the young marquis of the Marquis of Lin¡¯an, he effortlessly dealt with those masked people who appeared out of nowhere to kidnap Shen Miao at the Lantern Festival. Two years later, in the secret room of the Marquis Residence, he killed Xie Changchao without leaving a trace. In fact, at some times, Shen Miao thought that Xie Jingxing had some qualities befitting an emperor. However, Xie Jingxing and Fu Xiuyi were different people. It was probably because in order to get the throne, Fu Xiuyi was willing to put on a show and endure it for many years, but Xie Jingxing would arrogantly confront and kill anyone who got in his way.


    Perhaps this was the blood of the royal family of the Daliang Dynasty.


    Shen Miao thought for a moment and shook her head. What did the Daliang Dynasty have to do with her? She looked at Xie Jingxing and was suddenly in a daze. Since when did she start regarding Xie Jingxing as one of her people? Did she really take him as her ally?


    She asked, ¡°What did you do to her?¡± How was Xie Jingxing going to deal with Princess Ming An? Shen Miao actually had a little anticipation in her heart. This anticipation carried a little malice. Shen Miao was not a pure and kind woman who could not stand the sight of blood. Moreover, facing a ruthless person like Princess Ming An, Shen Miao would not show any mercy.


    ¡°Are you that excited?¡± Xie Jingxing looked at her in amusement and said lazily, ¡°You¡¯ll know tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°What about Xie Changwu?¡±


    Xie Jingxing even killed Princess Ming An, so there was no reason for him to let Xie Changwu off.


    As expected, Xie Jingxing said, ¡°I killed him.¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid that the Marquis of Lin¡¯an will be sad when he finds out?¡± Shen Miao looked at him and asked.


    The fire was burning brightly in the room. Xie Jingxing picked up the teacup and took a sip. His thin lips were moistened by the tea and looked a little red. However, his smile was as casual as ever as he said, ¡°What does the family matter of the Marquis of Lin¡¯an have to do with me?¡±


    It was a cold remark, but Shen Miao could tell from the young man¡¯s faint smile that he was mocking himself. Her heart skipped a beat.


    From the moment he made a move on the Xie brothers, Xie Jingxing was fated to be enemies with the Marquis of Lin¡¯an. Although they were not biological father and son, was Xie Jingxing really as heartless as he looked on the surface, or was he just hiding all his emotions through the casual smile on his face?


    Everyone in the world had secrets that they did not want to tell. Shen Miao had no way of knowing what Xie Jingxing was thinking. On this cold winter night, when it was snowing heavily, Xie Jingxing climbed to the tree outside Shen Miao¡¯s window. Was he really just here to send a flower? Or was he like Shen Miao, plagued by nightmares and unable to sleep, wanting to find a quiet corner to seek a peace of mind?

 Chapter 597 - 597 Asking for A Kiss (2)

    597 Asking for A Kiss (2)


    In that case, the two of them really had something in common.


    Shen Miao suddenly found Xie Jingxing a little more tolerable.


    When Xie Jingxing saw her gaze, he was slightly stunned. Then, he said, ¡°What kind of gaze is that? Sympathy for me?¡±


    Shen Miao smiled. ¡°I can¡¯t even protect myself. What right do I have to sympathize with others? Prince Rui is someone who can do whatever he wants. Why do you need me to sympathize with you?¡± Shen Miao said with a hint of mockery. Perhaps even she did not realize that her words actually made Xie Jingxing feel better.


    Xie Jingxing raised his eyebrows and glanced at Shen Miao. Suddenly, he placed his hands on the table and leaned closer to Shen Miao. He smiled and said, ¡°You don¡¯t have to belittle yourself. You are my ally, so naturally you are above most people.¡± His voice seemed to be deliberately lowered, carrying a trace of warmth. He said slowly, ¡°Of course, if you¡¯re my woman, you will have everything you want in this world.¡±


    !!


    His eyebrows were extremely beautiful. In her previous life, Shen Miao had seen countless handsome men in the palace, but she had never seen such a good-looking one. It was not just his exterior that made him shine, but more so because of the innate elegance that he exuded through his every move. When he stared at people carefully, he would give them the illusion that in this world, there wasn¡¯t a third person.


    His gaze landed on Shen Miao¡¯s lips and slowly lowered his head.


    The shadows, one tall and one petite, intertwined under the flickering light.


    Shen Miao¡¯s heart palpitated and she subconsciously pushed Xie Jingxing away. She probably felt that her action was too abrupt and clumsy, so she picked up the cold tea in front of her and took a sip. However, she forgot that Xie Jingxing had just drunk from this cup. She coughed lightly and turned her head away from his face, but her face slowly began to redden.


    Xie Jingxing fell back down on the chair from Shen Miao¡¯s push. When he looked up, he saw Shen Miao hurriedly bringing tea over to her mouth to drink. The displeasure from just now was gone, and he suddenly found it funny.


    He said lazily, ¡°Hey.¡±


    Shen Miao did not look at him and lowered her head to look at the shadow on the ground. The smile in Xie Jingxing¡¯s eyes deepened, and he deliberately teased, ¡°Are you telling me you are being shy?¡±


    Shen Miao suddenly raised her head and glared at him.


    However, even this angry glare made her look soft because of the warm light in the room. Unlike her usual dignified self, at this moment, she was embarrassed and angry. Her fair face was slightly red, as if she was drunk, making her look even more charming. Suddenly, she reminded Xie Jingxing of that winter night two years ago. She was wearing an inner robe with her long hair draped over her shoulder. She was drunk and muttered that she wanted to see fireworks.


    Xie Jingxing smiled and said, ¡°Shen Miao.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡± Shen Miao was filled with anger. If he got tough on her or played some tricks, Shen Miao would be able to handle him calmly. However, Xie Jingxing teased her like he was teasing a little girl. This was outrageous, but Shen Miao didn¡¯t know what to do. In her previous life, the people she interacted with were all old-fashioned people who adhered to the palace rules and etiquette. She had never encountered someone as arrogant and unruly as Xie Jingxing.

 Chapter 598 - 598 Asking for A Kiss (3)

    598 Asking for A Kiss (3)


    ¡°You¡¯re drinking from my teacup,¡± Xie Jingxing reminded her.


    Shen Miao subconsciously looked down and was so embarrassed that she wanted to leave the room. She suddenly felt that letting Xie Jingxing into the room tonight was the biggest mistake she had made!


    ¡°Are you shy?¡± Xie Jingxing seemed to like to see her embarrassed and continued to get close to her.


    ¡°It¡¯s getting late.¡± Shen Miao said seriously, ¡°Aren¡¯t you leaving?¡±


    Xie Jingxing did not speak and just stared at her for a while. His gaze was sharp and deep, and ordinary people could not withstand it. Shen Miao forced herself to be calm and looked into his eyes. A moment later, Xie Jingxing stood up and said, ¡°Forget it. Since you¡¯re shy, I won¡¯t disturb you anymore.¡±


    !!


    He walked to the window and Shen Miao stood up. Xie Jingxing opened the window, and the cold wind outside blew in, causing Shen Miao to shiver.


    ¡°It¡¯s cold outside. There¡¯s no need to send me off.¡± Xie Jingxing said, ¡°Thank you for letting me in. The tea is good, and the pastries are not bad.¡± With an agile jump, he was already in the courtyard outside the window.


    Shen Miao walked over and was about to close the window when she saw the handsome purple-robed young man suddenly turn around as if he had thought of something and smile gently.


    ¡°By the way, you are quite cute when you are shy.¡±


    Shen Miao slammed the window shut.


    She shouldn¡¯t have been soft-hearted to let him in! This person was too shameless!


    After Shen Miao closed the window, she sat back on the bed and looked at the oil lamp at the head of the bed. It was so weak that it was about to go out. However, her eyes were abnormally bright and shiny, like top-grade pearls and gems, shining brightly in the dark.


    She thought to herself that if it were in her previous life, what Xie Jingxing just did was punishable by death. She could scold him and get someone to drag him out to behead him, but in this life, she was teased but couldn¡¯t even talk back.


    But why did she feel embarrassed?


    Under the flickering light, with his head slightly lowered, she could almost see every one of his long eyelashes. His eyes were even more charming than the moonlight, and his lips were thin and cold¡­


    Shen Miao suddenly came back to her senses and slapped her forehead. She must have been too tired these days, so she was out of her mind. Women would be attracted to a good-looking person like Xie Jingxing. It was normal. However, she could not calm her heartbeat. When she lay on the bed, the corners of her lips subconsciously curled up slightly.


    ¡­


    The winter in the capital was especially cold. The people who lived close to the emperor, even if they were just ordinary people, probably felt proud. They felt that they were different from ordinary people in other places and were more superior, let alone the officials and nobles. Therefore, every winter, people would wake up late. Other than the vendors who had to get up early to set up stalls on the street, ordinary people preferred to stay in their rooms to get warm.


    It had snowed heavily all night yesterday, and it was extremely cold outside. Fortunately, the snow stopped early this morning, so people didn¡¯t mind going out. When it was slightly later, the streets gradually became more crowded.


    After snowing for an entire night, the surface of the lake had already frozen into hard ice. The old men who liked fishing refused to come at this moment because it was difficult to even dig a hole in such hard ice. It was better to come when the weather was warmer.


    Although there were fewer people fishing at Lake Wanli, there was a group of playful children. The surface of the lake was shiny, and children liked to sit on a piece of plank and skate on the ice. Most of these playful children were the children of the vendors on the street. Their mothers scolded them for dirtying their new jackets like this and were afraid that the ice would suddenly shatter. However, children at this age would not listen to their mothers obediently. They still secretly gathered around Lake Wanli to play.

 Chapter 599 - 599 Asking for A Kiss (4)

    599 Asking for A Kiss (4)


    It was the same today.


    A few children who looked to be five or six years old walked towards the center of Lake Wanli with wooden planks in their arms. The surface of the lake was very slippery, so the children could only walk carefully. It was fine if they slipped, but if the ice wetted their new clothes, they would definitely be scolded by their mothers later, so they walked especially slowly.


    When they finally reached the center of Lake Wanli, the children put down the planks in their hands and sat on it to skate. A little girl in a flower coat walked further with the piece of plank in her arms. She was about to walk further when she suddenly stopped.


    ¡°Chun, what are you doing standing there?¡± The older boy couldn¡¯t help but ask when he saw his sister standing there in a daze.


    ¡°Brother.¡± The girl called Chun pointed ahead. ¡°That ice sculpture is so strange.¡±


    !!


    ¡­


    There were exquisite restaurants in the south of the city, so there were naturally some ordinary shops. Most of the owners of these shops had some savings and were considered affluent. Because the shops were located in the south of the city, they were very busy most of the time.


    Usually, the owners of the shops were busy with their own things. When they were not busy, they always liked to sit together and chat. Today, probably because it was a little early, not many customers came. The owners of the nearby shops gathered in front of the door to talk.


    As they spoke, a few children ran over at the same time, all of them panting. These children were the children of the shop owners in this area and usually played together. The female shop owner who was selling rouge looked at them and suddenly frowned. She said angrily, ¡°Dong, are you taking Chun to Lake Wanli again? The new cotton jacket I made for Chun yesterday is all wet. Are you itching for a beating?¡±


    As she spoke, the other shop owners beside her started to reproach their children too. This group of children looked like a mess. Their clothes were torn and wet, and their bodies were all dirty. Some of them even lost a shoe, as if they were rushing back from somewhere.


    The boy called Dong burst into tears and said, ¡°Wanli Lake¡­ There¡¯s someone at Wanli Lake¡­¡±


    When everyone heard that, they were stunned at first. A middle-aged man in a cloth gown said, ¡°Oh no, did a child fall into the water?¡±


    There were cases of children drowning in Lake Wanli all year round. It was fewer in winter, but it was not unheard of. There was once a child who fell into the water and died while playing on the ice. As soon as the man said that, everyone¡¯s expressions changed. The female shop owner who sold rouge was a warm-hearted person. She stomped her feet anxiously. ¡°Then what are we waiting for? Let¡¯s go and take a look first. We¡¯re all neighbors. Let¡¯s go and take a look!¡±


    Everyone agreed and ran towards the lake with the female shop owner.


    When they arrived at Lake Wanli, they were stunned. Other than the children who usually came to play, there were already many people around the cold lake. Most of them were actually walking towards the center of the lake.


    ¡°Did¡­ someone fall into the water?¡± The female shop owner muttered.


    If a tragedy happened, some people would go up to help while some people would stand by and watch the show, but there were not so many people walking towards the center of the lake. Especially among the people, many of them were rich young masters in gorgeous clothes, which was a little unusual. It was not that rich people were bad, but in this world, it was common for rich people to ignore the affairs of ordinary people. Now¡­ When did these rich people become so enthusiastic?

 Chapter 600 - 600 Asking for A Kiss (5)

    600 Asking for A Kiss (5)


    At this moment, people on the lake continued to march towards the center. Cai Lin was so cold that he was trembling all over. Although he was already wearing extremely thick clothes and a fur cloak, the lake had always been much colder than the ground. The ice under his feet kept sending chills up his spines.


    ¡°What¡¯s on the lake?¡± Cai Lin asked his friends, who usually hung out with him, ¡°Why are people gathering here?¡±


    Cai Lin originally planned to go to the casino to play today, but his friend said that there was a huge commotion at Wanli Lake and insisted on dragging him here.


    ¡°Actually, I don¡¯t know either.¡± The person said, ¡°But I heard from my servant that there¡¯s something shocking, so I brought you along to take a look. Hehe.¡± He leaned closer to Cai Lin and whispered, ¡°Usually, we only hear about corpses in plays and books. Today, we¡¯ll be able to see a real corpse.¡±


    ¡°A corpse?¡± Cai Lin was shocked and quickly said, ¡°I¡¯m not going.¡± Although he usually liked to seek novelty, he was still a little timid, even more so after being taught a lesson by Shen Miao.


    The friend refused to back down and said, ¡°We¡¯re already here. It won¡¯t hurt to take a look. What are you afraid of?¡±


    Cai Lin couldn¡¯t stand being goaded the most and immediately said, ¡°Why would I be afraid? I¡¯ll go with you now! I want to see what it is that makes you so excited.¡±


    The two of them had already walked most of the way and were very close to the center of the lake. When they walked to the center, there were already many people. Cai Lin and his friend squeezed into the crowd and his friend pointed at something in the middle. ¡°Look, there it is!¡±


    Cai Lin looked up.


    The winter in the capital was freezing, especially recently. As long as a bucket of water was placed outside, it would definitely turn into a bucket of ice the next day. As long as something was wet, such as branches and eaves, it would definitely be covered in ice after a night.


    In the center of Lake Wanli were three standing ¡°ice sculptures¡±.


    In fact, it was not accurate to say that it was an ice sculpture. In the three human-shaped ice cubes, one could clearly see the appearance of people inside the ice cubes. It was precisely because of this that people could tell that this was not something carefully carved by a skilled sculptor, but three real living people, or rather, people who had been frozen to death and frozen into ice sculptures before they died.


    What made people click their tongues in amazement was their posture.


    In the middle was obviously a woman. Her clothes were unbuttoned, revealing more than half of her snow-white body. The man beside her was reaching out to unbutton her undergarment, and the man behind her was holding the woman¡¯s waist with both hands. The woman raised her head and leaned against the man behind her. Her expression and posture were erotic, making people¡¯s imagination run wild. Most of the people who surrounded this ice sculpture were men. Some were commoners, and some were rich young men. Even if it was a corpse, she was still a beautiful woman. Moreover, this ice sculpture was lifelike. Not only did it not make people feel afraid, but it also made people feel stimulated.


    The truth was ignored.

 Chapter 601 - 601 Asking for A Kiss (6)

    601 Asking for A Kiss (6)


    People always focused on what they were interested in. The men were talking about the woman, but no one thought that this was a case where three people were frozen to death.


    Cai Lin stared at the three ice sculptures. He was originally a little afraid of corpses, but these ice sculptures did not make him feel afraid. Instead, he took delight in appreciating it. His friend said, ¡°This woman is quite good-looking. Look, I don¡¯t think an ordinary family can raise such a beauty.¡±


    It was as if he was commenting on a new girl in a brothel.


    As Cai Lin nodded in agreement, he stared at the woman¡¯s ice sculpture carefully. Even through the thin layer of ice on her face, he could vaguely see the woman¡¯s facial features. Her facial features were very beautiful and even familiar.


    Familiar?


    Cai Lin asked, ¡°I think this girl looks a little familiar. Do you think she¡¯s a girl we¡¯ve seen before?¡±


    The friend sized the woman up carefully and shook his head. ¡°That¡¯s impossible. I¡¯ve been to all the places in the capital, from the brothel to the school, and I¡¯ve seen all the girls, but I¡¯ve never seen her.¡± He said casually, ¡°Look at the undergarments she¡¯s wearing. It¡¯s all inlaid with gold. She might be from a rich family or the palace.¡±


    Hearing that, Cai Lin was struck by the thought and was dumbfounded.


    From the palace?


    He looked up at the woman and shouted uncontrollably, ¡°Princess Ming An!¡±


    ¡°What?¡± The friend was stunned. This friend of Cai Lin¡¯s was just from a rich merchant family and did not have the chance to come into contact with the officials and nobles in the palace, so he did not understand what Cai Lin was talking about.


    Cai Lin¡¯s expression instantly changed. He finally understood why he felt that this female corpse was a little familiar. Previously, at the tribute banquet in Ming Qi, Shen Miao competed with Princess Ming An over archery. At that time, Cai Lin even felt sorry for Princess Ming An as both of them were humiliated by Shen Miao.


    Who else could it be but Princess Ming An?


    When the people around Cai Lin heard that, they asked, ¡°Are you talking about Princess Ming An from the State of Qin?¡±


    ¡°Really? The woman inside is Princess Ming An?¡±


    ¡°How did a princess of a country end up like this¡­ This can¡¯t be real.¡±


    ¡°Speaking of which, this woman really looks like a princess.¡±


    ¡­


    The news of this shocking discovery on Lake Wanli quickly spread across the capital, eventually reaching the palace. Naturally, the Shen family was also informed of it.


    After Shen Miao finished talking to Xie Jingxing in the middle of the night last night, she couldn¡¯t fall asleep. It was only when the sky was slightly bright that she fell asleep, so she woke up quite late. Seeing that Shen Miao was sleeping soundly, Jingzhe and Gu Yu didn¡¯t wake her up. When Shen Miao went out to eat breakfast, it was already very late.


    As she drank the porridge made in the kitchen and thought about what Xie Jingxing said last night, she saw Luo Tan whizzing in from outside.


    Over the past few days, Luo Tan had mostly recovered from her injuries all thanks to Gao Yang. Although Gao Yang had repeatedly emphasized that Luo Tan had to rest well, Luo Tan was not someone who could remain calm. She still did what she wanted to do. Sometimes, it almost made people wonder if it was just an illusion that she almost died a few days ago.


    ¡°Cousin! Cousin!¡± Luo Tan rushed in and sat down opposite Shen Miao.


    Shen Miao did not even look up as she ate the porridge. These days, Shen Xin did not allow Luo Tan and Shen Miao to go out again, in case they fell prey to evil people like last time. Therefore, Luo Tan had no choice but to stay in the mansion.


    ¡°Little cousin, don¡¯t eat yet. Let me tell you something big.¡± Luo Tan sat up straight.


    Shen Miao put down the spoon in her hand and said, ¡°What happened?¡±


    ¡°Princess Ming An is dead!¡± Luo Tan said, ¡°Her corpse was found at Lake Wanli this morning along with two men. They were¡­ doing that kind of thing. However, for some reason, she froze into an ice cube. Everyone in the capital is talking about it!¡±

 Chapter 602 - 602 You Have to Stay Away From Prince Rui (1)

    602 You Have to Stay Away From Prince Rui (1)


    Princess Ming An was dead!


    Shen Miao was stunned. Luo Tan was incoherent, but Shen Miao understood most of it. Without a doubt, the death of Princess Ming An was definitely Xie Jingxing¡¯s doing. As for the two men mentioned, Shen Miao almost immediately thought of the Xie brothers. As she thought about it, she couldn¡¯t help but gasp. She had to admit that Xie Jingxing was indeed a ruthless person. Putting Princess Ming An and the Xie brothers together in such a scandalous way would divert the focus of the people from the fact that they were killed to the affair between Princess Ming An and the Xie brothers.


    It was true that all of this might have been done by the murderer, but compared to a boring case, such a scandalous case was easier for the people to remember and talk about. No matter what, even if Huangfu Hao or Emperor Wen Hui used force to suppress the rumors or came forward to clarify, no one would believe it. As a princess of a country, Princess Ming An ended up like a brothel girl, naked in front of everyone. If this matter was spread to the State of Qin, the royal family would be humiliated.


    Xie Jingxing was indeed not merciful.


    As for the Xie brothers, Shen Miao lost in a deep thought. Perhaps Huangfu Hao would be furious, but he couldn¡¯t find evidence to prove that the Xie brothers really forced Princess Ming An to do anything, because the Xie brothers were also dead. It was impossible for Huangfu Hao to take it out on the Marquis of Lin¡¯an, because he had lost two sons in a row, which was tragic enough.


    Seeing that Shen Miao was deep in thought, Luo Tan couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Cousin, did you guess something? Who do you think is behind this? Why is the murderer so bold?¡±


    Shen Miao smiled. ¡°I¡¯m not a detective. If you want to know the outcome, wait until the judicial office solves the case.¡±


    ¡°No matter what,¡± Luo Tan was an outspoken person. She said, ¡°I don¡¯t pity her at all. That princess is arrogant and domineering, and I heard that she¡¯s very vengeful. If she¡¯s still alive, she might find fault with you one day. I wonder which hero is helping the people get rid of evil.¡± Luo Tan rubbed her palms together, as if she wanted to befriend that person.


    ¡°Speaking of which,¡± Luo Tan continued, ¡°When you were kidnapped previously, I went to ask Prince Rui for help. When you¡¯re free, don¡¯t forget to go and thank him.¡±


    Shen Miao nodded.


    Luo Tan patted her shoulder and saw Jingzhe walk in. She smiled and said, ¡°Miss Luo, Imperial Physician Gao is here to take your pulse.¡±


    Luo Tan¡¯s expression instantly changed. She immediately stood up and said to Shen Miao, ¡°Cousin, I gotta go. Think about Princess Ming An¡¯s case. Tell me about it if you figure out anything!¡± With that, she ran away.


    Shen Miao looked at Luo Tan¡¯s back and sighed, her eyes gradually darkening.


    Xie Jingxing had caused such a huge commotion. The revenge was taken and the anger was vented. However, after all, she was the princess of a country, and many people were involved. Would this matter rest peacefully? Shen Miao didn¡¯t think so.


    ¡­


    The people of the government quickly chased away the commoners around Lake Wanli and put the three ice cubes down. As soon as Huangfu Hao saw Princess Ming An¡¯s corpse, he flew into a rage. Even Emperor Wen Hui was terrified by his anger.

 Chapter 603 - 603 You Have to Stay Away From Prince Rui (2)

    603 You Have to Stay Away From Prince Rui (2)


    With an extremely dark face, Huangfu Hao sneered and said, ¡°In the territory of Ming Qi, the princess of the State of Qin was actually humiliated to death like this. I can¡¯t help but wonder what Ming Qi is up to. Perhaps I should report this matter to my father and ask him to make a decision.¡±


    Emperor Wen Hui rubbed his forehead. Huangfu Hao¡¯s threatening words made him very displeased. However, this matter happened too suddenly, and even Emperor Wen Hui still didn¡¯t know what was going on. The Marquis of Lin¡¯an, Xie Ding, knelt down and said with tears streaming down his face, ¡°Your Majesty, please investigate this case thoroughly! I beg you to give my sons the justice they deserved!¡±


    All the civil and military officials in the throne room sighed. How glorious was the Marquis of Lin¡¯an back then? When he was young, he was so high-spirited and bold that he could even refuse to listen to the emperor¡¯s orders while he was in battle. He even married the noble Princess Yuqing. However, ever since Princess Yuqing died, the Marquis of Lin¡¯an seemed to have lost his vitality and gradually declined. Xie Jingxing, who was originally a rare talent, was buried on the battlefield under the mud. Emperor Wen Hui originally planned to deal with the Marquis of Lin¡¯an. Later, when he saw that after Xie Jingxing died, the Marquis of Lin¡¯an hit rock bottom, he decided to let the Marquis of Lin¡¯an off. Now that with the remaining two sons of the Marquis of Lin¡¯an gone tragically, Xie Ding would die without descendants and the Marquis of Lin¡¯an would be forgotten by history. The stark contrast between now and then made everyone present feel sad.


    Huangfu Hao stole a glance at Xie Ding, and there was a trace of malice in his eyes. No matter if the Xie brothers really did anything with Princess Ming An, there was no doubt that Princess Ming¡¯an¡¯s innocence and dignity were ruined by the Xie brothers. Although the person behind the scenes was the most detestable, the Xie family could not be let off either. When did the royal family of the State of Qin ever suffer humiliation like this? Huangfu Hao looked at Xie Ding and made up his mind.


    Emperor Wen Hui felt a headache coming on. He waved his hand to signal everyone to be quiet and said in a low voice, ¡°This matter is very serious. Someone committed such a heinous crime under my nose. It¡¯s outrageous. I¡¯ve already instructed the Judicial office to investigate this case thoroughly. They will definitely catch the person behind it and give everyone an explanation!¡±


    Huangfu Hao was still not happy. He cupped his hands and said, ¡°Your Majesty, please agree to let the people of the State of Qin be involved in the investigation of this case. Otherwise, when I return to the country, I won¡¯t be able to answer to my father.¡±


    In other words, he did not believe that Ming Qi would really investigate this matter thoroughly.


    Emperor Wen Hui suppressed the anger in his heart and said, ¡°Granted.¡±


    After Emperor Wen Hui left, most of the officials in the court were not familiar with Huangfu Hao, so they would not take the initiative to go up to him. However, the Marquis of Lin¡¯an was a big family in Ming Qi after all. Everyone went forward to express condolences to him.


    Unlike the others, someone actually walked to Huangfu Hao and said gently, ¡°Your Highness, my condolences.¡±


    This person was Prince Ding, Fu Xiuyi.


    When Huangfu Hao saw Fu Xiuyi, his angry expression did not soften. He cupped his hands and was about to leave when he heard Fu Xiuyi say softly behind him, ¡°I have some thoughts about this murder case. I wonder if Your Highness is willing to hear them.¡±


    Huangfu Hao was stunned. At this moment, the officials were busy comforting the Marquis of Lin¡¯an, so no one saw what the two of them were doing. Huangfu Hao sneered and asked, ¡°Prince Ding, do you know who is behind it?¡±


    ¡°I just found something strange.¡± Fu Xiuyi smiled indifferently. ¡°If Your Highness is interested, I¡¯m willing to discuss it with you.¡±

 Chapter 604 - 604 You Have to Stay Away From Prince Rui (3)

    604 You Have to Stay Away From Prince Rui (3)


    Huangfu Hao turned around to look at him. Fu Xiuyi smiled and left with a nod. Huangfu Hao stood rooted to the ground for a while before throwing a glance at Xie Ding, who was surrounded by everyone. He sneered and strode away.


    ¡­


    Because the princess of the State of Qin was the victim, the people of the Judicial office did not dare to take it lightly. However, for some reason, this time, they couldn¡¯t find any clues that pointed otherwise. After checking all kinds of scenes, what they concluded was that Princess Ming An actually had an affair with the Xie brothers. However, they naturally could not show this result to Emperor Wen Hui. Otherwise, not to mention Emperor Wen Hui, the crown prince of the State of Qin would be the first to flare up.


    The case seemed to have fallen into a deadlock.


    In the Shen family¡¯s mansion, Shen Qiu entered Shen Miao¡¯s study and sat down opposite her.


    Shen Miao glanced at Shen Qiu. Seeing that he wanted to say something but hesitated, she asked, ¡°Brother, do you have anything to say to me?¡±


    ¡°Sister.¡± Shen Qiu hesitated for a moment, as if it was extremely difficult for him to speak. Shen Miao felt a little strange and asked him, ¡°Brother, if you have anything to say, just say it.¡±


    Shen Qiu thought for a long time before asking, ¡°Sister, were you the one who did it?¡±


    Shen Miao was slightly stunned. She did not expect Shen Qiu to suspect her. However, she quickly smiled and said, ¡°Brother, why do you say that? Do you think me alone can deal with Princess Ming An and the Xie brothers? You think too highly of me.¡±


    Shen Qiu looked at Shen Miao with a complicated gaze. A moment later, he sighed and said, ¡°Sister, in the past, Father, Mother, and I couldn¡¯t protect you. All these years, we¡¯ve let you live with those villains in the Shen mansion. I didn¡¯t understand what you experienced at first, but later, I understood. I know you know how to protect yourself and that you have some tricks up your sleeve, but¡­ we¡¯re your family.¡± He said seriously, ¡°There are some things that you don¡¯t have to do on your own. Father, Mother, and I will do our best to protect you.¡±


    Shen Miao lowered her eyes and put away the thousands of emotions in her heart. She smiled and said, ¡°Brother, you¡¯re right. We¡¯re family, but I didn¡¯t do anything to Princess Ming An. I don¡¯t have the ability or the guts to do so. Besides,¡± she asked, ¡°what does the Xie brothers have to do with me?¡±


    Shen Qiu sighed and said, ¡°You¡¯re still unwilling to tell me the truth.¡±


    Shen Miao did not say anything. In fact, Shen Miao had been revealing her information to Shen Qiu bit by bit. One day, if she really reached a point where she had to resort to her family, at least Shen Qiu would be able to understand why she did these things sooner. However, not everything in this world could be done overnight. She could not bring everything in the open now.


    ¡°Forget it. I just want to tell you that since I can guess that you¡¯re related to this matter, Father and Mother might be able to guess it too.¡± Shen Qiu stared at Shen Miao with a serious expression. ¡°You have to know that Princess Ming An doesn¡¯t have any grudges with anyone in Ming Qi other than you. If we can figure this out, the crown prince of the State of Qin also can. No matter if you¡¯re really related to this matter or not, you are the first suspect. Sister, you¡¯re in a very dangerous situation now.¡±


    Shen Miao said, ¡°But I have nothing to do with this matter. Even if they investigate, they won¡¯t be able to find out anything, right?¡± In fact, how could Shen Miao not have thought of what Shen Qiu said? Although Xie Jingxing could wipe out all the evidence, he couldn¡¯t stop Huangfu Hao from taking revenge.

 Chapter 605 - 605 You Have to Stay Away From Prince Rui (4)

    605 You Have to Stay Away From Prince Rui (4)


    ¡°Are you really that confident?¡± Shen Qiu asked.


    Shen Miao said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Brother. This really has nothing to do with me.¡±


    Only then did Shen Qiu heave a sigh of relief and say, ¡°Don¡¯t go out for the next few days. The capital is not peaceful, and there are some people with ulterior motives. I¡¯ve added more guards to patrol the mansion. I think it¡¯s safe.¡±


    Shen Miao nodded. Shen Qiu stood up. He still had military affairs to attend to and had to rush back. Just as he was about to leave, he suddenly thought of something and turned to look at Shen Miao, asking, ¡°Sister, do you know anyone powerful?¡±


    Shen Miao¡¯s heart skipped a beat, but her expression was calm. She shook her head and said, ¡°No.¡±


    !!


    Shen Qiu did not say anything else and turned to leave.


    In fact, Shen Qiu¡¯s worry was right. That night, a special guest dropped in on Prince Ding. This distinguished guest was none other than the crown prince of the State of Qin, Huangfu Hao, who had been extremely angry because of his sister¡¯s tragic death.


    In the throne room, Fu Xiuyi¡¯s casual words made the paranoid Huangfu Hao decide to make this trip. Before Huangfu Hao came, Fu Xiuyi asked Pei Lang to hide in the next room and listen to their conversation.


    Huangfu Hao placed the teacup in his hand down heavily. He did not beat about the bush with Fu Xiuyi and went straight to the point. ¡°Prince Ding, you said that you feel that there¡¯s something strange about my sister¡¯s death. Can you elaborate?¡±


    ¡°Crown Prince, don¡¯t be anxious.¡± Fu Xiuyi smiled faintly. ¡°I¡¯m also deeply saddened by Princess Ming An¡¯s tragic death. However, the most urgent thing is not to catch the murderer.¡±


    Huangfu Hao frowned and looked at Fu Xiuyi with a cold smile. ¡°Could it be that Prince Ding also thinks that I should let this matter rest? I don¡¯t know how people in Ming Qi do things, but in the State of Qin, the death of a princess is the top priority that needs to be attended to. Even if I let the matter rest today, when my father finds out about this in the future, he will be much harder to deal with than me. We came just to attend the tribute banquet, but Ming An died in humiliation. Do you think that¡¯s a small matter?¡±


    His words were filled with threat.


    Fu Xiuyi shook his head and said, ¡°I won¡¯t beat around the bush with you. Generally speaking, there will always be a reason for a murder to happen. It seems that the Xie brothers and Princess Ming An were killed at the same time, and the corpses were deliberately arranged in an insulting way. The murderer clearly wants to ruin Princess Ming An¡¯s reputation. In other words, the murderer is targeting Princess Ming An.¡±


    Huangfu Hao sneered. ¡°Of course I know. I wonder who is so bold as to do such a thing.¡±


    ¡°Your Highness, think about it. Who in Ming Qi would have such a grudge with Princess Ming An?¡±


    Huangfu Hao was stunned for a moment, then he frowned and fell into deep thought. Princess Ming An was arrogant and usually beat and scolded her servants. However, because her father told her not to kick up a fuss to anger Emperor Wen Hui, Princess Ming An had restrained her temper. Therefore, although Princess Ming An was impudent, she did not offend anyone in Ming Qi.


    Unless¡­ Huangfu Hao suddenly thought of something and his eyes lit up. Then, he asked in a low voice, ¡°You mean Shen Miao?¡±


    Fu Xiuyi smiled but did not say anything.


    ¡°That¡¯s impossible!¡± Huangfu Hao said, ¡°Even if she has a grudge against Ming An and Ming An teased her, Shen Miao is just a woman. Ming An even has guards by her side. How can Shen Miao deal with the guards?¡±


    Fu Xiuyi smiled and shook his head. ¡°Shen Miao can¡¯t, but don¡¯t forget that she¡¯s Shen Xin¡¯s daughter. How much does Shen Xin love his daughter? I think you¡¯ve seen it with your own eyes at the banquet.¡±

 Chapter 606 - 606 You Have to Stay Away From Prince Rui (5)

    606 You Have to Stay Away From Prince Rui (5)


    Huangfu Hao recalled that on the day of the tribute banquet, when Princess Ming An and Shen Miao were confronting, Shen Xin, as her father, had been on Shen Miao¡¯s side from the beginning to the end, even ignoring Emperor Wen Hui¡¯s stern reproach. If Shen Xin wanted to avenge his daughter, it was not impossible for him to get his subordinates to do it.


    ¡°Then what about the illegitimate sons of the Xie family?¡± Huangfu Hao said in a low voice, ¡°Even if Shen Xin wants to avenge Shen Miao, he won¡¯t take two lives of the Xie family for no reason. Xie Ding is still an official in Ming Qi. Shen Xin won¡¯t put himself in such a risk.¡±


    Fu Xiuyi sighed and said, ¡°Crown Prince, don¡¯t you understand? Back then, I asked the Xie brothers to be Princess Ming An¡¯s guides. You are Princess Ming An¡¯s sibling, so I think you know her temper well. Shen Miao and Princess Ming An have been at odds for a long time. It¡¯s not surprising that Princess Ming An wants to deal with Shen Miao. However, she is from the State of Qin after all, and Shen Miao is an official¡¯s daughter. It¡¯s not convenient for her to make a move. The Xie brothers came in handy and were tools she could use.¡±


    Huangfu Hao was stunned and said angrily, ¡°Are you saying¡­¡±


    ¡°Crown Prince, don¡¯t be angry. I originally wanted to nurture the Xie brothers so that I could use them in the future, but these two are disappointing. You should understand what happened after that. Something probably happened to the Xie brothers when they were trying to harm Shen Miao, so the two of them died in the end.¡±


    Although Huangfu Hao still did not look convinced, he already started connecting the dots. First, Shen Miao was kidnapped for no reason. At that time, Huangfu Hao even suspected that it was done by Princess Ming An. Later, when he was told that Princess Ming An never left the mansion and did not know anyone in Ming Qi, he did not think too much about it. Later, Shen Miao was suddenly sent back to the Shen mansion by Princess Rong Xin. Then, something happened to Princess Ming An and the Xie brothers.


    Fu Xiuyi was right. Princess Ming An was a very vengeful person. After being humiliated by Shen Miao, she indeed wasn¡¯t the kind of person who could take it lying down. During those days, the Xie brothers often visited her and they were indeed the pawns she could use. However, was Shen Miao really that capable? Huangfu Hao felt that something didn¡¯t feel right. Even if Shen Xin loved his daughter and had the ability to avenge her daughter, it was not a wise move to openly go against a princess. Especially since Shen Xin had just returned to the capital¡­ Even if he did not think for himself, he had to think for the others in the Shen family. Was Shen Xin so stupid as to risk the many lives of his family for his daughter¡¯s dignity?


    Huangfu Hao felt that what Fu Xiuyi said made sense, but he still had doubts. Seeing that Huangfu Hao was hot and bothered, Fu Xiuyi did not say anything else. After Huangfu Hao left, Pei Lang walked out.


    ¡°Your Highness,¡± Pei Lang asked, ¡°Why did you lead him to suspect the Shen family?¡±


    Fu Xiuyi glanced at Pei Lang and shook his head. ¡°Sir, I don¡¯t know what you think, but I vaguely felt that Shen Miao is related to Prince Rui.¡±


    Pei Lang¡¯s heart skipped a beat, but he maintained a calm expression and said, ¡°Your Highness, are you still thinking about what happened at the crown prince¡¯s banquet. Prince Rui is from the Daliang Dynasty, and Shen Miao was away from the capital for two years. It¡¯s impossible for the two of them to know each other. It¡¯s too far-fetched to say that they get to know each other in a matter of just a few weeks.¡±


    ¡°I know you think this is unbelievable.¡± Fu Xiuyi said, ¡°But I have a feeling that there¡¯s something fishy going on between Shen Miao and Prince Rui. Many coincidences have happened in a row these days. If Shen Miao and Prince Rui only got to know each other in a few weeks, that would be interesting. Prince Rui is proud and arrogant. Even my father can¡¯t get close to him. I wonder what Shen Miao did to win him over.¡±

 Chapter 607 - 607 You Have to Stay Away From Prince Rui (6)

    607 You Have to Stay Away From Prince Rui (6)


    Fu Xiuyi smiled and looked at Pei Lang. ¡°Sir, you think Shen Miao can¡¯t do this alone, and Shen Xin is not an impulsive person and will not kill people rashly, right?¡±


    Pei Lang was enlightened. ¡°So you think¡­¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Fu Xiuyi said, ¡°I suspect that Prince Rui is behind this.¡±


    Pei Lang stopped talking. Seeing that Pei Lang was silent, Fu Xiuyi took the initiative to mention it. He said, ¡°Prince Rui is arrogant and the Daliang Dynasty has many talents. I think with Prince Rui¡¯s ability, killing a princess is just a piece of cake. However, as you and I both know, Prince Rui has no grudge against Princess Ming An and the Xie family. He won¡¯t cause trouble for himself for no reason. However, if it¡¯s because of Shen Miao, everything makes sense.¡± He smiled faintly. ¡°It¡¯s not rare for men to take great risks just to win the heart of a beauty, but I don¡¯t think Prince Rui is one of them. There must be a special relationship between him and Shen Miao.¡±


    ¡°So you wanted to get Huangfu Hao to make a move to pull the mastermind out from behind the scene?¡± Pei Lang asked.


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Fu Xiuyi smiled and said, ¡°Huangfu Hao is paranoid by nature. Even if he doesn¡¯t believe me, he will still be suspicious. One day, he will try to test the waters and target the Shen family. If Prince Rui is really related to Shen Miao, he will step in to help. At that time, we will know their real relationship.¡±


    Pei Lang asked, ¡°Then what if Prince Rui doesn¡¯t make a move?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine if he doesn¡¯t.¡± Fu Xiuyi said, ¡°Letting Huangfu Hao deal with the Shen family is also a good thing for us.¡±


    ¡°Your Highness, are you determined to get rid of the Shen family?¡± Pei Lang looked at him.


    ¡°If I can¡¯t use them, I won¡¯t keep them either.¡± Fu Xiuyi smiled gently, but his tone was very cold. He turned to look at Pei Lang and said, ¡°I¡¯ll need your advice in the future.¡±


    Pei Lang nodded.


    After Fu Xiuyi left, Pei Lang returned to his room. He looked at the candle in front of him and couldn¡¯t help but sigh.


    Two years ago, Shen Miao asked him to be a spy working for Fu Xiuyi. He had ability and real knowledge and was lucky enough to be valued by Fu Xiuyi. Now, Fu Xiuyi regarded Pei Lang as his trusted aide and didn¡¯t hide anything from him.


    Perhaps Fu Xiuyi was really not guarded against Pei Lang. Of course, perhaps Fu Xiuyi was just testing him. If Pei Lang was not Shen Miao¡¯s spy, he thought he would dedicate his life to help Fu Xiuyi achieve what he wanted.


    The more Pei Lang interacted with Fu Xiuyi, the more surprised he was. Fu Xiuyi was indeed a man of vision and wisdom. He had the means of an emperor. Pei Lang even felt that in a few years or more, the world would eventually fall into Fu Xiuyi¡¯s hands, and Fu Xiuyi would eventually ascend the throne.


    However, of all the people, Shen Miao chose to go against Fu Xiuyi. It wasn¡¯t that Pei Lang had never thought of changing sides, but Shen Miao had a firm grip on his Achilles¡¯ heel, which was Liu Ying. Therefore, he could only put up with it. He glanced out of the window. Fu Xiuyi treated him extremely well. He was provided a spacious room and there were no spies planted by Fu Xiuyi around him. Pei Lang took a piece of paper from the table, picked up a pen, and started writing.


    The night was as dark as ink. In Prince Rui¡¯s mansion, Xie Jingxing was playing with the white tiger under his feet. The white tiger had been eating a lot recently. After being fed by Ji Yushu five times a day, its body began to expand rapidly, like a ball of fur. It was not as agile as before and looked a little stupid.


    A man who looked like a guard walked in from outside. He was much younger than Tie Yi. He took out a letter and handed it to Xie Jingxing. ¡°This is a letter from Prince Ding¡¯s aide, Pei Lang. It¡¯s to be sent to Fifth Miss Shen of the Shen family.¡±


    Xie Jingxing raised his eyebrows and took the letter. He quickly glanced at it. When his eyes landed on the last line, he suddenly smiled. In the night, his face was as handsome as a painting, and his purple and gold robe was flowing with light. His smile was casual and faint, but Nan Qi shivered slightly. He was sensitive enough to sense that his master was in a bad mood again.


    The last line said, ¡°You have to stay away from Prince Rui.¡±

 Chapter 608 - 608 Forced Marriage (1)

    608 Forced Marriage (1)


    The matter of Princess Ming An in the capital caused a huge sensation among the people. After a long time, the people of the Judicial office could not find anything. Emperor Wen Hui flared up every few days and punished a few officials, but apparently, it was about to become an unsolved case. The Crown Prince of the State of Qin, Huangfu Hao, was naturally displeased, but the people he sent out did not find anything either. After a while, with the passage of time, people¡¯s enthusiasm for this matter faded. After all, everyone had to eat and live.


    In the cold winter in the capital, something big happened in the old Shen mansion.


    Shen Yue was engaged and was about to get married.


    The family Shen Yue would marry was the Wang family, which Shen Wan and Chen Ruoqiu found to be quite suitable. The Wang family only had two sons. The youngest son was less than ten years old now, and the eldest son was Wang Bi, the person who was engaged to Shen Yue. Wang Bi was 24 years old this year and had already become an official. He was knowledgeable and was a person with a bright future.


    In Chen Ruoqiu¡¯s opinion, she thought that this marriage was well-matched. Wang Bi was the eldest son of the Wang family, and Shen Yue was very educated. If she could win his heart and give birth to a few children, her position in the Wang family would be stable.


    Chen Ruoqiu agreed to the marriage without Shen Yue¡¯s knowing. When Shen Yue found out about this, she naturally caused a scene. However, this time, Chen Ruoqiu didn¡¯t back down and was bent on marrying her off, and Shen Wan, who had always doted on Shen Yue, did not soften his heart either. Old Madam Shen was even more happy to see this happen because more people in the mansion meant more expenses every day.


    Shen Yue went overboard kicking up a fuss. Even though Shen Wan usually did not punish his daughter, this time, he felt that Shen Yue had gone too far. In a fit of anger, he locked Shen Yue up in the ancestral hall and asked her to reflect on herself.


    That night, Shen Yue sat alone in the ancestral hall and cried silently.


    There were traces of a fire in the ancestral hall. The last time, Shen Miao was locked up in this ancestral hall, and Ren Wanyun tried to force a marriage upon Shen Miao. Unexpectedly, a fire broke out for some reason, and Shen Xin happened to return from the border, so Shen Miao got away with it. Shen Yue looked at the tightly shut door of the ancestral hall. It seemed that from that moment on, everything went smoothly for Shen Miao. Because Shen Xin, Ruo Xueyan, and Shen Qiu backed her up, Shen Miao was not afraid of anything. Shen Yue believed that if Shen Miao wanted to marry Fu Xiuyi one day, Shen Xin and his wife would definitely not stop her like Chen Ruoqiu and Shen Wan.


    Shen Miao used to like Fu Xiuyi in the past. Would her old love rekindle? Now that Shen Xin was back and held a lot of power, would Fu Xiuyi reject Shen Miao? Moreover, Shen Miao was no longer the idiot that the entire capital made fun of two years ago.


    At the thought that Shen Miao might be with Fu Xiuyi, Shen Yue felt especially uncomfortable. She wondered why the fire in the ancestral hall did not burn Shen Miao to death.


    Just as she was thinking, she heard the sound of the doorknob moving outside. Shen Yue thought that Chen Ruoqiu had sent someone to deliver food to her and shouted angrily, ¡°I don¡¯t want anything. Get lost.¡±


    The sound didn¡¯t stop. Shen Yue shouted angrily, ¡°I told you to get lost!¡±

 Chapter 609 - 609 Forced Marriage (2)

    609 Forced Marriage (2)


    The door creaked open, and a head popped in. It was Shen Dongling.


    The moment she saw Shen Dongling, Shen Yue was stunned. Shen Dongling looked outside and suddenly closed the door. She walked up to Shen Yue and thought for a moment before sitting down. She handed the basket in her hand to Shen Yue and said softly, ¡°The old woman guarding the door outside is not around. I sneaked in. I know you haven¡¯t eaten for a day. I was afraid that you would be hungry, so I brought you something to eat. Second Sister, you have to keep your voice down.¡±


    Shen Yue saw Shen Dongling opening the bamboo basket and taking out stacks of snacks.


    Shen Yue usually treated Shen Dongling insincerely, but at this moment, she was a little touched. She had not eaten for a day, but Chen Ruoqiu and Shen Wan did not care about it. She immediately softened her expression towards Shen Dongling. However, she had no appetite to eat those snacks no matter what.


    She said, ¡°Don¡¯t bother. I really can¡¯t eat.¡±


    Shen Dongling looked at her. ¡°Second Sister, why don¡¯t you want to marry Young Master Wang? Young Master Wang is a good person. I heard that his family is rich. If Second Sister goes over, you will be the madam of the family. Is it because you don¡¯t want to leave the Shen family?¡±


    Shen Yue glanced at Shen Dongling. Probably due to the fact that she didn¡¯t go out much, although Shen Dongling was about the same age as Shen Yue, she still looked innocent and naive like a child. Shen Yue was both jealous and disdainful. She looked down on Shen Dongling for being ignorant of the world outside, but at the same time, she was also jealous of her because Shen Dongling had a simple mind and life. Suddenly, Shen Yue had the urge to get it out of her chest. She forced a smile and said, ¡°Whether he¡¯s a good person or not has nothing to do with me.¡±


    Shen Dongling widened her eyes and asked tentatively, ¡°Second Sister, do you already have someone you like?¡±


    ¡°So what if I have?¡± Shen Yue snorted. ¡°I was born in the Shen family and don¡¯t even have the right to choose my future husband. My father only cares about his official career. Sometimes, I feel that I might as well die.¡±


    Shen Dongling was shocked and quickly waved her hand. ¡°Second Sister, don¡¯t think that way. You have to know that in this world, dying is the easiest thing to do, but if you die, you will lose everything. Second Sister, why don¡¯t you think differently? You have to know that the Wang family is not a bad family. Third Uncle and Third Aunt will never harm you. Perhaps that Young Master Wang is also adored by many girls. Perhaps many girls are envious of you. Take me as an example. If I can marry into the Wang family, my mother will probably go to the temple every day to thank Buddha for giving me such a good marriage.¡±


    Shen Yue shook her head with a forced smile, feeling more and more that Shen Dongling was stupid. She could never be on the same page with Shen Dongling because Shen Dongling was, after all, an illegitimate daughter and was unpresentable. Naturally for her, marrying the son of Minister Counsellor was good enough.


    Seeing that Shen Yue was still unhappy, Shen Dongling thought for a moment and said, ¡°There will definitely be a way out when the time comes. Second Sister, why do you have to be sad and troubled over this now? It¡¯s not worth it. Take Fifth Sister for example. Back then, after a marriage was forced upon her, she kicked up a scene and managed to escape the marriage.¡±


    As Shen Dongling spoke, Shen Yue¡¯s heart skipped a beat.


    Back then, Shen Miao was about to get married, but she escaped because Shen Xin and his wife returned to the capital in time to stop it. At that time, Shen Yue had also eavesdropped on Chen Ruoqiu talking to the servants at the door and knew that Ren Wanyun was planning to swap Shen Qing and Shen Miao¡¯s marriages.

 Chapter 610 - 610 Forced Marriage (3)

    610 Forced Marriage (3)


    Since Shen Qing and Shen Miao¡¯s marriages could be swapped, why couldn¡¯t hers?


    Shen Yue became excited, and a thought gradually appeared in her mind. She turned to look at Shen Dongling.


    As for who to swap with¡­ there was a perfect candidate in front of her.


    Shen Dongling was the daughter of a concubine. She was satisfied with that Young Master Wang, and she was weak and gullible¡­ No one was more suitable than Shen Dongling.


    Shen Yue looked at Shen Dongling and suddenly grabbed her hand. She said softly, ¡°Third Sister, how do you think I¡¯ve been treating you?¡±


    Shen Dongling was stunned for a moment before lowering her head and saying with a blush, ¡°Second Sister doesn¡¯t mind my background and treats me very well. Among the sisters of the Shen family, only Second Sister is willing to talk to me.¡± Shen Yue had always pretended to be kind and generous. Even though she looked down on Shen Dongling, she did not show it on her face. Instead, she looked like she treated Shen Dongling well. Especially recently, Shen Yue had been going to see Shen Dongling and talking to her every few days. From the looks of it, the relationship between the two of them was indeed not bad.


    Hearing this, Shen Yue smiled and said, ¡°Third Sister, now that I¡¯m in trouble, are you willing to help me?¡±


    Shen Dongling smiled innocently and said, ¡°No problem. As long as I can do it, I will definitely help.¡±


    Shen Yue smiled and said, ¡°I¡¯m relieved to hear that.¡± She held Shen Dongling¡¯s hand even tighter. ¡°Can you¡­ help me marry Wang Bi?¡±


    Hearing this, Shen Dongling was stunned. After being stunned for a moment, she wanted to retract her hand from Shen Yue¡¯s hand and said in a panic, ¡°That won¡¯t do. Second Sister, I can help you with anything¡­ but I can¡¯t help you with this matter.¡±


    ¡°You can do it!¡± Shen Yue did not let go of her hand. In a hurry, she said, ¡°Don¡¯t you also think Young Master Wang is very good? Didn¡¯t you say that if you can marry him, your mother will be happy? Third Sister, I beg you!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± Shen Dongling retreated. ¡°But this is too risky. Once I¡¯m discovered, I¡¯ll be beaten to death. Second Sister, you¡¯ll also be punished. This is too risky! Moreover, Second Sister, you don¡¯t have to take such a huge risk. Why can¡¯t you marry Young Master Wang?¡±


    Shen Yue looked at Shen Dongling, and two streams of tears immediately flowed down her face. She was born with a delicate appearance, so when she cried, it made people unable to help but pity her. Shen Yue¡¯s voice was also filled with despair as she said, ¡°For you, this is a good marriage, but for me, it¡¯s no different from hell. I already have someone I like and I¡¯m determined to marry him. If I can¡¯t marry him, I might as well die. Third Sister, for the sake of us being sisters, help me! If you don¡¯t agree, I¡¯ll definitely end my life on the day of my marriage.¡± Shen Yue looked at Shen Dongling for a while before suddenly standing up and kneeling down in front of her. She said, ¡°For the sake of the fact that I¡¯m the only one treating you kindly in the entire Shen family, I beg you to save my life!¡±


    The moment Shen Dongling saw Shen Yue kneel down, she was stunned. Hearing Shen Yue¡¯s words, she panicked and did not know what to do. She pulled Shen Yue up and said, ¡°Second Sister, don¡¯t be like this. Don¡¯t scare me!¡±


    Shen Yue held Shen Dongling¡¯s hand. ¡°Third Sister, I¡¯m begging you this time and this time only. You don¡¯t want me to be a skeleton, do you?¡±


    Shen Dongling bit her lip and looked at Shen Yue. Shen Yue¡¯s hair was disheveled and her eyes were blurry, clearly forced to a dead end. Helpless, she could only nod reluctantly and say, ¡°I will help you. Second Sister, get up first.¡±

 Chapter 611 - 611 Forced Marriage (4)

    611 Forced Marriage (4)


    Shen Yue¡¯s eyes lit up. She pounced forward and hugged Shen Dongling, thanking her repeatedly, looking like she was really grateful. However, in a place where Shen Dongling couldn¡¯t see, a smug smile appeared on Shen Yue¡¯s face.


    ¡°But Second Sister, it¡¯s better to plan it out well.¡± Shen Dongling said, ¡°After all, the marriage swap is not a small matter. Once it¡¯s exposed, we won¡¯t have a good time.¡±


    Shen Yue let go of Shen Dongling and said excitedly, ¡°Of course. Don¡¯t worry, Third Sister. Since you help me out, I will definitely explain to my parents that I force you to do this. I won¡¯t let them blame you or punish you.¡±


    Shen Dongling smiled. ¡°Second Sister, I believe in you.¡±


    The night was as dark as ink. When Shen Dongling returned to her bedroom in Rosy Cloud Garden, Concubine Wan was already asleep. She sneaked out while Concubine Wan was sleeping, and Concubine Wan thought that Shen Dongling had already gone to bed.


    Shen Dongling¡¯s maid, Xing Hua, asked, ¡°Miss, are you really going to marry Young Master Wang for Second Miss?¡±


    ¡°Why not?¡± Shen Dongling watched as Xing Hua closed the door. She sat on the couch, picked up the teacup in front of her, and took a sip, revealing a smile. She said, ¡°The Wang family is an official family to begin with. Wang Bi will have a bright official career ahead of him. With my background, it¡¯s impossible for me to marry him in this life. Since I have this opportunity, I¡¯ll be a fool not to hold on to it.¡±


    ¡°In that case,¡± Xing Hua smiled, ¡°Second Miss did you a favor.¡±


    ¡°A favor?¡± Shen Dongling smiled mockingly. ¡°Do you really think she will be that kind?¡±


    The maid was stunned and said in confusion, ¡°Miss, you mean¡­¡±


    ¡°You have to know that on the day of the wedding when this matter is exposed, the first thing Shen Yue will do is to frame me. She will definitely act innocently and tell everyone that it¡¯s me who steals the marriage from her. Even if the second branch knows the truth, in order to not make the Wang family their enemy, they will still say that it¡¯s my doing. As for Old Madam Shen¡­¡± Shen Dongling sneered. ¡°In her eyes, a concubine¡¯s daughter is naturally not as important as the legitimate daughter. No matter what, I¡¯m the one who will be sacrificed.¡±


    A look of disbelief appeared on Xing Hua¡¯s face as she said, ¡°But Second Miss said that she would stand up for you and not let you take the blame¡­¡±


    ¡°Is Shen Yue such a kind-hearted person?¡± Shen Dongling shook her head and smiled. ¡°Everyone in this family is selfish. If she was really so kind, she wouldn¡¯t have asked me to marry in her place.¡±


    ¡°In that case,¡± Xing Hua asked, ¡°Miss, are you still going to marry in her place? What if all the blame was pinned on you in the end?¡±


    Shen Dongling smiled indifferently. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Since I agreed to marry in her place, I naturally have made all the necessary preparations. Xing Hua, remember, everyone in the Shen family is like wolves, tigers, and leopards. It¡¯s better to rely on yourself than on others. Fifth Sister made a good move to leave this place. Therefore, once I have the chance, I won¡¯t be reluctant to leave here.¡±


    Xing Hua nodded in understanding. Suddenly, she thought of something and asked, ¡°Should we tell your mother about this?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no need.¡± Shen Dongling shook her head. ¡°My mother is timid and will definitely not agree. I¡¯ll tell her after it becomes a done deal.¡±

 Chapter 612 - 612 Forced Marriage (5)

    612 Forced Marriage (5)


    Only then did Xing Hua leave.


    Coincidentally, in the Autumn Water Garden of the Shen family, someone was also talking about Shen Yue¡¯s marriage.


    ¡°Yue hasn¡¯t eaten all day. It¡¯s not good for her body.¡± The person who spoke was Shen Wan. Shen Yue was the apple in his eyes. If not for the fact that Shen Yue was always thinking about someone she shouldn¡¯t be thinking about, Shen Wan wouldn¡¯t have punished her like this.


    ¡°She won¡¯t eat the food I sent over.¡± Chen Ruoqiu sighed and said, ¡°I asked Third Miss to send the food to her. I don¡¯t know if she has eaten it or not.¡±


    ¡°Third Sister?¡± Shen Wan frowned. ¡°When did Yue get so close to her?¡± In Shen Wan¡¯s eyes, Shen Dongling was the daughter of a concubine after all. It was not appropriate for Shen Yue to be on good terms with Shen Dongling, so he was not very happy to hear that.


    Chen Ruoqiu smiled and said, ¡°They only became close a few days ago. Before, Yue could talk to Qing, but now that Qing is gone, Yue has no one to talk to and is quite lonely. I think Third Miss is an honest girl. If Yue likes her, just let them hang out together.¡±


    Shen Wan did not say anything else. Chen Ruoqiu continued, ¡°I¡¯m just worried that what if Yue kicks up a fuss on the day of the wedding?¡±


    ¡°Just lock her up for a few days, and she¡¯ll learn. You¡¯re her mother. When the time comes, you can say something nice to her.¡± Shen Wan said, ¡°If she won¡¯t listen, we¡¯ll think of a way to make her listen.¡±


    Chen Ruoqiu¡¯s heart skipped a beat when she heard that. Shen Wan had always been gentle in front of her, but today, Chen Ruoqiu actually heard a trace of impatience in Shen Wan¡¯s words. She thought about how Old Madam Shen had been wanting to take in concubines for Shen Wan these days and felt even more uneasy. She hugged Shen Wan¡¯s waist from behind and said, ¡°After Yue gets married, let¡¯s relax for a few days. These days, we don¡¯t talk much and I feel distanced from you.¡±


    Although Chen Ruoqiu was not young anymore, because she took good care of herself and had some tricks to keep Shen Wan interested, Shen Wan would usually be intimate with her when she acted coquettishly. Unexpectedly, today, Shen Wan only patted her hand and said flatly. ¡°Let¡¯s talk about that after Yue¡¯s marriage is over.¡±


    His tone was perfunctory.


    Chen Ruoqiu¡¯s heart gradually sank, and her grip on Shen Wan¡¯s waist slowly loosened.


    ¡­


    Shen Miao received a letter from Pei Lang.


    Under the candlelight, Shen Miao finished reading the letter. The letter said that Fu Xiuyi seemed to have discovered that she had something to do with Prince Rui. In order to test the waters, he deliberately led Huangfu Hao to believe that she was involved in the matter concerning Princess Ming An. In the future, if Huangfu Hao made a move on Shen Miao, once Prince Rui stood up for her, their relationship would be in danger of being discovered.


    Shen Miao did not expect Fu Xiuyi to find out about this so quickly. However, she thought about it and was no longer surprised. After being husband and wife with Fu Xiuyi for so many years, she knew that Fu Xiuyi was good at picking up clues from here and there. Moreover, if Fu Xiuyi wasn¡¯t so quick-witted, he would not be the one taking the throne eventually.


    However, Shen Miao was not very worried because Huangfu Hao was not an impulsive person. Moreover, the Shen family was involved, so Huangfu Hao would not do anything rash. At least, he had to investigate carefully.


    At the end of the letter, Pei Lang added that if Shen Miao was really friends with Prince Rui and was in trouble, she could ask him for help. Prince Rui had many capable people under him, so it would not be a problem for him to pull the strings.


    Shen Miao felt that the last sentence was a little strange. Pei Lang and Xie Jingxing had nothing to do with each other. More importantly, with Pei Lang¡¯s cautious personality, it was really strange for him to ask Shen Miao to seek help from Prince Rui. However, this was undoubtedly Pei Lang¡¯s letter. Shen Miao thought for a moment and could not figure out why, so she did not dwell on it. She threw the letter into the flame of the heater and instantly turned it to ashes.

 Chapter 613 - 613 Forced to Marry (6)

    613 Forced to Marry (6)


    There was a bright red letter on the table. It was an invitation from the Shen family. Shen Yue was going to marry Wang Bi, the son of Minister Counsellor. She did not know what the people of the Shen family were thinking, but they sent this invitation to the first branch. Shen Xin and Luo Xueyan took a look and did not care. Shen Miao naturally couldn¡¯t be bothered with it. However, she did not think that Shen Yue would end up marrying Wang Bi.


    In her previous life, Shen Yue was so obsessed with Fu Xiuyi that she did not hesitate to remain single for so many years just for him. How could Shen Yue be willing to marry someone in this life?


    As she was thinking, she heard someone knocking on the window. She turned around and saw that Xie Jingxing had come uninvited again.


    He looked at the red letter in Shen Miao¡¯s hand and raised an eyebrow. ¡°You are attending?¡±


    Xie Jingxing probably also knew about Shen Yue and Wang Bi¡¯s marriage. In order to prove that their daughter was also very precious, Chen Ruoqiu and Shen Wan would definitely hold a grand banquet. In addition, the minister counselor knew many court officials and many of them were on good terms with him, so perhaps everyone in the capital knew about it now.


    ¡°No.¡± Shen Miao threw the red letter on the table.


    Xie Jingxing seemed to have expected her to say that. With a jump through the window, he was already in the room. Shen Miao sat down at the table. Xie Jingxing stood at the side with his arms crossed and said, ¡°Shen Yue is locked up in the ancestral hall. Shen Dongling just went to check in on her.¡±


    Shen Miao looked at Xie Jingxing in surprise. After a moment of hesitation, she asked, ¡°You even went to the Shen mansion?¡± Why did Xie Jingxing, the mighty Prince Rui, do all these sneaky things?


    Xie Jingxing chuckled and said, ¡°Of course it¡¯s not me who went.¡±


    Shen Miao understood that Xie Jingxing probably sent his subordinates to spy on the movement of the Shen family. However, she felt a little strange. The people in the Shen family had nothing to do with Xie Jingxing. Why did Xie Jingxing ask people to keep an eye on the Shen family? Could it be for her?


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you happy that Shen Yue is getting married?¡± Xie Jingxing asked.


    ¡°The people in the Shen family have nothing to do with me. Why do I have to be happy for her?¡± Shen Miao said, ¡°Besides, whether she will eventually get married or not is unknown. What¡¯s there to be happy about?¡±


    Xie Jingxing smiled and sat down opposite Shen Miao. He looked at her and said, ¡°You seem to have predicted something.¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you come over to tell me that Shen Dongling went to see Shen Yue because you wanted to tell me a message?¡± Shen Miao smiled indifferently. ¡°Shen Dongling will marry in place of Shen Yue. Shen Yue is lucky that Shen Dongling is there to help. With Shen Dongling around, nothing will go wrong this time.¡±


    In the Shen family, Shen Miao had never known what role Shen Dongling played. In her previous life, Shen Miao did not pay much attention to her. Ever since she was reborn, she understood things better. Shen Dongling was actually very similar to a person. Shen Dongling was very similar to Fu Xiuyi and was also good at enduring in silence. Everyone in the Shen family thought that Shen Dongling was a concubine¡¯s daughter who could be manipulated at will. She seemed to have a good temper. However, she managed to survive under Ren Wanyun¡¯s suppression. From the looks of it, in the entire second branch, only Shen Dongling and Concubine Wan were the winners.


    Shen Miao did not dare to underestimate such a person.


    Xie Jingxing smiled. ¡°How did you know she is going to marry in Shen Yue¡¯s place?¡±


    ¡°Because Shen Yue is unwilling.¡± Shen Miao said, ¡°Shen Yue doesn¡¯t want to marry Wang Bi. Unfortunately, Chen Ruoqiu has already made this marriage a done deal with the Wang family. This is a forced marriage. Shen Yue has always been proud and arrogant, and everything has been going her way since she was young. How can she accept such an arrangement? It¡¯s not entirely a coincidence that Shen Dongling showed up at this moment. One wants to escape the Shen family, and the other wants to escape the marriage. It¡¯s an excellent deal.¡±


    As Xie Jingxing listened to Shen Miao, he smiled lazily. He seemed to enjoy hearing Shen Miao analyze her opponents. He found Shen Miao¡¯s serious expression interesting.


    He said, ¡°Forced marriage? With Wang Bi¡¯s background, he is totally worthy of Shen Yue.¡±


    ¡°Unfortunately, Shen Yue has someone else she likes.¡± Shen Miao sneered. ¡°Shen Yue is a stubborn person. She won¡¯t change her mind. In order to marry her sweetheart, she will think of a way.¡±


    ¡°What about you?¡± Xie Jingxing suddenly asked.


    Shen Miao frowned.


    Xie Jingxing said casually, ¡°If you¡¯re forced to marry someone one day, what will you do?¡±

 Chapter 614 - 614 Marriage Exchange (1)

    614 Marriage Exchange (1)


    ¡°If you¡¯re forced to marry one day, what will you do?¡±


    Shen Miao was slightly stunned. Forced to marry? In her previous life, she wasn¡¯t forced to marry, but she forced her parents to let her marry Fu Xiuyi. She had never thought of what she would do if she was forced to marry. At this moment, Xie Jingxing¡¯s question made Shen Miao think of something else.


    As the first branch of the Shen family returned to the capital, not to mention that Emperor Wen Hui returned the military power to Shen Xin, even the Luo army far away in Spring City was no longer a negligible presence. Not only did the first branch of the Shen family not gradually decline because they were far from the capital, but they also became stronger. The Shen family was like a fat piece of meat. Among the princes, whoever was tied to the Shen family would have a chance to win.


    How could they be tied to the Shen family? Marriage was the quickest way.


    The marriage with Shen Qiu or Shen Miao became a way for people to be associated with the Shen family. The only difference was that Shen Qiu was a man, so he could wait for a few years. However, Shen Miao was a woman. If her marriage was postponed for too long, people would inevitably gossip.


    If one day, she became a bargaining chip in the competition for the throne and was fought over by the princes and forced to marry, what would she do?


    Xie Jingxing stared at her, his gaze as sharp as a knife.


    ¡°That day won¡¯t come,¡± Shen Miao said.


    ¡°If it comes, what will you do?¡± Xie Jingxing did not let her off and insisted on asking Shen Miao.


    Shen Miao thought for a moment and said, ¡°Then I¡¯ll fight. If I can win, they¡¯ll back away. If I can¡¯t, marrying someone isn¡¯t necessarily a bad thing.¡±


    Xie Jingxing raised an eyebrow. ¡°Not a bad thing?¡±


    ¡°I have to live, right?¡± Shen Miao said indifferently, ¡°After I marry him, I¡¯ll think of a way to take revenge. There are many things in the world that are outside your control. Do you expect me to hang myself to death? As long as I am alive, there will always be a chance to turn the tables.¡±


    What happened in the harem in her previous life made Shen Miao understand that death was the most despairing thing. Once she died, it meant that everything would be settled and there would be no turning back. She often thought that if she did not die just like that in her previous life, it was still unknown who would win in the end. Perhaps she would still lose, but perhaps she would win and avenge the entire first branch of the Shen family as well as Wanyu and Fu Ming.


    Xie Jingxing stared at Shen Miao.


    She was like a plant, full of vigor, like the weeds that grew in the winter. She would never lose hope even in the worst environment. Even if she was in the least advantageous position, she could still climb to the position she wanted bit by bit. Her goal was clear, but it was also mysterious.


    She did not look like a 16-year-old girl.


    Xie Jingxing smiled faintly. ¡°You look like a member of the Shen family.¡±


    Shen Miao did not speak. Xie Jingxing continued, ¡°I¡¯ll be away for the next few days. Be careful. If you are in trouble, go to the Exiled Immortal Pawnshop to look for Ji Yushu. Gao Yang is my man. You can trust him.¡±


    Shen Miao paused for a moment. She naturally knew that Gao Yang was Xie Jingxing¡¯s man who could even be considered his trusted aide. However, although she knew that, Shen Miao never revealed it. Even if Gao Yang was instructed by Xie Jingxing to save Luo Tan that day, Shen Miao pretended not to know. She knew that there was a line she shouldn¡¯t cross. Even if Xie Jingxing was not hostile to her now, it did not mean that he was happy with her knowing so much.


    However, now that Xie Jingxing took the initiative to tell her that Gao Yang was his man, it meant that he really treated Shen Miao as one of his people.

 Chapter 615 - 615 Marriage Exchange (2)

    615 Marriage Exchange (2)


    Just because they were allies on the surface, they could be completely honest with each other? Why did Xie Jingxing think that she would not betray him?


    Xie Jingxing did not notice the surprise on Shen Miao¡¯s face. He said, ¡°Huangfu Hao might find trouble with you. Leave what you can¡¯t solve to Gao Yang.¡±


    Shen Miao had an inexplicably strange feeling. She felt¡­ like her husband was reminding her to be careful before he left home. Shen Miao was shocked by her thoughts and said in a panic, ¡°Got it.¡±


    Xie Jingxing was a little puzzled by Shen Miao¡¯s panicked reaction, but he did not ask about it. He said a few more words and left.


    After Xie Jing left, Shen Miao sat under the candlelight and inexplicably felt her cheeks burning. Every time she spoke to Xie Jingxing these few days, she felt that something was wrong.


    !!


    Xie Jingxing left Shen Miao¡¯s place and returned to his mansion. He happened to see Gao Yang and Ji Yushu there, feeding the white tiger. Xie Jingxing glanced at him and said unhappily, ¡°Stop feeding it.¡±


    ¡°Jiaojiao likes it,¡± Ji Yushu said.


    The veins on Xie Jingxing¡¯s forehead twitched. ¡°Don¡¯t call it by its name.¡±


    Ji Yushu immediately felt a chill running down his spine. He stood up and silently retreated to the side.


    Gao Yang was used to Xie Jingxing doting on this white tiger very much, but only Ji Yushu was bold enough to play with it all day long. He walked to Xie Jingxing¡¯s side and said, ¡°Everything is set.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll set off tomorrow.¡± Xie Jingxing glanced at him. ¡°While I¡¯m gone, I¡¯ll leave the matters in the capital to you.¡±


    Gao Yang looked at him. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll definitely help you keep Fifth Miss Shen safe.¡±


    ¡°But not in a too obvious way,¡± Xie Jingxing said indifferently.


    Gao Yang was speechless. Xie Jingxing was really too fickle. For example, yesterday, Pei Lang wrote a letter to Shen Miao, the gist of which was that he wanted Shen Miao to be wary of Huangfu Hao and Fu Xiuyi. In the end, he reminded Shen Miao to stay away from Xie Jingxing. Xie Jingxing asked Gao Yang to copy Pei Lang¡¯s handwriting and write a new letter. What was even more unbelievable was that Xie Jingxing erased the last sentence in the letter and asked Gao Yang to add that if Shen Miao was in any trouble, she could look to Prince Rui for help.


    ¡°I understand.¡± Gao Yang waved his fan and said, ¡°In other words, if she causes a mess, I¡¯ll clean it up. If she kills someone, I¡¯ll take the bullet, right?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡± Xie Jingxing smiled and said, ¡°She¡¯ll be too busy with the upcoming marriage in the Shen family for the time being to kill anyone.¡±


    ¡­


    After that night, Xie Jingxing did not appear again. Shen Miao knew that Prince Rui could not stay in the capital for nothing. If Huangfu Hao stayed until now because first, he wanted to investigate the cause of Princess Ming An¡¯s death, and second, he wanted to form an alliance with Ming Qi, then Xie Jingxing must be up to something too.


    Time passed quickly. Soon, it was time for Shen Yue to get married.


    The eighth day of December was an auspicious day. The eldest son of the Minister Counsellor was going to marry the second daughter of the Shen family, Shen Yue.


    Although the current Shen family was not as good as before because the first branch split up from it two years ago and the incidents relating to Shen Yuan and Shen Gui, the minister counselor had a wide range of friends in the imperial court, so this marriage was quite an important event.

 Chapter 616 - 616 Marriage Exchange (3)

    616 Marriage Exchange (3)


    In the Shen mansion, Shen Yue had already dressed up, but she chased everyone out, leaving Shen Dongling alone.


    If one looked carefully, they would see that Shen Dongling had also dressed up meticulously. Shen Dongling was a natural beauty, but she usually did not go out, so she rarely dressed up well. Today, she was dressed like a new bride, making her look even more beautiful. However, Shen Yue was not in the mood to admire or be jealous. When she saw Shen Dongling, she said, ¡°Hurry up and change your clothes with me!¡±


    The maids and Chen Ruoqiu had already left. Over the past few days, on the surface, Shen Yue looked like she was gradually accepting this marriage, but in fact, she was secretly planning with Shen Dongling how to carry out this marriage exchange without a hitch. The more she interacted with Shen Dongling, the more Shen Yue felt that Shen Dongling was very gullible. She was even stupider than Shen Miao in the past.


    As Shen Dongling hurriedly changed into her clothes, she whispered, ¡°Second Sister, I¡¯m very afraid.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid.¡± Shen Yue was afraid that Shen Dongling would back off at this critical moment. She comforted her and said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll explain to my parents tomorrow that I¡¯m the one who forced you to do it. You won¡¯t be blamed at all. After today, you¡¯ll be the Young Madam of a powerful family. No one will dare to look down on you.¡±


    Shen Yue used the title of the Young Madam to tempt Shen Dongling. As expected, when she saw that Shen Dongling¡¯s fear had subsided a little and her face was red, she couldn¡¯t help but snort in disdain. If not for the fact that she had no choice, she wouldn¡¯t want Shen Dongling to live such a good life for no reason.


    As soon as Shen Dongling put on her clothes, they heard the sound of someone walking outside. Shen Yue quickly hid behind the screen in the room, and Shen Dongling quickly covered her head with the veil. Shen Yue¡¯s maid walked in from outside to help the bride out.


    Chen Ruoqiu wanted to say a few words to Shen Yue, but Shen Yue walked straight into the sedan with the help of a maid without even looking at her. Seeing this, Chen Ruoqiu felt a little sad and thought that Shen Yue was still blaming her for forcing her to marry, but there was nothing she could do.


    The sedan chair was about to be carried to the Minister Counsellor¡¯s Mansion. Chen Ruoqiu was about to follow the wedding procession to the Minister Counsellor¡¯s Mansion when she saw Chang Zaiqing walking over. Perhaps to coordinate with the festival atmosphere, Chang Zaiqing was wearing a light peach-colored embroidered dress. Because she always wore green colors, it was rare to see her in a bright dress, making her look refreshingly charming. Chang Zaiqing smiled and said, ¡°I hope Second Miss will be used to life in a new family.¡±


    When Chen Ruoqiu saw Chang Zaiqing, she remembered that she had not seen her for a long time. Ever since she spoke to Chang Zaiqing last time, she did not know what Chang Zaiqing was busy with. She was busy with Shen Yue¡¯s marriage, so she did not go over to talk to Chang Zaiqing. At this moment, seeing that Chang Zaiqing¡¯s face was glowing, she smiled and said, ¡°Sister Chang, have you been going to see Shen Qiu these days?¡±


    Chang Zaiqing smiled and shook her head, saying, ¡°Not a lot. First Madam and General Shen are both very busy, so I don¡¯t want to disturb them.¡±


    Chen Ruoqiu was certain that Chang Zaiqing was lying and thought that she was just being shy, so she patted her hand and said, ¡°Sister Chang, you¡¯re so likable. No matter what, they will take time out to talk to you.¡± Chen Ruoqiu thought that after Shen Yue¡¯s matter was over, she had to ask Chang Zaiqing how things were going. Shen Yue had no choice but to marry Wang Bi. Although the Wang family was not bad, at the thought that her daughter could not marry the person she liked in the end and she even had to fall out with her daughter because of this, Chen Ruoqiu felt suffocated. On the other hand, Shen Miao was doing better and better everyday in the capital. A few days ago, she thought that Shen Miao would definitely end up badly after being kidnapped, but Shen Miao came back unscathed. If Shen Miao wanted to marry a prince, it was quite possible. At the thought that what her daughter wanted could be easily obtained by Shen Miao, Chen Ruoqiu felt very indignant. Thinking that a vulgar woman like Luo Xueyan could actually have an excellent son and a daughter, Chen Ruoqiu wanted to ruin her.

 Chapter 617 - 617 Marriage Exchange (4)

    617 Marriage Exchange (4)


    She glanced at Chang Zaiqing. Chang Zaiqing had already won the trust of Luo Xueyan. Now, it seemed that she was also getting along well with Shen Xin. As long as she could get Chang Zaiqing to think of a way to enter the Shen family¡­ Luo Xueyan and Shen Miao¡¯s lives would probably not be easy in the future.


    Chen Ruoqiu couldn¡¯t stand seeing others doing well, especially when she was not doing well. She couldn¡¯t wait to see Luo Xueyan cry her eyes out. For a moment, she felt even closer to Chang Zaiqing.


    She held Chang Zaiqing¡¯s hand and said with a smile, ¡°Let¡¯s go. Sister Chang, follow me to the minister counselor¡¯s mansion. I often tell Yue to learn from you. I didn¡¯t expect her to get married before she even had the chance to do it. It¡¯s a pity.¡±


    Chang Zaiqing smiled. ¡°Second Miss is lucky to marry a husband who dotes on her.¡±


    ¡°You always have a way with words to make people happy.¡± Chen Ruoqiu smiled. She looked at the colorful sachet at Chang Zaiqing¡¯s waist and said, ¡°This sachet is made very uniquely.¡±


    Chang Zaiqing took off the sachet and handed it to Chen Ruoqiu. ¡°If Madam likes it, you can have it.¡±


    Chen Ruoqiu had always liked some exquisite things. Seeing that the embroidery of the sachet was indeed exquisite, she immediately took a liking and did not decline. She placed it under her nose and sniffed it gently, saying in surprise, ¡°This smell is very good. I wonder what fragrance it is?¡±


    Chang Zaiqing smiled. ¡°I don¡¯t know about fragrance, but I¡¯m good with tea. I mixed some tea leaves and placed them inside. It¡¯s refreshing.¡±


    ¡°Sister Chang, you are really ingenious?¡± Chen Ruoqiu accepted the sachet and smiled. ¡°I like it very much.¡±


    The two of them walked out, chatting and laughing.


    This marriage between Shen Yue and Wang Bi undoubtedly added festivity and liveliness to the capital that had been under a gloomy atmosphere. In order to highlight the importance of this marriage, the Wang family instructed the wedding procession to carry the sedan around the entire capital.


    Coincidentally, they passed by the Exiled Immortal Pawnshop.


    Upstairs, Ji Yushu was eating pastries. As he ate, he said, ¡°The Wang family is taking this marriage very seriously.¡±


    Opposite him, Gao Yang gently waved his fan and looked downstairs. The sound of gongs and drums shook the sky. He closed the window in annoyance and said, ¡°The bride has already been changed. What¡¯s the point of all this gonging and drumming? It¡¯s just a farce.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m quite interested in this show.¡± Ji Yushu was a person who wanted the world to be in chaos so he could watch the show all day long. He said, ¡°Speaking of which, is Miss Shen not doing anything?¡±


    Before Xie Jingxing left, he instructed Gao Yang to take care of Shen Miao. If Shen Miao wanted to do anything, he had to think of a way to help her. After knowing Shen Miao for two years, Ji Yushu had a pretty good understanding of her. She looked gentle and harmless, but in fact, she was the most not to be trifled with. The Shen family had always been heartless to the first branch. It seemed unusual for Shen Miao not to hit them when they were down.


    Gao Yang said, ¡°Not now, but sooner or later.¡±


    Ji Yushu wiped his mouth. ¡°Actually, you don¡¯t have to have such a big prejudice against Miss Shen. Miss Shen is a good person and is very generous. She¡¯s also very good-looking. Besides, the Shen family didn¡¯t cause you any trouble¡­¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t cause me trouble?¡± At the mention of this, Gao Yang wanted to smack the table angrily. Because of Shen Miao, Xie Jingxing had been moody, which made his subordinates on tenterhooks everyday. Even Shen Miao¡¯s cousin was unbelievably unreasonable. She always felt that he was the same as the doctors in the clinic. Gao Yang was a young and promising official in the Daliang Dynasty and was an imperial physician in Ming Qi. However, in Luo Tan¡¯s eyes, he was just a mere doctor. How could Gao Yang accept that?

 Chapter 618 - 618 Marriage Exchange (5)

    618 Marriage Exchange (5)


    Ji Yushu did not notice Gao Yang¡¯s expression. He tidied his clothes and said leisurely, ¡°Forget it. Let¡¯s wait and watch a good show tomorrow. The bigger the show, the better. This way, Third Brother won¡¯t feel bored when he comes back.¡±


    ¡­


    No one in the first branch of the Shen family was present for this marriage. In fact, Shen Wan had sent an invitation to the first branch. No matter what, he had to show some respect. However, what the Shen family did back then disgusted Luo Xueyan, so she refused the invitation, let alone send a gift. Through this matter, the people who had been watching the developments between the two branches of the Shen family understood that the first branch had made up their minds to cut ties with the Shen family and wouldn¡¯t go back on their words.


    No matter what, the marriage proceeded smoothly.


    Early in the next morning, Concubine Wan woke up. Yesterday, when Shen Yue got married, Shen Dongling went to help. Later, when Concubine Wan asked, the maid said that after returning, Shen Dongling was too tired and fell asleep, so Concubine Wan did not disturb her. Today, she specially made sweet soup for Shen Dongling, so she stood outside Shen Dongling¡¯s room and knocked on the door.


    No one in the room answered. Concubine Wan said, ¡°Dongling, I¡¯m coming in.¡± As she spoke, she pushed open the door.


    She saw someone lying on Shen Dongling¡¯s bed, covered by a blanket. When the person heard the sound, she suddenly sat up. Concubine Wan was stunned at first, and a look of disbelief immediately appeared on her face. She cried out, ¡°Second Miss, why are you here?¡±


    The person lying on Shen Dongling¡¯s bed was none other than Shen Yue. Yesterday, Shen Yue was married to the son of the minister counselor. In other words, she wasn¡¯t supposed to be in the Shen mansion, but in the minister counselor¡¯s mansion. Why would she appear on Shen Dongling¡¯s bed for no reason? Concubine Wan looked around and did not see Shen Dongling. Even though she was not considered smart usually, she vaguely understood something at this moment. She asked with a trembling voice, ¡°Second Miss, where¡­ where is Dongling? Where did she go?¡±


    Shen Yue quickly lowered her head. When she looked up again, her face was filled with tears.


    The moment Concubine Wan saw Shen Yue¡¯s tears, she felt her vision go dark. She heard Shen Yue cry and say, ¡°I don¡¯t know, I don¡¯t know. Third Sister came to toast me, and then¡­ I don¡¯t know anything anymore!¡±


    The Shen mansion was in absolute chaos.


    In Rongjing Hall, everyone was standing together. Old Madam Shen was so angry that her mouth and eyes were crooked. She looked at Concubine Wan and said furiously, ¡°What a good daughter you raised!¡±


    Shen Gui stood at a corner and wanted to say something. Now, Concubine Wan was the only woman who had given birth to a child for him. Moreover, Concubine Wan was usually gentle and obedient. Even though Shen Gui was messing around, he still had some feelings for Concubine Wan. However, when he saw his third brother and third sister-in-law¡¯s angry expressions, he swallowed his words.


    Shen Dongling actually schemed against Shen Yue and got married in Shen Yue¡¯s place. Shen Yue was left in the Shen mansion while Shen Dongling was married to Wang Bi. Shen Gui himself did not expect that the usually obedient and timid Shen Dongling would have the guts to do this. Shen Gui would never offend his third brother for a daughter, even if she was already his only child.


    Concubine Wan cried and kowtowed to Old Madam Shen. As she kowtowed, she said, ¡°Old Madam, my daughter is as timid as a mouse. How can she have the guts to deceive everyone? Old Madam, could it be that there¡¯s a misunderstanding? Even if she has ten thousand guts, she won¡¯t dare to do such an outrageous thing!¡±


    ¡°Are you saying that my daughter is slandering your daughter?¡± Chen Ruoqiu¡¯s face was ashen. ¡°That¡¯s bold accusation you are making, Concubine Wan!¡±

 Chapter 619 - 619 Marriage Exchange (6)

    619 Marriage Exchange (6)


    Old Madam Shen usually did not like Chen Ruoqiu, and she did not even have much feelings for Shen Yue. However, Shen Yue was the illegitimate daughter of the Shen family after all. It would not be nice if word spread out that her marriage was snatched away by a concubine¡¯s daughter. She immediately added after Chen Ruoqiu, ¡°Like mother, like daughter! She¡¯s really a disgrace to the family!¡±


    Concubine Wan looked at Shen Yue with tears in her eyes. ¡°Second Miss, aren¡¯t you very close to my daughter lately? Speak up for her. She is not that kind of person, right?¡± Concubine Wan did not believe that Shen Dongling would do such a thing. Shen Dongling had been smart since she was young. Most of the time, Shen Dongling would explain things that Concubine Wan did not understand. Concubine Wan had always thought that if not for her identity, her daughter would definitely not be inferior to any of the legitimate daughters in the Shen family. Shen Dongling looked timid on the outside, but everything she did was well-planned. Although she had heard from Shen Dongling saying that Shen Yue¡¯s marriage was an opportunity, Concubine Wan did not expect it to be like this. Concubine Wan believed that Shen Dongling was not stupid as to deceive the entire Shen family to marry Wang Bi. If she did this, she would have no place in both the Wang family or the Shen family!


    Concubine Wan expected Shen Yue, who always looked gentle, to speak up for Shen Dongling. Unexpectedly, as soon as Shen Yue heard Concubine Wan¡¯s words, she cried and said, ¡°Concubine Wan, I really don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on. Third Sister came to toast me, saying that I was going to leave the mansion and that she was sad. When I woke up again, it was already the next morning. I also believe that Third Sister didn¡¯t do it on purpose¡­ but I really don¡¯t know how it ended up like this!¡±


    On the surface, Shen Yue said that she trusted Shen Dongling, but her words implied that she was schemed against by Shen Dongling. As expected, when Chen Ruoqiu and Shen Wan heard this, their expressions darkened. Shen Gui also frowned. Seeing that everyone was on Shen Yue¡¯s side, a trace of despair flashed across Concubine Wan¡¯s eyes.


    Best


    ¡°The most important thing now is to think of a solution,¡± Chang Zaiqing said softly. She was not from the Shen family, so it was not appropriate for her to say anything. At this moment, she reminded everyone that the bride had already changed. What if the Wang family came to question them? Should they take Shen Dongling back? Or should they send her away? Anyway, Shen Dongling was just a concubine¡¯s daughter. It was easy to get rid of her. The most urgent thing was to appease the Wang family.


    Old Madam Shen made a prompt decision. ¡°Go and discuss this matter with the Wang family first and get someone to take Third Miss back. Lock Concubine Wan up in the woodshed. She deserves to be taught a lesson for raising such a daughter!¡±


    When Shen Yue heard that, she panicked. She did not expect them to want to take Shen Dongling back. If Shen Dongling was sent back, wouldn¡¯t she have to be sent to the Wang family? Then wouldn¡¯t all her efforts be in vain?


    Chen Ruoqiu and Shen Wan were satisfied with Old Madam Shen¡¯s decision. Chen Ruoqiu glanced at Concubine Wan and was even more furious. She only thought that in the future, she would definitely find ways to torture Concubine Wan.


    When Concubine Wan heard that, her vision darkened. The Shen family would definitely choose to protect Shen Yue and sacrifice Shen Dongling. This way, Shen Dongling¡¯s life would be ruined!


    Just as she was thinking, a servant came to report that someone from the Wang family had come.

 Chapter 620 - 620 A Farce (1)

    620 A Farce (1)


    Hearing that the Wang family had sent someone over, Concubine Wan looked out with a trembling body. Now that all the blame was pinned on Shen Dongling, if the Wang family wanted to pursue this matter, they would definitely punish her. Concubine Wan only had one daughter, so how could she not be heartbroken? Unfortunately, she was too weak to do anything.


    Everyone looked at each other. Old Madam Shen said, ¡°Invite them in.¡±


    The people who came were a dark and strong woman and a few maids. With a dark face, the woman walked in. Her arms were thick and her posture was forbidding, looking like she was here to interrogate everyone.


    Seeing that Concubine Wan was crying to the ground, the woman was expressionless. Everyone realized that she was probably here to question them. Old Madam Shen frowned and was about to speak when she heard the woman ask, ¡°May I ask where Concubine Wan is?¡±


    Concubine Wan¡¯s heart skipped a beat, and she felt extreme despair. Chen Ruoqiu heaved a sigh of relief. If the Wang family wanted to vent their anger on Concubine Wan, the Shen family would definitely not stop them. Chen Ruoqiu even thought that it would be better if Concubine Wan and her daughter were tortured to death.


    At the thought of this, Chen Ruoqiu smiled and went forward. ¡°When we heard what happened yesterday, we were also very shocked. We didn¡¯t expect Third Miss to do such an abhorrent thing. However, my daughter is innocent. I think Young Master Wang is also very angry. This is our fault for raising such a scheming daughter. I hope that after the in-laws calm down, they can accept my daughter. I¡¯ve already told my daughter to be more wary of people around her. This matter is really¡­¡±


    The dark-skinned woman ignored Chen Ruoqiu and asked again with a dark expression, ¡°May I ask where Concubine Wan is?¡±


    Everyone was stunned. Chen Ruoqiu did not expect this old woman to dare to ignore her like this. However, in front of everyone, she had to maintain her usual gentle and amiable persona. In addition, the Wang family was the victim in this matter, so she could not say anything. Old Madam Shen said in a low voice, ¡°The person kneeling on the ground is Concubine Wan.¡±


    Concubine Wan looked sad, but to everyone¡¯s surprise, the dark-skinned woman reached out to help Concubine Wan up. Not only did she not use violence on her at all, but her attitude was also respectful. She said, ¡°Eldest Young Madam misses her mother and asked me to bring her back to live with her. I specially made a trip here to take her back. I hope Old Madam Shen will allow it.¡±


    As soon as she said that, everyone in Rongjing Hall was stunned.


    What did she mean by Eldest Young Madam missing her mother and wanting her mother to go over to live with her?


    Who was Eldest Young Madam? Who was Eldest Young Madam¡¯s mother? Was it Shen Dongling? Was it Concubine Wan?


    When Chen Ruoqiu saw the dark-skinned woman help Concubine Wan up, she already had a bad feeling. When she heard this, she almost fainted. Shen Wan¡¯s face darkened and he said, ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    The dark-skinned woman looked at Shen Wan and asked in confusion, ¡°I don¡¯t quite understand what Third Master Shen is asking. Can you explain it more clearly?¡±


    Shen Wan and Chen Ruoqiu were both a little angry at the same time. This old woman was clearly pretending to not understand. She clearly knew something, but she pretended to be stupid. Did she want them to say that the bride was actually swapped?


    Shen Wan and Chen Ruoqiu couldn¡¯t bring themselves to say it, but Old Madam Shen didn¡¯t have this concern. She straightened her back and said, ¡°You¡¯re wrong. Yesterday, the bride was swapped. The bride in the Wang family is actually Third Miss Shen instead of Second Miss Shen. We were in the middle of discussing what to do about it. How dare a servant like you play fool with us?¡±

 Chapter 621 - 621 A Farce (2)

    621 A Farce (2)


    When Chen Ruoqiu and Shen Wan wanted to stop Old Madam Shen, it was too late. Old Madam Shen always had this thought that she was better than everyone else and everyone had to curry favor with her. In fact, Old Madam Shen did not think highly of the Wang family and wanted Shen Yue to marry a better husband. However, in fact, the status and connections of the Wang family in the imperial court were far higher than what Shen Wan had now. Without the permission of the Wang family, how could this dark-skinned woman dare to speak to the Shen family like this? If Old Madam Shen scolded this dark-skinned woman, it was equivalent to her scolding the Wang family. The Wang family would only think that the Shen family was ignorant and was looking down on them.


    When the dark-skinned woman heard this, she laughed. However, that laughter was especially ear-piercing to Chen Ruoqiu and Shen Wan. She asked in confusion, ¡°Old Madam, what do you mean by the bride is swapped? Our young madam is sensible and considerate, and everyone in the mansion likes her. Are you joking with me?¡±


    When Concubine Wan heard this, her heart skipped a beat, and she suddenly felt happy. Her daughter was extremely smart, and her personality and appearance were top-notch. If she could win Wang Bi¡¯s heart in a night, with Wang Bi protecting her, she would be safe.


    When Chen Ruoqiu heard this, she was almost driven crazy with anger. At this moment, she couldn¡¯t care less about her persona and said to the dark-skinned woman, ¡°What exactly does the Wang family mean? If they are angry, just say it. Why are they putting up such a show? Do they really want to treat Shen Dongling as my daughter?¡±


    Shen Wan frowned slightly and looked at Chen Ruoqiu in surprise. Chen Ruoqiu¡¯s attitude was no better than Old Madam Shen¡¯s. Unless it was absolutely necessary, Shen Wan did not want to offend the Wang family, especially since the Shen family was the one who was at fault.


    The dark-skinned woman turned to Chen Ruoqiu and said, ¡°Third Madam Shen, you are confusing me. Yesterday, when Eldest Young Master got married, he married the second miss of the Shen family. Everyone in the mansion likes her.¡±


    Chen Ruoqiu was stunned on the spot.


    What she meant was that the Wang family knew that the bride was swapped, but they wanted to let Shen Dongling live there as Shen Yue. What kind of nonsense was that?! Chen Ruoqiu was about to go crazy!


    On the other hand, Shen Yue finally heaved a sigh of relief when she heard this. All she wanted was for Shen Dongling to marry into the Wang family in her place, and then she would turn herself into the victim. In the end, Shen Dongling would be blamed, and Wang Bi would be made a laughing stock. She, Shen Yue, would still be a free person, and she might be able to gain sympathy from people.


    Although Shen Yue was not satisfied that the Wang family did not make a fuss and did not make Shen Dongling suffer, she was still happy that she could get rid of this marriage completely.


    Shen Wan frowned. This dark-skinned woman¡¯s attitude clearly represented the Wang family¡¯s attitude. If the Wang family wanted Shen Dongling to live as Shen Yue, then what about Shen Yue? The Wang family was not an unreasonable bunch. Could it be that Shen Dongling said something to Wang Bi?


    Chen Ruoqiu sneered and said, ¡°Alright, as you said, the one who married into the Wang family is Second Miss. I¡¯m Second Miss¡¯s mother. Why are you bringing Concubine Wan over for no reason? Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s a little ridiculous?¡±


    Concubine Wan looked at the woman in fear. The woman smiled and said, ¡°It¡¯s like this. Young Madam said that although Concubine Wan is not her biological mother, she has always been very close to her. Now that she has just married and moved to a new place, she¡¯s not used to it, so she wanted Concubine Wan to go over to keep her company for a while. Eldest Young Master dotes on his wife, so he agreed.¡±

 Chapter 622 - 622 A Farce (3)

    622 A Farce (3)


    Shen Yue thought that after Shen Dongling married Wang Bi, the Wang family would make things difficult for and despise her for being a concubine¡¯s daughter, but she did not expect Shen Dongling to actually do so well. This was like a huge mockery to her.


    Shen Yue gritted her teeth and was a little indignant. Originally, she wanted Shen Dongling to replace her, but when she realized that Shen Dongling might actually be liked by the Wang family, Shen Yue was unhappy.


    Everyone in the Shen family was stunned. Today, they expected the Wang family to kick up a fuss and fall out with the Shen family, but they did not expect the Wang family to have such an attitude. Not only did the Wang family not seem to hate Shen Dongling, but they also seemed to be very unhappy with the third branch of the Shen family.


    Chen Ruoqiu was about to speak when she was stopped by Shen Wan. Shen Wan said, ¡°In that case, I¡¯ll visit the Wang family tomorrow to explain personally. Before that, I hope the Wang family can be rational and not be blinded by anger.¡±


    The dark-skinned woman smiled and said, ¡°Third Master, what are you talking about? The Wang mansion is very lively and harmonious at this moment. Master and Madam are both very satisfied with their daughter-in-law. They said that the daughter raised by the Shen family is extremely good. How can they be angry? Third Master, I¡¯m afraid you¡¯re thinking too much.¡±


    This dark-skinned woman was quite eloquent. Her words rendered Shen Wan speechless. She patted Concubine Wan¡¯s hand and smiled at Old Madam Shen. ¡°I¡¯m going to bring Concubine Wan back now. I¡¯m still waiting for Old Madam¡¯s permission. Eldest Young Master is waiting for me to go back.¡±


    Old Madam Shen frowned and looked at Shen Wan and Shen Gui. She also vaguely sensed that something was wrong with what happened today. After all, Shen Wan was Shen Yue¡¯s father, and Concubine Wan was from the second branch, so she could only ask her two sons for their opinion.


    Shen Gui didn¡¯t care. Shen Wan¡¯s expression was dark, and he said, ¡°In that case, Concubine Wan, go with her. It¡¯s good for Second Miss to have someone familiar by her side.¡±


    Concubine Wan was half surprised and half terrified. She was surprised that the Wang family did not seem to intend to pursue the matter with Shen Dongling. She was terrified that she did not know if the Wang family did this on purpose or if they were just trying to express their dissatisfaction and anger at the third branch. In the end, would Shen Dongling still end up miserably?


    The dark-skinned woman took Concubine Wan away under the watchful eyes of everyone in the Shen family. Rongjing Hall was silent. A moment later, Old Madam Shen said coldly, ¡°What exactly is going on!¡±


    The strange attitude of the Wang family made the Shen family feel even more uneasy than falling out with the Wang family. Chang Zaiqing moved her lips, as if she wanted to say something. When she saw Shen Wan¡¯s expression, she swallowed the words that were about to come out of her mouth.


    Shen Gui was a little embarrassed. Originally, it was Shen Dongling who snatched Shen Yue¡¯s marriage. He also wanted to hand Shen Dongling and her mother over to the Wang family to appease the Wang family and the third branch, but he did not expect this to happen. Shen Gui cleared his throat and said, ¡°I¡¯ll write a letter to Dongling later and ask her what she¡¯s up to!¡±


    Shen Wan snorted and looked at Shen Yue. He said softly, ¡°Yue, come with me.¡± He turned to look at Old Madam Shen and said, ¡°Mother, we can¡¯t do anything rash. After I personally go and apologize tomorrow, I think this matter will be resolved. It¡¯s all my fault for disturbing your rest.¡±

 Chapter 623 - 623 A Farce (4)

    623 A Farce (4)


    ¡°Why would I blame you?¡± Old Madam Shen sighed, and her tone suddenly became sharp. ¡°It¡¯s all Third Miss¡¯s fault. She learned all these nasty tricks from that b*tch, Concubine Wan!¡± She then took her anger out on Chen Ruoqiu, ¡°If you were more careful, Third Miss wouldn¡¯t have a chance to replace Yue.¡±


    Chen Ruoqiu was already in a fit of anger. At this moment, after being reprimanded by Old Madam Shen, she retorted impulsively, ¡°Mother, how can you blame me? I didn¡¯t expect Third Miss to have a scheming mind. Mother, you¡¯re too unreasonable to blame me for this.¡±


    ¡°You are calling me unreasonable?¡± Old Madam Shen was furious.


    Chen Ruoqiu was about to talk back when Shen Wan shouted at her, ¡°Enough!¡± She was slightly stunned. All these years, Shen Wan had never spoken harshly to her, and this was the first time he had shouted at her. Shen Wan said, ¡°Yue, come with me.¡±


    Shen Yue nodded.


    Chang Zaiqing saw this scene and an imperceptible smile appeared on her lips.


    Shen Yue followed Shen Wan back to his room. Shen Wan had his back to her and did not speak. Shen Yue thought that Shen Wan was unhappy about the Wang family. Thinking about the attitude of the Wang family today and how Shen Dongling might have won the Wang family¡¯s favor, Shen Yue was extremely dissatisfied. She said, ¡°Father, the Wang family is outrageous. They clearly have no respect for you. If Third Sister uses my identity to live, what should I do? Third Sister stole my marriage and now she wants to snatch my identity. Father, you can¡¯t let her have her way.¡±


    Perhaps because she had lied too much, Shen Yue actually believed that this matter was all caused by Shen Dongling, and that she was schemed by her.


    ¡°She stole your marriage?¡± Without turning around, Shen Wan asked slowly.


    Shen Yue did not notice anything wrong with Shen Wan¡¯s tone and nodded. ¡°Yes!¡±


    A slap landed on Shen Yue¡¯s face.


    Chen Ruoqiu, who had just followed them into the room, saw this scene. She exclaimed, ¡°Yue¡±, went forward to hug Shen Yue, and roared at Shen Wan, ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    ¡°What am I doing?¡± Shen Wan laughed instead of getting angry. ¡°Why don¡¯t you ask your good daughter what she did?¡±


    As Shen Yue covered her face, her body couldn¡¯t help but tremble. Although the slap mark on her face hurt, it couldn¡¯t compare to the fear in her heart.


    ¡°Yue, are you telling me that you don¡¯t know anything about this? Is it really Shen Dongling who set you up and snatched your marriage? Do you really think you can fool everyone? You asked Shen Dongling to marry in your place because you only want to marry Prince Ding. Have you ever thought about what will happen to your father if you offend the Wang family? To have a smart daughter like you, I¡¯m really blessed!!!¡±


    Shen Wan was usually gentle and calm, and he had always doted on Shen Yue. This was the first time he had shown such a ferocious expression to Shen Yue.


    Chen Ruoqiu looked at Shen Yue in her arms with a trembling body and asked, ¡°Yue, is what your father said true?¡±


    ¡°I-I just want freedom,¡± Shen Yue muttered in fear. Suddenly, she thought of something and looked up. ¡°But Shen Dongling also led me astray. She must have said something to sow discord. Otherwise, why is the Wang family¡¯s attitude towards us so cold? It¡¯s all because of that b*tch!¡±


    ¡°Shut up!¡± The more Shen Wan listened, the angrier he became. ¡°You¡¯re stupid and you¡¯re still blaming others. Have you read all your books?¡±


    When Chen Ruoqiu heard Shen Yue admitting that she was the one who wanted to swap with Shen Dongling, she closed her eyes in despair. She did not expect Shen Yue to be so bold as to do this. However, Shen Yue was after all her own flesh and blood and had been carefully raised by her. Chen Ruoqiu only had this one daughter. When she heard Shen Wan shouting at Shen Yue, she could not help but speak up for her, ¡°Although Yue is in the wrong, she¡¯s not entirely to blame. I think Yue is right. Shen Dongling obviously said something to deliberately lead Yue astray. I¡¯m afraid this was all carefully planned by Shen Dongling.¡±

 Chapter 624 - 624 A Farce (5)

    624 A Farce (5)


    Shen Wan rubbed his forehead and looked at Chen Ruoqiu with disappointment. ¡°When did you lose the ability to tell right from wrong?¡±


    Chen Ruoqiu was stunned. Shen Wan continued, ¡°Forget it. I¡¯ll personally go and apologize to the Wang family tomorrow. However, I don¡¯t know if it will work. After all, our Shen family is in the wrong first. If it doesn¡¯t¡­ it¡¯s your fault. You can¡¯t blame anyone.¡± After saying that, he glanced at Shen Yue and turned to leave.


    Chen Ruoqiu was frightened by Shen Wan¡¯s disappointed gaze when he left. She wanted to say something, but Shen Gui had already left the room. Looking at Shen Yue, who was crying, she could only turn around to comfort her daughter.


    When Shen Wan left the room, the servant beside him saw that he was exhausted and asked, ¡°Master, do you want to go out to relax?¡±


    ¡°No need.¡± Shen Wan waved his hand. He thought for a moment and said, ¡°Let¡¯s go to the west courtyard.¡±


    ???????????????? ???????????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????? ???????? ????????????????????-????????????.????????????


    The west courtyard was now occupied by Chang Zaiqing.


    The servant did not say anything and silently led Shen Wan to the west courtyard.


    The two of them did not see that someone was looking at their backs from afar. This person was Mrs. Zhang, who was with Old Madam Shen in Rongjing Hall. Mrs. Zhan muttered to herself in confusion, ¡°Why is Third Master going to the west courtyard¡­¡±


    ¡­


    The farce in the Shen family early in the morning quickly reached Shen Miao¡¯s ears.


    Back then, when splitting up from the Shen family, Shen Miao also bribed some servants from the second, third branch, and even Rongjing Hall. Chen Ruoqiu¡¯s managing ability was not as capable as Ren Wanyun. When Ren Wanyun was in charge of the household, the various courtyards, especially Rosy Cloud Garden, were Impregnable, and it was very difficult to get any spies in. When Chen Ruoqiu took charge of the household, it was in a state of disunity. In addition, the servants were not earning as much as before. It was very easy for her to bribe the servants with some money. Moreover, what she wanted to ask was not anything confidential. It was just something trivial that happened in the Shen mansion.


    After the decline of the second branch, the third branch was the one holding up the family.


    When people had a good and comfortable life for too long, they would become foolish. For example, Shen Yue¡¯s move this time was really terrible.


    After the quarrel, Shen Wan really went to apologize to the Wang family the next day. No one knew what kind of excuse he came up with, but he probably pinned all the blame on Shen Dongling.


    The Wang family did not accept Shen Wan¡¯s apology. They did not acknowledge Shen Yue at all. They insisted that Shen Dongling was the daughter of the third branch. As for Shen Yuie, sorry, they did not know who she was at all.


    Shen Wan was very embarrassed. He could tell that the Wang family was deliberately making things difficult for him. He also understood that the Wang family might have already known that the marriage exchange was proposed by Shen Yue, so they deliberately made things difficult for him. Shen Gui thought that with his relationship with the Wang Family, after assuming airs for a while, the Wang families would eventually replace Shen Dongling with Shen Yue. However, this time, Shen wan was wrong.


    Therefore, in the end, the two parties came up with two solutions. First, Shen Dongling would stay in the Wang family as Shen Yue, and the real Shen Yun would be forbidden to go out into the public. This was naturally unacceptable to Shen Wan. Then, there was the second solution. Shen Yuan would also marry into the Wang family and be an equal wife.


    Because everyone attended Shen Yue and Wang Bi¡¯s wedding, there was no need to hold a big wedding this time. Judging from the scale of the marriage, others would think that Wang Bi was just marrying a concubine¡¯s daughter, which was why they kept a low profile.

 Chapter 625 - 625 A Farce (6)

    625 A Farce (6)


    This solution almost made Shen Wan storm out in anger.


    It was not uncommon for a legitimate daughter and an illegitimate daughter to serve the same husband. However, generally speaking, the legitimate daughter would be the first wife while the illegitimate daughter would be concubine. What the Wang family proposed was for them to be equal wives! Moreover, in order to hide it, Shen Yue could only have a low-key wedding, while Shen Dongling, the illegitimate daughter, snatched away the honor and glory that Shen Yue deserved!


    This was humiliation!


    Shen Wan rejected flatly, but the Wang family¡¯s attitude was also very firm. It was not their fault that the bride was wrong. Now that Shen Dongling and Wang Bi were getting along quite well, they did not care about Shen Yue. However, Shen Yue could not afford to delay the wedding. If this continued, the one who would suffer would be Shen Yue.


    Therefore, Shen Wan was a little hesitant. Because of this matter, he had quarreled with Chen Ruoqiu a few times.


    As Shen Miao listened to Bai Lu telling her about the things that had been reported back from the Shen family, she smiled from ear to ear. Shen Miao had always been calm and rarely looked as happy as she was now.


    ¡°Miss, do you find it interesting?¡± Bai Lu said, ¡°Second Miss shot herself in the foot this time. She even caused Third Master to be in a difficult spot.¡±


    ¡°In my opinion, Third Miss is the winner.¡± Shuang Jiang said, ¡°Not only did Third Miss become the first wife, but she also seems to be liked by everyone in the Wang family. She even brought Concubine Wan over to live with her.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s too early to say who¡¯s the winner.¡± Bai Lu shook her head. ¡°If Second Miss marries into the Wang family in the end, although the two of them are equal wives, there¡¯s still a difference between the legitimate and the illegitimate daughters. Third Miss only has a mother who is a concubine, but Second Miss has the third branch of the Shen family standing behind her. The Wang family will be more biased towards Second Miss, right? Third Miss has the momentum now, but there¡¯s a long way to go.¡±


    Shen Miao smiled and said, ¡°You are wrong. Third Sister is a capable person.¡±


    Bai Lu and Shuang Jiang looked at Shen Miao at the same time. Shen Miai said, ¡°Even if Shen Yue really marries into the Wang family one day, she won¡¯t be comparable to Shen Dongling. I think the reason why the Wang Family treats the third branch so coldly is probably because they know that the marriage exchange was proposed by Shen Yue. Which man in the world will like a wife who has someone else in her heart? Shen Yune has already lost.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid Wang Bi won¡¯t even let her give birth to his children. Although there are differences between the legitimate and illegitimate daughters, they¡¯re both equal wives. Whoever gives birth to the child will naturally have more say.¡± Shen Miao said indifferently, ¡°Besides, with Shen Yun¡¯s brain, how can she beat Shen Dongling? Shen Dongling can make Wang Bi not blame her and even bring Concubine Wan out of the Shen family. How can such a smart and capable person be defeated by Shen Yue?¡±


    Bai Lu and Shuang Jiang were stunned as they listened to the analysis. After a while, Shuang Jing said, ¡°It seems like Third Miss is really a powerful person.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s the only one in the Shen family who actually has a brain.¡± Shen Miao said, ¡°Help me grind the ink.¡±


    Bai Lu went to find some ink. As she ground it, she saw Shen Miao take out a pen and paper, as if she was going to write something. Bai Lu asked, ¡°Miss, are you going to write a letter?¡±


    Shen Miao nodded.


    Naturally, Shen Miao was happy to see Shen Yue making a scene and shooting herself in the foot this time. However, she did not forget that in her previous life, the third branch also contributed a lot to the fall of the first branch of the Shen family.


    One day, she would get back at them. In fact, she did not want to take action to bring down the third branch from the beginning to the end, but if the third branch walked to the cliff on their own, Shen Miao would not mind giving them one last push.


    Shen Wan and Chen Ruoqiu quarreled all day long. At this moment, he needed the comfort of his confidante the most.


    ???????????????? ???????????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????? ???????? ????????????????????-????????????.????????????


    It was time for Chang Zaiqing to show up.

 Chapter 626 - 626 Adding Fuel to the Flame (1)

    626 Adding Fuel to the Flame (1)


    The marriage exchange between Shen Yue and Shen Dongling had an unimaginable consequence. At the demand of the Wang family, Shen Wan had no choice but to agree to let Shen Yues marry Wang Bi as an equal wife because he didn¡¯t want to make enemies with the Wang Family. He did not know what Shen Dongling said to the Wang Family this time, but the Wang Family refused to listen to Shen wan¡¯s explanation.


    However, this was not the outcome Shen Yue wanted. She fell out with her parents, shouting that she wouldn¡¯t marry Wang Bi no matter what, and that she couldn¡¯t tolerate being equal with Shen Dongling.


    Not only was Shen Yue unwilling, but Chen Ruoqiu was also very angry. Chen Ruoxiu was usually a person who could see the bigger picture, but this matter concerned her daughter¡¯s marriage, so she could not take it lying down and insisted that Shen Wan go to the Wang family to ask for an explanation. The master and madam of the third branch, who had always been loving to each other, had been having frequent conflicts these days.


    It was the same today.


    Chen Ruoqiu paced back and forth in the room. Suddenly, she turned around and walked up to Shen Wan, saying anxiously, ¡°What exactly does the Wang family want? We can¡¯t let this matter drag on like this, right? That little b*tch, Shen Dongling, is taking over Yue¡¯s place. Does she really have the guts to challenge us? Master, go to the Wang family and argue with them!¡±


    She kept calling Shen Dongling ¡°little b*tch¡±, making her look like a completely different person from the one with good upbringing. Shen Wan couldn¡¯t help but frown. He said patiently, ¡°Now, we can only let Yue marry over as an equal wife before trying to figure out what to do next. Give me some peace.¡±


    ¡°Master!¡± Chen Ruoqiu screamed, ¡°Yue is your daughter, and she¡¯s also the legitimate daughter of our third branch. How can you bear to see her on equal footing with that little b*tch, Chen Dongling! Even if it¡¯s Yue¡¯s fault, it must be because Shen Dongling instigated it. How could you be so heartless!¡±


    Shen Wan felt deafened by Chen Ruoqiu¡¯s scream and said angrily, ¡°Then what do you think we should do? The longer this matter goes on, the more Yue will suffer. As you said, if this matter blows up, Shen Dongling, the daughter of a concubine, won¡¯t be affected. Instead, Yue will be pointed at and laughed at. The Shen family will also become a joke.¡±


    Chen Ruoqiu was shocked by Shen Wan¡¯s angry voice and trembled a little. However, when she thought of Shen Yue, she brace herself and said, ¡°But we can¡¯t let Yue suffer just like that, right? No, I have to go to the Wang Mansion personally to seek justice for Yue.¡±


    ¡°Enough!¡± Shen Wan said angrily, ¡°Stay at home and watch over Shen Yue. Don¡¯t cause me trouble!¡±


    Chen Ruoqiu was stunned. Over the years of living with Shen Wan, even when he was the angriest, he had never been so harsh to her. Her heart tightened, and she subconsciously said, ¡°You and I used to be loyal and loving to each other, and you promised that you wouldn¡¯t take in a concubine. Are you going to change your mind? Do you not love me anymore¡­¡±


    ???????????????? ???????????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????? ???????? ????????????????????-????????????.????????????


    Over the past few days, Chen Ruoqiu had been worried sick about her daughter. She looked much older and more haggard. In Shen Wan¡¯s eyes, she looked a little ridiculous. He glanced at Chen Ruoqiu indifferently and said, ¡°If that¡¯s what you think, then so be it.¡± He turned around and left.

 Chapter 627 - 627 Adding Fuel to the Flame (2)

    627 Adding Fuel to the Flame (2)


    Chen Ruoqiu was stunned and stood rooted to the ground. The maids beside her, Shi Qing and Hua Yi, quickly helped her up. Fear gradually surged in Chen Ruo Qiu¡¯s heart. She suddenly felt that something was slowly changing, and the most terrifying thing was that she did not know what was changing.


    The commotion in the Autumn Water Garden quickly spread to other courtyards, such as the west courtyard that had been abandoned for a long time.


    The west courtyard was spacious to begin with. Ever since Chang Zaiqing moved in, she decorated it with flowers and plants, making the west courtyard a unique and elegant place. At this moment, Chang Zaiying was sitting in the room. She folded the letter she had just finished reading and put it away.


    Nanny Zhao opened the window to let in some fresh air. She said to Chang Zaiqing, ¡°Is it a letter from First Madam Shen?¡±


    Chang Zaiqing nodded.


    ???????????????? ???????????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????? ???????? ????????????????????-????????????.????????????


    The letter was sent by Luo Xueyan. Actually, Chang Zaiqing could not tell if it was from Luo Xueyan or Shen Miao. At the thought of Shen Miao, the clear eyes of the girl that seemed to see through everything appeared in her mind, making her shiver. In the letter, Luo Xueyan said that Chang Zaiqing had not been to the new Shen mansion for a long time. If she had time, she could go and visit them. Luo Xueyan even mentioned that she wanted to introduce a good family to Chang Zaiqing.


    However, in this letter, Chang Zaiqing seemed to have read a hidden message.


    Some time ago, she changed her target from Shen Xin to Shen Wan. Dealing with Shen Wan was much easier than Chang Zaiqing thought. The reason was that Shen Wan liked elegant people the most, and Chang Zaiqing was quite to his taste. Ever since Shen Yue got into a mess, the conflict between Shen Wan and Chen Ruoqiu had become more and more intense, and Shen Wan liked coming to the west courtyard very much because Chang Zaiqing could understand him and had a way to comfort him. Gradually, Chang Zaiqing became more and more familiar with Shen Yu.


    Was Luo Xueyan going to matchmake her and Shen Wan?


    Just as she was thinking, a maid outside came in to report that Shen Wan was here.


    Nanny Zhao quickly left. When Shen Wan entered the room, she saw Chang Zaiqing holding a letter and reading it with relish. He asked curiously, ¡°Whose letter is this? Why are you so engrossed in reading it?¡±


    Chang Zaiqing seemed to have just seen Shen Wan enter. She smiled and put down the letter in her hand. ¡°It¡¯s a letter from First Madam Shen.¡±


    The smile on Shen Wan¡¯s face froze for a moment. He pretended to ask casually, ¡°Why did Sister-in-law send a letter to you?¡±


    Chang Zaiqing smiled and said, ¡°First Madam Shen is a good person. She said that she wants to be my matchmaker. She probably thinks that I am alone and don¡¯t have anyone to rely on.¡±


    She was still smiling happily, making her look even more charming, but Shen Wan gradually stopped smiling.


    This matter in the Shen family was also being discussed in Rongjing Hall.


    Old Madam Shen sat on the couch, and the maid behind her gently massaged her shoulders. Mrs. Wang said softly, ¡°Old Madam, Third Master went to the west courtyard again.¡±


    Old Madam Shen opened her eyes slightly, as if she was thinking about something. A moment later, she slowly closed her eyes and said, ¡°So be it. Although her status is a little low, she¡¯ll just be a concubine anyway. Her status doesn¡¯t matter.¡±


    Mrs. Wang also smiled and said, ¡°Old Madam, you can rest assured now. Initially, Third Master refused to take in concubines. After taking Miss Chang in as a concubine, Third Master will definitely start taking in other concubines in the future. At this rate, it won¡¯t be long before he can have a son.¡±

 Chapter 628 - 628 Adding Fuel to the Flame (3)

    628 Adding Fuel to the Flame (3)


    Old Madam Shen sighed. ¡°If not for the fact that the Shen family doesn¡¯t have a single grandson, I wouldn¡¯t have interfered in his affairs. At first, he was very protective of Chen Ruoqiu and didn¡¯t even listen to me, his mother. At that time, I said that Chen Ruoqiu won¡¯t be doted on for too long because men are all greedy. One day, she would be despised. Didn¡¯t I hit the nail on the head?¡±


    Mrs. Wang quickly echoed Old Madam Shen¡¯s words. ¡°That¡¯s right. Old Madam, you have consumed more salt than she has of rice. you are naturally far-sighted.¡±


    Old Madam Shen seemed to enjoy Mrs. Wang¡¯s flattery very much, and a trace of smugness appeared on her face. She said, ¡°If I had known that Shen Wan liked such a woman, I would have found a concubine from a scholarly family for him. Chen Ruoqiu always thinks that she¡¯s unmatched just because she has read some books. She can¡¯t even manage the household well.¡± Then, she said, ¡°I think Chang Zaiqing is not bad. She¡¯s obedient and has manners. It¡¯s understandable that Shen Gui likes her.¡±


    ¡°But neither of them have told each other their feelings yet.¡± Mrs. Wang said, ¡°If this continues and Third Madam finds out, she will probably kick up a big fuss.¡±


    ¡°Kick up a fuss? How dare she!¡± Old Madam Shen said angrily. Then, she thought about it carefully and said, ¡°But it¡¯ll indeed be quite troublesome if she kicks up a fuss. Forget it. Since the two of them are interested in each other, find a chance to help them out. What¡¯s done is done. Let¡¯s see if Chen Ruoqiu dares to stop it. If she dares, the Shen family won¡¯t tolerate such a jealous and useless madam who can even give birth to a son. Just send her a divorce letter.¡±


    Mrs. Wang nodded.


    ¡­


    The mess in the third branch eventually reached the ears of Shen Dongling.


    Xing Hua was carefully making tea for Shen Dongling. It was a top-notch tea. Although the Wang family was not extremely wealthy, they were still very particular about food and clothing. Shen Dongling was treated much better than when she was the illegitimate daughter of the second branch. If the Shen family were present, they would definitely be shocked to find that this leisurely-looking rich lady in front of them was actually the submissive illegitimate daughter of the second branch.


    ???????????????? ???????????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????? ???????? ????????????????????-????????????.????????????


    Shen Dongling picked up the tea and took a sip. Xing Hua said worriedly, ¡°I heard that the people from the Shen family came again this morning and said that they agree to let Second Miss marry over. If Second Miss enters the family, what will happen? I¡¯m afraid Third Madam and Third Master will help Second Miss to take everything away from you.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, she won¡¯t be able to marry into the Wang family.¡± Shen Dongling smiled and said, ¡°The Wang family won¡¯t let Shen Yue enter the family. Even if she does, it¡¯s impossible for her to live a good life. Why should they show respect to someone who doesn¡¯t show them respect? Choose a few pieces of beautiful fabric and send them to my mother for her to make some new clothes.¡±


    At this moment, Shen Dongling acted and spoke like the madam of a family. Xing Hua thought for a moment and smiled. ¡°Miss, you are always smart. I don¡¯t know what you said to Young Master Wang that day, but ever since then, he hates all the people from the third branch. However, the third branch reaped what they sowed. It¡¯s obvious that Third Miss was the one who suggested the marriage exchange, but she actually wanted to push all the blame to you. She¡¯s too vicious.¡±


    When the news of Shen Yue saying that everything was planned by Shen Dongling spread to the Wang family, Xing Hua was furious. Back then, when Shen Yue begged Shen Dongling to marry in her place, she clearly said that she would not implicate Shen Dongling, but she went back on her words and tried to harm Shen Dongling. It was simply despicable.


    The reason why the Wang family did not like the third branch so much was because Shen Dongling said something to Wang Bi. She said Shen Yue liked Prince Ding, Fu Xiuyi, and the third branch also wanted to stand on Fu Xiuyi¡¯s side.

 Chapter 629 - 629 Adding Fuel to the Flame (4)

    629 Adding Fuel to the Flame (4)


    Shen Wan wanted Shen Yue to dispel the idea of marrying Fu Xiuyi and chose the Wang family because the Wang Family was not on Fu Xiuyi¡¯s side in the competition for the throne. However, it turned out that Shen Yue was infatuated with Prince DIng, and the third branch of the Shen family supported Prince Ding. If the Wang family and the third branch of the Sheng family were related through one way or another, they would definitely have conflicts in the future. Therefore, as long as the Wang family were not stupid, they would not let Shen Yue marry over. Even Shen Dongling¡¯s marriage exchange was a blessing for the Wang family because they didn¡¯t want to have anything to do with Prince Ding.


    Shen Yue¡¯s fate with the Wang family was destined to end. However, Shen Dongling did not feel pity or sympathy for her. Shen Yue asked for it, so she naturally had to bear the consequences herself.


    Even if the Wang family agreed to let Shen Yue enter the family as an equal wife, would Shen Yue be ok with it? Shen Dongling did not think so.


    Not only did Shen Dongling not think so, but Shen Miao also did not think so.


    Jingzhe said, ¡°The Shen family is in a mess. This show is really exciting.¡±


    Shen Miao smiled indifferently. ¡°Maybe. The bigger the mess, the better. We¡¯ve cut ties with them, and it has nothing to do with us.¡±


    Jingzhe looked at Shen Miao and walked to the side to mutter to Gu Yu, ¡°What¡¯s going on with Miss these days? Why does she look like she¡¯s not in a good mood?¡±


    Gu Yu was stunned for a moment. She looked over and saw Shen Miao sitting in the courtyard, the book in front of her untouched. She supported her chin with one hand and looked into the sky lazily, thinking about something.


    ¡°I think so.¡± Gu Yu nodded and said, ¡°She¡¯s been listless for the past few days.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s not just listless.¡± Jingzhe shook her head. ¡°In the past, Miss would always be happy to see the Shen family in trouble. Now that the Shen family is in a mess, Miss only nodded faintly when she heard that, as if she¡¯s not interested. Is she sick?¡±


    ¡°She can eat, drink, walk, and jump. What kind of sickness would make her like this?¡± Gu Yu rolled her eyes. ¡°Do you think she¡¯s lovesick?¡±


    ¡°Who¡¯s lovesick?¡± A voice came from behind. The two of them were shocked and turned around to see Luo Ling walking over. Jingzhe and Gu Yu quickly greeted, ¡°Greetings, Young Master Luo.¡±


    Luo Ling waved his hand and walked towards Shen Miao, who was sitting at the stone table. When he walked to her side and saw that she was still sitting there in a daze, he called out, ¡°Little cousin?¡±


    ???????????????? ???????????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????? ???????? ????????????????????-????????????.????????????


    Shen Miao turned around and saw Luo Ling. She smiled and said, ¡°Cousin Ling.¡±


    Luo Ling sat down opposite Shen Miao. His right hand was still not healed, but Shen Qiu had found a left-hand sword technique for him. Over the past few days, he had really been practicing the left-hand sword technique seriously. His mind was much broader than before, and his speech was even more eloquent, making him different from other men of his age. Occasionally, when he walked out, girls would steal glances at him and discuss shyly. They heard from Luo Tan that many young ladies in the capital secretly liked him.


    Luo Ling said, ¡°Little Cousin, what¡¯s on your mind?¡±


    Shen Miao smiled. ¡°Nothing. I was just absent-minded.¡±


    She looked at Luo Ling. ¡°Cousin Ling, why are you looking for me?¡±


    Luo Ling was stunned, and a trace of embarrassment appeared on his handsome face. He just wanted to come and see Shen Miao, but when Shen Miao asked seriously why he was here, he didn¡¯t know how to answer her. He had an idea and said, ¡°Uh, the pastries you sent me a few days ago were a little too sweet, so I came to tell you.¡±

 Chapter 630 - 630 Adding Fuel to the Flame (5)

    630 Adding Fuel to the Flame (5)


    Gu Yu, who was behind Luo LIng, looked a little angry. Her Miss was not a pastry chef who specialized in making pastries. He had pastries sent to him for free and yet he still wanted to complain.


    Jingzhe suppressed her laughter. Gu Yu was a blockhead and couldn¡¯t tell, but Jingzhe was smart. Young Master Luo clearly wanted to get close to Shen Miao, but he couldn¡¯t find an excuse. However¡­ looking at Shen Miao¡¯s indifferent expression, Jingzhen knew that Shen Miao didn¡¯t get it.


    As expected, Shen Miao frowned and asked, ¡°Too sweet? I didn¡¯t add much sugar.¡±


    Luo Ling scratched his head in embarrassment. He thought of something and said, ¡°Ahem, Luo Tan once said that Little Cousin seems to know how to make pastries with the fragrance of fruit juice. Can you make that for me next time?¡±


    ???????????????? ???????????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????? ???????? ????????????????????-????????????.????????????


    Shen Miao was stunned.


    Luo Tan often came to Shen Miao to talk to her. Occasionally, she would eat the pastries on the table without being asked to. The pastries were made by Shen Miao herself, but she was not skilful at it. However, Luo Tan felt that they were delicious, so she finished the basket of pastries in one go.


    The pastries were mixed with water and fruit juice, which was the way the royal chef of the Daliang Dynasty did it. Previously, when Xie Jingxing asked Shen Miao to make two baskets of pastries for him to fill his stomach while he went to kill Princess Ming An. Later, Xie Jinxing disappeared for a period of time. These days, while watching the farce in the Shen family, Shen Miao wanted to make some more to thank him.


    Thinking of this, Shen Miao gradually lowered her eyes. Speaking of which, it had been a few days since Xie Jingxing left. What was strange was that there was actually no news about Prince Rui disappearing for so many days in the capital. Shen Miao didn¡¯t know if Xie Jinxing was safe. After all, he was still carrying the identity of the young marquis of the Marquis of Lin¡¯an.


    Seeing that Shen Miao was in a daze again, Luo Ling waved his hand in front of her and asked, ¡°Cousin?¡±


    Shen Miao came back to her senses and smiled apologetically at Luo Ling. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Cousin Luo. I made the pastry recipe on a whim. At that time, I fiddled with the ingredients and was lucky enough to make some that were actually edible, and it was all eaten by Cousin Tan. I don¡¯t know if I can make that kind of thing again.¡±


    Jingzhe, who was behind Shen Miao, widened her eyes. Shen Miao actually lied to Young Master Luo in a serious manner. Jingzhen naturally knew if Shen Miaos knew how to make the pastry or not. Shen Miao came up with the recipe in detail and made it skilfully. Why wasn¡¯t she willing to make some for Young Master Luo?


    Could it be that Young Master Luo had offended Shen Miao? Jingzhe was puzzled.


    Luo Ling did not expect Shen Miao to reject him and was even more embarrassed, not knowing what to say.


    Shen Miao looked calm and did not reveal any emotion that would betray her. The process of making those pastries was complicated. She had made it once, but she did not have the patience to make it for others all day long. Luo Ling¡­ It was better to get the pastry chef in the kitchen to make something else for him.


    While they were talking, the other person under the roof in the distance observed quietly. That person was dressed in white and had a fan in his hand. He looked like a gentleman. It was Gao Yang.


    Ever since Xie Jingxing left, instructed by Xie Jingxing, Gao Yang had been staying in the new Shen mansion with the excuse of treating the injury on Luo LIng¡¯s arm so that he could protect Shen Miao at all times.


    Gao Yang looked at Luo Ling with sympathy. Then, he looked at Shen Miao and shook his head, sighing deeply.

 Chapter 631 - 631 Adding Fuel to the Flame (6)

    631 Adding Fuel to the Flame (6)


    ¡°Why are you sighing?¡± A head suddenly popped out from behind Gao Yang, scaring him so much that he almost fell.


    ¡°Doctor Gao.¡± Luo Tan asked, ¡°Why are you standing here?¡± She followed Gao Yang¡¯s gaze and saw Shen Miao and Luo Ling sitting and talking. Then, she looked at Gao Yangs. Gao Yang felt a little uneasy being stared at by Luo Tan¡¯s strange gaze. Luo Tan suddenly said, ¡°I understand. So you like my little cousin!¡±


    Gao Yang was so shocked that he quickly reached out to cover Luo Tan¡¯s mouth. What a joke. He wasn¡¯t the only one planted by Xie Jingxing in the new Shen mansion. There were other secret guards too. If some nosy secret guard told Xie Jinxing about this, he wouldn¡¯t have to stay in Ming Qi anymore. Looking at Luo Tan, who was struggling to break free, Gao Yang felt helpless. Luo Tan seemed to specialize in causing trouble for him.


    Luo Tan finally broke free from Gao Yang¡¯s hand. She probably realized that her voice was a little loud, so she lowered her voice. However, her expression was still smug, as if she had something on Gao Yangs. She said, ¡°So you like Little Cousin and you¡¯re jealous.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t speak as if you know everything.¡± Gao Yang said, ¡°I don¡¯t dare to have any thoughts about Fifth Miss Shen.¡±


    Luo Tan curled her lips. ¡°At least you know your place. My little cousin is so smart and good-looking. It¡¯s hard to find a girl like her in the capital. You¡¯re just a doctor, yet you still want to dream about chasing her. Why don¡¯t you look at yourself in the mirror?¡±


    The disdain in her tone hurt Gao Yang, making him really have the urge to find a mirror to see if he was really as unpresentable as Luo Tan said.


    Thinking of His Highness, Gao Yang sneered and nodded in Luo Ling¡¯s direction. ¡°I¡¯m not qualified, but do you think he¡¯s qualified?¡±


    Luo Tan glanced at Luo Ling and sighed. ¡°Cousin Ling is very good, but unfortunately, he¡¯s the right person for my cousin.¡±


    These words surprised Gao Yang. He thought that Luo Tan would speak up for her cousin, so he asked, ¡°Oh? Why do you say so?¡±


    ¡°Cousin Miao has a mind of her own, but Cousin Ling is too gentle. I don¡¯t see any spark of love happening between them. I think Cousin Miao only treats Cousin Ling as her elder brother.¡± Luo Tan felt that it was a pity.


    Gao Yang was surprised and asked, ¡°Then tell me, who can your little cousin have a spark of love with?¡±


    Gao Yang was just teasing Luo Tan, but he did not expect Luo Tan to really think about it seriously. In the end, she said, ¡°Probably someone like Prince Rui.¡±


    Gao Yang was stunned.


    ¡°Prince Rui is good-looking and mysterious. He¡¯s also a person who values friendship and loyalty. He is the only one of his kind in this world. A person like my little cousin deserves such a husband¡­¡± Luo Tan¡¯s voice trailed off. She looked up and saw Gao Yang looking at her with a smile. Only then did she realize that she had said too much to Gao Yang. Her relationship with him was not that good. Luo Tan instantly changed her expression and whispered into Gao Yang¡¯s ear, ¡°Hey, the last time I went to Prince Rui¡¯s mansion, you got something on me. Today, I know that you secretly love my little cousin. Now, we have something on each other. We¡¯re even. In the future, don¡¯t think about using Prince Rui to threaten me. Be careful that I¡¯ll tell my little cousin about this and make you unable to raise your head in front of her for the rest of your life!¡± Luo Tan said fiercely.


    Gao Yang didn¡¯t know whether to laugh or cry. In fact, compared to Shen Miao, he was more afraid of Xie Jingxing. However, seeing how clever Luo Tan thought she was, he suddenly became interested. He leaned closer and said, ¡°Alright, deal! We¡¯re even.¡±


    When Gao Yang leaned closer, his side profile was very handsome. Luo Tan liked beautiful things, so for some reason, she felt a little nervous. She suddenly slapped Gao Yang to the side. She was a martial artist, and her slap almost made him vomit blood.


    Luo Tan turned around and left, shouting angrily, ¡°You lecher!¡±


    Gao Yang rubbed his chin and slowly smiled.


    The trivial matters in the Shen family did not attract Shen Miao¡¯s attention. In her eyes, they were all unimportant people. It was not until the next day that something happened at the Shen mansion that caught Shen Miao¡¯s attention.


    Shen Yue escaped.

 Chapter 632 - 632 Divorce (1)

    632 Divorce (1)


    The Shen family was in an uproar.


    It was probably because Shen Wan said that he wanted Shen Yue to marry into the Wang family as an equal wife that Shen Yue panicked. Unable to find a way out, she actually made a bold move and escaped from the Shen family. Before she left, she even packed up all the valuable items, giving Chen Ruoqiu a headache.


    Shen Wan was naturally furious. He roared at Chen Ruoqiu, ¡°I told you to keep an eye on her. Why did she escape?¡±


    Chen Ruoqiu was naturally in panic. She felt sorry for her daughter and did not put Shen Yue under house arrest as Shen Wan instructed. However, she did not expect that her own daughter would take advantage of her softheartedness. Now that Shen Yue had escaped, Chen Ruoqiu did not know what to do. She said to Shen Wan, ¡°I¡¯ve already sent someone to look for her. Husband, Yue isn¡¯t doing it on purpose. She¡¯s just scared¡­¡±


    Even at this moment, she was still making excuses for Shen Yue. Shen Wan sneered. ¡°She¡¯s scared? She even has the guts to exchange marriages with someone else and escape from home! I don¡¯t have such a shameless daughter!¡±


    ¡°How can you say that about her?¡± Chen Ruoqiu widened her eyes. ¡°She¡¯s your daughter!¡±


    Chen Ruoqiu could not believe her eyes. After Shen Wan said this, he looked at Chen Ruoqiu with a trace of impatience and disgust. He turned around and strode out of the house.


    Chen Ruoqiu sensed that something was wrong with Shen Wan and almost fell to the ground. She grabbed Shi Qing¡¯s arm and dug her nails into it. Shi Qing was in so much pain that her face turned pale, but she did not dare to move.


    The quarrel in the Autumn Water Garden quickly spread to Rongjing Hall. Old Madam Shen sipped her tea leisurely. When she heard this, she smiled indifferently and said, ¡°Tsk, Chen Ruoqiu, do you really think your husband still has a place for you in his heart?¡± After a pause, she continued, ¡°Like mother, like daughter. All of them make me mad.¡±


    Mrs. Zhang carefully massaged her shoulders and said, ¡°I wonder if the people sent out to look for Third Miss have found her.¡±


    ¡°Why should I care?¡± Old Madam Shen was angry and said, ¡°What can she do? She¡¯ll be back soon. What a disgrace to the family. Let Third Master discipline his daughter. I don¡¯t want to care about these trivial matters anymore.¡± She suddenly thought of something and frowned. ¡°Is Third Master still going to the west courtyard?¡±


    Mrs. Zhang nodded. ¡°These days, Third Madam and Third Master often bicker. Third Master goes to the west courtyard more often and stays for most of the day.¡±


    Old Madam Shen nodded, and a trace of light flashed across her eyes. She said, ¡°In that case, it¡¯s time to put the two of them together. I want her to give Third Master a son as soon as possible.¡± She sneered. ¡°Chen Ruoqiu, that idiot, has pushed her luck too far. Lately, everything in the Shen family is going wrong. We need a joyous occasion to bring in some good luck.¡±


    Mrs. Zhang nodded in agreement.


    That night, Shen Wan stayed outside until very late. Chen Ruoqiu couldn¡¯t help but complain in her heart. In the past, even if Shen Wan was out socializing, he would always send a servant back to pass a message, but today, she did not know where he went. Thinking that she had just quarreled with Shen Wan during the day, she could not help but feel a little anxious. When women reached her age, they were not as beautiful as when they were young, but when it came to men, the age was just right for them. Now that there was a conflict between Shen wan and her, it would be terrible if he took in a concubine at this moment. Chen Ruoqiu was different from Ren Wanyun. Ren Wanyun didn¡¯t care about Shen Gui taking in concubines as long as she could secure the position of the household manager. Chen Ruoqiu, on the other hand, had Shen Wan¡¯s love all to herself for so many years. Old Madam Shen was right. Chen Ruoqiu was extremely jealous. She would not allow Shen Wan to have another woman.

 Chapter 633 - 633 Divorce (2)

    633 Divorce (2)


    At the thought of this, Chen Ruoqiu felt a little uneasy.


    Hua Yi walked in from outside and said, ¡°Madam, Old Madam got a few bolts of fabric and asked you to send one to Miss Chang.¡±


    Old Madam Shen had never taken Chang Zaiqing seriously since the beginning. Usually, she would pretend that this person did not exist in the mansion. Why did she suddenly think of Chang Zaiqing today? Chen Ruoqiu frowned. ¡°Old Madam can just get someone to send the fabric. Why does she want me to go?¡±


    Hua Yi was also a little confused and said, ¡°It¡¯s probably because she thinks you¡¯re very close to Miss Chang.¡±


    Chen Ruoqiu was feeling uneasy. Since Old Madam Shen asked her to do something and she could take a walk to distract herself for a while, she immediately put on her outer clothes and walked towards the west courtyard.


    At this moment, the sky was already dark, but it was not time to sleep. Chen Ruoqiu guessed that Chang Zaiqing must be awake, so she did not send someone to inform her.


    When she arrived at the west courtyard, to her surprise, the lights in the west courtyard were turned off early. Chen Ruoqiu was a little puzzled. When Nanny Zhao saw her, she was stunned and seemed to be a little flustered. She said, ¡°Third Madam, why are you here?¡±


    ¡°Old Madam asked me to send the fabric to Sister Chang,¡± Chen Ruoqiu said. She looked in the direction of the bedroom and asked, ¡°Is Sister Chang already asleep?¡±


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right.¡± Nanny Zhao said, ¡°Miss has been feeling well these past few days, so she went to bed early.¡±


    Chen Ruoqiu found it a little strange. She felt that Nanny Zhao¡¯s expression was very unnatural. She looked at the surrounding maids, who were all lowering their heads, as if they were afraid of seeing something. Coincidentally, there was a faint sound coming out of the bedroom. They could not hear it clearly. However, when the sound came, Nanny Zhao looked even more nervous.


    Although Chen Ruoqiu was curious, she did not want to interfere with Chang Zaiqing¡¯s personal life. In her opinion, Chang Zaiqing was a knife that she could use to deal with the first branch. Especially these days, bad things happened one after another. The angrier she was, the more she wanted to see the first branch suffer.


    Chen Ruoqiu asked her maids to put down the fabric. Just as she was about to leave, she suddenly stopped in her tracks.


    Nanny Zhao followed Chen Ruoqiu¡¯s gaze and saw a small sachet on the bedroom window that was closest to the side of the courtyard. The sachet was dark red and embroidered with egrets. It was very exquisite. Chen Ruoqiu walked over and held the sachet in her hand. When Nanny Zhao wanted to stop her, it was too late.


    When Shi Qing and Hua Yi saw the sachet, they couldn¡¯t help but gape in shock.


    On the day of Shen Yue¡¯s marriage, Chen Ruoqiu had once seen Chang Zaiqing carry an extremely beautiful sachet. The sachet was exquisitely made, and Chen Ruoqiu rarely liked it. Chang Zaiqing was quite generous. She gave the sachet to Chen Ruoqiu. Later, because Chen Ruoqiu wanted to make Shen Wan happy, she gave the sachet to Shen Wan. The sachet was embroidered with egrets, so it did not look feminine. Chen Ruoqiu remembered that because the sachet contained tea leaves, it emitted the fragrant smell of tea leaves. However, she found the tea fragrance too sharp, so she added some dried osmanthus leaves into it.


    There were no two identical things in the world. Even if Chang Zaiqing was skillful and made an identical sachet, not every sachet was filled with osmanthus leaves.


    Chen Ruoqiu picked up the sachet. Her hand was actually trembling. In the end, she put it under her nose and sniffed it determinedly.


    The sweet smell of osmanthus leaves mixed with various tea leaves slowly entered Chen Ruoqiu¡¯s nose, and she suddenly closed her eyes.


    When she opened her eyes again, her gaze made Shi Qing and Hua Yi shiver.

 Chapter 634 - 634 Divorce (3)

    634 Divorce (3)


    She suddenly turned to Nanny Zhao. Before Nanny Zhao could hold back her increasingly flustered expression, Chen Ruoqiu saw it clearly. She sneered and said, ¡°Do all of you really think I¡¯m a fool?¡± With that, she quickly walked towards Chang Zaiqing¡¯s room and was about to break in.


    ¡°Madam, don¡¯t!¡± Nanny Zhao quickly stopped her in a panic.


    Chen Ruoqiu asked, ¡°Why not?¡±


    Nanny Zhao didn¡¯t know what to say.


    Chen Ruoqiu¡¯s heart couldn¡¯t help but sink. She felt like it was about to be torn apart. However, the sadder she was, the colder her face became. She said to Shi Qing and Hua Yi, ¡°Smash it! Smash it ruthlessly! I want to see what kind of adulterous couple is doing this shameless thing in my Shen mansion! Smash it!¡±


    After receiving the order, Shi Qing and Hua Yi did not dare to disobey. They immediately went forward and smashed the door open. Chen Ruoqiu took a lamp from the side and walked in without waiting for Nanny Zhao to stop her.


    The heater in the room was burning brightly, and there were some clothes, shoes, and jewelry scattered on the ground. On the bed, there were two overlapping figures.


    The woman with rouged cheeks and lips looked shy and embarrassed while the man slowly pulled his clothes over to cover the two of them and turned around. It was Shen Wan.


    The room was filled with the fragrance of wine. They were drunk and sleeping together, but it was clearly not a mistake. They did it willingly and consciously. Chen Ruoqiu and Shen Wan had been husband and wife for so many years. If Shen Wan did not like Chang Zaiqing, why would he let Chang Zaiqing get on the bed? Moreover, this was Chang Zaiqing¡¯s courtyard. Shen Wan was the one who took the initiative to come over.


    Chen Ruoqiu closed her eyes to force back the tears. She screamed, ¡°Shame on you!¡±


    ¡­


    A few hundred kilometers away from the capital, there was an inn. The purple-clothed young man sat at the table in the middle and looked at the letter in his hand. After a moment, he raised his hand and threw the letter into the brazier at the side. The letter instantly turned to ashes.


    ¡°Master, Daliang sent a letter.¡± Nan Qi, the secret guard beside him, said, ¡°His Majesty urges you to go back quickly.¡±


    ¡°Ignore him.¡± Xie Jingxing said indifferently, ¡°I¡¯ll go back after I¡¯m done.¡±


    ¡°His Majesty is afraid that you will delay things.¡± Nan Qi said, ¡°The people on the other side are also paying attention to Ming Qi. Previously, His Majesty said that he would choose a consort for you. It¡¯s almost time. If you don¡¯t go back at this time, I¡¯m afraid he will be angry.¡±


    Xie Jingxing glanced at Nan Qi, who immediately fell silent. Nan Qi sighed. Emperor Yong Le was a man of his word, and yet Prince Rui was unrestrained and rebellious. It was the most difficult task to be a subordinate between the two of them. Moreover, these secret guards who followed Xie Jingxing understood that Xie Jingxing clearly treated Miss Shen differently. Even the secret guards felt that it was extremely unlikely for anything to happen between Shen Miao and Xie Jingxing, let alone Emperor Yong Le. Shen Miao was from Ming Qi. How could the Shen family agree to their daughter being related to someone from the Daliang Dynasty?


    However, Nan Qi did not dare to be blunt about it with his master


    ¡°I guess my brother is too free all day.¡± Xie Jingxing said, ¡°If he¡¯s really got so much time, I¡¯ll tell him what the State of Qin is up to later so that he won¡¯t have time to worry about things he shouldn¡¯t.¡±


    Nan Qi wiped the sweat off his forehead. He was stuck in between two royal members and couldn¡¯t afford to offend either of them.


    As he was thinking, he saw Tie Yi walk in with a box in his hand. After entering the room, he placed the box on the table and said, ¡°Master, the jewelry you instructed me to make is ready.¡±

 Chapter 635 - 635 Divorce (4)

    635 Divorce (4)


    Nan Qi, who was behind Tie Yi, almost choked on his saliva. What did Tie Yi just say? A jewelry? Nan Qi secretly looked at the table and saw that the box on the table was indeed extremely exquisite. It was a small box with exquisite patterns engraved on it. Looking carefully, it seemed to be¡­ a tiger¡¯s head?


    Xie Jingxing opened the box and took a look. It was filled with all kinds of jewelry. Cat¡¯s eyes, jade rings, pearls, jade hairpin¡­ They were all items of excellent quality. This small box was worth a thousand gold. Nan Qi thought to himself, Could it be that this was something for Miss Shen? But Miss Shen didn¡¯t look like she liked jewelry. Was Master really giving this to her?


    He was quite generous.


    Xie Jingxing closed the box and said, ¡°Not bad.¡± He suddenly thought of something and asked, ¡°Has Fu Xiuyi made any moves recently?¡±


    Tie Yi thought for a moment and said, ¡°No, but he¡¯s quite close to the crown prince.¡±


    The crown prince¡­ Xie Jingxing raised his eyebrows and said, ¡°Keep an eye on him. Fu Xiuyi is not simple.¡±


    Tie Yi nodded and was about to leave.


    ¡°Wait.¡± Xie Jingxing stopped him and said, ¡°Shen Yue, get someone to keep an eye on her too.¡±


    ¡­


    For the past few days, the Shen family had been in a mess. First, there was the matter of Shen Dongling and Shen Yue swapping marriages, then there was the Wang family not accepting Shen Yue. Later, Shen Yue took all the good things and escaped from home. It was even messier now that Chen Ruoqiu caught Chang Zaiqing and Shen Wan in bed.


    ???????????????? ???????????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????? ???????? ????????????????????-????????????.????????????


    As a guest of the Shen family and the daughter of Old General Shen¡¯s old friend, Chang Zaiqing was expected to behave herself and keep a distance from people she shouldn¡¯t get close to. Apart from Old Madam Shen, the others would greet Chang Zaiqing politely when they saw her because Third Madam, Chen Ruoqiu, seemed to like her very much. Unexpectedly, Chang Zaiqing climbed into the same bed with Shen Wan without anyone knowing. Chen Ruoqiu didn¡¯t expect to be stabbed in the back by someone she dearly called sister.


    Chen Ruoqiu immediately made a fuss all the way to Rongjing Hall.


    In Rongjing Hall, Old Madam Shen sat at the head. Chang Zaiqing and Shen Wan stood at one side, but Shen Wan was expressionless. Shen Gui looked like he was waiting to watch a good show. Chang Zaiqing lowered her eyes and did not speak, as if she was very ashamed. Chen Ruoqiu forced herself to stop crying and put on an unyielding expression.


    ¡°Alright, stop crying.¡± As if she was finally annoyed by Chen Ruoqiu¡¯s behavior, Old Madam Shen said impatiently, ¡°What¡¯s the big deal about your husband fancying another woman? Why are you crying so much?¡±


    ¡°Mother.¡± Chen Ruoqiu shouted, ¡°If he takes in a concubine through proper procedures, I naturally won¡¯t say anything. I will even take the initiative to prepare for their wedding. However, the two of them did such a thing behind my back. They were obviously deliberately humiliating me. Mother, I¡¯m also your daughter-in-law and you¡¯re a woman. If my husband wants to take in a concubine, can I stop him? Why does he have to use such a humiliating method?¡±


    ¡°Third Madam.¡± Chang Zaiqing couldn¡¯t help but say, ¡°What happened today was all a misunderstanding. I drank too much and overstepped the boundary. It has nothing to do with Third Master. Just pretend that this never happened. Tomorrow, I¡¯ll pack my things and leave. I hope you won¡¯t blame Third Master for this.¡±


    Compared to Chen Ruoqiu¡¯s aggressiveness, Chang Zaiqing did not deny her wrongdoing and even put all the blame on herself, making her look more sensible. Shen Wan¡¯s expression changed drastically as he said, ¡°Why are you leaving? I will be responsible for what I did.¡±

 Chapter 636 - 636 Divorce (5)

    636 Divorce (5)


    Chen Ruoqiu was already a little irritated by Chang Zaiqing¡¯s words. At this moment, when she heard that Shen Wan was still trying to persuade Chang Zaiqing to stay, it infuriated her even more. She immediately said, ¡°Responsible? How are you going to be responsible for her? Are you going to chase me away and give her the position of the first wife?¡± After saying that, she turned to look at Chang Zaiqing and pointed at her nose and scolded, ¡°You ingrate. I was the one who provided you with food and clothes when you came to the Shen mansion. Who knew that you would have such evil intentions? You even slept with your brother-in-law. How shameless! You couldn¡¯t seduce Shen Xin, so you came to seduce someone else¡¯s husband. No wonder at such an old age, you are still unmarried. Who would marry such an immoral slut like you?¡±


    Not only was Shen Wan stunned by her words, but even Old Madam Shen was stunned. Chen Ruoqiu, who prided herself in being a well-educated person, was also cursing like a shrew. This scene was a little too unseemly.


    Shen Wan was so angry that he could not speak. Chang Zaiqing bit her lips, obviously enduring the humiliation. On the other hand, Shen Gui, who was watching the show from the side, commented, ¡°Sister-in-law, you¡¯re in the wrong this time. If your husband wants to take in a concubine, as his wife, you naturally have to help him with it. Now that you finally have someone to help you share the burden of managing the household, why are you still stopping him?¡± Shen Gui was lecherous and naturally took a fancy to a beauty like Chang Zaiqing. However, since Chang Zaiqing was Shen Wan¡¯s woman, he would not have designs on her. However, Chen Ruoqiu¡¯s shrewish behavior made Shen Gui look down on her. When Ren Wanyun was around, she did not stop him from bringing women back.


    Chen Ruoqiu was in a fit of anger to begin with. Not only did Shen Gui¡¯s words not appease her, but it also made her feel hurt. She immediately pointed at Shen Gui and scolded, ¡°Second Brother, you actually have the time to care about the matters in the third branch. I¡¯m afraid you can¡¯t even take care of your own matters. Now that you are infertile, what¡¯s the point of taking in so many concubines? You¡¯ll still die without descendants.¡±


    Infertility was a sore spot Shen Gui would not allow anyone to touch. Unexpectedly, Chen Ruoqiu poked at it. Shen Gui was so angry that his face turned ashen, and Old Madam Shen did not look good either.


    ???????????????? ???????????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????? ???????? ????????????????????-????????????.????????????


    ¡°Chen Ruoqiu, what exactly do you want?¡± Old Madam Shen said angrily.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been married to Shen Wan for so many years. I¡¯m not an unreasonable person. If you kick Chang Zaiqing out, I can pretend that nothing happened,¡± Chen Ruoqiu said.


    ¡°Impossible.¡± Shen Wan said angrily, ¡°Since I was on the same bed with her, I naturally have to be responsible for her.¡±


    ¡°Anyone can be your concubine, but not her!¡± Chen Ruoqiu pointed at Chang Zaiqing and shouted. She couldn¡¯t stand the fact that Chang Zaiqing actually betrayed her. This made her feel like she had suffered a great humiliation. More importantly, Chen Ruoqiu knew Chang Zaiqing too well. Chang Zaiqing was more talented than her and had a good temperament. Even Chen Ruoqiu found it difficult to have a bad impression of Chang Zaiqing. From Shen Wan¡¯s words, he was obviously going to favor Chang Zaiqing and neglect Chen Ruoqiu. How could Chen Ruoqiu allow that to happen?


    ¡°Why can¡¯t she?¡± The person who spoke was none other than Shen Wan. At this moment, Shen Wan was boiling with anger. In the past, Chen Ruoqiu had been gentle and graceful in front of him, but today, she was shrewish and unreasonable, making Shen Wan find her intolerable.


    Chen Ruoqiu said angrily, ¡°Then divorce me! If you want to marry her, divorce me first!¡±

 Chapter 637 - 637 Divorce (6)

    637 Divorce (6)


    Chen Ruoqiu seemed to have suddenly gained confidence and became more and more aggressive. She continued, ¡°After getting a divorce letter, I¡¯ll naturally leave without a word. You can marry whoever you want. I won¡¯t say a word about it. After all, we¡¯ll go our separate ways!¡± After saying that, two streams of tears flowed down her face, making her look pitiful.


    Chen Ruoqiu said these words in a fit of anger. She and Shen Wan had been married for so many years. They had quarrels now and then, but they were able to cool off and make peace with each other. Chen Ruoqiu knew Shen Wan well. Shen Wan still had some feelings for her. Now, he was just seduced by Chang Zaiqing. It was impossible for Shen Wan to divorce her for the sake of Chang Zaiqing.


    Chen Ruoqiu had it right that Shen Wan still had lingering love for her. Unfortunately, she did not know about Old Madam Shen¡¯s attitude.


    Chang Zaiqing opened her mouth a few times but didn¡¯t speak.


    !!


    Old Madam Shen looked at Chen Ruoqiu. ¡°Ever since Shen Wan married you, he hasn¡¯t brought any woman back home. As his first wife, you didn¡¯t help your husband, but instead, you¡¯re just jealous and petty! Shen Wan is devoted, and I don¡¯t want to interfere in his own matters. However, Chen Ruoqiu, you¡¯ve been in the Shen family for nearly twenty years, but you¡¯ve never given birth to a boy for the third branch. Let me ask you, is there any married woman in the capital like you who can¡¯t give birth to a son for so long and didn¡¯t let her husband have a son with someone else? Do you want my Shen family to have no descendants?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re jealous and can¡¯t give birth to a son. Just these two are enough to kick you out of the house!¡±


    ???????????????? ???????????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????? ???????? ????????????????????-????????????.????????????


    Old Madam Shen was from the streets. When she was arguing with others, she would not hesitate to use the meanest words, especially since she was already quite angry with Chen Ruoqiu.


    That¡¯s right. Just the fact that Chen Ruoqiu couldn¡¯t give a son to Shen Wan was enough for the Shen family to push all the blame to her. Even if this matter was brought to the court, Chen Ruoqiu would still be the one being pointed at. A trace of helplessness flashed across Chen Ruoqiu¡¯s face. She had always thought that she had Shen Wan under control and that she and Shen Wan could be in love for the rest of their lives. However, now, Shen Wan¡¯s attitude of protecting Chang Zaiqing was like a ruthless slap on Chen Ruoqiu¡¯s face!


    Shen Wan was no different from other men, interested in the young and pretty. Chen Ruoqiu was no different from other women. Once they aged, they would have to make way for young girls. However, those who were old still had their sons to rely on. Chen Ruoqiu did not even have a son, so her position was in danger.


    Old Madam Shen looked at Chang Zaiqing and said slowly, ¡°My Shen family is not an unreasonable bunch. Since Third Master touched you, we naturally have to be responsible for you. Miss Chang, if you agree, Third Master will marry you. There¡¯s a lot of bad luck in this mansion lately. It¡¯s time to have a joyful occasion to wash it away.¡±


    Old Madam Shen was obviously deliberately going against Chen Ruoqiu.


    Chen Ruoqiu looked at Old Madam Shen. A smile flashed across Old Madam Shen¡¯s wrinkled face, and that smile enlightened Chen Ruoqiu.


    How did she find out about Chang Zaiqing and Shen Wan? It was Old Madam Shen who asked her to go to the west courtyard to deliver fabric. Why was she asked to deliver it so late at night? Did Old Madam Shen do it on purpose? These days, she was worried about Shen Yue and did not care about anything else. Old Madam Shen might have noticed something fishy going on between Chang Zaiqing and Shen Wan. When she realized that Chang Zaiqing and Shen Wan were very close, she was probably wild with joy. Perhaps she had even done something to speed up tonight¡¯s event.


    Old Madam Shen¡­ Chen Ruoqiu suddenly felt infinite hatred. She gritted her teeth and said, ¡°Such humiliation is unacceptable!¡±

 Chapter 638 - 638 Return (1)

    638 Return (1)


    The General¡¯s Mansion in the capital was originally lively and filled with people. At the mention of the General¡¯s Mansion, everyone thought of the heroic achievements made by the mighty general.


    However, ever since the first branch and the Shen family separated two years ago, the General¡¯s Mansion had been declining at a visible speed. Although Shen Gui and Shen Wan tried their best to climb the official ladder to support the former glory of the General¡¯s Mansion, it was a pity that civil servants and military officials were hugely different. Civil servants relied on their brains and eloquence. If they wanted to obtain merit, they would have to work hard for a long time. Military officials were different. All it took was for them to win a war.


    After the decline of the General¡¯s Mansion, it didn¡¯t receive as much attention from the people as before. Over the past few days, it was finally under the limelight again, but good news never went beyond the gate while bad news spread far and wide. The most surprising thing was that at some point, a rumor had spread on the streets that the third master of the Shen family, Shen Wan, was planning to divorce his wife.


    Among the three sons of the Shen family, other than Shen Xin, although Shen Gui was tactful, he was too much of a hedonist, so he messed up a lot of things. Shen Wan was different from his second brother. He was honest and abstained from vices. Although he would also fool around with his colleagues, he would not go overboard. He also cherished his reputation very much. Usually, in the eyes of everyone, he was a person who was knowledgeable and talented. If he waited for a few more years, his position would probably get higher and higher.


    !!


    The madams of the officials had a good impression of Shen Wan because Shen Wan doted on his wife and daughter very much and didn¡¯t have any concubines. Those madams had always been jealous and envious of Chen Ruoqiu. After all, such a husband who was only loyal to his wife was very rare.


    Unexpectedly, at this juncture, Chen Ruoqiu and Shen Wan were suddenly going to be divorced.


    The rumors in the market were all accurate. They said, ¡°That¡¯s right. I heard that it¡¯s because Third Madam Shen doesn¡¯t have a son. Look, now that the Shen family doesn¡¯t have a third generation male descendant, they have to do something. No wonder they¡¯re anxious now.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true. Third Master Shen has a good official career. It¡¯s a pity that he doesn¡¯t have anyone to inherit his title in the future.¡±


    ¡°That Third Madam Shen is useless. She couldn¡¯t give birth to a son after so many years and didn¡¯t even let her husband take in a concubine. Ordinary families definitely won¡¯t tolerate such a woman. If I were Third Master Shen, I¡¯d do the same thing.¡±


    The rumors circulating in the entire capital were all on Shen Wan¡¯s side. Chen Ruoqiu was originally known to be a famous talented girl in the capital and came from a scholarly family. She was extremely popular among the noble ladies. However, this time, be it the commoners or the women who used to flatter her, they all pointed a finger at her. Perhaps it was because in the past, Chen Ruoqiu had too good and comfortable a life so that people were jealous. Now that her good life was on the verge of collapsing, everyone couldn¡¯t wait to hit her when she was down.


    In the Shen mansion, Chen Ruoqiu smashed the white porcelain vase in front of her with a bang. The vase shattered into pieces on the ground, and the floor was filled with dregs. Chen Ruoqiu was still angry and knocked over the teacup on the table. Shi Qing and Hua Yi were so nervous that they did not even dare to breathe loudly.

 Chapter 639 - 639 Return (2)

    639 Return (2)


    ¡°Shameless!¡± Chen Ruoqiu screamed, ¡°That adulterous couple forced me to such a state, but at the end of the day, all the blame is pinned on me. Ridiculous! Unbelievable!¡±


    The rumors outside were all disadvantageous to Chen Ruoqiu. Chen Ruoqiu had always prided herself on being a graceful young lady from a scholarly family. Now that she was called a shrew who was jealous, how could she be willing to accept it?


    ¡°That b*tch must have been spouting nonsense outside,¡± Chen Ruoqiu said through gritted teeth. When she mentioned the divorce, she was just saying it out of anger to scare Shen Wan. Unexpectedly, the word leaked out and was spread by everyone in the streets and alleys, pushing her and Shen Wan to the point of no return. The most disappointing thing was that Shen Wan had never come to see her until now.


    ¡°That b*tch must have instigated my husband!¡± Chen Ruoqiu¡¯s nails dug into her palm. Old Madam Shen deliberately praised Chang Zaiqing in front of her to embarrass her. Now that Shen Yue was missing and Shen Wan was bewitched by Chang Zaiqing, no one in the huge Shen family was standing on her side. The entire capital probably thought that she was the one in the wrong. Chen Ruoqiu suddenly felt helpless.


    !!


    ¡°Madam, now that Old Madam has given the order, what should we do next?¡± Hua Yi finally couldn¡¯t help but ask.


    Chen Ruoqiu could either let Chang Zaiqing marry Shen Wan as a concubine or let Shen Wan divorce her. However, Chen Ruoqiu couldn¡¯t accept either of the outcomes.


    At this moment, her love for Shen Wan turned into hatred bit by bit. She suddenly stood up and sneered. ¡°I won¡¯t allow such a thing to happen. The Shen family humiliated me. I can¡¯t take it lying down. Pack my things. I¡¯m going to go back to the Chen family!¡±


    ¡­


    Chen Ruoqiu returned to her parents¡¯ house.


    Old Master Chen was in charge of sorting the documents in the Ming Qi Palace. Because he was a civil servant and was well-read, Chen Ruoqiu had always considered herself well-educated. Moreover, when Old Master Chen was young, he indeed came out top in the provincial imperial examination and was quite capable.


    Chen Ruoqiu married Shen Wan because the marriage was arranged by the Chen family and the Shen family. Of course, it was Shen Wan who fell in love with Chen Ruoqiu first back then. Although Old Master Chen was not protective of his daughter, he valued his family¡¯s reputation very much and was equally as pretentious as Chen Ruoqiu. Therefore, Old Master Chen was definitely unhappy that Chen Ruoqiu was divorced or was known for being jealous. The Chen family and the Shen family were destined to have a lawsuit.


    When Shen Miao heard it from Jingzhe, she was reading under the candlelight. Jingzhe said, ¡°Now that Third Madam has already returned to her family, she will definitely not let this matter rest. If they find out that you were the one who spread those rumors¡­ what will happen?¡±


    It wasn¡¯t Chang Zaiqing, Shen Wan, or Old Madam Shen who started the rumors in the market, but Shen Miao.


    Shen Miao had been with the third branch for her entire life. She knew that although Chen Ruoqiu thought highly of herself and loved Shen Wan deeply, she was not stupid. When she found out that Shen Wan and Chang Zaiqing were having an affair, she would definitely be angry and do something rash. However, on second thought, she could think it through. If she softened her attitude and tone in front of Shen Wan, Shen Wan would forgive her out of guilt. At that time, when Chang Zaiqing entered the third branch, it was still unknown who would win at the end. No matter what, Chen Ruoqiu wouldn¡¯t lose so easily.


    It was better to spread some rumors to anger Chen Ruoqiu further. Only by adding fuel to the fire would Chen Ruoqiu¡¯s relationship with Shen Wan reach an irreparable stage. It was very terrifying when a woman became vengeful and the thing she would do to take revenge would be more interesting to watch.

 Chapter 640 - 640 Return (3)

    640 Return (3)


    After reaching this stage, it would be very difficult for the two of them to turn back. Reunion of husband and wife after a divorce only happened in romantic stories. Shen Miao felt that in her previous life, there were many things that she could not see clearly in the harem. Now that she looked at it from a different angle, as an outsider, she could see it clearly. However, Shen Miao was not in a good mood after having her enemy wrapped around her fingers. Perhaps it was because she also thought that when Consort Mei looked at her back then, it might be the same way she looked at Chen Ruoqiu now.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡± After a pause, she said, ¡°It won¡¯t be that easy to find out.¡± She handed this matter to the Exiled Immortal Pawnshop. Since Ji Yushu had taken her money, he would definitely take care of this matter flawlessly. The Exiled Immortal Pawnshop had been doing business in the capital for so long, so it was impossible for them not to know about this.


    Jingzhe stopped talking. Seeing that the window outside was open, she got up and was about to close it. As she walked over, she said, ¡°Why did Gu Yu forget to close the window every time? It¡¯s cold out there. What if Miss catches a cold?¡±


    ¡°Wait.¡± Shen Miao stopped her and glanced at the window. ¡°Let¡¯s get some fresh air. It¡¯s very stuffy in the room. I¡¯ll close it myself later.¡±


    !!


    Seeing Shen Miao¡¯s firm gaze, Jingzhe found it strange. The room was clearly not stuffy at all. However, she didn¡¯t say anything. She helped Shen Miao light a new candle and said, ¡°Miss, rest early.¡±


    With that, Jingzhe left.


    Shen Miao looked at the flickering candle and picked it up. She was about to walk to the bed when the candle flame suddenly swayed as if it was blown by the wind.


    A familiar voice sounded, carrying a teasing and lazy tone that she had not heard for a long time. ¡°Didn¡¯t you specially leave the door open for me? Why are you going to the bed to sleep?¡±


    Shen Miao turned around. The young man was leaning against the window sill with one hand supporting his chin. His beautiful eyes looked over casually, lazy and charming. Seeing that Shen Miao was slightly stunned, he jumped into the room and casually snatched the candle from Shen Miao¡¯s hand. He walked to the table and sat down.


    HIs movements were smooth, as if he was entering his own bedroom.


    ¡°You¡¯re back?¡± Shen Miao asked.


    ¡°Tsk.¡± Xie Jingxing stared at her and said with a faint smile, ¡°Why, do you miss me?¡±


    Shen Miao was used to his frivolous and ambiguous attitude, so she ignored him. She walked to the table and sat down. Xie Jingxing raised his eyebrows and said, ¡°You did a good job handling Chen Ruoqiu.¡±


    Shen Miao rolled her eyes at him. ¡°How did you know?¡± Xie Jingxing had spies all over the capital. Moreover, Ji Yushu from the Exiled Immortal Pawnshop was related to Xie Jingxing. It was only natural for Ji Yushu to inform Xie Jingxing everything. At this point, Shen Miao no longer cared.


    ¡°No wonder you had that attitude towards Chang Zaiqing when she just arrived at the capital,¡± Xie Jingxing muttered to himself. He glanced at Shen Miao again and said with a sigh, ¡°What a scheming woman she is.¡±


    Shen Miao did not comment. Xie Jingxing seemed to have thought of something and took out a box from somewhere and threw it into Shen Miao¡¯s arms.


    Shen Miao was almost hit by the box and felt that the small box was heavy. She subconsciously caught it and saw that there was a big tiger carved on the surface of the box. The tiger was lifelike and looked a little cute, but it was brandishing its claws, also looking ferocious. At the thought of the white tiger called Jiaojiao that Xie Jingxing raised, Shen Miao puffed out her cheeks and opened the box.


    As soon as she opened it, she was almost dazzled by the colorful things in the box. The box was filled with all kinds of well-made jewelry. Each of them was worth a thousand gold. Why did Xie Jingxing send her jewelry for no reason? Shen Miao looked at him and shook her head. ¡°I don¡¯t need jewelry.¡±

 Chapter 641 - 641 Return (3)

    641 Return (3)


    Xie Jingxing said, ¡°These are all priceless. You¡¯re a girl after all. What¡¯s wrong with having some jewelry?¡±


    Shen Miao thought for a moment and said, ¡°Maybe I can pawn them to the Exiled Immortal Pawnshop.¡±


    Xie Jingxing choked and frowned. ¡°Are you short of money?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s always a good thing to have a lot of money. Without money, you can¡¯t do anything. As time passes, I will inevitably run out of money,¡± Shen Miao said frankly. Now when she was with Xie Jingxing, she was not as vigilant as before, so she spoke in a very down to earth manner. Anyway, Xie Jingxing was resourceful. There were some things that he could find out himself without Shen Miao telling him. There was no need to hide it.


    !!


    When Xie Jingxing heard this, he took out a round jade token from his sleeve and said, ¡°This is the token of the Golden Jade Bank. With this, you can take as much money as you want.¡±


    Shen Miao picked up the jade token. It was crystal clear and cold to the touch. Shen Miao knew that Xie Jingxing would definitely not lie. This jade token could indeed be used to get banknotes from the Golden Jade Bank. However, the Golden Jade Bank was the largest bank in Ming Qi. Even the royal family sometimes would borrow money from them. Xie Jingxing could even get his hand on the token. What else was he capable of?


    Shen Miao returned the jade token to Xie Jingxing and said, ¡°I didn¡¯t want to take your things.¡±


    Xie Jingxing stared at her with interest and said, ¡°You really have a backbone.¡± He nodded and gestured for Shen Miao to look at the box. ¡°These are not ordinary jewelry. Look closely.¡±


    Shen Miao was a little puzzled. She casually picked up a pair of jade rings. The jade was of extremely good quality. Shen Miao looked at it and saw that the buckle of the pair of rings seemed to be a little strange. She touched it carefully and found that it was a hidden buckle. She looked up at Xie Jingxing. ¡°What is this?¡±


    Best


    Xie Jingxing smiled. ¡°Hidden weapon.¡±


    ¡°Hidden weapon?¡± Shen Miao was about to press the buckle when Xie Jingxing suddenly stopped her. Immediately after, Xie Jingxing stood up and walked behind her. He wrapped his arms around her shoulders from behind and taught her how to use the jade ring.


    ¡°There¡¯s a poison needle here. Ordinary people will be unconscious for a while after being injected. Don¡¯t use it randomly.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s poison powder in the hairpin. If you pull out the hairpin, it can blind people. It¡¯s very useful when you encounter bad people.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s a knife hidden in the bracelet. If you are tied up, you can use the knife to cut open the rope.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s a whistle in the earring. If you are in a really urgent situation, you can blow the whistle. My people are everywhere in the capital. If you¡¯re in danger, they¡¯ll rush over to save you¡­¡±


    He explained everything to Shen Miao carefully. His tone was no longer as frivolous and lazy as usual, but it was extremely serious. His long eyelashes were slightly lowered as his beautiful eyes fixated on the jewelry. Occasionally, he would glance at Shen Miao, looking charming and mesmerizing.


    Shen Miao felt a little hot.


    Even when the window was open, Shen Miao still felt stuffy in the room. When he leaned over, he looked down. Shen Miao was almost leaning against his chest, and even her back seemed to be covered in a layer of sweat. She tilted her head slightly to steal a glance of him. Xie Jingxing¡¯s lips were beautifully curled up, as if he was smiling. Shen Miao looked away as if she was dazzled.

 Chapter 642 - 642 Return (5)

    642 Return (5)


    Xie Jingxing was a little unhappy that Shen Miao was distracted. He knocked Shen Miao gently on the head and said, ¡°Focus.¡±


    Shen Miao sat forward and moved a little away from him. She pretended to be calm and said, ¡°I¡¯ve already remembered everything you said. I¡¯ll put them on when I go out.¡±


    Xie Jingxing smiled. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you don¡¯t want it?¡±


    Shen Miao turned around. ¡°You remembered wrongly.¡±


    !!


    When she turned around, she almost bumped into Xie Jingxing because he was looking down at her. Shen Miao was slightly stunned and her face quickly turned red.


    This young man was unbelievably handsome. Usually, he was devilish and cynical. However, when he looked at you with those beautiful eyes, it was as if winter was replaced by spring, giving vitality to the earth.


    Xie Jingxing chuckled. His voice was as mellow as wine, making Shen Miao flustered. He reached out and brushed the hair on Shen Miao¡¯s forehead away. He stared into Shen Miao¡¯s eyes and said in confusion, ¡°Why are you blushing?¡±


    Shen Miao suddenly stood up and took two steps forward. With her back facing Xie Jingxing, she said, ¡°The room is too stuffy.¡±


    It was precisely because her back was facing Xie Jingxing that she missed the smile that flashed across the purple-clothed young man¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°Because you feel embarrassed about getting things from for free?¡± Xie Jingxing said indifferently, ¡°It¡¯s simple. Just make some pastries for me.¡± After saying that, he thought of something and said, ¡°I can¡¯t get you to make pastries for me no matter how hard I try while someone can get it without doing anything. It¡¯s really infuriating.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Shen Miao did not understand what Xie Jingxing meant. However, she saw that Xie Jingxing had already stood up. He said, ¡°Forget it. I¡¯m just here to send you the hidden weapons today. They can help you get rid of people and get out of danger. I think you need them.¡±


    Shen Miao wanted to retort, but she felt that Xie Jingxing was right. She lived on the edge of a knife. Although she was protected by the Shen family, what she did was extremely dangerous. If one day, the Shen family could not protect her, she could only protect herself.


    This box of hidden weapons that looked like jewelry could undoubtedly come in handy for her. Xie Jingxing was indeed someone who knew her best. Thinking of how she had treated Xie Jingxing as her opponent previously, Shen Miao felt a chill run down her spine.


    Xie Jingxing suddenly thought of something and said, ¡°Do you know where Shen Yue is?¡±


    Shen Yue? Shen Miao shook her head. She had planted spies in the Shen mansion and knew that Shen Yue had fled home and gone missing. Chen Ruoqiu¡¯s people had yet to find Shen Yue, and Shen Miao had once sent people to find her, but they all came back empty-handed. Shen Miao had been suspicious. Although the capital was big, it was not to the extent where it was hard to find someone. Moreover, how could a delicate girl like Shen Yue survive alone outside for a few days?


    ¡°You know where Shen Yue is?¡± Shen Miao asked.


    Xie Jingxing said, ¡°She¡¯s in Huangfu Hao¡¯s place.¡±


    After Xie Jingxing left, Shen Miao rubbed her forehead and sat down on the bed. The candle on the table was about to burn out.


    Shen Yue actually went to Huangfu Hao¡¯s place. The trajectory of events had deviated too much from that of Shen Miao¡¯s previous life, such as Shen Yue¡¯s fate. Now that Shen Yue was with Huangfu Hao, no one could predict what would happen next.


    Shen Miao looked at the box and reached out to take it before picking out an emerald bracelet and putting it on. The emerald bracelet made her wrist look slender and fair like a painting. It was originally a cold jade, but Shen Miao felt it was warm on her skin, just like the young man¡¯s eyes.

 Chapter 643 - 643 Return (6)

    643 Return (6)


    She scratched her head in frustration and closed the box. However, she accidentally saw a jade token lying quietly beside the box.


    The token of the Golden Jade Bank¡­


    Shen Miao remembered that she returned the token to Xie Jingxing, but somehow, Xie Jingxing still left it behind, obviously intentionally. Shen Miao had never seen anyone giving out so much money to others. She felt sorry for the Daliang Dynasty for having such a prodigal prince.


    Putting away the jade token, Shen Miao shook her head. She thought that when she met Xie Jingxing another day, she would return this to him¡­


    !!


    In Huangfu Hao¡¯s mansion, late at night, a woman was sitting in front of the mirror to dress up.


    She was quite beautiful, especially so because of the scholarly aura she exuded. At this moment, she was wearing a snow-white inner dress. However, through the mirror, one could see her dark expression.


    This person was none other than Shen Yue, who had been missing for many days.


    Shen Yue had never thought that one day, she would actually build a relationship with the crown prince of the State of Qin. She originally planned to leave home and go to Prince Ding¡¯s mansion. She thought that Fu Xiuyi was such a gentle person and she was the daughter of the third branch of the Shen family, so on account of her father, Fu Xiuyi would not sit back and do nothing. She was born beautiful, had a friendly personality, and was talented in poetry and painting. Even a rock would be tempted by her. At that time, as long as she poured her heart out to Prince Ding, Prince Ding would definitely take pity on her.


    However, she had never left home alone like this since she was born, so how could she navigate her way to Prince Ding¡¯s mansion? Because she was afraid that the servants of the Shen family would be searching for her, she had no choice but to hide. There were often such women in the capital. They either escaped from the marriage or had done something wrong. Women who were alone were the easiest to be targeted. Shen Yue was also targeted.


    The people who targeted her were a group of local hooligans. Before she could find Prince Ding¡¯s mansion, she was cornered in a remote alley. Those local hooligans snatched her belongings and wanted to humiliate her. In a hurry, Shen Yue shouted that she was the niece of the mighty general.


    Shen Yue knew very well that her father¡¯s name was far less famous than Shen Wan¡¯s, especially now that Shen Xin had returned to the capital and was highly valued by Emperor Wen Hui.


    In the end, someone happened to pass by. When the person heard her shout, he helped her out. Later, Shen Yue found out that this person was actually from Crown Prince Qin¡¯s mansion.


    Then, Shen Yue was brought to see Huangfu Hao.


    Shen Yue had only seen Huangfu Hao once at the tribute banquet. He was of noble status, so she did not have a chance to talk to him. This time, Huangfu Hao helped her out, so Shen Yue thanked him profusely. Unexpectedly, Huangfu Hao seemed to be very interested in her. To be precise, he was very interested in Shen Miao and asked her a lot of questions about Shen Miao.


    Shen Yue felt that Huangfu Hao probably liked Shen Miao, so she was even more jealous. No matter what, Huangfu Hao was the crown prince of the State of Qin. One day, he would be the emperor of the State of Qin. If Shen Miao and Huangfu Hao got together, she would become the crown princess and be the empress one day with endless wealth to enjoy.


    Therefore, Shen Yue said a lot of bad things about Shen Miao. Slowly, she revealed that Shen Miao was a scheming and untalented woman. As expected, after Shen Yue finished speaking, she saw that Huangfu Hao frowned with a trace of disgust on his face, which made Shen Yue satisfied.


    Huangfu Hao planned to send Shen Yue back. Shen Yue heard that Shen Wan wanted to divorce Chen Ruoqiu and Chen Ruoqiu returned home in a fit of anger. She was furious and planned to go back to seek justice for her mother. However, just as she was about to leave, she thought that if she went back now, she would definitely be asked to marry Wang Bi. Now, Shen Wan and Old Madam Shen were still angry with her. If she went back, what awaited her was definitely punishment.


    Shen Yue could not think of a good idea, but she did not want to sit back and see Chen Ruoqiu suffer either. Once Chen Ruoqiu was divorced, even her place in the family would be affected. She would probably have no place in the Shen family in the future. Shen Yue already had a lot of grudge against Shen Wan and Old Madam Shen, and this time, she was filled with resentment.


    In the end, she thought of a way.


    Huangfu Hao was the crown prince of the State of Qin and had monstrous power. If Huangfu Hao could step in, nothing would be a problem.


    As for her, she just had to please Huangfu Hao.


    She had to stay here to prevent the Shen family from finding her and controlling her.

 Chapter 644 - 644 Matchmake Shen Miao (1)

    644 Matchmake Shen Miao (1)


    It had been snowing for a few days in the capital, and the sky finally cleared up.


    Shen Miao was drying books in the courtyard. They were all military books sent to her by Shen Qiu. These days, they had gone moldy because of the damp weather and needed to be dried. Jingzhe and Gu Yu were drying the bedding in the courtyard. Jingzhe said, ¡°I heard that the lawsuit between the Chen and Shen families was extremely lively. Many people lined up the street to sit on the case. Now that it¡¯s dragged on for so long, I wonder what the outcome will be.¡±


    ¡°The outcome can¡¯t be good. Both sides will suffer a loss.¡± Gu Yu said disdainfully, ¡°They even brought their family affairs to court. Fortunately, Master and Madam split up from the Shen family early. Otherwise, they might also be affected.¡±


    Chen Ruoqiu¡¯s family and the Shen family had a lawsuit.


    !!


    Old Master Chen was a stubborn old man. He was very prideful and refused to back down. He would defend himself to the end and would never allow himself to be the one in the wrong. Old Master Chen went all out to protect Chen Ruoqiu¡¯s reputation naturally not because he doted on Chen Ruoqiu, but because he did not allow the Shen family to look down on the Chen family. Chen Ruoqiu¡¯s mother, on the other hand, was something. Her heart ached for Chen Ruoqiu, and with just a few words, she convinced Old Master Chen to fight a lawsuit with the Shen family over the divorce.


    The Chen family said that over the years Chen Ruoqiu had been married to Shen Wan, she was conscientious and managed the household well. She had once suggested Shen Wan take in a concubine, but Shen Wan declined the suggestion. Everyone outside knew that Chen Ruoqiu was well-educated and gentle. Now, Shen Wan was actually willing to divorce his wife for a woman who came out of nowhere. It was simply outrageous.


    The Shen family said that although Chen Ruoqiu was the madam, she could not give birth to a son. Now that her husband was finally going to take in a concubine, out of jealousy, she even tried to stop him.


    This farce provided the people of the capital something to talk about in idle hours.


    The capital magistrate had a headache dealing with this lawsuit. He could not afford to offend either side, so he could only drag it out.


    During the lawsuit, Shen Wan and Chen Ruoqiu¡¯s marriage was destined to end. Firstly, it was because Shen Wan was a court official after all, but because of this family matter, his reputation was ruined and his official career hindered. Secondly, it was because Chang Zaiqing was pregnant.


    Chang Zaiqing¡¯s pregnancy at this critical juncture put Chen Ruoqiu at a greater disadvantage. Although Shen Wan had doted on Chen Ruoqiu for so many years, it did not mean that he did not look forward to having a son. If Chang Zaiqing was pregnant with his son, he would have someone to carry on the family line. Therefore, the more he was with Chang Zaiqing, the happier he felt. As for Chen Ruoqiu, she became a piece of tattered rag that no one wanted.


    Shen Miao smiled and said, ¡°Don¡¯t forget to give some money to the people in the government.¡±


    Gu Yu nodded and asked in confusion, ¡°Miss, are you helping Third Master or Third Madam?¡±


    Shen Miao asked Gu Yu to take some money to give to people in the government, but she did not know who Shen Miao wanted to side with.


    Gu Yu whispered, ¡°It¡¯s better not to get involved in it. That family is not a good family.¡±


    Although her voice was soft, Shen Miao still heard it. Shen Miao said, ¡°I¡¯m not on either side.¡±


    Fighting a lawsuit was the most expensive thing. The poor families fought the lawsuit without money, so the lawsuit could end quickly. However, when the lawsuit involved rich people, the lawsuit would last for quite some time because the people in the government office also had to make money. The longer the lawsuit lasted, the more money the government office could make.

 Chapter 645 - 645 Matchmake Shen Miao (2)

    645 Matchmake Shen Miao (2)


    When Shen Miao was in the palace in her previous life, she had seen Fu Xiuyi using this method to deal with a courtier. That courtier was originally Prince Zhou¡¯s subordinate. Fu Xiuyi couldn¡¯t deal with him openly, so he got the courtier involved in a lawsuit. In the end, the courtier went bankrupt.


    The government office and the casino were the most profitable places. Whenever Shen Miao thought about how Shen Wan and Chen Ruoqiu tried their best to frame the first branch of the Shen family in her previous life, she wanted to rip their faces apart.


    As long as Shen Miao gave some money to ask the people in the government office to delay this lawsuit, the Shen and Chen families would definitely suffer a huge blow if not bankrupt. Moreover, Shen Wan and Chen Ruoqiu were both people who cared about their reputation. This time, it was definitely impossible for them to get back together.


    There was nothing more satisfying than this.


    !!


    Shen Miao¡¯s gaze turned cold. However, Chang Zaiqing actually got pregnant at this time¡­ At the thought of what Chang Zaiqing had done to cause Luo Xueyan¡¯s death in her previous life, Shen Miao couldn¡¯t help but sneer.


    She said, ¡°Call Mo Qing over and ask him to find some people to bring someone from Liuzhou.¡±


    In Liuzhou, Chang Zaiqing still had her son and husband. After driving Luo Xueyan to an early grave, Chang Zaiqing enjoyed a comfortable life for many years before her unsavory past was dug out. Now, Shen Miao would be the one to dig out her unsavory past.


    While Shen Miao was thinking about how to deal with the third branch of the Shen family, Shen Wan went to Prince Ding¡¯s mansion.


    Shen Wan was a smart person. In the competition for the throne, the crown prince was the rightful successor, but he was sick and weak. Prince Zhou had his mother, who was a favored consort, to back him up, but he was arrogant. Prince Li was resourceful, but he was not favored by Emperor Wen Hui. Only Prince Ding seemed to be outside the competition, showing no interest in the throne.


    However, Shen Wan had a feeling that Fu Xiuyi was not as uninterested in the throne as he looked on the surface. This made Shen Wan even more hesitant as to what to do. However, ever since Shen Xin returned, the Shen family had been in trouble one after another. Shen Wan¡¯s official career was going downhill, and none of the princes showed enthusiasm towards him. At this moment, he thought of Fu Xiuyi.


    In the early years, before Shen Xin split up from the Shen family, Fu Xiuyi actually treated Shen Wan quite well and showed interest in roping him in. Shen Wan naturally understood that Fu Xiuyi was after Shen Xin¡¯s military power, but at that time, he was in the position to choose, so he didn¡¯t give Fu Xiuyi a straightforward answer. Later, Fu Xiuyi seemed to understand what he meant, and he was not as enthusiastic as before.


    Now that the Shen family was not doing as well as before, if Shen Wan still wanted to protect his official career¡­ In addition, Chang Zaiqing might be able to give birth to a son for him. He no longer wanted to stay mediocre and suddenly had the desire to make a name for himself.


    Riches came from danger. He still wanted to give it a try.


    Therefore, Shen Wan made up his mind to pay Prince Ding a visit to express his stance. Shen Wan found it a little funny. If he had made this decision earlier, perhaps Shen Yue would not have to be forced to marry Wang Bi, nor would she have to escape home. He could even use Shen Yue to win over Fu Xiuyi¡¯s heart. However, without Shen Yue¡¯s marriage exchange, perhaps he and Chen Ruoqiu would not have come to this point. Chang Zaiqing would not be pregnant, and he would not have made up his mind to join hands with Prince Ding.


    Fate liked to play tricks on people.


    Fu Xiuyi sat at the head of the table and ordered someone to serve tea to Shen Wan. There was no need for an exchange of pleasantries because they both knew why they were here. Fu Xiuyi smiled gently. ¡°Lord Shen, I heard that you¡¯ve been busy with family matters these days. What brings you here?¡±

 Chapter 646 - 646 Matchmake Shen Miao (3)

    646 Matchmake Shen Miao (3)


    Shen Wan was embarrassed. Now that the matter between him and Chen Ruoqiu had become a laughing stock in the entire imperial court, his colleagues looked at him as if he was a joke. It was simply a torture for Shen Wan, who was thin-skinned.


    Shen Wan said, ¡°I¡¯m willing to sacrifice my life for Your Highness!¡±


    When Fu Xiuyi heard this, he only smiled imperceptibly and did not reply. It was unknown if he trusted Shen Wan or not. There were only the two of them and the servants in the hall. This silence gradually made the atmosphere tense. Cold sweat started to break out on Shen Wan¡¯s forehead.


    After a long silence, when Shen Wan felt that he was drenched in sweat, he heard Fu Xiuyi¡¯s voice. He said, ¡°But now that Shen Xin has already left the Shen family, what¡¯s the use of having you?¡±


    Shen Wan¡¯s heart skipped a beat. Shen Xiin was indeed the reason Fu Xiuyi was enthusiastic towards him back then.


    Before the second branch declined, Shen Wan had already guessed that Shen Yuan was working for Fu Xiuyi. However, what could Fu Xiuyi ask Shen Yuan to do? Shen Yuan was recruited by Fu Xiuyi at a very young age, so it couldn¡¯t possibly be because Fu Xiuyi thought highly of him. Later, Shen Wan thought it through. It was probably because Shen Yuan was a spy Fu Xiuyi could use to monitor Shen Xin at all times.


    However, after Shen Yuan died, Fu Xiuyi couldn¡¯t find another person to replace Shen Yuan. Later, Shen Xin went to Spring City, so there was no need for a spy.


    Unexpectedly, two years later, Shen Xin returned triumphantly to the capital and reclaimed his military power. Shen Xin was an existence that Fu Xiuyi couldn¡¯t ignore if he wanted to win the competition for the throne.


    Shen Wan said carefully, ¡°Although he left the family, we¡¯re still brothers. If Your Highness has any instructions, I¡¯ll do my best.¡±


    ¡°Good.¡± Fu Xiuyi said, ¡°I admire talented people and believe in Lord Shen¡¯s ability. I happen to have something to ask of you. Since we¡¯re all on the same side, I believe Lord Shen will do it well.¡±


    Shen Wan was a little uneasy. Fu Xiuyi was obviously giving him a test. If he passed the test, he would naturally be recruited by Fu Xiuyi. If he did not do it well, he would not be able to prove that he was a ¡°talented person¡± and would be heartlessly abandoned by Fu Xiuyi. As for the consequences that the test brought about, Shen Wan naturally had to bear them himself.


    This was a deal.


    Shen Wan made up his mind and said, ¡°Your Highness, please enlighten me!¡±


    Fu Xiuyi looked at him in satisfaction and said, ¡°It¡¯s not difficult. I know that General Shen has a daughter, Fifth Miss Shen, whom he loves dearly. Fifth Miss Shen should have reached the age for marriage.¡±


    Shen Wan suddenly looked up!


    Back then, when Shen Miao was chasing after Fu Xiuyi and said that she wanted to marry him, Fu Xiuyi couldn¡¯t even be bothered to cast a glance at her. Occasionally, when the other princes mentioned Shen Miao, he would look extremely annoyed. After all, being liked by such an idiotic and stupid girl was a humiliation to a high and noble prince. But now¡­ Shen Wan¡¯s heart was pounding. Shen Miao was getting more and more beautiful, and her temperament was steadier. She no longer looked like an idiot and could be considered a very good noble lady in the capital. If Fu Xiuyi wanted to marry Shen Miao¡­ With the hatred between the first and third branches of the Shen family, once Shen Miao became powerful, she would definitely do everything to bring him down.


    Shen Wan did not want Shen Miao to climb higher and higher. He hoped that Shen Miao would be as low as dirt!


    Shen Wan suppressed the bitterness in his heart and said, ¡°Your Highness¡­ do you want to marry Fifth Miss?¡±


    ¡°Me?¡± Fu Xiuyi smiled, as if he had heard a funny joke. He shook his head and said, ¡°Not me, but my brother.¡±

 Chapter 647 - 647 Matchmake Shen Miao (4)

    647 Matchmake Shen Miao (4)


    Shen Wan was stunned.


    Fu Xiuyi¡¯s voice slowly reached his ears.


    ¡°Let Fifth Miss Shen marry my fourth brother, Prince Zhou.¡±


    Shen Wan was shocked at first, but when he thought about it and understood, he suddenly felt a chill run down his spine.


    Shen Miao was Shen Xin¡¯s daughter. Xie in the south and Shen in the north. The Xie family had declined and there was no coming back for them, making Shen Xin the most powerful person second only to the emperor in Ming Qi. Whoever married Shen Miao would gain a huge military advantage. With Shen Miao¡¯s identity, she was destined to not be able to marry a prince because it would make Emperor Wen Hui, who was already paranoid, feel threatened. It would be ideal if Shen Miao married an ordinary man. It was probably because of this that Shen Miao had not been engaged at this age, because if she really married an ordinary man , Shen Xin would definitely feel that his daughter would suffer.


    For the crown prince, it was fine if he married Shen Miao. After all, he was the rightful successor to the throne. If any of the other princes married Shen Miao, it would be no different from openly declaring that they wanted to compete for the throne. On the surface, it seemed like roping in Shen Xin was a good thing, but if one thought carefully about it, one would realize the underlying danger.


    In the competition for the throne, Prince Zhou¡¯s faction was doing the best. Prince Zhou¡¯s mother was favored by the emperor and was quite capable. If Prince Zhou and Shen Miao were tied together by marriage at this juncture, he would definitely be pushed to the center of the storm. Emperor Wen Hui would definitely be wary and afraid, and the other princes would be jealous. Prince Zhou would probably be suppressed very badly. As for the Shen family, if they took sides so openly, they would probably die miserably once the people from the State of Qin and the Daliang Dynasty left.


    What a masterful use of the strategy of killing two birds with one stone. Shen Wan suddenly felt afraid of Fu Xiuyi. He was too scheming and ruthless.


    Fu Xiuyi did not seem to notice Shen Wan¡¯s expression. He smiled gently and said, ¡°I¡¯ll leave it to Lord Shen.¡± He did not even tell Shen Wan how to do it or how far he had to do it. Prince Zhou already had Consort Zhou. If Shen Miao married him, she could only be his concubine.


    Shen Wan was not confident at all, but he did not want to show it. He cupped his hands at Fu Xiuyi and said, ¡°I will do my best.¡±


    Next, the two of them exchanged a few pleasantries. Fu Xiuyi¡¯s attitude was neither warm nor cold. If it were two years ago, Fu Xiuyi would probably treat Shen Wan better. However, things were different now. The Shen family was not as good as before. Shen Wan was also in a lawsuit, so Fu Xiuyi naturally did not value him much.


    After Shen Wan left Prince Ding¡¯s mansion, Pei Lang walked out from behind the screen.


    Fu Xiuyi looked at Pei Lang. ¡°Sir, what do you think of Shen Wan?¡±


    Pei Lang shook his head. ¡°Although he has some tricks up his sleeve, he¡¯s not ruthless enough. He can¡¯t even handle his family matters. If you use him, he will do more harm than good.¡±


    Fu Xiuyi smiled and looked at Pei Lang with admiration. ¡°Sir, I think so too.¡± After saying that, he sighed and continued, ¡°Ever since the Xie brothers died, I¡¯ve been having a hard time finding people to replace them. The Xie brothers were useful if trained well, but now they are both gone.¡±


    Pei Lang frowned. ¡°Your Highness, are you planning to use Shen Wan?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s just a fence-sitter.¡± Fu Xiuyi smiled faintly. ¡°In the past, he was indecisive and couldn¡¯t make up his mind. Now, the situation has forced him to side with me, but it¡¯s too late. I just want him to do something for me.¡±


    Pei Lang asked, ¡°Your Highness, do you think it¡¯s a good idea to get Shen Wan to think of a way to put the fourth prince and Shen Miao together?¡±

 Chapter 648 - 648 Matchmake Shen Miao (5)

    648 Matchmake Shen Miao (5)


    ¡°I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s a good idea or not, but since this is Shen Wan¡¯s only chance, he will definitely make it happen at all costs. Shen Xin and Prince Zhou both have unstoppable momentum. If we don¡¯t make a move now, I¡¯m afraid it¡¯ll really be too late.¡±


    Pei Lang stopped talking. Fu Xiuyi suddenly asked, ¡°If I marry Shen Miao, what do you think?¡±


    Pei Lang¡¯s heart skipped a beat, but he still maintained a calm expression and analyzed, ¡°I¡¯m afraid if it¡¯s not good, it will arouse His Majesty¡¯s suspicion and make the other princes wary of you.¡±


    Fu Xiuyi nodded, looking a little regretful. His tone was ambiguous as he said, ¡°What a pity.¡±


    Pei Lang did not understand what Fu Xiuyi was feeling regretful for. Fu Xiuyi did not seem to have any feelings for Shen Miao. If he did, he would not be so cold to Shen Miao when she was chasing after him back then.


    What was Fu Xiuyi regretful for? Was he regretting that he could not get the military power of the Shen family?


    Pei Lang did not know what the answer was. After Fu Xiuyi left, he returned to his room. When he was alone, he started to write a letter.


    ¡­


    Tonight, Prince Rui¡¯s mansion was grim, filled with murderous intentions.


    The servants all had solemn expressions, and none of them dared to breathe loudly. Today, when Prince Rui returned, his expression was very cold. Gao Yang and Ji Yushu, who were beside him, also had rare solemn expressions. Tie Yi and Nan Qi brought a person who looked like a guard into the room with Prince Rui.


    Even his study was very spacious. Coupled with some magnificent decorations, it did not look like a study anymore but rather, a place in the palace. There was a person sitting at the desk, playing with the thumb ring in his hand in boredom. He was wearing a gorgeous dark purple robe with gold embroidered on it. His robe slowly draped over the wide chair, like a purple cloud flowing down from the sky.


    The person kneeling on the ground was prostrating. One could only see his boots. They were green-black deerskin boots, and the threads seemed to be made of silver. With a glance, one could tell that the owner of this pair of boots was arrogant and prodigal.


    Xie Jingxing leaned back against the couch with his feet on the chair. He lowered his eyes and looked at the person below. When his face turned cold, it made people shiver. His eyes seemed to have instantly turned into the ice in the glacier. He said indifferently, ¡°Tell me, who do you work for?¡±


    That person gritted his teeth and did not speak.


    Gao Yang and Ji Yushu also frowned.


    Xie Jingxing smiled lazily and said, ¡°It¡¯s fine if you don¡¯t want to speak. Throw him into the tower jail.¡± He suddenly bent down and leaned closer to the guard, saying in a low voice, ¡°I know who it is anyway.¡±


    The guard¡¯s expression did not change. His body was covered in wounds. Clearly, he had been tortured a lot. Xie Jingxing smiled, but his smile did not reach his eyes. ¡°Take away his token.¡±


    Ji Yushu and Gao Yang were stunned at the same time and could not help but look at the guard.


    The guard widened his eyes as a trace of shock flashed across his face. When Xie Jingxing mentioned the token, it was obvious that he already knew his identity. Everyone knew that Prince Rui of the Daliang Dynasty was ruthless, and the tower jail was a terrifying place to be.


    The guard made up his mind and knelt down to kowtow to Xie Jingxing a few times. ¡°Your Highness, please show mercy!¡±

 Chapter 649 - 649 Matchmake Shen Miao (6)

    649 Matchmake Shen Miao (6)


    Xie Jingxing glanced at him and sneered. ¡°I overestimated the person sent by my brother.¡± His tone was filled with mockery. ¡°I thought you got tough bones. How boring.¡±


    Ji Yushu couldn¡¯t help but ask the guard, ¡°What does His Majesty want you to do to Fifth Miss Shen?¡±


    This person was caught at the entrance of the Shen mansion. Fortunately, Xie Jingxing sent his people to keep an eye on the Shen mansion all day long to prevent any accidents from happening. This person was extremely skilled in martial arts and was quite vigilant. Xie Jingxing¡¯s men waited for a few days before catching him.


    The guard wanted to say something, but when he met Xie Jingxing¡¯s devilish smile, he couldn¡¯t help but feel a chill run down his spine. In the entire royal family of the Daliang Dynasty, this Prince Rui, who always looked handsome and apathetic to everything, was the one who was the most difficult to deal with. Two years ago, when he returned to the Daliang Dynasty, many forces in the court were secretly planning to deal with him, but they were all eliminated by Xie Yuan one by one. His methods were merciless and he was unfathomable.


    Under his penetrating gaze, the guard no longer dared to hide anything. He came clean about why he was here. ¡°His Majesty knew about Fifth Miss Shen and was afraid that Your Highness is lingering in Ming Qi because of Fifth Miss Shen, so His Majesty sent me to investigate¡­ He didn¡¯t ask me to hurt Fifth Miss Shen. He just wanted me to investigate¡­¡±


    Gao Yang and Ji Yushu both had a complicated look on their faces. Although Emperor Yong Le was in the Daliang Dynasty, he might have spies in the capital of Ming Qi. After discovering the relationship between Shen Miao and Xie Jingxing, with Emperor Yong Le¡¯s personality, he would not allow anything that was not part of his plan to happen. Shen Miao was from Ming Qi after all, and her identity would bring many variables. From the looks of it, Emperor Yong Le wasn¡¯t just going to let Xie Jingxing do whatever he wanted.


    However, the most troublesome thing was that these two brothers were both stubborn and would never change their minds. If Emperor Yong Le tried to stop Xie Jingxing, Xie Jingxing would not give in even if the world was turned upside down.


    As expected, when Xie Jingxing heard that, he smiled and said, ¡°Oh? Since you¡¯re just here to investigate, there¡¯s no need to lock you up. I¡¯ll send you back to the Daliang Dynasty.¡±


    The guard was slightly stunned. Before he could speak, he heard Xie Jingxing¡¯s voice above him. ¡°Do you know what to reply?¡±


    The guard hesitated for a moment. Prince Rui and Emperor Yong Le were both terrifying existences. In despair, he asked tentatively, ¡°Should I reply that Your Highness has nothing to do with Fifth Miss Shen?¡±


    Xie Jingxing looked at him with interest, his beautiful eyes filled with a deep meaning. He slowly said, ¡°How can you lie to His Majesty?¡±


    Gao Yang tightened his grip on the folding fan in his hand while Ji Yushu swallowed hard.


    ¡°Go back and tell him that he¡¯s right. I stayed because of Shen Miao.¡± The young man smiled gently, but his eyes were scary. He said indifferently, ¡°Don¡¯t think about changing anything, because I won¡¯t allow it.¡±


    ¡°By the way, remember to remind my brother.¡± He yawned. ¡°Of the agreement with me.¡±


    ¡­


    The quiet night covered everything from the tension in Prince Rui¡¯s mansion, to the schemes in Prince Ding¡¯s mansion, to the whispers in the Shen Mansion.


    The Autumn Water Garden was already occupied by a new mistress. In a fit of anger, Chen Ruoqiu went back to the Chen family and even filed a lawsuit against her husband. Everyone knew that Chen Ruoqiu would not be able to win her place back. As for this new mistress, she seemed like a good and generous person. What was more, she was pregnant. The servants were fence-sitters. Immediately, they became servile to Chang Zaiqing.


    Chang Zaiqing sat in the room and rubbed her stomach with a gentle smile.


    After all, the west courtyard was too far away, and it was a little cold. The doctor Old Madam Shen found said that the child in Chang Zaiqing¡¯s stomach was a boy. Since then, Old Madam Shen had been treating Chang Zaiqing like she was her mother and Shen Wan immediately brought Chang Zaiqing to the Autumn Water Garden just so he could take better care of her.


    Obviously, Chang Zaiqing was already the new mistress of the Autumn Water Garden. She was very satisfied with the current situation. Although Chen Ruoqiu was more experienced in life, she was old and ugly now, and she did not give birth to a son, so in this battle, Chang Zaiqing was destined to win.


    Shen Wan entered the room and put down the tonic in his hand. He walked to Chang Zaiqing¡¯s side and rubbed her stomach with a smile.


    Chang Zaiqing smiled at him. Suddenly, she asked in a soft voice, ¡°Master, is there something troubling you?¡±


    Shen Wan was stunned for a moment before he said with a sigh, ¡°There¡¯s indeed something troubling me.¡±

 Chapter 650 - 650 Infighting (1)

    650 Infighting (1)


    ¡°Something is bothering me,¡± Shen Wan replied with a bitter smile.


    Chang Zaiqing patted Shen Wan¡¯s hand and smiled. ¡°Master, if you have anything on your mind, why don¡¯t you tell me? Perhaps I can help.¡±


    Shen Wan looked at Chang Zaiqing¡¯s stomach and said, ¡°Forget it, your priority is to rest well at home. Don¡¯t let anything bother you. Besides, what¡¯s troubling me is related to the imperial court.¡±


    Chang Zaiqing was not discouraged. She smiled and said, ¡°Before I moved in with you, you treated me as a confidante and would always tell me what was on your mind, be it the trivial matters at home or the matters of the imperial court. You¡¯ve never been so distant. Why is it that as long as we are together, you¡¯re estranged from me?¡± She shook her head and said, ¡°I¡¯m not just a woman who only knows how to sew clothes and grow flowers in the backyard. Although I¡¯m not very smart, it¡¯s much easier for two people to think of a solution together than one person.¡±


    Chang Zaiqing was different from Chen Ruoqiu. Chen Ruoqiu was a real ¡°delicate wife¡±. In the past, she would never interfere in Shen Wan¡¯s career. When Shen Wan¡¯s career was flourishing, it was good to have such an obedient wife who minded her own business. However, if anything happened, Chen Ruoqiu would not be able to help Shen Wan at all.


    Chang Zaiqing was different. Before the two of them got together, they regarded each other as friends. They would talk about everything. Chang Zaiqing was quite knowledgeable and could occasionally hit the nail on the head about matters in the imperial court.


    Hearing Chang Zaiqing say that, Shen Wan¡¯s heart skipped a beat.


    Not only did Chang Zaiqing have her own opinion on the matters of the imperial court, but more importantly, Chang Zaiqing was also a woman. Getting Shen Miao to marry Prince Zhou now was not as easy as two years ago. If it were two years ago, before Shen Miao¡¯s personality changed drastically, it would naturally be very easy. He only needed to say a few nice words to make Shen Miao believe him. Now, it would not work. Moreover, his relationship with the first branch was tense, so he could not persuade Shen Xin either. Perhaps he could get some useful insights from Chang Zaiqing.


    At the thought of this, Shen Wan looked at Chang Zaiqing and asked tentatively, ¡°If I want Fifth Miss to marry Prince Zhou, what do you think I should do?¡±


    ¡°Prince Zhou?¡± Chang Zaiqing was stunned and asked curiously, ¡°Why do you want Fifth Miss to marry Prince Zhou?¡±


    Shen Wan chuckled. ¡°I¡¯m just wondering.¡± Although he already regarded Chang Zaiqing as his woman, he had to keep his mouth shut when working for Prince Ding. Otherwise, he would die a horrible death should the words leaked out.


    Chang Zaiqing was a smart person. She quickly understood and did not continue asking. She said, ¡°Fifth Miss Shen is General Shen¡¯s beloved daughter. Now that Prince Zhou already has a princess consort, if Fifth Miss Shen marries over, she will at most be a secondary consort. General Shen and his wife will not agree.¡±


    Shen Wan frowned and nodded, looking troubled.


    Chang Zaiqing saw this and her heart skipped a beat.


    No matter what, being a secondary consort was definitely not a good thing for Shen Miao. Although Chang Zaiqing did not understand what Shen Wan was up to, she was certain that once this matter was done, Shen Miao would not have a good time. Thinking of that girl¡¯s piercing eyes that seemed to be able to see through her mind, Chang Zaiqing felt a little uneasy. For some reason, Chang Zaiqing had an instinctive fear and uneasiness towards Shen Miao, as if Shen Miao¡¯s existence would pose a threat to her own existence. Chang Zaiqing was a person who wanted to be safe. Therefore, if she could get rid of Shen Miao, it might not be a bad thing for her.

 Chapter 651 - 651 Infighting (2)

    651 Infighting (2)


    Especially¡­ She looked at her stomach. Now that she was pregnant, she was certainly going to be the madam of the third branch of the Shen family. Therefore, she had to get rid of anyone or anything that might be a threat.


    ¡°It¡¯s not impossible. Actually. there¡¯s a way,¡± Chang Zaiqing said with a sweet smile.


    Shen Wan¡¯s eyes lit up and he asked, ¡°What idea do you have?¡±


    ¡°That will depend on what kind of attitude you want Prince Zhou to have.¡± Chang Zaiqing asked, ¡°Does Prince Zhou want to marry Shen Miao or not?¡±


    !!


    Shen Wan¡¯s heart skipped a beat. Prince Zhou would definitely not be willing to marry Shen Miao. Marrying Shen Miao now would undoubtedly make him the common enemy of the other princes. Prince Zhou did not want to have anything to do with Shen Miao, but what Fu Xiuyi wanted to achieve was to make Prince Zhou look like he really wanted to marry Shen Miao.


    He said, ¡°Prince Zhou should be unwilling, but¡­ we have to make people think that he is.¡±


    Chang Zaiqing thought for a moment and said, ¡°That¡¯s a little difficult. However, women have always cherished their reputation. If their reputation is ruined, they will live in misery for the rest of their lives. I think if you want to be the matchmaker, you can start with Fifth Miss.¡±


    Seeing that Chang Zaiqing looked confident, Shen Wan asked, ¡°Can you elaborate?¡±


    ¡°Madam Shen and General Shen don¡¯t want Fifth Miss to be a secondary consort. But if something worse than being a secondary consort happened to Fifth Miss Shen, they would be left with no choice but to marry her to Prince Zhou.¡±


    Shen Wan frowned.


    ...


    Chang Zaiqing continued, ¡°There are many worse things than being a secondary consort. For example, being kidnapped and having your innocence taken by someone. That person might be Prince Zhou. Whether it¡¯s Prince Zhou or not, General Shen and Madam Shen will choose to let Fifth Miss marry Prince Zhou because this is the best way to protect her.¡±


    Chang Zaiqing did not make it very explicit, but smart people usually left the listeners to interpret what he or she meant. In an instant, Shen Wan understood most of it and felt enlightened. Chang Zaiqing smiled and touched her stomach, smiling gently. ¡°It¡¯s just that this method is vicious. If not for the fact that I saw Master looking troubled, I wouldn¡¯t have said it.¡±


    Shen Wan had obtained a brilliant idea. At this moment, he felt that he had found a treasure. Chang Zaiqing was pregnant with his son and was smart. He immediately kissed Chang Zaiqing¡¯s cheek and smiled. ¡°With such a beauty by my side, why would I ever be troubled?¡± After saying that, he stood up again, as if he could not wait to do something. He said, ¡°I still have something to do. I¡¯ll come and see you later.¡±


    After Shen Wan left, Nanny Zhao walked to Chang Zaiqing and asked worriedly, ¡°Is Third Master going to deal with Fifth Miss Shen?¡±


    ¡°Maybe.¡± Chang Zaiqing smiled. ¡°It¡¯s not the first time I¡¯ve heard that the first and third branches of the Shen family are not on good terms.¡±


    ¡°Miss, are you planning to help Third Master deal with Fifth Miss?¡± Nanny Zhao asked, ¡°Fifth Miss has General Shen backing her up. Will you be in danger if you get involved?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not the one who does it. Why will I be in danger?¡± Chang Zaiqing¡¯s smile did not change. ¡°As long as Shen Wan is not a fool, he won¡¯t let people catch him red-handed.¡±


    Nanny Zhao was still worried. ¡°Miss, why do you want to help Third Master deal with Fifth Miss?¡±

 Chapter 652 - 652 Infighting (3)

    652 Infighting (3)


    ¡°Giving advice and suggestions to my husband is what a proper wife should do. I have to make him feel that I¡¯m different from Chen Ruoqiu. I have to make him feel that I can do what Chen Ruoqiu can and I can do what Chen Ruoqiu can¡¯t. That¡¯s how I make him unable to leave me.¡± Chang Zaiqing rubbed her stomach and narrowed her eyes. ¡°Besides, I have a feeling that if I don¡¯t get rid of Shen Miao, I¡¯ll be in a series of misfortunes.¡±


    When Nanny Zhao heard this, she was shocked and did not say anything else. Chang Zaiqing changed the topic and said, ¡°Speaking of which, is there any news from Liuzhou?¡±


    Nanny Zhao said, ¡°The people I sent are on the way. No matter how fast they journey, it will take a few days. They should be back in a few days.¡±


    ¡°Let them settle the matter properly.¡± A trace of coldness flashed across Chang Zaiqing¡¯s eyes. ¡°I can¡¯t let anyone know about my past.¡±


    !!


    ¡­


    At night, Shen Miao received a letter from Pei Lang.


    According to the letter, Fu Xiuyi actually asked Shen Wan to think of a way to get her to marry Prince Zhou. Seeing that Shen Miao¡¯s expression was not good, Jingzhe and Gu Yu thought that something bad had happened, so they asked, ¡°Miss, did something bad happen to you?¡±


    Shen Miao shook her head. In her previous life and this life, Fu Xiuyi was equally scheming. No matter if she would end up marrying Prince Zhou or not, as long as she had something to do with Prince Zhou, the Shen family and Prince Zhou would not have a good ending. The Shen family would anger Emperor Wen Hui, making Emperor Wen Hui feel that the Shen family supported Prince Zhou and wanted to take a stance in the competition for the throne. As for Prince Zhou, he would be the target of everyone. Fu Xiuyi was really scheming.


    As for her third uncle, if he wanted to tie her to Prince Zhou, he would definitely use some unpresentable methods. As Shen Miao thought about it, she couldn¡¯t help but sneer in her heart. No matter when, the people of the third branch of the Shen family would use and harm the people of the first branch without hesitation. If possible, they were willing to use the entire first branch as a stepping stone to wealth. They deserved to die.


    She said, ¡°Let Mo Qing come in.¡±


    Jingzhe went outside to call Mo Qing over.


    Shen Miao asked Mo Qing, ¡°Did the people you sent to Liuzhou find out¡±


    Mo Qing cupped his hands and said, ¡°Miss, the people I sent to Liuzhou have already reported that they have found them. However, there¡¯s another group of people who are also asking about the whereabouts of that father and son. I heard that they even hired assassins to kill them.¡±


    Shen Miao suddenly laughed, but her smile was cold.


    ¡°Chang Zaiqing is really ruthless.¡±


    The people Shen Miao asked Mo Qing to find were Chang Zaiqing¡¯s husband and son. Who else would hire assassins to kill the father and son other than Chang Zaiqing? Now that Chang Zaiqing had gotten what she wanted, she even wanted to kill his husband and son to avoid trouble later on.


    ¡°Send someone to tell the people in Liuzhou to protect the father and son and bring them back to the capital as soon as possible,¡± Shen Miao said.


    Mo Qing nodded. Shen Miao suddenly thought of something and added, ¡°Wait.¡± She said, ¡°Help me deliver a letter to Shopkeeper Ji of the Exiled Immortal Pawnshop.¡±


    ¡­


    The lawsuit between the Shen family and the Chen family was really long and lingering. Many people thought that this case had been closed for a long time. Later, when they asked, they found out that it was not over yet. It took almost two months for the case to be concluded. In the end, Shen Wan divorced Chen Ruoqiu.


    This beautiful marriage, which was praised by everyone as an ideal marriage between a talented man and a beautiful woman, ended in such a farce. What was most shocking was that after Shen Wan divorced Chen Ruoqiu, he quickly married Chang Zaiqing.

 Chapter 653 - 653 Infighting (4)

    653 Infighting (4)


    However, even so, both sides suffered heavy losses in this lawsuit. Because of this, Shen Wan¡¯s official career was obstructed, and a lot of money was spent. However, in comparison, the Chen family was obviously in a worse state.


    The Chen family had some reputation, but because they were a scholarly family, they did not have much money. Back then, Old Master Chen wanted to defend the Chen family¡¯s reputation, but he did not expect this lawsuit to go on for so long. After fighting for two months, it was not an exaggeration to say that the Chen family had gone bankrupt.


    Because of this, Old Master Chen blamed everything on Chen Ruoqiu. Chen Ruoqiu¡¯s mother was also complaining. Chen Ruoqiu was hurt by Shen Wan and hated Shen Wan for disregarding their decades-long marriage. She was also angry with herself for being outdone by Chang Zaiqing. The most sad thing was that there was still no news of Shen Yue¡¯s whereabouts. Now that she was despised by her parents, she felt despair and all her hope dashed.


    What she did not know was that the daughter she had been searching for for so long was in Crown Prince Qin¡¯s mansion in Yanqing Alley.


    !!


    At this moment, Shen Yue was dressing up in the mirror.


    The clothes she was wearing were all top-notch. Although the Shen family was also a rich family, they could not compare to the wealth of the State of Qin. The jewelry she was wearing was also very luxurious. She was dressed like a different person from before. In the past, influenced by Chen Ruoqiu, Shen Yue¡¯s choice of fabric was simple, but now, she looked much more noble.


    This was because Shen Yue had already become Huangfu Hao¡¯s concubine.


    The maid beside her carefully served Shen Yue tea, but Shen Yue looked a little impatient.


    She had a pretty face. Under the influence of Chen Ruoqiu, she could be considered gentle. One day, Huangfu Hao asked her frivolously if she was willing to be his concubine. Shen Yue thought for a night and agreed the next day.


    That was her only way out.


    Rumors were spreading like wildfire outside, and the lawsuit between the Shen family and the Chen family had almost become a joke. Chang Zaiqing was pregnant. If she gave birth to a son, Shen Yue would probably be abandoned by the Shen family without hesitation. Even if Chang Zaiqing didn¡¯t give birth to a son, because Chen Ruoqiu caused Shen Wan to become a laughing stock, Shen Wan and Old Madam Shen would also hate Shen Yue. Her identity had already been taken by Shen Dongling. These days, there were rumors that Wang Bi doted on his wife, Shen Yue. The more she heard about it, the more regretful and indignant Shen Yue became.


    Regardless of whether she really liked Wang Bi or not, Shen Yue was extremely indignant at the thought that the comfortable life Shen Dongling was living now should be hers.


    She hated Shen Wan for being heartless, and she hated Chen Ruoqiu for being a disappointment. At this moment, she also understood that it was even more impossible for her to get close to Fu Xiuyi with her current status. If she returned to the Shen family, Shen Wan might arrange a lousy marriage for her out of anger.


    Shen Yue also had the coldness unique to the Shen family in her nature. Shen Wan and her had been father and daughter for so many years. Back then, they had a deep relationship. However, now, Shen Yue looked at Shen Wan more warily than outsiders.


    Shen Yue thought that rather than being married to an lousy family, she might as well be Huangfu Hao¡¯s concubine. Huangfu Hao was handsome and young, and he was the crown prince of the State of Qin. If she could get Huangfu Hao¡¯s favor in the future, she might be able to get promoted. Most importantly, if she could use Huangfu Hao¡¯s power, she might be able to protect herself and Chen Ruoqiu.


    Therefore, Shen Yue became Huangfu Hao¡¯s concubine.

 Chapter 654 - 654 Infighting (5)

    654 Infighting (5)


    To be honest, Huangfu Hao treated Shen Yue quite well, which was naturally because Shen Yue was deliberately currying favor with him. However, among the concubines Huangfu Hao brought, Shen Yue was still the most favored. Perhaps Huangfu Hao also enjoyed the feeling of having a concubine whose father was an official in Ming Qi.


    Shen Yue asked the maid beside her, ¡°Have you delivered the letter to the Chen family?¡±


    The maid said, ¡°It¡¯s on their way. They should probably receive it soon.¡±


    Shen Yue took a sip of tea.


    ¡­


    Chen Ruoqiu received a letter.


    She did not know who sent this letter to her room. The old master and madam of the Chen family did not want to see Chen Ruoqiu at all. Because Chen Ruoqiu had caused the Chen family to suffer a huge blow, her allowance had been reduced by a lot. Her brother and sister-in-law looked at her like she was a troublemaker. Chen Ruoqiu¡¯s life was very difficult. She stayed in her room all day and did not go out.


    She looked around to make sure that no one was around. Out of curiosity, she opened the letter, and then she was stunned.


    The handwriting on the letter was very clear to Chen Ruoqiu that it was written Shen Yue. The letter instructed Chen Ruoqiu to go to a rather remote inn in the east of the city. There was no inscription. However, Chen Ruoqiu already knew that Shen Yue wanted to meet her.


    Chen Ruoqiu felt relieved. Shen Yue could still write to her. Looking at the unhurried handwriting, it was obvious that Shen Yue was still very safe. Chen Ruoqiu slowly calmed down, and her previous worries were all gone.


    These days, she had suffered blow after blow, making her anxious and feel that her life was hopeless. However, Shen Yue¡¯s letter seemed to have lit up her hope. With her daughter still around, Chen Ruoqiu was suddenly filled with fighting spirit. At least she was not alone. She wanted to make a comeback and took back what was hers from Chang Zaiqing.


    Chen Ruoqiu gradually calmed down. The next day, the servants around her realized that Chang Zaiqing, who had been haggard and irritable these days, seemed to be in a much better mood. It was as if she had become Third Madam Shen again. Even when the servants bumped into her, Chen Ruoqiu didn¡¯t flare up and only smiled.


    If one looked closely, they would notice that Chen Ruoqiu¡¯s eyes seemed to have been reignited with endless hope.


    The next morning, Chen Ruoqiu went out.


    No one from the Chen family stopped her. Old Madam Chen was a little worried, but after being glared at by Old Master Chen, she did not say anything. Chen Ruoqiu¡¯s brothers and sisters-in-laws couldn¡¯t care less. She was wearing an eye-catching brown short dress. The dress was still an old style from a few years ago. When Chen Ruoqiu moved out of the Shen family, she did not take away a single cent. At that time, because she was in a fit of anger, she only took some jewelry but not much clothes. Later, she was busy with the lawsuit and did not have time to get new ones. Now, the Chen family didn¡¯t even have the extra money for her to spend on clothes.


    Wearing outdated clothes that did not fit her, Chen Ruoqiu felt humiliated. She was wearing a bamboo hat, so others could not see her face. However, even if they saw her face, they would probably not associate her with the talented Third Madam Shen who used to be praised by everyone in the capital.

 Chapter 655 - 655 Infighting (6)

    655 Infighting (6)


    In order to save money, Chen Ruoqiu had no choice but to hire an old carriage. When the carriage arrived at the east of the city, Chen Ruoqiu paid the money and walked quickly to the inn mentioned in the letter.


    As soon as she entered the inn, Chen Ruoqiu looked around and did not see Shen Yue. Just as she was feeling puzzled, a shop assistant walked towards her and asked, ¡°Madam, are you looking for a young girl?¡±


    Chen Ruoqiu was stunned for a moment before nodding. Now that everyone in the capital knew that she was fighting a lawsuit with Shen Wan, she was afraid that she would be recognized and laughed at. The shop assistant said, ¡°Madam, please follow me.¡±


    The shop assistant brought Chen Ruoqiu to a room upstairs in the inn. When he reached the door, he stopped and smiled. ¡°The person Madam is waiting for is inside.¡± Then, he left.


    Chen Ruoqiu pushed the door open and entered. She saw a young woman sitting at the table in the room. No matter how Chen Ruoqiu looked at her back, she could recognize her. But who else could it be but Shen Yue?


    Chen Ruoqiu closed the door and shouted, ¡°Yue!¡±


    Shen Yue turned around and was stunned when she saw Chen Ruoqiu. It was not until Chen Ruoqiu stepped forward and held her hands that Shen Yue saw Chen Ruoqiu¡¯s face clearly and shouted, ¡°Mother!¡± However, she immediately frowned and said, ¡°How did you become like this?¡±


    If she did not see it with her own eyes, Shen Yue would not believe that this woman in front of her was her noble, gentle, and generous mother.


    When Chen Ruoqiu heard this, a trace of hatred flashed across her face. She gritted her teeth and said, ¡°If not for that b*tch, Chang Zaiqing, and your heartless father, I wouldn¡¯t have ended up like this!¡± With that, she looked at Shen Yue anxiously. ¡°Yue, where have you been these days? Do you know that I¡¯ve been anxious and worried sick about you? Are you alright? Did something happen?¡±


    Chen Ruoqiu only had one child and usually doted on Shen Yue. Shen Yue felt a little sad when she heard that, but she still smiled and said, ¡°Mother, don¡¯t be afraid. I¡¯m doing very well now. I¡¯ve found a backer who¡¯s even more noble than the emperor. With this backer, we will make a comeback.¡±


    Chen Ruoqiu asked suspiciously, ¡°Who are you talking about?¡±


    Shen Yue hesitated for a moment and said, ¡°The crown prince of the State of Qin.¡±


    Chen Ruoqiu exclaimed, and Shen Yue quickly continued to explain, ¡°The crown prince treats me very well. Back then, when I left the Shen family, I encountered bad people, and it was the crown prince who saved me. After that, he wanted to send me back home, but the Shen family was in chaos, so I decided to stay in his mansion. He is a good person. Mother, don¡¯t think it¡¯s a bad thing. It¡¯s much better for me to be with the crown prince than with those pretentious people from the Wang family. You can¡¯t bear to see Shen Dongling being on equal footing with me, right? If I return to the Shen family, who knows if they will force me to marry again? Mother, just listen to me this once, okay?¡±


    Chen Ruoqiu instinctively felt that something was wrong. When she heard that Huangfu Hao had saved Shen Yue, her expression softened slightly. However, after all, he was not from Ming Qi.


    ¡°He¡¯s from the State of Qin after all, and he¡¯s the crown prince¡­¡±


    Seeing that Chen Ruoqiu still did not agree, Shen Yue made up her mind and lied, ¡°The crown prince said that when I return to the State of Qin with him in the future, he will give me a new identity and make me his secondary consort.¡±


    ¡°Are you serious?¡± Chen Ruoqiu was stunned. If Shen Yue left Ming Qi and went to the State of Qin to become the crown prince¡¯s secondary consort, she would be able to enjoy endless wealth in the future. After the long lawsuit with Shen Wan, Chen Ruoqiu changed quite a lot. She no longer believed in love. Love was too illusory. The only thing that mattered was money.


    ¡°Absolutely,¡± Shen Yue said.


    Chen Ruoqiu hesitated for a moment and said, ¡°Let¡¯s talk about this later. There¡¯s one thing that¡¯s more urgent.¡±


    Shen Yue asked, ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°Chang Zaiqing, that b*tch, schemed against me behind my back and tricked me into her trap. Now I am down and out. What I hate the most is not Chang Zaiqing, but your father. If not for your father protecting her, I wouldn¡¯t have ended up like this. He didn¡¯t care about our relationship for the past decades at all. I¡¯m indignant! I hate him!¡±

 Chapter 656 - 656 Holding Hands (1)

    656 Holding Hands (1)


    ¡°I¡¯m indignant! I hate him!¡± Chen Ruoqiu¡¯s words were filled with deep hatred. Now that she looked haggard, her expression was sinister when she said that. Even Shen Yue was shocked.


    Shen Yue said, ¡°Mother, what are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°You know what happened, right?¡± Chen Ruoqiu gritted her teeth and said, ¡°Over the years I¡¯m married to your father, I treated him wholeheartedly. I never wished that I could be his only wife, but I didn¡¯t expect him to humiliate me with someone like this. He even chased me out of the house and confronted my family in court, causing them to lose a huge amount of money. It was your father and Chang Zaiqing who forced me into such a desperate situation. What¡¯s my reputation in the capital now? A hen that can¡¯t lay an egg? A jealous woman? This is what your father repays me with!¡± As Chen Ruoqiu spoke, she sneered and said, ¡°And that old fart, Old Madam Shen. Ever since I married into the Shen family, she has been picking on me everywhere. She just can¡¯t stand others doing well. This time, she was the one who put Chang Zaiqing and your father together and urged them to do this. None of the people in the Shen family are good people!¡±


    Shen Yue couldn¡¯t help but frown. She felt that Chen Ruoqiu looked like shrew cursing on the street. However, at the mention of the Shen family, at this moment, Shen Yue didn¡¯t have any feelings for them.


    Chen Ruoqiu glanced at her and continued, ¡°Back then, when your father asked you to marry Wang Bi, I thought that you wouldn¡¯t agree because you have someone else in your heart, but your father insisted, so I could only agree. It turns out that the Wang family is just an unreasonable bunch. They actually refused to acknowledge you after having Shen Dongling. Now, you even lost your own identity. They are really going too far! If your father cared about you, I think he would stand up for you. But look at what your father did. He actually wants you to apologize to the Wang family and be on equal footing with Shen Dongling. Why should you, the daughter of the Shen family, be on equal footing with a concubine¡¯s daughter? It¡¯s simply the biggest joke in the world! Does he even treat you as his daughter!?¡± Chen Ruoqiu¡¯s words were filled with provocation. Now that Chen Ruoqiu had nothing and no one was on her side, if her daughter was coaxed back by Shen Wan, she would really be alone.


    When Shen Yue heard that, her expression darkened. It was not that she didn¡¯t have any feelings left for her father. What she hated the most about the Shen family was that although they said that they did everything for her own good, she was the one who suffered the most so far. Although Huangfu Hao treated her well, she was just a concubine after all. A concubine¡­ Even if she was the Crown Prince¡¯s concubine, she was still the lowest-grade concubine and could be abandoned at any time. However, Shen Yue sighed sadly and said, ¡°Mother, it¡¯s impossible between Prince Ding and me. I¡¯m probably not fated to be with him.¡± As she spoke, she smiled sadly. ¡°Besides, the Crown Prince treats me very well. I like him very much.¡±


    Chen Ruoqiu knew her daughter the best, so how could she fail to notice the sorrow in Shen Yue¡¯s eyes? Chen Ruoqiu was angry and heartbroken. Her daughter was so good, but why couldn¡¯t she get what she wanted? She took a deep breath and said, ¡°The Shen family harmed us to this extent. We can¡¯t take this lying down. Don¡¯t worry, I will definitely take revenge. None of them can escape. Now that I¡¯ve been divorced and returned to my parents¡¯ house, I no longer have anything to do with the Shen family. Even if something happens to the Shen family, I will not be implicated. You¡¯re no longer Shen Yue, so you¡¯ll be safe too.¡±

 Chapter 657 - 657 Holding Hands (2)

    657 Holding Hands (2)


    ¡°Mother, what do you plan to do?¡± Shen Yue could tell that Chen Ruoqiu was up to something and asked.


    Chen Ruoqiu sneered and replied, ¡°Just wait and see. I came over just to tell you that I¡¯m relieved to see you doing fine.¡±


    Shen Yue could not get anything out of Chen Ruoqiu, so she didn¡¯t ask further.


    ¡­


    A few days later, the capital seemed to have returned to normal. Nothing new happened, but it was almost the end of the year, and the people buying new year goods on the streets gradually increased.


    Luo Tan was very happy that she got to go out and buy new year goods. Ever since the last incident, Shen Xin told Shen Miao and Luo Tan not to go out. If they wanted to go out, they had to bring a lot of guards with them. This was a little boring. Feng Anning also felt extremely guilty because of what happened last time, so after she went to apologize, she stopped asking the two of them out. Luo Tan was bored in the mansion. Later, she followed Luo Ling and Shen Qiu to the training ground to see the soldiers train. She dressed like a man, and with Shen Qiu and Luo Ling by her side, she was safe.


    Shen Miao stayed quietly in her room. She did not like to join the crowd, nor did she like to shop on the street. Being alone was the most relaxing for her.


    On this day, Mo Qing came back from outside and said that Chang Zaiqing¡¯s husband and son had already been brought to the capital. Because he wanted to prevent them from being seen, he did not bring them to the mansion.


    Shen Miao said, ¡°You did very well.¡± She remembered that in her previous life, Chang Zaiqing¡¯s husband was a gambling addict and looked a little rough.


    Mo Qing asked Shen Miao, ¡°Miss, when do you plan to visit the father and son?¡±


    There must be a reason why Shen Miao brought this father and son to the capital.


    Just as Shen Miao was about to answer, she suddenly thought of something and paused.


    In Pei Lang¡¯s letter, it mentioned that Fu Xiuyi asked Shen Wan to matchmake her and Prince Zhou. What method would Shen Wan use? Although Shen Miao did not know, she could more or less guess that it was just some dirty tricks. Therefore, outside the mansion, there might be danger everywhere. These days, it had been peaceful. Perhaps it was because she had never gone out at all. If she went out, they would seize the opportunity.


    She was not so bold as to jump into a fire pit when she knew there was a fire pit. Moreover, it was not easy to explain herself once she got involved with a prince.


    Shen Miao asked, ¡°How many trained people like you are there in the mansion?¡±


    Mo Qing was stunned for a moment before frowning. ¡°Young Master should have some capable subordinates. Master also has some. There should be at least 30 people in total.¡±


    With 30 people protecting her¡­ probably no one would dare to have designs on her. However, this way, she would be too conspicuous on the street. Moreover, Shen Qiu and Shen Xin were not fools. They would suspect why she went out with so many guards. Shen Miao said, ¡°I see.¡±


    ¡°Miss, are you worried about your safety?¡± Mo Qing asked. ¡°I can mobilize more people at that time.¡± Mo Qing also felt that it was a little strange. Shen Miao had never been a timid person. Her reaction today was a little abnormal.

 Chapter 658 - 658 Holding Hands (3)

    658 Holding Hands (3)


    ¡°No need. I know what to do. You can leave,¡± Shen Miao said.


    Mo Qing stopped talking and left in silence. Shen Miao looked around and her gaze landed on the half-open window in the room.


    She instructed Gu Yu, ¡°Open the window wider.¡±


    Gu Yu was puzzled. ¡°Miss, the wind is still blowing outside. You¡¯ll catch a cold.¡± She really found it puzzling. When Shen Miao was young, she was very afraid of the cold. For some reason, she seemed to like to sleep with the window open at night these days.


    !!


    ¡°I¡¯m not cold.¡± Shen Miao said calmly, ¡°Go and open it.¡±


    Gu Yu glanced at Shen Miao¡¯s thick outer clothes, but she did not ask further. She opened the window in confusion.


    For the entire day, Shen Miao stayed in the house. From time to time, she would glance at the window, causing Jingzhe and Gu Yu to look at the window too. They thought that something would bloom there, but there was clearly nothing on the windowsill. Shen Miao read for a while before walking to the window and standing there for a while.


    Unknowingly, the sky turned dark. After dinner, Jingzhe and Gu Yu left. Shen Miao felt that it was silent outside, as if the entire capital was in a deep sleep. There was still nothing in the window.


    A trace of disappointment flashed across Shen Miao¡¯s eyes. Bored, she played with the chess piece in her hand. Gradually, she became sleepy, so she closed her eyes and fell asleep on the table.


    When Xie Jingxing entered the room, he saw Shen Miao sleeping soundly on the table. The window was open, and the candlelight was swaying slightly because of the cold wind. Shen Miao was sleeping quietly with her head buried in her arms.


    He walked to Shen Miao¡¯s side and looked down at her. After a pause, he took off his cloak and gently covered Shen Miao.


    Shen Miao was a vigilant person. When there was a movement, she tilted her body slightly and looked up, but she did not open her eyes. She said in a daze, ¡°Lizi, rub my shoulders.¡±


    Xie Jingxing was speechless.


    He leaned against the cabinet beside him and looked at Shen Miao. He said in amusement, ¡°Hey, did you dream of becoming the empress again?¡±


    These sudden words woke Shen Miao up. Coincidentally, a cold wind blew in from outside. She sneezed and was instantly awake.


    Xie Jingxing walked to the window and closed it. The room immediately became much warmer. He crossed his arms and leaned against the window, asking, ¡°Why are you sleeping at the table?¡±


    Shen Miao looked at the purple-clothed young man and rubbed her eyes. She asked, ¡°Why are you here so late?¡± She actually sounded like she was complaining. She had probably just woken up from her sleep and was still in a brain fog, so she did not notice anything wrong with her tone.


    But Xie Jingxing noticed it.


    The room fell silent. He walked forwards her step by step until he reached the table where Shen Miao was sitting. He placed his hands on the table and leaned over, asking, ¡°Are you waiting for me?¡±


    Shen Miao suddenly came back to her senses and quickly replied, ¡°No.¡±


    The corners of Xie Jingxing¡¯s lips curled up, and his tone was a little sad. ¡°Oh, I heard that you waited for me at the window for the entire day today. So it¡¯s not true. Since there¡¯s nothing else, I¡¯ll leave.¡± With that, he pretended to leave.


    ¡°Wait!¡± Shen Miao stopped him.


    Xie Jingxing said, ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°If you know, why are you still asking me?¡± Shen Miao gritted her teeth. Facing Xie Jingxing, she really couldn¡¯t be calm and collected, because this person was simply devilish. She regretted checking the window so often throughout the day. Xie Jingxing had probably planted some people in the mansion to inform him of her every movement. However, it was really annoying that Xie Jingxing deliberately asked when he knew it already.

 Chapter 659 - 659 Holding Hands (4)

    659 Holding Hands (4)


    ¡°I¡¯m waiting for you. I need your help with something,¡± she said after taking a deep breath.


    ¡°Speak.¡± Xie Jingxing pulled out a chair and sat down opposite Shen Miao. He seemed to be in a very good mood, and even his beautiful eyes were more charming than usual.


    ¡°You should have many capable people like Mo Qing under your command, right?¡± Shen Miao asked tentatively.


    ¡°You think Mo Qing is capable?¡± Xie Jingxing sneered. ¡°How about I give you some real capable people?¡±


    ¡°Can I borrow some from you?¡± Shen Miao said, ¡°I¡¯ll pay.¡±


    Xie Jingxing glanced at her and frowned slightly. ¡°What are you going to do?¡±


    Shen Miao thought that since Xie Jingxing already knew about Chang Zaiqing¡¯s husband and son, there was no need to hide it from him, so she said, ¡°Chang Zaiqing¡¯s husband and son have already been brought to the capital and are kept in the east of the city. I¡¯m afraid I don¡¯t have enough people to escort me there.¡±


    ¡°You want to use my people?¡±


    Shen Miao said, ¡°I¡¯ll pay.¡±


    Xie Jingxing asked, ¡°Do I look like I¡¯m short of money?¡±


    Shen Miao didn¡¯t know what to say. Indeed, Xie Jingxing did not seem to be short of money. It was as if he had more money than he could use. She simply asked, ¡°What do I have to do to make you help?¡±


    Xie Jingxing narrowed his eyes. ¡°Is this the attitude you use when you ask people for help?¡±


    Shen Miao was finally annoyed and said, ¡°Forget it, pretend I didn¡¯t say anything. It¡¯s getting late. Prince Rui, please leave.¡± She called Xie Jingxing ¡°Prince Rui¡± when she was angry, sounding very distant. As expected, Xie Jingxing frowned and looked unhappy.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t say I wouldn¡¯t let you use my people.¡± Xie Jingxing stopped her. ¡°What¡¯s the hurry?¡±


    Shen Miao sat back down. Xie Jingxing stared at her with his beautiful eyes. A glint flashed across his eyes as he said, ¡°You¡¯re really stupid. Why do you ignore the most capable person in front of you?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m in a good mood today.¡± Xie Jingxing said unhurriedly, ¡°I¡¯ll escort you there personally.¡±


    ¡­


    In the middle of the night, the moon was covered by clouds, leaving only a few stars hanging in the night sky. Because it was winter, it was surprisingly cold. There was a thin layer of snow on the ground, and when one stepped on it, there was a rustling sound. However, because it was the end of the year, every house was hung with red lanterns under the eaves. The lanterns were colorful, making the scene surprisingly beautiful.


    At this moment, two people were standing under the roof.


    The tall young man was bending down slightly to tie a scarf for the other person beside him. The two of them were extremely close. If one walked closer, they could hear the short girl complaining, ¡°Why do I have to wear this?¡±


    ¡°Shh.¡± The young man whispered into her ear, ¡°Just take it that I¡¯m afraid that your peerless beauty will be seen by others and get us into trouble. Don¡¯t ask too much.¡±


    Shen Miao sneered. ¡°Peerless beauty? Then you should cover your face first.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no need for that.¡± The young man did not notice the sarcasm in the Shen Miao¡¯s words. ¡°I¡¯m powerful and capable. No one dares to mess with me.¡±


    Shen Miao was speechless. She did not expect that after telling Xie Jingxing about the father and son from Liuzhou, Xie Jingxing would choose this hour to go with her. In the middle of the night, the father and son would probably be asleep. However, the reason Xie Jingxing gave was that at night, there would be less people and it was easier for them to make the trip without being seen.


    What he said made sense, and Shen Miao could not refute him. However, she did not expect Xie Jingxing would take her to walk on the street openly instead of taking the alleyway.

 Chapter 660 - 660 Holding Hands (5)

    660 Holding Hands (5)


    Although there seemed to be no one on the street, it was inevitable that she felt uneasy.


    ¡°What¡¯s there to be afraid of? My men will follow us closely behind,¡± Xie Jingxing said.


    While Shen Miao was in a daze, Xie Jingxing had already tied the scarf on her face, revealing only her eyes. Her eyes were round and watery, and the black and white were very clear. Under the dim light of the lantern, she looked even more adorable. Xie Jingxing helped her put on the hat and raised his eyebrows. ¡°Not bad.¡±


    In order to avoid unnecessary trouble, Shen Miao found a set of servant¡¯s outfit to wear. The hat was a little oversized, almost covering her eyes. When she came out, she forgot to bring a cloak. Xie Jingxing looked at her for a moment and put his cloak on Shen Miao. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    ¡°Just like this?¡± Shen Miao asked in surprise.


    ¡°The east of the city is not far.¡± Xie Jingxing said, ¡°It¡¯s good to take a walk. You haven¡¯t seen the capital at night, right?¡±


    Shen Miao was silent.


    Most of the nights she had spent were within the square walls of the palace in Ming Qi. Sometimes, she sat in the huge Kunning Palace and thought about the annoying things in the harem for the entire night. Sometimes, she went to the royal garden to take a look and saw Fu Xiuyi chatting happily with different beauties.


    She was the empress, but her nights were filled loneliness.


    She had once regretted becoming the empress and envied the carefree life outside the palace.


    Xie Jingxing said, ¡°No one can see you and recognize you. Do whatever you want.¡±


    Shen Miao looked at his handsome face and suddenly felt envious of him.


    Not only was Xie Jingxing the young marquis of the Marquis of Lin¡¯an, but he was also the younger brother of Emperor Yong Le. Everyone thought his life was glamorous, but in fact, he must have tons of weight upon his shoulder. However, his proud and arrogant personality seemed to have never changed. Nothing could change him. It was as if no matter how time flowed, he still stood there in an unshakable manner, leaving people in awe.


    Shen Miao was envious of people who were strong-willed. She felt that she was not as strong as Xie Jingxing, because when she thought of Wanyu and Fu Ming occasionally and the things in her previous life, she would feel tired.


    Xie Jingxing¡¯s gaze was sharp. He grabbed her chin and asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    Shen Miao broke free from his hand and turned around. ¡°Nothing.¡± She did not want anyone to know what she was thinking. She turned around and took two quick steps, but she was not used to wearing men¡¯s boots. The ground was very slippery because of the thin ice, and she almost fell to the ground. Fortunately, Xie Jingxing grabbed her arm and said with a frown, ¡°Be careful.¡±


    His hand was long and cold, and it was just big enough to wrap Shen Miao¡¯s entire hand. Shen Miao¡¯s heart skipped a beat and she subconsciously wanted to break free, but she did not expect Xie Jingxing to hold her hand even tighter.


    Xie Jingxing said indifferently, ¡°I¡¯ll hold you in case you slip.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be careful not to slip,¡± Shen Miao said.


    ¡°Then I¡¯m afraid I¡¯ll slip. Hold my hand,¡± he said with a serious expression.


    Shen Miao was speechless.


    Reflected by the lanterns, the entire street covered with snow looked mesmerizing. From time to time, Shen Miao would look up at the sky. The sky was very good and spacious, looking much better than the sky within the palace wall. The street was very quiet, and no one would notice her. Some of her unfulfilled wishes in her previous life were fulfilled at this moment. Being held by the young man beside her, for some reason, Shen Miao smiled, imperceptibly.

 Chapter 661 - 661 Holding Hands (6)

    661 Holding Hands (6)


    The night is really beautiful, Shen Miao thought to herself.


    However, she did not see that a smile flashed across the handsome young man¡¯s eyes. It was more charming than fireworks.


    ¡­


    In a house in the east of the city, at this moment, there was a loud snore coming from a room. The strong smell of wine filled the entire room. There were several wine jars lying on the ground, and the man on the bed was sleeping soundly.


    In the room next door, there was an eight or nine-year-old child lying on the bed. This room was obviously much narrower than the one next door. He lay there for a while before sitting up. As if he could not fall asleep because of the snoring next door, he stood up and walked to the small courtyard surrounded by bamboo bars.


    The child was going to the toilet. Just as he was about to return to his room, he saw two people standing in the courtyard. He was so shocked that he was about to shout when he saw the tall man flicking a stone at him. In an instant, the child was rooted to the ground and could not speak.


    Only then did the two of them walk towards him.


    Under the dim light of the lantern outside, the faces of the two people gradually became clearer. One of them was petite and was wearing a servant¡¯s outfit, but one could still tell that it was a woman. She was wearing a cloak that obviously didn¡¯t fit her, and her face was covered by a scarf. However, it made her eyes look extremely clear, making people think that if she took off the scarf, she would be a stunning beauty.


    As for the other person¡­ The boy was stunned. This person was extremely tall and straight. He was wearing a purple embroidered robe with golden clouds. This robe was wide, and it would flutter as wind blew past. His face was handsome. When his eyes looked over in the night, the boy felt like the winter snow was replaced by spring rain. Could he be an immortal descending on the mortal world? Otherwise, why was his every move so elegant and beautiful that people could not take their eyes off him?


    The petite woman rolled her eyes at the purple-robed man and asked the boy softly, ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡±


    The boy felt the tension on his throat gone. Suddenly, he realized that he could speak again. The woman¡¯s voice was very gentle, somehow putting the boy at ease. He said nervously, ¡°My, my name is Huai Sheng.¡±


    ¡°Huai Sheng.¡± The woman asked, ¡°Is your mother¡¯s name Chang Zaiqing?¡±


    Huai Sheng was in a daze for a moment before his eyes turned red. He looked at the woman carefully and asked, ¡°Do you know my mother? Do you know where my mother is¡­ I haven¡¯t seen her for a long time. They said that she won¡¯t come back. Someone brought us here and said that we can see her, but she¡¯s not here.¡±


    Shen Miao sighed in her heart. This boy was about the same age as Su Minglang two years ago, but this child was clearly much more pitiful than Su Minglang. Chang Zaiqing abandoned her husband and son because her husband was addicted to alcohol and gambling. However, before she left, she did not think about what her young son would be if he was left with an alcoholic and irresponsible father. Therefore, Chang Zaiqing was not worthy of sympathy or forgiveness, because a mother who was so heartless was no longer worthy of being called a ¡°mother¡±.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid.¡± Shen Miao took out a handkerchief and wiped the boy¡¯s tears. Huai Sheng was comforted. The woman¡¯s eyes were very beautiful, and she was probably not bad-looking either. Although she was in a servant¡¯s outfit, her hands were fair and tender. Huai Sheng knew that these hands were different from his, which were filled with calluses. It was obvious that she came from a rich family. This woman must be very rich and able. Such a noble lady actually wiped the tears of a lowly person like him¡­ Even his mother had never treated him so gently. Huai Sheng was a little stunned.


    The purple-robed man standing beside Shen Miao coughed lightly. He glanced at Huai Sheng and said coldly, ¡°Go in.¡±


    Huai Sheng felt a chill run down his spine. For some reason, just a faint glance from this man was enough to make people feel afraid. He came back to his senses and saw the woman in front of him retract her handkerchief with a gentle gaze.


    Huai Sheng reminded Shen Miao of Fu Ming and Wanyu. Fu Ming and Wanyu had an irresponsible father like Fu Xiuyi, so it was not easy for them either. Although she did not abandon her children, she was too powerless to save them. Compared to Chang Zaiqing, she was no better.


    Suppressing the complicated emotions in her heart, she said, ¡°Huai Sheng, take us to see your father.¡±

 Chapter 662 - 662 Incident (1)

    662 Incident (1)


    Huai Sheng opened the door. As soon as they entered, an extremely strong smell of alcohol hit them. Shen Miao couldn¡¯t help but frown. Seeing Shen Miao frown, Huai Sheng seemed to be a little embarrassed. He ran to the other side and took out a candle to light it.


    The light was lit up, illuminating everything in the room. A middle-aged man was lying on the bed. This man was very thin and weak. Even his skin was sallow. At this moment, he was snoring.


    Huai Sheng looked at the two people in front of him uneasily. The woman said, ¡°Wake him up.¡±


    Huai Sheng nodded and walked to the man¡¯s side. He shook the man gently and whispered, ¡°Father, Father, someone is here.¡±


    The man did not react at first. Then, as if he was a little annoyed by Huai Sheng¡¯s shaking, he subconsciously slapped him and cursed, ¡°Why are you shouting in the middle of the night?¡±


    Huai Sheng instinctively closed his eyes, but the slap did not land on him. He slowly opened his eyes and saw his father¡¯s terrified gaze. The beautiful young man, who had arrived at the bed at some point, was holding the man¡¯s throat with his slender hand.


    Huai Sheng was anxious, afraid, and worried. In the end, he suppressed his fear and said, ¡°My father didn¡¯t mean to offend you! Please spare his life!¡±


    Shen Miao glanced at the man who was so frightened that he instantly lost his sleepiness and said calmly, ¡°Let go of him.¡±


    Only then did Xie Jingxing let go.


    Huai Sheng was scared.


    His father knelt on the ground and looked at the two people in front of him, his body trembling uncontrollably. He probably sensed the danger emanating from the two of them, especially the man.


    Shen Miao asked, ¡°Are you Tian Li?¡±


    Tian Li nodded and said, ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±


    Shen Miao glanced at Tian Li. It was said that when he was young, Tian Li was also a handsome and charming scholar. He was talented, which was why he won Chang Zaiqing¡¯s heart and the two of them became husband and wife. However, later on, after failing the imperial examinations several times, he gradually developed a sense of self-loathing. He stayed in gambling dens and taverns, getting drunk and gambling. Chang Zaiqing hated such a life, so she left home. Looking at Tian Li now, she could vaguely understand why Chang Zaiqing would leave him. There was no longer any trace of the elegance of a scholar in him. The person in front of her was clearly a drunkard.


    ¡°Is Chang Zaiqing your wife?¡± Shen Miao asked.


    Hearing this, Tian Li suddenly trembled and looked up at Shen Miao. Even though he had tried his best to hide it, Shen Miao could still see the anger and humiliation in his eyes.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m not Chang Zaiqing¡¯s friend. If you have any thoughts, feel free to tell me,¡± Shen Miao said.


    Tian Li looked at Shen Miao seriously, as if he was confirming if what Shen Miao said was true. Shen Miao looked straight into his eyes without avoiding. After a while, Tian Li spat on the ground and said, ¡°That b*tch ran away with my money! Shameless!¡±


    Huai Sheng shuddered, his eyes filled with sadness and confusion.


    Shen Miao¡¯s gaze landed on Huai Sheng and she said, ¡°Huai Sheng, go to the courtyard. Your father and I have something to talk about.¡±


    Huai Sheng glanced at Shen Miao and then at Tian Li. In the end, he did not say anything and quietly took a blanket and left.


    After Huai Sheng left, Shen Miao asked Tian Li to explain the situation.


    Just like what the people Shen Miao sent had found out, Chang Zaiqing¡¯s husband was Tian Li. Chang Zaiqing was a talented girl, and Tian Li was also a talented scholar. Tian Li¡¯s family also had a few shops. Although they were by no means affluent, they were able to afford a comfortable life.

 Chapter 663 - 663 Incident (2)

    663 Incident (2)


    However, later on, the Tian family made a wrong business decision and went bankrupt almost overnight. The Tian couple couldn¡¯t take this blow and passed away one after another. Tian Li was also affected because of this. Back then, he failed in the imperial examination, and later on, his place in the imperial examination became lower and lower. At that time, Chang Zaiqing just gave birth to Huai Sheng. There were many places where she needed money. The poor couple had a lot of quarrels and arguing. Tian Li found solace in alcohol and gambling. Chang Zaiqing felt that this life was not what she wanted, so one day, she sold the last title deed they had and escaped.


    Tian Li had also asked people to look for Chang Zaiqing, but to no avail. Tian Li probably did not know about the friendship between Chang Hu and Old General Shen back then, so he did not know that Chang Zaiqing had fled to the capital.


    When he thought of Chang Zaiqing, Tian Li was filled with resentment. He said, ¡°This vicious woman! That title deed is for Huai Sheng to marry when he grows up. She actually sold it and took the money away. She doesn¡¯t love Huai Sheng at all. She¡¯s a b*tch!¡±


    Shen Miao lowered her eyes. Xie Jingxing was standing on the other side with his arms crossed. He looked out of the window, as if he was not interested in what Tian Li was saying. However, even if he was just standing there casually, his terrifying aura couldn¡¯t be ignored.


    !!


    After saying that, Tian Li asked, ¡°Someone said that if we came here, we would be able to see that woman. Miss, is the person who brought us to the capital¡­ you?¡± Tian Li could tell at a glance that the two people in front of him were probably of extraordinary status, especially that man. How could an ordinary person have such a bearing? Moreover, they barged into a private house in the middle of the night. Ordinary people did not have the guts to do this.


    ¡°It¡¯s me.¡± Shen Miao said, ¡°I know where Chang Zaiqing is.¡±


    Tian Li was stunned. When he spoke again, his voice was trembling. He asked, ¡°Where¡­ is she?¡±


    Shen Miao frowned slightly. In addition to anger, there was still a trace of yearning for Chang Zaiqing in Tian Li¡¯s voice. Perhaps it was because Chang Zaiqing had been his wife for many years, or perhaps it was because Chang Zaiqing was Huai Sheng¡¯s mother after all, Tian Li probably didn¡¯t hate Chang Zaiqing as much as he thought.


    This was not something Shen Miao wanted to see.


    She said, ¡°Chang Zaiqing has now become the concubine of the third master of the Shen family, Shen Wan. Now that she¡¯s pregnant, Shen Wan treats her extremely well and dotes on her. I think it won¡¯t be long before she gives birth to Shen Wan¡¯s only son. There are no other children in the Shen family. Once the child is born, Chang Zaiqing might be given the title of first wife. Even if she¡¯s not, that child will still live a luxurious life.¡±


    Tian Li was humiliated and angry at being made a cuckold. The last trace of wanting to forgive Chang Zaiqing and fixing the marriage was gone after Shen Miao said that.


    The son Chang Zaiqing had with Shen Wan could live a luxurious life, while the son she had with him lived in poverty. People often grew resentful when they compared to others. Tian Li would never take this lying down.


    Shen Miao smiled. ¡°Not only that, but Third Master Shen even divorced his wife in order to marry Chang Zaiqing. I think he really loves Chang Zaiqing. Now, Third Madam Shen is miserable and despised by everyone.¡±


    Tian Li sneered. ¡°Third Master Shen is brainless and stupid!¡± Tian Li did not have a good impression of Shen Wan. The hatred towards Shen Wan for snatching his wife away was irreconcilable. Moreover, as a poor person, he was hostile to people who were rich, especially when he knew that living a rich life was what Chang Zaiqing always looked forward to.

 Chapter 664 - 664 Incident (3)

    664 Incident (3)


    ¡°To be honest, I was entrusted by Third Madam Shen to find you.¡± Shen Miao said, ¡°Third Madam Shen was forced to a dead end by Third Master Shen and Chang Zaiqing. There¡¯s nothing she can do now. Third Madam Shen is planning to fight to the death. She wants Third Master Shen and Chang Zaiqing to suffer, so she found you.¡±


    ¡°Me?¡± Tian Li looked at Shen Miao and gradually realized something. ¡°You mean¡­¡±


    ¡°At the right time, tell Third Master Shen that Chang Zaiqing is your wife and get him to end his relationship with her as soon as possible.¡±


    Tian Li said, ¡°I¡­¡±


    !!


    Shen Miao did not give Tian Li any time to hesitate. She continued, ¡°Are you willing to watch your wife sleep on the same bed with someone else? You want to forgive her, but has she ever thought about you? If she still has a conscience in her heart, she won¡¯t abandone Huai Sheng. Chang Zaiqing only cares about herself. She has never taken you and your son seriously. Tian Li, you are not a kind-hearted buddha. There is no need for you to be merciful to people who are not merciful.¡±


    Shen Miao was pushy, giving Tian Li no time to retort. As Xie Jingxing listened, he couldn¡¯t help but look at Shen Miao with a meaningful smile.


    ¡°Most importantly, why should Huai Sheng live such a difficult life, while Chang Zaiqing and Shen Wan¡¯s son can live a carefree life? Tian Li, think about it carefully. What if the two half-brothers meet one day and Huai Shen is only qualified to serve his half-brother. Are you really willing to see that happen?¡±


    Shen Miao¡¯s words hit the nail on the head. What she said was obviously what Tian Li cared about the most. No matter how bad Tian Li was and how rude he was to Huai Sheng, he still had a little more conscience than Chang Zaiqing. Otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t have kept the last land deed for Huai Sheng.


    Tian Li said, ¡°Miss, I know. I¡¯m indignant, but she¡¯s Huai Sheng¡¯s mother after all. I just want to get her back. If she¡¯s beaten to death, Huai Sheng will be sad.¡±


    ¡°Just don¡¯t let Huai Sheng know about it.¡± Shen Miao said, ¡°After this matter is over and done with, Third Madam Shen will pay you and your son a large sum of money. With this money, you can go as far as you want and start a new life in a place where no one knows you. Without Chang Zaiqing, Huai Sheng still has you. If you treat Huai Sheng well, his life will not be so miserable. You just can¡¯t keep someone who is bent on leaving. Chang Zaiqing took the initiative to walk out of your life. Now, she¡¯s living a luxurious life. How can you take her back? Do you think that¡¯s possible?¡±


    Tian Li closed his eyes in pain.


    Shen Miao was right. Chang Zaiqing was living such a good life now. There was really no reason for her to return to her old life. If she really cared about him and her son, she would not have sold the title deed and escaped.


    The woman wearing a mask in front of her was still talking calmly. ¡°She was heartless first, so there¡¯s no need for you to show kindness. There¡¯s a chance to change your life again. If you miss it once, there won¡¯t be a second time. Whether you take the chance or not, you won¡¯t be the one in the wrong, because this is what Chang Zaiqing owes you and your son. Do you want to do it?¡±

 Chapter 665 - 665 Incident (4)

    665 Incident (4)


    As Tian Li listened to Shen Miao¡¯s words, many things flashed across his mind. The disdainful and disgusted look on Chang Zaiqing¡¯s face when she looked at him, and the endless gossip surrounding him after she ran away. He would sometimes see Huai Sheng sitting in a corner, weeping¡­ If one day, he could change his life and give Huai Sheng a good life like those rich people¡­ Tian Li suddenly looked up and made up his mind. He said, ¡°I¡¯ll do it! I promise you that I¡¯ll listen to you. However, you have to give me enough money to live a good life!¡±


    Shen Miao raised an eyebrow. She did not expect it to be so easy. Tian Li was not difficult to convince. Perhaps it was because of Huai Sheng, although this man was not capable and had an awful temperament, he still cared about his son.


    ¡°I¡¯ll give you the money.¡± It was Xie Jingxing who spoke. He stood in the shadows and leaned against the door, saying lazily, ¡°Don¡¯t have any other thoughts. Otherwise¡­¡±


    Tian Li suddenly trembled and quickly lowered his head. He said in fear, ¡°I don¡¯t dare!¡± For some reason, facing this man made him feel an indescribable fear. Even though the person who spoke all this while was the woman in a mask, the purple-clothed man¡¯s aura was pervasive in the tiny room.


    !!


    Shen Miao glanced at Xie Jingxing. Xie Jingxing was quite useful. If she wanted to intimidate someone, she just had to bring Xie Jingxing along, and most people would be scared out of their wits.


    When Xie Jingxing and Shen Miao left the room, Huai Sheng came over and looked at Shen Miao. He asked timidly, ¡°Can you find my mother?¡±


    Shen Miao looked at Huai Sheng and said with her eyes cast down, ¡°Sleep early.¡± Then, she walked out.


    Xie Jingxing followed her out of the alley in the east of the city and into the street outside. Xie Jingxing saw Shen Miao¡¯s expression and said, ¡°Do you feel sorry for that child?¡±


    ¡°Even so, I still have to do it.¡± Shen Miao said, ¡°I¡¯m a selfish person.¡±


    ¡°You did the right thing.¡± Xie Jingxing said casually, ¡°You¡¯re not a kind-hearted buddha.¡±


    He used what Shen Miao said to Tian Li to comfort her. Shen Miao glanced at him and said, ¡°You are.¡±


    Xie Jingxing raised an eyebrow. ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°You escorted me all the way here in the middle of the night and helped me threaten Tian Li into agreeing. You¡¯re a buddha. Otherwise, why would you be so kind?¡±


    Xie Jingxing chuckled and said, ¡°You don¡¯t seem to appreciate it at all.¡±


    The corners of Shen Miao¡¯s lips slowly curled up. Her relationship with Xie Jingxing was gradually changing without her knowing. She did not have to hide anything from him because nothing got past him. She felt that there were many things she didn¡¯t have to do alone anymore.


    ¡°Do you need my help with Chang Zaiqing?¡± Xie Jingxing said lazily, ¡°If you beg me for help, I might.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t bother, Prince Rui.¡± Shen Miao smiled. ¡°Save yourself the trouble.¡±


    ¡°You have a good idea again?¡± Xie Jingxing glanced at her and said with a faint smile, ¡°Sometimes, I wonder when there will be a problem in the world that you can¡¯t solve. Probably at that time, you¡¯ll beg me for help.¡±


    ¡°Probably not,¡± Shen Miao replied.

 Chapter 666 - 666 The Incident (5)

    666 The Incident (5)


    ¡°What a pity.¡± Xie Jingxing said regretfully.


    Shen Miao was amused.


    ¡­


    New things happened every day in the capital, but the new things that happened every day would quickly drown out the new things that happened a few days ago. For example, the lawsuit between the Shen family and the Chen family. Everyone treated it as a joke and forgot about it. In the Shen family, it was the same. The servants still had to do what they should do. The only difference was that the Autumn Water Garden had a new mistress. The new mistress was quite liked by Shen Wan, almost comparable to Chen Ruoqiu when she had just married to Shen Wan.


    Compared to Chen Ruoqiu, Chang Zaiqing was more good at building relationships with the people around her, probably because she did not have Chen Ruoqiu¡¯s arrogant aura. She was outgoing and likable, and she made the servants feel very comfortable being around her. Not only did Shen Wan like her, but even Shen Gui and Old Madam Shen felt that she was really not bad, and they felt that it was a wise decision to let Shen Wan divorce Chen Ruoqiu.


    Old Madam Shen specially found an eminent monk to read Chang Zaiqing¡¯s face. The monk said that the child in Chang Zaiqing¡¯s stomach was definitely a boy. Hearing that, Old Madam Shen was overjoyed. She no longer cared about the fact that Chang Zaiqing came from a humble background. The most important thing in the Shen family was to quickly add a boy. Otherwise, outsiders would think that the Shen family was going to die without sons.


    Shen Wan had a smile on his face everyday ever since he married Chang Zaiqing. Chang Zaiqing was able to give Shen Wan good ideas, and she was also good at managing the household. There was probably no man who did not like such a wife.


    On this day, Chang Zaiqing and Shen Wan were talking in the courtyard again. Chang Zaiqing was wearing a thick fur coat, with a brazier by her feet and a heater in her hand.


    Chang Zaiqing said, ¡°Master, you are free today.¡±


    Shen Wan held her hand and smiled. ¡°It¡¯s not just today. There¡¯s nothing to do in the imperial court these days. I can spend more time with you and the child.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s great.¡± Chang Zaiqing smiled and said, ¡°I think our child also wants your company.¡±


    Shen Wan enjoyed hearing this. He hugged Chang Zaiqing in his arms and sighed. ¡°Now, all I want is for you to give birth to the child so that my efforts will not be in vain.¡±


    Chang Zaiqing seemed to have understood something. Seeing that Shen Wan¡¯s eyebrows were still furrowed, she asked, ¡°Master, are you still worried about the matter relating to Fifth Miss Shen a few days ago?¡±


    Getting Shen Miao to marry Prince Zhou or getting Shen Miao to have a relationship with Prince Zhou didn¡¯t seem to go smoothly because Shen Wan hadn¡¯t brought it up for the past few days. Chang Zaiqing did not know why Shen Wan wanted to do this, but she knew that this matter would have a great impact on Shen Wan¡¯s official career.


    Shen Wan forced a smile and shook his head. ¡°Shen Xin has been watching his daughter very closely these days. Shen Miao didn¡¯t even step outside the mansion, so I really can¡¯t find an opportunity. It¡¯s difficult to make a move.¡± As he spoke, he became a little dejected. ¡°This is not good.¡±


    Chang Zaiqing rolled her eyes and said with a smile, ¡°Why is that difficult? If Fifth Miss Shen doesn¡¯t go out, we can think of a way to make Fifth Miss Shen take the initiative to go out. To be honest, if General Shen finds out that Fifth Miss Shen is going out, he will inevitably let her bring a group of guards. After all, General Shen is from the army and everyone around him is well-trained. It¡¯s better to get Fifth Miss Shen to sneak out without General Shen knowing.¡±


    Shen Wan narrowed his eyes. After thinking for a moment, he shook his head. ¡°I can¡¯t think of a way to get her to sneak out. She used to be close to someone called Feng Anning, but ever since the last incident, Feng Anning has been grounded at home. If we use Feng Anning¡¯s name to lure her out, Shen Miao will definitely be wary.¡±

 Chapter 667 - 667 The Incident (6)

    667 The Incident (6)


    ¡°She¡¯s a little girl after. No matter how calm she pretends to be, she¡¯s by nature timid and will get flustered easily.¡± Chang Zaiqing smiled gently. ¡°Master, why don¡¯t you use the unconventional method? For example, tell Fifth Miss Shen that her parents or brother are in danger or something. No matter how calm Fifth Miss Shen is, she¡¯ll panic when her family is involved.¡±


    When Shen Wan heard that, he first thought about it carefully. Then, he held Chang Zaiqing¡¯s hand tightly and said, ¡°Although there are some flaws in this idea, it¡¯s worth a try. If I plan it out well, it might really work.¡± He looked at Chang Zaiqing excitedly, his eyes filled with admiration. ¡°You can always surprise me.¡±


    Chang Zaiqing lowered her head slightly and said with a smile, ¡°Master, now that I¡¯m married to you, I¡¯ll naturally do my best to help you. Although doing this to Fifth Miss Shen is not right, in my heart, nothing is more important than my family.¡±


    Scheming against Shen Miao like this was vicious. Although Shen Wan admired Chang Zaiqing¡¯s brilliance for him now, when he looked back in the future, he would inevitably feel that Chang Zaiqing was ruthless. However, it would be different if Chang Zaiqing took the initiative to say that she placed her family above everything else. Not only did it not make Shen Wan think badly of her, but it made Shen Wan admire Chang Zaiqing even more, thinking that she was broad-minded and considerate.


    Therefore, Shen Wan looked at Chang Zaiqing affectionately and said, ¡°With such a wife, what else can I ask for?¡±


    Chang Zaiqing also said docilely, ¡°I¡¯m lucky to have met Master too. I won¡¯t forget how well Master treats me.¡± The more docile she was, the more Shen Wan liked her, but he did not see the smugness that flashed across Chang Zaiqing¡¯s eyes.


    In Chang Zaiqing¡¯s eyes, men and love were not trustworthy. Only those who had truly experienced poverty would know the value of wealth. She wanted to hold on to Shen Wan tightly, not because of Shen Wan, but because of the life that Shen Wan could provide her. Chang Zaiqing was different from Chen Ruoqiu. Chen Ruoqiu still loved Shen Wan in her heart, so Chen Ruoqiu would lose her rationality because of Shen Wan¡¯s actions and words. What Chang Zaiqing loved was the wealth of the Shen family and her status as the wife of an official.


    Chang Zaiqing knew in her heart that in order to capture this man¡¯s heart, she had to show her talent and make Shen Wan feel that she was useful to him.


    Chang Zaiqing did a good job.


    Shen Wan sat with Chang Zaiqing for a while before getting up to leave. He still had some official matters to attend to, so he seriously instructed the servants beside Chang Zaiqing to take care of her before leaving with his servants.


    When he returned to his study, his personal servant slowly walked over with a letter and said, ¡°Master, the guard at the door said that someone sent a letter to you, but he doesn¡¯t know who sent it.¡±


    Shen Wan took it and saw that nothing was written on the envelope. It was obvious that the sender was afraid of being found out. As officials in the court, they would occasionally receive some confidential letters, so Shen Wan did not dare to delay and quickly opened the letter.


    The first line of the letter that came into sight made Shen Wan freeze on the spot. ¡°Third Master Shen, do you know that the woman you dote on is actually someone else¡¯s wife?¡±


    Shen Wan almost lost his balance. He held the table with one hand and composed himself before quickly scanning the rest of the letter.


    The letter was written extremely simply, but the content of the letter was not simple at all. The letter said that Chang Zaiqing had already married someone in Liuzhou and had a son. Most importantly, at this time, Chang Zaiqing had yet to divorce her original husband. Strictly speaking, Shen Wan could even be considered to have snatched someone else¡¯s wife and could be sued in court!


    Shen Wan did not believe it at first and looked at the letter with disdain. He even wondered if this letter was sent by Chen Ruoqiu to provoke him. However, when he saw the last line, his body trembled and he froze. ¡°There is a small red mole in her private parts.¡±


    This was a hard truth.

 Chapter 668 - 668 Going to Prison (1)

    668 Going to Prison (1)


    Ordinary people would not be able to see the small red mole that was on Chang Zaiqing¡¯s private parts. However, what kind of person was Shen Wan? If he was easily gullible, he would not be a court official for so many years. He glanced at the letter. It said that the father and son had already entered the capital and lived in a house in the east of the city. There was even a specific address on it. Shen Wan quickly tore the letter into pieces and said to the servant beside him, ¡°Prepare the carriage!¡±


    Shen Wan did not believe in a letter that came out of nowhere, but he could not trust Chang Zaiqing¡¯s words either. It was better to see it for himself.


    When the carriage arrived at the house in the east of the city, Shen Wan did not get out of the carriage. Instead, he hid in the dark and asked his servant to knock on the door.


    The person who opened the door was an eight or nine-year-old boy. When Shen Wan saw the boy¡¯s face clearly, he gasped.


    !!


    At that moment, Shen Wan knew that what the letter said was true. The reason was that this boy looked too similar to Chang Zaiqing.


    The Chang family did not have any other children, so it was impossible for him to be Chang Zaiqing¡¯s brother. Shen Wan¡¯s personal servant was also shocked by the boy¡¯s appearance, but he still asked according to Shen Wan¡¯s instructions, ¡°Do you know where Chang Zaiqing is?¡±


    The boy looked at him warily and asked, ¡°Why are you looking for my mother?¡±


    Shen Wan closed his eyes.


    Without a doubt, what the letter said was the truth. Chang Zaiqing indeed had a husband and son in Liuzhou. She hid it so well that no one found out. The servant said a few words to the boy and returned to Shen Wan¡¯s side to report. He carefully looked at Shen Wan and asked, ¡°Master¡­¡±


    ¡°Investigate!¡± Shen Wan panted and said, ¡°Send someone to Liuzhou to investigate! I want to know everything about Chang Zaiqing!¡±


    The reason why Shen Wan admired Chang Zaiqing was because Chang Zaiqing was gentle, straightforward, and extremely talented. Moreover, she was pregnant with his child. However, if Chang Zaiqing had a husband and son in Liuzhou, all of this would become a joke! He would be laughed at for helping someone else take care of his wife. Since Chang Zaiqing was so cruel as to abandon her husband and son, she was definitely not as gentle and considerate as she looked on the surface. What happened today utterly changed Shen Wan¡¯s impression of Chang Zaiqing, making Shen Wan feel extremely disgusted.


    In the next few days, Shen Wan suddenly became busy. Every day, he would be out and about. Even when he returned home, he would go straight to the study. Chang Zaiqing did not get to see him. Occasionally, she would come over to deliver pastries to Shen Wan, but Shen Wan did not interact as intimately with her as before. At first, Shen Wan¡¯s attitude made Chang Zaiqing a little uneasy. Shen Wan¡¯s personal servant told Chang Zaiqing that Shen Wan had taken on an important task and was very busy. Only then did Chang Zaiqing feel relieved.


    Shen Wan finally received a letter from Liuzhou.


    The letter sent back by his people was the same as the letter sent by the stranger. After reading the letter, Shen Wan was so angry that he almost flipped the table. He actually married a married woman. Now that her husband and son had come to the capital, if they found Chang Zaiqing living with Shen Wan, he would probably become the biggest laughing stock of the entire capital.

 Chapter 669 - 669 Going to Prison (2)

    669 Going to Prison (2)


    If that was all, it would be fine. What was worse was that he divorced Chen Ruoqiu and even became enemies with the Chen family because of Chang Zaiqing. If word got out now, people would look down on him. Shen Wan already felt a little regretful. Although his child was in Chang Zaiqing¡¯s stomach, he was afraid that his career would be ruined because of Chang Zaiqing. Between power and love, he would choose power without batting an eye. Moreover, at the thought that the woman sleeping beside him was someone else¡¯s wife, Shen Wan could not get over it.


    He thought for a while and was about to give the order when he saw his assistant rush in and shout, ¡°Master, emergency!¡±


    Shen Wan frowned and said angrily, ¡°Why are you so flustered?!¡±


    The man handed a letter to Shen Wan with a trembling hand. For some reason, his gaze was evasive.


    !!


    Shen Wan looked at his assistant suspiciously. This assistant was his long-time subordinate who usually helped him deliver words to other colleagues..


    After reading two lines, Shen Wan¡¯s face immediately turned ashen. If one looked carefully at his face, they would be able to see fear.


    ¡­


    In the imperial study, Emperor Wen Hui was in a fit of rage.


    Emperor Wen Hui threw the memorial in his hand to the ground and sneered. The eunuchs beside him did not even dare to breathe loudly.


    The memorial listed all the things that Shen Wan had done since a few years ago. The things he did actually weren¡¯t a big deal. However, Emperor Wen Hui was someone who had survived the bloodbath of brothers fighting for the throne. The memorial was extremely well-written with every line describing in detail the unusual relationship between Shen Wan and Fu Xiuyi.


    Among Emperor Wen Hui¡¯s nine sons, the ones he was most at ease with were the crown prince and Prince Ding. After all, the crown prince was the rightful heir to the throne and was weak, so Emperor Wen Hui was not so on guard against him. On the other hand, although Prince Ding was outstanding, he did not participate in the affairs of the imperial court. In addition, Consort Dong was a person who did not compete with others, which pleased Emperor Wen Hui. Emperor Wen Hui saw the open and secret strife between the princes, but he turned a blind eye to it. As long as they did not go too far, he would be happy to see such a balanced situation. Once people had power, they would not be willing to let go. Seeing his sons grow up one by one, Emperor Wen Hui would also be wary.


    What he hated the most was that the princes and officials got too close, although this was an unavoidable outcome, for example, his nine sons each had a group of supporters. However, when he learned that the son who was most indifferent was also involved in the power struggle, Emperor Wen Hui couldn¡¯t accept it. On the contrary, he was even angrier than usual.


    Emperor Wen Hui slowly realized Fu Xiuyi had been pretending to be neutral and unconcerned about the throne.


    ¡°Make an example of Shen Gui,¡± Emperor Wen Hui said with a dark expression, ¡°All of them think I¡¯m easy to fool. In that case, I¡¯ll show them who the emperor is.¡±


    ¡­


    The situation in the imperial court was always unstable. If one committed a crime, they would fall to the bottom rock from the top in the blink of an eye. It would be considered lucky if they could get away without losing their heads. However, in most cases, not only would they lose their heads, but even their families would be implicated.


    Shen Wan was among the unlucky ones.


    After the lawsuit between the Shen and Chen families a few days ago, people of the Shen family thought that life would return to normal. Unexpectedly, a group of officials suddenly came to the Shen family to arrest them. Some curious commoners asked around and learned that Shen Wan failed to do his job well in the court and implicated the entire Shen family. They did not know what the crime was, but the commoners were easy to fool. However, some smart people could tell that this matter was unusual. What crime was so serious as to anger the emperor to the point of wiping out the entire Shen family?

 Chapter 670 - 670 Going to Prison (3)

    670 Going to Prison (3)


    The commoners passing by the Shen mansion would point at it and gossip. As they spoke, they talked about the mighty general, Shen Xin. Two years ago, Shen Xin insisted on splitting up with the Shen family. Later, they removed Shen Xin¡¯s name from the family genealogy. Unexpectedly, it was a blessing in disguise for Shen Xin and his family.


    When Shen Miao heard this, she only smiled indifferently. Luo Tan clenched her fists and said angrily, ¡°They deserve it. Back then, they humiliated First Uncle and Aunt. If they knew that the first branch was unscathed, they would probably be boiling with anger.¡±


    Luo Ling thought for a moment and shook his head. ¡°What crime did Third Master Shen commit to deserve such a severe punishment?¡±


    Shen Miao said, ¡°It¡¯s rare to see His Majesty so angry. I guess he must have done something atrocious. Anyway, it has nothing to do with us.¡±


    !!


    Luo Tan nodded. ¡°That¡¯s right. Then let¡¯s wait and see.¡±


    Shen Qiu looked at Shen Miao with a worried expression and wanted to say something but hesitated. After Luo Ling and Luo Tan left, Shen Qiu did not leave. He pulled Shen Miao into the room. After locking the door, he asked Shen Miao, ¡°Sister, did you do it?¡±


    Shen Miao didn¡¯t know whether to laugh or cry. ¡°Brother, why are you blaming me for everything? I don¡¯t have the ability to tell His Majesty what to do.¡±


    Shen Qiu rubbed his forehead in frustration and said, ¡°Sister, I know that there are some things you don¡¯t want to tell me. However, things in the imperial court are not as simple as you think. Sometimes, it looks like you¡¯ll win, but a sudden turn of events will pull into the abyss¡­¡±


    After he rambled on, Shen Miao said helplessly, ¡°Brother, to be honest, this has nothing to do with me. Shen Wan was imprisoned because Chen Ruoqiu stabbed him in the back. Back then, Chen Ruoqiu and Shen Wan had an ugly fallout. Do you think Chen Ruoqiu will let it go?¡±


    This time, it was Shen Qiu¡¯s turn to be surprised. He asked, ¡°Chen Ruoqiu?¡±


    ¡°Chen Ruoqiu has lived with Shen Wan for so many years and knows everything about Shen Wan. It¡¯s easier for her to stab Shen Wan in the back than for others.¡± Shen Miao said, ¡°Shen Wan was harmed by his wife and got the entire Shen family in trouble. What does it have to do with me?¡±


    When Shen Qiu heard that, he thought for a moment before looking at Shen Miao suspiciously. ¡°How do you know so much about this?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t wait to see them suffer, so I planted some people in the Shen mansion to monitor their every move.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s too much of a coincidence¡­¡± Shen Qiu widened his eyes and looked a little comical. ¡°Sister, are you the one fanning the flames?¡±


    Shen Miao smiled. ¡°Brother, think whatever you want. All I can say is that I¡¯m not in the slightest bit involved in any of these.¡±


    Shen Qiu looked like he was blown away. ¡°Why are you so bold? If you¡­¡±


    Shen Miao interrupted him. ¡°Brother, when did you become so wishy-washy? It¡¯s just a small matter. The Shen family deserves it for falling into such a state. If Shen Wan didn¡¯t divorce Chen Ruoqiu, why would Chen Ruoqiu stab him in the back?¡±


    Shen Qiu was dumbfounded by Shen Miao¡¯s words and attitude. It was not until he was sent out of the courtyard by Shen Miao¡¯s maid that Shen Qiu came back to his senses. He suddenly slapped his forehead. Shen Miao was clearly dodging his question. He did not know where she learned this trick. She was bold enough to use the officials of the imperial court as her chess piece, but she made it sound like she was extremely innocent. Shen Qiu was surprised. When did Shen Miao learn to lie without changing expressions?

 Chapter 671 - 671 Going to Prison (4)

    671 Going to Prison (4)


    In the room, Shen Miao sat at the table and heaved a sigh of relief.


    This was just the beginning. Emperor Wen Hui was paranoid. He probably could not tolerate the princes getting too close to the court officials.


    From the beginning, she had never forgotten who she wanted to deal with the most. Ever since she was reborn, many things had gradually changed. For example, the Shen family. Even if she did nothing, they would still walk to their own demise. However, Fu Xiuyi was different.


    Fu Xiuyi was like the most poisonous snake hiding in the dark. He looked harmless, but he would slither out and bite people. Just like the last time he asked Shen Wan to matchmake her with Prince Zhou. Even though Shen Miao had already tried her best to keep a low profile, Fu Xiuyi still targeted her.


    !!


    It was no longer appropriate to continue planning. It was better to set up the chess board and start playing the game.


    What was Fu Xiuyi most afraid of? What he was most afraid of was his ambition being exposed.


    Although Emperor Wen Hui would be suspicious of him for being too close to Shen Wan, with Fu Xiuyi¡¯s methods, he would not be defeated so easily. He would definitely think of a way to help himself out.


    However, how could Shen Miao miss this opportunity? Even if she couldn¡¯t bring him down completely this time, she had to make Fu Xiuyi shed some blood.


    Shen Wan alone was not enough. This chess game had to be more exciting. Shen Miao asked Jingzhe to call Mo Qing in and instructed him something in a low voice.


    ¡­


    It only took a night to go from cloud nine to rock bottom.


    Shen Wan felt that the Shen family had been very unlucky for the past two years. It was as if they had run into something unclean and everything was not going well. At first, something happened to the second branch, and after that, it was the third branch¡¯s turn. Now, everyone in the Shen family was locked up in prison. Oh, except for the first branch. The first branch had already been reinstated by Emperor Wen Hui. No matter what happened in the future, at least for now, the first branch had the upper hand.


    Speaking of which, the Shen family¡¯s continuous misfortunes seemed to have started after the first branch split up. Or to be precise, it started when Shen Xin returned to the capital two years ago. Could it be that someone had cast a curse on the Shen family behind their backs?


    In the cell next door, the women of the Shen family were locked up. Old Madam Shen and Chang Zaiqing were put together. Hearing Old Madam Shen¡¯s complaints and moans, Shen Wan gradually felt a little frustrated.


    Two years ago, the Shen family was flourishing with endless guests visiting them everyday. Shen Xin was not in the capital all year round, and the Shen family did not lack money. Although Shen Gui and Shen Wan were civil servants, their careers were also rising year by year. The two daughters were graceful and beautiful. Shen Yuanbai and Shen Yuan were still alive, and Ren Wanyun was smart and Chen Ruoqiu was gentle. It was a happy and harmonious family that people envied.


    In just two years, things had changed beyond recognition, and they actually ended up in such a miserable state.


    Shen Gui asked sickly, ¡°Third Brother, what exactly did you do? Why did His Majesty arrest all of us?¡±


    ¡°What did I do?¡± Shen Wan sneered and said, ¡°Second Brother, you¡¯ve also been an official in the imperial court. Don¡¯t you know that if His Majesty wants to put someone in prison, he can have a thousand ways to do it?¡± The emperor would not punish the entire family of an official who failed to carry out a task.


    When Chang Zaiqing heard this, she exclaimed, her voice filled with anxiety, ¡°His Majesty actually arrested us all on purpose? Why did His Majesty do it on purpose? Could it be that you angered His Majesty in some way?¡±

 Chapter 672 - 672 Going to Prison (5)

    672 Going to Prison (5)


    If it were any other time, Shen Wan would definitely say some comforting words to Chang Zaiqing. However, when he thought of the news he had received from Liuzhou that Chang Zaiqing actually had a husband and son, he felt disgusted. Looking at Chang Zaiqing now in this state, Shen Wan did not know why, but he actually felt a little happy. Chang Zaiqing was bent on pursuing wealth and status, so she hid herself well. However, now that everything was gone, she was probably painfully regretful.


    He waved his hand and said impatiently, ¡°No idea.¡±


    However, he thought of the letter that his assistant gave him.


    The letter was written by an official who was very close to him. The official received a piece of news from somewhere that Shen Wan¡¯s sworn enemy had handed in a memorial to the emperor. On this memorial was evidence of the relationship between Shen Wan and Fu Xiuyi over the past few years.


    !!


    Although Shen Wan had not really begun to work for Fu Xiuyi, he had been wavering all these years and did not want to draw a clear line between him and Prince Ding. His attitude was a little ambiguous. In the eyes of others, it was as if he and Prince Ding had long formed an alliance. When Emperor Wen Hui saw the evidence, it was no surprise that he was furious.


    As for why his sworn enemy suddenly had all the evidence, Shen Wan could actually vaguely guess who it was. Chen Ruoqiu had been his wife for so many years. If Chen Ruoqiu was the one who stabbed him in the back, everything would make sense.


    At the thought of how considerate and understanding a person Chen Ruoqiu was in the past, Shen Wan¡¯s gaze landed on Chang Zaiqing, and his expression gradually darkened. If not for Chang Zaiqing, he and Chen Ruoqiu would not have divorced. With this in mind, Shen Wan even started to hate the child in Chang Zaiqing¡¯s stomach.


    ¡­


    On the surface, Shen Wan and his family were sent to prison because Shen Wan failed to do his job. However, everyone who had discerning eyes knew that Emperor Wen Hui was angry with Shen Wan being too close to Fu Xiuyi in private. Of course, Prince Ding, Fu Xiuyi, couldn¡¯t get away with it unscathed either.


    Fu Xiuyi had many spies in the palace, so he quickly found out the whole story. Fu Xiuyi did not expect him to be involved in the matter between Shen Wan and Chen Ruoqiu. This was a critical moment. He could not let Emperor Wen Hui be suspicious of him at this time.


    At the same time, Fu Xiuyi was also very puzzled. This year, Emperor Wen Hui¡¯s health was not as good as before, so he was much more sensitive to the relationship between the princes and the officials than in the past. At this sensitive moment, it seemed too coincidental for Emperor Wen Hui to know that he was close to Shen Wan. Although the person who took the brunt of Emperor Wen Hui¡¯s wrath was Shen Wan, in fact, the losses he suffered were no less than Shen Wan¡¯s. The more he thought about it, the angrier he became. Fu Xiuyi said coldly, ¡°A good for nothing!¡±


    Pei Lang thought for a moment and said, ¡°Your Highness, the most urgent thing is to distance yourself from Shen Wan as soon as possible. No matter what, you have to prove your innocence.¡±


    ¡°Of course I know.¡± Fu Xiuyi said, ¡°Sir, what do you think?¡±


    ¡°The evidence is conclusive. Instead of denying it, which will make you look more suspicious, Your Highness, why don¡¯t you admit it and push the blame to Shen Wan? Although His Majesty doesn¡¯t want the princes to form an alliance with the officials, if Shen Wan took the initiative to join us and you could not refuse, His Majesty might not take the anger out on you.¡±


    Fu Xiuyi nodded. ¡°Sir, it¡¯s exactly as I thought. I can only sacrifice Shen Wan. Anyway, it will be troublesome to keep such a useless piece. It¡¯s good to get rid of him as soon as possible.¡± What he meant was that he was going to sacrifice Shen Wan. The things written on the memorial could not be denied. There was evidence, and anyone who wanted to investigate could find out. However, if this was all Shen Wan¡¯s idea because he wanted to curry favor with Fu Xiuyi, Fu Xiuyi could get away with it without being punished.

 Chapter 673 - 673 Going to Prison (6)

    673 Going to Prison (6)


    However, this way, the punishment meted out to Shen Wan would be even more severe. Fu Xiuyi naturally did not care about Shen Wan¡¯s ending. He would never show mercy to people who were useless to him and even caused trouble for him.


    ¡°I¡¯m really fated with the Shen family.¡± Fu Xiuyi¡¯s expression was cold. ¡°Many of my plans are ruined by them. I don¡¯t know why, but although Chen Ruoqiu started it this time, I don¡¯t think it¡¯s that simple. It¡¯s as if someone is behind it.¡±


    Pei Lang¡¯s heart skipped a beat, but his expression was still as calm as before. He said, ¡°The most important thing now is for Your Highness to prove yourself first. The longer we wait, the angrier His Majesty will be.¡±


    Fu Xiuyi smiled. ¡°Sir, do you think we should keep the Shen family or not?¡±


    !!


    Pei Lang replied gently, ¡°Since they¡¯ve hindered Your Highness from succeeding, we naturally can¡¯t let them live.¡±


    Fu Xiuyi smiled and stared at Pei Lang. ¡°Sir, what you said is just as I thought. You can leave. I still have something to do.¡±


    Pei Lang nodded and left.


    However, Pei Lang did not notice that Fu Xiuyi, who was behind him, was staring at his departing figure with a dark gaze.


    ¡­


    The fact that Shen Wan and his family were imprisoned spread like wildfire in the capital, so it naturally reached Huangfu Hao¡¯s mansion too. At the stone table in the garden, Shen Yue was stunned when she heard that. On the other hand, Huangfu Hao glanced at the servant who came to report and asked, ¡°Oh? Is the entire Shen family really in prison?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s absolutely true.¡± The servant said, ¡°I heard that the emperor is very angry and is going to put them to death.¡±


    Huangfu Hao turned to look at Shen Yue. Shen Yue was surprised and in disbelief, but what she did not show was sadness. Involuntarily, what Chen Ruoqiu said to her that day flashed across her mind. At that time, Shen Yue felt that there was a hidden meaning in Chen Ruoqiu¡¯s words. Could it be that what happened to the Shen family today was all Chen Ruoqiu¡¯s doing? Shen Yue did not want Huangfu Hao to notice her emotions. She lowered her head and put on a sad expression. ¡°How can that be¡­¡±


    ¡®¡±Why would Emperor Wen Hui put them to death just because Shen Wan failed to do his job? I¡¯m afraid that¡¯s not the real reason.¡± Huangfu Hao smiled. ¡°I¡¯m afraid there¡¯s more to this matter.¡± After saying that, he looked at Shen Yue and asked, ¡°Yue, do you want to go and see Lord Shen?¡±


    Shen Yue was shocked and stammered, ¡°If I go now, I¡¯m afraid I¡¯ll make him sad and cause trouble for Your Highness. No, no need¡­¡±


    She was not implicated because people thought she was already married to the Wang family. However, if people found out that she wasn¡¯t, who knew if they would lock her up too? The Shen family was heartless to her, and she did not have any feelings for the Shen family. She was afraid of getting herself into trouble. Why would she want to see Shen Wan?


    Hearing this, Huangfu Hao only smiled and didn¡¯t insist. Shen Yue heaved a sigh of relief. After Huangfu Hao left, Shen Yue wanted to write a letter to Chen Ruoqiu and ask her if it was all done by her.


    Although she was a little afraid of getting implicated, when she heard that the entire Shen family was in prison, Shen Yue actually felt delighted, especially so when she found out that Chang Zaiqing, who stole everything from her mother, had to suffer with Shen Wan. Thinking of this, Shen Yue felt that it was not that humiliating to be Huangfu Hao¡¯s concubine. She even felt a little smug. If she did not leave the Shen family, she would have ended up being sent to prison too.


    That was what Shen Yue thought. However, the next day, a scandal was exposed in the capital. This scandal was like a stone thrown into the water, causing thousands of ripples. It gave the idle people something new and interesting to gossip about.


    It also made the Shen family a complete joke.

 Chapter 674 - 674 Murky Waters (1)

    674 Murky Waters (1)


    A shocking scandal broke out in the capital.


    Early in the morning, a middle-aged man knelt at the entrance of the government office and beat the drum to petition. He said that Third Master Shen of the Shen family, Shen Wan, forcefully snatched his wife and took her in as a concubine. Although the man looked like a loafer, he had a glib tongue and was eloquent in voicing his grievance. Not long after, he attracted a large group of commoners over to watch the show. In less than an hour, everyone in the capital knew about this.


    Because of the commotion caused by the lawsuit between the Chen family and the Shen family a while back, the people in the capital knew a lot about this legendary concubine, Chang Zaiqing. Shen Wan was willing to divorce his first wife for her. Some nosy people found out that Chang Zaiqing was the daughter of Old General Shen¡¯s old friend. She was knowledgeable, gentle, and elegant. Her personality was even better than Chen Ruoqiu¡¯s. She was even pregnant with Shen Wan¡¯s child. Naturally, people would understand why Shen Wan wanted to marry her.


    However, early this morning, this middle-aged man knelt at the entrance of the government office with a young boy and slapped the faces of those people who said that Chang Zaiqing deserved to enter the Shen family.


    Liuzhou and the capital were far away. Back then, Chang Zaiqing came to seek refuge with the Shen family and claimed to be unmarried. As opposed to Shen Wan snatching Chang Zaiqing from the man, people found it more convincing that Chang Zaiqing was the one who threw herself at Shen Wan. Shen Wan was known to be a smart person, but in the end, he was fooled by Chang Zaiqing and divorced his first wife for a married woman.


    As for what the man said, no one doubted it. Firstly, it was because the man had the marriage contract with Chang Zaiqing¡¯s name on it. Secondly, the young boy who came with him really looked identical to Chang Zaiqing, but he was clearly at a loss.


    Everyone treated this matter as a joke that was unheard of in decades. It was said that there were a lot of ugly things going on in big families, but they did not expect the masters of big families to be so gullible. In the past, this matter could have been suppressed, and it would not have spread throughout the entire capital so quickly. However, today, this man appeared suddenly and sounded the drum early in the morning outside the government office. It was difficult to suppress it. Moreover, the people in the government office were also a bunch of fence-sitters. Now that Shen Wan and his entire family were locked up, they didn¡¯t care about Shen Wan and also joined in the fun.


    In a remote courtyard in the Chen family¡¯s mansion, Chen Ruoqiu laughed when she heard the news Shi Qing got from outside.


    Now, she was getting more and more lazy and slovenly. The more this was the case, the less people liked her in the Chen family. However, she probably did not care much about her appearance anymore. The purpose of her life now was to pull the Shen family down. Without a doubt, Chen Ruoqiu had done it.


    After being husband and wife with Shen Wan for so many years, Chen Ruoqiu more or less knew the shady deals Shen Wan had done. She bribed someone who was working for Shen Wan to send the evidence to Shen Wan¡¯s sworn enemy and was waiting for the good news. Finally, the good news came.


    The deeper Chen Ruoqiu¡¯s love for Shen Wan was, the deeper her hatred towards him was. It was Shen Wan who made her so miserable, so she definitely could not let Chang Zaiqing and Shen Wan have an easy time. When she found out that the entire Shen family was in prison, Chen Ruoqiu was happy. However, she did not expect that the next day, the news that Chang Zaiqing had a husband and son would break out out of the blue.


    Chen Ruoqiu did not expect that she would lose to such a woman who abandoned her husband and son. Chen Ruoqiu was originally smiling hysterically at Shen Wan¡¯s misfortune, but as she smiled, she felt a bitterness coming from the depth of her heart. If she could compose herself and send people to Liuzhou to investigate, everything would be different now. Shen Wan was a person who could not tolerate being lied to. If he was told that Chang Zaiqing had been keeping so many secrets from him, he would be disgusted with Chang Zaiqing even without Chen Ruoqiu doing anything.

 Chapter 675 - 675 Murky Waters (2)

    675 Murky Waters (2)


    However, at this point, there was no going back for her.


    ¡°Madam, what should we do now?¡± Shi Qing asked carefully. Now that Chen Ruoqiu was despised by almost everyone in the Chen family and no longer had anything to do with the Shen family, Chen Ruoqiu could not go on living like this for the rest of her life.


    ¡°I think¡­¡± Chen Ruoqiu rubbed her eyebrows tiredly.¡± Yue has some to rely on. I can do whatever I want now. In a few days, I¡¯ll leave the capital and find a small place to live for the rest of my life in peace.¡± She smiled sadly.¡± It¡¯s better than staying in the capital and being mocked by everyone.¡±


    Shi Qing heaved a sigh of relief. It was good that Chen Ruoqiu thought so. As long as there was some hope, things would get better and better in the future.


    ¡°But I have to go and see Yue first.¡± Chen Ruoqiu held her chest. ¡°Otherwise, I¡¯ll always be worried.¡±


    As she spoke, she saw Hua Yi rush in from outside. She looked panicked and said, ¡°Madam, something bad happened!¡±


    Chen Ruoqiu stood up and asked with a frown, ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°Second Miss, Second Miss¡­¡±


    At the mention of Shen Yue, Chen Ruoqiu¡¯s heart skipped a beat. She grabbed Hua Yi¡¯s hand and asked anxiously, ¡°What happened to Yue?¡±


    Hua Yi was about to cry. ¡°Second Miss was found staying with the crown prince of the State of Qin.¡±


    ¡­


    When Shen Yue was taken away by the bailiffs, Huangfu Hao did not stop them.


    No matter how much Shen Yue cried and grabbed his sleeve to beg, Huangfu Hao was unmoved and only said casually, ¡°You¡¯ll be fine. Just go with them.¡± His attitude was not protective of Shen Yue at all. The bailiffs who came were very smart. Seeing Huangfu Hao¡¯s attitude, they no longer had any worries. They practically dragged Shen Yue out.


    Huangfu Hao looked at the group of people leaving with Shen Yue and couldn¡¯t help but frown. He asked the guard beside him, ¡°Go and ask what exactly happened in Ming Qi Palace.¡±


    Early in the morning, a group of bailiffs came, saying that they wanted to take away the daughter of the third branch of the Shen family, Shen Yue. Ever since Shen Yue entered Huangfu Hao¡¯s mansion, she had never gone out. No one would expect that the daughter of a Ming Qi¡¯s official would become Huangfu Hao¡¯s concubine. However, these bailiffs somehow found out about it and came over to take her away.


    Emperor Wen Hui was still polite to Huangfu Hao. The reason why he took Shen Yue away was because Shen Yue was also a member of the Shen family, so she could not get away with the punishment for the crime her father committed. Emperor Wen Hui did not mention the marriage exchange between Shen Yue and Shen Dongling at all. He probably wanted to deliberately avoid talking about it. However, why did Emperor Wen Hui go to such an extent to eliminate the Shen family? Huangfu Hao thought that there must be something fishy going on.


    Since the bailiffs came, knowing full well that Shen Yue was staying with him, Huangfu Hao didn¡¯t go against them. For him, Shen Yue was just a tool to get to know Shen Miao better. He did not really take Shen Yue seriously. There was no need to fall out with Emperor Wen Hui for Shen Yue.


    However¡­ Huangfu Hao still knew nothing about what happened in Ming Qi Palace. It was precisely because of this that he was somewhat confused. After thinking for a moment, he summoned a servant and instructed, ¡°Go to Prince Ding¡¯s mansion and pass a message to him.¡±


    ¡­


    The Shen family was in absolute shambles. It was as if a thread had suddenly appeared on the flat surface. With a pull of this thread, the originally embroidered pattern was instantly messed up, looking nothing like what it used to be.

 Chapter 676 - 676 Murky Waters (3)

    676 Murky Waters (3)


    First, Shen Wan was sent to prison for not doing his job well. Then, Chang Zaiqing¡¯s husband and son, who were far away in Liuzhou, came and knelt at the entrance of the government office to beat the drum to petition. Now, Shen Yue was found to have become a concubine of the crown prince of the State of Qin, which led people to realize that the one who married the Wang family was actually someone else. At the same time, it made people sigh at how chaotic the Shen family actually was. It also made people wonder if the Shen family had offended someone. Why were they in trouble one after another? It was really too strange.


    It was afternoon. Shen Miao pulled the curtain down and planned to take a nap. Everything that happened to the Shen family was going exactly the way she wanted. Shen Miao could also roughly guess what Emperor Wen Hui would do.


    As soon as she took off her cloak, she suddenly sensed the presence of someone else. She turned around and saw that in the shadow, Xie Jingxing was standing there since God knows when. He was leaning against her bed, his hand casually rubbing something furry. It was the white tiger that Shen Miao had seen before.


    The tiger had grown bigger and stronger. Even its fur was smooth and beautiful. However, Shen Miao did not care. She took a deep breath and said, ¡°Who gave you the permission to climb into my bed?¡±


    !!


    Xie Jingxing was really going overboard. Now that he was used to jumping in through the window at night, he started to visit her during the broad daylight and even climb into her bed. In no time, he¡¯d probably swagger into the mansion from the entrance.


    How audacious and bald.


    Xie Jingxing said, ¡°I specially came to congratulate you. Why do you have such a reaction?¡±


    ¡°Congratulate me?¡± Shen Miao was stunned. ¡°On what?¡±


    ¡°As you wished, the Shen family is in prison.¡± Xie Jingxing let go of the white tiger. The white tiger let out a roar and jumped happily on Shen Miao¡¯s bed. It even used Shen Miao¡¯s top-grade silk bedding to sharpen its claws. Xie Jingxing rubbed his chin and said, ¡°Chang Zaiqing¡¯s reputation is ruined. Shen Wan regrets divorcing Chen Ruoqiu. Chen Ruoqiu is down and out and Shen Yue is also taken away and sent to prison. No matter how you look at it, it¡¯s something to be happy about.¡± His eyes curved and he said, ¡°Aren¡¯t you happy?¡±


    The fact that her schemes were seen through by him made Shen Miao uncomfortable. She took two steps forward, grabbed Xie Jingxing¡¯s sleeve, and pulled him up from her bed as she said, ¡°Prince Rui, you don¡¯t have to come personally.¡±


    ¡°How can I show my sincerity if I don¡¯t come personally?¡± Xie Jingxing didn¡¯t budge an inch no matter how hard Shen Miao pulled him. He glanced at Shen Miao and said with a faint smile, ¡°Besides, you even dealt a blow to Fu Xiuyi in this round. It¡¯s worth celebrating.¡±


    Shen Miao¡¯s heart skipped a beat. Xie Jingxing suddenly raised his eyebrows, grabbed Shen Miao¡¯s hand, and pulled her towards him.


    Shen Miao was caught off guard and fell forward, falling on Xie Jingxing¡¯s chest.


    The young man smiled, but his gaze was as sharp as a knife. His tone was as gentle as a lover¡¯s whisper, but every word he said was cold.


    He said in a low voice, ¡°Even Huangfu Hao is involved. The old emperor won¡¯t let Fu Xiuyi off easily. You surely made a brilliant move, but aren¡¯t you afraid of getting burnt yourself by the fire you started?¡±


    Shen Miao looked up at Xie Jingxing.


    Two years ago, the young man was rebellious and cynical. Perhaps he portrayed himself in that way on purpose. Two years later, when he showed up again, he became more unfathomable. His attitude was as frivolous as ever, as if nothing in the world could concern him. However, the ambition hidden under his casual smile was the most terrifying.

 Chapter 677 - 677 Murky Waters (4)

    677 Murky Waters (4)


    Yes, Xie Jingxing was right. Chen Ruoqiu, Shen Wan, and Chang Zaiqing were just the chess pieces Shen Miao used to corner her real enemy.


    Shen Miao had never forgotten her real enemy, the most terrifying enemy and the enemy she hated the most, Fu Xiuyi. Shen Wan had already got involved with Fu Xiuyi. Now that Shen Yue was found to have become Huangfu Hao¡¯s concubine, and Shen Yue was Shen Wan¡¯s daughter, it made people wonder if Huangfu Hao and Fu Xiuyi were also plotting something in secret..


    Emperor Wen Hui was paranoid, and he would definitely send people to investigate. If Huangfu Hao and Fu Xiuyi really had nothing to do with each other, he would naturally not be able to find anything. Unfortunately, the two of them had an intention of forming an alliance. If Emperor Wen Hui investigated seriously, it was very likely that he would find something interesting. At this critical moment, Fu Xiuyi was not having a good time. His path to the throne would not be so smooth anymore.


    She thought that she had done it meticulously and secretly, but she did not expect the purple-clothed young man in front of her to see through it at a glance.


    !!


    She wanted to break free from Xie Jingxing, but he held her arm with one hand and the back of her head with the other. Shen Miao was almost lying on Xie Jingxing¡¯s body. As she breathed, she could hear a heart beating violently, but she did not know if it was hers or his.


    If someone came in from outside at this moment, Shen Miao would not be able to explain herself. However, Xie Jingxing was a frivolous person and did not feel that there was anything wrong with him doing this.


    Shen Miao suddenly smiled and said slowly, ¡°Getting burnt by the fire?¡±


    Xie Jingxing stared at her calmly.


    ¡°I¡¯ve already caught the fire¡± Shen Miao¡¯s voice was indescribably cold and heavy. She said, ¡°Prince Rui, do you think I have a way out?¡±


    She had never had a way out. Without these blood feuds, without Wanyu and Fu Ming, without her rebirth for revenge, Shen Xin¡¯s unparalleled achievements would one day lead to the death of the first branch of the Shen family. In order to protect the Shen family, she would eventually be enemies with Fu Xiuyi.


    ¡°Of course there¡¯s a way out,¡± the young man suddenly said.


    Shen Miao¡¯s fingers that were grabbing his sleeve trembled slightly.


    His side profile was peerlessly handsome, and his eyes were dark and beautiful, making one unable to help but immerse in it. His long eyelashes gave off a warmth under the sunlight coming through the curtain. He said indifferently, ¡°With me around, the fire won¡¯t catch you. If you¡¯re afraid, you can hide in my arms.¡±


    His voice was as mellow as wine and drifted into Shen Miao¡¯s ears.


    ¡°I¡¯ll fight a way out for you.¡±


    Shen Miao looked at him. Even if he was frivolous with his words and actions, he always gave people the illusion that he was a man of his word.


    But why did she suddenly feel like crying?


    If someone had said to her in her previous life, ¡°Hide in my arms and I¡¯ll fight a way out for you.¡± Would she still end up hanging herself to death? Would her children still be alive and happy? It didn¡¯t matter if Xie Jingxing meant it or not. At this moment, Shen Miao felt touched.


    It was as if butterflies were about to fly out of her heart.


    Xie Jingxing suddenly stopped smiling and looked at Shen Miao seriously. He narrowed his eyes and whispered into Shen Miao¡¯s ear, ¡°However, why is your heartbeat suddenly so rapid and loud?¡±

 Chapter 678 - 678 Murky Waters (5)

    678 Murky Waters (5)


    Shen Miao pushed Xie Jingxing hard and sat up. Xie Jingxing smiled and placed his hands behind his head. ¡°Are you sick?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re sick.¡± Shen Miao took a deep breath and said, ¡°Prince Rui, can you leave now? I¡¯m also an unmarried girl. If others see us together, I won¡¯t be able to get married.¡±


    Xie Jingxing frowned and said, ¡°Don¡¯t you want to be the empress? How can ordinary people marry you?¡± Seeing that Shen Miao was about to flare up again, Xie Jingxing sat up and grabbed the tiger and threw it into his arms. He glanced at Shen Miao and said with a smile, ¡°How about I do something to celebrate your victory?¡±


    Shen Miao was stunned and subconsciously looked at Xie Jingxing. ¡°What do you want to do?¡±


    !!


    ¡°I don¡¯t like Fu Xiuyi. He annoys me.¡± Xie Jingxing said casually, ¡°Although we can¡¯t deal with him together.¡± He winked at Shen Miao frivolously. ¡°It¡¯s not a bad idea to hit him when he¡¯s down.¡±


    ¡­


    Just as Shen Miao had expected, when Fu Xiuyi, who could remain unflappable under all circumstances, heard that Shen Yue was sent to prison, he couldn¡¯t help but turn pale.


    ¡°How did Shen Yue end up with Huangfu Hao?¡± he asked his servant.


    ¡°I heard that back then, Second Miss Shen didn¡¯t want to marry the young master of the Wang family, so she let Third Miss of the Shen family marry in her place. Later, after the matter was exposed, Second Miss Shen ran away, but somehow, she got involved with the crown prince of the State of Qin and became his concubine¡­¡±


    ¡°Enough!¡± Fu Xiuyi interrupted the servant and pressed his forehead. He said hatefully, ¡°This group of people from the Shen family!¡± Ever since he got entangled with the Shen family, nothing had gone smoothly for him. A few days ago, when Shen Wan came to pledge loyalty to him, he gave Shen Wan a difficult task. He did not expect Shen Wan to screw it up before he even started. Fu Xiuyi had finally found a way to extract himself from the mess and was prepared to push the blame to Shen Wan to make Emperor Wen Hui trust him again. Unexpectedly, at this critical moment, Huangfu Hao was also pulled in.


    On the surface, it looked like it was about Shen Yue, but in fact, it was related to the relationship between Ming Qi and the State of Qin. Everyone knew that the State of Qin and Ming Qi were about to form an alliance. Among the nine princes, whoever was closer to Huangfu Hao was the thorn in Emperor Wen Hui¡¯s side. Emperor Wen Hui naturally did not want his sons to be close to Huangfu Hao. Emperor Wen Hui hoped that in the eyes of the State of Qin, he was the emperor and the ruler of the dynasty. At such a sensitive time, what would Emperor Wen Hui think when Shen Yue was found living with Huangfu Hao? Could Shen Yue be a chess piece Shen Wan used to win over Huangfu Hao. If so, that would be a catastrophe for Fu Xiuyi because Shen Wan was working for him.


    At this moment, Fu Xiuyi and Huangfu Hao were really tangled together.


    The more Fu Xiuyi thought about it, the more he felt a headache coming on. Even though he had always been scheming, he did not know what to do at this moment. After all, he did not know that Shen Yue and Shen Dongling had swapped marriages, nor did he know that Huangfu Hao had taken Shen Yue as his concubine.


    ¡°This is too coincidental.¡± A trace of ruthlessness appeared on Fu Xiuyi¡¯s cold face. ¡°Someone must be plotting behind the curtain. They¡¯re obviously targeting me. What if the ultimate goal of sending Shen Wan to prison is to send me to prison?¡±


    A young aide asked carefully, ¡°Your Highness, what do you plan to do next?¡±


    ¡°My father is already suspicious of me. If I take the initiative to defend myself, it will backfire.¡± Fu Xiuyi said, ¡°I can only wait and see. However, the first thing I have to figure out is who is plotting against me.¡±


    ¡°Maybe it¡¯s Prince Zhou or Prince Xuan?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s impossible.¡± Fu Xiuyi denied flatly. ¡°I know what these two are capable of. If Father finds out that they are playing nasty tricks behind his back, they¡¯ll be finished. It¡¯s not a risk worth taking for them.¡±

 Chapter 679 - 679 Murky Waters (6)

    679 Murky Waters (6)


    The aides looked at each other and didn¡¯t know what to say.


    Pei Lang stood in the middle of the aids with his head lowered. Fu Xiuyi did not ask him anything, and he did not take the initiative to speak. However, he could feel Fu Xiuyi looking at him from above.


    Looking at Pei Lang¡¯s calm face, for some reason, another face suddenly appeared in Fu Xiuyi¡¯s mind.


    The girl¡¯s face was delicate and small, and her eyes were as clear as a mirror, making people want to pat her like a little cub. However, she always had a frown on her face and a dignified aura around her, reminding Fu Xiuyi of the empress who lived in the Palace of Earthly Tranquility. Perhaps compared to the empress, she looked more noble and unfathomable.


    !!


    Was she a phoenix? Or a ferocious beast?


    Fu Xiuyi sneered. She was just a woman. No matter how capable she was, it was impossible for her to be the mastermind. However, Fu Xiuyi did not forget that Shen Miao might have a special relationship with Prince Rui.


    Prince Rui¡¯s attitude towards the entire Ming Qi royal family was neither warm nor cold. Occasionally, he would seem to deliberately target him¡­ Did he do it for Shen Miao?


    If Prince Rui really did it for Shen Miao, Fu Xiuyi would know what to do. Once he knew someone¡¯s Achilles heel, he would attack mercilessly. This was Fu Xiuyi¡¯s style of doing things.


    Fu Xiuyi clenched his fists and slowly calmed down. He said, ¡°Get a few people to keep an eye outside Prince Rui¡¯s mansion at all times!¡± He slowly glanced at his aides and said indifferently, ¡°Add twice as many guards in our mansion. Don¡¯t let a fly in and don¡¯t let a mosquito out!¡±


    Pei Lang¡¯s heart skipped a beat. He felt that Fu Xiuyi was implying something, but he still maintained a calm look. When the surrounding aides heard this, they whispered to each other, as if they had sensed something coming.


    Fu Xiuyi¡¯s anger dissipated, and a smile appeared on his face as usual. However, halfway through his smile, a guard came in from outside and said, ¡°Your Highness, the crown prince of the State of Qin sent someone to deliver a message to you.¡±


    Fu Xiuyi was stunned and said, ¡°Bring him in.¡± Just as he was about to get up, he suddenly realized something and his expression changed drastically. ¡°Oh no!¡±


    Emperor Wen Hui suspected that Fu Xiuyi and Huangfu Hao were in close contact. At this moment, he was probably doing his best to investigate the relationship between Fu Xiuyi and Huangfu Hao. Huangfu Hao did not know what happened and was not sure about the real reason why Shen Wan was captured. He probably sent someone over to ask, but little did he know that he actually shot himself in the foot.


    At this moment, Emperor Wen Hui¡¯s people had probably already seen the person Huangfu Hao sent entering the mansion. Now, no matter what Fu Xiuyi said to defend himself, Emperor Wen Hui would not believe him.


    Fu Xiuyi collapsed on the chair.


    ¡­


    At this moment, many people were locked up in the prison of Ming Qi.


    Shen Yue and Chen Ruoqiu did not expect to be reunited with the Shen family under such circumstances. Shen Wan did not expect Shen Yue to become Huangfu Hao¡¯s concubine. After all, Shen Wan had been through thick and thin in the imperial court. Although he knew that he could not escape death this time, he felt even more despair when Shen Yue dragged Huangfu Hao into the whole mess.


    Emperor Wen Hui would not deal with Huangfu Hao, because Huangfu Hao was the crown prince of the State of Qin after all. Fu Xiuyi could also think of a way to protect himself since he had many capable people under him. Unless Emperor Wen Hui did not care about being criticized by the world, he would not kill a prince because of suspicion. All in all, the ones to be sacrificed were the Shen family.


    Shen Yue was afraid and angry. After entering the prison, she was locked up with the women of the Shen family. She grabbed Chen Ruoqiu and asked anxiously, ¡°Mother, why are we arrested too? Aren¡¯t we no longer related to the Shen family? What exactly is going on?¡±


    Seeing this, Chang Zaiqing was gloating. She already regretted seeking refuge with the Shen family. Not only did she not get rich, but she was also going to lose her life and future. On the contrary, Shen Yue, who had left home, and Chen Ruoqiu, who had been divorced, were lucky. Originally, Chang Zaiqing was just an outsider and would not get implicated. The more she thought about it, the more indignant she became. She did not expect Shen Yue and Chen Ruoqiu to also be sent to prison. Chang Zaiqing was indescribably happy.


    Chang Zaiqing said, ¡°Second Miss, what do you mean you are not related to the Shen family? You¡¯re still Second Master¡¯s daughter.¡±


    Shen Yue sneered. ¡°You b*tch, it¡¯s not your place to interrupt.¡±

 Chapter 680 - 680 Execution (1)

    680 Execution (1)


    Chang Zaiqing was stunned. She knew all along that Shen Yue was not as gentle as she looked on the surface, but she did not expect her to be so sharp-tongued. She subconsciously looked at Shen Wan, but to her surprise, Shen Wan did not even look at her, as if he did not hear anything.


    When Shen Yue saw Chang Zaiqing¡¯s expression, she said smugly, ¡°Why? Do you still want my father to speak up for you? Everyone in the capital knows that you¡¯re already married to someone in Liuzhou! You¡¯re just as shameless as the prostitute in a brothel!¡±


    ¡°W-What nonsense are you talking about?¡± Chang Zaiqing¡¯s heart skipped a beat as she subconsciously replied. She had been locked up in prison and did not know anything about what was going on outside. She did not know that the fact that she was already married had already been made public and the entire capital was looking down on her.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you know?¡± Shen Yue used words to provoke her. ¡°Your husband and son in Liuzhou miss you a lot, so they specially came to the capital to look for you.¡± Shen Yue glanced at Shen Wan maliciously and was quite angry with him. She continued unhurriedly, ¡°Tian Li knelt at the entrance of the government office and accused the Shen family of kidnapping his wife!¡±


    !!


    Chang Zaiqing trembled. She knew that she could not hide it anymore. She looked at Shen Wan. Seeing that Shen Wan was not too surprised, she asked with a trembling voice, ¡°You¡­ you knew it already?¡±


    ¡°What!!!¡± The person who exclaimed was Old Madam Shen, who had been staring with her eyes wide open. She thought that Shen Yue and Chang Zaiqing did not get along, so Shen Yue said some humiliating words to her. Now that she realized it was not the case, she asked in a sharp voice, ¡°You¡¯ve been married before? You have a son?¡±


    Chang Zaiqing did not answer, but Chen Ruoqiu, who was watching coldly from the side, smiled and said, ¡°Mother, you still don¡¯t know, right? The daughter-in-law you carefully chose for your son is someone else¡¯s wife. What people say about the Shen family is really horrendous. How I wish you could listen to it for yourself.¡±


    Shen Gui was also stunned by this sudden news. Chang Zaiqing finally came back to her senses. She glanced at Chen Ruoqiu and sneered. She no longer pretended to be gentle and said, ¡°So what if I¡¯ve been married before? So what if I have a son? You are not a bunch of innocent and good people either. It¡¯s just the pot calling the kettle black. Moreover, I¡¯ve only entered the Shen family for a short time and I¡¯m already in such trouble. It¡¯s hard to say who harmed who.¡±


    When Old Madam Shen heard this, anger rose in her heart. She was half afraid and half frustrated to be locked up in prison for no reason. She had nowhere to vent her anger. She immediately pounced on Chang Zaiqing without a word. As she tugged at Chang Zaiqing¡¯s hair, she cursed, ¡°B*tch! You ruined my family! You shameless b*tch!¡±


    Chang Zaiqing was not to be outdone. In the past, she had to pretend to be polite and nice because she was trying to leave a good impression on the Shen family. Now that her mask was ripped off, she couldn¡¯t care less. She immediately started fighting with Old Madam Shen.


    Although Old Madam Shen was old, she still had the shrewishness from when she was young. She had also been in the streets before. Chang Zaiqing was much younger, but she prided herself on being an educated and talented girl, so she rarely engaged in fights with anyone. The two of them cursed as they scratched each other¡¯s faces and pulled each other¡¯s hair. Shen Gui wanted to step in to stop the fight, but because men and women were locked up in different cells, there was nothing much he could do. Shen Yue and Chen Ruoqiu, who were locked up together with Old Madam Shen and Chang Zaiqing, were less likely to stop the fight. Chen Ruoqiu looked at them coldly, and Shen Yue even laughed out loud. The fight only stopped with a deafening scream from Chang Zaiqing.

 Chapter 681 - 681 Execution (2)

    681 Execution (2)


    Old Madam Shen pushed Chang Zaiqing away. Her face was covered in scratches, and her hair and clothes were in a mess, but she looked at the person on the ground in satisfaction. Chang Zaiqing curled up on the ground, hunched over, hugging her stomach with a twisted face from pain, moaning. Under her, there was gradually a pool of blood flowing out.


    She actually had a miscarriage in prison.


    It was unknown what Old Madam Shen did to Chang Zaiqing just now, but over the past few days, the food in the prison had not been to her liking, so Chang Zaiqing¡¯s body was getting weak, and she had probably hurt her abdomen from fighting with Old Madam Shen just now.


    Shen Gui looked at Shen Wan, only to see that Shen Wan was not moved at all. He looked at Chang Zaiqing rolling on the ground in pain, as if he was looking at a stranger.


    !!


    As for Old Madam Shen, she looked at Chang Zaiqing like a lunatic and cursed, ¡°B*tch! You deserve to die! B*tch!¡±


    Shen Yue was a little afraid of blood. Seeing that there was more and more blood under Chang Zaiqing, she was terrified and edged closer to Chen Ruoqiu. Chen Ruoqiu hugged Shen Yue tightly and looked at Chang Zaiqing with a smug smile.


    Chang Zaiqing was in so much pain that her mind turned blank. She tried her best to call the jailers, hoping that someone would notice that she was bleeding well and find a doctor for her. However, the jailers came and went. Occasionally, they would look at her with disdain and mockery. They had no intention of helping her.


    After moaning for a long time, Chang Zaiqing gradually lost her voice and could not even make a sound. She was probably on the verge of death.


    No one spoke in the cell. It was terrifyingly quiet. The Shen family looked at Chang Zaiqing with disgust, annoyance, mockery, fear, and disdain, but there was no sympathy.


    Misfortunes would distort one¡¯s personality. In Shen Yue and Chen Ruoqiu¡¯s opinion, Chang Zaiqing deserved it. In Shen Wan¡¯s opinion, Chang Zaiqing dug her own grave. Shen Gui was not a sympathetic person, and Old Madam Shen wanted to tear Chang Zaiqing into pieces.


    In Chang Zaiqing¡¯s life, the first half was probably very smooth-sailing. Although the second half of her life was not smooth-sailing, she thought that with her talent, she could still get rich. In order to get rich, she was willing to do things against her conscience. However, little did she know that the riches she plunged into were actually a burial ground, and the people she was surrounded with were actually more terrifying than a hyena.


    At this moment, Chang Zaiqing suddenly missed his incompetent husband who liked to drink and his son, who always liked to feed the chickens.


    She muttered in a daze, ¡°Huai Sheng¡­¡±


    Shen Yue frowned. ¡°What is she talking about?¡±


    Chen Ruoqiu shook her head.


    ¡°Mother, why do you look so listless?¡± Shen Yue held her hand tightly. ¡°Is this matter¡­ very serious? When can we go out?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. It¡¯s just a small matter. His Majesty will let us out after the investigation. Don¡¯t worry. Rest for a while.¡± Chen Ruoqiu replied with a smile.


    After receiving Chen Ruoqiu¡¯s reassurance, Shen Yue felt a little relieved and was suddenly overwhelmed by sleepiness. She leaned against Chen Ruoqiu and closed her eyes.


    When Old Madam Shen heard Chen Ruoqiu¡¯s words, she gradually calmed down. Although she was still not satisfied with Chen Ruoqiu, people would only know who was better when they compared. With someone like Chang Zaiqing as a contrast, Old Madam Shen felt that Chen Ruoqiu was not all that bad. She closed her eyes and rested.


    On the ground, no one cared if Chang Zaiqing was dead or alive.

 Chapter 682 - 682 Execution (3)

    682 Execution (3)


    Chen Ruoqiu glanced at Chang Zaiqing and sneered. Then, she thought of something and her gaze became filled with despair.


    She had lied to Shen Yue about whether they could go out or not this time, and most likely, they would die.


    No one understood Shen Wan¡¯s gaze better than Chen Ruoqiu. As long as there was still a trace of hope, Shen Wan would not have this reaction. He sat there indifferently, looking stupefied, as if he did not care about anything. Whether it was the Shen family becoming the laughing stock of the capital, the scuffle between Old Madam Shen and Chang Zaiqing, or the miscarriage at this moment, Shen Wan didn¡¯t react at all because he was already in despair.


    Even Shen Wan was in despair, so Chen Ruoqiu had no reason to have any hope of living.


    However, when she really knew this ending, Chen Ruoqiu didn¡¯t find it as unacceptable as she thought. Perhaps it was because Chen Ruoqiu had already seen the ugly side of human nature when the Chen family and the Shen family were fighting the lawsuit, or perhaps it was because she was divorced by Shen Wan that Chen Ruoqiu was utterly disappointed. At this moment, Chen Ruoqiu was physically and mentally exhausted. After taking her revenge on Chang Zaiqing, she did not care about what was going to happen next.


    If they were going to die, they would all die together, right? If they died together, they would be a family again, Chen Ruoqiu thought.


    ¡°Third Brother.¡± Shen Gui was the first to break the silence. He asked, ¡°Do you think our family is haunted by something in recent years? When Father was around, nothing like this ever happened.¡±


    Ever since Shen Gui was diagnosed as infertile, he had been living a self-indulgent life. It was rare for him to be clear-headed. Whether it was true or not, he asked a serious question.


    Shen Wan glanced at him and said in a calm tone, from which no one could tell if he was happy or angry, ¡°When Father was around or when Shen Xin was around.¡±


    Shen Gui was at a loss for words. Indeed, to be precise, when the Shen family went downhill, it started from when the first branch split up. In fact, when Shen Xin just returned to the capital two years ago, their official careers were already a little bumpy. It was just that at that time, the Shen family had not split up yet, and their colleagues in the imperial court had to curry favor with them on account of Shen Xin. Later, when Shen Xin left the capital, those people started to walk away, and the Shen family became worse day by day. Although they did not want to admit it, it was the truth. Without Shen Xin, the Shen family was nothing.


    Shen Gui asked hesitantly, ¡°Are you saying that someone is plotting against us behind the curtain? This time, we were also set up by someone?¡±


    Shen Wan smiled strangely, but no one knew what he was smiling about.


    ¡°Could it be¡­ that Shen Xin was the one who did it?¡± This thought suddenly struck Shen Gui.


    At this moment, Chen Ruoqiu, who was sitting quietly at the side, said, ¡°Shen Miao, that little b*tch Luo Xueyan gave birth to, is very evil. Didn¡¯t you notice that as long as someone is related to Shen Miao, they won¡¯t end up well?¡±


    Shen Wan and Shen Gui looked at Chen Ruoqiu at the same time. Chen Ruoqiu did not seem to notice their gazes and continued, ¡°First, it was Shen Qing and Shen Yuan from the second branch, and now it¡¯s the third branch¡¯s turn. Back then, Second Sister-in-law lost terribly to that little b*tch. Thinking about it carefully, if we have to find a time from which the Shen family started to go downhill, it was when that little b*tch¡¯s personality suddenly changed.¡±


    In the past, in the eyes of Shen Wan and Shen Gui, Shen Miao was at most a little smart, but she was not that capable. However, now that they listened to Chen Ruoqiu analyze it, they felt that it made sense. For example, Princess Ming An died for no reason after having a grudge with Shen Miao a while back, and her case was still left unsolved.

 Chapter 683 - 683 Execution (4)

    683 Execution (4)


    Shen Wan said in a low voice, ¡°She won¡¯t be able to do this alone unless she has the guidance of an adviser or the help of a backer.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid it¡¯s not Shen Miao who has found a backer.¡± Shen Gui thought for a moment and said, ¡°It¡¯s the first branch who has found a backer.¡± He seemed to have thought of something and suddenly slapped his knee. ¡°Why didn¡¯t Shen Xin fall to his death on the battlefield back then! I was wondering why everything has been going wrong all these years. It turns out that Shen Xin is the one who has been plotting against us!¡± He said righteously, but he did not mention how much the Shen family had plotted against Shen Xin.


    ¡°No matter what, this matter will more or less be related to Shen Xin.¡± Chen Ruoqiu calmed down at this moment and said more and more pertinently, ¡°Otherwise, why is everyone in the second and third branches keep getting into trouble while the first branch is safe and sound?¡±


    Everyone was silent.


    !!


    After a while, Shen Gui gritted his teeth and said, ¡°In that case, we have to drag them down with us this time! Even if we don¡¯t have a good time, their first branch can¡¯t have a good time either.¡± He looked at Shen Wan. ¡°Third Brother, let¡¯s think of a way to send Shen Xin to prison!¡±


    ¡°We can¡¯t.¡± Shen Wan said calmly, ¡°If we try too hard to involve Shen Wan at this point, anyone with a discerning eye can tell that we¡¯re framing him. The more we do it, the more the emperor will think that the first branch is not on the same side as us. The first branch will benefit from this.¡±


    Shen Gui said angrily, ¡°Are we going to let him off just like that?¡±


    Shen Wan sneered. ¡°Even if we can¡¯t pull Shen Xin down, we have to make him suffer!¡±


    ¡°Third Brother, you mean¡­¡± Shen Gui was a little puzzled.


    Shen Wan lowered his voice. ¡°Do you know who else is implicated and angry but was too noble to be sent to prison?¡±


    Chen Ruoqiu frowned. ¡°Prince Ding?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Shen Wan looked at Chen Ruoqiu calmly. At this moment, it was useless to blame Chen Ruoqiu for turning him in. Moreover, the reason Chen Ruoqiu was driven to do that was that Shen Wan divorced her for Chang Zaiqing. Moreover, they all might have fallen in the trap someone set up. What was the point of playing the blame game?


    Shen Wan said coldly, ¡°Our every move is being watched by others right now. Of course, there are also people from Prince Ding¡¯s side. If we ¡®chat¡¯ about the first branch casually, it will definitely make Prince Ding suspicious.¡±


    Previously, since Prince Ding wanted him to find a way to matchmake Shen Miao with Prince Zhou, he was already a little wary of Shen Miao. If they casually chatted about the first branch, Prince Ding might think that the first branch had tricked him and made him suspected by Emperor Wen Hui, he would probably want to destroy the first branch immediately.


    Among the nine princes, Prince Ding hid his ambitions the deepest. Being targeted by Prince Ding, Shen Wan believed that the first branch would have a hard time in the future.


    Even if Shen Wan could not change his fate, he had to drag the first branch with him.


    He muttered in a low voice that he could hear, ¡°I¡¯ll wait for you on the way to hell, Brother.¡±


    ¡­


    The case related to Shen Wan in the capital was closed very quickly, so when the people found out about it, they were a little confused.

 Chapter 684 - 684 Execution (5)

    684 Execution (5)


    The servants of the Shen family were all sent into exile while the masters and madams were all executed with the exception of the first branch.


    It had been a long time since such a big case happened in Ming Qi, and this case did not seem to be so serious. The government seemed to have deliberately kept it a secret. They only announced that Shen Wan was convicted of failing to do his job and causing a great loss to Ming Qi.


    However, no one knew what the ¡°loss¡± was.


    This was how officials were. If the emperor wanted the officials to die, they had no choice but to die. Sometimes, Emperor Wen Hui did not even bother to think of a reason to execute the officials. Now that Shen Wan and Shen Gui¡¯s official careers had hit the rock bottom, there was no one who wanted to speak up for them. In short, everything happened so quickly that no one expected it.


    !!


    Shen Miao would naturally go and see the execution.


    Luo Tan looked at Shen Miao in surprise and asked, ¡°Why are you going to see that kind of bloody scene? You¡¯ll have nightmares at night. It¡¯s better not to go.¡±


    Shen Xin and Luo Xueyan would not go. They still had military affairs to attend to. Of course, even if they did not have military affairs, they would not go. Luo Xueyan did not have any feelings for the Shen family, but Shen Xin probably did. However, those feelings had been wiped away by the things the Shen family had done over the years.


    Shen Miao said, ¡°I want to go and take a look. I¡¯ve never seen an execution before.¡±


    Luo Tan was speechless. She said angrily, ¡°What¡¯s there to see about execution?!¡± However, she was secretly anxious for Shen Miao. Women were always soft-hearted. Although the Shen family were not good people, Shen Miao had been with them for so long after all. It was inevitable that she would feel sad.


    ¡°I¡¯ll go with you then,¡± Shen Qiu said. Shen Qiu knew how stubborn Shen Miao was. If he didn¡¯t let her go, Shen Miao would probably sneak out. He was not afraid. Moreover, with guards around, he could protect Shen Miao better.


    ¡°I¡¯ll go with you too.¡± Luo Ling smiled and said, ¡°I¡¯ve never seen an execution either.¡±


    ¡°What nonsense are you talking about, Cousin?¡± Luo Tan glanced at Luo Ling. ¡°When we were in the Northwest, people were getting executed almost on a daily basis. What do you mean you haven¡¯t seen it?¡±


    Luo Ling¡¯s smile was a little stiff. When Shen Qiu heard this, he looked at Luo Ling meaningfully, making Luo Ling feel a little uneasy. He said, ¡°Then let¡¯s go together.¡±


    Seeing that everyone had left, Luo Tan gritted her teeth and stomped her feet before saying, ¡°Then I¡¯ll go you too. I don¡¯t want to stay in the mansion alone¡­ Cousin Miao, you have to cover your eyes later.¡±


    When the group arrived at the execution ground, it was packed with commoners. Because Shen Qiu had brought many guards with him, the commoners took the initiative to make way for them. Some people recognized Shen Qiu and started whispering with each other, pointing at him and Shen Miao.


    They had long known that the first branch of the Shen family was not on good terms with the second and third branches, but they did not expect the siblings of the first branch to come to watch the execution. Some people said that it was a blessing in disguise for the first branch to leave the Shen family back then, which was why they weren¡¯t implicated this time. Some people said that these two siblings were too cold-blooded and took delight in watching their family getting executed.


    On the execution platform, Shen Wan and the others were kneeling with shackles on their knees. They were wearing dirty prison clothes and looked disheveled. Shen Yue and Old Madam Shen¡¯s mouths were covered with rags, and people were able to see Shen Yue shaking her head desperately with fear in her eyes. Shen Yue and Old Madam Shen had always been very afraid of death. They probably still could not accept this outcome and were still trying to figure out ways to salvage the situation.

 Chapter 685 - 685 Execution (6)

    685 Execution (6)


    Shen Miao smiled faintly.


    She glanced at the people on the platform one by one.


    Shen Wan, Chen Ruoqiu, Shen Gui, Shen Yue, Old Madam Shen¡­ She heard that Chang Zaiqing had a miscarriage in the prison. The next day, when the jailers found her lying on the ground, they carried her out, but her body had already stiffened and she had bled to death. That wasn¡¯t all that bad for her. At least, she didn¡¯t need to be beheaded and could have an intact corpse. However, what was the point of having an intact corpse? She was dead, and everyone in the capital knew that she had abandoned her husband and son.


    ¡°Cousin, what are you thinking about?¡± Luo Tan asked softly.


    !!


    ¡°Thinking about the past,¡± Shen Miao replied softly.


    She thought of how when she was competing with Consort Mei for power in the harem, it was this group of people on the platform who stabbed the first branch in the back. They caused Shen Qiu¡¯s death, Luo Xueyan¡¯s death, and Shen Xin¡¯s decline. They caused Wanyu and Fu Ming to not have a strong maternal family to support them and could only sacrifice themselves in the power game. They were the most noble people, but they lived like lowly children of a concubine. All of this was caused by these people in front of her.


    Shen Yue said to Shen Miao once, ¡°Fifth Sister, we¡¯re not family.¡±


    They were not family, but enemies. However, from now on, with the death of the people on the platform, she would really have nothing to do with this pack of hyenas.


    On the platform, Shen Yue looked around in a panic. Suddenly, she looked in Shen Miao¡¯s direction. When she saw Shen Miao, intense hatred suddenly shot out of her eyes. If not for the fact that she was chained up, Shen Yue would probably have jumped through the crowd and pounced on Shen Miao to scratch her face.


    Shen Miao smiled at her through the crowd. She did not care if Shen Yue could see it clearly, but she raised her chin slightly and looked at her like she was looking at a dog.


    Shen Yue was angered by Shen Miao¡¯s posture and screamed even louder. The executioner who was holding her kicked her impatiently. Shen Yue seemed to be in pain and fell silent for a while. However, she looked in the other direction with an extremely angry expression.


    Shen Miao followed her gaze and saw a familiar figure not far from her. It was a young woman in luxurious clothes. She had a sharp chin and big eyes. Who else could it be but Shen Dongling?


    Shen Dongling also saw Shen Miao. She smiled gently and walked towards Shen Miao. When she got closer, she bowed to Shen Miao and said softly, ¡°Fifth Sister.¡± Then, she looked at Shen Qiu and said, ¡°Brother.¡±


    Shen Qiu nodded indifferently while Shen Miao sized up Shen Dongling.


    Shen Dongling was good-looking to begin with. She looked like Concubine Wan, charming and delicate. In the past, Shen Dongling had always kept her head lowered in the Shen family, and her good looks had been ruined by the dull clothes she wore. Now, her face was so tender that water could be squeezed out of it, and her eyes were sparkling and lively. She was wearing bright clothes, which accentuated her slender figure.


    Looking at the group of servants behind Shen Dongling, it seemed like Wang Bi treated her well.


    Because Shen Dongling rarely left the courtyard, no one in the execution ground recognized her. Luo Tan sized up Shen Dongling curiously. Shen Dongling looked at Shen Miao and smiled. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect to meet Fifth Sister here. What a coincidence.¡±


    Shen Miao smiled.


    Shen Dongling¡¯s attitude was very natural, and there was no trace of sadness on her face. Shen Gui was still Shen Dongling¡¯s father. However, knowing that he was about to be executed, Shen Dongling didn¡¯t seem to be concerned at all. As she chatted with Shen Miao, she was as casual as if she was appreciating flowers in a beautiful garden. Looking carefully, one could even see a trace of happiness on her face.


    Shen Miao looked at Shen Dongling. ¡°Third Sister, what brought you here?¡±


    When Shen Dongling heard this, she covered her mouth and smiled. She was completely different from before. Now, her every move was charming, like Concubine Wan when she was young. She was not as timid as before.


    Shen Dongling looked at the platform. ¡°I just heard about this interesting event from my servant and came to join in the fun.¡±


    Just as she finished speaking, she heard the executioner on the platform say in a loud voice, ¡°The time is up. Execution begins¡ª¡±


    A few streams of blood spewed out at the same time.


    Shen Dongling covered her mouth with a handkerchief and widened her eyes. She said softly, ¡°How pitiful.¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Shen Miao echoed calmly. ¡°How pitiful.¡±

 Chapter 686 - 686 Suspicion (1)

    686 Suspicion (1)


    Shen Miao had always hated the third branch. It was not a surprise that she was apathetic to their demise. However, Shen Dongling was different. Although she and Concubine Wan were suppressed by Ren Wanyun in the Shen family in the early years, Shen Dongling had never shown any dissatisfaction. It was precisely because of this that her behavior today seemed odd.


    A few heads rolled down the stage and into the crowd. Exclamations burst out from the crowd, and the timid women were already screaming with their eyes covered. Because the Shen family were sinners, they were not allowed to be buried. Instead, their corpses would be incinerated.


    Looking at the corpses being dragged away by the executioners, Shen Dongling seemed to have lost interest. She looked at Shen Miao and said with a smile, ¡°When I was in the Shen mansion, because I was sick all year round, I didn¡¯t get to interact with Fifth Sister a lot. Now that I¡¯m married, it¡¯s even more inconvenient to go look for you. However, Fifth Sister always has a place in my heart. When you have time, feel free to come look for me in the Wang mansion.¡±


    As Shen Qiu listened from the side, he frowned. Shen Dongling was a timid person, but she was able to wrap her husband around her fingers right after marriage. Shen Qiu was not a fool. He felt that Shen Dongling was not as simple as she looked. She looked delicate and unharmful on the surface, but her personality was very cold. He did not like her and didn¡¯t want Shen Miao to be close to her.


    When Shen Miao heard that, she only smiled indifferently and asked, ¡°From the looks of it, Young Master Wang treats Third Sister very well.¡±


    Shen Dongling lowered her head shyly. ¡°The Wang family is kind.¡±


    Shen Miao smiled coldly. The Wang family was kind? That was probably not the case. In her previous life, she did not pay too much attention to Shen Dongling. Under Ren Wanyun¡¯s suppression, Shen Dongling probably did not dare to make trouble. However, Shen Dongling was like Fu Xiuyi and was good at hiding her ambition. She did not know if after her death, Shen Dongling could get the upper hand in the battle against the Shen family.


    ¡°Congradulations.¡± Shen Miao said casually, ¡°We still have something to do, so we will get going first. Enjoy your time.¡±


    Shen Dongling said, ¡°Fifth Sister, see you around.¡±


    Shen Miao did not want to talk to her anymore and took the lead to leave. Shen Qiu nodded and said goodbye with a calm expression. Luo Tan and Luo Ling quickly followed suit. After Shen Miao and the others left, Shen Dongling¡¯s personal maid, Xing Hua, pouted in anger. Originally, Xing Hua was humble and timid. Now that she followed Shen Dongling to the Wang family, she was not as timid as before and was even a little arrogant.


    Xing Hua complained, ¡°Madam is treating Fifth Miss so nicely, but Fifth Miss doesn¡¯t appreciate it. It¡¯s really infuriating.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s the legitimate daughter, and I¡¯m the daughter of a concubine. Of course she look downs on her.¡± Shen Dongling was not as angry as Xing Hua.


    ¡°But you¡¯re also the young madam of the Wang family now. We can¡¯t let people treat us like before, right? Besides, when Fifth Miss gets married in the future, she won¡¯t even have a sister to keep her company. She¡¯ll probably be laughed at by many people. Not only did she not try to please you, but she even gave you the cold shoulder.¡±

 Chapter 687 - 687 Suspicion (2)

    687 Suspicion (2)


    Shen Dongling smiled faintly. ¡°I¡¯m just the young madam of the Wang family. I¡¯m not worth mentioning in her eyes. Why does she have to please me?¡±


    Xing Hua said angrily, ¡°You¡¯re a proper wife of an official. Who is Fifth Miss going to marry in the future to be on equal footing with you? Don¡¯t tell me she wants to marry a prince? Her reputation was ruined a few years ago. Who would marry her?¡±


    ¡°Xing Hua.¡± As if feeling that the maid had gone too far, Shen Dongling shot her a glare. Xing Hua quickly shut up, not daring to say anything else.


    ¡°Reputation is nothing.¡± Shen Dongling said softly, ¡°With the backing of the Shen family and the Luo family, no one can stop her even if she wants to marry the current emperor. It¡¯s just that¡­¡± Shen Dongling smiled meaningfully.¡± It¡¯s not necessarily a good thing to enter the royal family.¡±


    !!


    On the other side, Luo Tan was asking Shen Miao, ¡°Cousin Sister, is that the illegitimate daughter of the second branch? She doesn¡¯t look like a timid and low-key person.¡±


    Before Luo Tan came to the capital, she was afraid that she would not be able to recognize the people from the Shen family, so she specially asked the servants about each and every member of the Shen family. The servants said the least about Shen Dongling because this Third Miss was such an invisible person. She did not leave the courtyard at all and was very humble. Because the juniors of the Luo family were all mischievous and playful, especially Luo Tan and Luo Qian, they really could not imagine a life like Shen Dongling¡¯s.


    Unexpectedly, today, it was not like what the servants said at all. Shen Dongling was completely different from what she had imagined.


    Shen Miao smiled. ¡°People change.¡±


    Luo Tan thought for a moment and agreed. ¡°That¡¯s right. I think she¡¯s changed because she¡¯s married and is liked by her in-laws.¡±


    Shen Miao was amused by Luo Tan¡¯s remark. Shen Qiu asked, ¡°Sister, after watching the execution, can we go home now?¡± The fact that Shen Miao was kidnapped last time still haunted Shen Qiu.


    Just as Shen Miao was about to answer, she suddenly heard a clear voice. ¡°Sister Shen!¡±


    Shen Miao turned around.


    The person who ran over was a young man. He was wearing a pine green satin dress with pine leaves embroidered on the sides of his collar. This young man was about 11 or 12 years old. He was considered very handsome, but for some reason, he still looked childish. He was fair and tender, looking like a person who had walked out of a painting.


    Luo Tan¡¯s eyes widened. Even someone like Luo Tan, who did not have much patience for children, was attracted to this young man, let alone others.


    Luo Ling and Shen Qiu were a little surprised. From the looks of it, this young man was quite familiar with Shen Miao. Shen Miao frowned and felt that the young man looked familiar, but she could not figure out who he was.


    The young man thought that Shen Miao would remember his name immediately, but he did not expect her to just look at him in a daze. Therefore, he walked to Shen Miao¡¯s side. He was not as tall as Shen Miao and had to raise his head slightly to stare at her.


    Just as Shen Miao was about to ask the young man, she heard someone beside her saying with a chuckle. ¡°Fifth Miss Shen, Young Master Shen.¡±


    The person was wearing a lake-blue robe. The style of the clothes was exactly the same as the young man in front of her, but this person was much older than the young man. He looked vaguely similar to the young man¡¯s. He had a handsome face and an elegant smile. Shen Miao and Shen Qiu knew this person. It was Su Mingfeng, the son of the Earl of Pingnan.

 Chapter 688 - 688 Suspicion (3)

    688 Suspicion (3)


    ¡°My younger brother is naughty and insensible. I hope he didn¡¯t offend you, Fifth Miss,¡± Su Mingfeng said with a smile.


    Shen Miao widened her eyes.


    Seeing that the young man was looking at her angrily, Shen Miao asked, ¡°Su Minglang?¡±


    ¡°We haven¡¯t seen each other for only two years and you forgot me?¡± Su Minglang said angrily, ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that you would bring me a gift when you came back?¡±


    Su Minglang was still angry. On the side, Luo Tan couldn¡¯t help but rub Su Minglang¡¯s head. Luo Tan liked beautiful things the most. Now that she saw Su Mingfeng, she said honestly, ¡°As expected of two brothers. You are both equally good-looking.¡±


    Su Minglang was still sulky about the fact that Shen Miao forgot about him. On the other hand, Su Mingfeng had never been complimented so openly by a woman. For a moment, he did not know what to say.


    Shen Qiu and Luo Ling quickly greeted the two brothers.


    Shen Miao looked at Su Minglang and smiled. ¡°The gift is at home. I¡¯ll get someone to send it to you later.¡± Ever since she returned to the capital with Shen Xin, things had been happening one after another, which kept her busy. She had really forgotten about Su Minglang. Now that she realized how much Su Minglang had changed, she couldn¡¯t help but sigh with emotion.


    When she left Wanyu and Fu Ming back then, they were still children. But when she came back, they changed so much that she could barely recognize them.


    Su Minglang did not hold a grudge against Shen Miao. When he heard that, his dissatisfaction was swept away. Su Minglang asked, ¡°Sister Shen, are you here to shop?¡±


    Su Mingfeng smiled awkwardly. He naturally knew that today was the day of the Shen family¡¯s execution. The first branch of the Shen family was not on good terms with the second and third branches of the Shen family. Not far from here was the execution ground. Shen Miao must be here to witness it. However, he could not tell his younger brother this.


    Shen Miao said, ¡°I was just strolling around. I¡¯m going back home now.¡±


    Su Minglang nodded obediently and said, ¡°Then remember to send me the gift.¡±


    Su Mingfeng slapped the back of his head. Su Minglang covered his head and glared at him. He turned to look at Shen Miao and was about to say goodbye to her when he suddenly looked dumbfounded. He pointed at the bracelet on Shen Miao¡¯s wrist and said, ¡°Sister Shen, this jade bracelet looks like the tiger head bracelet made by Brother Xie back then.¡±


    As soon as he said that, the rest of them were stunned. Shen Qiu and Luo Ling did not know what the tiger head bracelet was. Su Minglang said indeliberately, but Su Mingfeng frowned.


    There was indeed a jade bracelet hanging on Shen Miao¡¯s snow-white wrist. The jade was of good quality with a green luster. However, the jade bracelet was not a whole. It was divided into two at the head, like a pair of double rings. There were no traces of carving on it. There was only a small tiger head engraved on the protruding part of the head.


    Although Shen Miao felt that it looked like a cat.


    It was one of the jewelry that Xie Jingxing gave her. Shen Miao originally thought that those jewelry all had their unique usage, so If possible, it would be good to wear them all. Unexpectedly, when Gu Yu saw it, she said, ¡°Miss, you can¡¯t wear all these. These jewelry are expensive. You have to wear gorgeous clothes to match them. If you put them all on, you will look out of place.¡±

 Chapter 689 - 689 Suspicion (4)

    689 Suspicion (4)


    Xie Jingxing was not short of money, but he had already given her so much expensive jewelry. Did he have to specially buy a batch of gorgeous clothes for her to match these jewelry? Even if he bought them, she would find it troublesome to wear them.


    After thinking about it, she felt that this jade bracelet was the least conspicuous one. There were needles hidden inside for her to use in critical moments, and it looked relatively simple.


    While she was in a daze, Su Mingfeng¡¯s expression darkened. Before Shen Miao could react, he grabbed her hand and said, ¡°Sorry to offend you.¡±


    Shen Miao subconsciously wanted to pull her hand back, but Su Mingfeng held it very tightly. Shen Qiu and Luo Ling¡¯s eyes turned cold at the same time. Shen Qiu said, ¡°Young Master Su, you¡¯re too impetuous!¡±


    Su Minglang widened his eyes. This was probably the first time he had heard someone say that his brother was impetuous.


    However, Su Mingfeng quickly let go and cupped his hands at Shen Miao. ¡°My apologies, Fifth Miss Shen.¡±


    In the end, he did not do anything, so Shen Miao didn¡¯t take it to heart. She just did not know what Su Mingfeng had discovered. The next moment, she heard Su Mingfeng ask, ¡°Fifth Miss, may I ask where this tiger head bracelet came from?¡±


    Shen Miao¡¯s heart skipped a beat. Luo Tan and the others were dumbfounded. Su Mingfeng was a man, so why did he ask where the jewelry on a woman came from?


    Even Su Minglang looked at Su Mingfeng strangely.


    Su Mingfeng was unmoved. He still looked at Shen Miao seriously, as if he would not let her go today without getting an answer.


    Shen Miao came back to her senses and smiled. ¡°I bought it from a merchant who came from afar. He said that it¡¯s an imported item. I didn¡¯t expect Young Master Su to know it. Is this bracelet called the Tiger Head Bracelet?¡±


    For a moment, a look of disappointment flashed across Su Mingfeng¡¯s face, Then, he perked up and said, ¡°That¡¯s right. It¡¯s called the Tiger Head Bracelet. Fifth Miss, are you willing to sell it to me?¡±


    ¡°Ahem.¡± Luo Tan choked on her saliva. The people in the capital were so strange. The handsome young man in front of her actually wanted to buy jewelry from a woman. It was said that some rich families had some strange fetishes. For example, some people liked to collect women¡¯s undergarments, and some liked to put on women¡¯s rouge. It seemed that Young Master Su liked women¡¯s jewelry.


    Su Minglang asked, ¡°Brother, do you want to buy this tiger head bracelet for the girl you like?¡±


    Hearing this, Luo Tan was enlightened. So it was not that he liked to wear jewelry himself, but he wanted to buy it for his beloved girl.


    Shen Miao smiled and said, ¡°After all, this is my personal jewelry. It¡¯s not right for me to give or sell it to a man. Moreover, if Young Master Su wants to buy jewelry for the girl you like, you shouldn¡¯t give her the jewelry I used. If Young Master Su wants, I know some good jewelry in the Treasure Pavilion in the capital. They¡¯re much better than the one I have.¡±


    At this point, if Su Minglang continued pestering Shen Miao, he would seem unreasonable.


    Shen Qiu nodded and said, ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±


    Su Mingfeng could only smile and say, ¡°In that case, I won¡¯t force Fifth Miss Shen.¡± After exchanging a few more pleasantries, Su Mingfeng brought Su Minglang to bid farewell to Shen Miao and the others.


    Just as he was about to leave, Su Mingfeng suddenly thought of something. He looked at Shen Miao and hesitated for a moment before asking, ¡°Fifth Miss, have you seen the Young Marquis of the Xie family?¡±

 Chapter 690 - 690 Suspicion (5)

    690 Suspicion (5)


    Shen Miao was stunned, and so were the people around her.


    Everyone knew that Xie Jingxing had been dead for two years. Was Su Mingfeng crazy?


    Shen Miao laughed. ¡°The Young Marquis of the Xie family died young. How can I possibly have seen him?¡±


    Su Mingfeng did not say anything else. This time, he walked away with Su Minglang.


    When the two of them could no longer be seen in the crowd, Luo Tan hugged herself and said, ¡°I have goosebumps all over me. Cousin Sister, why would that person ask you if you¡¯ve seen a dead person?¡±


    Shen Miao said, ¡°He¡¯s probably crazy.¡±


    ¡°I think so too.¡± Luo Tan agreed.


    Shen Qiu frowned. ¡°Stay away from the Su family in the future.¡±


    ¡°But why did he ask you?¡± Luo Tan asked curiously, ¡°Did you have any relationship with Young Marquis Xie?¡±


    ¡°We have nothing to do with each other,¡± Shen Miao replied.


    Luo Ling looked at her in surprise.


    ¡­


    What Shen Miao did not know was that on this day, Su Mingfeng, who saw the Tiger Head Bracelet, was restless the entire day.


    Even Su Yu sensed that something was wrong with Su Mingfeng and asked him what was wrong. Now that a storm was brewing in the imperial court, the Su family had tried their best to keep a low profile and stay away from the murky water.


    Su Mingfeng only said a few words to brush Su Yu off before returning to his room. Su Yu and Mrs. Su looked at each other. Mrs. Su asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong with him?¡±


    Su Yu shook his head. Mrs. Su asked her younger son, Su Minglang, ¡°Minglang, when you went out with your brother today, who did you meet?¡±


    Su Minglang chewed the food as he replied, ¡°We met Sister Shen. Brother asked Sister Shen for jewelry, but she refused. Sister Shen said that it was not right for her to do so, so Brother was unhappy.¡±


    Mrs. Su and Su Yu gasped.


    Mrs. Su put down her chopsticks and asked, ¡°Let me ask you, is the Sister Shen you¡¯re talking about the Fifth Miss of the Shen family?¡± Now that the second and third branches of the Shen family had been eliminated, it was naturally not Shen Yue. Shen Qing died two years ago. Shen Dongling had married into the Wang family. Only Shen Miao was unmarried.


    Su Minglang nodded vigorously.


    This time, Su Yu couldn¡¯t sit still anymore. He pointed at Su Minglang shakily and said, ¡°Your brother asked her for jewelry?¡±


    Su Minglang nodded like a chicken pecking at grains.


    The couple looked at each other and saw the disbelief in each other¡¯s eyes. Su Mingfeng would be 23 years old soon after the new year. Most men of his age would be married long ago and even had children. However, for some reason, their son had always been unwilling to get married. In the early years, Xie Jingxing from the Marquis of Lin¡¯an often hung out with Su Mingfeng. Su Yu was not worried at all. He knew that Xie Jingxing was popular among girls, so his son would have a lot of chances to find girls he liked. Once Xie Jingxing died, his son practically became a monk. In the past two years, he had not shown interest in girls. Su Yu even thought his son might be a gay.

 Chapter 691 - 691 Suspicion (6)

    691 Suspicion (6)


    Hearing Su Minglang¡¯s words, the Su couple was half happy and half worried. They were happy that Su Mingfeng was normal and liked women. What worried them was that the person Su Mingfeng liked was Shen Xin¡¯s daughter. Shen Xin held a lot of power. If they became in-laws with Shen Xin, once Emperor Wen Hui was prepared to deal with Shen Xin, the Su family would be in trouble too.


    At the thought of this, they felt a headache coming on. Mrs. Su was considerate and said, ¡°Don¡¯t be anxious. Minglang didn¡¯t make it clear. If Mingfeng really likes Miss Shen, he will definitely do something. Jin Feng, go and call all the servants in Young Master¡¯s courtyard over. I have something to ask them.¡±


    In the room, Su Mingfeng paced back and forth.


    He was not wrong. Even just a glance was enough for him to see it clearly and figure it out. The jade bracelet on Shen Miao¡¯s wrist was clearly a tiger head bracelet.


    There were a total of two Tiger Head Rings. One was in the hand of Princess Rong Xin, and the other appeared on Shen Miao. Su Mingfeng had always thought that the second one would not appear because Xie Jingxing was dead.


    In the world, only Xie Jingxing knew how to make the tiger head bracelet.


    At that time, Su Mingfeng and Xie Jingxing were still young boys. One day, Su Minglang saw Xie Jingxing take something that looked like a bracelet to sharpen and grind it, and he even mocked him. In fact, he was very curious. Su Mingfeng knew Xie Jingxing well. Although Xie Jingxing was handsome and cynical, he was actually not interested in these gorgeous accessories at all, let alone women¡¯s items. Out of curiosity, Su Mingfeng asked. Xie Jingxing rolled his eyes at him and said that it was actually a hidden weapon.


    Later, Su Mingfeng nagged at Xie Jingxing to show it to him. The bracelet was connected by two separate parts, but there was a weapon hidden inside. It was a poisonous needle that could be used for self-defense.


    Su Mingfeng found it interesting and wanted it. Xie Jingxing said disdainfully, ¡°This is for women. Why does a man like you want to wear it?¡±


    Su Mingfeng gave up. Later, he saw Xie Jingxing give the bracelet to Princess Rong Xin. Ever since Princess Yuqing died, Princess Rong Xin doted on Xie Jingxing very much. Xie Jingxing was very close to her, so it was understandable that he gave it to Princess Rong Xin.


    Why was it called the Tiger Head Bracelet? It was precisely because Xie Jingxing had carved a tiger head on it. His carving skills were not good, and the tiger head looked similar to a dog head. Su Mingfeng mocked him, but Princess Rong Xin liked it very much.


    Xie Jingxing wanted to make another one, but the jade was very difficult to find, and he never found it. Two years ago, Su Mingfeng found a raw jade for him from a rich merchant, but the jade quality was not as good as the previous one. There were faint white marks. Before Xie Jingxing went to war, he took that raw jade and said that when he was bored on the way, he would make a tiger head bracelet. Unexpectedly, after he left, he never got to return home.


    The tiger head bracelet Shen Miao had had faint white marks on it. It had the same usage and the same workmanship, and the ugly carving was undoubtedly done by Xie Jingxing.


    Xie Jingxing left the capital two years ago. Shen Xin went to the Northwest two years ago. Shen Xin left first, and Xie Jingxing left after that. Could it be that Shen Miao and Xie Jingxing had met in the past two years?


    But at that time, Xie Jingxing was already dead!


    Moreover, the carving on the bracelet looked new. It seemed like it had not been polished for long and was not smooth enough.


    Su Mingfeng¡¯s heart was pounding. He instructed his servant, ¡°Get a few people to keep an eye on Fifth Miss Shen outside Shen Xin¡¯s mansion. I want to know everyone she meets and every place she goes.¡±


    Su Mingfeng naturally did not know how shocked his parents would be when they heard this.


    ¡°Oh my god.¡± Su Yu said, ¡°Mingfeng is really in love with her!¡±


    ¡°I thought that Mingfeng didn¡¯t look like someone who would do something so rash as snatching a woman¡¯s jewelry. I thought Minglang was spouting nonsense, but I didn¡¯t expect it to be true.¡± Mrs. Su felt a headache coming on. She took a sip of tea and said, ¡°Why does he behave so strangely, nothing like who he usually was? He even sent people to monitor Fifth Miss Shen. This is not how you should woo a girl.¡±


    ¡°Maybe he¡¯s been rejected and still won¡¯t give up.¡± Su Yu sighed. ¡°This child is like me.¡±


    Mrs. Su rolled her eyes at him. ¡°In that case, Mingfeng will lose hope to live if he can¡¯t marry her. We have to send an invitation to the Shen family first.¡±


    ¡°An invitation for what?¡± Su Yu was puzzled.


    ¡°What else for? Of course to matchmake your son with her,¡± Mrs. Su said.

 Chapter 692 - 692 Dating (1)

    692 Dating (1)


    The wind howled at night, and it was surprisingly cold. In Prince Rui¡¯s mansion, Gao Yang was reading a letter with relish.


    Shen Miao lived with Shen Xin. Although they had many soldiers and guards, for various reasons, Xie Jingxing still felt worried about her, so he chose a secret guard from Black Feather Army to protect Shen Miao in secret to prevent any accidents from happening.


    This secret guard called Cong Yang was originally a spy in Black Feather Army. He was first-class in martial arts and was also first-class at gathering information. However, there was one thing about him that annoyed people. He was a chatterbox. Every day, he was enthusiastic about reporting to Xie Jingxing what Shen Miao did. In this letter, he wrote about who Shen Miao saw today and what she said. Basically, other than going to the toilet and taking a shower, he included everything else in detail.


    Gao Yang felt that this was quite perverted, but Cong Yang was such a cautious person by nature. When he read the part about Shen Miao metting Su Mingfeng on the street at noon, his expression changed.


    Although he did not know what Su Mingfeng had discovered, Su Mingfeng and Xie Jingxing had been friends for so many years. There was a chance that he might discover something.


    Just as he was deep in thought, Ji Yushu passed by from behind with an apple in his mouth. Seeing that Gao Yang was absent-minded, he glanced at the letter and said, ¡°Wait, so that Miss Luo likes Su Mingfeng?¡±


    Gao Yang was suddenly frightened by Ji Yushu and almost fell off the stone bench. When he came back to his senses, he said angrily, ¡°Can you stop spooking me?¡±


    ¡°Why are you reacting so strongly?¡± Ji Yushu patted his shoulder. ¡°Don¡¯t play with your fan all day long. It¡¯s better to practice martial arts.¡± After saying that, he returned to the original topic and said, ¡°Miss Luo and Young Master Su are quite compatible. Third Brother is friends with both sides. Why don¡¯t we be a matchmaker for them?¡±


    Gao Yang frowned. ¡°In what way are they compatible? Besides, who said that Luo Tan likes Su Mingfeng?¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it obvious?¡± Ji Yushu said. He pointed at the line of words on the letter and said, ¡°Look, Miss Luo said to Su Mingfeng, ¡®As expected of two brothers. you are both equally good-looking.¡¯ Tell me, is it not obvious? Miss Luo is trying to get close to Su Mingfeng by compliments. Otherwise, why would she praise someone for being good-looking?¡±


    Not only did Cong Yang write what Shen Miao said, but he also wrote what Luo Tan said. Ji Yushu was really a talent. In the entire letter densely filled with words, he found something most irrelevant.


    Gao Yang suppressed the displeasure in his heart and said, ¡°Boring.¡±


    ¡°What does a blockhead like you know?¡± Ji Yushu snatched the fan from Gao Yang¡¯s hand and waved it the way Gao Yang usually did like he was the smartest person in the world. ¡°Only a person as experienced with women as me can see the true feeling of a young woman. If you want to ask me, I can consider teaching you.¡±


    Gao Yang snatched back the fan and ignored him.


    As they spoke, Xie Jingxing returned from outside, followed by Tie Yi and Nan Qi, looking travel-worn.


    ¡°Third Brother!¡± Ji Yushu greeted him warmly. Xie Jingxing did not even look at him and walked into the house with a cold expression. Nan Qi and Tie Yi also looked serious. Ji Yushu did not realize that Xie Jingxing was in a bad mood and continued, ¡°Third Brother, something happened to Fifth Miss Shen.¡±


    Xie Jingxing stopped in his tracks and frowned at him.


    Gao Yang also looked at Ji Yushu.


    Ji Yushu cleared his throat and said seriously, ¡°I just read the letter from Cong Yang, saying that when Fifth Miss Shen went out today, she bumped into a lecher who touched her hand.¡±

 Chapter 693 - 693 Dating (2)

    693 Dating (2)


    Gao Yang held his forehead and heard Ji Yushu ask again, ¡°Third Brother, do you know who this bold lecher is?¡±


    Naturally, no one answered him. Nan Qi and Tie Yi were extremely nervous. Fifth Miss Shen was someone their master liked. Who had the guts to touch Fifth Miss Shen¡¯s hand?


    Ji Yushu said with a sigh, ¡°It¡¯s Su Mingfeng! It¡¯s Third Brother¡¯s sworn brother, Su Mingfeng! You are so close, but he actually took advantage of the woman Third Brother likes. How shameless!¡±


    Nan Qi and Tie Yi were stunned. Xie Jingxing¡¯s gaze was cold, and Gao Yang simply covered his face with a fan.


    ¡­


    The light was dim, and Shen Miao was reading under the light in boredom. From time to time, she would look up at the window. The window was wide open on a cold day. Shen Miao guessed that Xie Jingxing had probably planted people in her house, but she didn¡¯t mind. Shen Xin and Luo Xueyan usually didn¡¯t work in the mansion, let alone Shen Qiu. There were no secrets in the Shen family, so it didn¡¯t matter if Xie Jingxing¡¯s people were around. She would just treat them as free guards.


    Since Xie Jingxing¡¯s people were paying attention to her every movement, when they saw the open window, they would most likely report to their master that she was waiting for him.


    Shen Miao thought about it and felt that it was really not a good thing to meet Su Mingfeng on the street today. Su Mingfeng and Xie Jingxing were very close. In her previous life, when Su Mingfeng died, only Xie Jingxing went to collect his corpse, not afraid of angering the Ming Qi royal family, so she knew that the two of them were indeed good friends. Since they were good friends, they definitely knew each other well. Today, Su Mingfeng noticed her bracelet and said something about the tiger head bracelet. It was definitely not a casual remark. It must have something to do with Xie Jingxing.


    Shen Miao did not know how many people in Ming Qi knew Xie Jingxing¡¯s real identity. However, judging from what Su Mingfeng said today, it was obvious that he did not know. If Su Mingfeng found out that Xie Jingxing was not dead¡­ Shen Miao did not know if Xie Jingxing would be in trouble.


    As she was thinking, she heard a sound from the window. She looked up and saw that the purple-robed young man had already entered with ease. He even closed the window to prevent the wind from blowing in.


    Xie Jingxing strode closer and sat down at the table. The tea on the table was still warm. Xie Jingxing poured himself a cup of tea. He was so at ease that those who didn¡¯t know might think he was at home. Shen Miao took a sip of tea and said, ¡°I called you here today for something.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡± Xie Jingxing asked with a smile.


    After a moment of hesitation, Shen Miao said, ¡°Su Mingfeng might have figured out that you¡¯re still alive.¡±


    Xie Jingxing fell silent.


    Shen Miao stretched out her wrist. The jade bracelet on her wrist was sparkling and translucent, making her wrist look even more slender and fair. She said, ¡°Su Mingfeng saw this bracelet on the street today and said something about the tiger head bracelet. He asked me if I¡¯ve seen you. I think there must be a connection.¡±


    Xie Jingxing frowned slightly. When he was silent, he gave people chills.


    Shen Miao thought to herself that the reason Xie Jingxing wore a mask was because he didn¡¯t want people to find out his true identity. Unexpectedly, her negligence today might cause Xie Jingxing to be noticed by Su Mingfeng. Even if Su Mingfeng was Xie Jingxing¡¯s good friend, Xie Jingxing would inevitably be put at a disadvantage. If she caused trouble for Xie Jingxing¡­ Xie Jingxing had helped her so much, but not only did she not help him but even caused him trouble. Shen Miao felt a little guilty.


    She thought for a moment and said, ¡°Why don¡¯t¡­ we think of a way to make up for it?¡±

 Chapter 694 - 694 Dating (3)

    694 Dating (3)


    Xie Jingxing said, ¡°Su Mingfeng and I have been friends for many years. He¡¯s smart. It¡¯s impossible to hide it from him.¡±


    Shen Miao felt a headache coming on, but she also blamed Xie Jingxing in her heart. Since this tiger head bracelet had this kind of story to it, he shouldn¡¯t give it to others, alright?


    ¡°Then what should we do?¡± Even though Shen Miao was smart, she did not know what to do.


    Xie Jingxing shook his head. ¡°If he finds out, so be it. Don¡¯t worry about it.¡±


    ¡°Won¡¯t this cause you trouble?¡± Shen Miao frowned and asked, ¡°The Su family serves Ming Qi after all. You¡¯re from the Daliang Dynasty. Perhaps he will think that you¡¯re a spy sent by an enemy country¡­ There will be endless trouble in the future.¡± For the sake of some benefits, the sisters in the harem could harm each other, not to mention that this concerned the interests of the two countries.


    Xie Jingxing glanced at her casually and suddenly smiled. ¡°Are you worried about me?¡±


    Shen Miao was stunned for a moment before saying, ¡°I¡¯m worried about myself.¡± After a pause, she added, ¡°I¡¯m in the same boat with you now. If you¡¯re discovered, I¡¯ll be implicated and even my family will be in trouble.¡±


    Xie Jingxing found it funny. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, you won¡¯t lose anything for being my ally.¡±


    Shen Miao was used to his arrogance and did not take his words to heart. She suddenly thought of something and said, ¡°Speaking of which, are you really not going to stop Su Mingfeng?¡±


    ¡°How long do you think I will keep wearing this mask?¡± Xie Jingxing suddenly asked.


    Shen Miao did not understand what he meant and did not speak.


    ¡°My identity will be known sooner or later,¡± Xie Jingxing said indifferently. ¡°If it¡¯s not Su Mingfeng, it will be someone else.¡±


    Shen Miao was shocked and puzzled. She asked again, ¡°Then have you thought about what your¡­ relatives will think if your identity is revealed? The Marquis of Lin¡¯an, Princess Rong Xin, Su Mingfeng, and the others¡­¡± What would Xie Jingxing¡¯s family and friends think to find out that he was still alive and had become Prince Rui? Even Shen Miao did not dare to imagine what harsh words they would say to Xie Jingxing.


    Xie Jingxing smiled casually. ¡°So what if they find out?¡± He said, ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter to me even if I¡¯m hated by the world.¡± He looked at Shen Miao and smiled evilly. ¡°I¡¯m not afraid.¡±


    However, for some reason, Shen Miao saw sadness through his smile. She felt that this handsome and beautiful young man was not as heartless as he looked.


    Just as Shen Miao was thinking, Xie Jingxing rubbed her head and said, ¡°Don¡¯t take off the bracelet. Since I gave it to you, I know it¡¯ll eventually be noticed.¡±


    Because she was the emperor, Shen Miao actually did not like it when people touched her head. Shen Miao would be unhappy even if Shen Qiu touched her head, but today, she let Xie Jingxing do it.


    Xie Jingxing stood up. ¡°I came over because I thought you had something urgent to tell me. If there¡¯s nothing else, I¡¯ll take my leave first.¡± He said, ¡°If you want to find me in the future, ask Cong Yang to do it. He¡¯s your secret guard now. You don¡¯t have to open the window and wait for me. I¡¯ll knock on it when I arrive.¡±


    Shen Miao did not think that there was anything wrong with what he said. It was not until Xie Jingxing left that Shen Miao felt that his words were too ambiguous.

 Chapter 695 - 695 Dating (4)

    695 Dating (4)


    Out of curiosity, Shen Miao called Cong Yang softly. In the blink of an eye, a young man in black appeared in front of her.


    Shen Miao felt a headache coming on. Did Xie Jingxing put someone in her room? Would she be watched when she was sleeping? She asked, ¡°Do you stay in the room all day?¡±


    Cong Yang said, ¡°I live on a tree out the door. I heard Young Madam call my name. I¡¯m a martial arts practitioner, so I can hear you even if you whisper.¡±


    Shen Miao looked at him in shock. ¡°What did you call me?¡±


    Cong Yang bowed to her and said respectfully, ¡°Young Madam.¡±


    Shen Miao said, ¡°Don¡¯t call me Young Madam.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Young Madam.¡±


    Shen Miao was speechless. After a while, she waved her hand and said with a sigh, ¡°Forget it. Let me ask you, what is Xie Jingxing going to do?¡± Xie Jingxing left in a hurry, looking like he had something important to do. Because of what happened during the day, Shen Miao felt uneasy, thinking that Xie Jingxing must have gone to kill Su Mingfeng.


    Cong Yang said, ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±


    Shen Miao took a deep breath. Apparently, Cong Yang was only instructed to monitor her. She sized up this person called Cong Yang. He looked young and strong. Tomorrow, she would send him to chop firewood with the kitchen staff!


    Xie Jingxing left the Shen mansion and instructed Tie Yi, ¡°In the future, tell Ji Yushu to keep his eyes off Cong Yang¡¯s letter.¡±


    Ji Yushu was a person who liked to join in the fun. Xie Jingxing really wanted to kick him back to Daliang.


    Tie Yi nodded. Suddenly, he thought of something and said, ¡°Your Highness, Master Guan Zhen, who is roaming around the world, has arrived at Putuo Temple. His Majesty asked you to go and see him. This time, he happens to be in Ming Qi. When do you plan to go?¡±


    Xie Jingxing thought for a moment and said, ¡°Tomorrow.¡±


    ¡­


    The next day, the weather was extremely good.


    Luo Tan had been obsessed with paper-cutting recently. Thinking that it was the end of the year and that she could cut some nice patterns and paste them on the window to decorate, she carried a large stack of red paper and scissors over, wanting to do paper-cutting with Shen Miao.


    As Shen Miao cut the paper, she thought of something.


    In her previous life, when she was in the State of Qin, those princesses and princes deliberately teased her and asked her to cut the paper and do needlework. Over time, it damaged her eyesight, causing her to not be able to see things clearly at night. There was also a thick layer of calluses on her hands.


    Later, after she returned to the palace, even if she tried to shave off the layer of callus, she could not. At that time, it was Fu Xiuyi¡¯s birthday, and all the beauties in the harem had to give him a birthday gift to make him happy. Consort Mei¡¯s konghou performance was outstanding, and the way her slender fingers danced on it stunned everyone.


    When it was her turn, Shen Miao gave Fu Xiuyu a painting of mountains and rivers. She was the empress, so it wasn¡¯t suitable for her to dance and sing. The painting was very grand. Fu Xiuyi clearly liked it very much, and the officials praised it. However, Consort Mei wanted to make Shen Miao embarrassed and insisted that Shen Miao play a song on the konghou as well.


    Shen Miao was unwilling. She looked at Fu Xiuyi pleadingly, but Fu Xiuyi said casually, ¡°Since Consort Mei is in the mood to hear a song, Empress, play a song for me. I haven¡¯t seen you play the Konghou for many years.¡±


    Forced to a corner, Shen Miao had no choice but to play.


    Shen Miao knew how to play the Konghou. She had actually learned a lot to please Fu Xiuyi. Although the song she played was not as moving as Consort Mei¡¯s, it was still pleasant to the ear. However, it still caused the officials to criticize her, the palace concubines to laugh at her, and the people to point a finger at her.


    Why? It was because the hands that were playing the Konghou were too ugly. The joints were thick because Shen Miao did work all year round, and thick calluses could be seen between the fingers. The entire hand was big and rough. It did not look like the hand of the empress of a country, but the hand of a peasant woman.

 Chapter 696 - 696 Dating (5)

    696 Dating (5)


    It formed a sharp contrast with the delicate, fair, and beautiful hands from Consort Mei.


    Shen Miao was very scared. It was not that she was scared of making a fool of herself, but she was scared that because of her, Wanyu and Fu Ming would also be criticized. When she played the Konghou, she looked at Consort Mei who was smiling at her sneeringly. Seeing Fu Xiuyi¡¯s cold expression, she was actually so sad that she wanted to cry. However, Shen Miao could not cry. For the sake of Wanyu and Fu Ming, she had to be a dignified empress.


    She pretended not to care. When she returned to Kunning Palace, she asked Shuang Jiang to bring a scissor and cut off a layer of skin on her hand.


    Seeing that Shen Miao was deep in thought, Luo Tan asked, ¡°Cousin Sister?¡±


    Shen Miao came back to her senses and smiled bitterly.


    After rebirth, her hands were still delicate, but it was as if those calluses still existed, constantly reminding her of her miserable past.


    Shen Miao threw the scissor away and said, ¡°I¡¯m not cutting anymore.¡±


    Luo Tan exclaimed and asked, ¡°Why?¡±


    Shen Miao said casually, ¡°They will give me calluses.¡±


    Luo Tan, who had always admired Shen Miao, couldn¡¯t help but have a strange expression on her face. SHe said, ¡°It¡¯s not like you are cutting it day and night. How can it give you calluses?¡±


    Shen Miao picked up the tea and took a sip. Gu Yu walked in and said, ¡°Miss, Madam wants you to go to the main hall.¡±


    Luo Xueyan didn¡¯t go to the palace today. Shen Miao asked, ¡°Why is my mother looking for me?¡±


    Gu Yu shook her head and said, ¡°I don¡¯t know either. However, Mrs. Su came to our mansion and is talking to Madam in the main hall.¡±


    ¡°The Su family?¡± Shen Miao paused and put down her teacup. ¡°The Earl of Pingnan?¡±


    ¡°Exactly.¡±


    In the main hall, Luo Xueyan was talking to Mrs. Su.


    Mrs. Su did not come empty-handed today. She said that her husband had two snow sparrows, but these snow sparrows were only found in the north part of the country. Mrs. Su was afraid that she would accidentally kill the birds, so she specially came to ask how she could raise them well because she knew that Luo Xueyan was from the northwest.


    Previously, the Shen family and the Marquis of Lin¡¯an were enemies, and the Su family was on good terms with the Marquis of Lin¡¯an. Naturally, the Shen family and the Su family were at odds and did not care about each other. Luo Xueyan thought that Mrs. Su was here to make fun of her, but she saw that Mrs. Su was sincere and did not have any intention of doing that.


    Since Mrs. Su came with a friendly attitude, Luo Xueyan didn¡¯t give her the cold shoulder. However, Luo Xueyan was confused. Today, Mrs. Su said that she was here to ask how to raise the snow sparrows. After talking for a while, she did not mention the snow sparrows at all. She only pestered Luo Xueyan to tell her about the things that happened in Spring City and praised her for raising her children well.


    After being complimented so much, Luo Xueyan thought that it was only right for Shen Miao to come out and greet the guest, so she asked someone to call Shen Miao over. However, Luo Xueyan was puzzled. Could it be that now that the Marquis of Lin¡¯an was on the decline, the Su family wanted to find another backer for them, so they wanted to curry favor with the Shen family?


    If that was the case, they must stay away from the Su family. At the thought of this, Luo Xueyan felt that her decision to call Shen Miao over was a little impulsive, especially when she saw Mrs. Su looking at the door expectantly. But she couldn¡¯t take back what she had said.

 Chapter 697 - 697 Dating (6)

    697 Dating (6)


    When the maid outside came to report that Shen Miao was here, Mrs. Su immediately sat up straight and looked at the door excitedly.


    A tall girl in a light yellow dress walked in. She was quite perky and handsome in a heroic way. Her skin was wheat-colored. When she walked, she would bounce. Her hair was tied into a bun. There were only two pearl earrings as decoration on her body and a red dagger at her waist.


    Mrs. Su was stunned. She did not expect Su Mingfeng to like such a woman.


    When the girl saw Luo Xueyan, she smiled and said, ¡°Aunt.¡±


    Aunt? Mrs. Su was confused before she saw that there was another girl behind the girl. That girl was wearing a lilac-colored pleated dress with begonias on the sides. She had a moon-white jacket and a snow-white cloak. Her skin was as fair as a peeled egg, and her eyes were round and bright. She had a small nose, a small mouth, and delicate eyebrows. She had a cute appearance. She walked elegantly and steadily, looking like someone who had come out of the palace. When Mrs. Su first married Su Yu, she had a chance to see the empress. She felt that the petite and cute girl in front of her was exactly the same as the empress, if not better in terms of temperament.


    The girl called Luo Xueyan Mother and then looked at Mrs. Su.


    Luo Xueyan quickly said, ¡°This is the madam of the Su family. This is my daughter and niece, Luo Tan.¡±


    Shen Miao and Luo Tan bowed to Mrs. Su.


    Mrs. Su did not go to the palace banquet last time. She had only heard of Shen Miao going against Princess Ming An at the banquet. She thought that Shen Miao was not a docile person, so she was a little worried when she heard from Su Minglang that Su Mingfeng liked Shen Miao. However, she still had to come and take a look for herself. After all, this was her son¡¯s marriage. Thinking that Shen Miao must be an unruly girl, she subconsciously thought of Luo Tan as Shen Miao. However, she did not expect that Shen Miao was completely different from what she thought.


    She smiled and took out two red packets from her sleeve. She stuffed them into Shen Miao and Luo Tan¡¯s hands and said with a smile, ¡°Mrs. Shen, you¡¯re really lucky. Your daughter and niece are both very good-looking.¡±


    Luo Tan and Shen Miao both looked at the red packet in their hands in confusion. It was not the new year. It would be fine to receive the red packet if they were close. Shen Miao knew very well that the Su family and the Shen family were not close at all. Could it be that Su Mingfeng had found out something? But even if it was the case, why did Mrs. Su have to come?


    Luo Xueyan was about to turn down the red packets when Mrs. Su grabbed her hand and said, ¡°If you decline, I¡¯ll be angry. I just like these two girls very much. It¡¯s just a greeting gift.¡± She sighed again. ¡°If only I had two daughters.¡±


    Luo Xueyan was really confused by Mrs. Su today. She could only go along with her and say, ¡°I¡¯m flattered. Madam, you also have two outstanding sons.¡±


    ¡°How are they outstanding?¡± Mrs. Su shook her head. ¡°Minglang is very mischievous. He doesn¡¯t want to learn. I can¡¯t force him. I heard that your son, Shen Qiu, was very sensible when he was young. I¡¯m very envious.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you still have Mingfeng?¡± Luo Xueyan smiled and said, ¡°Everyone knows that Mingfeng is a young talent.¡±


    Mrs. Su was delighted. She looked at Shen Miao and Luo Tan and said, ¡°Misses, we¡¯re just chatting about boring things. If you don¡¯t like it, go and have fun.¡±


    Shen Miao became more and more vigilant. At the mention of Su Mingfeng, Mrs. Su wanted to send her away. Could it be that Mrs. Su was really here for what happened yesterday?


    Luo Tan and Shen Miao walked out. Shen Miao turned around and whispered, ¡°Cong Yang, hide in the main hall and hear what they have to say.¡±


    Even if she spoke in a low voice, Cong Yang could still hear her. Seeing this, Luo Tan asked, ¡°Little Cousin, what are you muttering about?¡±


    In the main hall, Mrs. Su covered her chest and looked at Luo Xueyan with a melancholic expression. ¡°To be honest, Mingfeng is indeed not bad. All these years, his father and I have never had to worry about him. He¡¯s a good-looking and talented man. He became an official at a young age and is filial and polite. You can¡¯t find a second one in the capital.¡±


    Luo Xueyan smiled, but she was thinking to herself, Just now, she said that Shen Qiu was good, and now, she said that her son was the best in the capital. Who would praise their son like that?


    As she was thinking, she heard Mrs. Su sigh deeply and continue, ¡°But there is one thing I¡¯m dissatisfied with my son. He is stubborn. Once he makes up his mind on something, he won¡¯t change. As a result, he¡¯s not married yet even at such an age. Sigh!¡±

 Chapter 698 - 698 Phoenix Life (1)

    698 Phoenix Life (1)


    Luo Xueyan didn¡¯t understand why Mrs. Su made a mountain out of a molehill. Su Mingfeng was talented and handsome, so it¡¯s natural for him to be picky. Looking at Mrs. Su¡¯s troubled expression, she comforted her, ¡°It¡¯s nothing. Mrs. Su, you don¡¯t have to be too worried. Look, my son is still unmarried as well. It takes time for them to find a suitable partner. If they get married rashly to someone incompatible with them, they¡¯ll be unhappy for the rest of their lives.¡±


    ¡°Madam, you¡¯re right.¡± Mrs. Su held Luo Xueyan¡¯s hand and said with a smile, ¡°I originally thought so, but Mingfeng is a taciturn person. He doesn¡¯t tell me anything. I don¡¯t know what he¡¯s thinking at all.¡±


    Luo Xueyan listened absent-mindedly. She had seen Su Mingfeng before and knew that he was very eloquent. She really did not want to continue discussing Mrs. Su¡¯s family matters, so she changed the topic and asked, ¡°Mrs. Su, don¡¯t you want to know how to raise the sparrow?¡±


    Mrs. Su glanced at the two birds in the bird cage and continued, pretending not to hear her, ¡°Let¡¯s talk more about my good-for-nothing son.¡±


    Luo Xueyan was speechless.


    ¡°When Mingfeng was young, he liked a painting that his father brought back. He liked that painting so much that he lost interest in other paintings. However, that painting was given to someone by his father, so Mingfeng was sad for many years.¡± Mrs. Su sighed and said, ¡°Mingfeng is a sentimental person. Everything he likes is the best. It¡¯s precisely because of this that once he set his heart on something, he won¡¯t change.¡±


    Just as Luo Xueyan was wondering what she was driving at, she heard Mrs. Su continue. ¡°It¡¯s the same for women. Once he likes a woman, he won¡¯t be interested in all the other women.¡±


    Luo Xueyan smiled and said, ¡°So Young Master Su already has someone he likes. I wonder who is so lucky.¡±


    She asked this out of politeness, but she did not expect Mrs. Su to be waiting for her to ask this. She immediately clapped her hands and said, ¡°She¡¯s your daughter.¡±


    Luo Xueyan¡¯s face immediately turned pale. No wonder she talked nothing about the snow sparrows and kept praising her own son. So that was what she was driving at.


    Seeing that Luo Xueyan did not look too happy, Mrs. Su was worried. She knew that the Shen family was rich and powerful, so they definitely did not care about the Su family¡¯s assets. There were many families like the Su family in the capital who were willing to marry the daughter of the Shen family. In addition, she had seen Shen Miao with her own eyes today. Such a dignified girl would be the most suitable for the position of the first wife of a family.


    Luo Xueyan¡¯s expression turned cold. ¡°Mrs. Su, is that why you came today?¡±


    Mrs. Su was a little embarrassed. She knew that it was wrong of her to come uninvited to talk about this, but she still said, ¡°Madam, don¡¯t be angry. I know I¡¯m being rude today, but as a mother, you should be able to understand me, right?¡±


    Luo Xueyan¡¯s expression softened. Mrs. Su came with a good attitude today, so Luo Xueyan didn¡¯t flare up at her. She said, ¡°Mrs. Su, why did you bring this up all of a sudden?¡± Luo Xueyan¡¯s heart skipped a beat. Could it be that Shen Miao and Su Mingfeng were already dating in private?

 Chapter 699 - 699 Phoenix Life (2)

    699 Phoenix Life (2)


    Mrs. Su said, ¡°I heard from Minglang that Mingfeng has a crush on Fifth Miss. At first, I didn¡¯t believe it because my son is a blockhead. He¡¯s never shown interest in any girls, and I don¡¯t know what kind of person Fifth Miss is, so I came today. When I saw Fifth Miss, I finally understood why Mingfeng liked her. She¡¯s good-looking, has a good personality, and has a good aura. I guess in the entire Ming Qi, only the Shen family can bring up such an outstanding girl. To be honest, Mrs. Shen, not only Mingfeng, but I also like Fifth Miss very much, so I can¡¯t wait to tell you about it. I know that you are a straightforward person, so I won¡¯t beat around the bush.¡±


    These words were spoken with extreme sincerity and filled with praises for Shen Miao. As a mother, how could Luo Xueyan not like her daughter being praised? Luo Xueyan was gradually tempted. However, Shen Miao¡¯s marriage was not something that could be decided by her on a whim. Firstly, the Shen family¡¯s status in Ming Qi was special now. They had to make sure their in-laws were neither powerful nor weak. Secondly, although Su Mingfeng had a good reputation, he had fallen sick a few years ago and had to quit becoming an official. Luo Xueyan did not want Shen Miao to marry an invalid. Moreover, Luo Xueyan and Su Mingfeng had never met, so she did not know what kind of person he was. Thirdly, and most importantly, Su Mingfeng liked Shen Miao, but she did not know if Shen Miao liked him. Luo Xueyan was an open-minded mother. She wanted Shen Miao to live a happy life and choose a husband she liked. Therefore, she could not make the decision now.


    ¡°My daughter¡¯s marriage won¡¯t be settled anytime soon.¡± Luo Xueyan smiled and said, ¡°On behalf of my husband, I thank Mrs. Su and Young Master Su for thinking so highly of my daughter. However, we have to consider a lot. In such a short time, I can¡¯t give you an answer. I¡¯m afraid I¡¯ll have to think about it for a few days. Just as you said, we¡¯re all mothers.I hope you can understand.¡± Luo Xueyan neither confirmed nor denied.


    Mrs. Su was extremely satisfied with this. After saying a few more words, she left.


    After Mrs. Su left, Luo Xueyan¡¯s gaze darkened, looking a little pensive.


    All along, Luo Xueyan and Shen Xin thought that Shen Miao was still young and was not in a hurry to get married. However, when Mrs. Su came to propose arranging a marriage for their children, it reminded Luo Xueyan that at this age, Shen Miao could indeed be engaged.


    Luo Xueyan planned to tell Shen Xin about this when he returned and get someone to make a list of the young talents in the capital. It was time to select someone for their daughter.


    ¡­


    For the first time, Mr. Su did not go fishing today. Instead, he stayed in the house, waiting. When he saw Mrs. Su return, he quickly went forward to massage her shoulders and instructed the maid to serve tea. Mr. Su asked, ¡°How is it? What did Madam Shen say?¡±


    ¡°She neither confirmed nor denied. I think she needs some time to think about it.¡± Mrs. Su said, ¡°After all, the Shen family is not an ordinary family. It¡¯s only right for them to weigh the pros and cons before making a decision.¡±


    Su Yu pulled a long face. ¡°What¡¯s there to think about?¡±


    Mrs. Su found it funny. ¡°Do you think they¡¯ll agree just because I went today?¡±


    ¡°Why not?¡± Su Yu asked, ¡°Can you find another young man like Mingfeng in the capital? Any girl marrying Mingfeng is blessed.¡± As he spoke, he thought of something. ¡°Wait, how is Fifth Miss Shen?¡±

 Chapter 700 - 700 Phoenix Life (3)

    700 Phoenix Life (3)


    Mr. Su had seen Shen Miao at the palace banquet and felt that Shen Miao was not bad, but her personality was a little too domineering. However, men¡¯s judgment on a woman wasn¡¯t as accurate as women¡¯s judgment on a woman. That was why Mrs. Su went to check out her ¡°daughter-in-law¡± with critical eyes. Su Yu wanted to hear what Mrs. Su thought of Shen Miao.


    Mrs. Su took a sip of tea and said, ¡°Mingfeng has good taste. I think Fifth Miss Shen is much better than most of the young ladies in the capital. There¡¯s no need to mention her appearance. Since she¡¯s a girl raised by Shen Xin, she must have a good character. Her temperament is rare, like she¡¯s a noble from the palace. However, there¡¯s one thing I¡¯m afraid of, which is that Mingfeng won¡¯t be able to tame such a girl. However, it¡¯s not all that bad. Mingfeng has a gentle personality. They¡¯ll be compatible.¡±


    It was rare for Su Yu to hear Mrs. Su praise someone like that. He wondered if his wife was exaggerating it.


    Su Mingfeng returned from outside. Just as he was about to step into the main hall, the corner of his shirt was grabbed. He turned around and saw Su Minglang.


    !!


    Su Minglang looked at him seriously. ¡°Brother, don¡¯t go in and cause trouble now, or you¡¯ll ruin your marriage.¡±


    ¡°My marriage?¡± Su Mingfeng was puzzled. ¡°What about my marriage?¡±


    ¡°I heard that Mother went to see your future wife today,¡± Su Minglang said.


    Su Mingfeng was shocked and asked, ¡°What do you mean? Who is my future wife?¡±


    Su Minglang said, ¡°Of course it¡¯s Sister Shen.¡±


    ¡°Mother went to the Shen family?¡± Su Mingfeng raised his voice.


    Su Minglang patted Su Mingfeng¡¯s arm. ¡°I¡¯m really envious of you.¡±


    ¡­


    Shen Xin and Luo Xueyan discussed for a while and really started to look for young talents for Shen Miao in the capital. They were even considering whether they should let Shen Miao attend some social banquets. Shen Xin even asked Shen Qiu to pay attention to see if there were young talents among his peers.


    With such a commotion happening in the Shen family, it was impossible for Prince Rui not to be informed of it.


    As soon as Xie Jingxing returned home, Ji Yushu ran over with a letter in his hand and shouted, ¡°Third Brother, the Su family has gone to propose marriage! What are you waiting for?¡± After a pause, he continued, ¡°Go and teach Su Mingfeng a lesson!¡±


    Gao Yang also looked worried and said, ¡°Mrs. Su is on good terms with many madams. The Su family has a good reputation. If Shen Xin thinks that Su Mingfeng is not bad, he might agree to this marriage arrangement.¡±


    Xie Jingxing felt a headache coming on. He didn¡¯t need to read the letter to know what it was about.


    Su Mingfeng was quite a careful person and would not do anything too rash. However, his parents weren¡¯t the same. Now that they went to propose marriage for their son, they might do something more shocking later on.


    Moreover, Ji Yushu was still fanning the flames at the side. He said angrily, ¡°Su Mingfeng is really scheming. When he was with Third Brother, he called you brothers and you¡¯ve been friends for so many years. Ever since you changed your identity, he revealed his true colors. People say that time will tell. So Su Mingfeng is actually such a person. Third Brother, cut ties with him.¡±

 Chapter 701 - 701 Phoenix Life (4)

    701 Phoenix Life (4)


    Gao Yang really couldn¡¯t stand Ji Yushu¡¯s nonsense and said, ¡°The Shen family has already started to find a husband for Fifth Miss Shen. We don¡¯t have much time in Ming Qi. If you want to do it, do it as soon as possible.¡±


    As soon as he said that, Xie Jingxing¡¯s expression turned cold.


    Ji Yushu did not notice it. Instead, an idea struck him as he said, ¡°I have an idea!¡±


    The few of them looked at him at the same time. Ji Yushu continued, ¡°Third Brother, you are already a dead man in their eyes. Why don¡¯t you pretend to be a ghost at night and visit Su Mingfeng in his bedroom? Just tell him that Miss Shen is someone you like and you are going to marry her. Su Mingfeng will be frightened and won¡¯t dare to have any designs on Fifth Miss Shen¡­ Hey, Third Brother, don¡¯t go. Let me finish!¡±


    !!


    Gao Yang shook his head and muttered, ¡°Idiot.¡±


    Xie Jingxing returned to the study and sat down at the table. He frowned and was thinking about something. Tie Yi asked hesitantly, ¡°Master, at the Putuo Temple today, what Master Guan Zhen said¡­¡±


    Master Guan Zhen was a wandering monk. Some people said that he was from the Daliang Dynasty, some said that he was from the State of Qin, and some said that he was from Ming Qi. However, one thing was certain. Whenever Master Guan Zhen came to the temple, everyone treated him as an honored guest. Master Guan Zhen was a disciple of the Buddha. It was said that he could see people¡¯s past and future. This was naturally exaggerated, but Master Guan Zhen¡¯s prediction was extremely accurate. He had once predicted a flood in the Daliang Dynasty.


    Emperor Yong Le had once asked him to stay as the state preceptor, but unfortunately, he was rejected by Master Guan Zhen. Two years ago, when Xie Jingxing returned to the Daliang Dynasty, Emperor Yong Le wanted to find Master Guan Zhen to read Xie Jingxing¡¯s face. Unfortunately, at that time, Master Guan Zhen had already left the Daliang Dynasty, and no one knew his whereabouts.


    They did not expect that Master Guan Zhen would appear in Ming Qi.


    When they arrived at the Putuo Temple in the day, before Xie Jingxing needed to introduce himself, Master Guan Zhen had already figured out his identity.


    What Master Guan Zhen told Xie Jingxing was that he was a very important person, someone who could affect the overall situation. He was the dragon, the head of all things. Unfortunately, it was a ferocious dragon, fierce and cruel.


    Xie Jingxing asked what tribulations he would encounter.


    Master Guan Zhen shook his head and said that the ferocious dragon would encounter no tribulations as it was the one that created tribulations for others. However, He was destined to help someone overcome the tribulation.


    When Xie Jingxing asked again, Master Guan Zhen said that the heavenly secrets could not be revealed and refused to say anything.


    Tie Yi was a little discouraged. It was not easy to meet Master Guan Zhen, but he refused to say anything explicit. Prince Rui was someone who had always been indifferent to the sufferings of others. Helping someone overcome the tribulation? Who had the fortune to receive his help?


    Xie Jingxing said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry about that. Send this letter back to Daliang first.¡±


    His expression was a little stern.


    ¡­


    Shen Miao couldn¡¯t sleep in bed.


    What Cong Yang said in the afternoon still lingered in her ears. She did not expect Mrs. Su to come to the Shen family to talk about marriage.

 Chapter 702 - 702 Phoenix Life (5)

    702 Phoenix Life (5)


    Why did Mrs. Su come to talk about marriage for her son? From what Cong Yang said, Su Mingfeng was deeply in love with Shen Miao. Shen Miao would never believe this. Not to mention that Su Mingfeng had only met her a few times, moreover, on the street that day, the way Su Mingfeng looked at her was by no means affectionate.


    Could this be Su Mingfeng¡¯s scheme? Shen Miao thought that because Su Mingfeng wanted to find out the secret of the Tiger Head Bracelet, he decided to marry her. Or did he think that after she became his wife, she would tell him everything? Would Su Mingfeng really sacrifice his entire life just to find out the truth?


    Gu Yu walked in with a stack of clothes in her hand. She smiled and said, ¡°Miss, we¡¯re going to the Putuo Temple tomorrow. Madam said you should wear plain colors, so I brought some. Miss, wake up early tomorrow morning to pick one you like.¡± As she spoke, she blew out the candle for Shen Miao and said, ¡°Miss, you have to rest early today. I¡¯m afraid the journey tomorrow will be long and tiring.¡±


    At night, Luo Xueyan came over and told Luo Tan and Shen Miao that she would bring the two of them to the Putuo Temple to offer incense tomorrow. Luo Tan had never been to the Putuo Temple, so she was naturally very happy, but Shen Miao was not enthusiastic.


    Putuo Temple was a famous temple in the capital. It was located halfway up the mountain in the north of the city. It was said that the tree called ¡°Fate Tree¡± was very effective. Young woman could exchange copper coins for some red strings from the monk in the temple and tie the red strings to a pouch before throwing it on the tree. If the pouch hung on the tree branch, it meant that the goddess of love had heard the woman¡¯s prayer and would bring her a good marriage.


    Shen Miao had been to that ¡°fate tree¡± in her previous life. In order to show that she was fated to marry Fu Xiuyi, she bought hundreds of red strings and tied them to pouches before throwing them up. Later, Shen Qing and Shen Yue ¡°accidentally¡± revealed this matter, causing Shen Miao to be made fun of.


    Therefore, Shen Miao did not like this tree very much.


    If Shen Miao hadn¡¯t heard the conversation between Mrs. Su and Luo Xueyan from Cong Yang today, she would¡¯ve thought that Luo Xueyan wanted to go to the temple to make some good wishes as it was almost the end of the year. However, after knowing what they said in the main hall, Shen Miao realized that Luo Xueyan brought her along because she wanted to make her throw a red string at the tree.


    Shen Miao was extremely unwilling and even wondered if she should pretend to be sick. However, falling sick at this moment seemed too deliberate. Moreover, Luo Tan was in high spirits, and Shen Miao didn¡¯t want to ruin her fun. She thought that it wouldn¡¯t hurt to throw something on the tree, so she agreed.


    However, she still felt a little uncomfortable.


    That night, Shen Miao did not sleep well. She had a few dreams. In her dreams, she was the one standing under the tree and throwing red strings. Luo Xueyan bought her an entire bucket of red strings. Shen Miao¡¯s arms were sore from throwing, but the red strings that she had marked were all gone. There was nothing on the ground or on the tree. Just as she was puzzled, she saw a purple-robed young man sitting on the tree with a large handful of red strings in his hand. He smiled at her with a faint smile and asked, ¡°Who do you want to marry?¡±


    He had sharp eyebrows, a straight nose, and rosy lips. His eyes were as sharp as blades. It was Xie Jingxing¡¯s face.


    Shen Miao suddenly woke up from her dream and couldn¡¯t fall asleep again.


    When Jingzhe came in, she was shocked and asked, ¡°Miss, did you not sleep well last night? You have dark circles under your eyes.¡±

 Chapter 703 - 703 Phoenix Life (6)

    703 Phoenix Life (6)


    Shen Miao waved her hand. She felt that this dream was strange and embarrassing, so she didn¡¯t say anything. After eating and washing up, she went out. Luo Xueyan and the others were waiting in the hall. To Shen Miao¡¯s surprise, other than Luo Tan, Shen Qiu and Luo Ling were also there.


    Luo Xueyan said, ¡°Let¡¯s go together and pray for a safe and healthy year ahead.¡±


    Shen Xin said, ¡°Then I¡¯ll go too.¡±


    ¡°Why are you going with us?¡± Luo Xueyan gave him a look. ¡°Stay at home.¡±


    Shen Qiu was puzzled as to why his father couldn¡¯t go, but Shen Miao understood why. It seemed like Luo Xueyan not only wanted her and Luo Tan to throw the red string, but also Shen Qiu and Luo Ling. After all, Shen Qiu and Luo Ling were already at the age where they could marry. However¡­ wasn¡¯t the fate tree only for women? If the red strings they threw really hung on the tree, would Shen Qiu and Luo Ling marry a man in the future? Shen Miao couldn¡¯t help but shiver.


    Soon, everyone set off. The Putuo Temple was some distance away from the capital. They set off in the morning, and when they arrived, it was almost noon. Along the way, Luo Tan was in high spirits and kept asking Luo Xueyan if the Putuo Temple was really that magical.


    As Luo Xueyan spoke, she indeed led the conversation to the fate tree. When Luo Tan heard of the fate tree, she found it very interesting and said, ¡°This is a little similar to a custom in the Spring City. However, since Putuo Temple is a famous temple, this fate tree should be very effective.¡± She shook Shen Miao¡¯s arm. ¡°Cousin, can we go and throw the red strings together?¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you in no hurry to get married?¡± Shen Miao glanced at her.


    Luo Tan coughed lightly. ¡°No, I¡¯m not. It¡¯s just for fun.¡±


    Luo Xueyan also said, ¡°Jiaojiao, Tan, when we reach the Putuo Temple, the two of you can go and throw the red strings together. No matter if you want to get married or not, just take it as making a good wish, right?¡±


    Luo Tan agreed excitedly. Shen Miao already knew her mother¡¯s plan, so she had no choice but to obey.


    In the ancient temple that had existed for hundreds of years in Ming Qi, a monk in his seventies was sitting in one of the meditation rooms.


    This monk had a kind face and was really like a disciple of Buddha. He was wearing a red kasaya and holding a string of prayer beads in his hand. The young monk beside him asked, ¡°Master, we¡¯ve been waiting here for a few days. Will that person really come?¡±


    ¡°She will come. I came here especially for her,¡± the old monk said indifferently.


    ¡°But we¡¯ve been waiting for a long time.¡± The young monk was only in his teens and was curious. He asked, ¡°When will she come?¡±


    The old monk did not speak and only silently spun the string of prayer beads in his hand. Suddenly, he stopped spinning the string of prayer beads and stroked a round prayer bead repeatedly with his fingers.


    After a while, the old monk smiled.


    ¡°In no time,¡± he said.


    ¡­


    When Shen Miao and the others arrived at the Putuo Temple, it was not noon yet. Perhaps it was because the horses were running fast today, or because the coachman drove the carriage well, or because the road was much smoother, the journey that usually took four and a half hours was completed in less than four hours today.


    The women got off the carriage, and Shen Qiu and Luo Ling also got off their horses. They saw an ancient temple sitting halfway up the mountain in the lush forest. Because of the layers of clouds, it looked like a paradise. Coupled with the chanting of scriptures coming from inside, people couldn¡¯t help but feel a sense of awe.


    Luo Tan sighed and said, ¡°It really lives up to its name.¡±


    Luo Xueyan instructed, ¡°Qiu, Ling, take your horses to the stable first. I¡¯ll bring Tan and Jiaojiao in.¡±


    After Shen Qiu and Luo Ling left, the guards of the Shen family followed Shen Miao and the others. From afar, Luo Tan saw a tree with red strings hanging on it and said, ¡°This is the fate tree, right? Aunt, come and see. It¡¯s so big!¡±


    Luo Xueyan smiled and said, ¡°Let¡¯s go buy the red strings first.¡±


    Shen Miao followed behind the two of them, feeling quite helpless. Luo Tan and Luo Xueyan were excited and ran fast, leaving Shen Miao behind. However, with the guards of the Shen family and Cong Yang protecting her in the dark, Shen Miao was not worried.


    When she followed Luo Xueyan and the others into a temple hall, someone suddenly grabbed the corner of Shen Miao¡¯s dress. She turned around and saw a person in a Daoist robe squatting by the door.


    Why would a Daoist priest appear in a temple?


    The Daoist priest¡¯s clothes were tattered. There was a bamboo tube in front of him and a horsetail whisk in his hand. For some reason, he looked a little comical. He was probably in his forties. He had a small beard and looked at Shen Miao with bright eyes.


    ¡°Miss, I see that your glabella is dark. I¡¯m afraid you¡¯ll encounter a fatal disaster. Do you want me to read your fortune?¡±


    ¡°Where did this lunatic come from? He¡¯s full of nonsense!¡± Jingzhe was furious.


    Shen Miao pulled the corner of her dress out from the Daoist and was about to walk forward.


    The person said, ¡°The phoenix has a good life but will be imprisoned forever. What a pity.¡±

 Chapter 704 - 704 Fortune-telling (1)

    704 Fortune-telling (1)


    Shen Miao suddenly stopped in her tracks and frowned at the Daoist priest. ¡°What did you say?¡±


    The Daoist priest turned his head away smugly and started to hum a tune.


    Jingzhe said, ¡°Miss, don¡¯t take what he said to heart. Maybe he¡¯s just a swindler spouting nonsense.¡±


    Shen Miao looked ahead. Luo Xueyan and Luo Tan had already entered, and behind her, a few guards stopped there to wait for her to continue. She thought for a moment and sat down on the small wooden stool in front of the Daoist. ¡°I want fortune-telling.¡±


    ¡°My fortune-telling is very expensive.¡±


    Before he could finish speaking, Shen Miao took out a golden peanut from her bag. The pouch that Mrs. Su gave her previously was filled with golden peanuts.


    Jingzhe and Gu Yu were anxious. Even the most expensive fortune teller on the street only cost a few taels of silver. Why would she take out a golden peanut? However, since Shen Miao had already decided, there was no way to change her mind. The two maids were anxious, but there was nothing they could do.


    Shen Miao said, ¡°If your fortune-telling is accurate, this golden peanut will be yours. If it¡¯s not, I¡¯ll get the government to arrest you in the name of swindling people.¡±


    The Daoist priest put the golden peanut into his pocket with a smile and took out a bamboo tube from behind him. He shook it and handed it to Shen Miao with a smile. ¡°Miss, please draw two slips.¡±


    ¡°Why two?¡± Gu Yu couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Isn¡¯t one usually enough? Could it be¡­¡± She was enlightened.¡± One for safety, and one for marriage?¡±


    Ever since Luo Xueyan began to worry about Shen Miao¡¯s marriage, she also reminded Shen Miao¡¯s maids. Jingzhe and Gu Yu both knew that the most important thing for Shen Miao to come to the Putuo temple was to throw red strings on the fate tree. Now that they saw that the Daoist priest wanted Shen Miao to draw two slips, they naturally thought of this.


    The Daoist priest shook his head. ¡°For her lot.¡±


    He looked at Shen Miao and stroked his beard. He smiled mysteriously and said, ¡°Miss has a complicated lot and one is enough.¡±


    Shen Miao¡¯s heart skipped a beat. Seeing that the Daoist priest was confident, she took the bamboo tube and shook it. Then two slips fell to the ground.


    The Daoist priest picked up the slips and looked at them. Jingzhe and Gu Yu were both a little nervous. The Daoist priest shook his head and said, ¡°A caged phoenix facing a great calamity.¡± He said, ¡°It¡¯s the worst of ill fortune.¡±


    As soon as he said that, Jingzhe and Gu Yu¡¯s expressions changed. Jingzhe shouted angrily, ¡°You fake Daoist priest full of nonsense. I think you¡¯re a scammer. I¡¯m going to report you to the officials!¡±


    ¡°Hey, hey, hey.¡± The Daoist priest said, ¡°What¡¯s the hurry? There¡¯s still one slip left.¡±


    Shen Miao¡¯s heart began racing.


    The Phoenix cage was the palace where she was trapped in her previous life. She struggled but to no avail. Even Wanyu and Fu Ming did not survive.

 Chapter 705 - 705 Fortune-telling (2)

    705 Fortune-telling (2)


    Shen Miao said, ¡°Daoist priest, help me look at the other slip.¡±


    Jingzhe and Gu Yu were a little anxious, not understanding why Shen Miao would trust this Daoist priest so much.


    The Daoist priest chuckled and picked up the other slip. He glanced at Shen Miao and stroked his beard as usual. Then, he slowly said, ¡°The purple aura comes from the east, an auspicious sign. It¡¯s the best of the slips.¡±


    Jingzhe and Gu Yu were originally afraid that the Daoist priest would say something inauspicious again. It was almost the end of the year, and everyone was afraid to hear unlucky things lest bad luck befell them. Seeing him say that, they heaved a sigh of relief. However, Jingzhe mocked him relentlessly, ¡°I knew he was a liar. One slip bad luck and the other slip good luck. Then which is true?¡±


    ¡°Both are true,¡± the Daoist priest said. ¡°If you don¡¯t believe me, ask your miss if I¡¯m lying.¡±


    Shen Miao¡¯s heart skipped a beat and she said, ¡°Jingzhe, Gu Yu, go over there. I have something to say to the Daoist priest in private.¡±


    Jingzhe wanted to say something. She felt that this Daoist priest was a charlatan. However, Gu Yu pulled her to the side, making room for Shen Miao and the Daoist priest to talk undisrupted.


    Shen Miao frowned at the Daoist priest. ¡°Daoist priest, do you know something?¡±


    As the Daoist priest put the slips into the bamboo tube, he said without looking up, ¡°From reading your face, I can tell you are someone with a noble status. You should have a glorious life. Unfortunately¡­ your fate was changed.¡±


    Shen Miao said, ¡°What do you mean by my fate being changed?¡± Her voice betrayed anxiety.


    The Daoist priest stopped what he was doing and looked at her. ¡°Your fate is very strange. There will be a great tribulation in your life. After this tribulation, your life will be smooth-sailing. However, the first slip you drew says that you can¡¯t overcome the tribulation.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s my tribulation?¡± Shen Miao asked.


    ¡°A real phoenix and a fake phoenix. The fake phoenix stole the luck and fortune of the real phoenix, and the real phoenix was caged.¡±


    Shen Miao felt that her heart was about to jump out of her throat. Could it be that she was the real phoenix? As for the fake phoenix, could it be Consort Mei? Consort Mei gave birth to Fu Sheng, and Fu Xiuyi liked Fu Sheng dearly. In her previous life, Fu Ming died, and so did she. Fu Xiuyi must have made Consort Mei the empress. With Fu Xiuyi¡¯s favoritism towards Fu Sheng, he might pass the throne to Fu Sheng.


    Didn¡¯t this mean that her fate had been snatched away?


    Shen Miao said, ¡°Daoist priest, you¡¯re talking about the first slip. Then, in the second slip, did I overcome the tribulation?¡±


    ¡°You alone can¡¯t.¡± The Daoist priest shook his head and said, ¡°But you are lucky to have the help of a benefactor in your life.¡±


    ¡°Benefactor?¡± Shen Miao asked, ¡°Who is my benefactor?¡±


    ¡°This benefactor is fated with you. He¡¯s the ferocious dragon, and you are the caged phoenix. He can free you. If you meet this person and rely on him, you can rectify your fate.¡±


    Shen Miao asked, ¡°Where is this benefactor? How can I find him?¡±


    The Daoist priest smiled. ¡°He¡¯s around you.¡±


    Shen Miao knew that the Daoist priest didn¡¯t intend to be explicit about it. She asked, ¡°There¡¯s another question. Normally, people can only draw one slip, but why do I have two? Is this also fate?¡±


    Ever since her rebirth, every time she thought about living her life all over again, she felt that it was unreal. She was afraid that one day, when she woke up, she would still be in the lonely cold palace. All of this was just a dream. Since what this strange Daoist priest said was accurate, he might know something.


    ¡°The two slips you drew are asked for by someone.¡±

 Chapter 706 - 706 Fortune-telling (3)

    706 Fortune-telling (3)


    ¡°Someone asked it for me?¡± Shen Miao said in confusion, ¡°Who is that person?¡±


    ¡°Someone who owes you a lot.¡± The Daoist priest stood up from the ground and patted the dust off his clothes. ¡°The secrets of the heavens can¡¯t be revealed. Miss, I¡¯ve already revealed too much to you today. If I say anything else, I¡¯ll be punished. Don¡¯t ask anything else. Remember, the past is like a dream. Don¡¯t be entangled in it.¡±


    With that, he waved his horsetail whisk and strode away.


    Shen Miao stood rooted to the ground in a daze until Jingzhe and Gu Yu walked to her side. Jingzhe said, ¡°It¡¯s strange. I wonder where he came from. Does no one in Putuo Temple care about the presence of a Daoist priest?¡±


    Shen Miao felt that she had seen through some secrets.


    Just as she was thinking, Luo Xueyan and Luo Tan walked out.


    Luo Tan was holding a small basket filled with pouches with red strings attached to them. She smiled and said, ¡°Little cousin, let¡¯s go and throw the red strings. Why weren¡¯t you following us?¡±


    Luo Xueyan also said, ¡°I heard that a venerable master is giving a lecture on sutras in the meditation room just now, so I wanted to call you over to listen. When I turned around, I didn¡¯t see you. Do you still want to go in and listen now?¡±


    Shen Miao¡¯s mind was still in a mess. She was in no mood to listen to the sutras, so she shook her head and said, ¡°No, I¡¯m not going.¡±


    ¡°Then let¡¯s go hang the red strings first.¡± Luo Tan was very excited. She grabbed Shen Miao¡¯s arm.


    In the meditation room that Luo Xueyan passed by, the old monk stopped knocking on the wooden fish. The little monk asked, ¡°Master, it¡¯s already noon. Didn¡¯t you say that she would come in no time? Is she coming or not?¡±


    Master Guan Zhen stood up from the cushion and shook his head. ¡°She¡¯s not coming.¡±


    ¡°Not coming?¡± The little monk was stunned. ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°She met someone else.¡±


    The little monk was puzzled. ¡°She met someone else so she didn¡¯t come? Aren¡¯t you specially waiting for her here? If she didn¡¯t come, wouldn¡¯t the wait these days be in vain?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± Master Guan Zhen put his hands together. ¡°She¡¯s fated to meet that person.¡±


    Shen Miao and Luo Tan went out to the tree.


    The fate tree was a huge osmanthus tree that was extremely thick. However, the branches could barely be seen clearly. They were all covered with the pouches hanging from the red strings.


    Luo Tan took a handful of red strings and handed it to Shen Miao. She said, ¡°Cousin, write your name on the pouch and throw it on the tree. If it¡¯s hung on it, it means that your prayer is heard and a good marriage will be given to you.¡± With that, she stuffed another handful of red strings into Shen Miao¡¯s hand and said, ¡°Cousin, take more. The more you take, the higher the chance of hanging it.¡±


    Shen Miao watched in silence as Luo Tang excitedly wrote her name on all the remaining pouches. However, girls probably believed in this. Luo Xueyan also said, ¡°Jiaojiao, write your name too and throw them up. Don¡¯t be afraid.¡±


    Shen Miao looked at the basket of red strings. She couldn¡¯t persuade Luo Tan and Luo Xueyan, so she chose one and wrote her name on the pouch.


    Seeing this, Luo Tan said, ¡°Little Cousin, one is not enough. It can not support the pouch. Take a few more.¡±


    Luo Xueyan also said, ¡°Jiaojiao, one is not enough.¡±


    Shen Miao felt that she did not even want to throw any. Moreover, she was still thinking about what the Daoist priest said, so she was not in the mood to do this. She only took one and threw it casually.

 Chapter 707 - 707 Fortune-telling (4)

    707 Fortune-telling (4)


    ¡°Why did you¡­ Eh, it¡¯s actually hung on it?¡± Luo Tan shouted in surprise.


    Luo Xueyan was also extremely surprised. Generally speaking, the more red strings there were, the higher the chance of the pouch being thrown onto the branch. Without the red string, the pouch wouldn¡¯t be able to hang on the branch no matter what. Unexpectedly, Shen Miao threw it casually and it actually hung on the branch.


    ¡°Cousin, you¡¯re too lucky!¡± Luo Tan grabbed Shen Miao¡¯s arm and said excitedly, ¡°Look, look, that tree branch is almost on the top. It means that the person you¡¯re going to marry must be the best among the men. The pouch is very steady, which means that this marriage is almost guaranteed. It¡¯s a very good sign!¡±


    Everyone liked to hear blessings. Luo Xueyan smiled and said, ¡°Jiaojiao, you did it well. I was afraid you¡¯d miss it.¡±


    ¡°But there are many twigs extending out of that branch.¡± Luo Tan rubbed her chin and explained seriously, ¡°What does this mean? This means that my little cousin has many men liking her. Aunt, this is a good thing!¡± Luo Tan said with a smile.


    Shen Miao retorted, ¡°Nonsense.¡±


    The day passed especially quickly. Later, Luo Tan also hung her pouch on the three, and they went to offer incense to the Buddha. They donated some money and ate vegetarian food in the temple before returning. When they returned home, it was already evening. Everyone was tired from the day and went to rest early.


    Shen Miao kept thinking about what the Daoist priest said during the day.


    Who could her benefactor be? In other words, who prayed for her rebirth?


    Before she died in her previous life, almost all of her family members were gone. Shen Miao thought that even after she died, there would probably be no one to collect her corpse. Who would be so close to her to pray for her to live again?


    She did not expect such a person to exist.


    Shen Miao suddenly thought of something and called out, ¡°Cong Yang.¡±


    A man in black suddenly appeared in the room.


    Shen Miao held her forehead. She was startled every time Cong Yang appeared out of thin air. She said, ¡°Don¡¯t tell Xie Jingxing what the Daoist told me today.¡± She added, ¡°If you tell Xie Jingxing, I¡¯ll say that you molested me.¡±


    Cong Yang was speechless.


    ¡°Remember,¡± Shen Miao threatened.


    ¡­


    Every day, there were countless people in the capital who were worried about trivial matters. The girls were worried about marriage, the young men were worried about careers, and the old were worried about death.


    Some people were scheming for small profits, some were betting on wealth, and some were after fame.


    In the Ming Qi Royal Family, as Emperor Wen Hui¡¯s health deteriorated day by day, the princes became more and more restless. Prince Zhou¡¯s faction and Prince Li¡¯s faction were eager to make a big move. They thought that their ninth brother was obedient and indifferent to power, but in the end, he turned out to be the most ambitious. At the end of the day, the crown prince became the weakest.

 Chapter 708 - 708 Fortune-telling (5)

    708 Fortune-telling (5)


    Perhaps because Emperor Wen Hui had been ill for a long time, his complexion had become extremely bad. Usually, when he flared up in the throne room, he had to exert all his strength to appear intimidating. After all, there were many people who were eyeing the throne. If he fell, the imperial court would probably be in chaos.


    When the princes were young, he did not see them as a threat. When they were old, he realized that he was raising a group of wolves instead of sons. Now that the young wolves had grown up, they became uncontrollable.


    ¡°How¡¯s the Crown Prince doing recently?¡± Emperor Wen Hui asked Eunuch Su.


    Eunuch Su quickly replied, ¡°The empress met the crown princess yesterday. The crown princess said that the crown prince¡¯s condition has improved, and the imperial physician said that he will recover after recuperating for a while.¡±


    Emperor Wen Hui shook his head and said, ¡°The crown prince¡¯s health is a problem.¡± As the most rightful successor to the throne, the crown prince was sick. Although he had a group of supporters and could still hold the fort in the early years, as Prince Zhou¡¯s faction and Prince Li¡¯s faction gradually grew stronger, the crown prince¡¯s power would gradually be chipped away. Emperor Wen Hui felt a headache coming on. Fortunately, although the crown prince was sick, he had a son early. This way, even if Emperor Wen Hui passed away and the crown prince was sice, as long as the crown prince could hold on until his son was old enough to succeed him, he could step down and give the throne to his son.


    Imperial Physician Su looked down, deliberately avoiding to look at Emperor Wen Hui. However, he knew pretty much what was going on in the mind of the emperor. The person Emperor Wen Hui thought the most highly of now was probably the crown prince. The reason was that firstly, the crown prince had the right to inherit the throne, and secondly, the crown prince¡¯s health was not good, so he was the least of a threat to Emperor Wen Hui, unlike his other sons. Prince Zhou was arrogant and almost looked down on everyone. Prince Li looked kind, but he had many connections with many officials in private. Even Prince Ding, who seemed to be the least interested in power, became a wolf. How could Emperor Wen Hui trust them?


    A cold wind blew in from the window, causing the paper on the table to roll up slightly. Seeing this, Imperial Physician Su quickly went to close the window, saying, ¡°It¡¯s late. Your Majesty, you¡¯d better sleep early.¡±


    At the same time, the crown prince was talking to someone. If anyone saw this, they would definitely be shocked. The person talking to the crown prince was none other than Prince Ding, Fu Xiuyi.


    One of them was the rightful heir to the throne in Emperor Wen Hui¡¯s eyes, and the other was a wolf in sheep¡¯s clothing. At this moment, they were sitting on two sides of the table, talking while drinking plum wine.


    The crown prince said, ¡°Ninth Brother, don¡¯t take this matter to heart. Father misunderstood you because he believed the slander of a despicable person. When the misunderstanding is resolved, he will naturally treat you like before. Ninth Brother, why give up on yourself?¡±


    Fu Xiuyi shook his head. ¡°Brother, you don¡¯t know how sad I am to be wronged and accused of doing something I didn¡¯t do. I¡¯m an idle person and don¡¯t have interest in fame or fortune. I just want to live a carefree life. In the past, I¡¯ve never interfered in anything else. However, after the Shen family¡¯s incident, Father actually alienated me. This father-son relationship is too fragile.¡±


    ¡°Ninth Brother, be careful with your words.¡± The crown prince was shocked and quickly stopped Fu Xiuyi from finishing his sentence. ¡°You¡¯re also Father¡¯s son. Father won¡¯t do anything to you. If you want to blame someone, blame those despicable people who set you up.¡±


    What they were talking about was the matter of the Shen family being executed a few days ago. Although Emperor Wen Hui hid it very well, the princes all had spies in the palace, so they knew the real reason why the Shen family was wiped out. It was precisely because of this that the princes looked at Fu Xiuyi differently. Originally, the princes were competing for the throne and fighting each other to the death. They thought that the Ninth Prince was not ambitious and just wanted to be an idle prince, so they did not deliberately target Fu Xiuyi. Unexpectedly, as soon as this matter was exposed, they realized that there was a wolf hiding in the dark. When fighting, the hidden enemy was the scariest. Especially when it came to the battle for the throen, it was a matter of life and death. Prince Ding had been watching the battle in the dark for a long time. Perhaps he wanted to benefit from it.

 Chapter 709 - 709 Fortune-telling (6)

    709 Fortune-telling (6)


    In the past, everyone was polite to Prince Ding. Now, everyone looked at Fu Xiuyi warily. In a short period of time, Fu Xiuyi had made too many enemies for himself.


    After Fu Xiuyi became the common target of his brothers, the first person he looked for was the crown prince.


    Whether Fu Xiuyi was sincere or not, the crown prince was a soft-hearted person. He was very kind and was the easiest to deceive.


    Just like at this moment, he did not mock or hit Fu Xiuyi when he was down. Instead, he comforted him.


    !!


    Fu Xiuyi smiled and said, ¡°Forget it, let¡¯s not talk about me. Let¡¯s talk about you.¡±


    ¡°Me?¡± The crown prince was a little puzzled. ¡°What about me?¡±


    ¡°Everyone is fighting to the death now. You are clearly the most rightful heir, but you are being overshadowed by them. It¡¯s not a good sign.¡± Fu Xiuyi smiled bitterly. ¡°Initially, I didn¡¯t want to participate in this competition and deliberately avoided it. I didn¡¯t expect to still be dragged into this mess. In that case, I might as well take the initiative to join. I plan to support you.¡±


    The crown prince was stunned, as if he did not expect Fu Xiuyi to say that. He smiled bitterly at first, then shook his head and said, ¡°Ninth Brother, I know you said that out of kindness, so thank you. It¡¯s just that¡­ you also know my situation. If I¡¯m strong and healthy, I will naturally compete. However, with my health, whether I can live or not is already a problem. As for the throne¡­ I¡¯ll leave it to fate.¡± At the end of his sentence, he actually sounded hopeless.


    ¡°Brother, don¡¯t say that. You¡¯re the eldest among us. Logically speaking, you should be the future ruler of Ming Qi. If you give it away, I¡¯m afraid people will laugh at Ming Qi for not following the rules.¡±


    ¡°But I really don¡¯t have much ability.¡± The crown prince was a little disheartened. ¡°The officials don¡¯t want to side with me because they know I don¡¯t have long to live. There aren¡¯t many of my former followers left. You asked me to compete for the throne, but other than being the crown prince, what else do I have to compete with them?¡±


    When Fu Xiuyi heard this, he poured a glass of wine for himself and the crown prince. He picked it up and took a sip. ¡°So at this time, what you need is a powerful aide.¡±


    The crown prince shook his head. ¡°Why would those capable people choose to work for me?¡±


    ¡°Actually, Brother, it¡¯s not as hard as you think.¡± Fu Xiuyi said, ¡°It¡¯s indeed very difficult to find many capable people. However, as long as you find one capable aide, there¡¯s no need to find another. Or rather, as long as you find one, a large group of capable people will swarm over to work for you.¡±


    ¡°Ninth Brother, you mean¡­¡± The crown prince was suspicious.


    ¡°The mighty general, Shen Xin,¡± Fu Xiuyi replied.


    The crown prince paused.


    ¡°Shen Xin has military power. After leaving the capital for two years, his reputation among the people has not decreased. Even the State of Qin and the Daliang Dynasty have to show him some respect. With General Shen¡¯s help, people will naturally come to join hands with you.¡±


    After hearing Fu Xiuyi¡¯s words, the crown prince smiled. ¡°Ninth Brother, you are right. But Ninth Brother, you have to know that now that General Shen is powerful and influential, everyone wants to rope him in. Why would he choose me?¡±


    ¡°Because you¡¯re the crown prince.¡± Fu Xiuyi said calmly, ¡°The other princes will anger Father if they try to rope General Shen in, but you¡¯re different. You¡¯re the rightful heir to the throne and the son Father values the most. If General Shen pledges loyalty to you, Father will only be happy to see it. It¡¯s a disaster for others, but it¡¯s a blessing for you. You can¡¯t let such a huge military power fall into the hands of others.¡±


    The crown prince looked serious, because what Fu Xiuyi said made sense. Emperor Wen Hui was paranoid. For example, if Prince Zhou, Prince Li, or even Prince Ding, got Shen Xin¡¯s support, it would be a disaster for them, because Emperor Wen Hui would look at them more warily. The crown prince was different. Emperor Wen Hui was unhappy with the crown prince being too weak and unable to keep the other princes in check. Moreover, the crown prince was the future ruler of Ming Qi, so Emperor Wen Hui naturally hoped that he would have a strong supporter.


    ¡°But why should General Shen choose me?¡± The crown prince still shook his head, as if he did not agree with Fu Xiuyi. He said, ¡°General Shen doesn¡¯t have to get involved in this mess. He can stay out of it and live very comfortably.¡±


    Fu Xiuyi smiled and said, ¡°General Shen doesn¡¯t have to choose you, but Miss Shen can.¡±


    The crown prince was stunned.


    Fu Xiuyi continued casually, ¡°She¡¯s the fifth daughter of the Shen family and the apple of General Shen¡¯s eye. She¡¯s just at the right age to get engaged.¡±

 Chapter 710 - 710 Grant a Marriage (1)

    710 Grant a Marriage (1)


    ¡°Miss Shen?¡± The crown prince was stunned at first, then he cried out, ¡°Shen Miao?¡±


    Fu Xiuyi looked at him and smiled without saying anything.


    ¡°No.¡± The crown prince shook his head and said, ¡°Miss Shen is the apple of General Shen¡¯s eye. She¡¯s not engaged yet. I¡¯m afraid he values his daughter¡¯s marriage very much and won¡¯t be willing to see his daughter end up among a bunch of consorts. Besides,¡± the crown prince glanced at Fu Xiuyi mischievously and smiled, ¡°Everyone in the capital knows that Miss Shen liked you back then. I can¡¯t win her heart.¡±


    Fu Xiuyi smiled and shook his head. ¡°She doesn¡¯t like me. Back then, she was just joking when she was young. Otherwise, look, all these years, she¡¯s been treating me like an outsider.¡±


    The crown prince thought about it carefully. Over the past two years, when Shen Miao saw Fu Xiuyi again, she did not seem to be as passionate towards Fu Xiuyi as before. The princes were also very puzzled. However, the crown prince still said, ¡°Maybe Miss Shen is angry with you because you treated her badly back then.¡±


    ¡°Brother, don¡¯t tease me.¡± Fu Xiuyi smiled and said, ¡°Besides, the Shen family is too big a fish for me. I¡¯m willing to find a wife with a less prominent status. Speaking of which,¡± Fu Xiuyi said seriously, ¡°Brother, why do you have to worry about what General Shen and Miss Shen will think? The best way is to leave this matter to Father.¡±


    ¡°Father?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Fu Xiuyi saw that the wine glass in front of the crown prince was empty, so he filled it up and said unhurriedly, ¡°Father dotes on you the most. Since Father wants to support you, he will definitely find a powerful aide for you. If you want to marry Miss Shen, Father will definitely be happy to see it happen. As long as he gives the word, the marriage will be settled.¡±


    ¡°Ninth Brother, you¡¯re thinking too simply.¡± The crown prince shook his head. ¡°You have to know that if Miss Shen doesn¡¯t want to marry me, although she has no choice but to marry me because Father said so, she will always hold a grudge against me in the future. General Shen will also be angry with Father. If the marriage doesn¡¯t work out and they become my enemies, that will be terrible.¡±


    ¡°Brother, why do you think that way?¡± Fu Xiuyi looked at him in surprise. ¡°What all the women in the world want is a rich and stable future. Although she can¡¯t be the first consort after marrying you, her status as the crown prince¡¯s secondary consort is not low. In the future, when you ascend the throne, Miss Shen will naturally be promoted to a consort. Brother, you have a gentle personality. As long as you treat Miss Shen well, she will forget about the grudge. For example, when the crown princess married you back then, it was also Father who granted the marriage. Look at what happened now. She likes you wholeheartedly.¡±


    When the crown prince heard this, he felt that what Fu Xiuyi said made sense. Back then, the marriage between him and the crown princess was also granted by the emperor. Before that, they had only seen each other a few times. At first, the crown princess was resentful. Now, she was deeply in love with the crown prince and was always thinking for him.


    ¡°Women are all like this. As long as you treat her well, she will be loyal to you. Brother, you are the best among all men. All the women will fall for you.¡±


    The crown prince was a little embarrassed by Fu Xiuyi¡¯s praises. The two brothers had a heart to heart conversation and chatted harmoniously.


    However, late at night, right after Fu Xiuyi left the Eastern Palace, the drunkenness on the crown prince¡¯s face disappeared, replaced by soberness.


    The aide walked out from behind and looked at the crown prince, asking tentatively. ¡°Your Highness, what the ninth prince said just now¡­¡±

 Chapter 711 - 711 Grant a Marriage (2)

    711 Grant a Marriage (2)


    ¡°He is trying to use me.¡± The crown prince smiled and picked up his wine to drink. He smiled and said, ¡°He¡¯s quite bold. Now that Father is suspicious of him, he actually dares to curry favor with me. From the looks of it, we really underestimated him back then.¡±


    ¡°Then what do you think of his suggestion just now about marrying Fifth Miss Shen?¡± The aide asked.


    The crown prince put down the wine glass in his hand, and a glint flashed across his eyes. ¡°Although he has ulterior motives, his idea is actually not bad. I do need the power of the Shen family. Shen Miao is a good chess piece. There¡¯s no harm in marrying her.¡±


    The aide nodded. ¡°Your Highness, does it mean you agreed?¡±


    The crown prince looked at the wine pot on the table. ¡°In a few days, I¡¯ll personally mention this to Father. After this matter is settled, I¡¯ll reward Ninth Brother¡¯s kindness.¡±


    Just as Fu Xiuyi had expected, a few days later, the crown prince mentioned this matter to Emperor Wen Hui. Emperor Wen Hui did not agree immediately, but he did not reject him either. Instead, he looked at the crown prince meaningfully and said with a smile, ¡°Good. I thought that you weren¡¯t ambitious. You finally know that you should pave the way for yourself.¡± He then said, ¡°I will consider it.¡±


    After the crown prince left, Emperor Wen Hui said to Eunuch Su, ¡°The crown prince actually wants to marry Shen Miao. I didn¡¯t expect thi.¡±


    Eunuch Su smiled and said, ¡°Miss Shen is talented and good-looking. His Highness has good taste.¡±


    Emperor Wen Hui snorted. ¡°I¡¯m not stupid. Prince Ding must be the one who gave him this idea. I just don¡¯t understand what he is trying to do.¡±


    Eunuch Su was careful not to speak. If he was involved in these family matters of the royal family, it would be no different from putting himself under the guillotine.


    ¡°But it just so happens that I want to support the crown prince. Prince Zhou and Prince Li are getting more and more out of hand, and Prince Ding is mysterious. With the Shen family behind the crown prince, he can not only keep Prince Zhou and Prince Li in check, but also control the military power of the Shen family. It saves me a lot of trouble. However¡­¡± Emperor Wen Hui looked at the book on the table and smiled. He closed the book and stood up. ¡°Let¡¯s go to the Palace of Earthly Tranquility.¡±


    ¡­


    When Luo Xueyan received a message from the palace asking her to bring Shen Miao to the palace tomorrow, she was very confused. She thought that it was related to Shen Xin, so she asked him about it, but Shen Xin was also confused. When it came to the royal family, the couple would always be especially careful. However, they didn¡¯t show it on their face, afraid that Shen Miao would be scared.


    Although Shen Xin and Luo Xueyan tried their best to make it sound easy, Shen Miao could not relax no matter what. The royal family would definitely not let Luo Xueyan bring her into the palace for no reason. However, she had no clue what was going on this time. Pei Lang had not sent her a letter for a long time. If he sent a letter, she would probably be able to figure out Fu Xiuyi¡¯s next move¡­ Shen Miao¡¯s heart suddenly skipped a beat. That¡¯s right. Why hadn¡¯t Pei Lang sent her a letter for so long?


    In the past, even if there was nothing serious, Pei Lang would still keep in contact with her through letters. However, it had been a long time since the last letter came. A thought appeared in Shen Miao¡¯s mind. Could it be that¡­ Pei Lang could no longer write to her? Had Fu Xiuyi discovered something?


    Shen Miao felt more and more flustered. Ever since she met that crazy Daoist priest at the Putuo Temple, it was very difficult for her to calm down. She wanted to know who the benefactor was, and she also wanted to know who prayed for her to live her life all over again in her previous life. However, no matter how she thought about it, she could not figure it out.

 Chapter 712 - 712 Grant a Marriage (3)

    712 Grant a Marriage (3)


    Shen Miao couldn¡¯t help but look up at the window. The window was tightly shut. Xie Jingxing told her once that she didn¡¯t need to open the window to call him, but Xie Jingxing had not appeared for the past few days. Shen Miao walked to the window in her outer clothes and opened it. The night wind was cold outside, and Shen Miao tightened her clothes.


    Cong Yang suddenly stood up from under the wall and asked Shen Miao, ¡°Miss, are you looking for Master?¡±


    Shen Miao was taken aback. She rubbed her chest and said angrily, ¡°No.¡±


    Cong Yang pretended not to hear Shen Miao and continued in all seriousness, ¡°Master is away from the capital recently. Miss, you don¡¯t have to wait for him here.¡±


    ¡°I am not waiting for him,¡± Shen Miao emphasized. ¡°I just want to get some fresh air.¡±


    Congy Yang did not speak. Shen Miao thought of something and asked, ¡°Cong Yang, if I enter the palace, can you go with me?¡±


    When Cong Yang heard that, he was stunned for a moment before saying with a blush, ¡°I¡¯m not familiar with the palace. If I follow you in, there¡¯s no place to hide and I¡¯m not confident that I won¡¯t be discovered.¡±


    Shen Miao lowered her eyes. Since Cong Yang was not confident in not being discovered, she would not force him to go with her. She said, ¡°Forget it.¡±


    ¡°Miss, if you have anything to say, you can tell me. When I report to Master, I¡¯ll tell him about it,¡± Cong Yang glanced at Shen Miao and said.


    Shen Miao closed the window with a bang.


    On the other side, in Prince Rui¡¯s mansion, Gao Yang and Ji Yushu were studying a map. This map was densely marked with many places. If one looked carefully, they could clearly see that it was a defensive map.


    The guard outside reported, ¡°Lord Gao, Young Master Ji, Miss Shen is going to the palace tomorrow. Do you want to send a letter to His Highness?¡±


    ¡°Going to the palace?¡± Ji Yushu asked, ¡°What for?¡±


    The guard shook his head.


    Ji Yushu sighed and said, ¡°I¡¯ve been busy working on this map for the past few days and haven¡¯t been able to help Third Brother take good care of Miss Shen. I¡¯ll be dead when Third Brother comes back. If we don¡¯t know anything, we¡¯ll both be in trouble. Hey.¡± He nudged Gao Yang. ¡°You know people in the palace. Is there anything special going on in the palace recently?¡±


    ¡°Nothing.¡± Gao Yang thought for a moment and said, ¡°Let¡¯s not include this in the letter first. He¡¯s busy with work, so don¡¯t make him distracted. Since there¡¯s no news from Cong Yang, it shouldn¡¯t be serious. If anything really happens, we¡¯ll help her out.¡±


    The guard nodded and left.


    Ji Yushu looked at Gao Yang. ¡°Why do I feel that the way you handle it is not appropriate?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s not appropriate with it?¡± Gao Yang said impatiently, ¡°Focus on the map!¡±


    Ji Yushu muttered, ¡°In any case, if anything happens, Third Brother will ask me why I didn¡¯t report it to him in time. I¡¯ll say that you asked me to keep quiet¡­¡±


    ¡­


    The next day, Shen Miao followed Luo Xueyan into the palace.


    Every time she entered the palace, something would happen. Luo Xueyan was a little vigilant, but Shen Miao was used to it because she already knew that the royal family was up to no good, which made her less nervous.


    The palace maid brought them to the Palace of Earthly Tranquility.


    When they arrived at the Palace of Earthly Tranquility, the first person they saw was the empress sitting at the head of the table. The consort sitting beside the empress was smiling and graceful. She was dressed elegantly but simply. It was Consort Dong.


    The Empress and Consort Dong? Shen Miao¡¯s heart skipped a beat.


    The empress was the crown prince¡¯s biological mother. At this point, she was focused on helping the crown prince stabilize his position and was not in the mood to fight for power in the harem. Eventually, she lost to Consort Dong, who was always inconspicuous.

 Chapter 713 - 713 Grant a Marriage (4)

    713 Grant a Marriage (4)


    Consort Dong had always been uninvolved in the matters of the harem. Just like Fu Xiuyi, she watched the other consorts fight to the death. Oh, there was something else about her. She had always been secretly adding fuel to the fire, and that little fuel often pushed the situation to the worst. Using people as knives to achieve her end was her forte.


    If Consort Mei was brazen and arrogant, Consort Dong was gentle and innocuous. Therefore, the two of them hit it off at first sight. Consort Dong looked down on Shen Miao, but she admired Consort Mei very much.


    Looking at the situation in front of her, Shen Miao knew that the empress was probably used by Consort Dong. After all, Consort Dong was the kind of person who would get benefits for herself no matter what she did.


    The empress smiled and gestured for Luo Xueyan to take a seat, but she waved at Shen Miao, indicating for her to come forward.


    Shen Miao went forward as instructed, and the empress sized her up carefully. She smiled in satisfaction and said to Consort Dong, ¡°She¡¯s perfect.¡±


    Luo Xueyan was a little uneasy. She wished she could grab Shen Miao and leave the palace. However, as a courtier, she was helpless. She did not know what the empress was up to, but as a mother, she had a natural intuition, especially when it came to people who had designs on her children.


    ¡°How old are you this year?¡± The empress asked.


    ¡°Your Highness, I¡¯m sixteen,¡± Shen Miao replied.


    The empress smiled and held Shen Miao¡¯s hand. She said with a smile, ¡°I often heard that General Shen¡¯s daughter is both talented and beautiful. I saw you at the palace banquet last time and found you extremely adorable. I have been wanting to ask Mrs. Shen to bring you to the palace to meet me.¡± She sighed and said, ¡°You¡¯re already so beautiful and smart at the age of 16. I wonder which young master will be so lucky as to marry you.¡±


    Luo Xueyan¡¯s heart skipped a beat, and she clenched her fists. Shen Miao understood why the empress called them to the palace today.


    Consort Dong also smiled. ¡°Indeed. She¡¯s beautiful and obedient, and there¡¯s no arrogance in her at all. It¡¯s rare to see such a girl nowadays.¡±


    ¡°Madam Shen, I wonder if Miss Shen is engaged?¡± The empress asked with a smile.


    Luo Xueyan hesitated for a moment before answering, ¡°Your Highness, I¡¯ve been looking for a suitable young man for my daughter these days.¡± If this was the reason the empress asked them to come to the palace, she would probably have found out everything about Shen Miao¡¯s current situation. Luo Xueyan didn¡¯t dare to lie.


    ¡°I see.¡± The empress smiled even wider. ¡°Then how about I be a matchmaker for Miss Shen?¡±


    ¡°No!¡± Luo Xueyan said without thinking. Seeing the empress¡¯s unfriendly expression, she explained, ¡°My daughter is still young. I can¡¯t bear to marry her off and want to keep her for a few more years.¡±


    The empress smiled again and said, ¡°Madam Shen, you¡¯re wrong. If you keep delaying Miss Shen¡¯s marriage, I¡¯m afraid Miss Shen will blame you in the future. Isn¡¯t that right, Miss Shen?¡±


    Shen Miao glanced at the empress and smiled. ¡°I also want to spend more time with my mother.¡±


    The empress¡¯s smile was no longer sincere. She stared at Shen Miao, not knowing if Shen Miao was stupid to be so arrogant or if she was deliberately going against her. At the thought of such a woman becoming her daughter-in-law, the empress immediately felt unhappy.


    Seeing that the atmosphere was a little awkward, Consort Dong smiled and said, ¡°Madam Shen and Miss Shen have a deep mother-daughter relationship. It makes people envious. However¡­¡± She changed the topic. ¡°Women have to get married eventually. It doesn¡¯t mean that after getting married, you can¡¯t spend time with your mother.¡±

 Chapter 714 - 714 Grant a Marriage (5)

    714 Grant a Marriage (5)


    Consort Dong was trying to smooth things over, but Luo Xueyan and Shen Miao did not say anything.


    Consort Dong was a little shocked. Previously, when Shen Miao was infatuated with Fu Xiuyi, Consort Dong thought that Shen Miao was a brainless idiot. Later, when she met her, she felt that it was not the case. She felt that Shen Miao was actually smart. Unexpectedly, today, Shen Miao struck her as both tough and unwavering just like her mother.


    The empress wasn¡¯t worried. Today, she just wanted to test the Shen family and let the Shen family be prepared. She did not care about the Shen family¡¯s attitude at all. No matter how bold Shen Xin was and how much he doted on his daughter, it was impossible for him to defy the imperial edict.


    Therefore, after chatting for a while, she asked Luo Xueyan and Shen Miao to go back.


    On the way back, Luo Xueyan did not say a word. Shen Miao was also thinking about her own matters. This silent atmosphere frightened Jingzhe and Gu Yu, who thought that something bad had happened.


    When they returned home, Shen Qiu and Luo Ling had just returned from the Ministry of War. They asked why the empress summoned them to the palace. Luo Xueyan vaguely answered them and pulled Shen Xin back to the room.


    As soon as they entered the room, Luo Xueyan told Shen Xin what the empress said to her today. In the end, she asked, ¡°I think the empress wants to matchmake Jiaojiao. What should we do?¡±


    Shen Xin¡¯s face darkened. He said, ¡°Jiaojiao is our daughter. Why should others have the right to interfere in her marriage?¡±


    ¡°I guess the empress wants Jiaojiao to marry the crown prince.¡± Luo Xueyan said, ¡°Today, she mentioned openly that the crown prince¡¯s health is improving. That won¡¯t do. The crown prince already has a crown princess. If Jiaojiao marries him, she will at most be a secondary consort. A secondary consort is just a concubine of a higher status. I don¡¯t want Jiaojiao to have to serve tea to other women and live under the nose of others after marrying him. At the thought of that happening, I feel suffocated.¡±


    ¡°No matter which prince it is, Jiaojiao can¡¯t marry them!¡± Shen Xin slammed his fist on the table, making the cup shake.


    ¡°Are you afraid that if Jiaojiao marries one of the princes, the Shen family will inevitably be involved in the competition for the throne?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not all.¡± Shen Xin let out a long sigh. ¡°The sons of the royal family are heartless. They have many wives and concubines. If Jiaojiao really marries them, she won¡¯t be happy. So what if the crown prince becomes the emperor in the future? So what if he becomes healthy? I don¡¯t want Jiaojiao to live that kind of life. Moreover, as you said, they don¡¯t really want to marry Jiaojiao. My son-in-law doesn¡¯t have to be a king or an emperor. However, he has to treat Jiaojiao sincerely and wholeheartedly. If he can¡¯t do this, there is no way I will allow him to marry my daughter.¡±


    When Shen Miao, who was eavesdropping outside the door, heard this, a warm feeling suddenly surged in her heart. In this world, there were still people who supported her unconditionally. They were willing to offend the rich and powerful just to protect her.


    Luo Xueyan continued, ¡°That¡¯s right. We can¡¯t let Jiaojiao marry the crown prince. However, when the imperial edict is issued, what should we do?¡±

 Chapter 715 - 715 Grant a Marriage (6)

    715 Grant a Marriage (6)


    Shen Xin frowned and thought for a moment before saying, ¡°Before the imperial edict is issued, we have to hurry up and marry Jiaojiao off. However, in such a short period of time, it will be very difficult to find a suitable man. No matter what, I¡¯ll get someone to look for some young talents tonight. If there¡¯s anyone with a good character, as long as Jiaojiao doesn¡¯t mind, we¡¯ll get them engaged first.¡± Shen Xin said, ¡°In short, we can¡¯t let Jiaojiao marry into the royal family!¡±


    Shen Miao had an indescribable feeling in her heart. The voices in the room gradually quietened down. They were probably discussing which young talent was reliable. Shen Miao stood up and was about to turn around to return to her room when she saw Shen Qiu and Luo Ling standing behind her. The two of them were frowning. It was unknown how much of the conversation they had heard.


    Shen Qiu grabbed Shen Miao and walked away..


    When they reached Shen Miao¡¯s courtyard, Shen Qiu and Luo Ling entered the room and asked the maids to leave. Then, they closed the door and said, ¡°Sister, the empress wants you to marry the crown prince?¡±


    It seemed like the two of them had heard most of the conversation. Shen Miao did not intend to hide it and nodded.


    Shen Qiu slammed his fist on the table and gritted his teeth. ¡°This is too much!¡±


    Shen Miao laughed and said, ¡°So many people want to get close to the crown prince. Why are you so angry? Brother, aren¡¯t your standards too high?¡±


    Shen Qiu said angrily, ¡°Jiaojiao, I¡¯m worried about you, but you¡¯re making fun of me.¡±


    Luo Ling looked at Shen Miao and asked gently, ¡°Cousin, what do you think of this matter?¡±


    Shen Miao shrugged. ¡°I¡¯ll let nature take its course.¡±


    ¡°Cousin, you don¡¯t want to fight back?¡± Luo Ling sounded a little confused.


    ¡°My parents have already found a way out for me,¡± Shen Miao said indifferently, as if she was not talking about her marriage at all. She said, ¡°They¡¯ll find some young talents. If I think one of them is suitable, I¡¯ll hurry up and get engaged to him before the imperial edict is issued. That¡¯ll solve the problem.¡± She smiled and said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, my standards are not as high as Brother¡¯s. It shouldn¡¯t be difficult to find someone who suits me.¡±


    Shen Qiu muttered, ¡°I wonder who is so lucky¡­¡± Shen Miao pretended not to hear him.


    Luo Ling took a step closer and asked, ¡°If there are no suitable people, or the imperial edict is issued before you can get engaged, what will you do?¡±


    Shen Qiu said, ¡°Cousin Ling, why do you say that?¡±


    Luo Ling was still staring at Shen Miao, as if he was determined to get an answer from her.


    Shen Miao smiled and said, ¡°Then I¡¯ll marry the crown prince.¡±


    ¡°Sister!¡± Shen Qiu shouted.


    ¡°What else do you want me to do?¡± Shen Miao said, ¡°Do you want the Shen family to be accused of defying the imperial edict because of me? Do you want me to implicate you and everyone? Do you want me to watch you suffer because of my willfulness? Brother, is this what you want to see happening? Let me ask you. If you were me, what would you do? Would you rather die than marry?¡±


    Shen Qiu fell silent.


    If it were him, he would accept this marriage for Shen Miao and his parents. If he could sacrifice himself to protect his family, Shen Qiu would do it without batting an eye.


    ¡°Brother, you¡¯ll do the same, right?¡± Shen Miao said indifferently, ¡°Not everyone in the world can have everything they want. Everyone has to make sacrifices. I¡¯ll do my best to avoid this outcome. If I can¡¯t avoid it, it¡¯s not a big deal.¡± Shen Miao looked at Shen Qiu. ¡°In my heart, nothing is more important to me than family.¡±


    ¡°But that concerns the happiness of the rest of your life.¡± Shen Qiu¡¯s eyes were red. He did not know why his sister looked so cold and even a little disgusted when she talked about marriage.


    ¡°Happiness has to be earned by oneself, not gained by relying on someone.¡± Shen Miao said, ¡°Can marrying a good man guarantee my happiness for the rest of my life? No matter if it¡¯s the crown prince or someone else, are you sure that in the next few decades, they won¡¯t have a change of heart?¡±


    ¡°Sister, you¡¯re not married yet. Why do you speak as if you are¡­¡± A woman of the world.


    Luo Ling looked at Shen Miao thoughtfully. He opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but thought better of it.


    Shen Miao lowered her eyes. Marriage? In her previous life, she suffered tremendously because of marriage. To her, this was a word that carried pain. She didn¡¯t want to fall in the same place twice. Without anticipation, there would be no pain.


    She smiled coldly. ¡°Brother, don¡¯t worry. All women have to get married eventually. If the marriage with the crown prince turns out to be a bad one, I will not let the person who hurts me live a good life either.¡±

 Chapter 716 - 716 Peach Blossom Luck (1)

    716 Peach Blossom Luck (1)


    The information that the empress suddenly revealed made the Shen family on tenterhooks. Without a doubt, Shen Xin and his wife did not want Shen Miao to marry into the royal family. In addition to many political reasons, it was also because the royal family was complicated. If Shen Miao married into the royal family, she would have a hard time.


    Shen Xin wanted to marry Shen Miao off before the imperial edict. Originally, before entering the palace, because of Mrs. Su¡¯s sudden arrival, Shen Xin and Luo Xueyan started to take Shen Miao¡¯s marriage seriously. Luo Xueyan even asked the servants to specially make a list filled with young talents of the right age in the capital. The list recorded in detail the characters of these people, where they lived, and how many people were there in their family. Luo Xueyan also asked Shen Miao about it. After hearing that Shen Miao did not mind selecting her husband like this, Luo Xueyan was relieved and hurried up.


    The Shen family held a lot of power and was a very special existence in the eyes of Emperor Wen Hui. Therefore, it was not easy for the Shen family to select. Shen Xin did not even consider those officials who were powerful in order to prevent Emperor Wen Hui from thinking that they were deliberately forming an alliance. Therefore, Luo Xueyan and Shen Xin chose those middle-class families that did not have any ambition.


    This was what Shen Xin and Luo Xueyan planned for Shen Miao. However, to their surprise, whenever Shen Xin showed the slightest intention of introducing his daughter, the other party would decline with a smile, saying that either their son was already engaged or that their son was not in a hurry to get married. Shen Xin had a bad temper and doted on Shen Miao. He couldn¡¯t tolerate others looking down on his daughter, so he left with a huff.


    In the end, those young talents whom Shen Xin was satisfied with all found excuses to decline. Shen Xin sensed that something was wrong, and a general who was on good terms with him told him that most of the officials knew that the royal family wanted Shen Miao to marry the crown prince. Shen Xin was trying to find a husband for his daughter, but who would have the guts to snatch a woman away from the crown prince?


    Even if the Shen family was powerful and Shen Miao was smart and beautiful, no one dared to marry her.


    When Shen Xin heard this, he was furious. He only said that he didn¡¯t expect those noble families to be cowards. Fortunately, he didn¡¯t marry Shen Miao over. How could such a cowardly bunch take care of his daughter?


    When Shen Miao heard what Bai Lu and Shuang Jiang said, she only smiled faintly.


    Jingzhe said anxiously, ¡°Miss, why aren¡¯t you anxious? Madam and Master are both on tenterhooks. At this rate, it¡¯ll be too late when the imperial edict is issued.¡±


    ¡°The royal family is not stupid.¡± Shen Miao picked up the tea on the table and took a sip. ¡°How can they not know what Father and Mother are up to?¡±


    Shen Miao knew from the beginning that Shen Xin and Luo Xueyan¡¯s plan would not work. As for how the news of her marrying the crown prince spread, needless to say, it was naturally done by the royal family. The royal family announced to the world that Shen Miao was the person they had chosen. How could the officials of Ming Qi dare to openly go against the royal family to snatch her away? Therefore, Shen Xin and Luo Xueyan¡¯s plan to let Shen Miao marry off as soon as possible was destined to fail.

 Chapter 717 - 717 Peach Blossom Luck (2)

    717 Peach Blossom Luck (2)


    Gu Yu felt a lump in her throat and said, ¡°Miss, are you really going to marry the Crown Prince?¡±


    As her personal maids, although Jingzhe and Gu Yu sometimes could not understand what Shen Miao was thinking, they could more or less sense her emotions. For example, Shen Miao did not like the palace at all, nor did she like the people in the palace. Now that Shen Miao was asked to marry into the royal family, she would definitely feel uncomfortable.


    Shen Miao said, ¡°Let¡¯s wait and see.¡± However, she thought to herself that she would never want to marry into the royal family of Ming Qi again. However, an imperial edict was not to be challenged. If she had to, she would ruin her reputation. In the end, what the royal family wanted was the military power of the Shen family, but they did not dare to snatch it blatantly. After Shen Miao¡¯s reputation was ruined, if the crown prince still insisted on marrying her, his intention of wanting the military power from Shen Xin would be too obvious to the outside world.


    However¡­ Shen Miao stared at the tea leaves floating in the teacup. Unless it was absolutely necessary, she didn¡¯t want to ruin her reputation.


    Shen Xin and Luo Xueyan did not know that Shen Miao already had an idea and were still thinking about finding a good husband for her. However, the message from the royal family had already spread, and even matchmakers did not dare to accept the business from the Shen family.


    If Luo Xueyan hadn¡¯t stopped him in time, Shen Qiu would have gone to kidnap his friend to marry Shen Miao. Shen Qiu, Luo Xueyan, and Shen Xin sat in the room and talked about Shen Miao¡¯s marriage with worried expressions.


    Luo Xueyan said, ¡°The royal family is really too despicable. Previously, so many people wanted to be in-laws with us, but now, they all want to stay away.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s all my fault.¡± Shen Xin said, ¡°I should have arranged a marriage for Jiaojiao back then. I thought that she was young and there was no rush. I didn¡¯t expect this to happen.¡±


    Shen Qiu scratched his head. ¡°No matter what, Sister can¡¯t marry the crown prince. We doted on her. How can we let her be someone¡¯s secondary consort?¡±


    ¡°Now that no one dares to be in-laws with us, what should we do?¡± Luo Xueyan looked a little anxious and asked tentatively, ¡°Why don¡¯t we try to find a suitable family outside the capital?¡±


    Shen Qiu was surprised. ¡°Mother, are you going to marry Sister far away?¡±


    Luo Xueyan said angrily, ¡°I have no choice. I¡¯m afraid all the officials in the capital are informed of this. It might even have spread outside the capital. We have to find people in some remote places where no one knows about it.¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Shen Xin rejected flatly. ¡°If she marries too far away, we can¡¯t help her when she is bullied by her husband.¡±


    Luo Xueyan was angry. ¡°This won¡¯t do, and that won¡¯t do. What do you think we should do?¡±


    Shen Qiu sighed. ¡°The people in the capital are afraid of getting into trouble. Is there no man who likes Sister more than his life?¡± Seeing Luo Xueyan staring at him, Shen Qiu quickly added, ¡°Other than me and Father.¡±


    As he spoke, he saw Luo Ling walk in. Luo Xueyan asked him to sit down and asked anxiously, ¡°Ling, have you found anyone who wants to marry Jiaojiao today?¡±

 Chapter 718 - 718 Peach Blossom Luck (3)

    718 Peach Blossom Luck (3)


    Luo Ling shook her head.


    Shen Xin and Shen Qiu were both a little disappointed.


    Luo Xueyan also lowered her head and looked at the teacup in front of her worriedly. In the silence, she heard Luo Ling say softly, ¡°Aunt, Uncle, Cousin.¡±


    The three of them looked up and saw that Luo Ling had a strange expression on his face.


    Shen Qiu asked, ¡°Cousin, what¡¯s wrong? Just say it. There is no outsider here.¡±


    Luo Ling took a deep breath and said, ¡°Has Cousin Miao found a suitable person yet?¡±


    Luo Xueyan shook her head and said, ¡°These people in the capital are all afraid of going against the royal family and don¡¯t want to have anything to do with us. It¡¯s really too difficult to find a suitable person who is willing to marry Jiaojiao at this juncture.¡±


    ¡°In that case,¡± Luo Ling paused for a moment before mustering his courage and saying,¡± I¡¯m willing to marry Cousin Miao.¡±


    As soon as he said that, the room fell silent. Even the maids at the side did not dare to speak and quietly retreated to the side.


    Shen Qiu and Shen Xin stared at Luo Ling, but Luo Ling seemed to have suddenly gained courage and continued, ¡°I know that my right hand is not good now. In terms of family background and appearance, there are many people in the capital who are better than me, but¡­ I¡¯m willing to marry Cousin Miao. I¡¯ll always be good to her and won¡¯t take any concubines. She¡¯ll be the only one. Moreover¡­¡± Luo Ling smiled and said, ¡°If Aunt and Uncle are worried about the royal family, I can take her back to Spring City. Father, Mother, and Grandfather are both there. They will also take care of her and won¡¯t let her suffer. When Aunt and Uncle go to war next time, you can also return to Spring City to visit her. ¡±


    ¡°Cousin, you¡­¡± Shen Qiu was speechless. Not only Shen Qiu, but Luo Xueyan and Shen Xin were also stunned.


    Luo Ling¡¯s words were to the point and honest. It was not that Luo Xueyan did not think about putting these two children together, but seeing that Shen Miao seemed to only treat Luo Ling as her cousin brother, she did not bring it up. However, the situation is different now. Compared to the crown prince, Luo Ling was indeed the better choice.


    Shen Xin and Luo Xueyan watched Luo Ling grow up. They knew that he had an upright and gentle personality. If Shen Miao married him, she would not be made difficult by her parents-in-law. Most importantly, Luo Ling could bring Shen Miao back to Spring City.


    As the competition for the throne between the princes became more and more intense, the situation in Ming Qi became complicated, and the capital became a dangerous place. Shen Xin could not leave the capital because of his military power, but he did not want his children to be involved in the dangerous vortex. Shen Qiu was a man and had already become an official, so he could not escape. However, Shen Xin always hoped that Shen Miao could live a peaceful life.


    If she married into the Luo family, it would indeed be a good choice.


    Shen Xin stared at Luo Ling and said sharply, ¡°Ling, if you want to help Jiaojiao out by marrying her now, you might meet the girl you like in the future. What will you do then?¡±


    Luo Ling suddenly blushed and said firmly, ¡°I won¡¯t meet the girl I like¡­ I only like Cousin Miao.¡±


    When Shen Qiu heard that, he was overjoyed. He slapped Luo Ling on the shoulder and said, ¡°In that case, you¡¯ve always liked my sister?¡±


    Luo Xueyan was also a little surprised. Luo Ling did not normally show his emotions. Although he was usually good to Shen Miao, Luo Xueyan thought that it was just an elder brother taking care of his sister. She did not expect Luo Ling to have a different feeling towards Shen Miao.

 Chapter 719 - 719 Peach Blossom Luck (4)

    719 Peach Blossom Luck (4)


    Luo Ling nodded.


    ¡°Lucky you,¡± Shen Qiu suddenly said.


    ¡°Shut up, Qiu.¡± Luo Xueyan glared at Shen Qiu and looked at Luo Ling. The more she looked at him, the more satisfied she was with him.


    Shen Xin and Shen Qiu weren¡¯t so satisfied with Luo Ling. They looked at each other with mixed feelings. They were unhappy that no one was willing to marry Shen Miao, but now that someone wanted to marry Shen Miao, they were still unhappy, especially Shen Xin. He felt that Luo Ling was really lucky that he could marry his daughter.


    !!


    Shen Qiu said, ¡°I didn¡¯t say anything wrong. If not for the situation Jiaojiao is facing, no one in the capital is qualified to marry her. Unexpectedly, this happened¡­ I wonder what kind of good karma Cousin Ling accumulated in his previous life.¡±


    Luo Xueyan shot him a glare. ¡°Try talking nonsense again!¡±


    Luo Ling smiled and said, ¡°Cousin Qiu is right. It¡¯s my blessing to marry Jiaojiao, but¡­¡± He said,¡± We still have to ask for her opinion on this matter. If she doesn¡¯t want to marry me, let¡¯s not mention this matter again.¡±


    Luo Xueyan and Shen Xin looked at each other and understood what each other thought. Whether Shen Miao wanted to marry or not depended on her attitude in the end. However, in this situation, Shen Miao would probably choose to marry Luo Ling without hesitation. After all, it did not seem to Shen Miao¡¯s liking to be a consort of the crown prince. Moreover, compared to the crown prince, Luo Ling was handsome and had a gentle and tolerant personality.


    Luo Xueyan said, ¡°Don¡¯t be discouraged. No matter what, your uncle, your cousin, and I will always be on your side.¡±


    Shen Xin and Shen Qiu were very unhappy with being ¡°represented¡± by Luo Xueyan, but they did not refute.


    Just as they were discussing this matter, a servant suddenly came over and reported, ¡°Master, Madam, someone is looking for you at the door.¡±


    Over the past few days, everyone in the capital who was friends with the Shen family avoided them, let alone take the initiative to visit them. Shen Qiu did not expect someone to come looking for them at this time. He asked casually, ¡°Who is it?¡±


    The servant replied, ¡°It¡¯s the wife of the Earl of Pingnan.¡±


    When Mrs. Su entered the house, she did not expect Shen Qiu and Shen Xin to be there. Speaking of which, she was a little afraid of Shen Xin. Because in the early years, Shen Xin and Su Yu did not get along well. Su Yu naturally did not like Shen Xin, and Mrs. Su was even more so. If not for Su Mingfeng, Mrs. Su would probably never set foot into the Shen mansion.


    Luo Xueyan gestured for Mrs. Su to sit down. Mrs. Su and Shen Xin greeted each other. She smiled at Shen Qiu and said, ¡°This must be Young Master Shen. He¡¯s indeed a young talent and extraordinarily handsome. One look and you can tell that he has a bright future ahead of him.¡±


    Mrs. Su looked at Luo Ling and asked with a smile, ¡°This is¡­¡±


    Luo Xueyan explained, ¡°This is my brother¡¯s son, Luo Ling.¡±


    Mrs. Su looked at Luo Ling with a strange gaze and asked calmly, ¡°Then is Young Master Luo married now?¡±


    ¡°No, Madam, I¡¯m not married yet.,¡± Luo Ling replied politely. Then, he looked at Mrs. Su in confusion, probably not understanding why this woman, who he had just met for the first time, wanted to ask him about his marriage.


    The more polite Luo Ling was, the stranger Mrs. Su looked at him. On closer look, there was even a hint of hostility. Mrs. Su didn¡¯t expect there to be such a handsome young man in the Shen family. Luo Ling and Shen Miao spent time together everyday, and it was hard to say if they would grow to love each other. If that happened, wouldn¡¯t Su Mingfeng never have the chance to have the girl he liked? Mrs. Su immediately perked up and was determined to help her son.

 Chapter 720 - 720 Peach Blossom Luck (5)

    720 Peach Blossom Luck (5)


    It was not appropriate for men to sit there and listen to women talking, so Shen Xin and the others stood up and left. Only Luo Xueyan and Mrs. Su were left in the main hall. Luo Xueyan smiled and asked, ¡°Mrs. Su, what brought you here today?¡±


    Mrs. Su said seriously, ¡°Have you thought about what I told you a few days ago?¡±


    Luo Xueyan was stunned. What did they talk about a few days ago? Was it about the marriage between Su Mingfeng and Shen Miao?


    Luo Xueyan couldn¡¯t help but feel a little frightened. She said, ¡°Mrs. Su, did you not hear the rumors recently?¡±


    !!


    Mrs. Su asked, ¡°What rumors?¡±


    Luo Xueyan said truthfully, ¡°The rumor that the Crown Prince wants to marry my daughter.¡±


    ¡°I see, so you are talking about that rumor,¡± Mrs. Su smiled and said, ¡°I heard about it. Miss Shen is so beautiful and outstanding that even the royal family likes her.¡±


    When Mrs. Su said this, her expression was natural. Luo Xueyan, on the other hand, was confused. Was Mrs. Su too bold? Did she not understand what the royal family meant, or did she not care at all?


    ¡°After hearing about this, are you still considering the marriage between Young Master Su and my daughter?¡± Luo Xueyan asked.


    ¡°Of course I am.¡± Mrs. Su nodded. ¡°I¡¯m not an unreasonable person. Just because my son likes your daughter doesn¡¯t mean others can¡¯t like your daughter.¡±


    Luo Xueyan felt that Mrs. Su might have misunderstood something, so she made it clear to her in detail. She said, ¡°The Crown Prince intends to marry my daughter. Since we¡¯re all mothers, I won¡¯t hide it from you. My daughter doesn¡¯t want to be a secondary consort, so she wants to get married before that. However, since this rumor has already spread, those men who intend to marry her previously changed their minds. Mrs. Su, I think you understand that whoever marries my daughter at this time is going against the royal family. If the royal family is angered, no one will have a good time¡­ Mrs. Su, do you understand what I mean now? Do you still want your son to marry my daughter?¡±


    Her words were sincere and she didn¡¯t hide anything. Su slowly smiled and said, ¡°Madam, do you think I¡¯m a fool who can¡¯t even understand this?¡±


    Luo Xueyan was even more confused now. Since Mrs. Su understood the disadvantages, why did she insist on his son marrying Shen Miao? Wasn¡¯t the Su family afraid of getting into trouble?


    ¡°I won¡¯t hide it from you either, Madam.¡± Mrs. Su said with a smile, ¡°The situation in the capital is too complicated now. In the past two years, the Earl of Pingnan has already withdrawn from the imperial court. Speaking of which, since we¡¯ve already quit officialdom, we don¡¯t have so many worries. I proposed this marriage, so I naturally am aware of the pros and cons. However, there is nothing I can do since my son likes Fifth Miss Shen.¡±


    Luo Xueyan widened her eyes and asked subconsciously, ¡°Likes my daughter?¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡± Mrs. Su said, ¡°If Mingfeng didn¡¯t like Fifth Miss Shen, why would I keep pestering you?¡± She sighed. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen Mingfeng like any girl, but I know that he is stubborn. Once he makes up his mind, he won¡¯t change. Since he likes Fifth Miss Shen, he won¡¯t like any other girls in the future.¡± Madam Su lowered her head and looked at her fingertips. ¡°Because of the Su family¡¯s decision to not get involved in the imperial court, Mingfeng can only hide at home and can¡¯t make a name for himself in the officialdom. We¡¯ve already let him down. If we can¡¯t help him marry the girl he likes, my husband and I will feel guilty.¡±

 Chapter 721 - 721 Peach Blossom Luck (6)

    721 Peach Blossom Luck (6)


    As Luo Xueyan listened, she gradually felt a sense of sorrow in her heart. As a mother, she could naturally understand Mrs. Su in some ways.


    Mrs. Su continued, ¡°But don¡¯t worry, Madam. Although the Su family is no longer an official family, we have enough money and many shops. After Miss Shen marries over, my husband and I will treat her as our own daughter. Mingfeng is honest and kind. There won¡¯t be any other women besides Miss Shen.¡±


    Luo Xueyan was tempted. She never wanted her son-in-law¡¯s family to be rich. As long as he was good to her daughter, it would be enough. Su Mingfeng was really a good candidate.


    Thinking of Luo Ling just now, Luo Xueyan began to hesitate. Although Luo Ling was not bad, if he married Shen Miao, they would have to return to Spring city. If it was Su Mingfeng, Shen Miao could stay in the capital.


    This time, because of various considerations, Luo Xueyan did not reject Mrs. Su immediately. She only said that she would think about it. After Mrs. Su left, Luo Xueyan went to look for Shen Xin to discuss this matter. Of course, the most important thing was still Shen Miao¡¯s opinion. Luo Ling and Su Mingfeng were both outstanding. As long as Shen Miao thought that Su Mingfeng was good, they would arrange for Shen Miao to meet her future husband.


    For some reason, this matter reached Shen Miao¡¯s ears. When Luo Tan came to look for her, she smiled happily and said, ¡°Cousin, you don¡¯t usually leave the house. I didn¡¯t expect you to be so popular among men. Look, Cousin Ling and the young master of the Su family both express their intention of marrying you, and there¡¯s also the crown prince. There are three peach blossom lucks. All the girls in the capital are envious of you.¡±


    Shen Miao was helpless. She didn¡¯t expect Luo Ling to want to marry her. What surprised her even more was the fact that Mrs. Su came to talk about marriage for his son.


    Originally, Shen Miao was afraid that the reason Su Mingfeng wanted to marry her was to find out Xie Jingxing¡¯s whereabouts. Now that the royal family was involved, the Su family still wanted Su Mingfeng to marry her. She felt that Su Mingfeng was becoming more and more dangerous. She thought that it was best to leave Su Mingfeng to Xie Jingxing to deal with, but¡­ She glanced at the window. She did not know when Xie Jingxing would return. It was a troubled time, but he chose to disappear at this moment. For some reason, Shen Miao was discontent.


    Luo Tan continued, ¡°When you hung the red string on the tree in Putuo Temple, the red string you threw was hooked in a good place. At that time, I saw that there were many twigs extending from that branch. I¡¯m afraid that means you¡¯ll have a lot of peach blossom luck.¡±


    Luo Tan continued to mutter to herself, ¡°But little cousin, the red string you threw ended up on a high branch. That high branch should represent the status of your husband. I wonder who my brother-in-law is?¡±


    Shen Miao took a sip of tea and listened to Luo Tan¡¯s nonsense absent-mindedly.


    ¡°If only it was Prince Rui!¡± Luo Tan clapped her hands. ¡°Then I would rise with the tide and become Prince Rui¡¯s sister-in-law!¡±


    Shen Miao was drinking tea when she spat out a mouthful of tea and almost choked.


    Unexpectedly, Luo Tan¡¯s words came true. Shen Miao¡¯s peach blossom luck would come one after another.

 Chapter 722 - 722 Admiration (1)

    722 Admiration (1)


    The next morning, a special guest arrived at the Shen mansion.


    It was none other than Feng Anning.


    Previously, after Shen Miao and Luo Tan were kidnapped, Feng Anning took the initiative to visit and apologize. Shen Xin and his wife were also straightforward people. Moreover, they could not blame Feng Anning for what happened back then. Although Shen Xin and his wife said that they didn¡¯t take it to heart, Feng Anning seemed to feel very guilty. Other than sending some gifts every few days, she never asked Shen Miao out again, probably because she felt ashamed. Luo Tan sent a letter to Feng Anning to invite her out, but Feng Anning rejected it politely.


    They did not expect her to take the initiative to visit today.


    !!


    When Luo Tan heard that Feng Anning was here, she was very happy. She pulled Shen Miao to the front hall. In the capital, Feng Anning was Luo Tan¡¯s only friend. The two of them were straightforward and clicked the first time they met. Because of what had happened previously, Luo Tan had not seen Feng Anning for a long time, so she could not wait to see her.


    When they arrived at the front hall, they saw Luo Xueyan talking to Feng Anning. Feng Anning was dressed in a moon-white short brocade dress and had her hair combed into a bun. She wore pearl earrings and a hairpin and looked much gentler than usual. Luo Tan was the first to call out, ¡°Feng Anning!¡± and ran over.


    Shen Miao noticed that there was a young man in his early twenties sitting beside Feng Anning. This young man had delicate features and was wearing a green robe. The robe fit him well, and he looked very elegant. When he saw Shen Miao looking at him, he nodded slightly.


    He looked a little similar to Feng Anning.


    Only then did Luo Tan notice that there was another person. She asked, ¡°This is¡­¡±


    Luo Xueyan was a little embarrassed. It was naturally against the rules for the two unmarried girls to meet an unknown man for no reason. However, when she thought of the reason why Feng Anning came today, she felt a little awkward. She did not know if she should feel happy or worried.


    Feng Anning took the initiative to say, ¡°This is my elder brother.¡±


    The Feng family only had one legitimate son called Feng Zixian. Without a doubt, this man was Feng Zixian.


    Feng Zixian stood up and cupped his hands at Shen Miao and Luo Tan. The two of them hurriedly returned the greeting. Luo Tan looked at Feng Zixian in confusion, then at Feng Anning and asked, ¡°Anning, didn¡¯t you come here to play with us today?¡±


    Feng Anning did not say anything and only looked at Feng Zixian. Feng Zixian¡¯s face blushed slightly, but he still took the initiative to say, ¡°I came today because I heard Brother Shen Qiu from the Ministry of War mentioning that his sister is looking for a husband¡­ I came to recommend myself. Please forgive me for my abruptness.¡± After saying that, his face turned slightly red, and he glanced sideways to avoid Luo Tan¡¯s probing gaze.


    Luo Xueyan was a little embarrassed, but her eyes were filled with joy. Luo Tan opened her mouth wide, as if she did not expect him to come for this, while Shen Miao was stunned, not knowing what to say.

 Chapter 723 - 723 Admiration (2)

    723 Admiration (2)


    Seeing that Shen Miao was silent, Feng Anning took the initiative to speak. She glanced at Shen Miao. Feng Anning was no longer as arrogant as before. She was probably still feeling guilty about what had happened previously, and her tone was apologetic. She said, ¡°We¡¯ve all heard the rumors. Now, all the people in the capital are afraid of marrying you. Why don¡¯t you¡­ Why don¡¯t you marry my brother? My brother is good at martial arts and has a good personality. If you marry him, I can also take care of you.¡±


    Feng Anning had always been a person who did not know how to beat around the bush. Her words were honest, but she was really thinking for Shen Miao. Luo Xueyan¡¯s expression softened a lot. Shen Miao asked, ¡°Do your parents know about this?¡±


    Feng Anning hesitated for a moment before saying, ¡°At first, my father didn¡¯t agree, but after our persuasion, he let us be. My father has a sharp tongue but a soft heart. He definitely won¡¯t stop us from doing this!¡±


    Shen Miao did not doubt this. Just from Feng Anning¡¯s straightforward personality, she knew that Master Feng was probably a straightforward person too.


    She looked at Feng Zixian and asked, ¡°Young Master Feng, do you think I¡¯m pitiful, so you want to help me out by marrying me?¡±


    Everyone was stunned to hear that.


    Luo Xueyan found it surprising that Shen Miao didn¡¯t shy away from talking about her marriage at all and that her expression was perfectly calm. Feng Zixian did not expect Shen Miao to ask him so bluntly.


    He quickly came back to his senses and answered, ¡°My sister has mentioned you many times before. I admire your talent and temperament¡­ It just so happens that you have the intention of getting married.¡± After saying that, his face turned even redder.


    Luo Tan chuckled when she heard that, but Shen Miao was a little helpless. She did not know how Feng Anning usually described her to Feng Zixian to make him think so highly of her.


    Feng Anning looked at Shen Miao nervously and said, ¡°My brother is definitely better than the Crown Prince!¡±


    Shen Miao almost laughed out loud. If others heard this, they would probably say that Feng Anning was disrespectful. However, Feng Anning really took her seriously. Shen Miao looked at Feng Zixian, who looked a little like Feng Anning. He looked honest and should be an upright person.


    Shen Miao smiled and said, ¡°If I make a decision simply based on the few words you said, it¡¯s unfair to me and to you as well. Don¡¯t you think so?¡±


    When Luo Xueyan heard Shen Miao¡¯s words, she was confused. What Shen Miao meant was that she had other thoughts about her marriage. However, as a mother, she did not know what Shen Miao was up to. Shen Miao was unwilling to marry the crown prince and did not seem to be interested in these young talents. Luo Xueyan was a little anxious for her.


    She thought that no one would dare to go against the royal family and ask for her daughter¡¯s hand in marriage. She didn¡¯t expect three people to be willing to marry her daughter. Luo Ling, Su Mingfeng, and Feng Zixian were all talented and outstanding, but Shen Miao showed no enthusiasm towards marrying them.


    Feng Anning said, ¡°But if you don¡¯t hurry up, it¡¯ll be too late!¡±


    That was true. Who knew when the imperial edict would be issued? In the past, there would naturally be a lot of time for Shen Miao to think it through, but now that the time was pressing, there was no room for careful consideration.


    Shen Miao waved her hand. Just as she was about to speak, she suddenly saw Jingzhe rush in and say anxiously, ¡°Miss, someone from the palace is here!¡±

 Chapter 724 - 724 Admiration (3)

    724 Admiration (3)


    Luo Xueyan¡¯s face turned pale.


    Not daring to let anyone find out that the Feng siblings were here, Luo Xueyan brought Shen Miao to the front hall to receive the person from the palace. After the young eunuch finished speaking, they realized that he was not here to deliver an imperial edict, but to ask Shen Miao to go to the palace alone tomorrow. The empress had something to say to Shen Miao.


    After the young eunuch left, Luo Xueyan¡¯s expression turned extremely ugly. Although there was no imperial edict, it was not much better. Tomorrow, Shen Miao would have to enter the palace alone. If the imperial edict was issued at that time, Shen Miao could not handle the situation alone. Even if the imperial edict was not issued, who knew what kind of threat the empress would say?


    Feng Anning and Feng Zixian were both a little worried, but Shen Miao advised them not to take it to heart. After the Feng siblings left, Luo Tan asked, ¡°Cousin, what should we do now? Why don¡¯t you settle the marriage today?¡±


    ¡°The marriage can¡¯t be settled overnight. There are a lot of procedures to go through. We don¡¯t have enough time,¡± Shen Miao said.


    Luo Tan was stunned. ¡°Cousin, you really know a lot about marriage.¡±


    Shen Miao paused. She naturally did. In her previous life, she watched happily as these procedures were completed one by one, wishing she could marry the person she liked as soon as possible.


    However, she did not expect that she was slowly pushing herself down the abyss.


    Luo Xueyan looked at Shen Miao seriously. ¡°Jiaojiao, tell me, among these people, who do you like?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t have any feelings for them.¡± Shen Miao smiled faintly. ¡°Just choose the one who is most suitable. Mother, don¡¯t be too anxious. It won¡¯t be too late to make a decision when I come back from the palace tomorrow. Perhaps more suitable people will appear.¡±


    Luo Xueyan was stunned. Shen Miao always looked indifferent to her marriage and did not seem to hold any expectations for her future husband, which made Luo Xueyan a little flustered. After Shen Miao left, she muttered to herself, ¡°Could it be that¡­ Jiaojiao still has feelings for Prince Ding¡­¡±


    Shen Miao did not know what Luo Xueyan was thinking at all. She was already prepared for the worst and was determined to die with the royal family.


    Even in the worst situation, she still had to hold on to hope. After all, she was still alive, right?


    As she thought this, she looked at the window with a dark gaze and finally felt a little frustrated. She instructed Gu Yu, ¡°Close the window tightly. I¡¯m going to rest.¡±


    ¡­


    The crown prince wanted to take Shen Miao as his secondary consort, so now, the officials did not dare to have anything to do with the Shen family. This matter spread like wildfire. If it could reach the ears of the officials, it would naturally reach the ears of the princes.


    In Prince Zhou¡¯s mansion, Prince Jing and Prince Zhou were sitting at the table and discussing this matter.


    ¡°After competing with Sixth Brother and the others for so long, I didn¡¯t expect the crown prince to take advantage of the situation in the end!¡± Prince Zhou drank the wine angrily. ¡°The crown prince is getting smarter!¡±


    Prince Jing was more composed than his brother. He shook his head and said, ¡°I think this is not only the crown prince¡¯s idea, but also Father¡¯s idea. Father is already unhappy with us and Prince Li. The crown prince is the rightful heir. Father wants to help the crown prince by roping in the Shen family for him.¡±


    ¡°Father is too old and stupid.¡± Prince Zhou sneered. ¡°That invalid, the crown prince, even if he gets Shen Xin¡¯s support, how many more years can he live? He¡¯ll die before he can even touch the throne.¡± These words were very vicious, almost like he was cursing the crown prince to die early. Prince Zhou¡¯s tone was very jealous. It had to be known that if the crown prince obtained the Shen family¡¯s military power, his strength would increase greatly. Not only would he be able to compete with Prince Li, but his power might even surpass the power the rest of the princes combined.

 Chapter 725 - 725 Admiration (4)

    725 Admiration (4)


    The crown prince had an advantage in terms of title to begin with. Coupled with the Shen family¡¯s military power, his chances of winning were much higher. How could Prince Zhou not be anxious?


    ¡°In that case, it¡¯s better to let that girl from the Shen family marry Ninth Brother than the crown prince,¡± Prince Zhou said in a low voice.


    ¡°Ninth Brother?¡± Prince Jing smiled meaningfully. ¡°Fourth Brother, Ninth Brother is not as simple as we think.¡±


    ¡°Are you talking about the matter regarding Shen Wan?¡± Prince Zhou said. ¡°To be honest, among the nine of us, who doesn¡¯t have ambition for the throne? Even if Ninth Brother wants to win, he has to have the ability. Not many people in the imperial court are willing to side with him.¡±


    Fu Xiuyi and Shen Wan were very close in private and had an unclear relationship with the crown prince of the State of Qin. When the princes heard this, they were wary of Fu Xiuyi, but in the end, they did not take him as the biggest enemy. The reason was that Fu Xiuyi did not participate in the imperial court for many years. Even if he had the ambition, he did not have the strength. Compared to him, there was a bigger enemy.


    Prince Jing shook his head. ¡°Fourth Brother, don¡¯t underestimate Ninth Brother. I have a feeling that he¡¯s hiding it very well.¡±


    Prince Zhou waved his hand impatiently. ¡°Why do you keep mentioning Ninth Brother for no reason? I called you here today because I have something to discuss with you.¡± Prince Zhou lowered his tone. ¡°We can¡¯t just sit back and watch the military power of the Shen family fall into the hands of the crown prince. If the crown prince gets the military power, and now that the crown princess has given birth to a son, our chances will be even lower. I¡¯ve been fighting with Prince Li for so long. I don¡¯t want the crown prince to take advantage of the situation.¡±


    ¡°Fourth Brother, you mean?¡±


    ¡°We have to stop this marriage from happening.¡± Prince Zhou smiled cruelly. ¡°It¡¯s best if they become enemies.¡±


    ¡°There are thousands of ways to make enemies. Which one are you mentioning, Fourth Brother?¡± Prince Jing asked.


    ¡°Of course the one where blood is shed.¡± Prince Zhou put down his wine glass and said, ¡°Didn¡¯t that girl from the Shen family also want to marry Ninth Brother? She definitely doesn¡¯t want to marry the crown prince. In that case, why don¡¯t we help her?¡±


    ¡°It won¡¯t be easy to make a move on Shen Miao.¡± Prince Jing said, ¡°Last time, after Shen Miao was kidnapped, Shen Xin gave her twice as many guards. How are we going to make a move?¡±


    Prince Zhou smiled. ¡°We can¡¯t make a move outside, but we can in the palace.¡± He said smugly, ¡°After she enters the palace, no matter how many guards there are, they have to wait outside. After she enters the palace, she will be in our trap. I¡¯ve asked around. Tomorrow, that girl from the Shen family will enter the palace alone. When she enters the palace to see the empress, it will be our chance to make a move.¡±


    Prince Jing said, ¡°It¡¯s easier to take action in the palace, but it¡¯s also easier for us to be exposed if they investigate.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why we have to resort to the tactic of killing two birds with one stone.¡± Prince Zhou smiled. ¡°What do you think about framing Sixth Brother?¡±


    Prince Jing¡¯s eyes lit up.


    The two of them had been competing with Prince Li¡¯s faction for so many years. If anything happened to Shen Miao in the palace this time, Shen Xin, who doted on Shen Miao, would definitely blame the crown prince. If not for the fact that the crown prince wanted to marry Shen Miao, Shen Miao would not have been in trouble. The crown prince and the Shen family would have become enemies. In the end, Prince Li, who was framed, would not be able to get anything out of it.


    Prince Jing smiled and said, ¡°Fourth Brother, this idea is not bad, but we have to set it up carefully to prevent any flaws. Someone, call my aides over.¡±


    ¡­


    Coincidentally, while Prince Zhou was discussing the assassination of Shen Miao tomorrow, Prince Li was also troubled by this matter.

 Chapter 726 - 726 Admiration (5)

    726 Admiration (5)


    Prince Li smiled at the two brothers in front of him and said, ¡°What do you think?¡±


    Prince Xiang was a cautious and timid person. Looking at Prince Li¡¯s smiling face, he couldn¡¯t help but shiver. Prince Li had always been a smiling villain. On the surface, he looked amiable, but he was the most ruthless. Prince Xiang said, ¡°Isn¡¯t it too risky?¡±


    When Prince Cheng heard that, he said, ¡°Why is it risky? We can¡¯t really let the crown prince marry Miss Shen and get the military power of the Shen family so easily. Sixth Brother and Prince Zhou have been competing for so many years but to no avail. That crown prince is sick. Even if he gets so much power, he won¡¯t have the luck to enjoy it.¡±


    Prince Cheng had always been rude and impudent. However, it was obvious that his words satisfied Prince Li. Prince Li said, ¡°Eighth Brother is right. It¡¯s indeed not what I want to let the crown prince get the Shen family¡¯s military power. If this marriage is successful, not only will I be at a disadvantage, but you two will also be in trouble. I won¡¯t let that happen. I proposed to assassinate Miss Shen to avoid future trouble. Although Miss Shen is very innocent, she can only blame the crown prince for dragging her into the mess.¡±


    !!


    Prince Li smiled as he spoke about the assassination of Shen Miao. Although he said that Shen Miao was innocent, there was no sympathy in his tone.


    ¡°But how do we pin this on Prince Zhou?¡± Prince Xiang asked softly.


    ¡°Prince Zhou is usually impulsive. Everyone will suspect that he did it on impulse. Father has a lot of complaints about him to begin with and will punish him severely,¡± Prince Li said.


    ¡°Killing two birds with one stone is a good idea.¡± Prince Cheng was beaming with smiles, ¡°I support your idea, Sixth Brother!¡±


    Prince Xiang did not speak, but even if he did not speak, it did not matter. He and Prince Cheng were both Prince Li¡¯s followers. Prince Li¡¯s decision represented the two of them. If they succeeded, they would benefit together, but if they failed, they would also die together. This was what they understood from the beginning.


    He sighed in his heart and could only hope that the assassination of Shen Miao would go smoothly tomorrow.


    ¡­


    The night was as dark as ink. The winter wind blew on people¡¯s faces like a knife. The wooden bucket of water left outside froze at night. It was stuck to the ground the next day and could not be lifted up.


    On the upper floor of the inn, in front of the window, the purple-clothed young man stood with his hands behind his back, frowning. A snow-white pigeon suddenly flew in from outside and landed on the window sill in front of him, its body covered in a layer of snowflakes.


    Xie Jingxing took off a small silver tube from the pigeon¡¯s leg and let the pigeon into the house. With charcoal burning, the room was warm. The pigeon flew to the desk in the room. It tilted its head and pecked at the corn in the small bowl on the table.


    Xie Jingxing took out a small paper roll from the silver tube, unfolded it, and read it. He casually threw it into the charcoal stove and turned it to ashes. Tie Yi walked in from outside and walked behind Xie Jingxing, saying, ¡°Master, the carriage is ready. We¡¯ll set off for the capital tomorrow morning.¡±


    Xie Jingxing nodded.


    Tie Yi did not leave. Instead, he looked at Xie Jingxing¡¯s back and seemed to be a little hesitant whether he should say it or not.


    ¡°If you have something to say, say it,¡± Xie Jingxing said without looking back.


    Tie Yi was shocked and quickly said, ¡°Master, there¡¯s news from the capital that Shen Xin is looking for a suitable young talent for Fifth Miss Shen these few days. It seems like she has the intention of getting married.¡±


    Xie Jingxing did not turn around. Tie Yi looked at his back and for some reason, he felt his hair stand on end. He did not know if he should say this or not and was torn in between. Ji Yushu and Gao Yang did not mention this in the letter they sent over from the capital. If Tie Yi said it now and Xie Jingxing blamed the two of them when he went back, it would seem like Tie Yi was being a busybody.

 Chapter 727 - 727 Admiration (6)

    727 Admiration (6)


    Pei Lang looked at the snowy night outside the window and sighed deeply.


    The move Fu Xiuyi made was indeed very brilliant. Whether the move turned out to be a success or a failure, it had nothing to do with him. No matter what the outcome was, Fu Xiuyi would benefit one way or another.


    Just like the layout of the chessboard, Shen Miao was cornered. Even if she had a way out, it was not going to be a good way. In this round, Fu Xiuyi would definitely win.


    Pei Lang was a little worried for Shen Miao.


    He did not know why he was worried for Shen Miao. If Shen Miao died, he would be able to follow Fu Xiuyi wholeheartedly. Fu Xiuyi trusted him very much. If he was not wrong, Fu Xiuyi had the ability to outlast everyone and become the emperor. In the future, he would also rise to the top and enjoy endless wealth. He could also better protect Liu Ying in the dark.


    However, he still did not want Shen Miao to lose.


    Over the past few days, Fu Xiuyi suspected that there was a traitor in the mansion and doubled the guards. Not even a fly could enter, let alone send a letter out. He could not communicate with Shen Miao through letters and could only be anxious for her.


    He heard that Shen Miao was going to the palace alone tomorrow. Coincidentally, he was also going to the palace tomorrow.


    Could Shen Miao find her way out of this cornered situation?


    A moment later, Pei Lang looked at the chessboard in front of him. There was no need to continue with this chess game. He placed one hand on the corner of the table and suddenly flipped his hand.


    With a light lift, the entire chessboard fell to the ground, making crisp sounds as the chess pieces scatter everywhere


    The ground was in a mess.

 Chapter 728 - 728 Anger (1)

    728 Anger (1)


    The next morning, Shen Miao entered the palace.


    Luo Xueyan and Shen Xin were worried about her and asked her to bring many guards. However, the guards could not follow Shen Miao at all times. When they reached the palace gate, they had to wait outside.


    Before Shen Miao left, she put on almost all the jewelry that Xie Jingxing had given her. She was afraid that something would happen and wanted to be fully prepared.


    When they arrived at the entrance of the palace, Gu Yu and the others were asked to wait outside with the guards. Shen Miao was led to the palace by the palace maid. Along the way, the palace maid was a little puzzled. The route from the palace gate to the Palace of Earthly Tranquility Palace was not simple. They had to walk past a few long corridors and a lot of gardens, but Shen Miao was familiar with the route. She did not even need the palace maid to remind her which corner to turn. The palace maid was puzzled. Could it be that Shen Miao remembered this route so well after having been to the Palace of Earthly Tranquility once?


    !!


    The palace maid naturally did not know that in Shen Miao¡¯s previous life, the Palace of Earthly Tranquility was where she lived. Therefore, when faced with the grand decorations and exquisite display, there was no shock in her eyes. If one looked carefully, they could see a trace of disgust flashing across Shen Miao¡¯s eyes.


    When they arrived at the Palace of Earthly Tranquility, the palace maid was combing the empress¡¯s hair. Shen Miao waited for a while before the empress let her in.


    Consort Dong did not come today. The empress was the only one. She was wearing a formal court dress and a nine-headed phoenix hairpin. Her makeup was exquisite, and she exuded a sense of oppression.


    Shen Miao took a look and understood.


    Did the empress really think Shen Miao was a little girl who did not know anything about the world? Did she want to use her status to press on Shen Miao and scare her into saying something? No wonder the empress deliberately didn¡¯t ask Luo Xueyan to come along. If Shen Miao was really a 16-year-old girl facing the empress alone, she might be intimidated.


    However, Shen Miao was not a little girl. The person in front of her was the empress. In her previous life, she was also the empress and had seen more than anyone could imagine. Therefore, she really did not care about the empress. Shen Miao lowered her head and smiled.


    The empress slowly frowned. Shen Miao¡¯s reaction was a little different from what she thought. She did not know if Shen Miao was pretending to be stupid or if she was stupid to begin with. Her gaze landed on the bracelet on Shen Miao¡¯s wrist and she narrowed her eyes slightly. She smiled and said, ¡°This bracelet is not bad. Come forward and let me take a closer look.¡±


    Shen Miao went forward as instructed. The empress held Shen Miao¡¯s hand. The bracelet was made of rare jade from somewhere. It was emerald-colored and extremely smooth. Just as she was about to praise it, she heard Shen Miao say with a smile, ¡°Your Highness, my hairpin, necklace, and earrings are also very beautiful.¡±


    The empress was stunned and actually looked at the jewelry seriously. The corners of her mouth couldn¡¯t help but twitch. The cat-eye hairpin was paired with pearl earrings, and the pearl earrings were paired with an amber necklace. As for the bracelet and the jewelry hairpin, there was no need to mention them. They were clearly all expensive jewelry with intricate craftsmanship. Why did they look so ugly on Shen Miao? The empress suddenly didn¡¯t want to praise Shen Miao¡¯s jewelry anymore, and she even lost interest in the bracelet. She was even a little disdainful of Shen Miao¡¯s taste. Back then, people said that Shen Miao was a vulgar woman who only liked gold and silver. Later, she thought that Shen Miao had changed. Today, it seemed that Shen Miao was still the same as before. At the thought of letting such a woman marry the crown prince, the empress was unhappy. If not for the fact that the Shen family¡¯s military power could help the crown prince, the empress wouldn¡¯t be willing to let such a vulgar woman be around the crown prince.

 Chapter 729 - 729 Anger (2)

    729 Anger (2)


    The empress put down Shen Miao¡¯s hand and said, ¡°I asked to come today because I have something to talk to you about.¡± She sighed and said, ¡°That day, I mentioned to your mother that you¡¯re just the right age and I¡¯d like to matchmake you. Naturally, I won¡¯t force you. I will respect your opinion.¡±


    Shen Miao lowered her head and did not speak.


    The empress patted her hand. ¡°Do you think my life is good and glamorous?¡±


    Shen Miao sneered in her heart, but she replied with a smile, ¡°Your Highness, your life is naturally very glamorous.¡±


    !!


    ¡°After marrying into the royal family, you will be protected and can live a good and glamorous life.¡±


    It was clear now what the empress was driving at. The corners of Shen Miao¡¯s lips curled up slightly, but her words were humble and she sounded terrified. She suddenly knelt on the ground and said, ¡°I¡¯m already doing very well now. I don¡¯t dare to imagine living a better life. Your Highness, please spare my life!¡±


    The empress was stunned. She did not expect Shen Miao to have such a reaction. There were many people in the world who wanted to climb up the social ladder to be part of the royal family. The empress knew that all women were vain. Shen Miao was young and gullible, so she intentionally tried to tempt her. As long as Shen Miao said she wanted to live a glamorous life, the empress could say to the outside world that it was Shen Miao who wanted to marry the crown prince.


    Unexpectedly, Shen Miao had this reaction. She was not tempted or hesitant. Instead, she was afraid.


    The empress thought to herself, Is being a consort that scary? Or is the daughter of the Shen family actually as timid as a mouse? She doesn¡¯t understand my hint at all and thinks that she is some kind of trouble.


    How useless.


    For the rest of the time, no matter what the empress said, Shen Miao still looked humble and terrified. It was precisely because of this that her mouth was very tight, and she did not say a word the empress wanted her to say. In the end, the empress was a little irritated and asked Shen Miao to go back.


    When the empress asked Shen Miao to leave, her attitude was unfriendly. Even the palace maids of the Palace of Earthly Tranquility did not treat Shen Miao nicely. They handed Shen Miao to a young eunuch who was passing by outside and asked him to send Shen Miao out of the palace.


    The young eunuch naturally agreed.


    The young eunuch brought Shen Miao out of the palace. After taking a few turns, they were deeper into the palace. When they passed by a garden and were almost reaching an abandoned garden, Shen Miao stopped and said, ¡°This is not the way out of the palace. Where are you taking me?¡± Her hand quietly pressed on the bracelet on her wrist in her sleeve. No one was more familiar with Ming Qi¡¯s palace than her.


    The young eunuch was stunned for a moment before saying in a low voice, ¡°Mr. Pei wants to see you.¡±


    Pei Lang? Shen Miao frowned slightly.


    After thinking for a moment, Shen Miao followed the young eunuch. It had been a long time since Pei Lang sent a letter to her. Shen Miao thought that Pei Lang had been discovered working for her by Fu Xiuyi. However, after sending Mo Qing over to investigate, she found out that Pei Lang was still in Prince Ding¡¯s mansion. He seemed to be safe and sound. If Fu Xiuyi suspected Pei Lang, he would definitely not let Pei Lang off so easily.

 Chapter 730 - 730 Anger (3)

    730 Anger (3)


    If Pei Lang was looking for her, he must have something very important to tell her.


    There were many coincidences in the world. Today, Princess Rong Xin also entered the palace.


    She was not in good health and had become thinner and thinner in the past few years. She rarely went to the palace, but today, she came anxiously. The palace guard was about to go and report when Princess Rong Xin waved her hand and said, ¡°I have something to discuss with my brother. There¡¯s no need to inform him.¡±


    The guards at the palace gate did not dare to stop her. Although Princess Rong Xin did not show up much now, she was still the daughter of the late emperor and had a stubborn personality. If they angered her, they would not have a good time, so they could only let her through.


    !!


    The palace maid wanted to find a sedan chair for Princess Rong Xin, but she was rejected by Princess Rong Xin. Princess Rong Xin said, ¡°Let¡¯s take the shortcut. Sedan chair is too cumbersome.¡±


    Princess Rong Xin was anxious. She did not interfere in the matters of the imperial court and stayed in her mansion every day. If not for the fact that she happened to pass by the courtyard and heard the servants talking about Shen Miao, she would not have known that the royal family wanted to marry Shen Miao to the crown prince. Other than doing this for Xie Jingxing¡¯s sake, Princess Rong Xin also wanted to protect Shen Miao because she liked her. As a member of the royal family, Princess Rong Xin knew very well that if a woman married into the royal family, she would not be happy even if her life was glorious. Moreover, Shen Miao was not a woman who was into wealth and power.


    Princess Rong Xin was in a hurry to find Emperor Wen Hui, hoping to change her brother¡¯s mind, so she took a shortcut.


    Shen Miao arrived at a remote pavilion.


    This pavilion was hidden in the garden by a long corridor. There were a few rooms in the corridor that were a place to hide. Pei Lang walked out of one of those rooms.


    The young eunuch stood guard outside for the two of them. Shen Miao nodded at Pei Lang and asked, ¡°Mr. Pei, what¡¯s so urgent that you want to talk here?¡±


    ¡°Prince Ding has sealed off the mansion, so I can¡¯t send you a letter.¡± Pei Lang said, ¡°It was Prince Ding who suggested that the crown prince marry you.¡±


    Shen Miao raised an eyebrow. Seeing that she was not surprised, Pei Lang asked, ¡°You know it already?¡±


    ¡°I guessed it was him,¡± Shen Miao said indifferently. ¡°WIth the crown prince¡¯s intelligence, he wouldn¡¯t be able to come up with this.¡±


    Pei Lang was a little puzzled. Shen Miao talked as if she was extremely familiar with the crown prince and Fu Xiuyi. However, Shen Miao was just a girl and did not have the chance to interact with the princes at all. How could she know the princes¡¯ personalities? Even Shen Xin might not be as familiar with the princes as Shen Miao.


    This desolate garden had once been haunted, so almost no one passed by. Therefore, Pei Lang was not worried that someone would eavesdrop on them. He frowned and said, ¡°What do you plan to do about the marriage?¡±


    Shen Miao was a little surprised. Pei Lang had always been a person who would not put personal emotions into his analysis of the overall situation. It was rare for him to ask her about this. After all, what she thought about this marriage was unimportant in the grand scheme of things.

 Chapter 731 - 731 Anger (4)

    731 Anger (4)


    Shen Miao said, ¡°Let nature take its course.¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t marry the crown prince,¡± Pei Lang said.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter if I marry him or not.¡± What Shen Miao hated the most was Pei Lang¡¯s confident expression, as if he had everything in his control. She said coldly, ¡°Even if I marry him, I might not have a bad life. I¡¯ll use what I have to achieve my goals. The path is paved by oneself. Every path leads to a different destination Mr. Pei, do you think there¡¯s only one path in this world?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not what I mean.¡± Pei Lang sighed and said, ¡°It¡¯s just that using your marriage to pave the way is too cruel for you. It¡¯s really not worth it.¡±


    !!


    Shen Miao¡¯s heart skipped a beat as she looked at Pei Lang.


    Pei Lang actually said, ¡°Using your marriage to pave the way is too cruel for you.¡± In her previous life, when Wanyu was about to marry the Xiongnu, Shen Miao had once begged Pei Lang because Pei Lang was Fu Xiuyi¡¯s trusted aide. At that time, Pei Lang told Shen Miao, ¡°Your Highness, isn¡¯t it a good thing to exchange a princess¡¯s marriage for the safety of Ming Qi and the welfare of the people?¡±


    Pei Lang, who always prioritized the overall situation, actually placed the overall situation second.


    Pei Lang did not notice Shen Miao¡¯s expression. He continued, ¡°Now that the royal family has spread the news, no one in the capital dares to marry you¡±


    Shen Miao said, ¡°So what?¡±


    ¡°If you have to marry someone, marry me,¡± Pei Lang said.


    The air seemed to have become unbearably silent for a moment. However, to Pei Lang¡¯s surprise, Shen Miao stared at him without shock or shyness. Looking at him seriously, she even seemed to be a little cold. She asked, ¡°What are you talking about?¡±


    Pei Lang felt as if a bucket of cold water had been poured on his heart. Stated by that pair of clear eyes, Pei Lang felt that his secret wish seeme to have been seen through. In an instant, he became embarrassed.


    Pei Lang avoided Shen Miao¡¯s gaze and composed himself before continuing, ¡°You can¡¯t marry into the Eastern Palace. You have to marry someone else to get out of the situation. If you marry me, you might be able to protect yourself.¡±


    ¡°Mr. Pei, why are you helping me?¡± Shen Miao asked softly. There seemed to be some other emotion in her voice that was unfathomable. She said, ¡°We¡¯re just tied together by a deal because of Liu Ying. From the beginning to the end, I¡¯ve been threatening you. If I¡¯m in trouble, won¡¯t it be advantageous for you? Serving Fu Xiuyi is thousands of times better than serving me.¡±


    There was a hint of mockery in Shen Miao¡¯s words, which made Pei Lang feel inexplicably sad. Pei Lang didn¡¯t know why Shen Miao was sometimes friendly to him and sometimes seemed to be hostile to him. Perhaps women were all so fickle.


    However, he could not give an answer to Shen Miao¡¯s question, because he did not know why he did this either.


    Shen Miao smiled. ¡°Even if I want to marry you, what identity do you want to use to marry me? How will you explain it to Prince Ding? You will expose your identity because of it. Mr. Pei, you are a good chess piece. I don¡¯t want to use you so casually.¡±


    ¡°Besides.¡± She raised her chin slightly. ¡°Marriage is not as important to me as you think. Other than eating and sleeping together, a husband is no different from a stranger in my eyes. I don¡¯t care who I marry. I don¡¯t care if I¡¯ll be forced to marry. My happiness won¡¯t depend on this.¡±

 Chapter 732 - 732 Anger (5)

    732 Anger (5)


    Pei Lang shook his head repeatedly when he heard that. He wanted to deny Shen Miao¡¯s words. He felt that Shen Miao was still young and did not know how important a marriage was to a woman. At this moment, she was just saying this in a fit of anger. In the future, when she understood the importance of a good marriage and suffered, she would regret it. However, when he looked up and saw Shen Miao¡¯s expression, he couldn¡¯t bring himself to say a word.


    Shen Miao¡¯s expression was serious. She was cold and indifferent to the outside world, as if she hated it and really did not care.


    However, how could a woman not care about the person she would spend the rest of her life with?


    Pei Lang looked at Shen Miao blankly.


    !!


    Just as the atmosphere was getting awkward, they heard a malicious mockery coming from behind. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect to witness such a love affair.¡±


    Shen Miao suddenly turned around and saw two masked men in black appear behind her. These two people were both holding swords and ready to attack.


    Pei Lang quickly pulled Shen Miao behind him. Shen Miao shouted sternly, ¡°Who are you?¡±


    ¡°Miss Shen, don¡¯t blame us. If you want to blame someone, blame yourself for getting in the way of others!¡± The two of them sneered. One of them charged at Pei Lang, and the other raised his sword and charged at Shen Miao.


    They had no intention of letting the two of them leave alive.


    Shen Miao panicked and held the bracelet on her wrist, but this bracelet had to be used at a close distance. At the critical moment, two stones appeared in the air and hit the knees of the two men in black. The two of them screamed in pain and fell to the ground.


    With a whoosh, two sword lights suddenly shot out and stabbed the men in black in the chest.


    Everything happened too quickly, not giving anyone a chance to catch their breath. The two people who appeared later were dressed as palace guards. They looked at Shen Miao and bowed.


    Just as Pei Lang was about to speak, he saw another person jump down from the roof. He was tall and straight, wearing a purple and gold robe and a silver mask. His eyes were as sharp as blades.


    It was Prince Rui.


    ¡°Prince Rui¡­¡± Pei Lang muttered. He was smart, and after thinking for a moment, he realized that the two guards in front of him were probably Prince Rui¡¯s subordinates. Although he did not know the relationship between Shen Miao and Prince Rui, Pei Lang did not dare to be negligent. He was extremely vigilant, but a polite smile appeared on his face. He cupped his hands and said, ¡°Thank you for your help, Prince Rui.¡±


    Prince Rui did not speak and glanced at him coldly. Although his expression could not be seen through the silver mask, Pei Lang felt that that gaze was especially cold, making people feel a chill run down their spines.


    Shen Miao frowned. Prince Rui had already grabbed her arm and turned to walk out. Pei Lang was shocked and quickly shouted, ¡°Prince Rui, don¡¯t!¡±


    However, the two guards suddenly blocked his way.


    These two guards were both fierce and exuded a murderous aura. Pei Lang was a scholar and did not know martial arts. Even if he wanted to help, he could not. On the other hand, Shen Miao was dragged away. She turned around and said calmly, ¡°Mr. Pei, go back first. I still have something to do with Prince Rui.¡±


    Prince Rui quickened his pace.


    Pei Lang looked at the two disappearing figures. After the two of them were gone, the two guards also followed suit.


    However, there were still two corpses on the ground. Pei Lang could not stay for long. He did not know what relationship Shen Miao had with Prince Rui, but¡­ for a moment, he felt down and his heart empty.

 Chapter 733 - 733 Anger (6)

    733 Anger (6)


    ¡­


    Shen Miao¡¯s arm hurt from being grabbed by Xie Jingxing. Xie Jingxing walked quickly without saying a word. She tried her best to keep up with Xie Jingxing, but he was tall and had long legs. She almost tripped a few times.


    In the end, Shen Miao was furious and shouted angrily, ¡°Let go of me!¡±


    Xie Jing walked to an empty corridor before suddenly letting go. Shen Miao couldn¡¯t react in time and almost fell to the ground. After standing still, she was furious and said, ¡°You¡¯re crazy!¡±


    !!


    This garden was a little wider than the desolate garden just now. Shen Miao was a little afraid of being seen and was about to walk out when Xie Jingxing grabbed her arm and pulled her back. He pushed her against the wall, pressed her hands on it, and looked at her coldly.


    He was wearing a silver mask, revealing only his sharp chin, but his thin lips were pursed very tightly. The cynical smile was long gone. He said word by word, ¡°Shen Miao, is that all you can do?¡±


    Shen Miao frowned at him.


    Xie Jingxing reached out and held her chin, forcing her to look up at him. He looked down at Shen Miao like a hunter looking down at his prey. Shen Miao hated being looked down at from above and struggled to break free.


    However, she was a woman after all. How could she resist Xie Jingxing? Xie Jingxing easily locked her in place, making her unable to move.


    Shen Miao asked, ¡°What exactly do you want?¡±


    Xie Jingxing¡¯s tone was unreadable. ¡°Luo Ling, Su Mingfeng, Feng Zixian, and now Pei Lang. I really underestimated how popular you are among men.¡±


    Shen Miao did not speak.


    He suddenly tightened his grip, making Shen Miao¡¯s chin hurt and she frowned slightly.


    However, the young man gritted his teeth and said, ¡°You don¡¯t care who you marry, nor do you care if you are forced to marry. Do you really want to marry the crown prince?¡±


    Shen Miao¡¯s heart skipped a beat. Xie Jingxing must have heard what she said to Pei Lang just now. What Xie Jingxing liked to do the most was to observe everything in the dark. Normally, Shen Miao did not care, but at this moment, she was suddenly angry, as if the secret she had been hiding was made public.


    She sneered and said, ¡°What does it matter if I marry the crown prince? Anyway, you know that I want to be the empress. The crown prince will eventually sit on the throne. Perhaps if I figure out a way to kill the crown princess, I¡¯ll be the future empress of Ming Qi. What¡¯s wrong with that?¡±


    Xie Jingxing smiled, but his smile was cold. ¡°Unfortunately, the crown prince can¡¯t sit on the throne.¡±


    Shen Miao did not know where Xie Jingxing¡¯s confidence came from, but at this moment, she was very embarrassed and aggrieved to be questioned in such a sorry state.


    Xie Jingxing held her chin and pressed her against the wall, locking her hand. That devilish smile on his face made Shen Miao believe for a moment that Xie Jingxing, who looked cynical, indifferent, and did not care about anything, actually had another side to him.


    However, Shen Miao was not in the mood to study him.


    She said, ¡°Even if he can¡¯t sit on the throne, it has nothing to do with you.¡± Shen Miao looked up at him and tried her best to say calmly, ¡°Prince Rui, why are you questioning me? My relationship with you doesn¡¯t seem to be that close. What does it have to do with you who I marry?¡±


    As soon as she said that, a strange smile slowly crept up on Xie Jingxing¡¯s lips.


    He grabbed Shen Miao¡¯s chin and pulled her towards him. ¡°You were much more capable than this when you killed people. Why? Is this all you can do now? Huh?¡±


    Shen Miao felt a lump in her throat. She really hated Xie Jingxing¡¯s behavior at this moment. However, she could not break free. She hated herself for being so powerless. She felt that her eyes were slowly getting blurred and very uncomfortable.


    Xie Jingxing frowned and said, ¡°Don¡¯t cry!¡±


    Shen Miao¡¯s tears were about to fall. She felt extremely ashamed. She had lived for two lifetimes, but she actually wanted to cry after hearing a few words from Xie Jingxing. She felt like something was stirring up her mind, making her unable to think.


    Unwilling to give in, Shen Miao glared at Xie Jingxing and said angrily, ¡°Xie Jingxing, don¡¯t go too far!¡±


    ¡°Xie Jingxing?¡± A cry came from the grass on the other side.

 Chapter 734 - 734 Bed Bam (1)

    734 Bed Bam (1)


    Shen Miao and Xie Jingxing suddenly turned around and saw a person stumbling out of the grass. When the person approached, Shen Miao couldn¡¯t help but stiffen and subconsciously look at Xie Jingxing¡¯s expression. However, because Xie Jingxing was wearing a mask, he wasn¡¯t recognized.


    That person was Princess Rong Xin.


    Princess Rong Xin originally wanted to take a shortcut, but when she approached here, she vaguely saw Shen Miao being pulled over by an unfamiliar man. Princess Rong Xin quickly asked the palace maids to wait outside and followed. If others saw Shen Miao with an unfamiliar man, they would probably gossip.


    Princess Rong Xin trusted Shen Miao¡¯s character and believed that she wouldn¡¯t do anything out of line. She was afraid that Shen Miao was harassed by a prince, so she wanted to help Shen Miao out.


    !!


    She observed far away at first and could not hear what the two of them were talking about. Then, she saw that Shen Miao seemed to be about to cry. Feeling anxious, she walked out and happened to hear Shen Miao say, ¡°Xie Jingxing, don¡¯t go too far.¡±


    The tall figure turned around. It was an unfamiliar young man with a silver mask on his face. He nodded at Princess Rong Xin slightly.


    Princess Rong Xin quickly walked forward. Only then did she see that this man was Prince Rui.


    When Prince Rui first came to Ming Qi, Princess Rong Xin had seen him once. However, she had never cared about these matters in the imperial court, so she did not deliberately ask around about him. At this moment, when she saw that this person was Prince Rui, she felt an indescribable feeling.


    Princess Rong Xin looked at Shen Miao questioningly and asked, ¡°Miss Shen, just now, you called Prince Rui¡­ Xie Jingxing?¡±


    Before Shen Miao could speak, Prince Rui took the initiative to speak. He said, ¡°My name is Xie Yuan. Jingxing is my pet name. Just now, Miss Shen called me by my pet name.¡±


    Shen Miao heaved a sigh of relief. She thought that Xie Jingxing¡¯s reaction was very fast and he could definitely come up with an explanation. When she saw Princess Rong Xin¡¯s strange expression, she suddenly came back to her senses and cursed Xie Jingxing in her heart.


    Other than their family members, only the married couple would call each other by their pet names. When Princess Rong Xin heard that Shen Miao called Prince Rui by his pet name, what would she think?


    Xie Jingxing must have done it on purpose!


    Princess Rong Xin glanced between Prince Rui and Shen Miao before fixing her gaze on Prince Rui.


    Although the man in front of her exuded a similar aura as Xie Jingxing, the fact that Xie Jingxing was dead on the battlefield was indisputable. Her heart ached for a moment. Princess Rong Xin suddenly covered her chest and bent down. No matter how long it had been, she could not get over the thought of Xie Jingxing¡¯s death. After Princess Yuqing died, she treated Xie Jingxing as her son.


    Shen Miao quickly went forward to help her up, but the purple-clothed young man stood with his hands behind his back and glanced at Princess Rong Xin indifferently.


    Princess Rong Xin couldn¡¯t help but smile bitterly.


    That¡¯s right, how could Prince Rui be Xie Jingxing? If he was Xie Jingxing, he would not be so cold, as if he took delight in watching the struggles of an unfamiliar person. If Xie Jingxing was still alive, how could he bear to see her in such pain?

 Chapter 735 - 735 Bed Bam (2)

    735 Bed Bam (2)


    Princess Rong Xin waved her hand and said, ¡°Why are you here?¡±


    Shen Miao replied, ¡°Her Majesty summoned me to the palace.¡±


    Princess Rong Xin frowned and looked at Xie Jingxing, asking, ¡°Why is Prince Rui here?¡±


    Shen Miao glanced at Xie Jingxing and said, ¡°The young eunuch who led the way had something to do and left. I waited for a long time and didn¡¯t see him, so I tried to find my way out and got lost. I happened to meet Prince Rui here, so I asked him to help me out.¡±


    This was almost a blatant lie. Just now, Princess Rong Xin clearly saw that it was Prince Rui who pulled Shen Miao all the way here. Moreover, Shen Miao had already called Prince Rui by his pet name. The relationship between the two of them was not simple.


    Princess Rong Xin was inexplicably a little angry. Back then, when Xie Jingxing brought Shen Miao to the princess¡¯s mansion, Princess Rong Xin thought that Xie Jingxing treated Shen Miao specially. The more she interacted with Shen Miao, the more she liked her. Princess Rong Xin had always wanted to matchmake Shen Miao and Xie Jingxing. If not for the fact that Xie Jingxing died in battle later, this marriage might have been completed.


    Now, Shen Miao had a deep relationship with another man, and this man¡¯s pet name happened to be ¡°Jingxing¡±. Princess Rong Xin was not happy. She also knew that it was impossible for Shen Miao to stay single for the rest of her life for a dead person, but Prince Rui was not from Ming Qi after all. Moreover, Princess Rong Xin had lived for most of her life and was good at judging people. This Prince Rui exuded a dangerous aura and acted strangely. He was not a simple man. It wasn¡¯t safe for Shen Miao to fall in love with this man.


    ¡°In that case, I thank Prince Rui on behalf of Miss Shen,¡± Princess Rong Xin said, trying her best to draw a line between Shen Miao and Prince Rui.


    Prince Rui nodded.


    ¡°I have many palace maids following me. I¡¯ll take Miss Shen out. Prince Rui, you don¡¯t have to trouble yourself to show us the way,¡± Princess Rong Xin said. Her attitude showed that she was obviously wary of Prince Rui.


    Prince Rui did not say anything and nodded before leaving.


    After Prince Rui left, Princess Rong Xin heaved a sigh of relief and asked Shen Miao, ¡°How do you know him?¡±


    Shen Miao did not expect to suddenly meet Princess Rong Xin today, nor did she expect Princess Rong Xin to hear her and Xie Jingxing¡¯s conversation. She couldn¡¯t help but complain that Xie Jingxing¡¯s secret guards were usually sharp-eared, but today, at the critical moment, they slacked off and didn¡¯t even notice Princess Rong Xin.


    She said, ¡°I met Prince Rui a few times accidentally. We can be considered friends.¡±


    Princess Rong Xin looked at her deeply and said, ¡°If you don¡¯t want to tell me, I won¡¯t force you to. It¡¯s just that¡­ this person is not from Ming Qi. He might have designs on you. You¡¯re a smart girl. You have to think for yourself.¡± She was actually afraid that Shen Miao would be deceived by a man.


    Shen Miao didn¡¯t know whether to laugh or cry. At this point, she couldn¡¯t explain herself. Princess Rong Xin rubbed her chest and panted. Seeing this, Shen Miao asked, ¡°Princess, are you feeling unwell?¡±


    ¡°I had a heart disease in the early years.¡± Princess Rong Xin shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s been acting up a lot these days.¡±


    Seeing that she was in so much pain, Shen Miao vaguely remembered that in her previous life, Princess Rong Xin also had a heart disease. The imperial physician even advised her not to worry too much lest the heart disease worsen. Shen Miao said, ¡°Princess, you should find an imperial physician to treat you. It¡¯s not good if you leave it untreated.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± Princess Rong Xin waved her hand. ¡°I¡¯ve enjoyed everything I should and shouldn¡¯t have until now. I probably won¡¯t live long, and I don¡¯t want to live long either.¡± Her voice gradually trailed off. ¡°After all¡­ there¡¯s nothing to live for anymore.¡±

 Chapter 736 - 736 Bed Bam (3)

    736 Bed Bam (3)


    Shen Miao knew that she was thinking of Xie Jingxing again and did not know how to comfort her, so she said, ¡°Young Marquis will not be happy to see you like this.¡±


    ¡°If he really cared about me, his aunt, he wouldn¡¯t be so heartless as to die.¡± Princess Rong Xin put away the sadness on her face and patted Shen Miao¡¯s hand. ¡°I¡¯ve already heard that my brother wants to matchmake you. I came to the palace today to talk about this with my brother. Shen Miao, you don¡¯t want to marry the crown prince, right?¡±


    Shen Miao did not expect Princess Rong Xin to want to speak up for her. For a moment, she was stunned. In her previous life, she tried her best to please Princess Rong Xin, but all she got was Princess Rong Xin¡¯s disdain. In this life, because of Xie Jingxing, Princess Rong Xin changed her opinion of her and was even willing to help her. Although Shen Miao knew that Princess Rong Xin could not change Emperor Wen Hui¡¯s mind, she would remember this favor. Shen Miao said, ¡°I don¡¯t want to marry into the East Palace, but Princess, you don¡¯t have to force yourself. Everything in the world is predestined. Let nature take its course.¡±


    Princess Rong Xin smiled and said, ¡°Your take on the world is surprisingly mature.¡±


    She continued, ¡°It¡¯s getting late, so I won¡¯t talk to you anymore. Let¡¯s go over there first. I¡¯ll get a palace maid to send you out.¡±


    ¡­


    Shen Miao was sent out of the palace gate by Princess Rong Xin¡¯s maid. Jingzhe and Gu Yu, who were waiting outside, were the first to come up to her. They first sized up Shen Miao from head to toe. After confirming that Shen Miao was safe and sound, they said, ¡°Miss, we¡¯re scared to death. After waiting for so long, we thought something had happened. If you still don¡¯t come out, we¡¯ll think of a way to go in and find you.¡±


    Shen Miao laughed. ¡°Palace is not a hell. It¡¯s not that dangerous.¡± However, she thought to herself that the two assassins who appeared out of nowhere today actually dared to kill her in the palace. If she died, it would only be harmful to the crown prince. Most likely, it was done by Prince Zhou¡¯s faction or Prince Li¡¯s faction. It was impossible for Fu Xiuyi to do this. It had not been long since Shen Wan died. Fu Xiuyi would not take the initiative to get involved. With his personality, he would hide for a while longer.


    At the thought of this, she couldn¡¯t help but sneer in her heart. In short, none of the people of the royal family were good people. The Shen family and the royal family were destined to be enemies. Since her enemy was so ruthless, she wouldn¡¯t show mercy.


    Mo Qing went forward and gestured for Shen Miao to get into the carriage and set off for the Shen mansion.


    On the busy street at the entrance of the palace, in a lively tavern, someone was observing Mo Qing and the others in the corner. When he saw Shen Miao come out of the palace gate unscathed, a trace of surprise flashed across his eyes. Then, he picked up the sword on the table and left quietly.


    When Shen Miao returned home, Shen Qiu and the others surrounded her and asked her what the empress said to her in the palace today. Shen Miao didn¡¯t mention the assassination and only told them what the empress said to her. Everyone in the Shen family was worried again. With the empress taking this step, they had to think of a way as soon as possible.


    Luo Xueyan thought of the people who came to propose marriage. She wanted to ask Shen Miao what she thought. If Shen Miao liked any of them, they could immediately start preparing for a wedding. After all, Shen Xin had asked around and found out that they were all young men with good character.


    However, after the interaction with Xie Jingxing today, Shen Miao was not in the mood to talk about this. When Luo Xueyan mentioned it, she revealed a rare trace of displeasure. Seeing this, Shen Xin and the others thought that Shen Miao was scared by the empress today, so they didn¡¯t continue. They asked Shen Miao to go back and rest early.

 Chapter 737 - 737 Bed Bam (4)

    737 Bed Bam (4)


    When Shen Miao returned to her room, it was already dark. Gu Yu lit the oil lamp for her. Seeing that Shen Miao was in a bad mood today, Jingzhe did not disturb her. She pulled Gu Yu away and closed the door, leaving Shen Miao alone.


    Shen Miao combed her hair in frustration, but there seemed to be an indescribable anger in her chest that could not be suppressed. Thinking of what Xie Jingxing asked her in the palace today, she could not help but feel even more frustrated and aggrieved. What did her own matters have to do with Xie Jingxing? Did Xie Jingxing want to interfere in her life?


    However, at this point, with all kinds of people interfering, including Xie Jingxing, she was getting more and more helpless.


    Thinking of what Pei Lang said, Shen Miao couldn¡¯t help but smile, but her smile was a sad one. How could a woman not want to marry a man who was in love with her and grow old together? It was just that in her previous life, she had been hurt so much by Fu Xiuyi that she lost hope in love. She had never really experienced what it was like to be loved by someone. She did not want to repeat her previous life where she foolishly handed her happiness to someone else.


    !!


    She sat under the light absent-mindedly for a while before she blew out the light and crawled to the bed to sleep.


    ¡­


    The snow in Prince Rui¡¯s mansion was especially heavy today.


    A guard stood trembling in the wind. Even the white tiger, which had already grown much bigger, was thrown outside the bedroom to be punished. Today, Prince Rui just found everyone displeasing to the eye. He punished everyone in the mansion one way or another. Even Ji Yushu and Gao Yang were locked up in the tower prison to reflect on themselves.


    What kind of place was the tower prison? It was filled with vicious people, and torture was necessary to deal with these vicious people. As the cruelest place in the Black Feather Army, there were at least 49 kinds of torture. Many tough men went to guard the tower prison and came out crying and howling.


    Nightingale quietly poked Nan Qi¡¯s arm and asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong with Master? Who provoked him?¡±


    Nan Qi put a finger to his lips. Seeing that there was no movement in the bedroom, he said in a low voice, ¡°Fifth Miss Shen was granted a marriage by the emperor. Master was angry because Young Master Gao and Young Master Ji didn¡¯t report it in time.¡±


    Nightingale covered her mouth and widened her eyes for a while before saying, ¡°Young Master Gao and Young Master Ji are really bold. They even dare to hide the news of Fifth Miss Shen from Master. No wonder they were locked up in the tower prison.¡± After saying that, she glanced at the white tiger, which was trembling in the cold, and said sympathetically, ¡°This tiger is doted on like a treasure by Master usually. I thought it was different from us, but when Master is in a fit of us, the white tiger is nothing special.¡±


    In the room, Xie Jingxing handed the letter to Tie Yi. Tie Yi took a look and said hesitantly, ¡°Master, if His Majesty finds out about this change of plan¡­¡±


    Xie Jingxing glanced at him, and Tie Yi immediately shut up. Questioning Xie Jingxing when he was angry was definitely not a good idea.

 Chapter 738 - 738 Bed Bam (5)

    738 Bed Bam (5)


    Xie Jingxing put the other letter into the envelope and said, ¡°Find out what¡¯s going on with Pei Lang.¡± After a pause, he continued, ¡°And Feng Zixian and Su Mingfeng.¡± He frowned slightly and suddenly thought of something. ¡°Any progress on finding the herb?¡±


    Tie Yi quickly said, ¡°I¡¯ve already sent people to look for it. Once they find it, they¡¯ll send it to the medical hall immediately.¡± Princess Rong Xin¡¯s heart disease had been acting up frequently recently. There was a rare herb that could only be found in spring in the prescription. All the medical halls in the capital that had this herb had run out of it. Over the past few days, Princess Rong Xin had been enduring the pain. Xie Jingxing got someone to secretly find the herb and sell it to the medical hall.


    ¡°Be quick,¡± Xie Jingxing said. After thinking for a moment, he suddenly stood up, put on his coat, and was about to walk out.


    Tie Yi was stunned. ¡°Master, are you still going out?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not done settling the score.¡± Xie Jingxing snorted and left.


    ¡­


    It was already quiet in the Shen mansion. Shen Miao¡¯s room was dark. Clearly, she had been asleep for a long time.


    When Xie Jingxing arrived, Cong Yang was sleeping on the tree. When he saw him coming over, he was so frightened that he almost fell from the tree. He quickly came down and bowed to Xie Jingxing.


    Xie Jingxing glanced at the window and Cong Yang quickly said, ¡°Young Madam is already resting.¡±


    Xie Jingxing walked to the window and saw something that looked like a jade pendant on the windowsill. Xie Jingxing looked at Cong Yang inquiringly. Cong Yang immediately said, ¡°This is the safety pendant Luo Ling secretly placed on the windowsill after Young Madam went to bed. Young Madam hasn¡¯t discovered it yet.¡±


    When Xie Jingxing heard this, his gaze changed slightly. He picked up the safety pendant with the tip of the dagger in his sleeve and threw it into Cong Yang¡¯s arms. ¡°Keep it well.¡±


    Cong Yang was stunned for a moment before he heard Xie Jingxing continue, ¡°My pet needs a pendant.¡±


    While Cong Yang was speechless, Xie Jingxing had already opened the window and entered.


    On the bed in the room, Shen Miao was sleeping soundly.


    Xie Jingxing walked to the side of the bed and crossed his arms to look at her for a while. He raised his eyebrows and said, ¡°You can still fall asleep. It seems like you didn¡¯t take my words to heart. You¡¯re quite bold.¡±


    He sat down by the bed, grabbed a cup of tea placed on the table beside the bed, and took a sip. Then, he turned to look at Shen Miao.


    When the girl fell asleep, she did not have her usual dignified and calm aura. Under the moonlight, her eyes were delicate and gentle. One must not ignore the fact that she was a 16-year-old girl because of her ruthless methods and the calmness she displayed.


    Thinking of how Shen Miao¡¯s chin was pinched by him during the day and how she tried her best to hold back her tears, Xie Jingxing felt a little guilty.


    He reached out to tuck the messy hair behind Shen Miao¡¯s ear and saw that the girl¡¯s eyelashes were trembling slightly. Xie Jingxing paused and looked down to see that her body, which was wrapped in a blanket, was trembling slightly.


    She was actually pretending to be asleep.


    Xie Jingxing raised an eyebrow and sat closer. He placed his hands on both sides of Shen Miao¡¯s body and leaned down slightly, his ambiguous and magnetic voice sounding in her ears.


    ¡°I¡¯ve helped you so many times. Why don¡¯t you repay me with your body?¡±


    He stared into Shen Miao¡¯s eyes and slowly leaned down.


    Shen Miao¡¯s body was extremely stiff. The sound of her breathing seemed to echo in the room, and the pressure above was getting more and more palpable. She suddenly pushed Xie Jingxing away and was about to sit up, saying angrily, ¡°What do you want to do?¡±


    Her voice was a little flustered.

 Chapter 739 - 739 Bed Bam (6)

    739 Bed Bam (6)


    Xie Jingxing pressed her back to the bed.


    Shen Miao struggled. Xie Jingxing locked her in place and said in amusement, ¡°Do you think I¡¯ll do anything to you?¡± He sized her up. ¡°In your dreams.¡±


    Shen Miao was so angry that she wanted to call Mo Qing in and beat Xie Jingxing up.


    Because she only wore an undergarment when she slept at night, after struggling with Xie Jingxing just now, the undergarment slipped off, revealing her snow-white shoulders. Xie Jingxing was slightly stunned. When Shen Miao realized where he was looking, she was angry and embarrassed. Just as she was about to curse, she saw Xie Jingxing suddenly pull the blanket over her.


    Shen Miao stuck her head out of the blanket and said angrily, ¡°You¡¯re crazy!¡±


    Xie Jingxing ignored her and quickly wrapped her tightly in the blanket, making her look like a cocoon. Then, he pressed her onto the bed. Shen Miao could not move no matter what. Xie Jingxing supported his head with one hand and looked at her with a faint smile.


    Shen Miao stopped struggling and asked in annoyance, ¡°What are you doing here?¡±


    ¡°Shen Miao, don¡¯t do anything stupid.¡± Xie Jingxing frowned and said, ¡°With me around, who will dare to force you to marry?¡±


    Shen Miao was amused. ¡°You won¡¯t stay in Ming Qi forever. One day, I will get married. You can protect me today, but you can¡¯t protect me tomorrow. If you can protect me tomorrow, there will be a day when you can¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°What if I can?¡± Xie Jingxing asked.


    Shen Miao was stunned and did not speak.


    Xie Jingxing said, ¡°Do you not care about who you are married to, or do you just want to get married?¡±


    ¡°What does that have to do with you? You¡¯re asking too many questions.¡± Shen Miao was still unhappy with Xie Jingxing¡¯s rudeness during the day and did not intend to talk to him nicely.


    Xie Jingxing didn¡¯t understand why she suddenly got moody. He turned around on the bed and pressed Shen Miao under him. He supported himself with one hand beside Shen Miao¡¯s head and asked in a low voice, ¡°Who do you want to marry?¡±


    ¡°Luo Ling, Su Mingfeng, Feng Zixian? Or Pei Lang?¡±


    He approached closer and closer. Under the moonlight, his handsome facial features were magnified in front of Shen Miao. She could smell the fragrance of bamboo leaves coming from him. His eyes were extremely beautiful, but at this moment, they were aggressive, as if they wanted to see through her.


    Shen Miao suddenly panicked.


    This distance was too close, so close that she could hear the heart beating like drums, but she could not tell if it was hers or Xie Jingxing¡¯s.


    Not wanting to do something she would regret, Shen Miao suddenly shrank back. Behind her was the bedhead. Xie Jingxing reached out to prevent her from banging her head on the plank.


    ¡°This has nothing to do with you.¡± Shen Miao quickly retorted, ¡°We¡¯re just allies. Allies help each other, but allies don¡¯t interfere in each other¡¯s marriage. It has nothing to do with you who I marry, if I¡¯m deposed, and who I have children with!¡±


    Xie Jingxing was originally quite angry when he heard her say the first half, but when he heard the second half, he didn¡¯t know whether to laugh or cry. He said, ¡°What nonsense are you talking about? Do you really want to be a deposed empress?¡± It was already the umpteenth time he had heard her say that she was a deposed empress. Xie Jingxing couldn¡¯t understand. Could it be that Shen Miao was so unconfident in herself that she wanted such a miserable ending? She usually didn¡¯t look like an unconfident person.


    Shen Miao was so angry that she blurted out, ¡°It has nothing to do with you! We¡¯re just allies. What right do you have to interfere in my business?¡±


    Xie Jingxing stared at her, his anger rising. He was a proud person to begin with, so he felt extremely aggrieved to be despised again and again.


    He asked, ¡°Are they allies?¡±


    Shen Miao nodded.


    ¡°Allies can¡¯t interfere in your business?¡±


    Shen Miao continued to nod.


    Xie Jingxing said readily, ¡°Sure.¡± He quickly leaned over and pecked Shen Miao¡¯s lips. Shen Miao was instantly stunned. The handsome purple-clothed young man said in an extremely devilish tone, ¡°We¡¯re not allies anymore.¡±


    ¡°You¡­¡± Shen Miao didn¡¯t know what to say. The gentle touch just now was still lingering on her lips.


    He smiled cynically. ¡°Now I can interfere in your business.¡± With that, he stood up from the bed and stared down at Shen Miao, threatening, ¡°Remember, in the future, when you get married, have children, divorce, and be deposed, you have to get my permission.¡±


    With that, he glanced at the windowsill coldly and disappeared.


    Outside the house.


    Cong Yang was forced to eavesdrop on the tree. He listened until his face turned red, but he did not dare to leave without Xie Jingxing¡¯s order. When Xie Jingxing came out, Cong Yang bowed to him. Xie Jingxing said, ¡°In the future, throw away everything people send her.¡± He took the pendant from Cong Yang and left with a displeased expression.

 Chapter 740 - 740 Trouble (1)

    740 Trouble (1)


    In Prince Zhou¡¯s and Prince Li¡¯s mansion, people were faced with the same conundrum.


    Tonight, someone knocked on the door of Prince Zhou¡¯s room. Prince Zhou thought that it was a servant and called him in, but no one entered for a long time. Prince Zhou stood up to open the door to see two cold corpses lying outside. No one knew how these two corpses got here. Prince Zhou flew into a rage and severely punished all the guards who were on night watch.


    The identity of these two corpses were also found. They were the assassins sent to assassinate Shen Miao today.


    Prince Zhou felt uneasy and got someone to send a message to Prince Jing overnight. The two brothers planned to investigate this matter carefully.


    !!


    Someone threw two corpses into Prince Li¡¯s mansion from outside the wall, scaring the guards. The guards went out to chase after the person but to no avail. In the end, they found that the two corpses were assassins sent by Prince Li to assassinate Shen Miao. Prince Li was extremely frustrated and uneasy.


    On the other side, Prince Zhou and Prince Jing were talking.


    Prince Zhou asked, ¡°Who do you think did it?¡±


    Prince Jing pondered for a moment. ¡°Maybe it¡¯s Prince Li.¡±


    ¡°I think so too.¡± Prince Zhou nodded. ¡°Maybe he wants to use this to threaten me.¡±


    ¡°But Prince Li has always been amiable on the surface. He won¡¯t use this matter to go against you.¡± Prince Jing shook his head. ¡°It might be the crown prince¡¯s doing.¡±


    ¡°The crown prince?¡± Prince Zhou paused and nodded. ¡°All these years, the crown prince has been saying that he¡¯s sick. Who knows if it¡¯s a smokescreen? None of us know what he is up to. If he sows discord between Prince Li and me, he can benefit from it.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Prince Jing sighed. ¡°But don¡¯t forget about Ninth Brother.¡±


    ¡°Ninth Brother? I don¡¯t think so.¡± Prince Zhou waved his hand indifferently. ¡°Even if he has the guts to do it, he doesn¡¯t have capable people under him who can¡¯t kill the assassins I sent.¡±


    ¡°For some reason, I feel that Ninth Brother is not as simple as he looks.¡± Prince Jing said, ¡°Don¡¯t underestimate him.¡±


    ¡°In short,¡± Prince Zhou sighed, ¡°this matter is not that simple. Whether it¡¯s Prince Li or the crown prince, they don¡¯t have good intentions. I¡¯ll investigate carefully and see who¡¯s behind it.¡±


    Prince Jing nodded in agreement.


    Prince Zhou and Prince Li naturally did not know that the person who wiped out the assassins they sent out was not the crown prince or Fu Xiuyi, but someone who was completely unrelated. The battle between the princes of Ming Qi unknowingly became more and more intense.


    As time passed, while everyone in the Shen family was anxiously looking for a ¡°suitable man¡± for Shen Miao, the imperial edict did not come for a long time. It was not because Emperor Wen Hui forgot it, but because Emperor Wen Hui had been extremely troubled by something else recently.


    He asked the crown prince beside him, ¡°What does the Daliang Dynasty mean? Are they going against Ming Qi? I¡¯ve never seen such an arrogant person!¡±

 Chapter 741 - 741 Trouble (2)

    741 Trouble (2)


    The crown prince did not dare to speak. Prince Rui went to the palace and said something to Emperor Wen Hui. After Prince Rui left, Emperor Wen Hui flew into a rage and slammed the table and threw the teacup.


    The crown prince guessed that he must have said something impudent. Otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t have made Emperor Wen Hui so angry.


    Emperor Wen Hui was indeed furious. He knew better than anyone the current strength of Ming Qi. It was no longer as powerful as when the late emperor was alive. Facing the State of Qin and the rich and powerful Daliang Dynasty, Ming Qi had no chance of winning. He made this tribute banquet especially grand just to show the Daliang Dynasty and the State of Qin that Ming Qi was still not to be trifled with.


    However, he was just deceiving himself. On the surface, Huangfu Hao respected him, but in fact, he did not take him seriously. In order to seek justice for Princess Ming An, he was nagging the judicial office to investigate. The officials of the judicial office were busy with the case of Princess Ming An¡¯s death all day long. However, Emperor Wen Hui did not dare to stop it. After all, he still wanted to rope in the State of Qin to deal with the Daliang Dynasty together.


    !!


    There was no need to mention the Daliang Dynasty. At least on the surface, Huangfu Hao still respected Emperor Wen Hui. However, Prince Rui did things his own way and did not show any respect for him. Emperor Wen Hui convinced himself that It was Prince Rui¡¯s nature to be willful. Yesterday, when Prince Rui came to the palace to talk to him in the imperial study, Emperor Wen Hui expressed his willingness to build an alliance with the Daliang Dynasty, but he was rejected by Prince Rui.


    Emperor Wen Hui was the emperor of a country after all. Feeling disrespected, his expression darkened. Prince Rui didn¡¯t care if Emperor Wen Hui was offended or not. He casually mentioned the cities at the border of Ming Qi and the Daliang Dynasty, implying that he wanted to take back the cities.


    Emperor Wen Hui¡¯s expression immediately changed.


    The cities were not very big, but there were several mines in the cities. The ores mined from those mines could be used to make large weapons. The cities happened to be at the border of Ming Qi and the Daliang Dynasty. In the past, the Daliang Dynasty showed no intention of occupying the cities because the people living in the cities were all from Ming Qi. However, what Prince Rui meant was that the Daliang Dynasty had the intention of occupying the cities now!


    Emperor Wen Hui was very sensitive about matters relating to his territory. If the Daliang Dynasty snatched the cities, who knew what else they would snatch later? In a few days, they would take a liking to other cities, and in no time, they would take a liking to the capital.


    With Ming Qi¡¯s military strength, it was impossible for them to compete with the Daliang Dynasty.


    Prince Rui was an envoy sent by the Daliang Dynasty, which meant that he represented Emperor Yong Le. These seemingly casual words of Prince Rui revealed some ambitions of the Daliang Dynasty. What made Emperor Wen Hui frustrated was that even though he knew the ambitions of the other party, he did not dare to directly detain Prince Rui because he could not withstand Emperor Yong Le¡¯s wrath. If he formed an alliance with the State of Qin, he would probably have some confidence in confronting the Daliang Dynasty. Just Ming Qi alone was definitely not possible.


    ¡°Your marriage with Shen Miao is not urgent for the time being.¡± Emperor Wen Hui said, ¡°I can¡¯t anger Shen Xin now. It¡¯s a critical moment. If Shen Xin is unhappy with me, it won¡¯t be good if the Daliang Dynasty takes advantage of the situation.¡±

 Chapter 742 - 742 Trouble (3)

    742 Trouble (3)


    When the crown prince heard this, he was a little disappointed, but he did not say anything. He knew Emperor Wen Hui¡¯s temper very well. At this moment, he had to go along with him. Therefore, he said, ¡°I¡¯m not in a hurry. We naturally have to prioritize important things. I didn¡¯t expect the Daliang Dynasty to have this intention. We can¡¯t let down our guard against them.¡±


    Seeing the crown prince like this, Emperor Wen Hui was very relieved. He patted his shoulder and said, ¡°I know. Don¡¯t worry, although the Daliang Dynasty has such ambitions, I won¡¯t sit back and do nothing. I¡¯ll talk to the crown prince of the State of Qin about forming an alliance tomorrow. If the State of Qin knows the ambitions of the Daliang Dynasty, they will definitely be nervous and agree. At that time, we don¡¯t have to be afraid of the Daliang Dynasty, and Shen Miao and the Shen family¡¯s military power will all be yours.¡±


    The crown prince smiled and nodded, but in his heart, he held a grudge against Prince Rui for bringing this up to Emperor Wen Hui at this time. The timing was too coincidental. Prince Ding had finally come up with such a brilliant plan for him, but it was ruined by Prince Rui, making the crown prince extremely unhappy.


    However, there was nothing he could do.


    ¡­


    There was news from the palace that Shen Miao and the crown prince¡¯s marriage had been temporarily postponed. Although Princess Rong Xin did not know why, she heaved a sigh of relief.


    That day, she saw Shen Miao in the palace and asked her personal maid to send Shen Miao out, but she went to see Emperor Wen Hui personally. Emperor Wen Hui was still polite to Princess Rong Xin. Princess Rong Xin said that she liked Shen Miao very much and hoped that Emperor Wen Hui would not force Shen Miao to marry the crown prince.


    Unexpectedly, Emperor Wen Hui immediately flew into a rage and even said that women were not allowed to discuss politics. Princess Rong Xin was also a straightforward person. She said, ¡°Why is Shen Miao¡¯s marriage political?¡± She immediately quarreled with Emperor Wen Hui. In the end, Emperor Wen Hui was angry and ¡°invited¡± her out of the palace.


    That night, Princess Rong Xin was so angry that she suffered another heart attack.


    Fortunately, Emperor Wen Hui did not suspect why Princess Rong Xin spoke up for Shen Miao. Back then, there were a few times when Shen Miao was saved by Princess Rong Xin. In the eyes of outsiders, they would only think that Princess Rong Xin and Shen Miao were fated, so it was understandable that Princess Rong Xin treated Shen Miao differently. No one would expect Princess Rong Xin to protect Shen Miao and take care of her for Xie Jingxing.


    ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± Princess Rong Xin said to her personal maid, Yang Xin, ¡°I thought that I couldn¡¯t help her this time, so I felt very guilty. Now that it¡¯s postponed, there¡¯s a chance to salvage the situation. I¡¯ll go and tell her now. Otherwise, I¡¯ll feel I¡¯ve let Jingxing down.¡±


    Yang Xin quickly said, ¡°When Young Marquis finds out what you¡¯ve done for him, he will definitely be happy.¡±


    As she spoke, she saw someone coming in from outside. The palace maid bowed and whispered, ¡°Your Highness, the herb sent by the people in the medical hall is here.¡±


    Princess Rong Xin was slightly stunned and asked, ¡°Isn¡¯t the herb all sold out?¡±


    She had been suffering from heart disease for many years and had a specific prescription. However, there was a herb in that prescription that was extremely difficult to find and rare. There were only so many in a year. When Xie Jingxing was still around, he used some tricks to find a lot of it every year, so Princess Rong Xin was not worried at all.


    Later, when Xie Jingxing died, she had a hard time getting the herb. In the winter, the herb was even harder to find. Princess Rong Xin had been drinking the medicine without the herb for a long time. A few days ago, the medical hall said that they still didn¡¯t have that herb but she did not expect it to be delivered today.

 Chapter 743 - 743 Trouble (4)

    743 Trouble (4)


    The palace maid said happily, ¡°The doctor in the medical hall said that a merchant came over from afar to sell herbs yesterday. There happened to be a large basket of that herb inside, so the medical hall bought it all. I heard from the doctor that it¡¯s enough to last until next year. What a coincidence.¡±


    Yang Xin also smiled and said, ¡°We¡¯re in luck.¡±


    Princess Rong Xin waved her hand and said, ¡°Send it to the kitchen.¡±


    The palace maid quickly nodded. After the palace maid left, Princess Rong Xin smiled bitterly and sighed. ¡°When Jingxing was around, he also sent herbs in basketfuls, but now, it¡¯s become rare luck.¡±


    Yang Xin knew that Princess Rong Xin was thinking of Xie Jingxing and felt sad. Just as she was about to change the topic, she heard Princess Rong Xin say, ¡°Help me to Xingzhi Courtyard.¡±


    Yang Xin was stunned. Xingzhi Courtyard was a courtyard in the princess¡¯s mansion. Back then, after Princess Yuqing passed away, Princess Rong Xin was angry with Xie Ding and brought Xie Jingxing to the princess¡¯s mansion to live with her. Princess Rong Xin specially got someone to make a courtyard for him, which was called Xingzhi Courtyard. Later, Xie Ding took Xie Jingxing back, and Princess Rong Xin did not get anyone to tear down Xingzhi Courtyard. When Xie Jingxing grew up, he would occasionally come to the princess¡¯s mansion to stay in Xingzhi Courtyard for a few days.


    However, ever since Xie Jingxing died in battle two years ago, Princess Rong Xin had gotten someone to lock Xingzhi Courtyard. Other than having servants clean it every day, no one was allowed to enter. She was also afraid of recalling the past and getting sad, so she never stepped into Xingzhi Courtyard. Today, for the first time in two years, she wanted to go to Xingzhi Courtyard to take a look.


    Yang Xin did not dare to disobey Princess Rong Xin¡¯s instructions. She helped Princess Rong Xin to Xingzhi Courtyard worriedly. Princess Rong Xin said, ¡°For some reason, I¡¯ve been dreaming about Jingxing for the past few days¡­¡± As she spoke, her expression became strange. Yang Xin was a little puzzled.


    Princess Rong Xin had been feeling uneasy for some reason.


    For the past few days, she had been dreaming every night about a young man in purple with half a silver mask on his face. She did not know who it was, so she reached out and took off his mask. That person had a face identical to Xie Jingxing¡¯s, but he called her ¡°Princess Rong Xin¡± instead of ¡°Auntie¡±.


    It was Prince Rui¡¯s voice.


    Every time Princess Rong Xin woke up from her dream, she felt that most of her back was drenched in sweat. She wondered if she had mixed Xie Jingxing with Prince Rui because both of them shared the same pet name.


    The more she thought about it, the more she missed Xie Jingxing. She wanted to go to Xingzhi Courtyard today to take a look.


    While she was thinking, she had already arrived at Xingzhi Courtyard. The guards outside the courtyard were a little surprised to see her. Princess Rong Xin had not set foot here for two years, and she did not allow anyone to enter. The guards made way for her, and Princess Rong Xin and Yang Xin walked in.


    The room was still the same as two years ago. Because someone cleaned it every day, there was no dust at all. It looked brand new and neat, as if time had stopped. It made Princess Rong Xin feel that when she turned around, she could see the handsome young man lying on the bed with his legs crossed, eating an apple casually.


    The shelves were filled with the things Xie Jingxing liked to play with since he was young, and the chairs were draped with Xie Jingxing¡¯s old clothes.


    Princess Rong Xin walked to the clothes and picked it up. She reached out to touch the patterns on it and said nostalgically, ¡°It¡¯s exactly the same as before.¡±


    Yang Xin did not know what to say. She was afraid that Princess Rong Xin would fall into the memories of the past and be sad, so she said, ¡°The golden thread on it is still brand new.¡±


    Princess Rong Xin chuckled and said, ¡°Jingxing is a very well-behaved child. When he was young, other than purple, he refused to wear any other colors. I felt that purple would make him look old and not suitable for children, so I wanted to embroider flowers for him on it, but he didn¡¯t like it. Later, the embroiderer in the palace embroidered dark patterns on the corners of his robe with golden thread, which satisfied him. He wanted his clothes to be gorgeous but not too eye-catching. He really had a weird taste.¡±

 Chapter 744 - 744 Trouble (5)

    744 Trouble (5)


    Yang Xin smiled. ¡°Young Marquis is born noble. Only Young Marquis will look so good in purple. Back then, when Your Highness brought him to the palace, people thought he was a prince.¡±


    ¡°He looks like a member of the royal family. Even Yuqing didn¡¯t have such an aura back then.¡± Princess Rong Xin smiled. As she stroked the dark patterns embroidered with golden thread at the corner of the robe, she stopped smiling.


    His expression gradually became solemn.


    Just as she had said to Yang Xin just now, Xie Jingxing was very picky about clothes. He liked to wear purple clothes and liked his clothes to look gorgeous but not eye-catching. He wanted his clothes to be embroidered with dark golden thread on the corners. Because he had high standards, the needlework had to be done painstakingly and the patterns were very intricate.


    However, that day in the palace, Prince Rui, who was holding Shen Miao¡¯s hand, was also wearing a purple robe. The golden thread on his sleeve was exactly the same as what Xie Jingxing used to wear.


    Princess Rong Xin was not in good health, but she was not blind. That day, when she saw Prince Rui and heard Shen Miao call him Xie Jingxing, she thought of him as Xie Jingxing for a moment. However, later, when she saw Prince Rui¡¯s expression and temperament, she found him very unfamiliar. After hearing Prince Rui¡¯s explanation, she dispelled this thought. However, she felt that something was wrong. After returning home, she kept thinking of Xie Jingxing and Prince Rui.


    She had always thought that the reason why she was brooding over this was because Prince Rui and Xie Jingxing¡¯s pet name was the same, but now, it had nothing to do with the pet name. It was simply because she saw the embroidery on his sleeve.


    After spending more than ten years with Xie Jingxing, Princess Rong Xin treated him as her own son. Mothers were always especially concerned about their children, even if it was just a small matter. She still remembered the pattern on the sleeve clearly. However, ever since Xie Jingxing died, she had not seen this pattern for two years and did not remember it for a moment. Today, she remembered that Prince Rui was wearing a robe with the same pattern.


    Sometimes, all it took was a light flick for the first domino to fall.


    They both liked to wear purple color, had the same patterns on the corners of their robes, were called ¡°Jingxing¡±, and had a special relationship with Shen Miao.


    Princess Rong Xin suddenly thought of the basket of the herb.


    Why didn¡¯t she have it before? Why did she receive it today? Was it because a few days ago, she had a heart attack in front of Prince Rui, and a few days later, a merchant came from afar to sell herbs, among which there happened to be a basketful of the herb she desperately needed?


    Too many coincidences happened, so it was no longer a coincidence.


    Once the seed of doubt germinated, it would never grow back. It would quickly grow into a towering tree until it was rooted deeply into the soil and stood there indestructibly.


    Although his temperament and figure had changed, there were some things that could not be changed, such as some small mannerisms, such as¡­ the connection of kindred.


    Princess Rong Xin suddenly squatted down and pressed on her chest. Yang Xin was shocked and saw that Princess Rong Xin¡¯s face was pale, and large drops of sweat had started to appear on her forehead. She quickly shouted, ¡°Someone! Call a doctor! Princess is having a heart attack again!¡±


    A hand suddenly grabbed Yang Xin¡¯s hand. Princess Rong Xin looked in pain, but her tone was very firm. She said, ¡°Help me back to the study and prepare a letter.¡±


    She had to verify something herself.

 Chapter 745 - 745 Trouble (6)

    745 Trouble (6)


    When Shen Miao woke up, Luo Xueyan told her happily that her marriage with the crown prince had been put on hold for the time being.


    When Prince Rui and Emperor Wen Hui were chatting, he accidentally mentioned the cities at the border. Emperor Wen Hui was worried that the Daliang Dynasty would make some moves, so at this critical moment, he must not anger Shen Xin. Therefore, he would not mention Shen Miao¡¯s marriage for the time being.


    Luo Xueyan said, ¡°Prince Rui mentioned it at the right time. With more time, we can slowly choose a suitable man for Jiaojiao.¡±


    Shen Miao naturally knew that Prince Rui did not ¡°accidentally¡± mention the cities. While she heaved a sigh of relief, Shen Miao could not help but be shocked by Xie Jingxing¡¯s methods.


    Xie Jingxing¡¯s methods were not very brilliant, but they were very effective. With just a few words, he made the emperor hesitate and not dare to make a move. The crown prince¡¯s marriage was ruined, and Prince Ding¡¯s plan was ruined.


    At the thought of this, Shen Miao was a little angry. The crisis that stumped her was resolved so easily by Xie Jingxing, making her look very incompetent. She couldn¡¯t help but think of Xie Jingxing¡¯s frivolous actions that night and wanted to beat him up.


    Luo Tan said, ¡°Little Cousin, why are you holding this book so tightly? You are about to tear the pages.¡±


    Only then did Shen Miao come back to her senses. She quickly let go and was a little embarrassed. Recently, when she thought of Xie Jingxing, she tended to lose control of her emotions.


    Luo Tan held her chin with both hands and looked at her mischievously. ¡°Are you thinking that Brother Ling, Young Master Su, and Brother Feng are all outstanding and you don¡¯t know which one to choose?¡±


    Shen Miao said, ¡°You¡¯re thinking too much.¡±


    Just as Luo Tan was about to say something, she saw Luo Ling walk in. Luo Tan stuck out her tongue and shouted, ¡°Brother Ling.¡±


    Luo Ling smiled and said, ¡°What are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re talking about Little Cousin¡¯s marriage.¡± Luo Tan said loudly, ¡°Little Cousin hasn¡¯t decided who to marry yet, so I came over to ask about it.¡±


    Shen Miao felt helpless. If it were an ordinary girl, she would probably be embarrassed.


    Shen Miao did not have any reaction. On the contrary, Luo Ling was a little embarrassed. He put his hand to his mouth and cleared his throat. He looked around and said, ¡°Cousin Miao, do you like the pendant?¡±


    ¡°Pendant?¡± Shen Miao frowned and asked, ¡°What pendant?¡±


    Luo Ling was stunned for a moment before saying, ¡°Yesterday, I¡­¡±


    Before he could finish speaking, he was interrupted by a servant outside. He said that Luo Xueyan asked Shen Miao to go to the front hall.


    Luo Ling swallowed his words and smiled, asking Shen Miao to go first. Shen Miao smiled apologetically at him and said, ¡°I¡¯ll talk to you later.¡±


    When she arrived at the front hall, she found out that someone from the princess mansion was here. Princess Rong Xin sent an invitation to Shen Miao and asked her to go and meet her.


    Princess Rong Xin had saved Shen Miao a few times. Shen Xin and his wife were very grateful to her and had no reason to refuse, let alone Shen Miao. She smiled and accepted the invitation, but her heart was unusually heavy.


    If it were in the past, Shen Miao would have accepted Princess Rong Xin¡¯s invitation without hesitation. To be honest, Princess Rong Xin treated her well because of Xie Jingxing. When she found out that Emperor Wen Hui wanted to give Shen Miao to the crown prince, she even spoke up for Shen Miao.


    But what was so important that Princess Rong Xin wanted to talk to her in person?


    Shen Miao couldn¡¯t help but think of that day in the palace when she was seen arguing with Xie Jingxing by Princess Rong Xin. At that time, she called Xie Jingxing¡¯s name. Later, Xie Jingxing brushed Princess Rong Xin off, but Shen Miao still felt uneasy. If Xie Jingxing was someone Princess Rong Xin knew and loved deeply, no matter what happened to him, she could still notice some clues.


    Shen Miao¡¯s intuition had always been very accurate. She had never thought that Xie Jingxing could still hide his identity from Princess Rong Xin after bumping into her. Because the consequences were terrifying and unpredictable, she did not dare to dwell on it.


    However, escaping was not an option because trouble had already come knocking on the door.


    Shen Miao felt that Princess Rong Xin might have discovered something suspicious, but she could not reject this invitation, because rejecting was equivalent to admitting it.

 Chapter 746 - 746 Exposed (1)

    746 Exposed (1)


    Shen Miao was asked to go the next afternoon. Luo Xueyan also asked Shen Xin to prepare a lot of gifts for Shen Miao to bring to the princess mansion. Because Princess Rong Xin had helped Shen Miao a lot, Luo Xueyan wanted to express her gratitude to Princess Rong Xin.


    In order to prevent anything from happening on the way, Shen Qiu asked Ah Zhi and Mo Qing to go along. Even so, along the way, Shen Miao¡¯s expression was not very relaxed. Seeing this, Jingzhe and Gu Yu thought that Shen Miao was worried about her safety on the way and comforted her for a long time.


    In the carriage, Shen Miao had been thinking about how to answer Princess Rong Xin if she asked about Xie Jingxing. However, Princess Rong Xin was a very cautious person, and once she was suspicious, it would be very difficult to dispel her suspicion.


    Shen Miao felt a headache coming on.


    Jingzhe smiled and said, ¡°Miss, what are you thinking? It¡¯s been a long time since I¡¯ve seen you like this.¡±


    Shen Miao was slightly stunned. That¡¯s right. Ever since she was reborn, her path had been especially smooth-sailing. Luo Xueyan, Shen Xin, and Shen Qiu were all prevented from repeating their previous fate. But what did others have to do with her? At this moment, she was racking her brains to help Xie Jingxing, but what was the relationship between her and Xie Jingxing? Did she have to go such a length to worry about him?


    Shen Miao was a little frustrated. One of the voices in her mind said that this was all caused by Xie Jingxing and she should let him solve it himself. The other voice said that she shouldn¡¯t leave Xie Jingxing to face this knotty matter alone.


    Unknowingly, before Shen Miao could think of a solution, the carriage had already arrived at the entrance of the princess mansion. Almost all the servants in the princess mansion had an impression of Shen Miao, so they naturally welcomed her in respectfully. Shen Miao asked Mo Qing and the others to stay outside the mansion before walking in with the palace maid.


    She was brought straight to Princess Rong Xin¡¯s bedroom.


    Although Princess Rong Xin was usually very low-key, the princess mansion was spacious and grand. However, ever since the death of her husband, Princess Rong Xin did not care much about these worldly possessions. Therefore, the bedroom was simple and even gave people a sense of desolation.


    Princess Rong Xin was drinking the sweet soup sent by the kitchen. Seeing that Shen Miao had arrived, she instructed the servants to scoop a bowl for her. She smiled and said, ¡°This is made by the new chef. He¡¯s very good at making snacks and sweet soup. I tasted it and think it¡¯s better than the ones made in the palace. Try it too.¡±


    Shen Miao thanked Princess Rong Xin and picked up the bowl to taste it in small sips. She actually did not like sweet food, but for the sake of Princess Rong Xin, she did not refuse. As she drank, she observed Princess Rong Xin¡¯s expression.


    Princess Rong Xin looked much better than that day in the palace. Her face was very rosy and she seemed to be in a good mood. Shen Miao said with a smile, ¡°Princess, you look in much better health.¡±


    ¡°Recently, I received a basket full of a rare herb. The kitchen makes medicine from it for me every day. It¡¯s hard for me not to be healthy.¡± Princess Rong Xin sighed and said, ¡°I¡¯m really lucky. In the past, it was very difficult to find this herb. I didn¡¯t expect to see so much of it at this time.¡± Her tone was filled with surprise.

 Chapter 747 - 747 Exposed (2)

    747 Exposed (2)


    Shen Miao originally thought that Princess Rong Xin was going to ask about Xie Jingxing today, but she did not expect Princess Rong Xin to not mention it at all. Instead, she changed the topic and started talking about how Emperor Wen Hui decided to postpone Shen Miao¡¯s marriage a few days ago.


    ¡°My brother has always been stubborn. He seems to want you to be his daughter-in-law very much. After you left that day, I personally went to talk him out of it, but he didn¡¯t listen to me. Later, it was all thanks to Prince Rui.¡± She looked at Shen Miao and smiled. ¡°I think General Shen has already told you about it, right?¡±


    Shen Miao nodded and became vigilant.


    ¡°Although it¡¯s not right for me to say this, it¡¯s all thanks to Prince Rui. If not for his words, my brother wouldn¡¯t have changed his mind, and you would definitely end up marrying the crown prince.¡±


    !!


    Shen Miao remained silent. She did not expect Princess Rong Xin to suddenly hold her hand and say with a smile, ¡°Previously, I saw that you seem to be very close to Prince Rui. After all, I¡¯m much older than you and have more experience. Prince Rui has a special identity. I thought that you were young and would inevitably be used by him, but I didn¡¯t expect him to be a good person. This time, I think he said those words to help you out, right?¡±


    Princess Rong Xin did not have such an attitude towards Prince Rui previously. Shen Miao became more and more cautious, but she did not panic at all. She only smiled and replied, ¡°Prince Rui is noble, and I¡¯m nothing compared to him. I¡¯m not so arrogant as to think that Prince Rui will speak up for me.¡±


    ¡°I know you¡¯re too awkward to tell me.¡± Princess Rong Xin was especially stubborn and strange today. She said, ¡°I promise you I won¡¯t tell anyone.¡±


    Shen Miao was about to speak when Princess Rong Xin turned around and started talking about something else.


    Princess Rong Xin was especially excited today. She talked with Shen Miao for a long time. Just like when she mentioned Prince Rui just now, Shen Miao thought that Princess Rong Xin would continue to ask, but Princess Rong Xin suddenly changed the topic and asked if Luo Xueyan had found a suitable young man for her.


    Princess Rong Xin had no intention of ending the conversation and sending Shen Miao back home. Shen Miao did not understand what Princess Rong Xin was up to.


    Jingzhe and Gu Yu wanted Shen Miao to go back before dark for safety reasons. However, it wasn¡¯t their place to speak, so they could only wait anxiously.


    After finishing the last pot of tea, Princess Rong Xin stood up. Jingzhe and Gu Yu heaved a sigh of relief. They thought that they could finally go back. Unexpectedly, Princess Rong Xin held Shen Miao¡¯s hand affectionately and said with a smile, ¡°Come with me to take a walk in the courtyard.¡±


    Jingzhe and Gu Yu were puzzled. Princess Rong Xin had lived here for so many years and walked around the courtyard every day. Why did she ask Shen Miao to walk around the courtyard with her? Moreover, it was very cold outside in the dark. Why would she want to walk around the courtyard? Were all the princesses of the royal family like this?

 Chapter 748 - 748 Exposed (3)

    748 Exposed (3)


    Shen Miao understood now. Princess Rong Xin clearly had her own agenda. She definitely did not invite Shen Miao here just for a chit-chat. Princess Rong Xin must have her own plans.


    However, Shen Miao could not refuse.


    She said, ¡°Sure.¡±


    To Jingzhe and Gu Yu¡¯s surprise, the ¡°courtyard¡± where Princess Rong Xin brought Shen Miao turned out to be a side courtyard. There were no lanterns at the door at night, so they could not see the words on the plaque.


    !!


    Princess Rong Xin held Shen Miao¡¯s hand and stepped into the house. She smiled and said, ¡°This courtyard is called Xingzhi Courtyard.¡±


    Shen Miao¡¯s heart skipped a beat. She knew what Princess Rong Xin was going to say next.


    As expected, as soon as Princess Rong Xin entered the room, she stroked the furnishings on the shelf with both hands and smiled. ¡°This is where Jingxing used to live.¡±


    Jingzhe and Gu Yu followed behind. When they heard this, they were a little surprised. Was this the place where the young marquis of Lin¡¯an lived?


    ¡°Jingxing lost his mother when he was young. After Yuqing died, I took pity on him because he had a rough life at a young age. I was also angry with the Marquis of Lin¡¯an for taking in a concubine and causing a mess in the house. Yuqing had a bitter life. Before she died, she was even called a jealous woman. At that time, I was furious and was afraid that Concubine Fang would use some sinister methods on Jingxing, so I brought him home to raise him.¡±


    ¡°Jingxing was born very naughty and was very close to me. I don¡¯t have a son, so I thought it would be good to keep Jingxing by my side. Later, I built a courtyard for him here.¡±


    When Princess Rong Xin mentioned these things, she was lost in thought. As she described, Shen Miao seemed to be able to see a baby crying. Fortunately, Shen Miao¡¯s parents were both healthy and doted on her very much. Although she was estranged from her parents because the second and third branches of the Shen family were sowing discord, she could at least make up for it. However, Xie Jingxing had never had a mother since he was born.


    Or rather, as soon as he was born, the sad and pitiful role was thrust upon him.


    ¡°Jingxing was raised very well by me. The Marquis of Lin¡¯an came to ask for him a few times, but I didn¡¯t let Jingxing go back. However, later on, Concubine Fang also gave birth to two sons, so I returned Jingxing.¡± Princess Rong Xin turned to look at Shen Miao. ¡°Do you know why?¡±


    Shen Miao thought for a moment and said, ¡°Because Young Marquis Xie is the legitimate son of the Marquis of Lin¡¯an. If Young Marquis Xie continues to stay with you, he will be taken advantage of by the two illegitimate sons of Concubine Fang . Perhaps the position of the Marquis of Lin¡¯an will fall into their hands in the future.¡±


    When Princess Rong Xin heard that, she smiled and said, ¡°I¡¯ve long known that you¡¯re a perceptive person. When I was your age, I definitely wouldn¡¯t have thought of this.¡±


    Shen Miao smiled and did not comment. Of course, as a young girl, she wouldn¡¯t have thought of this. However, she was once a mother of two children. If it were Wanyu and Fu Ming, she would also let them go back. What right did others have to take away what was theirs?


    ¡°Although Jingxing went back, he and I still have a very good relationship. It¡¯s said that blood is thicker than water. I was afraid that once he went back, he would be fooled by despicable people and would hold a grudge against me and Yuqing. However, what surprised me and made me happy is that his relationship with the Marquis of Lin¡¯an has never been very good. No matter how the Marquis of Lin¡¯an pleases him, he still lives the way he wants. Sometimes, I think that he and the Marquis of Lin¡¯an really don¡¯t look like a father and son.¡±

 Chapter 749 - 749 Exposed (4)

    749 Exposed (4)


    Shen Miao¡¯s heart skipped a beat. What Princess Rong Xin was driving at was too obvious.


    Princess Rong Xin picked up a small mirror on the shelf and said, ¡°Actually, he doesn¡¯t look like the Marquis of Lin¡¯an, and he doesn¡¯t look like Yuqing either. The Marquis of Lin¡¯an is stupid and indecisive. Otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t have been used by a little b*tch like Concubine Fang. Yuqing was a lovestruck fool. She lost her life because of it. However, Jingxing is different from the two of them.¡±


    ¡°Jingxing looked mischievous, but he was extremely decisive. One of his good friends used to take a fancy to a sword he got. His friend did not say it, but he understood it. Later, he said that he liked his friend¡¯s mirror and exchanged his sword for it.¡±


    ¡°I asked him why he said he liked that mirror when he clearly didn¡¯t like it. He told me because he didn¡¯t like that sword either.¡±


    !!


    ¡°When he was young, he seemed to know very well what he wanted and didn¡¯t want. For things he didn¡¯t want, he wouldn¡¯t even take a look at it. He always liked to smile and was popular among girls, but he didn¡¯t show interest in these girls.¡±


    Princess Rong Xin stared at Shen Miao. For a moment, Shen Miao felt that Princess Rong Xin and Xie Jingxing were a little similar in some ways, especially when they stared at people with sharp eyes, as if they could see through people¡¯s souls.


    She continued, ¡°I thought that the title of the Marquis of Lin¡¯an was not something he wanted, so from the beginning, he never had any kinship with the Marquis of Lin¡¯an. I always thought that I was someone he wanted to hold on to tightly, but now it seems that I was wrong. I¡¯m also someone he doesn¡¯t need, right?¡±


    The question was directed at Shen Miao.


    Jingzhe and Gu Yu had already been pulled out by Princess Rong Xin¡¯s personal maid, Yang Xin. There was no one else in the room. Shen Miao listened quietly and said, ¡°Young Marquis always had you in his heart.¡±


    ¡°Shen Miao, I know you¡¯re smart.¡± Princess Rong Xin said, ¡°If he really had me in his heart, why would he lie that he¡¯s dead? Why would he watch as I¡¯m tortured by his death? He clearly planned everything from the beginning and took advantage of my trust in him. He was in front of me but he refused to acknowledge me and used a lousy excuse to brush me off. Shen Miao, tell me, does he really me in his heart?¡±


    At the end of her sentence, her tone suddenly became sharp, almost questioning angrily.


    Shen Miao¡¯s heart sank. At the end of the day, Princess Rong Xin still discovered it.


    But Shen Miao still didn¡¯t want to admit it.


    There were many things that she could not say even if she knew it, even if there was ample evidence. Princess Rong Xin was a princess of Ming Qi, and Xie Jingxing was Prince Rui of the Daliang Dynasty. Once the secret was out and Princess Rong Xin made it public, Shen Miao could not imagine what kind of change it would bring to the overall situation and how much trouble it would cause Xie Jingxing.


    Even if Princess Rong Xin was absolutely certain that she was right.


    Shen Miao said, ¡°I don¡¯t understand what Princess is talking about.¡±


    Princess Rong Xin looked at her disdainfully. The kindness and gentleness from before were gone, and it was replaced by the condescension of a superior when facing a subordinate. That was the most common expression of the royal family. Once upon a time, Shen Miao could see it every day. She suddenly felt a sense of disgust. It was not that she hated Princess Rong Xin, but she probably hated the blood of the royal family flowing in Princess Rong Xin. Princess Rong Xin said, ¡°Do you know what kind of crime it is to deceive the royal family?¡±

 Chapter 750 - 750 Exposed (5)

    750 Exposed (5)


    ¡°It is the crime of treason and of deceiving the royal family, which is enough to get your entire family implicated and executed. I think you saw what happened to Shen Wan back then. Are you still going to lie to me?¡±


    Shen Miao said, ¡°I didn¡¯t lie.¡±


    ¡°You won¡¯t shed a tear until you see the coffin, right?¡± Princess Rong Xin¡¯s voice was chilling. ¡°If your answer today doesn¡¯t satisfy me, as long as I mention it to my brother, what awaits your Shen family will be a catastrophe. Do you want your parents and brother to die for your willfulness?¡±


    Shen Miao didn¡¯t speak.


    Princess Rong Xin slowly continued, ¡°Now, tell me, Prince Rui is Xie Jingxing, who died in battle, right?¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Shen Miao said firmly, as if the terrifying threats from Princess Rong Xin before were nothing.


    ¡°Shen Miao!¡± Princess Rong Xin was furious. ¡°I will send the entire Shen family to prison!¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t without a justifiable reason.¡±


    ¡°As long as I want, I can put anyone to prison.¡± Princess Rong Xin threatened.


    Shen Miao sneered in her heart. The royal family was just like this, unreasonable and domineering. Even Princess Rong Xin, who was the most impartial, would not hesitate to use imperial power to bully people when she wanted to reach her goal.


    Humans were complicated and selfish.


    ¡°Let me ask you again. Is Prince Rui Xie Jingxing?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    Princess Rong Xin was infuriated. Usually, she admired Shen Miao for being calm and collected. When this calmness was used to deal with her, Princess Rong Xin felt that she was facing a wall that she couldn¡¯t penetrate. Ordinary girls would be terrified after being threatened, but Shen Miao was not.


    ¡°Guards!¡± Princess Rong Xin¡¯s expression darkened. ¡°Take Shen Miao¡­¡±


    Before she could finish, the rest of her words were swallowed back down.


    A purple figure jumped in through the back window. There was no one guarding the backyard, so no one saw him. That person was dressed in dark purple brocade robe, and the corner of his robe was embroidered with a pattern Princess Rong Xin was most familiar with.


    After he entered the room, he took a look and walked up to Shen Miao leisurely. As if he was in his own mansion, he stood in front of Princess Rong Xin and said lazily and unhurriedly, ¡°She¡¯s timid. Auntie Rong, don¡¯t scare her.¡±


    Princess Rong Xin had been silent since she saw this person. She stood rooted to the ground in a daze. When she heard him call her ¡°Auntie Rong¡±, she pointed at him and was so trembling that she could not speak.


    In this small room, the candlelight swayed slightly. The person played with the ring on his thumb and was wearing a half-silver mask. The mask emitted a cold light, revealing a faint smile on his red lips.


    Shen Miao stared at Xie Jingxing in disbelief. She did not expect Xie Jingxing to have the guts to show up in front of Princess Rong Xin! It had to be known that Xie Jingxing had already died on the battlefield in the northern border two years ago. If Xie Jingxing was seen alive and having taken the identity of Prince Rui, what awaited him was unimaginable.


    How dare he?

 Chapter 751 - 751 Exposed (6)

    751 Exposed (6)


    Princess Rong Xin pointed at him shakily and asked, ¡°What did you call me?¡±


    The purple-clothed young man in the room was tall and slender. He slowly reached out to touch his mask.


    He took off the mask, allowing people to see his outstanding facial features clearly.


    He was peerlessly handsome.


    There was still a faint trace of arrogance on him from when he was young. However, now, that arrogance was slowly suppressed, and it was replaced by a dangerous and terrifying aura.


    He put on the mask again and said casually, ¡°Long time no see, Auntie Rong.¡±


    Princess Rong Xin was stunned for a long time before she could recover from the shock.


    She looked at Xie Jingxing and sized him up with an unfamiliar gaze. She said in an unclear tone, ¡°Should I call you Prince Rui or¡­ Xie Jingxing?¡±


    The alienation and vigilance in her tone shocked Shen Miao.


    She had also thought about what would happen if Xie Jingxing and Princess Rong Xin really bumped into each other, but she did not expect it to be like this. In just a moment, Princess Rong Xin displayed hostility towards an enemy.


    Xie Jingxing said, ¡°Princess, do as you please.¡±


    ¡°Did you send the herb?¡± Princess Rong Xin asked.


    Xie Jingxing smiled but did not say anything.


    Princess Rong Xin also smiled. ¡°Prince Rui, I won¡¯t take your things for free. I think these herbs are not cheap. I¡¯ll get someone to send the money to your mention later. Thank you, Prince Rui.¡±


    ¡°No need,¡± Xie Jingxing said.


    ¡°Prince Rui, you¡¯re here to¡­¡± Princess Rong Xin¡¯s voice was polite and vigilant, completely different when she was talking about Xie Jingxing just a while ago.


    ¡°She doesn¡¯t know anything.¡± Xie Jingxing nodded at Shen Miao and said, ¡°Princess, if you have any questions, you can ask me directly. There¡¯s no need to make things difficult for her.¡±


    ¡°How would I dare to make things difficult for her?¡± Princess Rong Xin sneered, but her tone was a little complicated.


    ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± Xie Jing walked over and put his arm around Shen Miao¡¯s shoulder. Without caring about Shen Miao¡¯s expression, he said, ¡°Princess, I will find a time to come personally to explain things to you. If you have any grudges against me, you can find me at Prince Rui¡¯s mansion at all times.¡±


    With that, he took a few steps forward with Shen Miao and jumped out of the window without paying attention to Princess Rong Xin¡¯s reaction.


    Shen Miao was shocked by Xie Jingxing¡¯s actions today. She did not expect Xie Jingxing to dare to appear in the princess mansion so openly. Although Xie Jingxing and Princess Rong Xin were like mother and son, that was in the past.


    Shen Miao thought that Princess Rong Xin would go hysterical and ask angrily or cry in pain upon seeing Xie Jingxing. However, the first thing Princess Rong Xin showed was vigilance.


    She mocked, tested, and was overly polite. In front of Xie Jingxing, who had come back from the dead, Princess Rong Xin was more suspicious than happy.


    Princess Rong Xin¡¯s words sounded in Shen Miao¡¯s ears again.


    ¡°When he was young, he seemed to know very well what he wanted and didn¡¯t want. For things he didn¡¯t want, he wouldn¡¯t even take a look at it. He always liked to smile and was popular among girls, but he didn¡¯t show interest in these girls.¡±


    Did Xie Jingxing know that this day would come since he was young, so he voluntarily abandoned kinship? It was not that he did not want it, but he could not afford to have it. Because even if he did, he would lose it one day and become enemies with his family. In that case, he might as well be indifferent to his family from the beginning. When there was expectation, there was no disappointment.


    Shen Miao suddenly felt a little bad for him.

 Chapter 752 - 752 Affection (1)

    752 Affection (1)


    The wind at night was really cold. Xie Jingxing only brought Shen Miao to the door of the princess mansion. The Shen family¡¯s carriage was still waiting outside. Shen Miao wanted to speak, but Xie Jingxing had always left. On the other hand, Mo Qing and Ah Zhi were a little surprised to see her suddenly appear at the entrance of the mansion. Ah Zhi asked, ¡°Miss, why did you come out alone? Where are the others?¡±


    As he spoke, Jingzhe and Gu Yu ran out, panting. When they saw Shen Miao, they heaved a sigh of relief. Jingzhe said, ¡°We were waiting outside. Yang Xin said that you came out. I thought she was lying. Later, when I saw that there was no one in the room, I came over to take a look. I didn¡¯t expect you to really be here.¡± She looked around again and was puzzled. ¡°We were guarding outside and didn¡¯t you come out. Could it be that there¡¯s a secret passage in the princess mansion?¡±


    Gu Yu quickly cleared her throat and reminded her not to spout nonsense.


    Jingzhe stuck out her tongue and glanced at Shen Miao. Shen Miao frowned and looked a little solemn. Seeing this, Jingzhe whispered, ¡°When I went in just now, I saw that Her Highness didn¡¯t look too good¡­ Miss, did you quarrel with Her Highness?¡±


    Shen Miao shook her head. Thinking of what happened in the princess mansion today, she felt a headache coming on. She climbed into the carriage and said, ¡°Let¡¯s go back first.¡± She would sort it out when she returned home. After all, what happened today was really beyond her expectations.


    Just as the carriage was about to set off, Shen Miao couldn¡¯t help but lift the curtain and look back. The dark night shrouded everything.


    She sighed softly.


    In a corner not far from the princess mansion, the purple-clothed young man silently watched the carriage leave.


    Gao Yang no longer waved his folding fan. Instead, he folded it and put it away. He looked at the handsome young man in front of him with a rare complicated expression. He asked, ¡°Is it worth it?¡±


    ¡°This day will eventually come,¡± Xie Jingxing said indifferently.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s a pity?¡±


    Xie Jingxing curled his lips slightly. The mask covered his face, making people unable to tell his expression.


    He said, ¡°It¡¯s just fate coming to an end.¡±


    Gao Yang stopped talking. After a while, he shook his head and patted Xie Jingxing¡¯s shoulder.


    A few maids dressed as servants came out of the princess mansion with something in their hands. They poured the things in the basket on the street and threw the basket away.


    A maid said with a sigh, ¡°These things cost a lot of money. If I take them to the medical hall to sell, I can earn some money. It¡¯s a pity to throw them away.¡±


    ¡°What do you know?¡± The maid at the side glared at her. ¡°Who knows if this thing is poisonous? If it¡¯s poisonous, won¡¯t we be in trouble if we sell it? Alright, stop looking. Let¡¯s go.¡±


    The two maids turned around and returned. There was only a basket left on the ground.


    It was the herb for Princess Rong Xin¡¯s heart disease that she ¡°coincidentally¡± received from the medical hall.


    Gao Yang couldn¡¯t bear to look at the scene. No matter how magnanimous a person was, they wouldn¡¯t be happy to see their efforts wasted. He wanted to comfort him, but Xie Jingxing had already walked far away.


    He walked leisurely in the night, exuding an indescribable elegance as his brocade robe fluttered in the night.


    However, his back looked lonely.

 Chapter 753 - 753 Affection (2)

    753 Affection (2)


    ¡­


    When Shen Miao returned home, Shen Xin and his wife were both waiting for her. Seeing that she had returned unscathed, they heaved a sigh of relief. Shen Miao had something on her mind and said that she was a little tired and wanted to rest early, so no one suspected anything. Shen Miao returned to the bedroom and asked Jingzhe and Gu Yu to leave before sitting down at the table.


    She felt uneasy.


    It was really a rash decision for Xie Jingxing to appear in the princess mansion today and expose his identity to Princess Rong Xin. Xie Jingxing was not a rash person. Other than helping Shen Miao out and preventing Princess Rong Xin from doing anything to the Shen family, there was no other reason why he would show up.


    This was not what Shen Miao wanted to see because Xie Jingxing had never really hurt her from the beginning to the end.


    Shen Miao did not know how deep the relationship between Princess Rong Xin and Xie Jingxing really was, but in the princess mansion, after Princess Rong Xin confirmed Xie Jingxing¡¯s identity, her reaction was indeed heartbreaking. Xie Jingxing did not say anything and looked indifferent, as if he did not take it to heart at all. However, Shen Miao knew how much pain Xie Jingxing felt to be treated like that by his closest family.


    After all, Xie Jingxing¡¯s first Tiger Head Bracelet was given to Princess Rong Xin. After all, when he returned to the capital two years later and found out that Princess Rong Xin had another heart attack, he sent people to search for the herb immediately.


    Shen Miao stood up in frustration and walked to the window. She pushed open the window and looked out. The sky outside was dark, and the capital on a winter night gave off a desolate and cold feeling.


    She thought for a moment before turning around. She took out a thick dark red cloak from the closet and covered herself before walking to the window and calling out softly, ¡°Cong Yang.¡±


    A black shadow landed from the tree and stood straight in front of Shen Miao. He said respectfully, ¡°Young Madam, what can I do for you?¡±


    For some reason, Shen Miao had automatically ignored the way he addressed her. She hesitated for a moment and said, ¡°Take me to see Xie Jingxing.¡±


    Cong Yang opened his mouth and gasped. He usually had a straight face, but now, he looked a little comical.


    Shen Miao urged in frustration, ¡°Can you take me to see him or not?¡±


    ¡°Young Madam.¡± Cong Yang came back to his senses and looked troubled. ¡°I don¡¯t know where Master is now.¡±


    Shen Miao frowned. Cong Yang was protecting her all day, so it was indeed impossible for him to know Xie Jingxing¡¯s whereabouts. When she came out of the princess mansion tonight, Xie Jingxing left too quickly. Before she could ask, he was already nowhere to be seen.


    However, for some reason, Shen Miao felt that Xie Jingxing should be in Prince Rui¡¯s mansion at this moment. Shen Miao felt that if Xie Jingxing was unhappy, he would probably want to be alone.


    She made a prompt decision and said to Cong Yang, ¡°Bring me to Prince Rui¡¯s mansion.¡±


    Cong Yang looked troubled. Seeing this, Shen Miao frowned and asked, ¡°Can¡¯t you even do this?¡±


    Cong Yang quickly explained, ¡°I can naturally do it alone, but I can¡¯t do it if Young Madam is with me.¡±

 Chapter 754 - 754 Affection (3)

    754 Affection (3)


    Shen Miao asked him, ¡°Do you know Chin Kung?¡±


    Cong Yang nodded quickly.


    Shen Miao said, ¡°Grab me and bring me to Prince Rui¡¯s mansion.¡± She thought it was extremely simple, just like what Xie Jingxing had done to her in the past.


    As soon as she said that, Cong Yang shook his head repeatedly, his eyes filled with fear. ¡°No!¡±


    !!


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong now?!¡± Shen Miao was running out of patience.


    Cong Yang said, ¡°Men and women are not supposed to touch each other.¡±


    Shen Miao was speechless.


    She did not know where Xie Jingxing found these guards. They were much more reserved than women. However, no matter what Shen Miao said next, Cong Yang refused to ¡°take¡± her to Prince Rui¡¯s mansion.


    Shen Miao was troubled. Without Cong Yang, she would have to walk out of the Shen mansion¡¯s door. The door was guarded by Shen Xin¡¯s soldiers, so it was impossible for her not to be noticed. If she went out in the middle of the night, her family would probably wake up to stop her. At that time, she would be taken back to her room.


    Shen Miao felt a headache coming on.


    She looked at the wall outside the courtyard and suddenly had an idea. When Xie Jingxing first moved to Yanqing Alley, because he did not lack money, he bought all the houses adjacent to Prince Rui¡¯s mansion. From the looks of it, Prince Rui¡¯s mansion was located next to the Shen mansion. It was just that the room Xie Jingxing lived in was a little far.


    Since Xie Jingxing was her neighbor¡­ Shen Miao¡¯s gaze landed on the high wall in the courtyard. She said, ¡°Let¡¯s climb over the wall.¡±


    Cong Yang looked at her in a daze, as if he did not believe his ears. He was ordered to protect Shen Miao¡¯s safety and had been watching Shen Miao¡¯s every move in the Shen family. He naturally knew what kind of person Shen Miao was. Shen Miao was dignified, calm, and extremely well-behaved. At a young age, she could withstand loneliness. In short, her usual small actions showed that she had a good upbringing. Cong Yang often sighed in his heart that this young madam was different from others. She was born extremely noble. Unexpectedly, at this moment, when he heard that this noble young madam was going to climb over the wall, he thought that there was something wrong with his ears.


    Shen Miao glared at him and said sternly, ¡°Can¡¯t you hear me?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I can!¡± Cong Yang stood up straight, not daring to size up Shen Miao¡¯s expression.


    What happened next gave Cong Yang a headache. Previously, he thought that Shen Miao wanted to climb over the wall herself, but what Shen Miao meant was to let him build something like stairs on both sides of the wall so that she could walk up and down on it.


    In the middle of the night, Cong Yang could only move bricks over to build up the stairs. The problem was that there were more than ten mansions between Prince Rui¡¯s mansion and the Shen family¡¯s mansion. Every mansion had a wall between them. Moving the bricks, Cong Yang was sweating profusely on the cold day. Looking at Shen Miao walking past the walls with an arrogant expression like she was walking in the palace, Cong Yang sighed deeply, feeling miserable about his life.


    If not for the fact that it was inappropriate to touch Shen Miao, Cong Yang would not need to go to such an extent. It was more than enough for him to carry a person over the walls. There was no need for him to run around like this. Previously, when Master transferred him out of the Black Feather Army, his colleagues were envious of his good luck. They did not know that this job was different from being a laborer.

 Chapter 755 - 755 Affection (4)

    755 Affection (4)


    When Shen Miao ¡°climbed¡± over the last walls and arrived at Prince Rui¡¯s mansion, Cong Yang was so tired that he did not want to speak.


    Because they came in from the backyard, they did not have to enter the front door. There was actually not a single guard in the huge Prince Rui¡¯s mansion. Cong Yang also looked puzzled. Prince Rui¡¯s mansion had never been so poorly fortified.


    Shen Miao was still looking at the magnificent decoration of Prince Rui¡¯s mansion. It was just a temporary place for Price Rui to stay, but it was actually so well-maintained. She did not know how grand the real palace would be. Just as she was thinking, a middle-aged man in black appeared in front of her.


    ¡°Tie Yi!¡± Cong Yang shouted, then asked, ¡°Where are the others?¡±


    The guard called Tie Yi looked at Shen Miao and was stunned. He cupped his hands at her and asked, ¡°Miss Shen, is there something urgent that you have to come personally?¡±


    Shen Miao looked at him and saw that he seemed to know her. Seeing that Cong Yang was greeting him, she guessed that he was probably Xie Jingxing¡¯s man, so she said, ¡°I¡¯m looking for Prince Rui. I have something to say.¡±


    Tie Yi seemed to have expected her to say that. He nodded and said, ¡°Master is in the backyard. Follow me.¡±


    ¡­


    When the winter in Ming Qi turned cold, no one was willing to walk outside. At night, the streets were even more empty. Even the birds, cats, and dogs were curled up in their warm nests, unwilling to move.


    The water in the pond had already frozen. The garden was filled with lotuses in summer, and koi fish were roaming around. At this moment, it was all white. It seemed that no matter how beautiful the things were, they would eventually be gone, just like how the flowers that bloomed in spring would wither one day.


    The purple-clothed young man slept lazily on the tree with his hands behind his head. He did not take off the mask on his face. There was a wind lantern hanging on the tree. Under the weak light, his expression was neither sad nor happy, but it was a little lonely.


    Under the tree, the white tiger lay on the ground. From time to time, it would scratch the tree trunk with its claws. Occasionally, it would bite the ice that had fallen to the ground.


    As soon as Shen Miao entered, she saw this scene. The young man and the white tiger were sleeping soundly, but it reminded her of herself in her previous life where she walked past the royal garden late at night in the palace, her mind filled with the laughter of Fu Xiuyi and Consort Mei.


    When the white tiger suddenly saw that someone was here, it immediately stood up and hunched its body, looking at her warily, letting out low roars. However, because it was too small, it did not look intimidating.


    ¡°Shh, Jiaojiao.¡± Xie Jingxing said, ¡°Be quiet.¡±


    Shen Miao was speechless.


    She walked to the tree and looked up at the person sleeping on the thick branch. ¡°Who are you calling?¡±


    Xie Jing paused and suddenly looked down. When he saw Shen Miao, he was stunned and asked, ¡°Why are you here?¡±


    ¡°I haven¡¯t finished talking to you in the princess mansion, so I came.¡±


    Xie Jingxing glanced at her and did not get down from the tree. He chuckled and said, ¡°Are you here because you¡¯re concerned about me?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s your business what you think,¡± Shen Miao replied.


    ¡°Do you think I¡¯ll be sad?¡± Xie Jingxing seemed to have heard a joke, and his expression became more and more interesting. ¡°How naive.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s good if you are not sad.¡± Shen Miao ignored his mockery and said calmly.


    Xie Jingxing stared at the sky and waved his hand lazily. ¡°Go back. I¡¯m fine.¡±

 Chapter 756 - 756 Affection (5)

    756 Affection (5)


    Shen Miao did not go back.


    The white tiger on the ground seemed to have sensed that Shen Miao did not have any ill intentions. Moreover, its master did not show any hostility. Gradually, it let down its guard and leaned against Shen Miao¡¯s feet, snoring.


    Shen Miao looked at the young man on the tree quietly.


    After a while, she asked, ¡°Xie Jingxing, do you want to destroy Ming Qi?¡±


    The air fell silent in an instant.


    Under the dim light, the young man¡¯s expression was hidden by the branches. Even if one could see it, they could not see his expression clearly because of the mask. One could only see a corner of his gorgeous purple robe hanging down. The pattern embroidered with golden threads shone brightly under the light. The threads intertwined, vaguely outlining the pattern of an auspicious beast.


    It seemed to be a dragon.


    The silence was alarming. He did not answer.


    The white tiger whimpered softly and turned to run into the grass.


    Shen Miao leaned against the tree and said indifferently, ¡°If you just want to destroy Ming Qi in the end, you have to abandon some people as you walk down that path. Some people are good, but they¡¯re destined to not be walking on the same path as you.¡±


    Xie Jingxing chuckled and said, ¡°Are you trying to comfort me?¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯m comforting myself,¡± Shen Miao replied.


    She could understand Xie Jingxing.. Xie Jingxing was a man, and he was decisive. She believed that after tonight, he would still be the Prince Rui. Nothing could stop him. He was like a lion, an extremely powerful existence in itself. It was just that she happened to bump into him when he was alone.


    ¡°Is anything troubling you too?¡± Xie Jingxing teased. His tone was still cynical, but Shen Miao knew that there was definitely no smile in his eyes at this moment.


    Some emotions couldn¡¯t be hidden, which was why he went to the tree where no one could see him and was unwilling to even take off his mask lest people saw his expression.


    ¡°I have more troubling things than you can imagine.¡± Shen Miao smiled sadly and said, ¡°At least Princess Rong Xin is still alive. Shouldn¡¯t the most painful thing in the world be that the person who wants to protect is no longer around?¡±


    Just like her Wanyu and Fu Ming. She could save many people, but she could not save these two. In this life, she would never be able to save them. No matter if she succeeded in taking revenge in the future or not, she would never have a chance to make up for this regret.


    Even seeing them in her dream was an extravagant hope.


    ¡°You know that this day will come sooner or later, so there¡¯s no need to think too much. You¡¯ve already done your best. Leave the rest to fate.¡± Shen Miao said, ¡°No one needs to be with anyone for the rest of their lives.¡±


    ¡°Fu Xiuyi and I are not on the same side. The crown prince is not on the same side as me. Not Huangfu Hao, not Feng Zixian, not Luo Ling, and not Pei Lang.¡±


    Fu Xiuyi and the crown prince were members of the royal family, so they were naturally Shen Miao¡¯s enemies. Feng Zixian grew up without suffering and was naive, so he couldn¡¯t be compatible with her. Luo Ling was an upright person, so how could he accept the fact that she was scheming? As for Pei Lang, Shen Miao couldn¡¯t trust him wholeheartedly because of what he did in her previous life.

 Chapter 757 - 757 Affection (6)

    757 Affection (6)


    ¡°In that case, no one in the world is walking the same path as you,¡± Xie Jingxing asked.


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±


    Shen Miao sighed in her heart. A person who had crawled out of the grave and lived a second time should be no different from a ghost in some ways. She had always been alone on the path of revenge.


    ¡°But if you comfort me like this, I¡¯ll get the illusion that.¡± Xie Jingxing smiled. ¡°We¡¯re on the same path.¡±


    The wind picked up the broken leaves on the ground and blew across the frozen lake.


    However, looking at the frozen lake, one seemed to be able to see spring breeze blowing past the lake filled with blooming flowers.


    Winter would eventually pass, and spring would come.


    Shen Miao¡¯s voice was soft, even softer than the wind at night.


    She said, ¡°I guess so.¡±


    If you comfort me like this, I¡¯ll get the illusion that we¡¯re on the same path.


    Shen Miao thought so too.


    The tree swayed slightly as someone jumped down. The young man¡¯s back was tall and straight. When the white tiger in the distance saw its master coming down, it immediately ran over happily and rubbed the corner of his robe affectionately.


    ¡°Do you think I¡¯m Prince Rui of the Daliang Dynasty or the Marquis of Lin¡¯an?¡± he asked.


    Shen Miao leaned against the tree with her hands behind her back. She looked at his back and said, ¡°Is this very important?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t think it was important either.¡± Xie Jingxing stood by the pond. His voice was calm, as if there was no fluctuation at all. He said calmly, ¡°Ever since I found out my identity, people have been reminding me that this is very important.¡±


    ¡°The Marquis of Lin¡¯an is weak and incompetent. He¡¯s indecisive and is not worthy of being a father. Even if the real Young Marquis Xie did not die young back then, he would still die at Concubine Fang¡¯s hands.¡±


    ¡°Auntie Rong treats me very well.¡±


    ¡°I thought my identity was important to others, but not to her.¡±


    ¡°But now it seems that I am terribly wrong.¡±


    He said indifferently, ¡°To everyone in the world, this question has been very important from the beginning to the end. There¡¯s no exception.¡±


    He thought that family could be above everything else, but In the end, the reality gave a slap to his face and gave him a taste of what deep disappointment felt like.


    Shen Miao stared at his back for a long time before saying, ¡°It¡¯s not important to me.¡±


    Xie Jingxing chuckled.


    He turned around and walked towards Shen Miao, stopping in front of her. He looked down at Shen Miao and asked, ¡°Do you know who I am?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re just Xie Jingxing.¡± She raised her head proudly, as if she wanted to suppress his aura.


    ¡°Just?¡± He was slightly dissatisfied.


    ¡°You can fool others, but you can¡¯t fool me.¡± Shen Miao looked at his mask. ¡°From the beginning, I knew what kind of person you were. From the moment I know you to the end of our alliance, you are just Xie Jingxing to me.¡±


    Xie Jingxing nodded meaningfully.


    He took another step forward, and Shen Miao subconsciously retreated. At this moment, her back was pressed against the tree, and she could not retreat anymore. Xie Jingxing reached out and raised her chin.


    He said, ¡°Do you think I¡¯m very cruel?¡±


    ¡°No. I¡¯m the same,¡± Shen Miao replied.


    ¡°Then do you know that I¡¯m not a good person?¡± His voice was low and pleasant to the ear.


    Shen Miao shrank back again. She did not want to be looked down upon. She only said, ¡°I know. I¡¯m the same.¡±


    Xie Jingxing held her waist and pulled Shen Miao towards him. The mask covered his face, making his handsomeness look a little bewitching. He said, ¡°Then I can answer your question now.¡±


    ¡°What question?¡± Shen Miao was puzzled.


    ¡°You asked me if I was going to destroy Ming Qi.¡±


    Shen Miao stared at him, her beautiful eyes filled with a dazzling light, looking like they were going to suck people in.


    ¡°So what¡¯s your answer?¡± she asked.


    ¡°If I say yes, are you going to turn me in?¡± Xie Jingxing smiled evilly.


    Shen Miao said slowly, ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Because I¡¯m the same.¡±


    Getting three ¡°I¡¯m the same¡± in a row, Xie Jingxing¡¯s gaze changed.


    No one could not tell if he was happy or angry. He asked, ¡°Do you know what you¡¯re talking about?¡±


    Shen Miao was silent.


    He gritted his teeth, as if he wanted to swallow Shen Miao whole. He said, ¡°Shen Miao, don¡¯t regret it. Once you¡¯re on my ship, you can forget about getting down for the rest of your life.¡±


    He suddenly leaned over and kissed Shen Miao.


    Shen Miao subconsciously wanted to dodge, but Xie Jingxing grabbed her waist and pulled her into his arms. His cold mask touched Shen Miao¡¯s face, locked Shen Miao¡¯s hand, and kissed her lips roughly.

 Chapter 758 - 758 Waves (1)

    758 Waves (1)


    His kiss was hot, but the silver mask was cold, as if it carried some indescribable emotions. The more Shen Miao struggled, the stronger his grip was. He locked her in his arms and invaded her lips crazily.


    The flowers that bloomed in the winter, the butterflies that fluttered in the autumn, the ice spring in the summer, and the snowflakes in the spring could not compare to the strangeness of this moment. There was the sound of the wind in her ears, and the beautiful young man¡¯s arms were strong. His kiss was hot, as if it was going to melt her.


    When Xie Jingxing let go of Shen Miao, Shen Miao almost went limp and couldn¡¯t breathe. In her previous life, she liked Fu Xiuyi, but from the beginning to the end, she had never been very intimate with him.


    Feeling that she had lost her composure, Shen Miao flew into a rage out of humiliation. Xie Jingxing held her up to prevent her from falling.


    However, she did not know that she had just been kissed. Her eyes were so moist that they were almost watery. Her face was red, and her lips were red like rose petals, making people want to kiss her even more.


    Xie Jingxing looked away to prevent himself from losing control.


    Other than embarrassment and anger, Shen Miao was also at a loss. To be honest, she had more or less expected this to happen.


    As for why she did not stop it or let it develop, Shen Miao did not want to think about it.


    ¡°Tell me about your marriage.¡± Xie Jingxing regained his cynical tone and said, ¡°What are your plans now?¡±


    Shen Miao looked at him in confusion. ¡°What plan?¡±


    Xie Jingxing narrowed his eyes at her and said in a dangerous tone, ¡°Crown Prince, Luo Ling, Feng Zixian, Su Mingfeng, Pei Lang, who do you want to marry?¡±


    Shen Miao frowned and pretended to think seriously.


    Xie Jingxing narrowed his eyes and said in an unfriendly tone, ¡°Do you really want to marry someone else?¡±


    ¡°Why can¡¯t I marry someone else?¡±


    ¡°You kissed and touched me, and now you even want to make a cuckold of me. Shen Miao, you¡¯re quite bold.¡±


    Shen Miao smiled. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you want me to marry you.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re finally smart for once,¡± Xie Jingxing said leisurely.


    Shen Miao was stunned. It was not that she had never thought about her relationship with Xie Jingxing. The two of them were allies, but they were more than just allies.


    However, this did not mean that Xie Jingxing could marry her. Xie Jingxing was Prince Rui of the Daliang Dynasty, while she was the daughter of a general in Ming Qi. Not to mention whether Ming Qi would agree, Emperor Yong Le would be the first to object.


    Xie Jingxing seemed to have a very high status in the Daliang Dynasty. Sometimes, having a status like that meant he had to weigh the pros and cons before making a choice.


    Including his marriage.


    While Shen Miao was still lost in thought, she heard Xie Jingxing say, ¡°Don¡¯t worry about anything. Be a good girl and wait for me to marry you.¡±


    ¡°When did I agree to marry you?¡± Shen Miao asked.


    ¡°Oh?¡± Xie Jingxing thought for a moment and smiled evilly. He said, ¡°I don¡¯t mind doing it tonight.¡±


    Shen Miao looked at him warily. Xie Jingxing smiled and said, ¡°You look like you¡¯re looking forward to it.¡±


    Shen Miao decided that she could not continue talking to Xie Jingxing like this. He was a bad person by nature and could not be goaded. She said, ¡°I have a way to deal with the crown prince.¡±

 Chapter 759 - 759 Waves (2)

    759 Waves (2)


    Xie Jingxing raised his eyebrows. ¡°You already have a countermeasure?¡±


    ¡°I suddenly thought of one.¡± Shen Miao emphasized, ¡°but I need your help.¡±


    ¡°You want my help?¡± Xie Jingxing smiled and looked at her. ¡°As your husband, I¡¯ll naturally help you.¡±


    Shen Miao was speechless.


    !!


    When Shen Miao returned home from Prince Rui¡¯s mansion, it was almost dawn. It was naturally Xie Jingxing who ¡°brought¡± her back. When he found out that Shen Miao came over by climbing over the wall, Xie Jingxing laughed so hard that it almost made Shen Miao angry. However, after this night, many things had changed.


    Discussing the countermeasures to deal with the crown prince with Xie Jingxing gave Shen Miao a strange feeling. All along, she had been alone on the path of revenge. Now that she had a powerful backer behind her, she felt inexplicably safe, especially since this backer was quite smart. He could see the flaws in her countermeasures and suggest ways to improve them. Shen Miao felt they were very compatible.


    Princess Rong Xin was right about one thing regarding Xie Jingxing. From the beginning, he knew very well what he wanted and did not want. Shen Miao did not know how true Xie Jingxing¡¯s words were. However, the seriousness he displayed towards helping Shen Miao was heart-felt.


    Shen Miao sighed. The road ahead was long. She had yet to take her revenge. It was too extravagant for her to think about love. If Xie Jingxing really had the ability, if he really dared to marry the daughter of a general of another country, Shen Miao was all in for it.


    Shen Miao reached out and placed her hand on her chest. She didn¡¯t know if there would be another person in the world who could make her heart beat so fast again?


    There was still a lingering heat on Shen Miao¡¯s lips, making her face turn red again.


    The young man was handsome, decisive, and calm.


    It was hard not to be tempted to fall in love with him.


    ¡­


    That night, Prince Ding¡¯s mansion was brightly lit.


    After Fu Xiuyi found out that Shen Miao and the crown prince¡¯s marriage was postponed because of a few words Prince Rui said, he summoned all his aides to discuss the matter.


    ¡°I knew long ago that the relationship between Shen Miao and Prince Rui is not that simple. After using the crown prince to test, the evidence is clear now.¡± Fu Xiuyi sneered. ¡°As soon as Shen Miao is in trouble, Prince Rui will make a move.¡±


    Pei Lang stood below with his head lowered and did not say a word. Over the past few days, Fu Xiuyi had changed from thinking highly of him to not asking for his opinion on many things. The change was too great, so it was naturally noticed by the other aides. They thought that Pei Lang had done or said something that offended Fu Xiuyi, but Pei Lang knew that a smart person like Fu Xiuyi must have discovered something. Perhaps his relationship with Shen Miao had already been discovered. Although he was burning with anxiety, Pei Lang could not show it on his face. Fu Xiuyi had not fallen out with him yet. He must have his own plans. Perhaps he was just suspicious and had yet to confirm it.


    ¡°Mr. Pei, what do you think?¡± Today, for the first time, Fu Xiuyi asked for his opinion.


    Pei Lang¡¯s heart skipped a beat. He lowered his head and said, ¡°I think we should immediately investigate what relationship the Shen family has with Prince Rui or the Daliang Dynasty. Shen Xin has the most important military power in Ming Qi. If the Shen family and Prince Rui reach an agreement in private, I¡¯m afraid¡­¡±

 Chapter 760 - 760 Waves (3)

    760 Waves (3)


    The aides started discussing. Although they didn¡¯t like Pei Lang, they had to admit that Pei Lang was right. After all, Shen Miao was just a little girl and was not a drop-dead-gorgeous beauty. Instead of saying that Prince Rui was protecting Shen Miao, it was more appropriate to say that Prince Rui was trying to rope in the Shen family through Shen Miao.


    Fu Xiuyi said, ¡°Sir, you¡¯re right, but I heard something today.¡±


    Everyone waited for him to continue.


    ¡°Shen Miao stayed in Princess Rong Xin¡¯s mansion for the entire day today. Moreover, after Shen Miao left, the Princess seemed to be in a bad mood.¡± Fu Xiuyi smiled. ¡°Could it be that the Princess also knows something?¡±


    After a moment of silence, an aide said, ¡°Perhaps Princess Rong Xin knows some inside information. Your Highness, why don¡¯t you start with her? Perhaps you can get some clues out of her mouth.¡±


    ¡°I think so too.¡± Fu Xiuyi looked at Pei Lang. It was unknown if Fu Xiuyi was deliberately saying this to him. ¡°Although Shen Miao has the Shen family as her backer, she¡¯s also very strange. There must be a hidden reason why Prince Rui helps her out every time. If Princess Rong Xin is also involved, this matter will become interesting.¡±


    ¡°The truth can¡¯t be hidden forever. We have to expose their secret.¡± Fu Xiuyi smiled meaningfully. ¡°To achieve that, I¡¯ll have to rely on everyone.¡±


    Everyone nodded. Pei Lang lowered his head, a trace of uneasiness flashing across his heart.


    ¡­


    That night, the princess mansion was not peaceful. Princess Rong Xin sat in Xingzhi Courtyard for the entire night.


    Xie Jingxing didn¡¯t die, but instead, he became Prince Rui. This was something Princess Rong Xin had never expected. In the past two years, Princess Rong Xin had hoped countless times that one day, she would wake up, realizing that Xie Jingxing¡¯s death was just a nightmare. She hoped that when she woke up, that arrogant and handsome young man would still stand in front of her and call her Auntie Rong. However, when her hope came true, the first thought that came to Princess Rong Xin¡¯s mind was not relief.


    He was wearing a noble purple robe with a dragon embroidered on the corner. He was wearing a cold mask and called her as he used to, but he had another identity, Prince Rui who was the greatest threat to Ming Qi.


    At first, Princess Rong Xin was just angry because she was kept in the dark. However, when she realized Xie Jingxing¡¯s identity, Princess Rong Xin¡¯s most instinctive reaction was to be vigilant. This did not mean that she did not love Xie Jingxing. It was because she was a princess of Ming Qi. The paranoia unique to the royal family would always be with her.


    She was writing a letter at the table to give Emperor Wen Hui a reminder. Halfway through, she suddenly stopped writing and tore the paper into pieces. The conflict and complicated feelings in her heart were hard to express, but she was unwilling to see Xie Jingxing again, afraid that she would not be able to face him.


    It was good that Xie Jingxing was not dead, but what puzzled Princess Rong Xin the most was how did he become Prince Rui, the younger brother of Emperor Yong Le of the Daliang Dynasty? Prince Rui was not an identity to be used by just anyone. Was Xie Jingxing a person of the Daliang Dynasty from the beginning, or was he bribed by someone from the Daliang Dynasty? If it was the former, it was understandable, but if it was the latter, Xie Jingxing would be committing treason.


    Xie Ding and Xie Jingxing had never been close, so it was definitely impossible for Xie Ding to know it. Shen Miao must know something, but she would not spill the beans. Xie Jingxing was protecting her, so Princess Rong Xin could not do anything to her. After thinking about it, Princess Rong Xin finally thought of someone.

 Chapter 761 - 761 Waves (4)

    761 Waves (4)


    He had a good relationship with Xie Jingxing and was considered Xie Jingxing¡¯s best friend in Ming Qi. Because they grew up together, he definitely knew something others didn¡¯t.


    It was Su Mingfeng, the son of the Earl of Pingnan.


    Princess Rong Xin immediately called the servant to send the invitation.


    ¡­


    It was approaching the end of the year.


    The commoners were busy buying new year goods, and the streets were bustling with activity every day. Life was harmonious. Ordinary people could not imagine what was on the minds of people in high positions, just like how goshawks and sparrows were destined to see different things in the sky.


    Ever since Emperor Wen Hui was shocked by the ambition Prince Rui revealed a few days ago, he became more and more interested in forming an alliance with the State of Qin. As Emperor Wen Hui showed more and more sincerity, Huangfu Hao was also tempted.


    The government office in Ming Qi was at Huangfu Hao¡¯s command. Even the Judicial Office had to listen to Huangfu Hao. No matter what the outcome of the investigation was, Emperor Wen Hui had given Huangfu Hao enough authority and respect. Until now, he still could not find out the cause of Princess Ming An¡¯s death. Huangfu Hao thought that it was not that Ming Qi was deliberately covering things up. After all, he had seen the progress of the case with his own eyes. Perhaps Princess Ming An had offended a big shot at some point. Otherwise, why would there be no trace left at all?


    In the end, what Prince Rui said to Emperor Wen Hui also reached Huangfu Hao¡¯s ears. At the beginning, Huangfu Hao deliberately put on airs in an attempt to seek more benefits for the State of Qin. When he heard Prince Rui¡¯s words, Huangfu Hao couldn¡¯t sit still anymore.


    If Prince Rui represented the Daliang Dynasty and really wanted the cities where Ming Qi produced ores, just as Emperor Wen Hui was worried, Ming Qi would be in danger. The State of Qin alone was not a match for the Daliang Dynasty. Moreover, after seizing Ming Qi¡¯s military strength, weapons, and wealth, the Daliang Dynasty would only become more unstoppable. At that time, when the Daliang Dynasty came to deal with the State of Qin, the State of Qin would be helpless.


    The purpose of the alliance between the State of Qin and Ming Qi was to counterbalance the Daliang Dynasty.


    Huangfu Hao sent the news back to the State of Qin. Although the emperor of the State of Qin was also angry that he lost a princess in Ming Qi for nothing, a princess was really insignificant compared to the entire State of Qin. The emperor of the State of Qin only asked Huangfu Hao to ignore the matter of Princess Ming An¡¯s death for the time being and to form an alliance with Ming Qi.


    After receiving the news from the emperor of the State of Qin, Huangfu Hao had been visiting the palace more frequently these days, and the relationship between Emperor Wen Hui and Huangfu Hao had become much closer.


    Emperor Wen Hui wanted to support the crown prince. Previously, he wanted to marry Shen Miao to the crown prince. Unexpectedly, Prince Rui suddenly revealed his ambition, so he had something more urge to deal with. Now that Huangfu Hao was here, he could let Huangfu Hao and the crown prince interact more and become friends.


    Everything in this world was inextricably connected, but the connections were not at all obvious. Smart people were good at unraveling the connections and using them to their advantage.


    At the Minister Counsellor¡¯s mansion.


    Shen Dongling was drinking tea.


    It was an high-end tea that would cost a few hundred taels of silver for a small handful. She drank tea in a beautiful and graceful manner and was wearing a cotton jacket made of brocade from the south. She was very beautiful and charming. At a glance, one could tell that she was a rich young woman who lived a pampered life.

 Chapter 762 - 762 Waves (5)

    762 Waves (5)


    No one could tell that not long ago, she was still an unknown illegitimate daughter of the Shen family. She did not leave the courtyard all year round, so people did not know that she used to be the daughter of the Shen family.


    Although the Wang family did not look like it was more powerful than other families, it was still considered very affluent. Before marrying Wang Bi, Shen Dongling had always thought that the Wang family followed Prince Zhou, but later, she found out the Wang family was actually with the crown prince. The reason why they could be so rich was that they had some dealings with salt smugglers, and a large portion of the illegal money flowed into the crown prince¡¯s mansion.


    Shen Dongling was extremely satisfied with Wang Bi. Wang Bi looked honest, but in fact, he was smart and could be considered a valuable person under the crown prince. Back then, Shen Yue looked down on Wang Bi, because she didn¡¯t know Wang Bi well. Shen Dongling was born beautiful and had a gentle personality. More importantly, she could give some suggestions to Wang Bi. However, she would never interfere too much. The more this was the case, the better Wang Bi treated her. Wang Bi had always been happy that Shen Yue swapped the marriage with Shen Dongling. The Wang family only had one son and Wang Bi was competent. It was not an exaggeration to say that Wang Bi had the ultimate say. As the young madam of the Wang family, Shen Dongling was respected by all the servants. If Ren Wanyun was still alive, she would probably be furious to see her doing so well.


    It was the same today.


    Wang Bi returned from outside and handed the pastry to the maid, saying, ¡°I passed by Guangfu Restaurant and bought you your favorite cloud cake.¡±


    ¡°Husband, you¡¯re very considerate.¡± Shen Dongling poured tea for him with a smile, her every move gentle and graceful. She was the daughter of a concubine and had a special charm. She smiled and said, ¡°Husband, you seem to be very happy today. Is anything good going to happen?¡±


    Wang Bi did not hide most of the things from Shen Dongling, because Shen Dongling was not big-mouthed. Occasionally, she could help him share his burden. Wang Bi said, ¡°His Majesty asked Huangfu Hao to interact more with the crown prince. It¡¯s obvious that he wants to form an alliance with the State of Qin and that he wants to support the crown prince. Since we¡¯re the crown prince¡¯s people, when the crown prince inherits the throne in the future, we will definitely be rewarded handsomely.¡± He smiled and looked at Shen Dongling. ¡°Do you think we should celebrate?¡±


    Shen Dongling immediately smiled in surprise and said, ¡°Really?¡± After saying that, she looked at Wang Bi in admiration and said softly, ¡°Husband, you¡¯re really amazing. It¡¯s really my blessing to be your wife.¡±


    Being looked at by such an adoring gaze by a beautiful woman, Wang Bi felt smug. He smiled and said, ¡°If His Majesty had given Fifth Miss Shen to the crown prince a while ago, with the support of the Shen family¡¯s military strength, the crown prince would gain an even bigger advantage. Our chances of winning would be higher. Now, although the crown prince is close to Huangfu Hao, in terms of military strength¡­¡± He sighed. ¡°Military strength is often the most important.¡±

 Chapter 763 - 763 Waves (6)

    763 Waves (6)


    Shen Dongling leaned into Wang Bi¡¯s arms and reached out to touch his chest. She said gently, ¡°Husband, you¡¯re too harsh on yourself. You¡¯re already not an ordinary person to be where you are.¡±


    This was what Wang Bi wanted to hear. He smiled and said, ¡°You¡¯re really easily satisfied.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m already satisfied to have a man like you.¡± Shen Dongling smiled and asked casually, ¡°So we can¡¯t let Fifth Sister marry the crown prince now?¡±


    ¡°Fifth Sister?¡± Wang Bi was stunned for a moment before saying, ¡°I almost forgot that you two are sisters.¡±


    His question was unintentional, but in Shen Dongling¡¯s ears, it sounded especially ear-piercing. It was as if he was saying that she was the daughter of a concubine and Shen Miao was the legitimate daughter. Desires would grow with the change of the environment. In the past, Shen Dongling was busy protecting herself in the Shen family and looking for a way out for herself. She could endure the mockery and sarcasm. However, when she became the wife of the minister counselor, she became especially sensitive to these things.


    ¡°It¡¯s not that we can¡¯t.¡± Wang Bi said, ¡°It¡¯s just that the Daliang Dynasty¡¯s ambitions are unclear now. Everything else has to be postponed. We still need Shen Xin¡¯s help. I heard that the Shen family doesn¡¯t want Shen Miao to marry the crown prince either. It¡¯s very likely that Shen Xin will marry Shen Miao off during this period of time. At that time, the crown prince¡¯s plan will fail.¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t the emperor settle the marriage first?¡± Shen Dongling asked.


    Wang Bi said, ¡°Shen Xin doesn¡¯t want Shen Miao to marry the crown prince, and Shen Miao doesn¡¯t want to either. It won¡¯t be good if Shen Xin is dissatisfied at this time.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t Shen Xin just using his power to intimidate people.¡± Shen Dongling curled her lips.


    ¡°You can say that.¡± Wang Bi smiled.


    ¡°Then why can¡¯t we let the crown prince use his power to intimidate others?¡±


    Wang Bi smiled. ¡°Crown Prince is kind and virtuous. He won¡¯t do such a thing.¡±


    ¡°If everyone in the world wants Fifth Sister to marry the crown prince, will she still be able to refuse?¡±


    As Wang Bi listened, his expression gradually became serious. He looked at Shen Dongling, who was nestling in his arms, looking cute.


    Wang Bi was a smart person. He could tell that Shen Dongling had a trick up her sleeve. He asked, ¡°You must have an idea in mind. Tell me about it.¡±


    ¡°Husband, you¡¯re really bad. What good will it do me to tell you?¡± Shen Dongling asked.


    ¡°Ummm.¡± Wang Bi pretended to think for a moment and said, ¡°If your idea is proven useful, I¡¯ll think of a way to ask the crown prince to give you a noble title.¡± He thought that if Shen Dongling really had a way to make Shen Miao marry the crown prince, she would have made a great contribution. It wouldn¡¯t be unreasonable for the crown prince to confer a noble title to Shen Dongling.


    When Shen Dongling heard this, a trace of satisfaction flashed across her eyes.


    She said, ¡°I¡¯m not doing this for a title, but for you, husband. I naturally support you in whatever you want to do. If you want to assist the future emperor, I will also assist the future emperor.¡± The considerate words she said made Wang Bi even happier.


    ¡°Actually, this method is very simple. As long as the crown prince of the State of Qin cooperates,¡± she continued.

 Chapter 764 - 764 Black-hearted Couple (1)

    764 Black-hearted Couple (1)


    When Wang Bi heard this, he asked, ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    Shen Dongling smiled. ¡°Isn¡¯t Ming Qi about to form an alliance with the State of Qin? According to what you said, the State of Qin is also happy to form an alliance with us, right? What if the condition for the State of Qin to agree to the alliance is for Fifth Sister to marry Huangfu Hao?¡±


    ¡°This won¡¯t work. Even if His Majesty has no choice but to agree for the sake of the safety of the people and the country, General Shen won¡¯t agree to let Fifth Miss Shen marry far away.¡± Wang Bi knew very well that Shen Xin doted on his daughter. If Shen Miao went to the State of Qin, Shen Xin would not have the chance to see her again.


    Shen Dongling smiled. ¡°That¡¯s right. However, if this news spreads and the people of Ming Qi find out, they will definitely ask General Shen to marry Fifth Sister over. After all, Huangfu Hao is the crown prince of the State of Qin and is not bad-looking. It¡¯s not a bad marriage for Fifth Sister. If First Uncle doesn¡¯t agree, the State of Qin won¡¯t ally with Ming Qi. The Daliang Dynasty might take advantage of the situation and Ming Qi will be in danger.¡±


    !!


    Wang Bi fell into deep thought.


    Shen Dongling continued, ¡°Everyone knows that my first uncle values the lives of the people more than his own life. Now, between the safety of the people and his daughter, he will have to choose the former.¡±


    ¡°Even His Majesty can¡¯t do whatever he wants. He has to consider the people, let alone my first uncle. On one hand, my uncle doesn¡¯t want the alliance between Ming Qi and the State of Qin to fall flat, but on the other hand, he doesn¡¯t want Fifth Sister to marry far away. At this moment, as long as the crown prince steps out and says that Fifth Sister is already engaged to him, everything will be resolved.¡±


    ¡°This¡­¡± Wang Bi was a little hesitant when he heard that. Shen Dongling continued with a smile, ¡°Huangfu Hao won¡¯t be so impudent as to snatch the crown prince¡¯s woman. Moreover, there was indeed news of this marriage spreading a few days ago. Huangfu Hao only needs to ask around to find out. Compared to marrying Huangfu Hao, who lives far away in the State of Qin, First Uncle is naturally more inclined to let Fifth Sister marry the crown prince. At this juncture, if the crown prince helps Fifth Sister out, First Uncle will also be grateful to him.¡±


    Wang Bi¡¯s eyes lit up. He was smart to begin with, so he naturally understood the merits of Shen Dongling¡¯s idea and fell into deep thought.


    Before Shen Dongling could finish, she wrapped her arms around Wang Bi¡¯s neck and said, ¡°However, in order to put on this show, Huangfu Hao and the crown prince need to cooperate. The crown prince can give Huangfu Hao some benefits. If Huangfu Hao gets it, he¡¯ll be willing to put on a show together.¡±


    Wang Bi hugged Shen Dongling tightly and kissed her on the cheek. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect I would be so lucky as to marry a think tank!¡±


    Shen Dongling lowered her head in embarrassment. ¡°Husband, don¡¯t tease me. I just thought of it suddenly. There must be many flaws in this idea, but you can definitely think of a way to perfect it.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not easy for you to come up with this idea.¡± The more Wang Bi looked at Shen Dongling, the happier he became. He said, ¡°You¡¯ve helped me a lot this time. Don¡¯t worry, when it¡¯s done, I¡¯ll definitely mention your contributions to the crown prince.¡±


    Shen Dongling snorted disdainfully in her heart. Men were most afraid of their contributions being shared by others. Moreover, she was a woman. It would be strange if Wang Bi would mention her contributions. What he said just now was sweet nothing.

 Chapter 765 - 765 Black-hearted Couple (2)

    765 Black-hearted Couple (2)


    However, Shen Dongling still nudged Wang Bi and said anxiously, ¡°Husband, don¡¯t mention that this is my idea. How can I scheme against my sister for no reason? If not for the fact that I want to help you out today, I won¡¯t have said it. If word gets out, how will people look at me?¡±


    Wang Bi never meant to mention her contributions at all. If Shen Dongling showed eagerness for the credit, he would think that she was too greedy. However, at this moment, Shen Dongling¡¯s rejection made him extremely satisfied. The more he looked at Shen Dongling, the more affectionate he became. He said, ¡°Alright, alright, alright, I won¡¯t say anything. However, this is not a bad thing. When the crown prince ascends the throne, Fifth Miss Shen will be a consort. She will definitely thank you.¡±


    Shen Dongling smiled and said, ¡°I think so too.¡± However, she knew in her heart that Shen Miao was not a person who coveted power at all. The Shen family had already treated Shen Miao as the apple of their eyes, so wealth was not important to her. In some ways, Shen Miao was like Shen Xin, with a stubbornness in her bones. To others, marrying the crown prince was a good thing. Even if they were unwilling at the first place, they would slowly be tempted by the endless wealth.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Shen Dongling said in her heart. In the entire Shen family, the person she did not want to be enemies with the least was Shen Miao, because Shen Miao was dangerous and had the unconditional support of Shen Xin. However¡­ things were different now.


    !!


    Now Shen Dongling had the ability to go against Shen Miao. Shen Dongling suddenly remembered that she was actually jealous of Shen Miao. Shen Dongling could trample the rest of the Shen family, including Shen Yue and Shen Qing but not Shen Miao. The family Shen Miao could rely on was also something Shen Dongling would never be able to get.


    Once people of low status became powerful, they would abandon their previous cautiousness and humbleness. This was why scholars from poor families became extremely arrogant after becoming a small official.


    Because of her former low status, she was constantly afraid that others would look down on her.


    Just as Shen Dongling was in a daze, she heard Wang Bi say, ¡°We need to plan carefully. I have to discuss it with the crown prince first.¡±


    Shen Dongling came back to her senses and smiled. ¡°It¡¯ll be good if we can ask Fifth Sister out at that time.¡± She thought for a moment and said, ¡°I can send an invitation to Fifth Sister.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± Wang Bi asked, ¡°Will she come out?¡±


    It was as if he had long known that Shen Dongling and Shen Miao were not very close. However, in Shen Dongling¡¯s ears, she once again felt like he was mocking her for being an illegitimate daughter and different from Shen Miao. Suppressing the displeasure in her heart, Shen Dongling said, ¡°Husband, you don¡¯t believe me? Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll definitely ask Fifth Sister out.¡±


    ¡­


    In the Earl of Pingnan¡¯s mansion, Su Mingfeng was also having a headache.


    Yesterday, Princess Rong Xin actually came to the Earl of Pingnan¡¯s mansion. Princess Rong Xin had not gone out for a long time and lived in seclusion. She came out in disguise, and Su Mingfeng almost did not recognize her.


    Princess Rong Xin must have something extremely important to do for her to come to the Earl of Pingnan¡¯s mansion. Princess Rong Xin asked the servants to report directly to Su Mingfeng, which meant that her coming had nothing to do with Su Yu. Although Su Mingfeng did not understand, he did not dare to be negligent. He led Princess Rong Xin in, thinking that Princess Rong Xin wanted him to do something.


    Unexpectedly, Princess Rong Xin was not here to ask him to do something, but to ask him about something.

 Chapter 766 - 766 Black-hearted Couple (3)

    766 Black-hearted Couple (3)


    The thing she asked shocked Su Mingfeng. It was about Xie Jingxing.


    Xie Jingxing died on the battlefield in the northern border two years ago. Because everyone in the capital knew that Xie Jingxing and Princess Rong Xin were very close, after Xie Jingxing died, Princess Rong Xin fell seriously ill. Ever since then, no one dared to mention Xie Jingxing in front of Princess Rong Xin, lest Princess Rong Xin thought of something sad.


    Unexpectedly, Princess Rong Xin took the initiative to ask Mingfeng about Xie Jingxing.


    Princess Rong Xin asked Su Mingfeng about Xie Jingxing¡¯s past and asked him if Xie Jingxing had any secrets. In the end, she asked about Xie Jingxing¡¯s corpse.


    Back then, Xie Jingxing was shot in the heart by ten thousand arrows by the enemy army on the northern border. His head was cut off and hung on the city gate tower, skinned, and dried. At that time, the Xie army all witnessed it, so it could not possibly be faked. Later, when they thought of a way to get the corpse back, it was already destroyed to an unrecognizable extent. At that time, when Xie Ding saw Xie Jingxing¡¯s corpse, he fainted. Princess Rong Xin was afraid that she would not be able to take it, so she did not go to look at it at all. On the other hand, Su Mingfeng, Xie Jingxing¡¯s childhood playmate, went to send him off for the last time.


    Princess Rong Xin came to ask Su Mingfeng if he was sure that the corpse was Xie Jingxing.


    If it were any other time, Su Mingfeng would at most feel a little puzzled. However, ever since he met Shen Miao on the street last time and found the tiger head bracelet on Shen Miao¡¯s wrist, Su Mingfeng had been suspicious and kept an eye on Shen Miao. Su Mingfeng almost immediately confirmed his guess that Xie Jingxing was not dead and was probably still alive.


    Su Mingfeng did not understand why Xie Jingxing was still alive but wouldn¡¯t show up. After saying a few words to brush Princess Rong Xin off, Mingfeng fell into his own thoughts.


    Since Princess Rong Xin was suspicious, she must have discovered something. Thinking of Shen Miao¡¯s bracelet and Princess Rong Xin¡¯s strange behavior, Su Mingfeng had a bold guess. Not only was Xie Jingxing not dead, but he was also in the capital.


    However, what puzzled Su Mingfeng was that there had always been no secrets between Xie Jingxing and Princess Rong Xin, and they were the closest. Why was Xie Jingxing unwilling to tell the truth to Princess Rong Xin? Moreover, why did Princess Rong Xin ask about Xie Jingxing¡¯s childhood? What was the connection?


    No matter what the reason was, Su Mingfeng felt that Xie Jingxing must have his own reasons. The most important thing now was to find Xie Jingxing. After finding Xie Jingxing, there would naturally be an answer to all the questions.


    Where could he find Xie Jingxing? The capital was not big, but it was by no means small. It was definitely not easy to find a person who was hiding in the dark, especially since this person was quite capable.


    Su Mingfeng planned to send someone to keep an eye on Princess Rong Xin.


    Princess Rong Xin must know more than him. No matter what Princess Rong Xin was investigating, he just had to observe.


    Su Mingfeng summoned a servant, instructing him something.


    ¡­


    When Shen Miao received Shen Dongling¡¯s invitation, Xie Jingxing was drinking tea in her room. Ever since that night, Xie Jingxing had been meddling in her matters. At first, Shen Miao was very unaccustomed to it, but later, she became used to it. Anyway, Xie Jingxing was very experienced. Even if she did not tell him, he could still find out for himself. In the end, it would still be the same.


    Xie Jingxing glanced at the invitation in her hand and said, ¡°Shen Dongling?¡±

 Chapter 767 - 767 Black-hearted Couple (4)

    767 Black-hearted Couple (4)


    ¡°She¡¯s probably up to something again.¡± Shen Miao said, ¡°She even invited me to smell the incense.¡± She paused for a moment before smiling. ¡°From the looks of it, the Wang is doing not bad.¡±


    Tasting tea and wine was within expectation, but smelling the incense was different. Some of the top-grade incense was worth thousands of gold. Shen Miao knew that the most expensive incense was the jade pear incense. A small fingernail amount of it cost ten thousand taels of gold. Once, a merchant from the Western Region paid tribute to the palace and offered a fistful of jade pear incense. At that time, all the consorts in the harem came to see it, and Shen Miao also found it very novel.


    Shen Miao had always thought that the jade pear incense would be stored in the treasury. After all, it was a very precious thing. Later, on Consort Mei¡¯s birthday, Fu Xiuyi lit the jade pear incense to make her smile. On the invitation, Shen Dongling said that she prepared peacock incense. It was not as rare as jade pear incense, but it was also expensive. Given the official rank of the Wang family, they wouldn¡¯t be able to afford it. After all, many first-grade officials in the capital would not squander money like this. It was obvious that Shen Dongling had married into a family with a strong financial foundation. Shen Miao wondered if Shen Yue would be angry when she found out about it.


    ¡°Peacock incense is not cheap. She spent so much money definitely not just to catch up with me.¡±


    !!


    ¡°Do you think she¡¯s trying to scheme against you?¡± Xie Jingxing raised his eyebrows and asked.


    ¡°Shen Dongling is not like Shen Yue. She is not stupid. I guess she wants me to go because she is planning something. If I go, it will only make it easier for her to execute her plan. If I don¡¯t go, I won¡¯t lose anything.¡± Shen Miao smiled. ¡°I¡¯m just surprised that the Wang family actually has so much money.¡± She looked at Xie Jingxing. When Shen Miao saw Shen Dongling at the execution ground, she noticed that Shen Dongling¡¯s clothes and jewelry were extremely precious. No matter how much Wang Bi doted on her, he would not be happy with her squandering enormous money. Then how did the Wang family get so much money?


    Xie Jingxing saw Shen Miao¡¯s pensive gaze and said tactfully, ¡°The Wang family is the crown prince¡¯s people. The crown prince is secretly doing business with the salt smugglers, and Wang Bi is the middleman.¡±


    Shen Miao was enlightened. Salt smuggling was a business with huge benefits. No wonder the Wang family was doing well. Shen Miao now understood where Shen Dongling got her confidence from. If Shen Dongling was only married to an ordinary official, she would definitely have to be careful with spending. However, now that the Wang family was extremely rich, and Wang Bi was working for the crown prince, Shen Dongling thought that if Emperor Wen Hui supported the crown prince, the world would eventually be in the crown prince¡¯s hands. As someone who worked for the crown prince, Wang Bi¡¯s value would naturally increase. She was Wang Bi¡¯s first wife and would receive boundless glory. It was probably because of this that she became bold.


    Life springs from sorrow and calamity; death comes from ease and pleasure. Shen Dongling couldn¡¯t keep a clear mind all the time, especially when she was swimming in wealth, so she couldn¡¯t see the whole situation. There were so many variables in the world, and no one could guarantee that the crown prince would definitely inherit the throne. Even if the crown prince inherited the throne, no one could guarantee that Wang Bi would continue to climb up the ladder.


    ¡°Wang Bi is the crown prince¡¯s man.¡± Shen Miao thought for a moment and said, ¡°Shen Dongling suddenly doing this must be related to Wang Bi, which means it¡¯s related to the crown prince.¡± Shen Miao looked at Xie Jingxing. ¡°My relationship with the crown prince¡­ She is up to something about my marriage.¡±

 Chapter 768 - 768 Black-hearted Couple (5)

    768 Black-hearted Couple (5)


    Xie Jingxing looked at her in admiration and said, ¡°Smart.¡±


    ¡°You knew all along?¡± Shen Miao was a little suspicious.


    ¡°It¡¯s Shen Dongling¡¯s idea.¡± Xie Jingxing casually picked up a pastry and took a bite. ¡°To let Huangfu Hao and the crown prince come to an agreement and put on a show together. The condition for the State of Qin and Ming Qi to form an alliance is that you have to marry Huangfu Hao. Otherwise, the alliance will not work, and the Daliang Dynasty might attack Ming Qi. At that time, when this news spreads, the people will ask Shen Xin to marry you to Huangfu Hao in fear. Torn between protecting the people and you, Shen Xin will be in extreme pain.


    ¡°At that moment, the crown prince will come forward and say that you are already engaged to him. Compared to marrying you to Huangfu Hao, Shen Xin will be more willing to let you marry the crown prince and stay in Ming Qi. He would even be grateful to the crown prince for this.¡± Xie Jingxing shrugged. ¡°Your half-sister is not a simple person.¡±


    When Shen Miao heard that, her face turned ashen. She sneered. ¡°She¡¯s really concerned about me, isn¡¯t she?¡±


    She actually used the people of Ming Qi to threaten Shen Xin. Shen Xin had always been taught by Old General Shen to fight for the people at all costs. When Shen Xin was torn between the people and his beloved daughter, he would be in extreme pain. Among the people of the Shen family, Shen Miao and Shen Dongling had always minded their own business. Now that Shen Dongling revealed her true color, Shen Miao felt an uncontrollable disgust towards her.


    She said, ¡°I can¡¯t marry the crown prince.¡±


    Xie Jingxing stared at her with a faint smile. ¡°Why? Do you want to marry me so badly?¡± Without waiting for Shen Miao to flare up, he continued, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, no one in the world can and dares to snatch my woman from me.¡±


    Xie Jingxing was always so unreserved and blunt about his feelings. Shen Miao blushed for some reason and changed the topic. ¡°Shen Dongling schemed against me, so I naturally have to give her a taste of her own medicine.¡±


    ¡°Madam Xie, I¡¯m at your service,¡± Xie Jingxing said lazily.


    Shen Miao was speechless.


    She said, ¡°What exactly do you mean now? Are you going to destroy Ming Qi and let the Daliang Dynasty unify the world?¡±


    Xie Jingxing smiled mysteriously and said, ¡°If I say yes, will you help me?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve said it before that in this aspect, we are the same,¡± Shen Miao replied.


    The teasing smile on Xie Jingxing¡¯s face gradually disappeared. He did not know what Shen Miao was thinking, and he could not tell at all. When it came to the war between the two countries, Xie Jingxing had never thought that Shen Miao would support him. Shen Miao¡¯s indifferent attitude towards the destruction of Ming Qi surprised him, and her expression told him that she was serious.


    She wanted to destroy Ming Qi?


    But why?


    Shen Miao was definitely not a person pursuing fame and fortune, so she would not do it just for that. Would she do it because she liked Xie Jingxing so much that she was willing to turn her back on her country?¡­ Xie Jingxing did not think so. It seemed that ever since he met Shen Miao, Shen Miao had been extremely hostile to the royal family. Of course, this was because the royal family also wanted to bring the Shen family down, but Shen Miao was a girl. How did she know so much about what was on the mind of the royal family? Sometimes, she could see things more clearly than Shen Xin and Shen Qiu. She had always been secretly protecting the Shen family like she had long expected something to happen. The closer he got to Shen Miao, the more he realized that there were many mysteries about her. However, even the Exiled Immortal Pawnshop could not find out.


    It was really puzzling.


    He hesitated for a moment and asked, ¡°You¡­ don¡¯t like Ming Qi?¡±


    Shen Miao lowered her eyes. ¡°That which is long divided must unify, and that which is long unified must divide. This has always been the case since ancient times. It¡¯s not something that can be changed by whether I want it or not. Even if I don¡¯t want it to happen, it will still happen. This is destined.¡± She looked up at the flickering candle on the table and said, ¡°Moreover, compared to the royal family, I prefer this country to be in your hands.¡±

 Chapter 769 - 769 Black-hearted Couple (6)

    769 Black-hearted Couple (6)


    Xie Jingxing was stunned.


    ¡°The war between the two countries has nothing to do with the people. Over the years, people of Ming Qi have been facing heavy taxes and natural disasters. They are having a hard time. The bureaucracy is ossified, and the officials are corrupt. The emperor is even more muddle-headed. He wants to kill all the families with meritorious service. In comparison, the people of the Daliang Dynasty live and work in peace and prosperity.¡± Shen Miao said, ¡°I know that Emperor Yong Le is a wise emperor. When he attacked other small countries, the people of other small countries opened the city gate to welcome him. Isn¡¯t that right?¡±


    Xie Jingxing looked at Shen Miao deeply, but there was an indescribable feeling in his heart.


    People said that women were the most short-sighted. They could only see what was in front of them and not the big picture. Xie Jingxing had once seen a woman with vision and knowledge, and that was his sister-in-law, Emperor Yong Le¡¯s wife, Empress Xian De. However, Empress Xian De came from a family of historians and was knowledgeable. Shen Miao was only 16 years old now. The furthest she had been was Spring City. Two years ago, she was even called a love-struck idiot. However, what Shen Miao said about the current situation was something that even most of Emperor Yong Le¡¯s aides could not come up with.


    She did not treat herself as a citizen of a country, but stood at the height of history and analyzed the situation calmly.


    There were not many people in the world who could see through things clear-mindedly, but this person was sitting in front of him. Xie Jingxing suddenly felt a little glad that he was the one who found this woman and Shen Miao was willing to tell him this.


    Shen Miao did not know what Xie Jing was thinking. She had only heard Fu Xiuyi evaluate Emperor Yong Le and say that he was an eternal figure, a wise emperor. The original territory of the Daliang Dynasty was not as vast as today, especially after the late emperor of the Daliang Dynasty died. The country was once in chaos, but it was taken advantage of by other countries. Later, when Emperor Yong Le ascended the throne, he slowly started to take back his territory. Not only that, but he also started to annex the surrounding small countries. Emperor Yong Le was an extremely charismatic person and was popular with the people. Some small countries even looked forward to Emperor Yong Le annexing them to improve their difficult lives.


    And Emperor Yong Le did it.


    At that time, Shen Miao was very surprised about such a figure, and Fu Xiuyi was extremely afraid of Emperor Yong Le. Later, when Fu Ming was studying history, he also read about this figure and discussed it with Shen Miao excitedly, so Shen Miao remembered him very well.


    Xie Jingxing paused for a moment and said unhappily, ¡°Why do you remember the things he did so well?¡±


    Shen Miao was speechless.


    She said, ¡°I¡¯m just trying to protect myself. If the royal family is in charge, the Shen family will sooner or later be wiped out. The emperor is heartless, so there¡¯s naturally no need for officials to be loyal to him, right?¡±


    ¡°Then how do you know that Emperor Yong Le won¡¯t be the second Emperor Wen Hui and won¡¯t take the Shen family down?¡± Xie Jingxing asked.


    ¡°I heard that Emperor Yong Le has a general surnamed Li by his side. His fate is very similar to that of the Shen family, but the Li family is treated well by Emperor Yong Le. My father¡¯s military strength is not as good as that of General Li, so there¡¯s no need to worry about my father being targeted first.¡± Shen Miao thought to herself that in her previous life, before she died, General Li and his family were still living very well.


    Xie Jingxing was stunned. ¡°How do you know there¡¯s a General Li?¡±


    Shen Miao¡¯s heart skipped a beat. She had forgotten that she was now the daughter of the Shen family, so it was naturally impossible for her to know such a figure as General Li. However, she still had to hide it. She said, ¡°General Li is very famous. It¡¯s not surprising for people in Ming Qi to know him.¡±


    ¡°Famous?¡± Xie Jingxing frowned. ¡°As famous as me?¡±


    Shen Miao didn¡¯t want to talk to him about this anymore. ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about this anymore. Since we want to deal with Ming Qi in the end, we naturally can¡¯t let the State of Qin form an alliance with Ming Qi. If that happens, it will be troublesome to the Daliang Dynasty. Aren¡¯t you staying in the capital to break up their alliance?¡±


    Xie Jingxing smiled. ¡°What¡¯s what a good wife should do, being considerate of her husband.¡±


    Shen Miao ignored him and said, ¡°There¡¯s a good way to break up their alliance. It depends on whether you can do it or not.¡±


    Xie Jingxing smiled. ¡°Tell me about it.¡±


    ¡°Murder, robbery, framing, and slander.¡± She smiled gently and demurely. ¡°It¡¯s best if you don¡¯t leave any evidence.¡±

 Chapter 770 - 770 Marrying You (1)

    770 Marrying You (1)


    Life seemed to be especially peaceful, but no one knew if there was something else lurking under the peace.


    Over the past few days, everyone in Prince Ding¡¯s mansion was on tenterhooks, especially the few trusted aides under Fu Xiuyi. They were even more careful when doing things. A few days ago, Pei Lang, who Fu Xiuyi valued the most, was arrested and locked up in a private prison. No one knew the actual reason, but some servants who knew one thing or two revealed that it was because Pei Lang was a spy planted by Fu Xiuyi¡¯s opponent.


    Before this, Pei Lang was commonly regarded as being the most talented among the aides. Although the others were jealous that Fu Xiuyi valued him, Pei Lang had indeed helped Fu Xiuyi solve many problems in the past two years. Fu Xiuyi arrested him just like that. The night before he was arrested, Pei Lang was still playing chess and drinking tea with Fu Xiuyi.


    The fact that Fu Xiuyi made such a prompt decision could only mean that he had long been suspicious of Pei Lang. While he was suspicious of someone, he could still sit together and drink tea with that person. No matter whether Fu Xiuyi was making an example out of Pei Lang or not, when the aides faced Fu Xiuyi again, their attitude was much more respectful. Fu Xiuyi was not a simple person.


    !!


    However, Fu Xiuyi did not have a good time these days. He was extremely puzzled.


    Fu Xiuyi sent someone to keep an eye on Princess Rong Xin. In the end, he found out that Princess Rong Xin actually went to the Earl of Pingnan¡¯s mansion to look for Su Mingfeng in disguise. Although he did not know what they said or what Princess Rong Xin was up to, Fu Xiuyi thought that there must be something fishy going on. Princess Rong Xin lived in seclusion and was not even very close to Emperor Wen Hui. Princess Yuqing and Princess Rong Xin were good friends in the early years. However, Princess Yuqing had been dead for many years. Princess Yuqing¡¯s son, Xie Jingxing, was also close to Princess Rong Xin, but Xie Jingxing had already died on the battlefield in the northern border two years ago. The Earl of Pingnan did not have much of a relationship with Princess Rong Xin.


    Fu Xiuyi racked his brains to think of a connection between Princess Rong Xin and the Earl of Pingnan. Unfortunately, no matter how hard he thought, he could not figure it out. Moreover, what puzzled Fu Xiuyi was why Princess Rong Xin did not look for the Earl of Pingnan, Su Yu, but Su Mingfeng instead. Su Mingfeng was no longer an official. Regarding official matters, Su Mingfeng could not help at all. Did Su Mingfeng know Princess Rong Xin in private? Su Mingfeng, Su Mingfeng¡­ Just as Fu Xiuyi was thinking about this name, he suddenly realized something.


    Su Mingfeng¡¯s name was known by many people in the capital. It was not only because he was outstanding and talented, nor was it only because he had to quit his official career because of a serious illness, but It was because he had been Xie Jingxing¡¯s childhood friend since he was young. People did not understand why such an upright young man would hang out with a cynical and mischievous boy like Xie Jingxing every day. However, the Marquis of Lin¡¯an and the Earl of Pingnan were close friends, so it was not strange that the two younglings became friends.


    As if he had found the end of the thread, Fu Xiuyi¡¯s thoughts cleared up. Su Mingfeng was Xie Jingxing¡¯s childhood friend, and Princess Rong Xin was Xie Jingxing¡¯s aunt. If Princess Rong Xin went to look for Su Mingfeng in private, they would most likely talk about Xie Jingxing.


    But wasn¡¯t Xie Jingxing dead already? Why did Princess Ming An suddenly ask about a dead person? In the past, no one dared to mention a word about Xie Jingxing in front of Princess Ming An, afraid that she would recall the sad past. Princess Ming An taking the initiative to ask¡­ Could it be that Xie Jingxing was not dead yet? Fu Xiuyi was shocked by this sudden guess, but he quickly shook his mind at this thought. He had personally read the secret report of Xie Jingxing¡¯s death that day. There was no mistake. Moreover, it was impossible for him to fake his death under the eyes of so many people.

 Chapter 771 - 771 Marrying You (2)

    771 Marrying You (2)


    Fu Xiuyi stood up and thought for a moment before instructing the person beside him, ¡°Go to the dungeon.¡±


    There was a dungeon in Prince Ding¡¯s mansion that was built in the ancestral hall in the courtyard. The royal ancestral hall was not here. The reason why he built an ancestral hall in his mansion was to pray to the Buddha. On the wall, there was a benevolent-looking Guanyin statue. If one lifted the painting beside it, they would see a small laughing Buddha holding a wooden fish. Once the wooden fish was twisted, a stone door would slowly open, revealing a passage. Walking down the passage, one would enter the dungeon.


    The dungeon was filled with spies or people who had made a huge mistake. Death was too lenient a punishment for them,, so all kinds of tortures were used herer. As soon as they entered, the air was filled with the smell of blood. The stone walls were filled with thin leather-like things. When one looked carefully, they would see that they were actually dead people. The dead people were skinned and dried here. They still had an extremely painful expression on their faces before they died.


    Outside was the ancestral hall, but inside, it was even more terrifying than a hell/


    !!


    Fu Xiuyi walked in with a leisurely expression and looked at the human skins on both sides with admiration. His subordinate led the way. When he was brought to the last room, he stopped.


    The person locked up in this room was hung upside down on the beam and was drenched in blood. His clothes were dyed bright red, and because he was hung upside down, from time to time, blood would drip to the ground, forming a small pool of blood.


    Fu Xiuyi looked at that person quietly. That person seemed to have fainted. He gave the person beside him a look, and immediately, that person poured a bucket of water on the prisoner.


    That prisoner shuddered, and his entire body could not help but tremble non-stop.


    Fu Xiuyi smiled and went forward. ¡°Sir, are you used to living here?¡±


    The water washed away the blood on the prisoner¡¯s face. It was Pei Lang.


    Pei Lang smiled and replied with a trembling voice, ¡°Thanks to Your Highness, I¡¯m doing well.¡±


    ¡°I knew long ago that you were not an ordinary person. I didn¡¯t expect you to be not only talented, but also unyielding. Otherwise¡­ why would the Shen family send you here?¡± Fu Xiuyi sighed and said, ¡°Everyone says that the soldiers under Shen Xin are all heroic. Sir, you¡¯re a scholar. I didn¡¯t expect you to be so tough. I also want to know how General Shen trains his people.¡±


    Pei Lang panted and smiled. ¡°I have nothing to do with General Shen.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s been a few days, but you¡¯re still refusing to give in.¡± Fu Xiuyi said, ¡°Although your integrity is commendable, it gives me a headache. I have no choice but to specially prepare some extraordinary torture methods for you.¡±


    Pei Lang only smiled and did not speak.


    Fu Xiuyi looked at him and said in a very gentle tone, ¡°You¡¯re talented and I admire you very much. I¡¯m a soft-hearted person and am willing to give you a chance. After you make contributions and atone for your sins, I¡¯ll pretend that nothing happened. I¡¯ll regard you as my teacher just like before. You¡¯re my most capable aide.¡± He approached Pei Lang and said coaxingly, ¡°As long as you tell me what secrets the Shen family has and why you were sent to my side. How about that?¡±

 Chapter 772 - 772 Marrying You (3)

    772 Marrying You (3)


    Pei Lang cleared his throat and coughed out a few mouthfuls of blood. Then, he smiled with difficulty and said, ¡°Thank you for your kindness, Your Highness. However, I have nothing to do with the Shen family. I can¡¯t answer your question. I¡¯m afraid you¡¯ll be disappointed.¡±


    Fu Xiuyi looked at him expressionlessly. After a while, he smiled. He clapped his hands and brushed away the blood that splattered on his body. ¡°Sir, I¡¯m very impressed by you and curious as to how long you can last.¡± He waved at the person beside him. ¡°The torture methods used so far don¡¯t seem to satisfy Mr. Pei. Increase the intensity of the torture.¡±


    He took a step back and was about to leave when he suddenly thought of something and said, ¡°Sir, even if you don¡¯t tell me, I can still find out the secrets of the Shen family myself. I heard that the Shen family values loyal followers. I wonder if General Shen will send someone to save you from hell?¡±


    With that, he left with the guard.


    After Fu Xiuyi left, Pei Lang suddenly spat out a mouthful of blood. This prince, who looked gentle, actually had such a vicious and ruthless side. However, what Fu Xiuyi said at the end made him smile bitterly.


    It was true that the Shen family valued loyal followers, but the person he was working for was Shen Miao. Shen Miao only cared about her family. Other than her family and friends, others probably meant nothing to her. As for whether someone would come to save him, Pei Lang felt that it was unlikely. Not to mention whether Shen Miao had the ability to find this secret dungeon, back then, when Shen Miao sent him to hide by Fu Xiuyi¡¯s side as a spy, she should have expected this day to come. Shen Miao knew that once Fu Xiuyi found out, Pei Lang would definitely end up in an extremely miserable state, but she still did it.


    His rationality told him that Shen Miao would not come to save him, but Pei Lang still had a trace of hope in his heart. He could not explain how he felt about Shen Miao. At first, Shen Miao used Liu Ying to threaten him. Because of that, Pei Lang even felt a little disgusted with her. He hated the feeling of being threatened and manipulated. However, later on, for some reason, he really treated himself as Shen Miao¡¯s person. He would worry about Shen Miao and do his best to be a chess piece for her. Pei Lang could not understand what he was doing. He thought that he probably owed Shen Miao something in his previous life, which was why he followed her so devotedly in this life. The guard in charge of punishing him came again. Pei Lang threw away the thoughts in his mind and got ready for a new round of torture.


    What he did not know was that in Prince Rui¡¯s mansion, Huo Long and Nightingale were sitting on a tree and eating sunflower seeds. Nightingale asked, ¡°Shopkeeper Ji and Young Master Gao haven¡¯t come out yet. How long are they going to guard the tower prison?¡±


    Huo Long spat out the seed shell and said, ¡°I think Master has completely forgotten about the two of them. Master has been busy these days. I heard that there¡¯s a letter from the Daliang, telling Master to hurry up. Master probably wants to finish these things and return to the palace as soon as possible.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right, but Shopkeeper Ji has been staying in the tower prison. What about the information gathered at the Exiled Immortal Pawnshop?¡±


    Huo Long rolled her eyes at Nightingale. ¡°The Black Feather Army will naturally report the information to Master. Besides, Shopkeeper Ji only pays attention to strange things. There¡¯s nothing serious. What are you worried about?¡±


    When Nightingale heard that, she felt that what Huo Long said made sense.


    Sometimes, a small change would cause the entire trajectory of the matter to change.


    In the study upstairs in the Exiled Immortal Pawnshop, there was already a thick stack of letters in the corner of the desk. The letter at the bottom had three words written on it.

 Chapter 773 - 773 Marrying You (4)

    773 Marrying You (4)


    Prince Ding¡¯s mansion.


    ¡­


    Emperor Wen Hui wanted the crown prince to build a good relationship with Huangfu Hao. Therefore, Huangfu Hao came to the crown prince¡¯s mansion quite frequently and openly.


    However, as to what kind of conversation they engaged in, Emperor Wen Hui didn¡¯t have the right to know.


    The crown prince poured some wine for Huangfu Hao and smiled. ¡°Brother Huangfu, what do you think of what I said just now?¡±


    Huangfu Hao smiled and said noncommittally, ¡°You¡¯re really scheming. You let me do all the bad things, and you get the beauty at the end.¡±


    The crown prince was not angry. He smiled and said, ¡°If possible, I¡¯m happy to see Fifth Miss Shen as the crown princess of the State of Qin, but everyone knows that¡¯s impossible.¡± The emperor of the State of Qin was not so ambitious as to marry the daughter of an official of another country to his son.


    Huangfu Hao shook his head. ¡°Calm down. I didn¡¯t say that I wanted to snatch her away from you. However¡­¡± He looked at the crown prince.¡± I¡¯m not someone who likes to do good deeds for nothing. Moreover, my reputation will be in danger of being ruined. If General Shen hates me because of it, I will be put in a difficult spot.¡±


    The crown prince smiled when he heard that. Huangfu Hao was a smart person and quickly understood the pros and cons of his involvement in this matter. It was not an abhorrent thing for him to ask for Shen Miao¡¯s hand in marriage. With just a few words, Emperor Wen Hui and the crown prince would owe Huangfu Hao a favor. Of course, Emperor Wen Hui did not know how to repay the favor. This was the crown prince¡¯s idea, and it depended on how important this marriage was to the crown prince.


    ¡°Brother Huangfu, do you have any difficulties?¡± The crown prince asked with a smile.


    Huangfu Hao sighed and pretended to be troubled. ¡°Although I¡¯m the crown prince of the State of Qin, I also have my own difficulties. My father treats me extremely well, but my brothers are not. If my brothers scheme against me one day¡­¡± He looked at the crown prince meaningfully.¡± At that time, I hope you will be so kind as to offer help.¡±


    The crown prince was stunned at first, then he cursed Huangfu Hao for being cunning in his heart. Fighting for the throne would happen in every country, especially countries with many princes. However, what Huangfu Hao meant was that if there was an internal strife in the royal family of the State of Qin one day, the crown prince had to help him. How could the crown prince of Ming Qi help the crown prince of the State of Qin compete for the throne?


    Huangfu Hao was indeed scheming.


    Seeing that he was hesitating, Huangfu Hao smiled. ¡°What are you hesitating for? Aren¡¯t you also asking me to help you compete for the throne?¡±


    The crown prince looked at Huangfu Hao and did not speak. If he succeeded this time and Shen Miao married him, the Shen family would be tied to the crown prince. With the help of the Shen family, the crown prince¡¯s strength would increase greatly, and he would have a dominating momentum in the competition for the throne.


    This way, it seemed that the conditions Huangfu Hao offered were not so unacceptable.


    The crown prince made up his mind and said, ¡°Alright. Brother Huangfu, I promise you I will help you in time of need.¡±

 Chapter 774 - 774 Marrying You (5)

    774 Marrying You (5)


    Only then did Huangfu Hao smile. After clinking glasses with the crown prince, he said, ¡°However¡­ Do you really want to marry Shen Miao?¡± Seeing the crown prince¡¯s puzzled expression, he explained, ¡°Back then, at the tribute banquet, I saw that Shen Miao was not a soft person. I¡¯m afraid she¡¯s very fierce and untamable. Are you so confident in taming her?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s nothing.¡± The crown prince waved his hand indifferently. ¡°No matter how untamable she is, she¡¯s still a woman. As long as she¡¯s a woman, once she marries me, I have ways to make her obedient. To be honest, when the crown princess married me, she was also fierce. Now, she¡¯s as obedient as a kitten.¡±


    When Huangfu Hao heard this, he did not say anything else, but he snorted in his heart. Princess Ming An¡¯s death was still a mystery, but Huangfu Hao felt that her death was definitely related to Shen Miao. Later, for some reason, his relationship with Fu Xiuyi was used by someone. Now, Fu Xiuyi was deliberately keeping a distance from him. The Shen family was not ordinary, and there seemed to be someone guiding Shen Miao in the dark. Although the crown prince was not weak, he might not necessarily win against Shen Miao.


    However, this was unimportant to Huangfu Hao. He was happy to watch the show. He drank and chatted with the crown prince before leaving.


    ¡­


    On the other side, in the minister counselor¡¯s mansion, someone came to deliver a reply written by Shen Miao.


    Shen Miao agreed to come, but she would bring Luo Tan with her.


    Wang Bi was very happy to see Shen Miao¡¯s reply. He said to Shen Dongling, ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that the two of you don¡¯t have much contact? I didn¡¯t expect her to agree.¡±


    Shen Dongling was also a little surprised, but she smiled and said, ¡°It seems like she quite misses me after having not seen me for a long time. After all, we¡¯re the only sisters left in the family.¡± She took the reply from Wang Bi and read it carefully.


    To be honest, Shen Dongling did not expect Shen Miao to reply to the invitation and even agreed to come over to enjoy the incense with her. With Shen Dongling¡¯s understanding of Shen Miao, she knew that Shen Miao was cautious by nature and would not come. The reason why she wanted to write an invitation to Shen Miao was because she wanted to prove to Wang Bi that she was doing her best to help him and hoped that he would treat her well in the future.


    Unexpectedly, Shen Miao agreed.


    Shen Dongling¡¯s mind raced. The reason why Shen Miao brought Luo Tan along was probably because Luo Tan was good at martial arts. There would definitely be many guards with Shen Miao to ensure her safety too. Since Shen Miao dared to come, she must have made a foolproof plan.


    However, Shen Dongling did not mind. Her goal was not to scheme against Shen Miao to begin with. Shen Dongling nudged Wang Bi. ¡°Husband, since Fifth Sister agreed to come, it¡¯s easier for us to execute our plan. Invite the crown prince and Huangfu Hao over too. In the future, Huangfu Hao can tell the outside world that he fell in love with Fifth Sister when he was enjoying the incense here. Doesn¡¯t it sound very convincing?¡±


    ¡°You women are indeed more thoughtful.¡± Wang Bi smiled and put his arm around Shen Dongling¡¯s shoulder. ¡°With a wife like this, what else can I ask for?¡±


    Shen Dongling smiled, but she was thinking about something else.


    Shen Miao had always been good at scheming against others. Back then, when Ren Wanyun and Shen Miao fought, Shen Dongling saw it all. In the end, the first branch won. If there was anyone truly smart in the entire Shen family, it was Shen Miao.

 Chapter 775 - 775 Marrying You (6)

    775 Marrying You (6)


    Shen Dongling also wanted to see who was smarter between her and Shen Miao. It was much more interesting to fight with Shen Miao than Shen Yue.


    ¡­


    At this moment, Shen Miao, who was being schemed against by Shen Dongling, was playing chess with Xie Jingxing in the room.


    Xie Jingxing played a good game of chess. Unlike Shen Miao, who was playing steadily and strategizing every step, Xie Jingxing seemed to be able to tell at a glance what the chess pieces she had long set up were for. Wherever Shen Miao landed her piece, Xie Jingxing would find a way to corner the piece. After playing for more than an hour, the battle was in a deadlock.


    !!


    In her previous life, Shen Miao had trained hard in chess just so she could have something to talk about with Fu Xiuyi. She was not the best, but she was at least unrivaled in the palace. However, playing with Xie Jingxing, she was always at a disadvantage.


    Seeing that Xie Jingxing had eaten a few more of her pieces, Shen Miao said, ¡°I¡¯m tired. I¡¯m not going to play anymore.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t want to or you can¡¯t?¡± Xie Jingxing said, ¡°Beg me and I¡¯ll teach you.¡±


    Shen Miao was so angry that she almost laughed. He came over in the middle of the night just to play chess with her. It was only because Shen Miao had a good temper that she didn¡¯t kick Xie Jingxing out. She said, ¡°Thank you, but I don¡¯t want to.¡± She did not intend to be a chess master. Why would she want to learn it? She was a little surprised that Xie Jingxing was so good at chess. He was outstanding on the battlefield, but she had never heard of him being especially good at anything else. However, on second thought, this person controlled the world in his hands. Playing chess was probably nothing to him.


    She asked, ¡°Have you found enough men?¡±


    Two days later was the day Shen Miao would visit Shen Dongling. This was the first time she and Xie Jingxing had worked together to scheme against the crown prince. If word got out, it would probably make people shiver. However, Shen Miao did not think much of it. She had once given birth to a crown prince herself. She really did not think that the status of the crown prince was unattainable. Xie Jingxing was even more so. His brother was the emperor, and the crown prince was his nephew.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, nothing will go wrong.¡± Xie Jingxing said, ¡°Your carriage has also been arranged. Do you really want to go?¡± He frowned. ¡°You can choose not to go.¡±


    ¡°Why not?¡± Shen Miao smiled. ¡°If I go, they will only make the show more realistic, but in the end, they will realize that they were wrong from the beginning. Won¡¯t it be more interesting?¡±


    Xie Jingxing said with a faint smile, ¡°Are you that ruthless?¡±


    ¡°Am I?¡± Shen Miao asked.


    ¡°You sure are.¡± He nodded, his eyes as clear as water, and his thin lips curled up slightly. ¡°But I like it.¡±


    Shen Miao was speechless.


    Ever since that night, the way Xie Jingxing talked to Shen Miao had been getting more and more flippant. However, he still treated her very respectfully. Shen Miao was not used to someone suddenly forcing his way into her life, but she had to admit that with Xie Jingxing around, many things became much easier. It was as if what she had spent a lot of effort to do in the past could be done effortlessly now.


    However, if she continued to rely on him like this, it would still make her feel uneasy. Shen Miao had yet to learn how to trust a person, or rather, a man. She was brave and smart, but in terms of love, she was once severely injured, so if she had to do it again, she would be as clumsy as a child.


    Xie Jingxing stared at her casually, his eyes dark, thinking about something. There was a chess piece beside him. The girl sat there dignified and gentle. The light made her gentle and graceful, like a blooming lotus.


    His face was handsome, and his dark eyes were as deep as the night. He looked at her thoughtfully for a while before suddenly smiling.


    ¡°After this matter is settled, I¡¯ll marry you, Shen Jiaojiao.¡±

 Chapter 776 - 776 Kill (1)

    776 Kill (1)


    Two days later.


    Shen Miao woke up early, and Luo Tan had already dressed up. Luo Tan had always been a lively person, and she could not sit still at home. Ever since the last accident, Shen Qiu and Luo Ling had reduced the number of times Shen Miao and Luo Tan were allowed to go out. Even if they went out, they would definitely be followed by a long group of guards. Shen Miao naturally did not care. She was not really a 16-year-old girl. She liked peace and quiet to begin with, so it was not a problem for her to stay in the mansion. On the other hand, Luo Tan was extremely unused to this. As long as she heard that she could go out, she was wild with excitement.


    Shen Qiu and Luo Ling instructed Shen Miao to bring Ah Zhi and Mo Qing along. Ah Zhi and Mo Qing were considered the best guards in the entire Shen family. Shen Qiu said, ¡°You don¡¯t have to put up with her. If you don¡¯t feel comfortable being there, just leave.¡±


    At first, when Shen Qiu found out that Shen Miao was going to meet Shen Dongling, he actually objected. For some reason, Shen Qiu did not have a good impression of Shen Dongling. Although Shen Dongling did not behave as outrageously as Shen Qing and Shen Yue and always kept a low profile, for some reason, Shen Qiu felt that Shen Dongling was not a good person.


    Perhaps it was because people who had been to the battlefield had an instinct for danger. Shen Qiu did not want to have anything to do with Shen Dongling, so he naturally did not want Shen Miao to get too close to her either.


    Shen Miao smiled and said, ¡°I know. With Cousin accompanying me, I¡¯ll be fine.¡±


    Luo Tan smiled and said, ¡°That¡¯s right, that¡¯s right. Cousin Qiu, if you¡¯re really worried, you can come with us.¡±


    Shen Qiu shook his head. ¡°I still have something to do in the military. Moreover, why would a boor like me go to smell the incense? It irritates my nose.¡± Just like how the civil servants looked down on the vulgar generals, the generals could not understand the weird hobbies of the civil servants. Shen Qiu did not understand what was so good about smelling the incense and didn¡¯t understand why anyone would spend hundred taels of silver for a fistful of incense.


    Luo Tan said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Cousin Qiu. I¡¯ll take good care of my little cousin.¡±


    Shen Qiu retorted, ¡°With your lousy combat skills? Last time, who almost lost her life and was treated by Imperial Physician Gao for an entire month?¡±


    Luo Tan was most annoyed at people mentioning this. She quickly stuck out her tongue and looked at Luo Ling for help.


    Luo Ling smiled and said, ¡°No matter what, you have to be careful. Come back early.¡± When he said this, he stared at Shen Miao with a concerned gaze.


    Previously, when the news of the crown prince wanting to marry Shen Miao came, Luo Xueyan was busy marrying Shen Miao off. The first person to propose marriage was Luo Ling. Luo Ling¡¯s character and family background were both good, and they were family. Luo Xueyan thought highly of Luo Ling. Later, because of Prince Rui¡¯s interference, the marriage was postponed. Luo Xueyan was no longer in a hurry to find a good husband for Shen Miao. However, Luo Ling had already expressed his thoughts to Luo Xueyan and Shen Xin, so there was no need for him to hide his affection anymore.


    Facing Luo Ling¡¯s undisguised love, Shen Miao felt awkward. She could only avoid his gaze and say, ¡°Thank you for your concern, Cousin Ling.¡±


    Luo Tan urged her to leave, ¡°Alright, let¡¯s set off quickly. It won¡¯t be good if we¡¯re late.¡±

 Chapter 777 - 777 Kill (2)

    777 Kill (2)


    Only then did the two of them get in the carriage.


    In the carriage, Luo Tan said, ¡°Little Cousin, what exactly is on your mind?¡±


    Shen Miao turned to look at her in confusion. ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°Your marriage.¡± Luo Tan looked like she was very worried about her. ¡°Even if the crown prince has given up on marrying you, you will one day get married to someone. I heard from Aunt that you have to be engaged this year. Otherwise, with your good background, it¡¯s inevitable that someone else will want to use you.¡±


    Shen Miao did not say anything. The status of the Shen family in Ming Qi was indeed very delicate. If it was used well, it would be a sharp sword. However, one thing was certain. The royal family of Ming Qi was afraid of the Shen family. What they wanted was the soldiers in Shen Xin¡¯s hands. As for the person who led the soldiers¡­ It was dispensable.


    Therefore, as the only daughter of the Shen family, her marriage meant a lot. Sometimes, she had no choice and could not decide for herself.


    Involuntarily, what Xie Jingxing said to her that day appeared in Shen Miao¡¯s mind.


    ¡°Once this matter is settled, I¡¯ll marry you, Shen Jiaojiao.¡±


    He seemed to be making a promise. Most importantly, when the words came out of his mouth, they sounded irrefutable, as if he would definitely do what he said.


    However, how was that possible? One was the daughter of the general of Ming Qi, and the other was Prince Rui of the Daliang Dynasty. The Daliang Dynasty was powerful. Even a princess of Ming Qi would be out of her league for Prince Rui, let alone Shen Miao. Moreover, if she really married Prince Rui, how would the Shen family survive? It was really a difficult thing.


    Shen Miao thought with a dark gaze. She was nudged by Luo Tan. She came back to her senses and heard Luo Tan say, ¡°What are you thinking so much about? You didn¡¯t even answer my question.¡±


    Shen Miao asked, ¡°What did you ask me?¡±


    Luo Tan looked at her helplessly. After a while, she said, ¡°I was asking you among the people who proposed marriage, who do you like the most?¡±


    Shen Miao was stunned. Luo Tan had already started counting with her fingers. ¡°Cousin Ling is gentle and considerate, and we know everything about him. Su Mingfeng is deeply in love with you, and Mrs. Su likes you very much. Feng Zixian looks like he¡¯s well-educated. With Feng Anning protecting you, you¡¯ll have a good time after entering the Feng family. These three people are considered outstanding young talents.¡± Luo Tan leaned closer to Shen Miao and carefully observed her expression. ¡°Don¡¯t you like any of them?¡±


    Shen Miao laughed. ¡°No.¡±


    Luo Tan sat up straight and persuaded patiently, ¡°Cousin, you¡¯re wrong. Although it¡¯s good to pursue perfection in everything, it¡¯s not good to set the bar too high. In my opinion, these three are already the top men in the capital. If they were in Spring City, I¡¯m afraid the girls would fight to become their concubines. However, all three of them agree not to take in concubines after marrying you.¡±


    She looked at Shen Miao for a while before shaking her head and sighing. ¡°But on second thought, it makes sense. You don¡¯t seem to be interested in these three people. I read in the novel that girls who are in love will blush and their hearts will beat fast when they see the person they like. The person who can stir your heart probably hasn¡¯t been born yet, right?¡±


    When Shen Miao heard Luo Tan¡¯s nonsense, she found it funny and said, ¡°What nonsense are you talking about? Why do you care so much about my marriage? Are you sick?¡±


    ¡°Speaking of that.¡± Luo Tan held her throat. ¡°My throat has been especially dry for the past few days. I¡¯m afraid I will catch a cold after going out today. I have been meaning to look for Doctor Gao to take a look at me, but I haven¡¯t seen him for the past few days.¡± Luo Tan was a little unhappy. ¡°He¡¯s really a doctor with no medical ethics!¡±

 Chapter 778 - 778 Kill (3)

    778 Kill (3)


    Shen Miao was a little speechless. Not to mention that Gao Yang¡¯s true identity was a court official of the Daliang Dynasty, even in Ming Qi, he was still an imperial physician. Only Luo Tan would go to him for something as minor as a headache.


    ¡­


    On the other side, Shen Dongling was dressing up. Today, she was dressed especially plainly, almost without makeup. She was wearing a pine-colored dress.


    Xing Hua looked around and said, ¡°Madam, why are you dressed so simply today? Although you¡¯re born beautiful, the more beautiful you look, the more they will respect you.¡±


    !!


    ¡°What do you know?¡± Shen Dongling looked at herself in the mirror. She was born good-looking and had the charm of Concubine Wan. Even dressed simply, she was still more beautiful than most women.


    Shen Dongling looked at herself for a moment before pulling off the jade hairpin on her head and changing it into a plain silver hairpin.


    Seeing this, Xing Hua wanted to say something but hesitated.


    Shen Dongling said, ¡°I¡¯m not the protagonist today. If I dress up too flashily, I¡¯ll steal the limelight. I won¡¯t do such a stupid thing. There are plenty of opportunities to display my beauty.¡±


    When Xing Hua heard this, she said, ¡°Madam, you are beautiful even in this simple outfit.¡±


    Shen Dongling was happy to be praised, but what made her even happier was not Xing Hua¡¯s flattery. Today was the day to make the Crown Prince of the State of Qin fall in love with Shen Miao ¡°at first sight¡±. She was just a foil. The more inconspicuous she was, the more Shen Miao could stand out.


    Wang Bi would also be present. This way, he could constantly remind the crown prince that he had contributed the most to this matter.


    Shen Dongling stood up. It was still early before 9. She said, ¡°I will eat with my husband first. After that, we¡¯ll go to Yi Feng Pavilion.¡±


    She did not know that while she was still eating breakfast with Wang Bi, Huangfu Hao had already gone out.


    Yi Feng Pavilion was located in a mountain on the outskirts of the capital. That place was built by the late emperor for the late empress. Sitting in the Yi Feng Pavilion, one could see a deep valley. People from rich families often liked to enjoy the incense in the Yi Feng Pavilion.


    Although it was already winter, the valley below was covered with snow, looking especially picturesque.


    Huangfu Hao looked at the exquisite invitation and smiled. It sounded good to fall in love with the daughter of an official ¡°at first sight¡± in such a beautiful place. However, it was a pity that he was just helping someone else put on a show.


    Huangfu Hao¡¯s guard rushed over and said that the carriage was ready to set off. Only then did Huangfu Hao frown and walk towards the entrance of the mansion. The time for the gathering written on the invitation was 7 in the morning. Huangfu Hao was annoyed that he had to get up this early.

 Chapter 779 - 779 Kill (4)

    779 Kill (4)


    However, no matter how dissatisfied Huangfu Hao was, he could only agree.


    Yi Feng Pavilion was in the outskirts, some distance away from the capital. Huangfu Hao set off at dawn. When he arrived at the outskirts, there was still a long mountain road. Fortunately, the road up the mountain was smooth enough for the carriage to pass. Otherwise, it would take much longer to arrive at the pavilion.


    Huangfu Hao asked his guards to stay halfway up the mountain while he walked on alone because the invitation specially instructed him not to bring guards. The more guards there were, the more unnatural this ¡°love at first sight¡± would be. Moreover, the crown prince would arrive early and had something to discuss with Huangfu Hao. It would be inconvenient if there were too many people.


    Huangfu Hao was not afraid of anything happening at all. Firstly, this place would definitely be filled with guards from the crown prince, so he did not have to worry about assassins. Secondly, the crown prince would not make a move on him. When he went out today, everyone in his mansion knew that he was going to meet the crown prince. If anything happened to him, the crown prince would not be able to explain himself.


    Therefore, Huangfu Hao calmly left the guard behind and went up alone.


    However, Huangfu Hao would soon regret his careless decision for the rest of his life.


    When Huangfu Hao walked up the mountain, the crown prince was also walking towards Yi Feng Pavilion with his guards. The two of them happened to maintain a distance from each other, but because they were not on the same path, they didn¡¯t see each other.


    Ten minutes later, Huangfu Hao arrived at Yi Feng Pavilion.


    At this moment, there was already someone sitting in the pavilion. When that person saw Huangfu Hao, he immediately stood up. It was the crown prince.


    Huangfu Hao was a little surprised. He did not expect the crown prince to arrive before him. This way, the time requested in the invitation did not seem to be that unacceptable. After all, the crown prince came earlier than him.


    He looked around and said, ¡°Why aren¡¯t the others here?¡±


    If there was no one else, what was the purpose of putting up a show?


    The crown prince smiled and said, ¡°There¡¯s no hurry. I called you here so early today because I have something to tell you in private.¡±


    Huangfu Hao felt that it was a little strange, but he wasn¡¯t particularly wary. His guards could rush over in time if he was in danger. Seeing that the crown prince¡¯s guards were all by his side, he asked, ¡°Please tell me.¡±


    The crown prince walked to Huangfu Hao¡¯s side and stood there. ¡°Brother Huangfu, don¡¯t you find it strange that I asked you to come so early and especially instructed you to leave your guards on the mountainside?¡±


    ¡°I think there¡¯s probably something very important you want to discuss with me.¡± Huangfu Hao was a little impatient with the crown prince. At this point, why was the crown prince still acting so mysteriously?


    ¡°Brother Huangfu, don¡¯t you think this looks like a perfect situation for murder?¡± The crown prince asked.


    Huangfu Hao laughed out loud and said, ¡°I never expected you to be so humorous.¡±


    The crown prince did not speak. Huangfu Hao turned to look at him and his heart skipped a beat.


    The crown prince¡¯s expression was calm, but it was this calmness that suddenly made Huangfu Hao feel deeply uneasy. He suddenly felt a chill run down his spine. However¡­ Why did the crown prince want to kill him? Unless the crown prince could kill all the servants in Huangfu Hao¡¯s mansion, the crown prince would not be able to get away with it. Moreover, Huangfu Hao couldn¡¯t figure out why the crown prince wanted him dead.


    However, before he could hear the answer, he saw a glint in the crown prince¡¯s eyes. Huangfu Hao was shocked and subconsciously dodged to the side, barely avoiding a silver sword that stabbed at him from behind.

 Chapter 780 - 780 Kill (5)

    780 Kill (5)


    That was the crown prince¡¯s personal guard!


    Huangfu Hao was shocked and afraid. At this moment, he finally realized that something was wrong. The crown prince had brought his guards, but his guards were left on the mountainside. Huangfu Hao shouted angrily, ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    The crown prince looked at him expressionlessly. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    A few guards pounced at Huangfu Hao at the same time. Huangfu Hao shouted in despair, ¡°Fu Xiuyan! If you kill me, the State of Qin won¡¯t let this matter rest! Fu Xiuyan!¡±


    Fu Xiuyan was the crown prince¡¯s name.


    His voice stopped abruptly when the sword went right through his chest. The blood that slowly seeped out was stuck to the thin ice on the ground.


    Yi Feng Pavilion was next to the valley, and Huangfu Hao¡¯s high-pitched roar resounded through the valley.


    It spread like ripples at the surface of the water.


    On the other side, the crown prince and the others, who were rushing towards Yi Feng Pavilion, suddenly stopped. They were on their way up the mountain from the back side, so they couldn¡¯t hear the echo clearly. The crown prince frowned and said, ¡°Was someone shouting my name just now?¡±


    The guards looked at each other, not knowing what to say.


    The crown prince thought for a moment and said, ¡°I probably heard wrongly.¡±


    In the world, other than the emperor and the empress, no one dared to call him by his name. Moreover, at this moment, there should be no one in Yi Feng Pavilion. The time agreed on the invitation was nine o¡¯clock. However, the crown prince had a habit of arriving early on every occasion, so he should be the first to arrive.


    At the thought of this, he felt that he was mistaken. However, for some reason, the crown prince felt a little uneasy and couldn¡¯t help but quicken his pace.


    When he arrived at Yi Feng Pavilion, he saw someone sitting in the pavilion with his back to him from afar. Judging by the back figure, it was clearly Huangfu Hao. The crown prince was a little surprised. He did not expect Huangfu Hao to come so early. He smiled and went forward to greet him. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect Brother Huangfu to come so¡­¡±


    Before he could say ¡°early¡±, the crown prince¡¯s hand had just patted Huangfu Hao¡¯s shoulder when Huangfu Hao fell to the ground with a bang. The crown prince was shocked and immediately reached out to pull Huangfu Hao. As he pulled, Huangfu Hao turned his face, facing him. The crown prince immediately screamed and let go.


    Huangfu Hao¡¯s eyes and mouth were wide open, as if he was extremely angry and shocked. However, his clothes were wet and cold, because at his chest, his silver robe was already dyed red with large patches of blood.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± The crown prince panicked and was instantly stunned. Huangfu Hao was dead?


    How was this possible!


    Before he could react, a large group of people suddenly rushed in from outside. They were all dressed as guards. Seeing that Huangfu Hao was lying on the ground, they shouted angrily at the crown prince, ¡°How dare you murder our master! Pay with your life!¡± Without a word, they pounced on the crown prince.


    The crown prince also brought his guards, and his guards naturally would not let him be hurt, so they fought with those guards. Only then did the crown prince understand that these people who drew their swords at him were Huangfu Hao¡¯s guards. But where were Huangfu Hao¡¯s guards just now? Why did they rush out all of a sudden?


    The crown prince explained and shouted, ¡°Brother Huangfu was already dead before my arrival! I didn¡¯t do it!¡±


    When one of the guards who looked like the leader heard this, he said hatefully, ¡°Nonsense! Just now, we were waiting for our master¡¯s order at the mountainside when we heard him shout that you were trying to kill him! We couldn¡¯t arrive immediately because there was some distance. Now that we have caught you red-handed, we won¡¯t let you get away with it!¡± With that, he raised his sword and rushed over.

 Chapter 781 - 781 Kill (6)

    781 Kill (6)


    As the crown prince was protected by his guards, he was dumbfounded. Huangfu Hao shouted that he wanted to kill him?


    This was simply ridiculous!


    The moment he arrived, Huangfu Hao was already dead. Why would Huangfu Hao slander him? Wait¡­ The crown prince¡¯s heart suddenly skipped a beat. Before he arrived at Yi Feng Pavilion, he seemed to have heard someone shouting his name. However, he was on the road at the back of the mountain and could not hear it clearly. Could it be that he wasn¡¯t mistaken?


    But why did Huangfu Hao call his name?


    The crown prince¡¯s mind was in a mess, but he still said, ¡°I just came here. How can I have killed him?¡±


    ¡°Tou b*stard. You tricked our master out and asked him to keep us halfway up the mountain so that you could kill him! If we don¡¯t take revenge, the State of Qin will not take it lying down!¡±


    The crown prince felt dumbstruck.


    He had personally written the invitation to Huangfu Hao to make this ¡°love at first sight¡± scene more natural and realistic. The crown prince asked Huangfu Hao out to smell the incense, which happened to be an incense Wang Bi gave to him. Wang Bi¡¯s new wife was ¡°insensible¡± and invited her sister out to join the fun. The four of them ¡°accidentally¡± got together, and the show would unfold in such a manner.


    However, there was no mention of ¡°leaving your guard halfway up the mountain¡± in the invitation!


    A guard stood in front of the crown prince and said, ¡°Your Highness, we can¡¯t hold on anymore. This person wants to die with us. Your Highness, you¡¯d better leave first.¡±


    The crown prince looked up. Huangfu Hao was obviously dead and could not be revived. Those guards probably knew that their master was dead. Even if they returned to the State of Qin, they would only be executed for failing to do their job, so they might as well die with the crown prince.


    The crown prince¡¯s guards still had to protect the crown prince, so it was difficult for them to fight back. The crown prince was a little hesitant. If he left, it would be almost equivalent to admitting having killed Huangfu Hao. However, if he did not leave¡­ looking at the situation, the crown prince did not know if he could return home alive today.


    He gritted his teeth and glanced at Huangfu Hao on the ground. ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡±


    The people outside did not know what happened in Yi Feng Pavilion.


    Shen Dongling and Wang Bi sat in the carriage. The carriage was still on the way to the mountain. There was still some distance before they could reach the foot of the mountain. They were just here to ¡°witness¡± today. It would not be good if they arrived too early. Moreover, the Shen mansion was far from Yi Feng Pavilion, and Shen Miao was probably still on her way too, so Wang Bi instructed the coachman to slow down.


    Shen Dongling leaned into Wang Bi¡¯s arms and smiled. ¡°Husband, you look like you¡¯re in a good mood today.¡±


    Wang Bi hugged her. ¡°I¡¯m naturally in a good mood after marrying a beauty.¡± At the thought that after today, his status in the crown prince¡¯s faction would rise again, Wang Bi couldn¡¯t help but feel extremely smug.


    Although the Wang family was extremely rich because of the salt smuggling business, they were constantly afraid of being discovered and reported. When Wang Bi was not short of money, power became more important to him.


    He wanted his official career to rise by leaps and bounds.


    Wang Bi was the crown prince¡¯s subordinate. In the past, although the crown prince was the rightful heir, he was not outstanding among the princes. However, now that the other princes were competing for power, Emperor Wen Hui valued the crown prince more and felt that the crown prince was easier to control. Emperor Wen Hui wanted to support the crown prince, and the crown prince gradually became more ambitious.


    In addition¡­ Wang Bi glanced at the beauty in his arms. After marrying Shen Dongling, he felt that he had to make a name for himself.


    As long as Shen Miao followed their plan, the crown prince would have a higher chance of inheriting the throne.


    Just as he was thinking, the carriage suddenly stopped.


    Wang Bi lifted the curtain and asked, ¡°What happened?¡±


    A guard ran over. Wang Bi knew him. He was someone close to the crown prince. The crown prince had sent this person to deliver messages to him a few times, and Wang Bi was quite familiar with him.


    However, at this moment, that person¡¯s expression was really ugly. Not only that, but his clothes were also disheveled. He waved at Wang Bi and said, ¡°Lord Wang, something happened.¡±


    Shen Dongling tensed up in the carriage.

 Chapter 782 - 782 All Yours (1)

    782 All Yours (1)


    Things seemed to have changed drastically overnight. In just a moment, the plan they carefully thought out brought them countless troubles.


    Wang Bi and Shen Dongling did not expect Huangfu Hao to be killed by the crown prince. The two of them did not know what was going on. Although the crown prince¡¯s guards had been trying their best to emphasize that the crown prince did not attack Huangfu Hao, when the crown prince arrived at Yi Feng Pavilion, Huangfu Hao was already dead. However, Huangfu Hao¡¯s guards seemed to believe it without a doubt that the crown prince killed their master.


    The misunderstanding turned into a bloody misunderstanding, and what followed was a crime that would get anyone beheaded.


    Shen Dongling tried her best to maintain calm as she comforted Wang Bi, ¡°There must be a misunderstanding. As long as the misunderstanding is resolved, everything will be fine.¡± However, her heart sank into the abyss.


    In the eyes of outsiders, it was Wang Bi who found a good incense and gave it to the crown prince. The crown prince invited Huangfu Hao to come and enjoy the incense with him. Indirectly, Wang Bi seemed to be the cause of all of it. Even if this had nothing to do with Wang Bi at all, it was impossible for Wang Bi to extricate himself from it.


    Moreover, even if the crown prince was lucky enough to prove his innocence in the end, it was Wang Bi who suggested the gathering, and because of Wang Bi, the crown prince of the State of Qin was dead. The State of Qin would definitely not let this matter rest so easily. How could the crown prince not take his anger out on Wang Bi?


    Therefore, no matter how one looked at it, Wang Bi, this scapegoat, would not be able to escape.


    Wang Bi obviously thought of this too, and his expression was extremely ugly. However, he was still calmer than Shen Dongling. He only said, ¡°Let¡¯s go back first. I¡¯ll visit the crown prince to ask him what happened.¡±


    How did Huangfu Hao die for no reason? Who killed him? Why did Huangfu Hao shout the crown prince¡¯s name? This was complicated and really puzzling. No matter what, they had to figure out what was going on before they could find a countermeasure.


    The coachman turned his horse around and rode towards the capital. Shen Dongling seemed to have suddenly thought of something and asked, ¡°Why don¡¯t I see Fifth Sister?¡±


    Wang Bi was stunned.


    It had to be known that the reason why they came up with this plan was to trick Shen Miao. Shen Dongling calculated the time and realized that it was the time when Shen Miao was supposed to arrive. They had stopped here for a while. Logically speaking, Shen Miao and the others should have arrived here. However, the mountain path in the outskirts was clear. There were no other carriages in front of them.


    Why wasn¡¯t Shen Miao here?


    Could it be that Shen Miao already knew that something would happen today? No one in the world had the ability to predict the future. Could it be¡­ that it was Shen Miao¡¯s doing?


    However, no matter how resourceful she was, how could she kill the crown prince of the State of Qin so easily?


    When Wang Bi heard Shen Dongling¡¯s words, he said, ¡°That¡¯s right. If Fifth Miss Shen is also here, things will probably be better for us.¡±


    Wang Bi thought that if Shen Miao was around, there would be another person to share the blame. For the sake of Shen Xin, Emperor Wen Hui would not make things too difficult for him. If he was punished alone, Emperor Wen Hui would appear unfair. That was why Shen Miao¡¯s presence would save Wang Bi a lot of trouble.


    He said, ¡°Let¡¯s go back first. Perhaps Fifth Miss Shen has already gone back. Let¡¯s see what the crown prince has to say about this.¡±

 Chapter 783 - 783 All Yours (2)

    783 All Yours (2)


    Shen Dongling nodded, but she smiled bitterly. For some reason, she felt that Shen Miao didn¡¯t just go back. Shen Miao probably had no intention of coming to Yi Feng Pavilion from the beginning.


    Shen Miao¡­ this opponent was even more terrifying than she thought.


    ¡­


    On the other side, on the street, Luo Tan sat in the carriage and wiped the sweat off her forehead. ¡°What should we do? We¡¯ve been delayed for so long. I¡¯m afraid it¡¯ll be too late by the time we arrive at Yi Feng Pavilion.¡±


    Just now, when the Shen family¡¯s carriage was traveling in a lively place in the market, it accidentally bumped into an old woman. The old woman immediately fainted. The Shen family was not a small family in the capital, and Shen Xin was a hero respected by everyone. Shen Miao and Luo Tan could not just leave the old woman on the street. They got a guard to send the old woman to the nearest medical hall and watched as the doctor took the old woman¡¯s pulse. When the old woman woke up, they left.


    Their actions naturally won the approval of many commoners. They felt that the girls from the General¡¯s Mansion were not arrogant. Instead, they were considerate of the commoners.


    It was true that they had earned a lot of praise, but they had also wasted a lot of time. If they rushed to Yi Feng Pavilion now, it would probably be noon when they arrived.


    Shen Miao thought for a moment and said, ¡°We¡¯re not going.¡±


    ¡°Eh?¡± Luo Tan was still thinking about how to solve this problem. When she heard Shen Miao say that, she couldn¡¯t help but say in surprise, ¡°Why aren¡¯t you going? Don¡¯t you hate people who go back on their words the most?¡±


    Shen Miao smiled and said, ¡°The best time to enjoy the incense is in the morning while the air is the freshest. At that time, the smell will be pleasant. At noon or in the afternoon, the air is not clean, and the smell of the incense will be compromised greatly. We can¡¯t make people wait for us. That is not appropriate.¡± She reached out to call Mo Qing and asked him to send a message to Yi Feng Pavilion, saying that because she and Luo Tan were busy, they couldn¡¯t go.


    Although Luo Tan was a little disappointed, she didn¡¯t mind too much because she was not interested in the incense anyway. It was rare for her to come out, so she immediately pulled Shen Miao to shop.


    Seeing that it was still early and with Ah Zhi and the other guards by her side, Shen Miao agreed.


    Unexpectedly, Luo Tan was in high spirits. After shopping, it was almost evening when they returned to the Shen family.


    As soon as their carriage arrived at the entrance of the mansion, the servant at the door smiled and said, ¡°Miss, good to see you back. Madam and Master have just returned.¡±


    ¡°Just in time for dinner!¡± Luo Tan smiled and held Shen Miao¡¯s hand, stepping into the door.


    When they entered the main hall, Luo Xueyan was talking to Shen Xin. When she saw Shen Miao and Luo Tan return, she was stunned for a moment before heaving a sigh of relief and saying, ¡°Jiaojiao, Tan, where did you go?¡±


    ¡°Today, Young Madam Wang from the Wang family invited us to Yi Feng Pavilion to enjoy incense. On the way, the carriage hit an old woman. Cousin and I were busy taking care of that woman, so we didn¡¯t go. Instead, Cousin and I shopped around. Father, Mother, did something happen?¡±


    Shen Miao called Shen Dongling ¡°Young Madam Wang¡±. Clearly, she wanted to draw a line and did not want to have anything to do with Shen Dongling at all.


    Luo Xueyan did not notice this. She only took a deep breath and said, ¡°You scared me to death. Huangfu Hao was assassinated in Yi Feng Pavilion today. Everyone involved was arrested and brought to the prison for interrogation. Wang Bi said that you were also present, but no one saw you. Your father and I rushed back. When we saw that you were not around, we thought you were also brought to prison.¡±

 Chapter 784 - 784 All Yours (3)

    784 All Yours (3)


    Luo Tan was stunned. ¡°Assassinated?¡± She said, ¡°Who would have the guts to assassinate the crown prince of the State of Qin in broad daylight? Are the guards of the crown prince of the State of Qin very weak? How can they not even protect their master¡¯s life?¡±


    Unlike Luo Tan, who was surprised, Shen Miao was very calm. She said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Cousin and I didn¡¯t go to Yi Feng Pavilion. When we bumped into that old woman today, many commoners on the street saw it. In order to avoid conflict, we even introduced ourselves. Those commoners can testify for us. At that time, we were busy taking care of the old woman. How could we have the time to go to Yi Feng Pavilion?¡±


    Shen Xin snorted, looking a little angry. ¡°How dare Wang Bi slander my daughter!¡±


    ¡°It seems like the Wang family wants to drag us down with them.¡± Luo Xueyan also understood and said hatefully, ¡°I didn¡¯t expect Shen Dongling to have such a vicious thought. How can she scheme against her own family!¡±


    !!


    Shen Miao sneered. ¡°No one in the second and third branches of the Shen family has ever treated us as their family.¡±


    Luo Xueyan and Shen Xin fell silent.


    Luo Tan felt that the atmosphere was a little heavy. She smiled and interrupted, ¡°Sigh, Little Cousin and I were lucky today. If not for the fact that we bumped into that old woman halfway, I¡¯m afraid we would really have gone to Yi Feng Pavilion. Since Huangfu Hao was assassinated and couldn¡¯t even be protected by his own guards, the assassin must be very skilled in martial arts. If Little Cousin and I went, we might also be in danger. Speaking of which, we should thank that old woman.¡±


    Shen Miao laughed. Just as she was about to say something, she heard Luo Tan mutter, ¡°But in the invitation that was sent to us, there was no mention of the crown prince of the State of Qin going along. Why would the crown prince of the State of Qin suddenly want to go? Is there anyone else there? If there are, are there any casualties?¡±


    Before anyone could answer Luo Tan¡¯s questions, they saw two people walk in. They were Shen Qiu and Luo Ling. Luo Tan turned around and happened to see them. She couldn¡¯t help but scream, ¡°Cousin Qiu, Brother Ling, what¡¯s wrong?¡±


    Shen Qiu and Luo Ling¡¯s clothes were disheveled. Not only that, but their faces and bodies were also stained with blood, making them look in a sorry state.


    Luo Xueyan and Shen Xin were also shocked. Luo Xueyan quickly went forward and sized up the two of them. ¡°What happened?¡±


    Shen Qiu quickly explained, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, it¡¯s not my blood. It¡¯s someone else¡¯s.¡±


    Only then did Luo Xueyan feel relieved. However, before she could relax, she heard Luo Tan ask, ¡°Cousin Qiu, did you and Brother Ling go to catch the assassin who killed the crown prince of the State of Qin today? Is the assassin very powerful and difficult to deal with? From the looks of it, you two seem to have had a tough battle.¡±


    Shen Xin frowned and asked, ¡°Shen Qiu, is that so?¡±


    Shen Qiu and Luo Ling looked at each other with strange gazes. A moment later, Shen Qiu asked the servants in the main hall to leave. He looked at Luo Tan and Shen Miao thoughtfully. Shen Miao smiled and said, ¡°Cousin Tan and I won¡¯t tell anyone. Brother, if you have anything to say, just say it.¡±


    Luo Tan quickly raised her hand to indicate that she would definitely not reveal anything.


    Seeing that Shen Qiu was so serious, Shen Xin and Luo Xueyan were also a little puzzled. Luo Ling nodded at Shen Qiu. Shen Qiu sighed and said, ¡°Today, the soldiers of the Ministry of War went to arrest people. However, it¡¯s not the assassin who killed Huangfu Hao, but his guards.¡±


    ¡°His guards?¡± Luo Xueyan frowned. ¡°Could it be that they want Ming Qi to be responsible for Huangfu Hao¡¯s death?¡± Luo Xueyan did not have a good impression of the people of the State of Qin. She did not know if it was because the State of Qin had been founded the shortest among the three countries and did not have much history. From the royal family to the commoners, everyone looked arrogant. Even if the State of Qin was slightly stronger than Ming Qi now, the arrogance they displayed every time in front of Ming Qi was really annoying.

 Chapter 785 - 785 All Yours (4)

    785 All Yours (4)


    ¡°That¡¯s not the case.¡± Shen Qiu hesitated for a moment before saying, ¡°Huangfu Hao¡¯s guards said that the person who assassinated Huangfu Hao was the crown prince.¡±


    ¡°The crown prince killed Huangfu Hao?¡± Shen Xin stood up. ¡°Impossible!¡±


    Not to mention whether the crown prince could do it or not, now that Ming Qi was trying to rope in the State of Qin to deal with the Daliang Dynasty, how could he do such a destructive thing to his own country? If he killed Huangfu Hao, he would only anger the State of Qin. Not only would the alliance collapse, but he would also make an enemy for himself. The crown prince was not a fool. Why would he do such a thankless thing?


    ¡°I think it¡¯s impossible too.¡± Shen Qiu was a little puzzled. ¡°However, those guards said that at that time, they heard Huangfu Hao shouting the crown prince¡¯s name on the mountain and saying that the crown prince was the murderer. They are Huangfu Hao¡¯s guards, so there¡¯s no reason for them to frame someone and let the real murderer go.¡±


    Luo Xueyan asked, ¡°Aren¡¯t Huangfu Hao¡¯s guards with him? Why did they say they heard him shouting?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the question.¡± Luo Ling continued, ¡°According to what Huangfu Hao¡¯s guards said, it¡¯s the crown prince who invited Huangfu Hao to smell the incense today. Huangfu Hao¡¯s guards recalled that the crown prince said in the invitation that he had something to discuss with Huangfu Hao and wanted the guards to stay on the mountainside while Huangfu Hao went up the mountain alone. However, the crown prince said that he never asked Huangfu Hao to leave his guards on the mountainside. The officials were ordered to search for the crown prince¡¯s invitation, but that invitation had long been discarded by Huangfu Hao. Now that there¡¯s no evidence, both sides are very anxious.¡±


    Luo Tan muttered, ¡°The crown prince asked Huangfu Hao to go, but why didn¡¯t Young Madam Wang mention the two of them in the invitation she sent to Little Cousin?¡±


    Everyone in the room was stunned.


    They were all focused on the crown prince and Huangfu Hao and ignored Shen Miao. At this moment, after Luo Tan mentioned it, they remembered it. The crown prince and Huangfu Hao wanted to enjoy the incense, but why did they ask Shen Miao and Luo Tan to go along? Luo Tan had nothing to do with the people in the capital, but Shen Miao was different. Shen Miao was Shen Xin¡¯s daughter.


    When Shen Dongling sent the invitation, it was impossible for her not to know that the crown prince and Huangfu Hao were also coming, but why didn¡¯t she mention it to Shen Miao? Did she forget, or did she deliberately not mention it? If she did it on purpose, why did she do it on purpose? Was she planning something?


    Everyone felt a chill run down their spines.


    Luo Xueyan said, ¡°I have to ask Shen Dongling.¡±


    ¡°Mother.¡± Shen Qiu stopped her. ¡°Shen Dongling and Wang Bi are already in prison. We can¡¯t see them at this time. Otherwise, it won¡¯t be good if people think that she has something to do with them.¡±


    When Emperor Wen Hui found out that Huangfu Hao had died and his son became the murderer for some reason, he was so angry that he almost fell to the ground. However, he had to arrest a few people to appease the anger of the people of the State of Qin. Since Wang Bi and his wife were the ones who suggested to enjoy the incense, they were no different from the instigator. Wang Bi¡¯s beautiful dream was shattered, and it remained a question whether he could get out of it alive.


    Everyone had different expressions. Only Shen Miao was as calm as ever. When she heard these things, she looked like they had nothing to do with her. Of course, they indeed did not have anything to do with her. She said, ¡°This has nothing to do with us. Let¡¯s wait and see how the royal family deals with it.¡±

 Chapter 786 - 786 All Yours (5)

    786 All Yours (5)


    Shen Qiu noticed Shen Miao¡¯s expression and asked, ¡°Sister, why aren¡¯t you surprised that Huangfu Hao was killed at all?¡±


    Shen Miao smiled. ¡°What¡¯s there to be surprised about? Since it¡¯s as those people said, the crown prince wants to ¡®discuss¡¯ with Huangfu Hao alone, it¡¯s very likely that the crown prince will kill him on impulse. It¡¯s not like there hasn¡¯t been such a case in Ming Qi in the past. Why make a fuss?¡±


    Shen Qiu was speechless. Shen Miao¡¯s words made everyone in the room fall into a deep thought. Shen Miao was right, but what disagreement could be so intense as to drive the crown prince to kill someone? Moreover, the victim was the crown prince of a country. Even if Emperor Wen Hui was so angry that he lost his mind, he would not kill someone so rashly.


    Shen Xin and Luo Xueyan both frowned. Shen Miao did not have to think too far ahead, but they were officials in the imperial court. Every small move in the imperial court could affect their future lives. Moreover, Huangfu Hao died in Ming Qi this time, and the person who was accused of doing it was the Crown Prince of Ming Qi. Those guards had probably already sent someone back to send a message. After the Emperor of the State of Qin found out that his son and daughter both died in Ming Qi, what would he do?


    It was very difficult for Ming Qi and the State of Qin to form an alliance again. At this moment, it was unknown what the Daliang Dynasty would do.


    That night, because of this sudden occurrence, even the atmosphere in the Shen family fell into silence. However, it was not because they sympathized with Huangfu Hao or the crown prince, but because they were worried about the variables that might happen in the future.


    When Xie Jingxing came to look for Shen Miao, she was standing in front of the window in a daze.


    Huangfu Hao died just like that. In her previous life, Huangfu Hao and Princess Ming An were a nightmare that she could not get rid of during the five years she was a hostage in the State of Qin. Princess Ming An was arrogant and despotic, and Huangfu Hao liked to find novel ways to make fun of her. He was the crown prince of the State of Qin. Once Huangfu Hao started making fun of her, the others would follow suit. In fact, there was no hatred between Shen Miao, Huangfu Hao, and Princess Ming An, but such malicious humiliation eventually amounted to strong resentment.


    Unlike the others, Shen Miao had never thought of making Huangfu Hao and Princess Ming An pay with their lives, because they were not the ones who harmed the Shen family the most in her previous life. These people had at most hit her when she was down for a while in her previous life.


    If not for the fact that they were plotting against her again in this life, Shen Miao would probably ignore the two of them.


    Now that they were gone, Shen Miao was a little at a loss.


    Ever since she was reborn, the path she had always followed was to take revenge and protect the Shen family from walking down the same path. However, as long as the royal family was around, they would not let the Shen family off. Her enemies were very powerful from the beginning. Sometimes, Shen Miao would wonder if she could make it to the end.


    The figure who jumped down from the tree waved his hand in front of Shen Miao. When Shen Miao came back to her senses, she saw Xie Jingxing¡¯s playful smile. He said, ¡°Do you miss me so much that you are lost in thought?¡±


    Shen Miao was about to close the window when Xie Jingxing quickly caught her and jumped into the room. He pressed one hand on Shen Miao¡¯s shoulder and closed the window with the other. ¡°Be careful not to catch a cold.¡±


    Cong Yang, who was standing in the corner and freezing, was speechless.


    Shen Miao pushed Xie Jingxing¡¯s hand away and sat down at the table in the room, asking, ¡°How did you handle it?¡±


    ¡°No problem.¡± Xie Jingxing sat down and gestured for Shen Miao to pour him tea.


    Shen Miao held her breath and poured him tea. She reluctantly pushed the teacup over and asked, ¡°Are you sure the people of the State of Qin won¡¯t find out?¡±

 Chapter 787 - 787 All Yours (6)

    787 All Yours (6)


    ¡°They can¡¯t.¡± Xie Jingxing smiled. ¡°Not everyone is as smart as us.¡±


    Shen Miao rolled her eyes. Looking at the purple-clothed young man drinking tea leisurely opposite her, her heart was in turmoil.


    What happened today was planned by her and Xie Jingxing. Xie Jingxing had many capable people under him. Some of them were skilled in disguising themselves, and some of them were outstanding at mimicking people¡¯s voices. Some of them could even copy someone¡¯s handwriting with just a glance. Huangfu Hao and Fu Xiuyan¡¯s letters were secretly changed, so they went up the mountain at different times and through different paths. After Huangfu Hao went up the mountain, Xie Jingxing¡¯s man disguised himself as the ¡°Crown Prince¡±.


    Although Huangfu Hao and the crown prince were considered familiar with each other, it was definitely not to the extent of close friends.


    In the eyes of outsiders, the fact that the crown prince killed Huangfu Hao was an irreversible fact. The State of Qin would not let the matter rest. Not to mention forming an alliance, they would probably become enemies in the future. In order to appease the anger of the emperor of the State of Qin, Emperor Wen Hui had to sacrifice the crown prince.


    ¡°Why are you so sure that the emperor will sacrifice the crown prince?¡± Xie Jingxing raised his eyebrows and asked, ¡°That¡¯s his own son.¡±


    Shen Miao smiled. ¡°Do you remember my second uncle?¡±


    ¡°I do.¡±


    ¡°Back then, when Shen Yuan, his son, was in trouble, he was busy trying to push all the blame to Shen Yuan. The emperor is also an ordinary person. For the sake of the world and his throne, what does it matter if he sacrifices one of his sons? Even if he knows that the crown prince is innocent, the emperor will only swallow this bitter fruit,¡± Shen Miao said mockingly, but there was a faint killing intent in the corners of her eyes.


    Xie Jingxing stared at her thoughtfully.


    Shen Miao always had a deep-rooted hatred for the royal family. Even if she had tried her best to hide it, there would always be times when she couldn¡¯t. Xie Jingxing caught these moments and was suspicious, but he didn¡¯t ask. He joked, ¡°You seem to know the royal family very well. You make it sound like you¡¯re one of them.¡±


    Shen Miao lowered her eyes.


    After she married Fu Xiuyi, Fu Xiuyi fought for the throne and killed a group of brothers. Nine princes were either dead or crippled, and some were missing. In the end, after Fu Xiuyi ascended the throne, she was deposed by some groundless accusations.


    Cruelty was the nature of the royal family.


    Even Fu Xiuyi and Emperor Wen Hui were scheming against each other. Emperor Wen Hui was wary of his son usurping the throne, and Fu Xiuyi hoped that his father would die early. There was also Consort Xu, Consort Dong, the empress¡­ In the palace, whoever valued family was a fool and would die the quickest!


    Unfortunately, in her previous life, she did not understand this simple logic. She always thought that people had hearts. However, she forgot that since Fu Xiuyi could kill his brothers and father, he could naturally kill her and her children too!


    Over time, Shen Miao¡¯s love for Fu Xiuyi from when she was young was chipped to the point where it was almost gone. The remaining love she had for Fu Xiuyi was all built on the fact that he was the father of Wanyu and Fu Ming. Shen Miao thought that no father would not love his children.


    However, in the end, Fu Xiuyi gave his daughter to the Xiongnu and forced his son to a dead end!


    She would definitely get back at him personally!


    Seeing that Shen Miao was still in a daze, Xie Jingxing frowned. He hesitated for a moment and softened his voice. ¡°If you have any difficulties, you can tell me. I¡¯ll help you solve them.¡±


    Shen Miao looked up at him. ¡°You make it sound like you can do it.¡± However, she knew very well that Xie Jingxing could indeed do it. He could kill two crown princes just like that. The crown prince and Emperor Wen Hui knew that they were schemed against, but they did not even have a chance to fight back. Only Xie Jingxing could do such a thing. He was bold and capable, but he was also so cunning that no one could catch him. It was as if there was nothing in the world he could not do.


    If only I had met him in my previous life, Shen Miao suddenly thought to herself.


    However, she only said, ¡°If I ask you to overthrow Ming Qi, can you do it?¡±


    When the purple-robed young man holding the jade teacup heard this, he smiled. He was handsome and beautiful, and his noble and elegant aura were innate. Although his gaze was as sharp as a knife, his tone was slightly teasing.


    ¡°It¡¯s just overthrowing a dynasty. What¡¯s so difficult about it? If you want it, it¡¯ll all be yours.¡±

 Chapter 788 - 788 Brother-in-law (1)

    788 Brother-in-law (1)


    In the end, what happened in Ming Qi could not be hidden from the world.


    For some reason, the death of Huangfu Hao at the hands of the crown prince gradually began to spread in the marketplace. Emperor Wen Hui wanted to lock up Huangfu Hao¡¯s guards. Now that the situation had become out of control, if he could not suppress it, Ming Qi would fall into chaos.


    However, how could the people in Huangfu Hao¡¯s mansion sit back and do nothing? When the news reached the ears of the State of Qin¡¯s emperor, in just a few days, someone rushed to Ming Qi to deliver a letter, saying that Emperor Wen Hui must give them an explanation. Otherwise, they would send troops to wipe out Ming Qi!


    If it were the State of Qin in the past, Ming Qi would naturally be able to fight back. However, now that with the Daliang Dynasty lurking at the side, if the Stage of Qin declared war at this juncture, Ming Qi would really be finished.


    Under the pressure of the irrefutable evidence, Emperor Wen Hui had no choice but to lock the crown prince up too.


    The older Emperor Wen Hui got, the less decisive he was compared to when he was young. Not to mention what other princes would think of this move, even the court officials felt disappointed. In order to protect himself, he was willing to sacrifice his son even though he knew that there was something fishy about the crown prince assassinating Huangfu Hao.


    However, as a matter of fact, the reason why Emperor Wen Hui locked the crown prince up was not only because he wanted to appease the emperor of the State of Qin, but also because he wanted the crown prince to be safe. Those guards of Huangfu Hao wanted to seek revenge for their master. If the crown prince was careless, it was not impossible for him to die at the hands of those guards. Now that the crown prince had become a prisoner and there were so many people guarding the prison, nothing bad would happen.


    Unfortunately, no one understood Emperor Wen Hui¡¯s true intention. Seeing that her son was locked up, the empress was anxious.


    As soon as the empress entered the Hall of Mental Cultivation, she asked angrily, ¡°Your Majesty, you clearly know that the crown prince was wronged. Why did you still lock him up? Have you thought about how the officials will look at him in the future?¡±


    Emperor Wen Hui frowned. He did not like the feeling of being questioned very much, so he said, ¡°I have my own reasons.¡±


    Emperor Wen Hui still had some respect for the empress. The empress was his first wife. Back then, when the late emperor was alive, the competition for the throne was as fierce as it was today. If not for the support of the empress¡¯s family, Emperor Wen Hui might not have ended up getting the throne. Therefore, Emperor Wen Hui was willing to give the empress some respect. Moreover, the empress was the crown prince¡¯s biological mother.


    Not to mention that the empress was indeed considered a good empress. She did not get jealous and managed the harem well.


    ¡°I beg Your Majesty to retract your order.¡± The empress said, ¡°The crown prince still has to face the court officials in the future. What Your Majesty is doing will cause the people in the world to misunderstand!¡± In the past, the empress would never refute Emperor Wen Hui¡¯s decision, but as a mother, she was always especially sensitive to what happened to her son. The empress did not allow anything to impede the crown prince¡¯s future.


    Moreover, this time, it wasn¡¯t a small matter. Once the crime of murdering the crown prince of the State of Qin was proven, it would probably be very difficult for Fu Xiuyan to be spared a life. Although the empress did not interfere in the affairs of the imperial court, it did not mean that she did not know anything about the affairs of the imperial court.


    Emperor Wen Hui had been overwrought by this matter for the past few days and was extremely frustrated. Coupled with the fact that the empress was interfering, he immediately said impatiently, ¡°I don¡¯t need you to tell me what to do!¡±

 Chapter 789 - 789 Brother-in-law (2)

    789 Brother-in-law (2)


    The empress¡¯s heart skipped a beat. After being husband and wife with Emperor Wen Hui for so many years, she naturally knew what kind of person Emperor Wen Hui was. She immediately softened her tone. She said gently, ¡°I know Your Majesty is frustrated, but I didn¡¯t mean to put pressure on you just now. I¡¯m just worried about the crown prince¡­ I remember that when the crown prince was young, he wasn¡¯t good at mathematics. The grand tutor couldn¡¯t teach him no matter what. It was you who taught the crown prince personally¡­ In the crown prince¡¯s heart, Your Majesty is the wisest and most powerful. Your Majesty and I both know that this matter definitely has nothing to do with the crown prince. The crown prince is kind and honest, so why would he kill someone? Even if he really wants to kill someone, he definitely won¡¯t do it in broad daylight. Your Majesty, the crown prince is innocent. You¡¯re the crown prince¡¯s father. Do you want to watch the crown prince be infamous because of groundless accusation?¡±


    Emperor Wen Hui¡¯s expression softened. Among the nine princes, he wanted to support the crown prince the most, so he naturally did not want the crown prince to die at this moment for nothing. Just as he was about to speak, he heard a palace maid report from outside, ¡°Your Majesty, Consort Xu is here.¡±


    The empress¡¯s expression was calm, but her hands that were hidden in her sleeves were clenched tightly. Among the consorts in the palace, Consort Xu was the most arrogant, because she gave birth to two princes, Prince Zhou and Prince Jing. She was pampered and beautiful and was able to make Emperor Wen Hui infatuated with her.


    As for Prince Zhou and Prince Jing, the empress knew their ambitions very well. Consort Xu naturally hoped that her sons could sit on the throne, so if the crown prince was in trouble, Consort Xu would not let go of this opportunity to kick him when he was down.


    Consort Xu walked in gracefully. Even though she had already given birth to two sons, her appearance did not age at all. It was said that she bathed in goat milk every day, and her skin was smooth and tight. Compared to the innocent look of a young girl, she had the mature charm of a woman. No wonder Emperor Wen Hui, who knew that Consort Xu was domineering, still doted on her.


    As soon as Consort Xu entered, she greeted Emperor Wen Hui and the empress. Then, she smiled and said, ¡°Your Majesty, you¡¯ve been in a bad mood recently. I asked the pastry chef in the imperial kitchen to make some bird¡¯s nest for you to nourish your body. I didn¡¯t expect the empress to be here either.¡±


    The empress smiled faintly but it was obvious that she did not want to talk to her. However, how could Consort Xu let go of this opportunity? She looked at the empress and said, ¡°Sister, are you here to look for His Majesty for the crown prince today?¡±


    Before Emperor Wen Hui could say anything, the empress raised her eyebrows and said angrily, ¡°Sister, you¡¯re being a busybody!¡±


    Consort Xu covered her mouth and smiled. She looked at Emperor Wen Hui, who was silent, and then at the empress. Then, she said unhurriedly, ¡°Originally, I didn¡¯t want to ask. However, His Majesty is already worried about it day in and day out. Why don¡¯t you show some consideration for His Majesty? Instead, you came to disturb his rest?¡± As she asked the palace maid to put down the basket in her hand, she said, ¡°The matter of the crown prince is associated with the future of Ming Qi. The crown prince of the State of Qin died here. That day, only the crown prince and the crown prince of the State of Qin were together. I naturally believe that the crown prince won¡¯t do such a crazy thing. However, we have no evidence.¡±


    ¡°If we don¡¯t have evidence, how can we convince the State of Qin? Besides, the people in the State of Qin are watching us closely. If His Majesty softens his heart and releases the crown prince, who knows how much chaos it will cause? Sister, you can¡¯t just think about yourself and the crown prince. You have to think for the people of the world.¡± Consort Xu¡¯s thoughtful words made the empress¡¯s expression change.


    ¡°Shut up!¡± The empress said angrily.


    Consort Xu pretended to be frightened and retreated a little. She looked at Emperor Wen Hui aggrievedly and said, ¡°Your Majesty, I kindly advised Sister, but she didn¡¯t appreciate it. It hurts me!¡±

 Chapter 790 - 790 Brother-in-law (3)

    790 Brother-in-law (3)


    Emperor Wen Hui felt a headache coming on. At this moment, he didn¡¯t want to see either of them. How could he not know that Consort Xu was trying to sow discord between him and the empress just to make things difficult for the crown prince? However, Emperor Wen Hui could not deny that what Consort Xu said was the truth. The crown prince¡¯s matter was no longer just a matter that involved one person. Ming Qi could not afford to make any mistakes this time. If this matter was not handled well, no one could say for sure what kind of disaster it would bring to Ming Qi in the future.


    At the thought of this, Emperor Wen Hui felt annoyed with the crown prince, and even became impatient with the empress. He said to the empress and Consort Xu, ¡°All of you, leave. I want to be alone.¡±


    The empress had a hard time convincing Emperor Wen Hui to be lenient towards the crown prince. She did not expect Consort Xu to interfere and ruin all her efforts. She was still indignant. Before she could speak, Consort Xu beat her to it and said, ¡°Your Majesty, since you don¡¯t want to be disturbed, we¡¯ll leave first. Please take care of yourself.¡±


    Emperor Wen Hui waved his hand without looking up.


    No matter how unwilling the empress was, she could only leave with Consort Xu.


    After leaving the Hall of Mental Cultivation, the empress stopped and looked at Consort Xu with a cold smile. ¡°I know what you¡¯re up to. But keep in mind that the sons you gave birth to will never be able to replace my son!¡±


    Consort Xu smiled and said, ¡°Sister, you flatter me. The crown prince is noble, and I always hope that he can become healthy and do well. My sons are brothers with the crown prince and respect him. They have no intention of wanting to replace the crown prince.¡± She chuckled again and admired the empress¡¯s frustrated expression before continuing, ¡°What I have always wanted to replace is you.¡± With that, she turned around and left enchantingly.


    The empress was left to stand rooted to the ground and gritted her teeth in anger.


    The news of the empress and Consort Xu entering the Hall of Mental Cultivation one after another quickly reached the ears of the others.


    Consort Dong sat on the couch and listened to the maid play the Guqin. She did not like to compete with others and believed devoutly in Buddhism. Usually, when she did not go to the temple hall, she would embroider and listen to the Guqin in her side hall. She did not look like a consort, but like an outsider in the harem. Among the four consorts, she was the one who was ignored the most. It puzzled many people how she managed to become one of the four consorts.


    Below her sat a man in a jade-colored robe. He had a faint smile on his face and tilted his head to listen, as if he had been immersed in the music.


    After the song ended, the maid stood up. Consort Dong waved her hand to signal her to leave.


    After everyone in the side hall left, Fu Xiuyi smiled and said, ¡°Mother, you seem to be especially happy today.¡±


    ¡°The empress can¡¯t sit still anymore.¡± Consort Dong smiled and said, ¡°She personally went to plead for leniency for the crown prince. Consort Xu also went. Now that Consort Xu and the empress are about to fall out, it¡¯s naturally worth being happy about.¡±


    Fu Xiuyi smiled. ¡°The crown prince is down and out, so Consort Xu naturally won¡¯t let go of this opportunity to make sure he can never get back up. Prince Zhou and Prince Jing want to replace the crown prince. Consort Xu will definitely help them.¡±


    ¡°Unfortunately, she is too stupid to come up with good schemes.¡± Consort Dong picked up her tea and took a sip.


    The mother and son laughed together.


    Fu Xiuyi looked more like Consort Dong than the emperor. Usually, he looked cold, but when he smiled, he was gentle, making people not wary at all.


    Consort Dong asked, ¡°How have you been lately?¡±


    Fu Xiuyi smiled. ¡°I discovered some interesting secrets and am investigating. I think it won¡¯t be long before I find out.¡±


    Consort Dong looked at him with concern. ¡°You¡¯ve always been smart, so I don¡¯t worry about these things. Speaking of which, it¡¯s time for you to get married. You¡¯re not young anymore. If this continues, you¡¯ll inevitably be taken advantage of. Consort Dong and the others want you to marry a useless woman to be your wife.¡± As Consort Dong spoke, she sighed and said, ¡°Originally, Shen Miao liked you. I thought that if she continued to like you and eventually married you, you would get the help of the Shen family. I didn¡¯t expect things to turn out like this. At this moment, marrying her might be more of a disaster than a blessing.¡±

 Chapter 791 - 791 Brother-in-law (4)

    791 Brother-in-law (4)


    Fu Xiuyi smiled and said, ¡°Although I can¡¯t get the support of the Shen family, no one in Ming Qi can. Apart from the crown prince, anyone else who is tied to the Shen family will arouse Father¡¯s suspicion. Originally, the crown prince was a step away from tying himself to the Shen family, but he didn¡¯t expect something to happen halfway to ruin his plan. Perhaps the heavens are on our side.¡± He had no regrets at all and only said, ¡°Powerful officials in Ming Qi are all wary of being too close to the Shen family. Although the Shen family is rich and powerful, Shen Miao might not be able to marry well.¡±


    Consort Dong sighed. ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± After saying that, she thought of something. ¡°But the crown prince really suffered a huge setback this time. Huangfu Hao¡¯s matter will definitely not be settled so easily. Do you think this was done by Prince Zhou or Prince Li?¡±


    Fu Xiuyi did not form a faction because he did not trust his brothers. He had always been a loner. Originally, Prince Zhou and Prince Li fought the most fiercely. Now, Emperor Wen Hui wanted to support the crown prince and even wanted the crown prince to marry Shen Miao. Therefore, Prince Zhou and Prince Li were anxious. The crown prince had become their enemy, so they naturally had to do their best to get rid of him.


    Anyone with a discerning eye could tell that there was something fishy about the crown prince killing Huangfu Hao this time. It was very likely that the crown prince had been schemed against. No matter what, it was most likely Prince Zhou or Prince Li.


    !!


    However, such a blatant scheme did not seem to be their usual style.


    Fu Xiuyi shook his head and said, ¡°It might not be the two of them.¡±


    When Consort Dong heard that, she was stunned and asked, ¡°If not them, who else?¡±


    The faces of Prince Rui and Shen Miao suddenly appeared in Fu Xiuyi¡¯s mind.


    There must be some unspeakable relationship between Prince Rui and Shen Miao. Although he did not know what exactly was their relationship, every time Shen Miao was in trouble, she could always get out of it miraculously. All kinds of signs indicated that Prince Rui was undoubtedly the one who helped Shen Miao.


    Previously, Emperor Wen Hui asked the empress to test the Shen family by spreading the rumor that Shen Miao was going to marry the crown prince. Not long after, Prince Rui went to talk to Emperor Wen Hui, causing Emperor Wen Hui to give up on the idea of getting Shen Miao to marry the crown prince immediately.


    Now, the gathering to enjoy the incense this time was clearly set up to scheme against Shen Miao. Up until now, Huangfu Hao and the crown prince both fought like Kilkenny, but Shen Miao was unscathed as always. It was said that Shen Miao was also going to the Yi Feng Pavilion that day, but she bumped into an old woman on the way and couldn¡¯t go. Why was it so coincidental? Could it be that Prince Rui was behind it this time as well?


    Even though he was in Ming Qi, he still dared to do such a horrendous thing so blatantly. This Prince Rui was really a little terrifying.


    Seeing that Fu Xiuyi was deep in thought, Consort Dong asked him, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    Fu Xiuyi came back to his senses and said, ¡°Nothing.¡± Suddenly, he stood up and looked at Consort Dong. ¡°I suddenly remembered that I still have something to do.¡±


    Consort Dong said with a nod, ¡°Go ahead.¡±


    ¡­


    On the other side, thank God, Ji Yushu and Gao Yang were finally released from the tower prison.


    Over the past few days, the two of them had been guarding the prisoners in the tower prison and had seen all kinds of torture methods. Gao Yang was not so much affected, but Ji Yushu was so shocked that he lost a lot of weight.


    The two of them looked at each other with teary eyes. After a while, Ji Yushu said, ¡°I have to return to the Exiled Immortal Pawnshop to take a shower and change my clothes. Goodbye.¡± With that, he ran away.


    Gao Yang sighed. Looking at his disheveled face, he felt dejected. Xie Jingxing was actually so heartless as to get someone to send them to the tower prison for a small mistake. The tower prison! That was a place that even Tie Yi could not withstand the first time he entered!

 Chapter 792 - 792 Brother-in-law (5)

    792 Brother-in-law (5)


    Not to mention people like him and Ji Yushu who lived like princes.


    When Ji Yushu returned to the Exiled Immortal Pawnshop, he first asked Hong Ling to run a bath for him. After taking a nice bath and eating some snacks, he returned to the study. As soon as he entered, he was greeted with the thick dust. Ji Yushu¡¯s study was not allowed to servants because there were many secrets. Therefore, no one came in to clean these days. Ji Yushu originally wanted Hong Ling to clean it for him, but after thinking for a moment, he gave up. He picked up the broom and started cleaning.


    After cleaning it, Ji Yushu sat down at the desk and saw that there was already a thick stack of letters on the table. He started to read them. When he reached the last letter, Ji Yushu was already a little sleepy. However, as he read, his sleepiness was swept away, and his expression gradually became serious.A


    Pei Lang was actually locked up by Fu Xiuyi? Had Pei Lang¡¯s identity been exposed?


    Oh my god! Did anyone know that such a serious matter had happened? Did anyone go to save him?


    It was Ji Yushu¡¯s own idea to monitor Pei Lang. He was just curious why Shen Miao wanted Pei Lang to be a spy by Fu Xiuyi¡¯s side. Even if Pei Lang was talented, being a spy required a lot of loyalty. Fu Xiuyi was so good at managing people. Wasn¡¯t Shen Miao worried that Pei Lang would betray her? More importantly, Shen Miao¡¯s relationship with Pei Lang before that was just ordinary. Why was she willing to take the risk?


    Just as Ji Yushu was about to get up to hand the letter to Xie Jingxing, he stopped.


    ¡°Will Third Brother Xie lock me up again,¡± Ji Yushu muttered to himself.


    The reason why Xie Jingxing locked Ji Yushu and Gao Yang up was because that day, the empress summoned Shen Miao to the palace to test her. The two of them ignored this matter and did not report it to Xie Jingxing. Later, Xie Jingxing threw the two of them into the tower prison.


    ¡°Third Brother Xie values Miss Shen a lot. This Pei Lang seems to be interested in Miss Shen too. He even said that he wants to marry Miss Shen, so Pei Lang is Third Brother Xie¡¯s love rival. Since he¡¯s a love rival, if I tell Third Brother now, will he beat me up? Why would Third Brother want to save his love rival?¡± Pei Lang muttered to himself, ¡°Just like how I don¡¯t like Miss Shaoyao always smiling at the young master of the prime minister. Later, the young master of the prime minister fell from the horse and was injured. I was very happy.¡± Taking himself as an example, Ji Yushu came to a conclusion. ¡°It¡¯s better not to tell Third Brother about this now. Since there¡¯s no new news, he must still be alive. Let him stay there for a few more days!¡±


    Ji Yushu thought that he had done very well, but little did he know what kind of changes his actions would bring to the future.


    ¡­


    As the commanders of the capital garrison, Shen Qiu and Luo Ling had been very busy these days. Huangfu Hao was dead, but there were a lot of problems left unsolved. If they killed Huangfu Hao¡¯s guards, it would arouse the dissatisfaction of the emperor of the State of Qin, but if they didn¡¯t kill them, those guards would clamor to seek justice for their master, spreading the rumor that the crown prince was a murderer in the marketplace.


    They couldn¡¯t kill the guards, so they could only lock them up. However, the guards were all personally chosen by the emperor of the State of Qin to protect Huangfu Hao, so they weren¡¯t ordinary people. It was not impossible for them to break the prison. In order to avoid chaos, the city defense army had doubled and was patrolling the capital at all times, especially afraid that Huangfu Hao¡¯s guards would hurt innocent people to vent their anger.


    By the time they were done with today¡¯s matters, it was almost evening. Shen Qiu and Luo Ling walked side by side on the street. Originally, at the end of the year, the streets of the capital were supposed to be the busiest. However, because of Huangfu Hao¡¯s death, the people were reminded by the city guards to close the shop early and go home. Before night fell, there were already very few people on the street.

 Chapter 793 - 793 Brother-in-law (6)

    793 Brother-in-law (6)


    Shen Qiu sighed. ¡°If the Ministry of Justice doesn¡¯t come up with a solution, the commoners will have a hard time.¡±


    The crown prince was locked up in prison. On one hand, the emperor of the State of Qin was demanding an explanation, and on the other hand, Emperor Wen Hui was reluctant to give up on his eldest son, so the people were the ones suffering.


    ¡°The unpeaceful days are going to last for quite some time.¡± Luo Ling shook his head. ¡°No matter what the outcome is, I¡¯m afraid the capital will be in chaos.¡±


    The two of them looked at each other and saw the worry in each other¡¯s eyes.


    Shen Qiu said, ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about this. Yesterday, I heard from my mother that we have to start thinking about my sister¡¯s marriage again. Although we don¡¯t have to worry about the crown prince for the time being, the more chaotic the situation is, the more people will want to use the Shen family. My sister¡¯s identity is special, so it¡¯s inevitable that people will covet her. If we don¡¯t settle the marriage as soon as possible, it will be much harder in the future.¡±


    When Luo Ling heard this, he was stunned for a moment. Before he could speak, he heard Shen Qiu continue, ¡°Cousin, what¡¯s on your mind?¡±


    ¡°Me?¡± Luo Ling blushed slightly. ¡°Don¡¯t you already know what¡¯s on my mind?¡±


    Shen Qiu sighed and put an arm around Luo Ling¡¯s shoulder. He said, ¡°You¡¯re a martial artist after all. You grew up in the army with your father. Why do you speak like those vulgar scholars?¡± He said, ¡°I think you¡¯re good at everything, but you¡¯re thin-skinned. Why don¡¯t you go and talk to my sister about your feelings? Do you want her to take the initiative to look for you?¡±


    Luo Ling smiled awkwardly.


    Shen Qiu said patiently, ¡°My sister looks gentle on the surface, but she¡¯s actually the most proud and stubborn. If you want my sister to take the initiative to look for you, I¡¯m afraid you can forget about it. As a man, if you like her, you should just go and tell her.¡± Shen Qiu looked at Luo Ling critically. ¡°I¡¯ll be happy to see you becoming my brother-in-law.¡±


    Luo Ling was even more embarrassed to hear that. He said, ¡°For that to happen, Cousin Miao has to agree first¡­¡±


    ¡°If you don¡¯t tell her, how will she know what you¡¯re thinking?¡± Shen Qiu glared at him. ¡°First of all, you have to find a chance to explain to her what you¡¯re thinking. Cousin, I¡¯ll tell you the truth. Su Mingfeng used to be sick, so I don¡¯t like him. Feng Zixian, tsk tsk, last time, the Feng family almost caused my sister to be killed by bad guys. You¡¯re the best among them.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for saying that, Cousin Qiu.¡± Luo Ling smiled and said, ¡°If there¡¯s a chance, I will definitely¡­¡±


    Just as Luo Ling was about to say something, he saw a horse suddenly run over from the other side of the street. The horse coat was shiny, and it was dazzling even in the dim street in the evening. Shen Qiu and Luo Ling could not help but be attracted by the horse.


    The person on the horse was also heroic. From afar, he looked extraordinary. When the person approached Shen Qiu and Luo Ling, he suddenly stopped the horse. The horse raised its front hooves, but the person on it sat extremely steadily. Clearly, his horsemanship was outstanding. Shen Qiu couldn¡¯t help but shout, ¡°Good horse!¡±


    The person on the horse said, ¡°Young General Shen.¡±


    Shen Qiu was stunned.


    A person was sitting on the horse. His luxurious purple-gold robe became more and more visible under the light of the lantern. His figure was tall and straight, and he was wearing a silver mask, revealing a beautiful outline. His chin was smooth, and his thin lips were slightly curled. His eyes cast down with a faint smile.


    ¡°Prince Rui!¡± Shen Qiu and Luo Ling quickly bowed to this person. They had all seen Prince Rui at the tribute.


    Prince Rui said, ¡°You¡¯re welcome. I thought I was mistaken, but I didn¡¯t expect it to really be you, Young General Shen.¡± He only spoke to Shen Qiu and did not look at Luo Ling.


    Shen Qiu was a little flattered. Prince Rui was someone who treated Emperor Wen Hui indifferently, but he actually took the initiative to greet him? Moreover, he spoke so politely. Shen Qiu couldn¡¯t help but feel a little smug.


    Could it be that even Prince Rui of the Daliang Dynasty had heard of his heroic acts and admired him?


    However, he did not see Luo Ling¡¯s suddenly pale face.


    There was a safety pendant hanging on Prince Rui¡¯s waist. It was inexplicably familiar.

 Chapter 794 - 794 Conviction (1)

    794 Conviction (1)


    The patterns on the safety pendant were very special. Luo Ling¡¯s expression was very ugly. He asked, ¡°Prince Rui¡­ where did you get the safety pendant from?¡±


    Shen Qiu looked at Luo Ling in surprise. Luo Ling was a person who had a sense of propriety and could always remain composed outside. It was a little rude of him to ask Prince Rui in such a tone.


    Unexpectedly, Prince Rui didn¡¯t take offense. Instead, to their surprise, he took off the safety pendant at his waist and played with it in his hand. He smiled lazily and said, ¡°This? A girl gave it to me.¡±


    Shen Qiu was stunned.


    Prince Rui seemed to be particularly outspoken today, so much so that he was even willing to share his love affairs. Shen Qiu was very embarrassed. The more he knew, the sooner he would die. He was not interested in Prince Rui¡¯s private matters at all.


    Luo Ling¡¯s face turned even paler. He couldn¡¯t help but stare at the safety pendant in Prince Rui¡¯s hand. However, Prince Rui only glanced at him and casually hung the safety pendant on his waist. He said to Shen Qiu, ¡°I still have something to do, so I won¡¯t talk to you anymore. Young General Shen, when you¡¯re free, you can come to my mansion.¡± He said with a faint smile, ¡°I¡¯ve long heard that you are good at martial arts and really want to spar with you.¡±


    With that, he pulled the reins and the horse trotted off, leaving Shen Qiu and Luo Ling standing rooted to the ground.


    Shen Qiu muttered, ¡°Could it be that Prince Rui wants to rope me in?¡± Why did Prince Rui want him to go to his mansion for no reason?


    Shen Qiu was feeling smug when he suddenly saw Luo Ling¡¯s abnormal expression. He felt a little strange and asked, ¡°Cousin Lin, what¡¯s wrong? Are you not feeling well? Why do you look so pale?¡±


    Luo Ling came back to his senses and forced a smile. ¡°Nothing. Let¡¯s go back.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡± Shen Qiu glanced at the end of the street where Prince Rui had disappeared and said, ¡°It seems like Prince Rui likes that girl quite a lot. He actually wears a love token on his waist. I wonder which girl has the honor to be liked by him.¡±


    Shen Qiu did not notice that on the way back, Luo Ling was staggering.


    It was as if he had suffered a heavy blow.


    ¡­


    Just as everyone expected, the assassination of Huangfu Hao was not easily resolved. Although the people on the crown prince¡¯s side had been speaking up for the crown prince, there was still no news from the Ministry of Justice for a long time, as if they wanted to lock the crown prince up forever.


    Emperor Wen Hui¡¯s action also made the court officials start to analyze the situation differently. As soon as the crown prince was imprisoned, some people saw that the situation was not right and turned around to join other princes. The power had been again reshuffled.


    At night, the wind was howling and cold. During the day, Shen Miao and Luo Tan went out to buy fabric for the new year. Luo Xueyan said that Luo Tan and Shen Miao were young ladies and needed a few more sets of clothes. When they returned to the mansion, Shen Miao felt a little tired.


    She asked Jingzhe and Gu Yu to run a bath. When Shen Miao came out of the bath, she saw that there was another person in the room.


    When Xie Jingxing turned around, he saw Shen Miao wearing an inner robe and twisting her wet hair with a handkerchief.


    The girl was different from two years ago. Although she was still petite, she was like a budding flower, young and fragrant. Her inner robe was loose and slightly moist, as if one could see her slender figure through the fabric. Under the flickering light, her lips were red, her teeth were white, and her eyes seemed to be covered in a layer of mist. Her hair was black and wet, sticking to her face. Further down, one could see her snow-white body¡­

 Chapter 795 - 795 Conviction (2)

    795 Conviction (2)


    Xie Jingxing looked away. Before Shen Miao could react, she saw a thick cloak thrown at her, almost knocking her down. Holding the cloak tightly, Shen Miao said angrily, ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    ¡°Put it on.¡± Xie Jingxing frowned.


    Hearing that, Shen Miao indeed felt a little cold, so she put on the cloak.


    Only then did Xie Jingxing turn around and glance at her. Seeing that Shen Miao did not seem to care that there was another man in the room at all and was still calmly combing her hair, the corners of his mouth curled up.


    As she dried her hair, she walked over and sat down. Seeing that Xie Jingxing was sizing up her thoughtfully, she asked, ¡°What are you looking at?¡±


    ¡°I thought you would be shy.¡± Xie Jingxing said lazily, ¡°Not bad.¡±


    Shen Miao was puzzled.


    Xie Jingxing supported his chin with his hand and sized her up. ¡°Why are you looking for me?¡±


    Today, Shen Miao asked Cong Yang to think of a way to call Xie Jingxing over. Shen Miao stopped drying her hair and hesitated for a moment before asking, ¡°Mr. Pei hasn¡¯t replied to me for a long time. Can you help me find out if something happened to him?¡± When Shen Miao said the words ¡°Mr. Pei¡±, she was a little stammering. She did not take the initiative to tell Xie Jingxing about Pei Lang and her, but with Xie Jingxing¡¯s methods, he probably knew the relationship between her and Pei Lang very well. In the past, Pei Lang would send her letters every few days to tell her something about Prince Ding, but there were no letters these days. Shen Miao guessed that something must have happened.


    Hearing this, Xie Jingxing frowned and looked at her meaningfully. ¡°Pei Lang?¡± He said indifferently, ¡°You care about him very much.¡±


    Shen Miao frowned. ¡°I¡¯m not someone who will kick people to the curb when they¡¯ve outlived their usefulness.¡± No matter how dissatisfied she was with Pei Lang in her previous life, Pei Lang was on her side in this life.


    Xie Jingxing nodded casually. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll ask around for you.¡±


    Shen Miao was speechless. Why did she feel that Xie Jingxing was just being perfunctory?


    The two of them were silent, and the atmosphere was a little awkward. Shen Miao changed the topic and asked, ¡°I heard that the crown prince hasn¡¯t been released yet. What¡¯s going on in the palace?¡±


    Xie Jingxing glanced at her and said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, the crown prince is almost finished.¡±


    Shen Miao was stunned. ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°The emperor of the State of Qin has already given Emperor Wen Hui an ultimatum. If Emperor Wen Hui doesn¡¯t deal with the crown prince and avenge Huangfu Hao, the emperor of the State of Qin will send troops to attack Ming Qi.¡± Xie Jingxing stared at the tea leaves in the teacup and said in a calm tone, ¡°At this juncture, Emperor Wen Hui can¡¯t afford to take the risk.¡±


    Shen Miao said, ¡°No wonder¡­¡± She looked up at Xie Jingxing. ¡°However, I don¡¯t think the emperor of the State of Qin has investigated the matter. Is he determined to make the crown prince the scapegoat? Why? Does he not want to catch the real murderer who killed his son?¡± In Shen Miao¡¯s mind, although she had already guessed that this would be the case, she did not expect it to happen so quickly. After all, the death of a person was not a small matter. No matter what, the emperor of the State of Qin had to investigate.

 Chapter 796 - 796 Conviction (3)

    796 Conviction (3)


    Xie Jingxing smiled. ¡°Naive.¡±


    Shen Miao was speechless. It had been a long time since anyone called her naive.


    Xie Jingxing said, ¡°The royal family only cares about the outcome. The truth is not important. After all, it¡¯s already impossible for Huangfu Hao to come back from the dead.¡± He played with the teacup in his hand and said indifferently, ¡°The State of Qin might have other suitable princes to replace Huangfu Hao. It¡¯s just that the current state of affairs in the State of Qin must be very chaotic because of this. The State of Qin naturally wants Ming Qi to lose someone equivalent in status.¡±


    ¡°No matter if the crown prince is the murderer or not, the crown prince has to die.¡± The smile on Xie Jingxing¡¯s lips was cold. ¡°Only when the crown prince dies will Ming Qi and the State of Qin be considered even.¡±


    Shen Miao took a deep breath.


    Ming Qi and the State of Qin were originally on par with each other in terms of national strength. Now that the State of Qin had lost a crown prince, the competition for the throne between the princes would probably cause even more chaos in the imperial court. If Ming Qi was fine, the State of Qin would not be happy.


    No matter what, the first reaction of a person who was in a quagmire was not to think of a way to climb out, but to pull the people around him into it.


    Emperor Wen Hui had probably already seen through this, so very soon, the crown prince would become a sacrifice to balance this unfairness.


    No matter how unwilling he was, for the sake of the dynasty, he had to make this decision.


    Shen Miao didn¡¯t speak.


    Xie Jingxing smiled. ¡°Killing two birds with one stone. You did well.¡±


    Shen Miao said, ¡°I¡¯m just in charge of coming up with an idea. You¡¯re the one who executed it.¡±


    Shen Miao was the one who came up with this idea while Xie Jingxing was in charge of executing it. Xie Jingxing had many capable people under him, and it wasn¡¯t easy for him to put up such a flawless show.


    Shen Miao thought that Xie Jingxing contributed the most.


    Xie Jingxing smiled faintly and did not comment.


    After chatting for a while, Shen Miao¡¯s hair was dry. She was so sleepy that she yawned twice. Seeing this, Xie Jingxing planned to leave.


    Before he left, Shen Miao suddenly stopped him. She hesitated for a moment before asking, ¡°Has Princess Rong Xin been looking for you recently?¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Xie Jingxing raised an eyebrow.


    ¡°Then¡­ What are your plans?¡±


    ¡°¡±No plans.¡± With that, Xie Jingxing rushed out of the window without looking back.


    ¡­


    Shen Dongling and Wang Bi were locked in the deepest part of the prison. It was unknown if Emperor Wen Hui did it on purpose to show fairness or not, but he did not lock up the rest of the Wang family.


    However, this did not mean that the situation was much better. Wang Bi was the only child in the Wang family. If anything happened to Wang Bi, the Wang family would probably be finished.


    The prison guards who came and went did not treat the two of them kindly, because they were used to seeing powerful people being locked up in this prison. Moreover, the minister counselor was not a high-ranking official.


    Shen Dongling was in an extremely sorry state.


    A few days ago, she had the dream of becoming famous in the future, but she did not expect things to turn out like this. Originally, she and Wang Bi respected each other and were harmonious. However, once something bad happened, they fell out.


    Wang Bi blamed Shen Dongling. After all, Shen Dongling was the one who came up with the idea that caused the two of them to end up in prison. Wang Bi was not a fool. If the crown prince could not be saved, how could he be saved?

 Chapter 797 - 797 Conviction (4)

    797 Conviction (4)


    Shen Dongling could only try her best to defend herself. How could she have known that Huangfu Hao would die for no reason? It was clearly a conspiracy, and that she was innocent.


    Today, a prison guard came to deliver food to them. The food was unusually good.


    Shen Dongling was overjoyed. Over the past few days, the food they ate in the prison was often rotten, or it was dry and hard to chew. When she suddenly saw such a sumptuous meal, she was a little surprised and asked, ¡°Is this for us?¡±


    The guard glanced at her and smiled strangely. ¡°Yes, it¡¯s for you.¡±


    Wang Bi suddenly realized something and his expression turned ugly. He asked, ¡°What does this mean?¡±


    ¡°Heh, it seems like you are smarter than her.¡± The prison guard continued, ¡°After this last meal, you can say goodbye to the world.¡±


    The chopsticks in Shen Dongling¡¯s hand fell to the ground. She could not believe her ears.


    On the other hand, Wang Bi fell to the ground weakly, as if he had long expected it.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on!¡± Shen Dongling suddenly became agitated. Her voice was distorted and sharp. She asked, ¡°When can we be released? We are innocent. The assassination of Huangfu Hao really has nothing to do with us. We¡¯ve been locked up for so long, but you still haven¡¯t solved the case. When can we be released?¡± She said quickly and anxiously, as if this could dispel the fear in her heart.


    This was the first time Wang Bi had seen Shen Dongling lose her composure. He looked at her in a daze and did not speak.


    The guard frowned at Shen Dongling. He took two steps back and said impatiently, ¡°Not to mention you, even the crown prince has been convicted. What¡¯s the point of shouting that you are innocent?¡±


    Wang Bi was stunned and asked, ¡°His Highness the Crown Prince confessed?¡±


    The prison guard snorted and said, ¡°That¡¯s right. No matter if you¡¯re innocent or not, it¡¯s your blessing to die with the crown prince. Besides¡­¡± The prison guard smiled maliciously.¡± Even if you¡¯re not guilty of the assassination, the Wang family is still guilty of selling illegal salt.¡±


    Wang Bi trembled and asked with a trembling voice, ¡°How¡­ how did you know?¡±


    ¡°How did I know?¡± The guard waved his hand and said impatiently, ¡°Everyone outside knows it.¡± He glanced at Wang Bi and said, ¡°I heard that when the ministry of justice sent people to raid the Wang family, the gold and silver were carried out in boxes for an entire afternoon! You¡¯ve enjoyed wealth for long enough. Young Master Wang, don¡¯t think about anything else. Eat this meal in peace and reincarnate into a good family in your next life.¡±


    Shen Dongling¡¯s heart sank. She had hope before, but once the matter of the Wang family selling illegal salt was exposed, she and Wang Bi would really be doomed.


    Now that the treasury of Ming Qi was running out, Emperor Wen Hui would not hesitate to confiscate the Wang family¡¯s wealth. Since the Wang family had been confiscated, no one in the Wang family could escape.


    Shen Dongling felt like the world was spinning and she couldn¡¯t take the blow. She had done everything she could to swap marriages with Shen Yue and plan such a new life for herself, but now, it was all gone.


    She was indignant!


    If she hadn¡¯t come up with this idea for Wang Bi, wouldn¡¯t she still live comfortably? Huangfu Hao wouldn¡¯t have died, the crown prince wouldn¡¯t have been wronged, and they wouldn¡¯t have become innocent sacrifices. Knowing that no one who went against Shen Miao had a good ending, why did she still scheme against her that day and get beaten in her own game?

 Chapter 798 - 798 Conviction (5)

    798 Conviction (5)


    Shen Miao? Oh right, Shen Miao!


    Shen Miao must have done it behind the scenes!


    Shen Dongling suddenly had an idea. She took off a bracelet from her wrist. After she was sent to the prison, she had almost used up all her jewelry to bribe the prison guards. This bracelet was given to her by Madam Wang the day she married Wang Bi. It was extremely expensive and was almost enough to buy a shop in a remote place. She stuffed the bracelet into the hands of the prison guard and said anxiously, ¡°Please help me. Find my fifth sister and send a message to her for me. Tell her that I have something to say to her.¡± She then said sincerely, ¡°I hope you can help me one last time.¡±


    She was good-looking to begin with. When she put on such a pitiful expression, the guard¡¯s heart softened. He took the bracelet and said, ¡°In that case, I¡¯ll help you this time. However, I¡¯m only in charge of delivering a message. I can¡¯t guarantee if Fifth Miss Shen will come or not.¡±


    Shen Dongling quickly thanked him.


    Wang Bi sneered, looking tired. It was unknown if he was mocking himself or Shen Dongling, but he said, ¡°Do you think Shen Miao will come to save you?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know if she¡¯ll come or not.¡± Shen Dongling was no longer as weak as when she was facing the prison guards. Her expression was a little ruthless. ¡°If she¡¯s willing to save me, I¡¯m willing to be her servant. Since we¡¯re family, we naturally have to help each other.¡±


    The prison guard really delivered a message to Shen Miao. However, Shen Miao interrupted him and expressed that she did not want to go.


    Among the three branches of the Shen family, only the first branch was still standing in the capital like an impregnable wall. Two years ago, Shen Xin was demoted and chased out of the capital. Not one expected him to return two years later. Not only that, but Shen Xin was doing better than two years ago. One was a prisoner, and the other was the daughter of a general with a lot of power. No matter what, the prison guard would not choose to offend Shen Miao.


    The prison guard left.


    Shen Miao sat in front of the dressing mirror. As Jingzhe combed her hair, she asked, ¡°I thought Miss would go and see Third Miss.¡±


    Gu Yu glared at her. ¡°Why would Miss go to see here? After all, the second and third branches have nothing to do with us. Moreover, they committed a capital crime. If People saw Miss going to see Third Miss, wouldn¡¯t they spread rumors?¡±


    Jingzhe stuck out her tongue and said, ¡°Miss, you went to see Second Miss and Eldest Miss for the last time, but why don¡¯t you want to see Third Miss for the last time?¡±


    ¡°Shen Dongling is not an ordinary person.¡± Shen Miao listened to the two of them argue and said, ¡°She specially set up a trap form. I won¡¯t jump in.¡±


    ¡°A trap?¡± Jingzhe¡¯s expression suddenly changed. ¡°Miss, are you saying that Third Miss wants to harm you?¡±


    ¡°Never relax vigilance against evildoers,¡± Shen Miao said indifferently.


    Among the daughters of the Shen family, Shen Yue and Shen Qing were pampered by their mothers. They were vicious, but they were not very scheming. However, Shen Dongling was different. Shen Dongling and Concubine Wan had been suppressed by Ren Wanyun. Shen Dongling, who had survived in such an environment, was more strong-willed than ordinary people. The fact that she could endure for more than ten years and make herself almost invisible was enough to prove this.


    Shen Miao had never dared to underestimate such an enemy. If Shen Yue and Shen Qing suffered a heavy blow, they would panic first. However, Shen Dongling would still try to seize every opportunity to make a comeback. As long as she was not dead, she would not give up.

 Chapter 799 - 799 Conviction (6)

    799 Conviction (6)


    Seeing how coldly Shen Dongling treated her biological father, Shen Miao did not think that Shen Dongling would have any feelings for a sister like her.


    Gu Yu also mumbled, ¡°She¡¯s already in prison. I don¡¯t think she can still play tricks.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. As long as I don¡¯t go, nothing will go wrong,¡± Shen Miao said.


    Jingzhe nodded repeatedly. ¡°Yes, it¡¯s right not to go.¡±


    Shen Miao lowered her eyes. However, there was something she found strange. The crown prince and Wang Bi were naturally sent to prison because of Huangfu Hao¡¯s death, but what made Emperor Wen Hui in such a hurry to convict them was probably related to the smuggling of salt.


    Emperor Wen Hui could not tolerate people who wanted to use illegal means to make money, even if it was his own son. That was why the decision was made so quickly.


    However¡­ How did the news of the salt smuggling spread?


    Did Xie Jingxing do it? She held her chin and thought hard.


    ¡­


    In the palace, outside the Hall of Mental Cultivation.


    The empress had been kneeling there for the entire day.


    At this moment, under the sun, she was sweating profusely. She gritted her teeth and did not say a word, looking like she was about to faint at any time.


    The palace eunuch beside her advised, ¡°Your Majesty, let¡¯s go back first. His Majesty is probably busy today and can¡¯t see you. Why do you have to hurt yourself like this? It¡¯s not good if you catch a cold.¡±


    ¡°I have to kneel.¡± The empress said firmly, ¡°I have to kneel until His Majesty changes his mind.¡±


    When the eunuch delivered the empress¡¯s words to Emperor Wen Hui, Emperor Wen Hui flew into a rage and said, ¡°Let her kneel! Let her kneel! If she wants to change my mind, she can forget about it.¡±


    Ever since she found out that the crown prince had been convicted, the empress wanted to see Emperor Wen Hui personally to plead for leniency, but Emperor Wen Hui did not even want to see her. The empress was worried about the crown prince, but there was nothing she could do. She could only kneel outside the Hall of Mental Cultivation, thinking that if she knelt for long enough, Emperor Wen Hui would let her in for the sake of her status.


    The empress knew that the crown prince had made a huge mistake. Anyone with a discerning eye could tell that there was something fishy about what happened to Huangfu Hao. Because of this, Emperor Wen Hui was still protective of his son. The sale of illegal salt with the Wang family had worn away the last bit of guilt towards his son in Emperor Wen Hui¡¯s heart. Now that Emperor Wen Hui was angry and disgusted with the crown prince, why would he see the empress?


    The empress had no choice. After being husband and wife with Emperor Wen Hui for so many years, she knew very well what Emperor Wen Hui was thinking. However, the crown prince was her only son. For this only son, she was willing to kneel for the rest of her life. A day was nothing.


    Just as the situation was in a deadlock, the empress heard a chuckle from behind. Someone walked over enchantingly. She was wearing a peach-colored golden-threaded dress. Her clothes were bright, and her face was radiant. She looked at the empress and said, ¡°Sister, why are you kneeling here? You scared me. I thought you were performing a courtesy to me.¡±


    The empress gritted her teeth and looked at her with hatred. This person was Consort Xu. The empress suspected that the revelation of the illicit salt dealings must be done by Prince Zhou and Prince Jing. After all, when the crown prince was dead, the two of them would have one less powerful enemy.


    However, without evidence, she could not accuse her.


    Consort Xu smiled charmingly and asked, ¡°Sister, why aren¡¯t you going in? Did you do something wrong? Do you want me to go in and ask His Majesty to forgive you?¡±

 Chapter 800 - 800 Grant a Marriage (1)

    800 Grant a Marriage (1)


    The empress gritted her teeth and said, ¡°There¡¯s no need.¡±


    In the battles of the previous dynasty, the women in the harem were often implicated. If the crown prince fell, how long could the empress keep her position? One day, Emperor Wen Hui would age. If Prince Zhou succeeded the throne, what would happen to the empress?


    Consort Xu smiled and said, ¡°If you don¡¯t want me to, I won¡¯t force you. However, I still have something to tell His Majesty. I won¡¯t accompany you anymore.¡± She covered her mouth and smiled, about to send someone in to inform Emperor Wen Hui.


    The empress wanted to scratch Consort Xu¡¯s face. If Consort Xu went in now to add fuel to the flame, the empress would probably be even angrier at the crown prince.


    However, she could not stop Consort Xu.


    Just as Consort Xu was about to enter, she saw someone rushing over from outside. When he saw Consort Xu, he said apologetically, ¡°Your highness, Prince Rui is outside and wants to request an audience with His Majesty.¡±


    Prince Rui? Consort Xu and the empress were stunned at the same time. Why was Prince Rui here now?


    Although Consort Xu was usually arrogant, she was not stupid and did not dare to be careless when it came to serious matters. She immediately said, ¡°Then I¡¯ll come back later.¡±


    The empress was a few years older than Consort Xu and had seen a lot of things in the imperial court. Her heart sank. Prince Rui only came when the crown prince was convicted. He probably came with ill intentions.


    The personal guard beside Emperor Wen Hui quickly came out and said a few words to the person who reported. The person who reported left. Soon, the empress and Consort Xu, one kneeling and one standing, saw a young man in purple walking over.


    He was wearing half a silver mask and had a relaxed expression. For some reason, the empress was a little ashamed and angry. As the empress of a country, she was seen in such a sorry state by outsiders. Consort Xu looked at his face and was a little stunned. She could not see his appearance clearly, but his noble aura and elegance were enough to make people admire him. It was as if as long as he stood here, others would naturally be attracted to look at him.


    Prince Rui walked past the empress and glanced at her. There was not much emotion in his eyes, and his footsteps did not stop, as if he did not see the empress kneeling in front of the hall.


    In the study, Emperor Wen Hui sat at the table. He looked calm and composed, as if he was not the person who had just flown into a rage in the study.


    However, his back was a little stiff.


    The purple-robed young man walked in from outside and lazily called him Your Majesty. Then, he walked up to him and sat down. There was no respect or admiration in his eyes.


    That look actually made Emperor Wen Hui feel like he was nothing in front of a young man.

 Chapter 801 - 801 Grant a Marriage (2)

    801 Grant a Marriage (2)


    This thought only lasted for a moment before Emperor Wen Hui came back to his senses. He smiled at Prince Rui and said, ¡°I¡¯ve been very busy these days, so I didn¡¯t have a chance to ask if Prince Rui is used to living in Ming Qi.¡±


    Now that the State of Qin had a hostile attitude towards Ming Qi, if the Daliang Dynasty wanted to take advantage of this situation, Ming Qi would really be finished. Therefore, Emperor Wen Hui did not want to make things too ugly with the Daliang Dynasty.


    That was why he was in a hurry to curry favor with Prince Rui. If the people of Ming Qi saw Emperor Wen Hui like this, they would probably be disdainful.


    Prince Rui smiled lazily and said, ¡°Thanks to Your Majesty, I¡¯m doing well. However, I heard that Your Majesty hasn¡¯t been doing well these past few days.¡±


    Emperor Wen Hui¡¯s heart skipped a beat, but he did not show it on his face. He only shook his head and smiled bitterly. ¡°I didn¡¯t teach my son well. I¡¯m really sorry that such a thing happened while you are in Ming Qi.¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t be blamed.¡± Prince Rui said, ¡°After all, you have nine sons and you can¡¯t discipline all of them.¡± His tone was neither happy nor angry. ¡°But Huangfu Hao is really pitiful. He came to Ming Qi to pay tribute, but he died together with his sister here. What a tragedy.¡±


    Emperor Wen Hui¡¯s smile became a little awkward.


    Prince Rui was right. The emperor of the State of Qin wanted the crown prince to pay with his life. Of course, it was because he wanted Ming Qi to suffer an equivalent loss, but there was another reason. When the two countries came to pay tribute, Prince Rui of the Daliang Dynasty was not injured at all, but the crown prince and princess of the State of Qin were both dead. What did this mean? Was Ming Qi deliberately targeting the State of Qin? Or was he showing that the State of Qin was weak and could not even protect its own crown prince and princess?


    No matter what, this was something that made the State of Qin very embarrassed. Therefore, even if the crown prince paid with his life, the alliance between Ming Qi and the State of Qin would still be at a standstill for a long time.


    He said, ¡°I¡¯m also trying to settle this matter as soon as possible.¡±


    Prince Rui smiled. ¡°The emperor of the State of Qin won¡¯t let this matter rest so easily.¡±


    Emperor Wen Hui was annoyed. He tried his best to avoid talking about this matter, but Prince Rui kept bringing it up. Emperor Wen Hui did not think that Prince Rui was stupid enough to not discern this. Then Prince Rui must have done it on purpose to disgust him.


    Emperor Wen Hui wanted to storm out like he did with his disobedient officials, or fly into a rage. Unfortunately, Prince Rui was not his official. Although he was a prince, in a way, he was even more fierce than him, the emperor.


    Emperor Wen Hui could only change the topic by asking, ¡°I wonder why Prince Rui is here today.¡±


    Prince Rui did not speak and only knocked at the table with one finger. In the silence, Emperor Wen Hui felt like his heart was clenched by something. He suddenly thought that Prince Rui chose this time to come today because he wanted to talk to him about something very important.


    If Prince Rui mentioned the city at the border of the Daliang Dynasty and Ming Qi at this time¡­ how could Emperor Wen Hui reject him?


    His back turned from stiff to being covered with cold sweat. Prince Rui was silent, but the silence put a lot of pressure on Emperor Wen Hui.


    A moment later, Prince Rui stopped knocking at the table and said casually, ¡°I come for my marriage.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Emperor Wen Hui was instinctively stunned when he heard this. Before he could understand, he heard Prince Rui¡¯s calm voice.


    ¡°My brother always wanted me to start a family as soon as possible. This time, when I came to Ming Qi, he specially instructed me to bring a princess consort back. That¡¯s what I am here for.¡±

 Chapter 802 - 802 Grant a Marriage (3)

    802 Grant a Marriage (3)


    This time, Emperor Wen Hui understood. Prince Rui wanted to find a woman in Ming Qi. But why? Emperor Wen Hui instinctively felt that it was a little strange. He guessed that there was a conspiracy, but he could not show it. He immediately revealed a magnanimous smile and said, ¡°I see. Prince Rui, you are a young and talented man. I wonder which girl you like?¡±


    Prince Rui stared at him, and a smile suddenly appeared in his beautiful eyes. Emperor Wen Hui was stunned when he heard the answer.


    ¡°Shen Miao from the Shen family.¡±


    Emperor Wen Hui immediately stopped smiling.


    !!


    His hands were trembling with anger. He wished he could get someone to drag Prince Rui away and kill him, but he couldn¡¯t. However, he finally couldn¡¯t maintain the friendly smile on his face anymore, and his expression was extremely stiff.


    He asked in a dry voice, ¡°Who¡­ did you say?¡±


    ¡°The daughter of the mighty general.¡± Prince Rui said, ¡°Your Majesty, don¡¯t you remember her? A few days ago, the crown prince wanted to marry her as his secondary consort.¡±


    How dare he push me like this!? He was going too far!


    Many thoughts flashed across Emperor Wen Hui¡¯s mind. In the end, he couldn¡¯t help but sneer.


    Prince Rui looked like he did not care about the alliance between Ming Qi and the State of Qin and only cared about his own matters every day. It turned out that he was just pretending to be indifferent and was secretly planning this.


    Did he want to marry Shen Miao or the military power of the Shen family?


    Emperor Wen Hui knew that to the Daliang Dynasty, the Shen family¡¯s military power might not be a big deal. The Daliang Dynasty had many outstanding generals to begin with. However, for Ming Qi, most of the outstanding generals had been dismissed by him in the early years. Now that the Xie family was practically non-existent, the only family that could support Ming Qi was the Shen family. Without the Shen family, Ming Qi was like a tiger without claws.


    What a good move Prince Rui was planning!


    Emperor Wen Hui forced a smile and said, ¡°Prince Rui, you have good taste. However, everyone knows that General Shen loves his daughter. Even if Prince Rui insists on marrying Shen Miao, General Shen will not want her to go to Daliang.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s so difficult about that?¡± Prince Rui played with the ring on his finger and said casually, ¡°Can¡¯t Your Majesty just issue an imperial edict?¡±


    Emperor Wen Hui was stunned.


    Prince Rui continued, ¡°The Daliang Dynasty and Ming Qi are on good terms now. Your Majesty, don¡¯t tell me you won¡¯t even do me this favor.¡± He stretched and said indifferently, ¡°In that case, it¡¯s time for me to suggest to my brother about occupying the city.¡±


    Emperor Wen Hui had lived for his entire life and finally knew what it felt like to be ¡°shaking with anger¡±.


    The Shen family was a fat piece of meat. Not only did Prince Rui want to snatch this fat piece of meat, but he also wanted the owner of the meat to offer it to him with both hands!


    If he really gave Shen Xin an imperial edict, even if Shen Xin stayed in Ming Qi in the future because of his loyalty towards Ming Qi, he would probably be resentful.


    If he refused to issue the imperial edict¡­ Emperor Wen Hui glanced at the man opposite him. He was wearing a mask, so his expression could not be seen clearly. However, he felt that under this lazy and impudent appearance, he was an extremely ruthless person. In a situation where Ming Qi and the State of Qin were at odds, it was not a wise move to rashly go against the Daliang Dynasty.


    Prince Rui put him in a conundrum to which there was no perfect answer, because no matter what he did, it would always be wrong!


    The man¡¯s gaze landed on Emperor Wen Hui, like a cat playing with a mouse in its claws. He asked lazily, ¡°Your Majesty, have you thought it through?¡±

 Chapter 803 - 803 Grant a Marriage (4)

    803 Grant a Marriage (4)


    Emperor Wen Hui held his breath. Ever since he ascended the throne, he had dealt with countless tricky matters, but none of them were as aggrieving as this one. No one dared to be so rude to him!


    For the first time in his life, Emperor Wen Hui began to regret dealing with the big families in order to be safe. If Ming Qi had a few more fierce generals like Shen Xin, would he have to be fearful of the Daliang Dynasty?


    However, there was no medicine for regret in the world.


    Seeing that he did not answer, Prince Rui smiled and stood up and was about to leave.


    ¡°Wait!¡± Emperor Wen Hui stopped him.


    Prince Rui stopped and smiled. ¡°Your Majesty, have you thought it through? The emperor of a country is a man of his word.¡±


    ¡°Since Ming Qi is on good terms with the Daliang Dynasty, I naturally have to help you.¡± Emperor Wen Hui smiled uglier than if he was crying. He said, ¡°If Miss Shen marries Prince Rui, it will also be Miss Shen¡¯s blessing. I¡¯ll be glad to see it. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll draft an imperial edict today and issue it in a few days.¡± After hesitating for a moment, he said with extreme difficulty, ¡°About the city¡­¡±


    ¡°Take it as a gift for helping me.¡± Prince Rui smiled and left in a good mood.


    After Prince Rui left, Emperor Wen Hui collapsed on the chair. Beads of sweat appeared on his forehead, and his face was extremely red.


    Anger, shame, humiliation, and hatred intertwined on his face. However, he was too powerless to change anything.


    This might be the most humiliating thing in the world. He was the emperor of a country and held supreme power, but he had to admit that he was useless.


    Eunuch Gao, who was at the side, did not even dare to breathe loudly. Seeing the emperor forced to such a state, he was also terrified.


    ¡°Bring me my pen and paper.¡± Emperor Wen Hui paused for a moment and suddenly said.


    Eunuch Gao quickly agreed.


    Emperor Wen Hui¡¯s eyes darkened. Although Prince Rui said that the Daliang Dynasty would not annex the city at the border, it was only temporary. No one knew when the Daliang Dynasty would show its ambition again. Most importantly, after Shen Miao married Prince Rui, although Shen Xin was still serving Ming Qi, Emperor Wen Hui no longer dared to trust him.


    Previously, Emperor Wen Hui suppressed Shen Xin because he was afraid that Shen Xin would surpass him in terms of power and reputation. However, the mighty general had been loyal for generations, which was why he still trusted Shen Xin. However, if his daughter was in the Daliang Dynasty, and the Daliang Dynasty used Shen Miao to threaten Shen Xin, who knew what Shen Xin would do?


    Shen Xin was no longer a useful chess piece to Ming Qi. In order to guard against the Daliang Dynasty, Ming Qi had to quickly restore its alliance with the State of Qin. Only by working together could the two countries resist the Daliang Dynasty.


    The State of Qin was still angry at Ming Qi for what happened to Huangfu Hao and Princess Ming An, so Ming Qi had to show his sincerity.


    The crown prince had to die.


    Emperor Wen Hui closed his eyes.


    ¡­


    To everyone¡¯s surprise, the verdict Emperor Wen Hui gave the crown prince came quickly and suddenly. The crown prince committed suicide in the prison.


    Anyone with a discerning eye could tell that it was not a suicide. The crown prince was executed in the prison. For the sake of the crown prince¡¯s reputation, he couldn¡¯t be beheaded in front of everyone like a prisoner in the market. This way, the prestige of the Ming Qi royal family would probably be destroyed the next day.


    The commoners were always easy to fool, but the officials knew this very well.


    When the news of the crown prince¡¯s suicide came, the empress caused a scene. Then, she fell seriously ill and stayed in the Palace of Earthly Tranquility to recuperate.

 Chapter 804 - 804 Grant a Marriage (5)

    804 Grant a Marriage (5)


    Everyone in the harem was on tenterhooks. How could the empress fall seriously ill all of a sudden? It was probably because the crown prince had fallen, and the empress no longer had anyone to rely on for the rest of her life. The empress had lost her beloved son, so she would probably hate Emperor Wen Hui. Emperor Wen Hui naturally had to be wary of her. Only they knew if the empress was recuperating and locked up because of illness.


    If the empress fell, who would replace her? It seemed that Consort Xu had the highest chance of winning. Emperor Wen Hui doted on Consort Xu, and Consort Xu had two sons. Prince Zhou, Prince Jing, and Prince Li fought to the death, but after all, Prince Li did not have a mother who was doted on by the emperor.


    Prince Zhou and Prince Jing could be considered to have the right time, place, and people.


    Apart from the crown prince and the empress, everyone else who was involved in Huangfu Hao¡¯s death was implicated. The one who was the most implicated was the Wang family.


    That day, it was Wang Bi who suggested going to enjoy the incense and even brought his wife along. Unexpectedly, Huangfu Hao died at their gathering place. There was no way Wang Bi and Shen Dongling could get away with it.


    However, they weren¡¯t jailed on charges of murdering Huangfu Hao.


    The Wang family was secretly engaged in the smuggling of illicit salt. It was a serious crime to trade illicit salt, and the entire Wang family was in trouble. Wang Bi and Shen Dongling were sentenced to beheading, and the other men of the Wang family were exiled, while the women were sent to the border as military prostitutes.


    Emperor Wen Hui was quite angry this time, as if he had been provoked by something and was venting his wrath. However, the thoughts of an emperor had always been unpredictable. Although the officials were puzzled, they were only following orders.


    As Shen Miao listened to Jingzhe talk about what had happened over the past few days, she drank tea. Beside her, Luo Tan kept stuffing snowflake candy into her mouth.


    The snowflake candy was brought by Cong Yang. He said that It was made by a famous pastry chef in the Daliang Dynasty. In the world, only the royal family of the Daliang Dynasty could eat it. After Luo Tan ate one, she was very surprised and asked Shen Miao where she bought it. Shen Miao could only make up something to brush her off.


    ¡°Huangfu Hao¡¯s death has really blown up.¡± As Luo Tan ate, she said, ¡°He got so many people to die with him. The death of a crown prince is not even enough.¡± At the end of her sentence, her voice trailed off, as if she was afraid that the walls had ears.


    Shen Miao smiled faintly and did not comment, but she was also shocked by Emperor Wen Hui¡¯s decisiveness.


    Like father, like son. Back then, in order to get rid of the Shen family, Fu Xiuyi did not care about the lives of Fu Ming and Wanyu at all. At that time, she couldn¡¯t believe there was no such a heartless person in the world. Now, it seemed that Fu Xiuyi was exactly the same as Emperor Wen Hui.


    In the eyes of the emperor, family, love, and friendship were not important. Only power was what he was after. In order to stabilize his position, sacrificing a son was nothing. Anyway, there would be other women who would give birth to his children.


    This was probably the nature of the royal family.


    Luo Tan looked at the small amount of candy on the plate and counted with her fingers. ¡°Aunt and Uncle have tried it, and so has Cousin Qiu. Only Brother Ling hasn¡¯t tried it. Let¡¯s leave this for Brother Ling.¡± She looked at Shen Miao.


    Shen Miao naturally wouldn¡¯t mind it.


    ¡°If only you could remember where you bought this snowflake candy.¡± Luo Tan sighed and said regretfully, ¡°I¡¯ve eaten all the pastries in Spring City and almost all the pastries in the capital. This is the first time I¡¯ve eaten such delicious snowflake candy. I plan to get someone to look for it tomorrow. I have to find this shop!¡±

 Chapter 805 - 805 Grant a Marriage (6)

    805 Grant a Marriage (6)


    Shen Miao was speechless. This was made by the royal chef of the Daliang Dynasty. Even if Luo Tan turned the entire capital upside down, she would not be able to find this ¡°shop¡±.


    Luo Tan continued, ¡°Brother Ling also likes pastries. He will definitely like this.¡± After saying that, she thought of something and said, ¡°But Brother Ling has been a little strange these past few days.¡±


    Shen Miao asked, ¡°Why?¡± She didn¡¯t pay attention to Luo Ling that much, so she really didn¡¯t notice what had changed about Luo Ling.


    ¡°Apart from going to the Ministry of War, he doesn¡¯t come out much after returning to the mansion. He just practices martial arts in the courtyard.¡± Luo Tan supported her chin and said, ¡°Brother Ling wasn¡¯t so harsh on himself in the past. Moreover, when I talked to him these few days, he was very dejected, as if he had suffered a blow.¡± Luo Tan looked at Shen Miao. ¡°Cousin Miao, you¡¯re smart. Do you know what¡¯s wrong with him?¡±


    !!


    Shen Miao said, ¡°I¡¯m not with him all the time. How can I know what he¡¯s thinking?¡± Seeing that Luo Tan looked worried, she comforted her, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. It¡¯s probably because the Ministry of War is busy at the end of the year. He¡¯ll be fine after a few days.¡±


    Luo Tan nodded. As she spoke, she saw Shen Qiu and Luo Ling walk in one after another. Seeing that the two of them were in the main hall, Luo Tan called out, ¡°Cousin Qiu, Brother Ling, come and eat snowflake candy!¡±


    Luo Ling entered the hall and glanced at Shen Miao. Seeing that Shen Miao was smiling at Shen Qiu, his eyes darkened, and he walked to the side and sat down.


    Shen Qiu grabbed a piece of candy and stuffed it into his mouth. ¡°Why are you so free today?¡±


    Luo Tan giggled and chatted with Shen Qiu. Then, she heard a servant outside report that Shen Xin and Luo Xueyan had returned.


    Shen Qiu said, ¡°It just so happens that Father and Mother are back. It¡¯s time for us to eat.¡±


    Shen Xin and Luo Xueyan walked in from outside. However, this time, even the carefree Luo Tan sensed that something was wrong.


    Shen Xin¡¯s face was ashen, and his expression was very ugly. Luo Xueyan also looked very angry. Usually, even if something worried them in the imperial court, Shen Xin and his wife would make sure they kept it at the doorway. Moreover, the two of them were happy-go-lucky by nature, and there was rarely anything that could anger them.


    However, today, it was obvious that they were furious.


    The servant beside Shen Xin and Luo Xueyan did not even dare to breathe loudly. He lowered his head and left.


    Luo Tan and Luo Ling were puzzled, but they did not ask. Shen Qiu wanted to ask, but when he saw his father¡¯s expression, he hesitated and did not dare to speak.


    In the end, it was Shen Miao who took the initiative to speak. She looked at Shen Xin and Luo Xueyan and said with a smile, ¡°Father, Mother, why don¡¯t you look happy? Is something wrong?¡±


    As soon as Shen Miao spoke, Shen Xin and Luo Xueyan looked at her at the same time. Shen Xin¡¯s eyes were filled with all kinds of emotions, while Luo Xueyan¡¯s eyes were filled with guilt and helplessness.


    Shen Miao¡¯s heart skipped a beat, but she quickly understood that this matter was probably related to her.


    Luo Xueyan took a deep breath and said, ¡°It¡¯s nothing. It¡¯s something to do with the imperial court. Jiaojiao, are you hungry? Let¡¯s eat first.¡±


    However, that smile was so forced that even someone as insensitive as Luo Tan could tell.


    What was so serious that the fearless Shen Xin and his wife had to hide it?


    Shen Miao did not speak or move. She just looked at Shen Xin and Luo Xueyan intently. From her attitude, it was obvious that she wanted an explanation and she was not satisfied with the explanation Luo Xueyan had just given her at all.


    Looking at Shen Miao like that, Shen Qiu was in a daze as he flashed on the scene a few years ago. At that time, Shen Miao was insensible and not close to them. Every time she asked Shen Xin for something, she would stand in front of him stubbornly and not say a word.


    All these years, Shen Miao seemed to have changed a lot, but some of her mannerisms had not changed.


    Shen Xin said, ¡°Jiaojiao, be good.¡± It was rare for him to be so strict with Shen Miao. If it were in the past, Shen Miao would have cried.


    Luo Ling looked at her worriedly.


    Shen Miao¡¯s expression did not change. She still looked calm. She said, ¡°Father, Mother, why don¡¯t you tell me the truth? If I can¡¯t solve it either, I can at least share some of the burden. If I can solve it, wouldn¡¯t it be better? I¡¯m not a child. Like Brother, I¡¯m also a member of the Shen family.¡±


    Shen Xin¡¯s lips moved, but he still did not speak.


    Shen Miao looked at him, her eyes as clear as a stream. Under such a gaze, it was impossible for anyone to refuse her. She continued, ¡°Besides, this has something to do with me, right?¡±


    Luo Xueyan was suddenly shocked. Luo Tan and Luo Ling looked at Shen Miao in surprise, and Shen Qiu was puzzled.


    When Shen Xin heard this, he looked at Shen Miao for a while. Finally, he sighed deeply and said with a bitter smile, ¡°Today, the emperor issued an imperial edict.¡±


    ¡°He wants to marry you to.¡± He said with difficulty, ¡°Prince Rui.¡±

 Chapter 806 - 806 Identity (1)

    806 Identity (1)


    As soon as he said that, the hall fell silent.


    Luo Xueyan did not dare to look into Shen Miao¡¯s eyes. Shen Xin¡¯s voice revealed deep fatigue. Luo Ling was stunned, and Luo Tan opened her mouth wide in shock. Shen Qiu slammed the table and stood up. ¡°What¡¯s going on!¡±


    The calmest one was Shen Miao.


    However, on the surface, she looked calm, but her heart was in turmoil. She had long thought that Xie Jingxing would do this, but she did not expect him to dare to do it so blatantly¡­ Wait, how did he get Emperor Wen Hui to take the initiative to grant the marriage?


    !!


    As Shen Miao was thinking, Shen Qiu couldn¡¯t wait to stand up and say anxiously, ¡°Who is Prince Rui? How can a girl from Ming Qi marry someone from the Daliang Dynasty? Is the emperor crazy?¡±


    ¡°Qiu!¡± Luo Xueyan glared at him. ¡°Be careful with your words!¡± The walls had ears. The people of the royal family had spies everywhere. If Shen Qiu¡¯s words were brought back to the palace, he would be severely punished.


    Shen Qiu suddenly shut up and glanced at Shen Miao. He scratched his ears and cheeks and said, ¡°No matter what, Sister can¡¯t marry that Prince Rui¡­ Prince Rui, why is this name so familiar¡­¡± A thought flashed across his mind and he suddenly clapped his hands. ¡°So it¡¯s that person! I was wondering why the dignified Prince of the Daliang Dynasty would take the initiative to greet me. So he¡¯s trying to get close to me for my sister. Damn it!¡±


    Shen Xin frowned and asked, ¡°You¡¯ve seen Prince Rui?¡±


    ¡°Last time, on the way back to the mansion with Cousin Ling, I met him. He even invited me to his mansion to spar with him.¡± Shen Qiu said angrily, ¡°If I had known that he was up to this, I would have cut off the horse¡¯s leg and let him fall to his death!¡±


    Shen Miao was speechless.


    Luo Ling was also stunned. Then, he thought of something and looked at Shen Miao.


    Shen Miao was puzzled by Luo Ling¡¯s strange gaze, but she was not in the mood to ask. She only asked Shen Xin, ¡°Is this an imperial edict issued by His Majesty? Why did His Majesty suddenly grant me a marriage?¡±


    There were many girls in the Daliang Dynasty who were suitable for marriage. There were also a few princesses in the royal family who were at the right age. Shen Miao knew that this was Xie Jingxing¡¯s idea, but she still wanted to ask how Xie Jingxing convinced Emperor Wen Hui.


    Shen Xin looked at Shen Miao with a sad expression. He paused for a moment before sighing and saying, ¡°Jiaojiao, I¡¯m incompetent¡ª¡± Only then did he slowly tell her what happened today.


    It turned out that when Emperor Wen Hui was about to dismiss the court, he suddenly mentioned that Prince Rui of the Daliang Dynasty wanted to bring a princess consort back home. Some of the court officials were excited, and some were uneasy. Those who doted on their daughters naturally did not want their daughters to marry far away, and those who were ambitious wanted to make their daughter a princess consort.


    Emperor Wen Hui did not give them a chance to speak and directly granted the marriage. The girl who was given the marriage was Shen Miao, the daughter of the mighty general, Shen Xin.


    Everyone was stunned. They knew that Shen Miao was the apple of Shen Xin¡¯s eye. Shen Xin was probably unwilling to let Shen Miao marry into the Daliang Dynasty. Now that Ming Qi needed Shen Xin, why would Emperor Wen Hui do something to displease Shen Xin at this time? Even the wise officials couldn¡¯t understand what was on the mind of the emperor this time.


    Shen Xin was naturally filled with anger. He wished he could draw his knife and cut off the throne room. He could tolerate all kinds of grievances, but he could not let his daughter suffer. This time, Emperor Wen Hui did not even discuss it with him and directly arranged a marriage for Shen Miao. This meant that the Shen family did not have a chance to object at all. If they objected, they would be disobeying the imperial edict and die.

 Chapter 807 - 807 Identity (2)

    807 Identity (2)


    At the same time, Shen Xin was very puzzled. A few days ago, Emperor Wen Hui still wanted to marry Shen Miao to the crown prince. Why did he change his mind so drastically in just a few days?


    After the court session ended, Emperor Wen Hui stopped Shen Xin. He brought Shen Xin to the imperial study and chatted with him for a while.


    This time, he told Shen Xin the truth behind this marriage arrangement.


    Therefore, Shen Xin knew that Prince Rui was the one who wanted to marry Shen Miao. Prince Rui used Ming Qi to threaten Emperor Wen Hui into making this decision.


    !!


    Emperor Wen Hui was helpless and had no choice but to agree to this request. In the end, Emperor Wen Hui said to Shen Xin, ¡°I¡¯m Ming Qi¡¯s emperor. I can¡¯t watch my people die because of my poor decision, so General Shen, please let Miss Shen exchange her for the safety of the people. I believe Miss Shen will understand my decision too.¡±


    Officials were supposed to obey the emperor. If it were in the past, Shen Xin would definitely understand Emperor Wen Hui.


    However, when Emperor Wen Hui asked him to let her daughter to exchange her life for the safety of the people, Shen Xin felt a chill run down his spine. He even felt that the emperor he had been loyal to his entire life was a hypocrite.


    Among the people of the world, Shen Miao was also one of them! Why should she be the sacrifice? In his life, he had fought in the war and sacrificed most of his life for Ming Qi. He would not hesitate to die at any time to protect the people. However, if he could not even protect his daughter, what kind of father was he? After sacrificing him, was it his daughter¡¯s turn to be sacrificed now?


    Shen Xin zoned out and did not hear what Emperor Wen Hui said after that. He was probably talking about what he would give Shen Miao as a reward when she got married to Prince Rui. However, in Shen Xin¡¯s ears, he felt that it was extremely ironic.


    No matter how selfless a person was, they would still prioritize their family, especially Shen Xin. In the past few decades, he did not bring his daughter with him, which made Shen Miao distant from him and his wife. Later, the heavens took pity on them and made Shen Miao close to them again. However, Shen Miao¡¯s personality had changed a lot, as if she had suddenly grown up overnight. Shen Xin¡¯s heart ached when he saw this.


    Shen Miao was protected like a flower in the Shen family. Now, this flower had unknowingly grown into a strong tree. Shen Xin already felt guilty towards Shen Miao. Now that the imperial edict was issued, Shen Xin was really too ashamed to face Shen Miao.


    After Shen Xin finished speaking, everyone in the hall fell silent, and Shen Qiu stopped talking.


    Emperor Wen Hui had made it so clear. What else could they do? Were they going to watch Shen Miao get married? It seemed too cruel to Shen Miao.


    Shen Qiu did not dare to imagine his sister living with a man who she barely knew and going to a country she had never been to.


    Shen Miao said, ¡°I see.¡± Her expression was calm, as if she was not affected at all. Only then did everyone realize that after hearing the content of the imperial edict, Shen Miao did not look surprised at all.


    Luo Xueyan was afraid that Shen Miao would suffer a shock, so she said, ¡°Jiaojiao, you don¡¯t have to worry. It¡¯s not decided yet¡­¡±


    ¡°Mother, you don¡¯t have to comfort me. The imperial edict has already been issued. You can¡¯t go against the imperial edict, right?¡± Shen Miao smiled. ¡°Besides, it¡¯s not a bad thing to marry Prince Rui. As a princess consort, I don¡¯t have to worry about money. Although Prince Rui¡¯s face can¡¯t be seen, it¡¯s not hard to tell that he¡¯s a good-looking person.¡±

 Chapter 808 - 808 Identity (3)

    808 Identity (3)


    ¡°But you don¡¯t know him.¡± Shen Qiu said anxiously, ¡°How do you know if he¡¯s a good person?¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t this how it works?¡± Shen Miao said indifferently, ¡°Some people spend their entire lives together without knowing what kind of person they live with. Marrying Prince Rui is not as bad as you think. If I stay in the capital, given my identity, I will be most likely to be schemed against again. The Shen family can¡¯t protect me everytime.¡±


    A sadness of pain flashed across Shen Xin¡¯s eyes.


    The more military power he had, the more he would be shackled. The more afraid the emperor was of him, the more the emperor wanted to restrain him. If Shen Miao¡¯s marriage couldn¡¯t be used by the crown prince, it would naturally be used by others. It was indeed impossible for the Shen family to protect Shen Miao at all times.


    For the first time, he hated having so much military power.


    ¡°Daliang is a good place.¡± Shen Miao smiled and said with a yearning tone, ¡°It¡¯s written in the travelog that the Daliang Dynasty is rich and peaceful. At night, people are singing and dancing in harmony, and they don¡¯t even need to lock their doors. It¡¯s a good scene.¡±


    ¡°No matter how beautiful the scene is, you¡¯re alone¡­¡± Luo Xueyan couldn¡¯t bear to continue.


    ¡°No one dares to bully the princess consort of Prince Rui.¡± Shen Miao thought for a moment. ¡°Since Prince Rui wants to marry me, he might be deeply in love with me and will naturally treat me well.¡±


    She rarely teased herself like this, which made Luo Xueyan and the others laugh. Luo Xueyan smiled and said, ¡°Silly child, he might not¡­¡± She suddenly paused. Shen Miao was smart. How could she not know that what Prince Rui wanted was most likely the Shen family instead of her?


    At the thought of this, Luo Xueyan felt extremely sad.


    Shen Miao smiled. ¡°It¡¯s a joyous thing. Why don¡¯t we celebrate it?¡± She said, ¡°Since the imperial edict is issued, it won¡¯t be long before it¡¯s announced. I have to start preparing my dowry.¡±


    There was no resentment or unhappiness in her tone. Instead, it was very natural, as if this was a marriage that had been proposed for a long time. The more this was the case, the sadder Shen Xin and his wife were.


    After chatting for a while, they started eating. The meal was tasteless to everyone, and everyone had their own thoughts. After eating, they went to rest. Luo Tan held Shen Miao¡¯s arm and had something to say to her. Just as she was walking towards her courtyard, she was stopped by Luo Ling.


    ¡°Cousin Ling, what¡¯s the matter?¡± Shen Miao looked at him and asked.


    Luo Ling asked, ¡°Cousin, do you really want to marry Prince Rui?¡±


    Luo Tan looked at Luo Ling strangely. Shen Miao smiled and said, ¡°The imperial edict has been issued. It doesn¡¯t matter if I really like him or not.¡±


    ¡°I thought you would say no straightaway.¡± Luo Ling¡¯s eyes darkened, but he still smiled. ¡°Just like how you rejected those young masters in Spring City in the past.¡±


    Shen Miao smiled and did not say anything.


    ¡°Congratulations.¡± He smiled bitterly.


    Shen Miao nodded in thanks.


    After sending Luo Ling off, Luo Tan pulled Shen Miao into the house. After closing the door, she lowered her voice and said mysteriously, ¡°Little Cousin, you know about this, right?¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Shen Miao was puzzled.


    ¡°About Prince Rui forcing the emperor to allow him to marry you!¡± Luo Tan said anxiously.


    Shen Miao¡¯s heart skipped a beat. Luo Tan was usually carefree and not sensitive to anything, but she had a surprisingly sharp intuition when it came to things she wasn¡¯t supposed to know.


    She replied vaguely, ¡°How is that possible?¡±


    ¡°Why not?¡± Luo Tan was suddenly enthusiastic. ¡°Do you still remember the last time we were kidnapped? When I woke up, I told Prince Rui what you said. It didn¡¯t take Prince Rui long to find you. At that time, I was curious about your relationship with him. You must be quite close. Otherwise, why would he help you? It¡¯s like the hero saying the beauty in the novels.¡±

 Chapter 809 - 809 Identity (4)

    809 Identity (4)


    Shen Miao said, ¡°Stop reading so many novels.¡±


    Luo Tan rested her chin on her hands. ¡°That Prince Rui is quite capable. At that time, Aunt and Uncle looked for you for a few days but to no avail, but he found you immediately. In our Luo family, we only look at people¡¯s ability. He¡¯s a capable man. I heard that he¡¯s very good-looking, which is even better. Many good-looking men are useless. For example, Doctor Gao, who often comes to our mansion, is quite good-looking. However, at a glance, you can tell that he¡¯s weak. Such a man is unreliable.¡±


    Cong Yang, who was listening with interest on the tree branch outside, almost fell down. He wondered how Young Master Gao would feel after hearing this¡­


    ¡°Enough of that.¡± Shen Miao glanced at her. ¡°What exactly do you want to say?¡±


    ¡°Cousin, I knew you were the smartest! In the entire Shen family. You know me the best!¡± Luo Tan looked at Shen Miao expectantly. ¡°I only have one wish. When you go to the Daliang Dynasty, bring me along!¡±


    Shen Miao asked in disbelief, ¡°What did you say?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve never been to the Daliang Dynasty.¡± Luo Tan said, ¡°But I¡¯ve heard that the Daliang Dynasty is a good place with a lot of delicious food and fun things. Brother Ling and I came to the capital to broaden our horizons. The more places we see, the better.¡±


    Shen Miao said, ¡°You were the one who secretly climbed into the carriage.¡±


    Luo Tan said, ¡°If you still treat me as your cousin, bring me along!¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Shen Miao said firmly.


    In the next hour, Shen Miao was pestered by Luo Tan. When she went to the Daliang Dynasty, although she had Xie Jingxing, Shen Miao knew that it might not be a smooth journey. No one knew what would happen in the future, so she didn¡¯t want to drag Luo Tan into it.


    After Luo Tan left, Shen Miao sighed and opened the window. Outside, the trees were swaying, and the winter night was cold.


    Xie Jingxing is really something, she thought. He took the initiative to ¡°impose an imperial edict¡± without even letting her know in advance. Not only did he succeed in getting an imperial edict, but he was also gone. What did he mean by not showing up at this time when an explanation was needed?


    Shen Miao closed the window with a bang.


    The bang was so loud that Cong Yang dug his ears. He thought that Young Madam was probably on her period, which was why she was so moody¡­


    On the other side, in Shen Xin¡¯s courtyard, Shen Xin was also discussing this with Luo Xueyan.


    Shen Xin said, ¡°Going to the Daliang Dynasty with Jiaojiao?¡±


    Luo Xueyan nodded. ¡°If we¡¯re not by Jiaojiao¡¯s side, when Jiaojiao is in danger, we can¡¯t help her in time. Back then¡­ wasn¡¯t there a young lady who married into another country and was killed? It wasn¡¯t until years later did her family find out.¡±


    ¡°How dare they!¡± Shen Xin was furious. Then, he suppressed his anger and said, ¡°I can go, but I¡¯m afraid the emperor won¡¯t let me go.¡±


    Luo Xueyan lowered her voice. ¡°Now that the situation in the Daliang Dynasty and Ming Qi is so tense, if we go to the Daliang Dynasty together, the emperor will definitely think that we¡¯ve changed sides¡­ It¡¯s indeed inappropriate. But is there really no other way?¡±


    Helpless, Shen Xin turned his back to Luo Xueyan and looked at the calligraphy on the wall.


    It was the calligraphy given to him by Old General Shen, on which ¡°Loyalty to the Country¡± was written.


    He was loyal, and he served his country diligently, but what did he get? The teaching of the Shen family was that if the emperor wanted them to die, they had no choice but to die. But why did he feel regret at this moment?

 Chapter 810 - 810 Identity (5)

    810 Identity (5)


    This emperor had always been wary of him, suppressed him, and controlled him. Shen Xin did not think much of it even if the emperor wanted to use him.


    But why did he want to use his children?


    Was this how all the emperors treated their loyal officials? Shen Xin thought that if Emperor Wen Hui strongly opposed Prince Rui¡¯s request or stood up for Shen Miao, he would not be so angry with Emperor Wen Hui. It was precisely because Emperor Wen Hui agreed so readily and justified it as doing it for the people that Shen Xin felt uncomfortable.


    If Ming Qi was stronger, would the emperor not have to bow down to a prince of the Daliang Dynasty?


    Shen Xin suddenly felt a trace of disgust towards Emperor Wen Hui¡¯s incompetence.


    However, he did not realize that unknowingly, he hated Emperor Wen Hui far more than Prince Rui.


    He naturally did not know that someone had already predicted his change of mind a long time ago.


    Luo Xueyan was still muttering, ¡°Why does Prince Rui suddenly want to marry Jiaojiao? The Daliang Dynasty doesn¡¯t lack military power. Even if it¡¯s to sow discord between us and Emperor Wen Hui, it doesn¡¯t have to be like this.¡±


    Shen Xin said, ¡°I¡¯ll go and ask around tomorrow. Let¡¯s sleep first.¡±


    However, tonight was destined to be a sleepless night.


    ¡­


    Emperor Wen Hui announced the imperial edict in front of the entire court, so in just a day, almost everyone in the capital knew. Everyone, from the officials to the commoners, was talking about this.


    The princess¡¯s mansion was silent.


    Princess Rong Xin sat at the head of the table and couldn¡¯t help but sneer.


    Her nephew¡¯s ability far exceeded her expectations.


    Xie Jingxing had clearly taken a liking to Shen Miao two years ago. Later, he became Prince Rui. Princess Rong Xin thought that as a prince of another country, no matter how much Xie Jingxing liked Shen Miao, it would be impossible for him to be with her in this life. She did not expect Xie Jingxing to have the ability to get what he wanted!


    In the afternoon, after Princess Rong Xin found out about this, she went to the palace to see Emperor Wen Hui. She knew that Emperor Wen Hui would not let Shen Miao marry Prince Rui for no reason and insisted on knowing the reason. Emperor Wen Hui still respected his sister, so he told Princess Rong Xin the whole story.


    Princess Rong Xin couldn¡¯t describe what she was feeling, but she felt a chill run down her spine.


    That mischievous young man, who always called her ¡°Auntie Rong¡± with a smile, only existed in her memory. The current Xie Jingxing was filled with an unfamiliar aura. He could lay low for a few years to get what he wanted. His domineering attitude, sharp methods, and merciless threats¡­ He was more like a ruler.


    Princess Rong Xin was a little afraid.


    She did not know if she should tell Emperor Wen Hui Xie Jingxing¡¯s identity.


    She knew that even if she told him, nothing would happen. Since Xie Jingxing dared to come, he must be fully prepared.


    However, if she told him, at least the people of Ming Qi would know Xie Jingxing¡¯s true colors and not think of him as a talent who died young.


    Princess Rong Xin thought for a while, and the scene many years ago appeared in her mind. She did not go out all day and did not interact much with people. Even the maids were not allowed to enter her room at night. At that time, she was suffering from the pain of losing her husband. She caught a cold and could not get up from bed the next day. Xie Jingxing, who was only five years old, brought a bowl of porridge from the kitchen and fed her spoon by spoon. He even took a small stool to sit by her bed and read poetry to her.

 Chapter 811 - 811 Identity (6)

    811 Identity (6)


    Any woman would be touched to see such a beautiful boy doing such a considerate thing.


    Ten years passed in the blink of an eye. They were not mother and son, but they were more than mother and son. How did they end up like this?


    On one side was the enemy of the country, and on the other side was decades of companionship. Princess Rong Xin suddenly felt sad.


    What should she do?


    !!


    Princess Rong Xin did not know that every move in the princess mansion had been monitored these days, and she was not alone. Because very few people visited the princess mansion, even the guards were slacking off.


    In the Earl of Pingnan¡¯s mansion, Su Minglang looked at the sugar-steamed cheese brought over by the maid and rejected righteously, ¡°I don¡¯t want to eat it. Give it to Brother.¡±


    Now that Su Minglang had reached the age where he paid attention to his appearance, he was not willing to be a chubby boy. Therefore, although these sweet things tasted very good, he would not touch them.


    Then, he suddenly thought of something and stopped the maid. ¡°Forget it, don¡¯t give it to my brother. If my brother gets too fat, Sister Shen will not like him.¡±


    The maid looked at Su Minglang and was a little speechless. She held the plate and did not know what to do. Seeing this, Su Minglang sighed and said, ¡°Since you¡¯re in such a difficult position, I¡¯ll reluctantly eat it to help you out.¡± He then warned the maid fiercely, ¡°Don¡¯t tell my mother that I stole Brother¡¯s sugar-steamed cheese!¡±


    The maid was speechless.


    In the room, Su Mingfeng paced back and forth, looking very anxious.


    Su Yu looked at him sympathetically and patted his shoulder. ¡°Son, I know you¡¯re sad, but this imperial edict was personally issued by His Majesty. There¡¯s nothing I can do. I can only say that you¡¯re not lucky. The girl you like is not fated with you. However, fortunately, if Miss Shen marries Prince Rui, she has to go to the Daliang Dynasty. Out of sight out of mind. In a few days, you¡¯ll forget about her.¡±


    Emperor Wen Hui issued an imperial edict. What Su Yu and Mrs. Su were most afraid of was that Su Mingfeng would not be able to withstand this blow. After hearing it, Su Mingfeng locked himself up in the study. Mrs. Su was afraid that Su Mingfeng would kill himself, so she specially asked Su Yu to go in and persuade him.


    ¡°Father, can you not cause trouble for me?¡± Su Mingfeng said impatiently, ¡°I¡¯m not sad because of this.¡±


    ¡°Son, I¡¯m your father. Do you think I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re thinking?¡± Su Yu said, ¡°I¡¯ve been through what you are going through. It¡¯s nothing. There are plenty of fish in the sea. You have to be more open-minded.¡±


    Su Mingfeng couldn¡¯t take it anymore and said, ¡°Alright, Father, I understand. I want to be alone now and won¡¯t kill myself. Can you leave me alone for a while?¡±


    Seeing that Su Mingfeng, who had always been gentle, was starting to look unhappy, Su Yu was afraid that if he continued, he would agitate Su Mingfeng again, so he smiled and said, ¡°In short, I¡¯ll try my best to find another girl who¡¯s like a fair for you to be your wife. Don¡¯t be sad!¡± With that, he left dejectedly.


    After Su Yu left, Su Mingfeng sat down at the desk, feeling inexplicably frustrated.


    Emperor Wen Hui suddenly issued an imperial edict to marry off Shen Miao. This surprised Su Mingfeng. After all, Shen Miao had just gotten involved with the crown prince a few days ago. Why was she pushed to Prince Rui suddenly?


    Su Mingfeng did not have time to guess what Emperor Wen Hui was thinking. He was thinking about Shen Miao. Shen Miao and Xie Jingxing seemed to be very close two years ago. A few days ago, because of that tiger head bracelet, Su Mingfeng was certain that there was a special relationship between Shen Miao and Xie Jingxing. Su Mingfeng even suspected that Xie Jingxing was still alive.


    If he wanted to find any information about Xie Jingxing, he had to start from Shen Miao.


    But why did Shen Miao¡¯s marriage with Prince Rui make him so uneasy? It felt as if something was about to happen.


    This strange feeling made Su Mingfeng feel very abnormal today. Just as he was feeling uneasy, someone came back from outside. This was a spy sent by Su Mingfeng to spy on the princess¡¯s mansion and the Shen family. Su Mingfeng felt that Princess Rong Xin might know something, let alone Shen Miao.


    The spy bowed to Su Mingfeng and said, ¡°Young Master, I found something about what you asked me to investigate a few days ago.¡±


    Su Mingfeng was delighted. He immediately sat up straight and said, ¡°Tell me!¡±


    ¡°I followed the guards of the princess¡¯s mansion and realized that some of them have been monitoring the movements of Prince Rui¡¯s mansion. If I¡¯m not wrong, they should be instructed by Princess Rong Xin to do so.¡±


    ¡°Among the guards of the Shen family, some of them seem to be Prince Rui¡¯s men. I don¡¯t know if they¡¯re spying or protecting Miss Shen.¡±


    Su Mingfeng frowned. Why was it all related to Prince Rui? Princess Rong Xin was spying on Prince Rui, and Prince Rui was spying on Shen Miao.


    However, what he was after was clues about Xie Jingxing¡¯s whereabouts!


    Could it be¡­ a terrifying thought flashed across his mind.


    Su Mingfeng¡¯s heart palpitated.

 Chapter 812 - 812 Betrothal Gift (1)

    812 Betrothal Gift (1)


    Over the past few days, the Shen family had been shrouded in a very strange atmosphere. Because of the imperial edict, everyone was depressed. Although everyone tried their best to appear happy, they could not hide their gloomy expressions.


    Shen Xin and Luo Xueyan went out early every day and returned late. They were probably looking for a way to cancel this marriage, but they came back empty-handed every time. That made sense. Since Emperor Wen Hui announced this imperial edict in front of the entire court, it was probably to stop Shen Xin from disobeying him.


    Every time Shen Qiu saw Shen Miao, he would look guilty. These days, he gave Shen Miao some rare treasures and said, ¡°I¡¯m not a very capable brother, so I can only find these for you.¡±


    Shen Miao was quite speechless with the atmosphere in the Shen family. She naturally knew that things were not that bad, but she could not tell them about it. If Shen Xin knew what Xie Jingxing was really up to, he would probably kick up a scene.


    In Ming Qi, she had to take care of the Shen family, so there were many things that were inconvenient for her to do. If she went to the Daliang Dynasty and used Prince Rui¡¯s name to execute her plan, it would probably be much easier.


    While she was relaxed and at ease, others thought that she was pretending. Today, when she was sitting in the room and reading, she saw Bai Lu rush in and say, ¡°Miss, Madam wants you to hurry to the main hall. The betrothal gift list is here!¡±


    Shen Miao was stunned. The betrothal gift list?


    Xie Jingxing was really bold. He knew that the Shen family did not like him now and even hated him to the core, but he actually dared to send a betrothal gift list. Wasn¡¯t this adding fuel to the fire?


    However, thinking about Xie Jingxing¡¯s devil-may-care personality, it was indeed something he could do.


    When they arrived at the main hall, they saw Luo Xueyan holding a long thing and looking at it. Beside Luo Xueyan, Shen Qiu and Shen Xin were also craning their heads to peep at the thing. Luo Tan covered her mouth, and Luo Ling had a complicated gaze. In short, everyone looked strangely tense.


    Shen Miao stepped into the hall and realized that apart from the Shen family, there was another person standing in the hall. When she saw that person¡¯s face clearly, Shen Miao almost choked. This person was a middle-aged man with a beard. Shen Miao had seen him before. He seemed to be a guard under Xie Jingxing. Cong Yang had once called him ¡°Tie Yi¡±. This person was obviously burly and fierce. Today, he was wearing a bright red shirt. The shirt was embroidered with colorful phoenixes and auspicious clouds with thin golden threads. However, Tie Yi¡¯s skin was dark to begin with. With this shirt, his fierce aura was completely concealed, making him look extremely comical.


    Seeing her, Tie Yi bowed to her and said respectfully, ¡°Princess Consort.¡±


    At this moment, even Shen Qiu couldn¡¯t help but cough. He glared at Tie Yi. ¡°Watch your language!¡±


    Tie Yi ignored him.


    For some reason, Shen Miao wanted to laugh. Even if Xie Jingxing wanted to send a betrothal gift list, he should find a woman to deliver it.


    Seeing that Shen Miao was in a daze, Luo Tan called her, ¡°Cousin, what are you standing there for? Come and take a look at this betrothal gift list!¡± She winked at Shen Miao, as if she was very excited.


    Shen Miao walked over.


    The betrothal gift list was made very exquisitely. It was a scroll made of incense wood sprinkled with gold powder and had an emerald-green cat¡¯s eye stone on the cover. Just the scroll itself was very luxurious. Although Shen Xin and his wife were not vain people, they were still happy that Prince Rui showed that he valued Shen Miao.

 Chapter 813 - 813 Betrothal Gift (2)

    813 Betrothal Gift (2)


    Luo Xueyan handed the betrothal gift list to Tie Yi and said, ¡°Read it.¡±


    According to Ming Qi¡¯s custom, the betrothal gift list had to be ¡°sung¡± by the person sent by the groom¡¯s family. The longer the song was sung, the more generous the betrothal gift was.


    Tie Yi was obviously not used to doing such a thing. He turned to the first page and sang dryly, ¡°One rosewood bed with begonias, one arhat bed, one rosewood cabinet, wooden cabinet of rosewood, one nanmu bookshelf, a pair of red bean porcelain bottom, one rosewood long table¡­¡±


    The first page was filled with furniture. Everyone was dumbfounded. There were so many things that even the current Shen mansion could not fit them all!


    The second page was filled with decorations. Tie Yi sang again, ¡°An agarwood inlaid with jade, a jade Ruyi, a tin paper oil lamp, a small gold-plated clock, a silver pocket watch, a pot of money tree, a pot of plums, a set of porcelain teapot, a hanging mirror, a screen¡­¡±


    Every one of them was worth a lot of money, probably enough to cover the expenses of an ordinary family for a few years. Even if Prince Rui was rich, this was not the way to squander money. Luo Tan sniffed and tugged at Shen Miao¡¯s sleeve timidly, saying, ¡°What does Prince Rui¡¯s family do¡­ Salt merchants?¡±


    Luo Xueyan and Shen Xin also frowned. Prince Rui was too generous with the betrothal gifts.


    However, before they could be surprised, Tie Yi had already continued to sing. On the third page were daily necessities. He sang, ¡°Six boxes of boxwood comb, two boxes of double-edged fine-toothed comb, a red sandalwood dressing box, a gargling bowl, sandalwood soap, a curtain, a satin curtain, a glass bead curtain, a five-colored tassel¡­¡±


    Everyone in the Shen family was dumbfounded.


    Tie Yi continued on the fourth page of clothes. ¡°There are 32 sets of fur, silver mouse skin, gray mouse skin, sheep skin, pearl fur, and various cotton flags. There are 12 sets of cocoon silk, and gauze flower coats. There are 30 sets of fragrant cloud yarn, 20 pieces of brocade, 10 pieces of cloud brocade, 10 pieces of Shu brocade, and 12 pieces of silk of various colors. There are 36 pieces of embroidered satin, 20 pairs of embroidered shoes, and 40 pairs of silk socks¡­¡±


    Luo Xueyan couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°This¡­ Did you take the wrong list of betrothal gifts from Prince Rui? This¡­ is too generous!¡±


    Tie Yi said expressionlessly, ¡°No, Prince Rui only has this list of betrothal gifts. Madam, please continue to listen.¡±


    He sang the fifth page of gold and silver jewelry. ¡°Four pieces of jade, four pieces of white jade, and two pieces of crystal. Pearl bracelet, jade bracelet, coral bracelet¡­¡±


    He sang the sixth page of antiques. ¡°Four pairs of gold-colored porcelain bottles, a pair of red jade teapots, a pair of colorful bottles, and a white plum bottle¡­¡±


    He sang the seventh page of books.


    He sang the eighth page of maids, servants, and personal guards.


    The ninth page of carriages.


    The tenth page¡­


    Everyone in the Shen family was dumbfounded.


    The more Tie Yi sang, the smoother he became. He sang with the aura of an experienced matchmaker. With every line he sang, it made people feel like they had seen a large amount of money. After singing the last sentence, he stopped and took a deep breath. He closed the betrothal gift list and looked at Shen Miao.

 Chapter 814 - 814 Betrothal Gift (3)

    814 Betrothal Gift (3)


    ¡°Lands and shops are not included in the list because they are all in the Daliang Dynasty.¡± Tie Yi smiled sincerely. ¡°However, His Highness converted them all into gold, which is 10,000 catties of gold.¡±


    Ten thousand catties of gold!


    Luo Tan was about to faint.


    Tie Yi continued, ¡°All the houses between Prince Rui¡¯s mansion and the Shen mansion are purchased by Prince Rui. I¡¯ll get someone to send the title deeds over later.¡± He respectfully handed the betrothal gift list to Luo Xueyan and said, ¡°Madam, please take it.¡±


    Luo Xueyan did not take it.


    Did Prince Rui really move the treasury of the Daliang Dynasty over?


    Was Prince Rui crazy?!


    Shen Xin frowned. Shen Qiu was the first to react. He carefully probed, ¡°Does your emperor know about this betrothal gift list written by Prince Rui?¡±


    Tie Yi was stunned for a moment before he said with a smile, ¡°His Majesty doesn¡¯t care much about worldly possessions. Moreover, it¡¯s not a lot.¡±


    Seeing that everyone in the Shen family was shocked, Tie Yi continued, ¡°In the palace of the Daliang Dynasty, gold, silver, and pearls are everywhere like gravels.¡±


    Everyone was in awe. It seemed that the Daliang Dynasty was indeed rich. Such a generous betrothal gift could instantly fill Ming Qi¡¯s treasury. In their opinion, it was just like gravel. How rich!


    Tie Yi continued, ¡°But Madam Shen, don¡¯t worry. His Highness will marry Miss Shen according to the royal etiquette of the Daliang Dynasty.¡±


    Luo Xueyan and Shen Xin were gratified that Prince Rui was willing to marry Shen Miao according to the royal etiquette. They sighed. Shen Miao¡¯s betrothal gift was almost comparable to that of the empress¡¯s back then.


    If an ordinary official married a wife, he had to make sure that the betrothal gift must not be more generous than the royal family¡¯s. However, Prince Rui was not from Ming Qi, but from the Daliang Dynasty, so he naturally did not have to consider this. Even if it was more generous than the royal family¡¯s, the royal family would not say anything. Shen Miao¡¯s betrothal gift should be the most generous since the founding of Ming Qi.


    Shen Xin and Luo Xueyan¡¯s worries dissipated a lot. Now, the imperial edict could no longer be changed, and Shen Miao was destined to marry Prince Rui. Marrying out in a grand manner was at least the wish of many girls. Shen Miao would probably also be happy to see it.


    At the thought of this, their hatred for Prince Rui dissipated a lot. Even their attitude towards the bearded man in front of them became much friendlier.


    Luo Tan couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Then when is the wedding? The imperial edict didn¡¯t specify when.¡±


    Tie Yi smiled and said, ¡°The marriage contract has been prepared. After the new year, His Highness will return to the Daliang Dynasty. On the day they return to the Daliang Dynasty, he will hold a grand wedding to marry Miss Shen. He will pave the way with red carpet all the way to the gate of the capital of the Daliang Dynasty.


    After completing all the etiquettes for the marriage in Ming Qi, he would officially announce to the people of the Daliang Dynasty that Shen Miao was Princess Consort Rui.

 Chapter 815 - 815 Betrothal Gift (4)

    815 Betrothal Gift (4)


    Shen Xin and Luo Xueyan looked at each other and saw the confusion in each other¡¯s eyes.


    Why did it seem like¡­ Prince Rui really liked Shen Miao?


    How was that possible? Shen Miao had only seen Prince Rui a few times!


    Luo Ling¡¯s eyes were dark. He lowered his head and looked at the ground, deep in thought.


    !!


    Everyone in the room had different expressions, but Shen Miao¡¯s reaction was calm. She nodded and said to Tie Yi, ¡°Thank you.¡±


    Tie Yi said that he would send the things over in a few days before leaving.


    After Tie Yi left, everyone looked at each other. Shen Xin and Luo Xueyan had already sensed something unusual. If Prince Rui¡¯s goal was to sow discord between the Shen family and the Ming Qi royal family, or to make the Shen family useless to the Ming Qi royal family, when the imperial edict was issued, he had already achieved his goal.


    Since he had already achieved his goal, everything else was not important. Why did he have to put on such a big show? No matter how much money he had, he would not give it to the Shen family unless the treasury of the Daliang Dynasty was overflowing with gold.


    Shen Qiu said angrily, ¡°Prince Rui is up to no good, right? Does he think the Shen family is greedy for wealth? We¡¯re marrying Jiaojiao off, not selling her. If we take so much money, who knows what others will think of us?¡±


    Shen Xin and Luo Xueyan were silent.


    That was true. Even the royal family would be envious of these betrothal gifts, let alone ordinary people. What was even more shocking was that these were sent by Prince Rui. Even those who had designs on these betrothal gifts did not dare to snatch it.


    Luo Tan smiled and said, ¡°No matter what, it¡¯s better for Brother-in-law to be generous than stingy. It¡¯s only right for a man to be willing to spend money on a girl. He¡¯s willing to spend so much for Little Cousin. I believe he will dote on Little Cousin after marriage.¡±


    Shen Xin covered his forehead. ¡°But where are we supposed to store these things?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Luo Xueyan also said worriedly, ¡°There¡¯s no way we can fit so many things in our house. We can¡¯t even fit jewelry and antiques in the storeroom. Do we have to build another storeroom in the mansion to store things?¡±


    Shen Miao wanted to laugh when she heard that. She said, ¡°Didn¡¯t he buy all those houses? After I leave, those houses will belong to the Shen family. How about putting the things there? Or else, you can move into Prince Rui¡¯s mansion.¡±


    Shen Xin shook his head. ¡°Yanqing Alley is not a place for us to live.¡± That was where the royal family lived. If Shen Xin and the others lived there, who knew what outsiders would think? He thought of what Tie Yi said previously, and a trace of pain flashed across his eyes. ¡°After the new year, he will leave for Daliang. Jiaojiao, you¡­¡±


    After the new year, Shen Miao would have to go to Daliang.


    Everyone in the room fell silent.


    Separation, especially separation between family, was never a happy thing.


    Seeing this, Shen Miao was afraid that they would be sad again, so she quickly changed the topic and said, ¡°Prince Rui has given us so many betrothal gifts. What about the dowry?¡±


    Luo Tan was feeling a little thirsty. She picked up the tea on the table and took a sip. When she heard this, she spat out a mouthful of tea and sprayed it all over Luo Ling. However, at this moment, she was not in the mood to care if Luo Ling was angry. Instead, she said, ¡°Dowry? Oh my god!¡±

 Chapter 816 - 816 Betrothal Gift (5)

    816 Betrothal Gift (5)


    Everyone in the Shen family felt as if they had been struck by a shocking lightning.


    Logically speaking, the dowry had to be equivalent in value. Although it did not have to be more than the betrothal gifts, it could not be too far apart. Otherwise, when a girl went to her in-laws¡¯ house, she would be disdained. If the dowry was very generous, the girl would be respected. Therefore, the more dowry, the better.


    Shen Xin naturally doted on his daughter, but as for the dowry¡­ Prince Rui had given the Shen family so many betrothal gifts. Even if he emptied the entire Ming Qi treasury, he wouldn¡¯t be able to prepare a dowry equivalent in value.


    Prince Rui gave the Shen family a problem.


    ¡­


    At night, Shen Miao sat under the light and thought of Tie Yi singing happily with a long betrothal gift list in his hand during the day. She couldn¡¯t help but want to laugh.


    Xie Jingxing actually wrote so many betrothal gifts. Shen Miao held her forehead. If word spread, the Shen family would probably be envied by everyone in Ming Qi. However, it was only a matter of time before word spread.


    However, Shen Miao did not know if Emperor Yong Le knew that Xie Jingxing had squandered so much money. As she thought about it, Shen Miao felt a little sad.


    In her previous life, when she married Fu Xiuyi, Fu Xiuyi¡¯s betrothal gift was pathetic. At that time, Fu Xiuyi said he was frugal by nature and didn¡¯t want to hold a grand wedding, so Shen Miao believed him. Shen Xin and Luo Xueyan were afraid that she would suffer, so they took out more than half of the Shen family¡¯s assets to make a dowry for her.


    In the end, the dowry was all used up by Fu Xiuyi.


    In order to rope people in, Fu Xiuyi had to spend money. She managed the money carefully and even sold some antiques and paintings in the Shen family to make up for the deficit. Now that she thought about it, after marrying Fu Xiuyi for so many years, she had always been the one sacrificing, and Fu Xiuyi had never reciprocated anything.


    Especially after ascending the throne, Fu Xiuyi¡¯s generosity to Concubine Mei was like a slap to her face.


    Now that she was going to marry Xie Jingxing, she could describe with words how she felt. She was tempted, but she was not as wild with joy as in her previous life. However, what Xie Jingxing gave her far exceeded her imagination.


    It actually made her look forward to this marriage.


    The window was ¡°knocked¡± twice. Shen Miao looked up and saw Cong Yang wandering outside, so she opened the window. When Cong Yang saw her, he first bowed to her and said, ¡°Young Madam, Master asked me to bring you over.¡±


    Shen Miao nodded and said, ¡°Okay.¡± Coincidentally, she also had something to say to Xie Jingxing.


    When Shen Miao arrived at Prince Rui¡¯s mansion, the servants stopped what they were doing and shouted at her respectfully, ¡°Young Madam!¡±


    Shen Miao was speechless.


    Cong Yang chuckled and said, ¡°Young Madam, everyone likes you very much.¡±


    Shen Miao felt a little awkward and had mixed feelings.


    When Cong Yang led her to the backyard of Prince Rui¡¯s mansion, she saw a snow-white furball pounce on her from afar and bite the corner of her shirt happily.

 Chapter 817 - 817 Betrothal Gift (6)

    817 Betrothal Gift (6)


    A lazy voice sounded in the night. ¡°Jiaojiao, come here.¡±


    Shen Miao looked up and saw Xie Jingxing leaning against the tree with his arms crossed, looking at her with a faint smile. She didn¡¯t know if he was calling her or the white tiger.


    Shen Miao walked towards him, and the white tiger followed happily. This white tiger was quite easygoing. They had only met a few times, and it actually wagged its tail affectionately at her. Those who did not know better would think that this white tiger was raised by Shen Miao.


    She stood beside Xie Jingxing and asked, ¡°Why are you looking for me?¡±


    Xie Jingxing raised an eyebrow. ¡°Mkaing a wedding dress.¡±


    ¡°Making a wedding dress?¡± Shen Miao was puzzled. Before she could continue asking, Xie Jingxing suddenly reached out and pulled her into his arms. He hugged her gently and let go.


    He was too fast. The hug only lasted for a moment, catching Shen Miao off guard.


    Xie Jingxing said, ¡°With your personality, you probably won¡¯t embroider a wedding dress for yourself. I found the best embroiderer in the Daliang Dynasty, but I don¡¯t know your size.¡± He sized up Shen Miao from head to toe and said meaningfully, ¡°I¡¯ll know after a hug.¡±


    Shen Miao said, ¡°Shameless, shameless.¡±


    Xie Jingxing nodded nonchalantly and said, ¡°But you seemed to like it very much just now.¡±


    Shen Miao glared at him and said sarcastically, ¡°You¡¯re quite capable. You can tell my size with just a hug. Have you done this many times in the past?¡±


    Xie Jingxing stared at her until Shen Miao¡¯s cheeks turned red. Then, he smiled and said, ¡°Are you jealous? Then you can hug me back.¡± He opened his arms, looking like he was willing to let her do whatever she wanted.


    ¡°Who wants to hug you?¡± Shen Miao said disdainfully, ¡°By the way, I have something to ask you.¡±


    Xie Jingxing raised an eyebrow. ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve received the betrothal gift list. Why did you give so many betrothal gifts?¡± Shen Miao found it funny. ¡°My house can¡¯t accommodate those things. Besides, the Shen family can¡¯t prepare that much dowry. Are you deliberately looking for trouble?¡±


    ¡°Is that a lot?¡± Xie Jingxing said casually, ¡°I was planning to give more.¡±


    Shen Miao was speechless. Just as she was about to speak, she saw a guard rush in from outside. When he saw Xie Jingxing, he looked troubled and said, ¡°Your Highness, someone is looking for you outside. We stopped him, but he seemed to have gone crazy and shouted your name. Afraid of causing misunderstanding, we had no choice but to restrain him for the time being.¡±


    ¡°So?¡± Xie Jingxing asked.


    ¡°It¡¯s the eldest young master of the Su family, Su Mingfeng,¡± the guard said.


    Shen Miao suddenly looked up.


    In the front hall of Prince Rui¡¯s mansion, a young man was tied up, and there was a rag in his mouth. He glared angrily at the guard at the side and was still struggling in vain.


    This person was Su Mingfeng.


    Su Mingfeng had sent people to spy on Prince Rui¡¯s mansion for a long time, including the Shen family and the princess¡¯s mansion. The longer he investigated, the more suspicious Su Mingfeng became. He suspected that Prince Rui was the dead Xie Jingxing. Although this guess was very ridiculous, as time passed, not only did this thought not disappear, but it became more and more entrenched.


    Xie Jingxing and Shen Miao were close. Now that Shen Miao was granted to marry Prince Rui, if Xie Jingxing was Prince Rui, everything would make sense.


    Su Mingfeng had a deep bond with Xie Jingxing. After all, he had been friends with him since they were young. He had learned a lot from Xie Jingxing. What Xie Jingxing meant to him was ineffable.


    Regardless of whether Xie Jingxing was Prince Rui or not, Su Mingfeng had to go and check it himself.


    He wanted to sneak into Prince Rui¡¯s mansion and see how Prince Rui looked when he took off his mask. At that time, the truth would be revealed.


    This was a crazy move, but Su Mingfeng felt that there was a reason why he felt the need to do it. He was not stupid enough to stride in from the door. Instead, he let his people lure the guards away before he sneaked in.


    However, Su Mingfeng did not expect the guards of Prince Rui¡¯s mansion to be so smart and immediately caught him.


    Su Mingfeng was a little dejected and disappointed. At this moment, he thought that since he had already been caught, it was even more impossible for him to know the truth.


    Just as he was thinking, a person with a big beard and dressed as a guard walked in and stopped in front of him.


    Su Mingfeng¡¯s heart tightened. The bearded man gave the people around him a look. Immediately, someone came over to untie him and take off the cloth in his mouth.


    ¡°My master wants to see you. Follow me.¡±

 Chapter 818 - 818 Protection (1)

    818 Protection (1)


    Su Mingfeng followed the bearded guard in. Along the way, the servants looked at him appraisingly, making Su Mingfeng feel a little uncomfortable.


    However, on second thought, at this point, there was no turning back. In any case, he had already offended Prince Rui. If his guess was not true, at most, he would apologize. No matter what, in Ming Qi¡¯s territory, Prince Rui would have to give the officials some respect.


    Su Mingfeng started to feel uneasy again. Prince Rui did not even care about the emperor, so why would he care about a young master of the Su family? Moreover, the Su family was no longer an official family. To Emperor Wen Hui, the Earl of Pingnan was useless. If something really happened, Emperor Wen Hui would not offend Prince Rui for him.


    Fortunately, there was still the second young master of the Su family, Su Minglang. If anything happened to him, the Su family could still continue the bloodline.


    However, what if Prince Rui took his anger out on the Su family?


    Along the way, Su Mingfeng let his imagination run wild, and cold sweat gradually broke out on his back. He did not even know that the bearded guard had brought him to his destination until the bearded guard reminded him, ¡°Young Master Su, we¡¯re here.¡±


    Only then did Su Mingfeng come back to his senses.


    This was the backyard of Prince Rui¡¯s mansion. There was a pond in the courtyard. In the winter night, the wind blew past the pond and hit people¡¯s faces, making them feel really cold. Through the lanterns hanging on the branches, one could vaguely see a stone table in the garden. At the stone table sat two people, a man and a woman, their figures blurry.


    Su Mingfeng subconsciously looked at the bearded man. The bearded man said, ¡°His Highness is waiting. I¡¯ll take my leave first.¡± With that, he turned around and left without waiting for Su Mingfeng to speak.


    Su Mingfeng looked at the bearded man¡¯s back and thought to himself that Prince Rui¡¯s guards were actually so arrogant. No wonder Prince Rui was like that. Like master, like servant. Prince Rui was not respectful to Emperor Wen Hui, and the guards of Prince Rui were not respectful to guests either.


    Now that he thought about it, the only person who was so impudent in the capital was Xie Jingxing, the young marquis of the Marquis of Lin¡¯an.


    At the thought of Xie Jingxing, Su Mingfeng¡¯s heart skipped a beat. He looked at the two people at the stone table and paused for a moment before walking towards them.


    When he got closer, he realized that there was a furry white animal lying under the table. At first, Su Mingfeng thought that it was a cat. When the cat-like thing heard him, it turned around and roared, revealing sharp white teeth.


    It was actually a tiger.


    Su Mingfeng walked to the stone table. Prince Rui¡¯s back was facing him, so the first person Su Mingfeng saw was the woman sitting there.


    The woman had delicate features and was graceful and dignified. When she looked over, Su Mingfeng shouted, ¡°Miss Shen!¡±


    It was actually Shen Miao!


    ¡°Miss Shen, why are you here?¡± Su Mingfeng couldn¡¯t help but ask.


    ¡°Young Master Su, aren¡¯t you being too nosy?¡± A casual voice sounded, as if it was filled with displeasure. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with my princess consort being in my mansion?¡±


    Shen Miao smiled at Su Mingfeng and nodded. ¡°Young Master Su.¡±


    Su Mingfeng¡¯s gaze landed on Prince Rui, who had his back to him.


    He sat lazily, but his figure was surprisingly tall and slender. Under the faint light of the lantern, one could see the smooth patterns outlined by the golden thread on his collar.

 Chapter 819 - 819 Protection (2)

    819 Protection (2)


    ¡°Prince Rui,¡± Su Mingfeng said.


    Prince Rui did not speak. Su Mingfeng composed himself. With Shen Miao here, he was not afraid anymore. At the thought of this, he almost forgot that Shen Miao was now considered Princess Consort Rui. From the looks of it, Shen Miao and Prince Rui were on good terms. If Prince Rui really wanted to kill him, Shen Miao would not sit back and do nothing for the sake of Xie Jingxing back then.


    Although it was a little strange to think that way, Su Mingfeng still mustered his courage and asked, ¡°I came today to ask something.¡±


    ¡°Shoot.¡±


    !!


    The curter Prince Rui¡¯s reply was, the more uneasy Su Mingfeng was. He said, ¡°Your Highness is very similar to an old friend of mine, but that old friend has already disappeared for many years. If you don¡¯t mind¡­¡± He made up his mind and continued, ¡°Can you take off your mask and let me see you?¡±


    After saying that, Su Mingfeng lowered his head and waited for the reply uneasily.


    After a moment of silence, a voice sounded. It was still faint and pleasant to the ear, but every word sounded like it weighed more than a thousand pounds in Su Mingfeng¡¯s ears.


    Prince Rui asked, ¡°Is the old friend you¡¯re talking about Xie Jingxing?¡±


    Su Mingfeng¡¯s heart skipped a beat, and he was almost overjoyed. However, in the next moment, he forced himself to calm down. Prince Rui had been in Ming Qi for a few months. Xie Jingxing was quite a famous figure in Ming Qi. He and Xie Jingxing were childhood friends. Perhaps someone had told Prince Rui about this.


    He said, ¡°Yes!¡±


    ¡°Xie Jingxing is dead.¡± Prince Rui¡¯s voice was emotionless. ¡°You said he disappeared?¡±


    ¡°Everyone says that he died in battle on the northern border. I¡¯ve also seen his corpse with my own eyes.¡± Su Mingfeng smiled bitterly. ¡°But I don¡¯t want to believe it. I know that my request is abrupt and unreasonable, but¡­ there are always some things in this world that I have to do my best to accomplish.¡± Su Mingfeng did not hide anything from Prince Rui. He looked at Prince Rui and thought that he seemed to be an understanding person. Perhaps Prince Rui would be moved by his words and grant him his wish.


    The white tiger on the ground whimpered softly. Prince Rui stood up from the stone stool.


    He turned around, and half of his mask emitted a cold and dark light in the wind. Only then did Su Mingfeng realize that Prince Rui was actually half a head taller than him when he stood up.


    Xie Jingxing was also half a head taller than him.


    At that time, they were young men and liked to compete with each other. To make up for this small difference in height, Su Mingfeng used to eat an extra bowl of rice everyday, hoping to be taller than Xie Jingxing. At that time, Xie Jingxing was quite amused and said, ¡°Do you want to become the second Su Minglang?¡±


    Time flew in the blink of an eye.


    Shen Miao wanted to say something but hesitated. Prince Rui said, ¡°Do you want to see my face?¡±


    Su Mingfeng nodded.


    Prince Rui reached out to cover the silver mask and slowly took it off.


    His eyebrows were slanted, and his eyes were deep. There was still a lazy smile on his lips. His appearance had changed slightly, from a beautiful and mischievous young man to a mature and handsome young man.


    But it was still him.


    Xie Jingxing curled his lips and smiled, his tone frivolous. ¡°Are you dazzled by my handsome face?¡±


    Su Mingfeng suddenly felt a lump in his throat. He went forward and suddenly punched Xie Jingxing on the shoulder, just like they used to do. He cursed, ¡°You bastard, you¡¯re even hiding from me. Are we not sworn brothers?¡±

 Chapter 820 - 820 Protection (3)

    820 Protection (3)


    Shen Miao could not hide her surprise.


    She really did not expect Xie Jingxing to take off his mask so easily and admit his identity in front of Su Mingfeng, just like how he did in front of Princess Rong Xin.


    The more precious a relationship was, the less they should test it, because if the test result was not something you could bear, it would leave a deep and indelible scar in your heart.


    If it were Shen Miao herself, she might not be so honest. After all, she did not dare or have the courage to face the uncertainty.


    !!


    In this aspect, she was never as decisive as Xie Jingxing. He indeed knew what he wanted and did not want.


    ¡°How did you become Prince Rui?¡± Su Mingfeng patted his chest. ¡°Just now, I was thinking that if Prince Rui wanted to kill me, I would die here today.¡± He said, ¡°Now, I don¡¯t have to die.¡±


    His tone was filled with excitement.


    Xie Jingxing looked at him and said, ¡°After not seeing you for two years, you¡¯ve become more and more stupid.¡±


    Su Mingfeng waved his hand. ¡°I knew you weren¡¯t dead.¡± He sighed again. ¡°If not for the fact that Princess Rong Xin came to look for me that day and I saw the tiger head bracelet on Miss Shen¡¯s hand, I¡¯m afraid I would still be kept in the dark by you. Were you planning to hide it from me forever?¡± he said angrily.


    Xie Jingxing shrugged. ¡°Yes.¡±


    Su Mingfeng was often teased by Xie Jingxing in the past. Now, he was not particularly angry. He only said in confusion, ¡°It seems like Miss Shen already knows your identity.¡± He chuckled and looked at Shen Miao, saying meaningfully, ¡°Back then, I felt that something was going between you two. You¡¯ve been hiding it well.¡±


    Shen Miao was speechless.


    ¡°What exactly do you want to say?¡± Xie Jingxing said impatiently, ¡°I still have something to say to your sister-in-law.¡±


    Shen Miao and Su Mingfeng were shocked by the word ¡°sister-in-law¡± at the same time. Su Mingfeng glanced at Xie Jingxing and said, ¡°Since you¡¯re still alive, why didn¡¯t you tell me? Moreover, it seems like Princess Rong Xin has begun to suspect your identity. Why didn¡¯t you take the initiative to tell her? And your father¡­¡±


    ¡°Su Mingfeng.¡± Xie Jingxing interrupted him. ¡°I¡¯m Prince Rui of the Daliang Dynasty.¡±


    The courtyard fell silent.


    Shen Miao sighed in her heart. Sooner or later, this confrontation had to come.


    With Xie Jingxing¡¯s identity, no one in the capital would stand on his side. No matter who it was, when they realized the truth, they would only feel betrayed. No matter what difficulties Xie Jingxing had, no one cared.


    Princess Rong Xin doted on Xie Jingxing like her own son, but in the end, she couldn¡¯t help but be vigilant upon knowing the truth. Su Mingfeng was naturally overjoyed to see his old friend safe and sound, but after that short period of joy, it would slowly be replaced by vigilance.


    This was human nature.


    Su Mingfeng looked at Xie Jingxing in confusion and asked, ¡°What are you talking about? By the way, is becoming Prince Rui a temporary solution you used back then to escape death on the battlefield? Although the status of Prince Rui is high, it¡¯s not a permanent solution. You have to¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m Prince Rui of the Daliang Dynasty,¡± Xie Jingxing repeated.


    The room fell into silence again.

 Chapter 821 - 821 Protection (4)

    821 Protection (4)


    The wind swept up the fallen leaves in the courtyard. The white tiger had already curled up in the nest that had been built for it to rest. In the starless night, only the lantern emitted a weak light.


    Su Mingfeng asked hesitantly with shock on his face, ¡°What¡­ Do you mean?¡±


    ¡°My real identity is Prince Rui of the Daliang Dynasty, not the son of Xie Ding.¡± Xie Jingxing said indifferently, ¡°It¡¯s not a temporary solution.¡±


    ¡°Impossible!¡± Su Mingfeng blurted out, ¡°You and I have known each other for more than ten years and have been together since we were young. Why didn¡¯t I know that you¡¯re Prince Rui of the Daliang Dynasty?¡±


    !!


    ¡°The real heir of the Marquis of Lin¡¯an is already dead.¡± Xie Jingxing said, ¡°It¡¯s not me.¡±


    Su Mingfeng looked at Xie Jingxing in a daze. His mind was in a mess, and he did not know what was going on. He said, ¡°You mean that you weren¡¯t the son of the Marquis of Lin¡¯an from the beginning? You¡¯ve been living in the capital for a long time, but you¡¯re actually not from Ming Qi. You¡¯re from the Daliang Dynasty. You¡¯re Emperor Yong Le¡¯s brother. You¡¯re the prince of the Daliang Dynasty. How is that possible? This is impossible¡­¡±


    When he saw Xie Jingxing¡¯s expression clearly, he suddenly paused. Su Mingfeng knew Xie Jingxing well. When Xie Jingxing was talking about serious matters, when he did not like to repeat himself, and when he was impatient, he usually had this expression.


    What he said was true.


    Su Mingfeng couldn¡¯t describe what he was feeling at this moment. There seemed to be knots in his stomach. The joy he felt when he saw his old friend just now was gone. There was only disappointment and some anger.


    He asked, ¡°When did you know your identity?¡±


    ¡°From the time I can remember,¡± Xie Jingxing replied.


    Su Mingfeng took two steps back.


    ¡°From the time you can remember?¡± He asked, ¡°You knew long ago that you were from the Daliang Dynasty?¡±


    Xie Jingxing did not comment.


    Shen Miao sighed in her heart. Why did Xie Jingxing have to be so honest? In fact, the more he said that, the more Su Mingfeng would feel like he had been deceived. Sometimes, a white lie here and there would make things easier both for him and the others.


    However, Shen Miao thought to herself that if she was in his shoes, she would probably be as honest as Xie Jingxing.


    There was really no need to lie to a very close person.


    As Shen Miao expected, after hearing Xie Jingxing¡¯s answer, Su Mingfeng¡¯s expression became extremely complicated. After the initial surprise and shock, he gradually looked angry as if he had been betrayed. He sneered and asked, ¡°Oh, then why are you back now? Do you want to dismantle Ming Qi from within?¡±


    His words were so harsh that even Shen Miao couldn¡¯t help but be shocked. However, she knew that Su Mingfeng would definitely not be able to take so many secrets at once.


    ¡°So what if I am here to destroy Ming Qi?¡± Xie Jingxing did not go along with Su Mingfeng. Instead, he admitted it calmly.


    Shen Miao wanted to speak, but on second thought, she gave up on being a busybody.


    As expected, Su Mingfeng was even angrier. He shouted at Xie Jingxing, ¡°Today, I finally know what it feels to be betrayed! I thought that you were not close to the Marquis of Lin¡¯an since you were young because of Princess Yuqing¡¯s death. Now, it seems that you were the one who wanted to cut ties with him from the beginning! You¡¯re not the son of the Marquis of Lin¡¯an, but you enjoy all the wealth and comfort provided by the Marquis. Even the two illegitimate sons didn¡¯t live as comfortably as you. You keep saying that Princess Rong Xin is your family, but you lied to her and made her suffer the pain of losing you. I¡¯m afraid there¡¯s also an ulterior motive why you became friends with me in the first place.¡±

 Chapter 822 - 822 Protection (5)

    822 Protection (5)


    ¡°You don¡¯t like Ming Qi, but that¡¯s where you were raised after all. You enjoyed everything Ming Qi gave you, but later on, you abandoned everything and everyone in Ming Qi for the title of Prince Rui. Xie Jingxing, you¡¯re heartless. You¡¯re a villain! You¡¯re not worthy of being a citizen, a son, or a brother! Get lost and go back to Daliang!¡±


    ¡°Enough!¡± Shen Miao suddenly stood up and interrupted Su Mingfeng.


    Su Mingfeng¡¯s words were too hurtful.


    She turned to look at Xie Jingxing. There was no mask on his face. He was not angry or smiling. He just looked at Su Mingfeng calmly, as if the person Su Mingfeng was talking about was not him, or¡­ he did not care about what Su Mingfeng said at all.


    !!


    Shen Miao¡¯s heart skipped a beat.


    She looked at Su Mingfeng with a mocking smile and said, ¡°Oh? Young Master Su, you talk so righteously and you can¡¯t wait to claim the moral high ground. Unfortunately, in my opinion, you¡¯re the same.¡±


    Xie Jingxing was stunned.


    Su Mingfeng was also angry with Shen Miao and said, ¡°What did you say?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m saying you are also an ingrate.¡± In her previous life, when Shen Miao fought with Consort Mei in the harem, her arguing ability was honed. When it came to mocking people, she could be considered skillful.


    She smiled, looking dignified and steady. The more she was like that, the more it accentuated Su Mingfeng¡¯s rudeness. Her voice was gentle, like the wind and rain, but every word she said was merciless.


    ¡°Before you criticize others, you¡¯d better ask yourself first. Young Master Su, you think that Prince Rui is an ingrate and that he is using you. Let me ask you, how much has Xie Jingxing helped you since you were young?¡±


    ¡°After you became an official, you didn¡¯t know how to socialize. It was Xie Jingxing who helped you get to know more people. You wanted to learn martial arts, and it was Xie Jingxing who hired a martial arts master for you. The emperor wanted to suppress the Earl of Pingnan. He was the one who reminded you to be careful and persuaded the Earl of Pingnan to lay low. If not for that, do you think the Earl of Pingnan could still exist in Ming Qi? I¡¯m afraid you¡¯d all be six feet under.¡±


    ¡°You said that Xie Jingxing has ulterior motives for befriending you. Ever since you were young, you were weak, but no one in school dared to bully you. Why do you think that was the case? Because you were the son of the Earl of Pingnan or because you had a friend whom no one dared to provoke? The logic is simple. Young Master Su, forgive me for being rude. Ever since you were young, how many times has Xie Jingxing helped your family and paved the way for you? If this is what you mean by being used, I also hope that someone can use me. Young Master Su, don¡¯t you think so?¡±


    She smiled, but her words were like raindrops hitting on the leaves. ¡°You received the benefits, and yet you turn your back on your benefactor and call him an ingrate. If you are not an ingrate, then who is? Young Master Su, can I also say that you¡¯re heartless and unworthy of being someone¡¯s brother? Don¡¯t you feel guilty to enjoy everything given to you by the person you accuse?¡±


    Su Mingfeng was not someone who would argue with women. Moreover, although Shen Miao¡¯s words were filled with mockery, she was telling the truth, making his face turn purple-red. In his extreme anger, as Shen Miao spoke, scenes from back then appeared in his mind.

 Chapter 823 - 823 Protection (6)

    823 Protection (6)


    In all fairness, Xie Jingxing treated him very well. If not, Su Mingfeng would not have remembered him for so many years. Xie Jingxing was arrogant, rude, impudent, mischievous, and did whatever he wanted. There was almost nothing that could restrain him. Xie Jingxing would always help Su Mingfeng. For example, when someone bullied Su Mingfeng, Xie Jingxing would bring people to beat them up. Even if that person was a child of the royal family, he would still beat him up. Finally, no one dared to bully Su Mingfeng.


    However, although Xie Jingxing did a lot of things, he never took credit or even mentioned it. As time passed, people remembered his bad side, but his good side was gradually forgotten.


    After Shen Miao finished speaking, she felt extremely gratified. For some reason, when she saw Su Mingfeng criticizing Xie Jingxing, she felt that the scene was very jarring. After saying that, although she was a little embarrassed, she did not regret it.


    Did Xie Jingxing have any intention of making use of Su Mingfeng? Shen Miao thought that he definitely didn¡¯t. In her previous life, the Su family was executed by Emperor Wen Hui. No one collected Su Yu and his son¡¯s corpses. Everyone was afraid of offending Emperor Wen Hui, but only Xie Jingxing went to collect their corpses and buried them.


    A real hero, loyal to friends, and true to himself were the comments Fu Ming gave to Xie Jingxing. Children were the most unbiased. Shen Miao thought that what Fu Ming said was true.


    If such a person was still called ¡°not worthy of being a brother¡± by Su Mingfeng, Shen Miao would feel sad for Xie Jingxing. The title of Prince Rui looked glorious, but in fact, what came with it was not something everyone could withstand.


    However, she did not notice that while she was speaking, after being slightly surprised, Xie Jingxing¡¯s gaze landed on her with a happy smile.


    Su Mingfeng looked at Xie Jingxing and was lost for words.


    He felt complicated and sad. It was supposed to be a happy thing that his good friend was still alive, but for some reason, he couldn¡¯t bring himself to feel happy at all.


    Xie Jingxing glanced at him and said, ¡°I don¡¯t owe you anything.¡±


    ¡°Even if I owed you something, I¡¯ve paid it off all long ago.¡± Xie Jingxing continued, ¡°The Earl of Pingnan is big and influential and is the target of the emperor. The Marquis of Lin¡¯an has tens of millions of soldiers under him. If I showed ambitions of inheriting military power from the Marquis of Lin¡¯an, the emperor would be paranoid and no one could live.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it worth it to estrange the Marquis of Lin¡¯an for everyone¡¯s safety?¡± Xie Jingxing asked with a smile.


    Su Mingfeng couldn¡¯t retort.


    ¡°If I didn¡¯t do this, Xie Ding would have been gotten rid of by the emperor, and everyone in the Xie family would have been implicated and either executed or exiled. Now, although the son of the Marquis of Lin¡¯an is dead, at least the emperor let Xie Ding off and everyone can still live.¡± Xie Jingxing smiled mockingly. ¡°In name, Princess Yuqing is my mother. For this little bit of relationship, the only thing I can do is to protect the dignity of the Marquis of Lin¡¯an.¡±


    Shen Miao looked at Xie Jingxing¡¯s handsome side profile. He said it casually, as if all of this was not important at all. However, in the past few years, he could only keep these words to himself.


    Xie Jingxing was an honest person, but he was also the most dishonest person. He told the truth honestly, but what he was not honest about was his heart. He did not mention the grievances he had suffered, nor did he speak out his worries. Therefore, in everyone¡¯s eyes, he was playful and cynical. There seemed to be nothing in the world that could stump him. However, in order to protect the dignity of the marquis, he was willing to bear the accusation of an disobedient and unfilial son.


    Su Mingfeng was stunned.


    ¡°My life in Daliang is not as glorious and simple as you think.¡± He looked at the ice on the tree and said casually, ¡°If it were you, you would come back crying to look for your mother in less than a day.¡±


    Su Mingfeng was so infuriated by this that he choked.


    ¡°There¡¯s no such thing as free lunch in the world. You have to fight for what you want. Su Mingfeng, your life is comfortable. You can¡¯t judge me while living such a comfortable life. I¡¯ve experienced more than you can imagine.¡±


    He sighed softly, but there was still a smile on his face. His eyes were slightly curved, and his eyelashes were lowered. From this angle, his eyebrows were gentle, and he was as beautiful as if he had walked out of a painting. However, there was no smile in his eyes.


    His eyes were as cold as the winter wind.


    ¡°Most importantly, Ming Qi didn¡¯t nurture me. Instead Ming Qi killed me,¡± he said.

 Chapter 824 - 824 Visit (1)

    824 Visit (1)


    Su Mingfeng staggered away. When he left, he seemed to have suffered a huge blow and was battered out of his senses.


    Shen Miao wanted to say a few words to Xie Jingxing, but Xie Jingxing returned to his usual casual self and urged her to return home to rest early. Shen Miao had no choice but to do as he said.


    A person like Xie Jingxing probably did not like to expose his weakness to others, so in the eyes of outsiders, he was still powerful and omnipotent.


    However, Shen Miao could tell something from his words ¡°Most importantly, Ming Qi didn¡¯t nurture me. Ming Qi killed me¡±.


    When she returned home, Shen Miao was still thinking about this. What did Xie Jingxing mean when he said Ming Qi almost killed him? What appeared in Shen Miao¡¯s mind was what happened in her previous life.


    In her previous life, the Marquis of Lin¡¯an fell in the end. Xie Ding and Xie Jingxing both died in battle, and only Xie Changchao and Xie Changwu were left and were promoted. Now, in this life, although the Xie family¡¯s three sons were gone, at least Xie Ding was still around. As long as Xie Ding was around, the Marquis of Lin¡¯an would not fall. If Xie Ding wanted to remarry, it was possible for him to have another son at this age. Although his life was miserable as of now, it was still much better than death.


    What was different about this life from her previous life? The changes seemed to have emerged two years ago. In her previous life, Xie Jingxing did not go to the northern border two years ago, but rather a few years later. The advancement of the event seemed to have caused some changes. Then what exactly caused Xie Jingxing to make this decision?


    Was it because of her? Shen Miao pondered. But what did Ming Qi have to do with it?


    In her previous life, when Shen Miao found out about the death of the Xie family, she sighed deeply. She had once wondered if the royal family was involved in it, but she was unwilling to investigate further. The Xie father and son had always been loyal to Ming Qi. If they were killed just because the royal family was wary of them, then the royal family was too heartless.


    At this moment, this guess appeared in her mind again.


    What if getting rid of the Xie father and son in battle had always been the plan of the royal family from the beginning? Because Xie Jingxing took the initiative to go to war in advance, this ¡°plan¡± was brought forward.


    The royal family set up a trap for Xie Jingxing that caused him to ¡°die in battle. However, at this moment, Xie Ding was still alive. Not only that, but Xie Ding also had two sons. The royal family¡¯s ambition to deal with the Marquis of Lin¡¯an did not disappear. Fortunately, after Xie Jingxing died, Xie Ding could not recover from the setback. Therefore, there was no hurry for the royal family to execute the plan to eradicate the Marquis of Lin¡¯an.


    Two years later, the two illegitimate sons of the Xie family died in an accident. From then on, Xie Ding had no chance of making a comeback, so it was fine to keep him alive. The royal family changed their previous plan and even took the initiative to comfort him to show that the royal family was benevolent and sympathetic to their officials.


    If Xie Jingxing had already predicted everything that would happen in the future, then going to war two years ago was not an impulsive decision. Just like what he told Su Mingfeng, this was the only way to protect the Marquis of Lin¡¯an.


    However, these were all just Shen Miao¡¯s thoughts. No one knew the truth. She thought that she would find a chance to ask Xie Jingxing. In her previous life, she did not want to delve into it, but in this life, she was really curious.

 Chapter 825 - 825 Visit (2)

    825 Visit (2)


    That night, Shen Miao was deep in thought. Su Mingfeng was racking his brain to sort out what had happened, while there were others who couldn¡¯t fall asleep.


    Prince Ding¡¯s mansion was bright all night.


    Fu Xiuyi sat at the head of the table and looked at the person who came to report. He slowly asked, ¡°Su Mingfeng went to Prince Rui¡¯s mansion?¡±


    The person said, ¡°That¡¯s right. After coming out, he seemed to be dumbfounded and was in a daze.¡±


    Fu Xiuyi waved his hand and his subordinate left. The aide beside him went forward and asked, ¡°Could it be that the heir of the Earl of Pingnan is working with Prince Rui?¡±


    ¡°Su Mingfeng is no longer an official. If Prince Rui really wanted to find someone to work with, he wouldn¡¯t find Su Mingfeng.¡± Fu Xiuyi¡¯s gaze turned cold. ¡°The Su family was an excellent chess piece. If not for the fact that Su Mingfeng suddenly fell seriously ill and the Su family gradually left the bureaucracy, this wouldn¡¯t have happened. However,¡± he said, ¡°the Su family was lucky to have escaped a calamity.¡±


    The aide said, ¡°Speaking of which, the illness he was suffering from was really strange. Because Su Mingfeng was sick, the Earl of Pingnan actually resigned. Now, he¡¯s gradually retired and there¡¯s almost no news about him in the capital.¡±


    Fu Xiuyi smiled. ¡°Do you really think Su Mingfeng is sick?¡±


    ¡°Your Highness, please enlighten me.¡±


    ¡°Su Mingfeng and Xie Jingxing of the Marquis of Lin¡¯an are good friends.¡± Fu Xiuyi said, ¡°It¡¯s strange that the Su family suddenly quit their official career, especially Su Mingfeng. At that time, he was on the rise, but he suddenly fell seriously ill and resigned. It was said that he would not have more than two years to live. Look, two years have passed, but isn¡¯t Su Mingfeng still alive and well? The Earl of Pingnan is clearly trying to protect themselves by walking away from the imperial court. I think they were reminded to do so by someone. The Earl of Pingnan and the Marquis of Lin¡¯an have always been on good terms. Apart from Xie Jingxing, I can¡¯t think of anyone else who would give Su Mingfeng this idea.¡±


    ¡°But.¡± The aide asked in confusion, ¡°Why is it Xie Jingxing who reminded them and not Xie Ding?¡±


    ¡°Xie Ding can¡¯t even protect himself.¡± Fu Xiuyi took a sip of tea. ¡°Xie Ding is arrogant and presumptuous. Relying on his outstanding military achievements, he has been impudent in front of my father. My father has long wanted to get rid of him. If Xie Ding was smarter, he would restrain himself. But look, in the capital, he has never restrained himself. On the other hand, this Xie Jingxing.¡± Fu Xiuyi narrowed his eyes. ¡°He¡¯s not to be underestimated.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t Xie Jingxing also impudent?¡± The aide said, ¡°Everyone in the capital knows that Young Marquis Xie is a mischievous and wild person.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right, but don¡¯t forget one thing,¡± Fu Xiuyi replied. ¡°From the beginning to the end, he didn¡¯t become an official.¡±


    ¡°Everyone says that Xie Jingxing didn¡¯t become an official because he was deliberately disobeying Xie Ding to anger him. I don¡¯t think so. At the Chrysanthemum Banquet, Xie Jingxing dealt with his two half-brothers alone. The martial arts he displayed were admirable. He had peerless talent, but he didn¡¯t want to show it. He was hiding his talent.¡±


    ¡°Xie Jingxing is the most terrifying person in the Xie family. Therefore, the person who reminded the Su family was not Xie Ding, but Xie Jingxing. Only Xie Jingxing could do it.¡±


    The aide looked at Fu Xiuyi. ¡°Your Highness, don¡¯t you think too highly of Xie Jingxing? Even if he reminded the Su family, it doesn¡¯t prove anything¡­¡±


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t prove anything?¡± Fu Xiuyi looked at him and asked, ¡°Then how about the Xie army?¡±


    ¡°The Xie army?¡± The aide was puzzled. Then, he thought of something and looked at Fu Xiuyi in shock. ¡°Your Highness, you mean¡­¡±

 Chapter 826 - 826 Visit (3)

    826 Visit (3)


    ¡°In short, the most terrifying person in the Xie family is not Xie Ding, but Xie Jingxing.¡± Fu Xiuyi said, ¡°This person is ambitious and smart enough at a young age. If he was given a certain amount of power, I¡¯m afraid the capital would be peaceful. With him around, the Xie family will be indestructible.¡±


    ¡°Fortunately, Xie Jingxing is already dead.¡± After hearing Fu Xiuyi¡¯s words, the aide heaved a sigh of relief with lingering fears. ¡°The current Marquis of Lin¡¯an won¡¯t be able to do anything.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Fu Xiuyi said, ¡°Towards dangerous enemies, we have to kill them before they grow stronger. However,¡± he changed the topic, ¡°what I¡¯m curious about now is why Su Mingfeng is with Prince Rui.¡±


    ¡°Not only that.¡± The aide continued, ¡°Princess Rong Xin also seems to be investigating Prince Rui. Su Mingfeng even sent people to spy on the Shen mansion, and so did Princess Rong Xin.¡±


    !!


    ¡°Su Mingfeng, Prince Rui, Princess Rong Xin, and Shen Miao.¡± Fu Xiuyi said, ¡°These people must be connected in some way, especially Shen Miao and Prince Rui. I know my father very well. He won¡¯t give up anything he has set his mind on. The Shen army is already his. He will definitely not let outsiders take it. Why would he give Shen Miao to Prince Rui for no reason? No matter how you look at it, it¡¯s not a good deal.¡±


    ¡°Your Highness, you mean¡­¡± The aide pondered.


    ¡°Prince Rui must have taken the initiative to propose this marriage. Not only that, but he must have used some method to force my father to agree.¡± Fu Xiuyi suddenly smiled strangely. ¡°Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s strange? Previously, I suspected that Prince Rui and Shen Miao seemed to have an unusual relationship, but I also felt that Prince Rui is not someone who will take a risk for a woman. But now it seems that I was wrong.¡±


    ¡°Nothing happens for no reason in this world. Su Mingfeng and Princess Rong Xin have never left the capital in their lives, so it¡¯s impossible for them to know Prince Rui. However, their attitude towards Prince Rui is quite abnormal. Also, Prince Rui and Shen Miao have only met a few times. Why would he go to such an extent for her? Could it be that Prince Rui has been to Ming Qi in the past?¡±


    The aide was shocked. ¡°Your Highness, do you mean that Prince Rui has been to the capital in the past and has seen them and even been friends with them?¡±


    ¡°Of course not openly.¡± Fu Xiuyi smiled and said, ¡°Maybe we were all deceived from the beginning. Or rather, Prince Rui lived in the capital of Ming Qi with another identity. Otherwise, why would he wear a mask this time? I heard that everyone in the Daliang Dynasty¡¯s royal family is shockingly handsome. Why doesn¡¯t Prince Rui dare to show his face?¡±


    ¡°I think he¡¯s afraid that we¡¯ll recognize his face.¡±


    The aide was silent, as if he was so shocked by this news that he didn¡¯t know what to say.


    Fu Xiuyi smiled again. ¡°But these are just my guesses. I can¡¯t be sure now. It¡¯s fine. I¡¯ve already sent people to continue spying. It¡¯s just that now, I¡¯m looking forward to Prince Rui¡¯s secret even more.¡± He paused for a moment and suddenly thought of something. He asked, ¡°How is Pei Lang now?¡±


    The aide thought for a moment and said, ¡°He¡¯s still unwilling to speak.¡±


    Fu Xiuyi smiled. ¡°Continue. Just make sure he doesn¡¯t die.¡± He continued, ¡°These people the Shen family found are all really tough. I¡¯m envious.¡±

 Chapter 827 - 827 Visit (4)

    827 Visit (4)


    The aide felt a chill run down his spine, but he did not dare to say anything and left respectfully.


    ¡­


    A few days passed.


    The Shen family finally accepted the fact that Shen Miao was about to marry Prince Rui. Although Shen Xin and Luo Xueyan actually did not agree with Shen Miao marrying Prince Rui, if they did not prepare the dowry well, others would think that they did not take Shen Miao seriously.


    !!


    Shen Xin did not want people to look down on his daughter. However, the list of betrothal gifts sent by Prince Rui was really shocking, so how to prepare the dowry became a problem.


    Shen Xin and Luo Xueyan were both generals. In the early years, they had outstanding military achievements and received a lot of rewards. The two of them were not in the capital all year round, so apart from giving a portion to Old Madam Shen, these rewards were almost untouched.


    However, in the two years in Spring City, they invested a lot of money into the Luo army, and the Shen family wasn¡¯t as well-off as before.


    Previously, Shen Qiu thought that Prince Rui was bragging because this betrothal gift list was enough for officials to marry ten wives. However, the next day, Tie Yi sent two golden geese at Prince Rui¡¯s instruction, which shocked Shen Qiu so much that he almost staggered.


    That was something that even the empress would find precious¡­


    From then on, everyone believed that the Daliang Dynasty was really rich and Prince Rui was really generous. This betrothal gift was not a joke.


    Shen Qiu took the initiative to give the money he saved up for his marriage to Shen Miao and said, ¡°How can we let Sister¡¯s dowry be less than half of the betrothal given by Prince Rui? If she goes to the Daliang Dynasty, won¡¯t she be looked down upon? My sister has to have the best of everything. I still have some antiques and paintings that I can pawn. Although we¡¯re poor, we can¡¯t lose face!¡±


    Shen Xin agreed.


    Shen Miao was speechless.


    The Shen family was one of the richest families in the capital. Why did Shen Qiu say that they were poor and wanted to sell the antiques in the house to gather the dowry?


    If word got out, they would be made laughing stock.


    Because it was the end of the year, the atmosphere in the capital was much more relaxed. Shen Miao¡¯s marriage was granted by Emperor Wen Hui. Perhaps knowing that the Shen family was very unhappy with this marriage, Emperor Wen Hui specially granted Shen Xin and Luo Xueyan a period of leave and asked them to accompany Shen Miao until Shen Miao¡¯s marriage was over.


    Even without the permission of the emperor, Shen Xin and Luo Xueyan would still focus all their attention on Shen Miao. Shen Qiu and Luo Ling were not busy in the military at the end of the year. Over the past few days, they had been going out to buy new year goods with Luo Xueyan or helping Shen Miao.


    The family was chatting in the hall. The chef had made new snacks, and the stove was burning brightly. Luo Tan smiled and looked at Shen Miao. ¡°Cousin, you¡¯re going to get married soon. Tomorrow, I¡¯ll get the embroiderer to come over to measure your figure and make one for you.¡±

 Chapter 828 - 828 Visit (5)

    828 Visit (5)


    When girls got married in Ming Qi, they had to embroider the wedding dress themselves. Generally speaking, the ones who were engaged at an early age would start embroidering for themselves a few years before the wedding. The ones who were engaged late would get the embroiderer to make the wedding dress.


    If Shen Miao started embroidering a wedding dress for herself now, it would definitely be too late.


    Luo Xueyan patted her head and said in frustration, ¡°I¡¯ve been so busy these days that I almost forgot about this. Tan is right. We have to start preparing Jiaojiao¡¯s wedding dress. I¡¯m not familiar with the embroiderers in the capital. Later, I¡¯ll ask my friend. She knows where to buy the best clothes and jewelry. We can¡¯t be careless with Jiaojiao¡¯s wedding dress.¡± With that, she sized up Shen Miao and smiled. ¡°Jiaojiao has a slender figure. She¡¯ll look good in the wedding dress.¡±


    When Shen Miao heard this, the thought of Xie Jingxing pulling her into his arms and saying ¡°I¡¯ll know after a hug¡± that day appeared in her mind. She couldn¡¯t help but feel her face burn.


    Shen Qiu asked, ¡°Sister, why is your face so red? Do you want me to call a doctor?¡±


    Luo Ling¡¯s eyes darkened. He lowered his head and did not speak.


    Luo Tan was smiling and talking to Luo Xueyan about what festive patterns to embroider on the wedding dress when she saw the servant outside rush in and say, ¡°Madam, Master, someone wants to see you.¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you that I won¡¯t be seeing guests for the next few days?¡± Shen Xin said unhappily. He wanted to spend as much time as he had with his daughter, so he didn¡¯t want to entertain any guests.


    The servant said nervously, ¡°It¡¯s¡­ it¡¯s Prince Rui.¡±


    Luo Tan widened her eyes. Shen Qiu stood up and asked with a murderous gaze, ¡°What is he doing here?¡±


    The servant said, ¡°This¡­ I didn¡¯t ask¡­¡±


    Before the servant could finish, they heard a low and pleasant voice.


    ¡°I¡¯m here to deliver the wedding dress.¡±


    A tall figure walked out from behind the servant, his purple robe swaying.


    The silver mask emitted cold light, making him look unfathomable. Even if one could not see his face, from the outline of his face, they could tell he must be handsome. He was elegant and noble, so dazzling that people couldn¡¯t ignore him.


    He said, ¡°I¡¯m Prince Rui.¡±


    Shen Qiu almost drew his sword. He slammed the table, causing the snacks and plates on the table to tremble. He asked, ¡°You are Prince Rui?¡±


    Prince Rui nodded.


    ¡°Why do you want to marry my sister? What are you up to?¡± Shen Qiu shouted.


    Luo Tan¡¯s jaw almost dropped. Shen Qiu was really too hostile to Prince Rui. Even if he was displeased with Prince Rui, wouldn¡¯t it be too offensive to question him like that?


    ¡°Jiaojiao is gentle, sensible, dignified, and generous. I¡¯ve admired her for a long time and wanted to marry her. Fortunately, the emperor is kind enough to grant me this marriage and it would be too rude of me to turn it down,¡± he said slowly with a smile.

 Chapter 829 - 829 Visit (6)

    829 Visit (6)


    Shen Miao couldn¡¯t help but shudder. She was really not used to Xie Jingxing speaking in such a refined manner. When they were not familiar with each other at first, every time Xie Jingxing saw her, he was testing her, looking at her coldly, mocking her¡­


    Shen Xin and Shen Qiu immediately flew into a rage. On the surface, Prince Rui was praising Shen Miao and saying that he admired her, but the more he spoke, the less it seemed to be the case. Others did not know, but they knew very well that Prince Rui was the one who forced Emperor Wen Hui to issue the imperial edict.


    Shen Qiu and Shen Xin were like two firecrackers that were about to explode.


    Luo Xueyan¡¯s gaze softened.


    Instead of calling Shen Miao ¡°Fifth Miss Shen¡±, Prince Rui used ¡°Jiaojiao¡±. If his goal was just to get the power of the Shen family, Prince Rui had already gotten what he wanted. He didn¡¯t need to go to such an extent to express his goodwill. No matter if he was sincere or not, Luo Xueyan was happy that he would put in the effort. Back then when Shen Miao was in love with Fu Xiuyi, Fu Xiuyi didn¡¯t refuse or accept Shen Miao. Instead, he played hard to get and didn¡¯t do anything to make Shen Miao happy. Therefore, the reason why the Shen family did not want Shen Miao and Fu Xiuyi to be together was not only because Fu Xiuyi¡¯s identity would drag Shen Miao down, but also because Fu Xiuyi was a complete scumbag.


    If a man loved someone, he would be willing to spend time and effort on her. If the man was unwilling to put in the effort, how could you expect him to do anything after marriage?


    Luo Xueyan sized up Prince Rui. Prince Rui was a much more considerate man than she had thought. Moreover, in terms of appearance and temperament, it was really difficult for people to dislike Prince Rui.


    Compared to Fu Xiuyi, who always put on the airs of a prince, Luo Xueyan hoped that the husband Shen Miao married would not treat her with a condescending attitude.


    She said, ¡°Prince Rui¡­¡±


    ¡°My name is Xie Yuan.¡± Prince Rui said, ¡°Madam, you can call me by my pet name, Jingxing.¡±


    Shen Miao almost choked on her tea.


    Luo Xueyan was a little surprised. The royal family valued etiquettes the most. Even princes had to pay attention to all kinds of etiquettes when interacting with each other. In Ming Qi, the people of the Daliang Dynasty were considered very noble guests, especially since Prince Rui was Emperor Yong Le¡¯s brother. Luo Xueyan did not expect Prince Rui to want her to call him by his pet name.


    Only people who were on very good terms with each other would call each other by their pet name.


    Luo Xueyan¡¯s gaze on Prince Rui softened even more. She said, ¡°Jingxing, take a seat first.¡± Then, she instructed Jingzhe, ¡°Serve the tea.¡±


    Shen Qiu and Shen Xin immediately looked at Luo Xueyan in shock, not understanding why Luo Xueyan would treat Prince Rui so well.


    ¡°Jingxing.¡± Luo Tan suddenly said, ¡°Isn¡¯t that also the name of the young Marquis of Lin¡¯an?¡±


    Shen Miao held her teacup, feeling a little helpless.


    Xie Jingxing was really bold! He actually dared to mention his pet name here. Did he think that since Su Mingfeng and Princess Ming An already knew his true identity, it was better for more people to know? Anything related to his identity might arouse suspicion. Not only did Xie Jingxing not avoid suspicion, but he also caused it.


    Even though she was drinking tea, Shen Miao still felt that she was about to get drunk.


    Shen Qiu was already very unhappy that Luo Xueyan asked Prince Rui to take a seat and asked the servants to serve tea. Hearing Luo Tan¡¯s words, he said, ¡°That¡¯s right. Prince Rui must not know who the young Marquis of Lin¡¯an is, right?¡±


    Prince Rui turned to look at him. ¡°Oh? Who is that?¡±


    ¡°His name is also Xie Jingxing. He¡¯s the eldest son of the Marquis of Lin¡¯an. Everyone says that the Xie family is a military family that¡¯s as famous as our Shen family! Xie Jingxing is the Young Marquis of the Xie family. He¡¯s a rare young talent. Back then, he could defeat several people with a single move. Not to mention his literary and martial arts skills, he even had an incomparably handsome face. He¡¯s considered a young man respected by everyone in Ming Qi. Everyone who knows him will praise him!¡± Shen Qiu sighed. ¡°Unfortunately, the heavens are jealous of talents and he died on the battlefield in the northern border long ago.¡± He changed the topic and looked at Prince Rui provocatively. ¡°I wonder how Prince Rui feels about having the same name as such a person. That person is peerless in literature, martial arts, and appearance. What are your chances of winning?¡±


    Shen Miao was speechless.


    ¡°From what Young General Shen said, you seem to admire Young Marquis Xie a lot?¡± Prince Rui asked slowly.


    ¡°Of course!¡± Shen Qiu said impassionedly, ignoring the looks Luo Xueyan gave him. Instead, he saw Shen Xin giving him an encouraging nod and continued, ¡°He¡¯s the hero in my heart. No one can replace him!¡±


    Shen Miao held her forehead.


    If possible, she really wanted to pretend not to know Shen Qiu.


    At this moment, Xie Jingxing must be extremely satisfied.

 Chapter 830 - 830 Wedding Dress (1)

    830 Wedding Dress (1)


    Shen Qiu praised Xie Jingxing unreservedly in front of Prince Rui. Ordinary people would be happy after being compared to someone like that. Prince Rui was wearing a mask, so no one could see his expression. However, everyone could clearly see that the corners of his mouth were slightly curled up, and his voice was very gentle and polite. Most importantly, there was actually a hint of joy in Prince Rui¡¯s eyes.


    Joy?


    Shen Qiu was already tired from praising. Not only did he not see Prince Rui look embarrassed, but he even seemed to agree. Prince Rui said, ¡°In that case, it¡¯s indeed a pity.¡±


    Shen Qiu was very dejected, but he became more and more wary of Prince Rui.


    Luo Xueyan was very satisfied. After all, she was not as childish as Shen Qiu, nor was she as picky as Shen Xin. Prince Rui was not angered by Shen Qiu¡¯s provocative nonsense. People always had a preconceived judgment of whether a person was good or bad. However, after spending some time with Prince Rui, Luo Xueyan felt that Prince Rui was not bad.


    In Luo Xueyan¡¯s heart, Prince Rui was more mature than Su Mingfeng, more honest than the crown prince, and more generous than Feng Zixian.


    Not only was Luo Xueyan satisfied with Prince Rui, but Luo Tan was also very satisfied with her cousin-in-law. She asked Prince Rui many things about the Daliang Dynasty. At the tribute banquet, Prince Rui did not have much patience with Emperor Wen Hui. He could leave and stay whenever he wanted, but he would answer Luo Tan¡¯s questions patiently. Previously, Luo Tan had been grateful that Prince Rui saved Shen Miao¡¯s life. Now, the more she looked at him, the more she felt that only Prince Rui was worthy of Shen Miao. She said, ¡°I think Cousin-in-law and Cousin are extremely compatible. With Cousin¡¯s personality, only someone like Prince Rui can handle her.¡±


    As soon as she said ¡°Cousin-in-law¡±, the room fell silent. Prince Rui was a member of the royal family after all. Compared to him, Luo Tan¡¯s status was nothing. Luo Tan was carefree by nature and did not notice what she said at all. Luo Xueyan and Shen Xin subconsciously looked at Prince Rui to see his reaction.


    Prince Rui smiled and said, ¡°Thank you for your kind words, Cousin.¡±


    Cousin¡­


    Shen Qiu said angrily, ¡°Who¡¯s your cousin? Mind your language!¡±


    ¡°Brother Qiu, why are you shouting like that?¡± Luo Tan glared at him and said with a smile, ¡°Well, it¡¯s strange for you to call me Cousin now. Just call me Tan.¡±


    Shen Qiu stared at Prince Rui angrily. This person relied on his good-looking face and identity to attract women everywhere. Luo Xueyan and Luo Tan fell into his trap. How despicable!


    Luo Ling looked at the scene in front of him and found it a little funny. However, as he smiled, he thought of something and stopped smiling. Instead, he looked at Shen Miao with a bitter expression.


    Shen Miao was thinking about what Luo Tan said just now and was in disbelief. What kind of wrong impression did Luo Tan have of Xie Jingxing that she actually felt that he was a good person? If Luo Tan saw Xie Jingxing kill people without batting an eyelid, she would probably not be so enthusiastic.


    Seeing that Luo Xueyan and Prince Rui were getting closer and closer as they chatted, Shen Xin didn¡¯t feel good. He deliberately cleared his throat and forcefully interrupted their conversation. He asked Prince Rui dryly, ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that you were here to deliver the wedding dress? Why? Is the tea in my family so good that you forgot about the dress?¡±

 Chapter 831 - 831 Wedding Dress (2)

    831 Wedding Dress (2)


    Hearing that, Luo Xueyan glared at Shen Xin and turned to Prince Rui. She said in a gentle tone that Shen Xin hadn¡¯t heard in decades, ¡°Jingxing, did you specially come over to give Jiaojiao a wedding dress today?¡±


    ¡°The imperial edict came in a hurry. I don¡¯t think Jiaojiao has time to embroider the wedding dress herself. When I came to Ming Qi, my brother asked me to bring the best embroiderer in the Daliang Dynasty. If I meet a girl I like, when I marry her, I have to give her the best wedding dress in the world.¡± He smiled faintly, and his eyes became as gentle as spring. ¡°The wedding dress has been embroidered for three months and is now ready. Now, I¡¯ll bring it over for you to see.¡±


    Three months? Shen Miao was stunned. She suddenly remembered that a few days ago, Xie Jingxing hugged her and said that he wanted to measure her figure. However, since the wedding dress had been embroidered for three months, he probably already knew her size at that time. Why did he have to hug her then? As expected, he was spouting nonsense again, but she believed him and was taken advantage of! At the thought of this, Shen Miao glared at him angrily. Xie Jingxing smiled.


    Luo Xueyan saw their secret interaction and was more and more happy. She couldn¡¯t change this marriage even if she wanted to, so she could only comfort herself in different ways. Unexpectedly, when she saw Prince Rui today, she felt that he was not a bad person, so she felt much more relieved. Her daughter had a mature personality unbefitting a girl her age. However, in front of Prince Rui, she behaved like a naughty young girl, and Prince Rui doted on her. Perhaps this marriage was destined by the heavens.


    In Luo Xueyan¡¯s heart, Prince Rui was at least a thousand times better than Fu Xiuyi.


    Just as she was thinking, Shen Qiu shouted from the side, ¡°Three months? The imperial edict was issued not long ago. You¡¯re obviously lying. Don¡¯t tell me you already knew that you were going to marry my sister three months ago. Also, how did you know my sister¡¯s size? No matter how gorgeous the wedding dress is, if it doesn¡¯t fit her, she won¡¯t wear it!¡±


    Shen Miao also looked at Xie Jingxing. She also wanted to hear how Xie Jingxing would deal with Shen Qiu¡¯s question.


    Xie Jingxing replied in an experienced manner, ¡°I happened to see Jiaojiao on the street three months ago. At that time, I caught a glimpse of her and made up my mind to marry no one but Jiaojiao. My brother only asked me to give the wedding dress to the girl I love, but he didn¡¯t say that I could only give it to her after I married her. Fortunately, in the end, I was able to marry her.¡± At the end of his sentence, his voice was extremely happy. He glanced at Shen Qiu provocatively.


    Shen Qiu was clearly not as eloquent as Xie Jingxing.


    ¡°As for the size¡­¡± Xie Jingxing smiled.¡± If I want to find it, I can always find it.¡±


    He gave Tie Yi a signal. Tie Yi jogged out. Soon, he ran in with a huge box and placed it on the table.


    The box was made of incense wood. The faint fragrance of pear blossoms wafted out and smelled refreshing. Everyone couldn¡¯t help but surround the table, thinking that the wedding dress was probably inside.


    Even though Shen Miao had always been calm, she couldn¡¯t help but look forward to it with excitement.


    In her previous life, she embroidered the wedding dress bit by bit. She had always been especially meticulous when it came to her marriage with Fu Xiuyi. She also wanted to dress gorgeously. After all, the most beautiful moment in a woman¡¯s life seemed to be the moment she became a bride. However, at that time, Fu Xiuyi was still lying low and wanted the wedding to be simple. Therefore, she could only extinguish her desire to dress gorgeously and embroider the wedding dress in a simple style.

 Chapter 832 - 832 Wedding Dress (3)

    832 Wedding Dress (3)


    However, she was a young girl who yearned to look beautiful on her wedding day after all, so she thought of a way to embroider a lotus with dark red thread. She also embroidered some peach blossoms in the gauze dress. Because the gauze dress was under the coat, no one could see it. The lotus was embroidered with red thread, so it blended in well with the color of the red dress and ordinary people could not notice it.


    She was very proud of her embroidery skill. She thought that at night, in the bridal chamber, when she and Fu Xiuyi lie side by side, she would let him guess and see if he could tell what the pattern of the embroidery was. Fu Xiuyi would eventually see her ingeniousness and slowly like her.


    However, in the end, she waited in the bridal chamber for the entire night. She waited until the candle burned out and her heart turned cold, but Fu Xiuyi did not show up. The next morning, she was told that last night, Fu Xiuyi was drunk and stayed in the study. She did not sleep the entire night, but the next morning, she had to enter the palace to pay her respects to the emperor and empress. She made a fool of herself while she was utterly exhausted, which made Fu Xiuyi angry.


    Because of that, Fu Xiuyi only touched her after neglecting her for three months.


    That wedding dress was the beginning of her pain. From the night of her marriage, countless grievances began to flood her.


    Shen Miao had always felt that if one person was good to another, the other person would slowly be touched and reciprocate. Even if she was not reciprocated equally, she would at least receive some good words. However, there was such a person who enjoyed everything given to him by others with a clear conscience and still complained.


    She wanted to ask, ¡°Husband, look at this wedding dress closely. Did you find anything?¡± But in the end, she didn¡¯t ask him. The man for whom she embroidered the dress never cast a glance at it.


    She was in a daze until she heard Luo Tan¡¯s exclamation.


    Luo Xueyan reached into the box and slowly took out the dress for everyone to see.


    She seemed to be very careful, as if she was afraid of damaging it.


    The dress was a very bright red color, and the needlework was meticulously done.


    The fabric of the dress was scattered with dazzling golden light. It was unknown if it was sprinkled with gold powder or something, but when these golden things were mixed in, the entire dress seemed to be sparkling.


    The red dress was made of sea brocade. It was as thin as a cicada¡¯s wing and was scarlet. Outside the red dress that was emitting golden lights, there was a pattern of a dragon and a phoenix embroidered with 12-colored threads. The golden dragon was mighty, and the phoenix was imposing. If one looked carefully, they would find that the eyes of the dragon and phoenix were decorated with small black gems. The dragon scales and phoenix feathers were both decorated with thinly cut cat¡¯s eye stones.


    There was no need to mention the cape. There were hundreds of pearls scattered on it, dazzling people.


    The most attractive thing was still the phoenix crown.


    The gold circlet on the crown was decorated with jewelry. The edges were inlaid with gold bars, and there were 12 gems embedded in the middle. Every gem was surrounded by six pearls, and the gems were separated by pearls. Shen Qiu even counted. There were a hundred colorful gems on the entire phoenix crown, and the rubies decorating the eyes of the phoenix were countless.

 Chapter 833 - 833 Wedding Dress (4)

    833 Wedding Dress (4)


    Luo Xueyan held the heavy phoenix crown and felt an indescribable feeling in her heart. Even if Prince Rui was putting on an act, it was really beyond her expectations that he would go to such length. This phoenix crown was probably what all the women in Ming Qi dreamed of. It was not inferior to the empress¡¯s phoenix crown. She said in a panic, ¡°Jingxing, isn¡¯t it a little inappropriate for Jiaojiao to wear this phoenix crown?¡±


    Phoenix was the queen of all birds. Only the empress or princess could wear it. Although Shen Miao was married to Prince Rui and was Prince Rui¡¯s consort, she was not a princess. What was carved on the crown should be a colorful peahen instead.


    Prince Rui smiled and said, ¡°Madam, don¡¯t worry. My brother knows about this phoenix crown. If Jiaojiao marries me, she will be a member of the royal family. It¡¯s just a phoenix. She¡¯s worthy of it.¡±


    Shen Xin looked at Prince Rui thoughtfully. Luo Xueyan was about to say something when she heard Luo Tan shout, ¡°What beautifully embroidered shoes!¡±


    Luo Tan carefully took out an embroidered shoe from the bottom of the wooden box and held it in her palm.


    The embroidered shoe was very small and red, but there was also a small phoenix embroidered on the top of the shoe. The surface of the shoe was small to begin with, and it was very difficult to embroider an entire phoenix. Moreover, the feathers of the phoenix were decorated with small gems. However, the soles of the shoes also had patterns. There was a lotus flower spreading out, indicating that lotuses would bloom with every step. At the top of the shoe, there were two round and big pearls.


    Shen Miao was slightly stunned.


    The pearls of the southern sea were very precious. Most harvesters could only pick pearls from the shallow sea, because it was very dangerous to salvage pearls from the deep sea. Only the most skilled pearl hunters could enter the deep sea. Even so, it was still not easy to find such pearls.


    Shen Miao remembered that Consort Xu, who was the most favored now, only had one. She wore it on her head every day to show that she was different. If she found out that there were two such pearls embedded in a pair of shoes, she would probably be crazy with jealousy.


    Shen Xin was silent for a moment before saying slowly, ¡°It¡¯s very considerate of you.¡±


    This kind of extravagance and exquisite wedding dress was unseen in Ming Qi. Prince Rui did not have to do this, but he did. No matter what, with this outfit, on the day his daughter married, what she received would not be mockery but envy of everyone.


    Prince Rui smiled. ¡°As long as Jiaojiao is happy.¡±


    Shen Miao¡¯s heart skipped a beat. Looking at the exquisite phoenix crown and red embroidered shoes, she thought that wearing them, she would definitely look glamorous.


    She had never worn such gorgeous clothes in her previous life.


    In her previous life, when she married Fu Xiuyi, Fu Xiuyi had yet to make a name for himself. Simpleness was her usual style. Later, when Fu Xiuyi ascended the throne, she became a hostage of the State of Qin, so it was more impossible for her to wear gorgeous clothes. When she returned, there was already a beautiful and smart Consort Mei in the palace. Compared to Consort Mei who was charming, she was clumsy and dull. As the empress, she had to be solemn and no-nonsense. She was a young woman at that time, but compared to Consort Mei, she appeared to be many years older.


    Her girlhood seemed to have ended the night she married Fu Xiuyi. What followed was pain and forced maturity.


    Was Xie Jingxing sent by the heavens to fulfill her wish in her previous life? Shen Miao smiled.


    Perhaps this was also fate.


    After seeing the wedding dress, even the picky Shen Qiu had nothing to say.

 Chapter 834 - 834 Wedding Dress (5)

    834 Wedding Dress (5)


    To be honest, if it were Shen Qiu, he would not be able to make such an exquisite and expensive wedding dress. Although he would also give everything he had to the girl he loved, he could not do it. Prince Rui could do it because he was Prince Rui. That was it.


    Shen Qiu couldn¡¯t help but look at Shen Miao. If Shen Miao followed such a person and lived a comfortable life, if Prince Rui¡¯s personality was really as good as he portrayed, then this marriage would probably be worth it.


    After chatting for a while, Luo Xueyan warmly invited Prince Rui to stay for dinner. Prince Rui did not decline and said with a smile, ¡°But I want to talk to Jiaojiao alone. I wonder if it¡¯s allowed.¡±


    Shen Qiu immediately said, ¡°What do you want to say to my sister? You can just tell me instead. It¡¯s the same thing. Let¡¯s go out to spar while¡­¡±


    Luo Xueyan grabbed Shen Qiu¡¯s ear and asked him to move aside. She said, ¡°What nonsense are you talking about? Why would Prince Rui compete with a brute like you?¡± She looked at Prince Rui again with a smile in her eyes and said, ¡°Then let Jiaojiao bring you back to the room. Don¡¯t talk for too long. It¡¯s about time to eat.¡±


    Shen Miao and Shen Qiu were speechless.


    The more Luo Xueyan looked at Prince Rui, the more she found him likable. As a prince of the Daliang Dynasty, he actually asked her for her permission before talking to Shen Miao alone. It was obvious that he was good-mannered. Luo Xueyan also wanted to let Shen Miao and Prince Rui stay alone for a while longer. She had seen the secret interactions between the two of them just now. Women knew what women were thinking the best. Shen Miao clearly had some feelings for Prince Rui.


    Luo Xueyan went to the kitchen happily. Shen Miao was a little speechless. She glanced at Xie Jingxing and said, ¡°Come to my courtyard with me.¡±


    Shen Qiu also wanted to follow. Shen Miao turned around and said, ¡°Brother, don¡¯t come.¡±


    Shen Qiu widened his eyes in disbelief. ¡°Sister!¡±


    ¡°Cousin Qiu.¡± Luo Tan grabbed the corner of his shirt. ¡°Don¡¯t be the third wheel.¡± She looked at the absent-minded Luo Ling. ¡°If you want to spar, spar with Cousin Ling.¡±


    Luo Ling came back to his senses and smiled bitterly. He said, ¡°Cousin, if you want to spar, I¡¯m in.¡±


    Shen Qiu felt extremely aggrieved. He naturally had to test Shen Miao¡¯s future husband. How could he let his sister marry someone simply because of some sweet-nothings? Women were indeed gullible. He looked at Shen Xin and said unhappily, ¡°Father, are we going to let that kid off just like that?¡±


    With his head lowered, Shen Xin seemed to be thinking about something. When he heard that, he glanced at Shen Qiu. ¡°After dinner, spar with him and test his martial arts.¡±


    Shen Qiu¡¯s eyes lit up. He rubbed his palms and said, ¡°Yes!¡±


    As expected, Shen Xin was on the same side as him. He had to show Prince Rui that the woman of the Shen family was not easy to marry!


    ¡­


    Shen Miao brought Xie Jing to her courtyard. Bai Lu and Shuang Jiang were taking care of the flowers and plants. When they saw Shen Miao return with a man, they were shocked. It was only when Gu Yu and Jingzhe greeted Prince Rui that the maids came back to their senses and bowed.


    Shen Miao brought Xie Jing to the bedroom.


    She was not afraid of people gossiping. After all, this was not the first time Xie Jingxing had come to her room. He came to drink tea and eat snacks every few days and knew the Shen mansion like the back of his hand. When she turned around, she saw Xie Jingxing looking around. She couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°It¡¯s not your first time here. What¡¯s there to see?¡±

 Chapter 835 - 835 Wedding Dress (6)

    835 Wedding Dress (6)


    ¡°This is the first time I¡¯ve entered through the front door.¡± Xie Jingxing smiled and sat down at the table. He looked at her and said, ¡°It feels good to enter through the front door.¡±


    Shen Miao mocked, ¡°Are you complaining that I didn¡¯t invite you in from the front door in the past?¡±


    ¡°Smart.¡± Xie Jingxing drank the tea.


    ¡°Because you came uninvited everytime.¡± Shen Miao gritted her teeth.


    Xie Jingxing smiled at her. ¡°Madam treats me very well today, and so does Cousin Tan.¡±


    Shen Miao rolled her eyes. That was because they had never seen Xie Jingxing¡¯s cruel side. If they did, they would not be so nice to him.


    She asked, ¡°What do you have to say to me?¡±


    ¡°Regarding what you asked me to investigate last time, I found something,¡± Xie Jingxing said.


    Shen Miao had been so busy these days that she forgot what she asked Xie Jingxing to investigate. She asked in confusion, ¡°What is it?¡±


    Xie Jingxing¡¯s eyes flashed. ¡°Pei Lang¡¯s news.¡±


    Shen Miao was enlightened. Thinking that there had been no news of Pei Lang for a long time, she became really anxious and asked, ¡°What did you find out? Did something happen to him?¡±


    ¡°Are you very worried about him?¡± Xie Jingxing raised an eyebrow.


    ¡°He works for me.¡± Shen Miao frowned.


    ¡°Alright.¡± Xie Jingxing shrugged. ¡°He¡¯s not doing well now. Fu Xiuyi seems to have discovered his identity and locked him up in the dungeon of Prince Ding¡¯s mansion. He tortured him to force him to tell the truth.¡±


    Shen Miao¡¯s heart tightened slightly. She said, ¡°Is he still alive?¡±


    ¡°Fu Xiuyi didn¡¯t get the answer he wanted. He won¡¯t let him die so easily,¡± Xie Jingxing said. After saying that, he stared at Shen Miao and said, ¡°You don¡¯t seem worried that he will betray you at all?¡±


    ¡°He won¡¯t,¡± Shen Miao replied.


    Xie Jingxing frowned slightly.


    Shen Miao thought that although Pei Lang was sometimes too rational, his loyalty was not questionable. In her previous life, Pei Lang had been loyal to Fu Xiuyi from the beginning to end. Later, Prince Zhou and the others also wanted to poach him from Fu Xiuyi. At that time, Prince Zhou and the others had the upper hand and could give Pei Lang more than Fu Xiuyi, but Pei Lang had never wavered.


    Pei Lang was a very principled person. Sticking to his principle was above everything else in his heart. In her previous life, he helped Fu Xiuyi secure the throne and did his best to make use of everyone Fu Xiuyi could use, including Shen Miao. Later on, in order to save Fu Ming and Wanyu, Shen Miao knelt down and begged Pei Lang for help, but Pei Lang was unmoved. He even watched the Shen family fall to their demise. Shen Miao couldn¡¯t think of a second person who was as loyal as Pei Lang.


    From the beginning, Fu Xiuyi had been annoyed with her. After they got married, he was mostly cold to Shen Miao. Apart from the occasional concerned greetings to fulfill his responsibility as a husband, most of the time, Shen Miao lived alone in Prince Ding¡¯s mansion. Shen Miao wanted to please Fu Xiuyi and knew that Pei Lang was the person Fu Xiuyi valued the most. She asked Pei Lang to teach her, hoping to make Fu Xiuyi look at her in a different light.


    Pei Lang taught her patiently and never showed annoyance. It was all thanks to him that she knew the situation of Ming Qi very well.


    It could be said that Pei Lang was her teacher in both of her lives.


    Therefore, Shen Miao did not suspect that Pei Lang would betray her.


    ¡°Fu Xiuyi is an expert when it comes to torturing people.¡± Shen Miao revealed a rare trace of anxiety. ¡°Especially for people who betray him. Once he finds such a person, he will never trust him and will kill him without mercy. In order to get an answer, Fu Xiuyi might keep his life for now, but that doesn¡¯t mean he won¡¯t eventually kill him. If he¡¯s chopped into pieces¡­¡± Shen Miao shuddered.


    Shen Miao had seen with her own eyes how Fu Xiuyi treated people who betrayed him. She had also seen with her own eyes what kind of a place the dungeon was.


    From that moment onward, apart from love, she also felt dread and fear towards Fu Xiuyi.


    After all, it was really difficult not to feel a chill run down the spine to witness such a cruel side to a seemingly amiable person


    Xie Jingxing¡¯s eyes darkened. ¡°Why do you know so well how Fu Xiuyi treats traitors?¡±


    If it were in the past, Shen Miao would have noticed that she said something she shouldn¡¯t. However, at this moment, she was hung up on trying to save Pei Lang, so she couldn¡¯t care less. She thought for a moment and looked at Xie Jingxing. ¡°You have a way to save him, right?¡±


    Xie Jingxing put the cup down and said, ¡°Why should I save him?¡±


    Shen Miao looked at him. His gaze was sharp and firm, making people tremble.


    ¡°Because there¡¯s no reason to stand by and do nothing.¡±

 Chapter 836 - 836 Saving Pei Lang (1)

    836 Saving Pei Lang (1)


    Xie Jingxing fell silent.


    Shen Miao knew that this reason was not convincing. Before she worked with Pei Lang, she and Pei Lang basically had nothing to do with each other. Even in Guangwen Hall, they did not get to interact much. The fact that she actually put so much faith in someone she barely knew made it hard for others not to find it strange.


    Xie Jingxing was not a careless person. He was good at paying attention to all the details that were ignored and had a sharp intuition.


    However, there were many things that Shen Miao couldn¡¯t explain. She could not possibly tell him everything about her previous life. Not to mention whether Xie Jingxing would believe her or not, even she would find it unbelievable.


    Shen Miao thought that Xie Jingxing would continue to ask, but he nodded and said, ¡°Sure.¡±


    Shen Miao was stunned for a moment before heaving a sigh of relief.


    The most comforting thing about interacting with Xie Jingxing was that before they became friends, Xie Jingxing would think of a way to find out all the secrets about her. However, after becoming friends, he respected her and would not force her to say what she was unwilling to say.


    Of course, perhaps he could figure it out through his own method.


    ¡°However.¡± Xie Jingxing pondered for a moment and said, ¡°There are many guards in Prince Ding¡¯s mansion. It¡¯s not that easy to save someone under Fu Xiuyi¡¯s nose.¡±


    Shen Miao¡¯s heart skipped a beat. ¡°You want to do it yourself?¡±


    ¡°Otherwise?¡± His tone was neither happy nor angry, but it carried an inexplicable meaning. ¡°I don¡¯t dare to let anything happen to the person you personally asked me to save.¡±


    Shen Miao looked at him worriedly. Xie Jingxing¡¯s identity was already discovered by Princess Rong Xin and Su Mingfeng. However, the two of them still had some feelings for Xie Jingxing, but Fu Xiuyi was different. If Fu Xiuyi discovered Xie Jingxing¡¯s identity, he would definitely use it to his advantage.


    ¡°You¡­ be careful.¡± Shen Miao said, ¡°I don¡¯t want to become a widow right after marrying you.¡±


    Xie Jingxing said, ¡°How can you curse yourself like that?¡± He smiled ambiguously. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, you won¡¯t become a widow.¡±


    Shen Miao didn¡¯t know what to say. She thought that he must be bluffing her again. Xie Jingxing was a cautious person, so he probably wouldn¡¯t do it himself. She was thinking too much.


    After chatting for a while, Luo Xueyan¡¯s maid came over to tell them that lunch was ready. Shen Miao and Xie Jingxing walked out and had lunch with the rest of the Shen family harmoniously. Back then, Xie Jingxing even managed to make the no-nonsense Princess Rong Xin laugh, let alone Luo Xueyan, who liked to smile. He was knowledgeable and polite. Even Luo Ling could not help but agree with some of his opinions.


    Even a picky person like Shen Xin found it hard to not like such a talented man. Shen Qiu was eager to spar with Prince Rui. Halfway through the meal, he said, ¡°I¡¯m full. Brother-in-law, I¡¯ll spar with you later. We men can¡¯t sit all day long. We have to get some exercise.¡±


    Shen Miao put down her chopsticks. Luo Xueyan scolded, ¡°Shen Qiu, are you itching for a beating? Do you want to spar with me?¡±


    ¡°Mother.¡± Shen Qiu said aggrievedly, ¡°Don¡¯t interfere with the matters of us young people.¡± He looked at Prince Rui and suddenly thought of something. ¡°Oh, I almost forgot to ask. Brother-in-law, you know martial arts, right?¡±


    ¡°A little bit.¡± Xie Jingxing smiled at him.


    Shen Qiu said seriously, ¡°That¡¯s good. After all, you are from the royal family. I think the martial arts master hired to train you is not bad. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll definitely go easy on you. However, I¡¯ve been in the army for a long time and sparred with soldiers every day. If I accidentally hurt you¡­¡± He cupped his hands.¡± I hope you won¡¯t take it to heart.¡±

 Chapter 837 - 837 Saving Pei Lang (2)

    837 Saving Pei Lang (2)


    From his expression and tone, one could tell that he couldn¡¯t wait to get moving. If not for the fact that the meal had yet to finish at this moment, he would immediately pull Prince Rui out to spar.


    Luo Tan and Luo Ling watched silently. Luo Tan was also very curious about Prince Rui¡¯s martial arts. The world knew very little about Prince Rui. In the past, people only knew that everyone in the royal family of the Daliang Dynasty was beautiful, and Prince Rui was no exception. However, his martial arts were never mentioned, so he should not be outstanding in that aspect.


    However, Luo Tan trusted her intuition. The last time she went to Prince Rui¡¯s mansion to ask him for help, she felt that Prince Rui was clearly a very powerful person.


    Between Shen Qiu and Prince Rui, who would win? Luo Tan was excited to watch the show.


    !!


    Luo Xueyan was so angry that she wanted to beat up Shen Qiu now. However, Prince Rui was here, so she had to restrain her temper. She could only look at Shen Xin and say threateningly, ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to do something?¡±


    Unexpectedly, Shen Xin, who had always been obedient to Luo Xueyan, did not even look up. He took a bite of food and swallowed it before saying indifferently, ¡°Let¡¯s not be a busybody. Let the young people settle their own matters.¡±


    Shen Qiu did not have the guts to provoke Luo Xueyan¡¯s patience time and time again. Shen Miao could tell that it was obvious that Shen Xin was backing Shen Qiu up. Did Shen Xin want to test Xie Jingxing¡¯s martial arts?


    Shen Miao looked up at Xie Jingxing beside her. As if noticing her gaze, Xie Jingxing turned his head and smiled.


    How could this person cause so much trouble every time he showed up? Shen Miao was really impressed.


    With Shen Xin¡¯s permission, if Luo Xueyan stopped Shen Qiu this time, it would make her look unreasonable. Therefore, after lunch, Shen Qiu couldn¡¯t wait to pull Xie Jing to the empty space in the courtyard.


    Luo Xueyan was afraid that something would happen, so she could only follow. Shen Xin naturally had to go and watch. Luo Tan pulled Luo Ling along to watch the show, and Shen Miao had no choice but to go. Therefore, a crowd gathered in the courtyard.


    Afraid that Prince Rui would be hurt, Luo Xueyan warned Shen Qiu to go easy on him.


    Shen Qiu nodded but didn¡¯t take it to heart. He excitedly instructed his subordinates to bring a row of weapons and asked, ¡°Brother-in-law, which one do you want? Choose first!¡±


    There were spears, halberds, iron rods, scimitars, whips, huge hammers, swords¡­ and even a few huge axes.


    The weapons looked extremely cumbersome and were not easy to wield.


    Luo Xueyan was so angry that she wanted to beat Shen Qiu up.


    Prince Rui narrowed his eyes.


    Shen Qiu said proudly, ¡°Brother-in-law, these weapons are extremely suitable. Feel free to choose.¡±


    Shen Miao was speechless.


    For some reason, although Shen Qiu was a cold and unyielding general, compared to Xie Jingxing today, he looked so clumsy, almost like a child.


    Shen Miao could almost guess how funny her brother looked to Xie Jingxing.


    Xie Jingxing glanced at the weapons and casually picked up a short dagger.


    ¡°This?¡± Shen Qiu was stunned. He did not expect Xie Jing to choose a short dagger and say meaningfully, ¡°Brother-in-law, you have good taste. Not many people dare to pick a dagger. Don¡¯t choose it because it¡¯s light. Why don¡¯t you choose this sword? Although it¡¯s a little rusty, it¡¯s not heavy. You can wield it.¡±

 Chapter 838 - 838 Saving Pei Lang (3)

    838 Saving Pei Lang (3)


    ¡°Thank you, Brother.¡± Xie Jingxing smiled. ¡°Short dagger will do just fine.¡±


    Shen Qiu snorted. ¡°Then don¡¯t blame me for not reminding you. The weapon you chose is really too lousy.¡±


    Xie Jingxing smiled.


    Although he was wearing a mask, the smile on his lips always seemed to be mocking and could easily provoke people. Shen Qiu immediately picked up a spear and pointed it at Xie Jingxing.


    Luo Xueyan covered her face.


    ¡°Let¡¯s not waste time, Brother,¡± Xie Jingxing said politely.


    ¡°You sure can talk big. Let me see what you are made of,¡± Shen Qiu rushed over with his spear.


    Many years later, the mighty young general Shen became the mighty old general Shen. His life was filled with military achievements that made countless people envious. He had won countless battles and was known as the God of War. He was respected and admired by all martial artists¡­ However, he still remembered this afternoon clearly. This would become an indelible memory¡­ and humiliation for him.


    Before anyone could see what was going on, Shen Qiu rushed over with his spear. The two of them quickly engaged in a fight and then separated. Shen Qiu¡¯s spear fell to the ground, and Prince Rui held the dagger between two fingers and placed it firmly on Shen Qiu¡¯s neck.


    Everyone in the Shen family was dumbfounded.


    Prince Rui let go and played with the dagger in his fingers. He looked at Shen Qiu with a faint smile and said, ¡°Thank you for letting me win, Brother.¡±


    Shen Qiu¡¯s face immediately turned red from embarrassment.


    Everyone in the Shen family looked at each other, not understanding what was going on. Luo Tan muttered, ¡°Cousin Qiu¡­ lost?¡±


    Everyone was shocked.


    Among the younger generation of Ming Qi, Shen Qiu¡¯s martial arts were ranked among the top three. Firstly, he had been personally taught by Shen Xin since he was young. The Shen family had been a military family for generations, and there were many martial arts books stored in their house. Shen Qiu had accumulated a lot of knowledge. Secondly, when Shen Qiu was young, he had been brought along by Shen Qiu to fight on the battlefield.


    However, Shen Qiu¡¯s spear was actually knocked off by Prince Rui. Prince Rui¡¯s dagger was still pressed against Shen Qiu¡¯s neck.


    Shen Qiu gritted his teeth. He was indignant, but he had no choice but to say, ¡°I admit defeat.¡±


    Luo Tan was the first to clap and shout, ¡°Brother-in-law, you¡¯re amazing! You can beat my Cousin Qiu. You¡¯re now the best in Ming Qi!¡±


    Luo Ling quickly covered Luo Tan¡¯s mouth. Luo Tan was Shen Qiu¡¯s cousin after all, but she was cheering for outsiders. Shen Qiu would probably be even sadder when he heard that. He looked at Luo Xueyan uneasily, thinking that Luo Xueyan must be unhappy that her son had lost. Unexpectedly, when he turned around, he saw that Luo Xueyan had already walked quickly to Prince Rui¡¯s side and said, ¡°Jingxing, are you so good at martial arts?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve been practicing martial arts since I was young, but it¡¯s mostly for performance.¡± Prince Rui smiled and said, ¡°Unlike Brother Qiu who used martial arts in real battles.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to be so humble.¡± Luo Xueyan said, ¡°If you have the ability to be proud of yourself, you should be proud of yourself. This is what a young man should be like.¡±


    Shen Miao was speechless, thinking to herself that Xie Jingxing was already the proudest person in the world. Humble was definitely not the word to describe him.


    Luo Xueyan and Luo Tan asked Xie Jingxing many questions about martial arts. Xie Jingxing¡¯s attitude was just right, and he seemed to know everything. Luo Xueyan was pleasantly surprised. After Xie Jingxing left, everyone dispersed. Luo Xueyan even muttered, ¡°Prince Rui is not bad. Not to mention his status, just his courage, talent, appearance, and character are outstanding in the world.¡±

 Chapter 839 - 839 Saving Pei Lang (4)

    839 Saving Pei Lang (4)


    ¡°How can you tell what he looks like with a mask on?¡± Shen Qiu said, ¡°Mother, you¡¯re too biased. What if he has a scar on his face and is very ugly? Besides, how can you tell his character? I don¡¯t think he¡¯s a good person.¡±


    ¡°What do you know?¡± Luo Xueyan said, ¡°He¡¯s giving off a gentle and scholarly vibe. His bearing is good. Even if his face is really not that good-looking, his bearing can make up for it. Besides, I¡¯ve seen more people than you have. I can tell his character just by looking at him. It¡¯s not something you can pretend.¡±


    Shen Qiu pouted. ¡°You¡¯re just biased.¡±


    ¡°Shen Qiu, have you had enough for today?¡± Luo Xueyan glared at him. When she thought of what had happened previously, she was immediately furious. ¡°Why are you targeting him? If you have the time to be jealous of others, why don¡¯t you practice your martial arts? If word gets out that you lost to someone, what will your subordinates look at you?¡±


    Shen Qiu quickly said, ¡°I understand, Mother. I¡¯ll go and find Father to practice martial arts now! Immediately! Right away!¡± As he spoke, he fled.


    Luo Xueyan looked at the wooden box on the table. Shen Miao¡¯s wedding dress was inside. She thought that she had to lock such expensive clothes before she could feel relieved. She picked up the box and was about to put it in the storeroom when she saw that there seemed to be a compartment on the lid of the box.


    Suspicion rose in her heart. She opened the compartment and a small booklet wrapped in red cloth immediately fell out.


    On the other side, Shen Qiu was talking to Shen Xin.


    ¡°Father, that Prince Rui has definitely been practicing martial arts for more than a few years. From the looks of it, he must have been practicing martial arts since he was young. Otherwise, it¡¯s impossible for him to defeat me in a few moves.¡± Shen Qiu thought for a moment and said, ¡°Besides, his moves are very ruthless, even more so than the soldiers. Logically speaking, a member of the royal family doesn¡¯t have to learn ruthless moves.¡± After saying that, he said hatefully, ¡°I let my guard down this time. Next time I spar with him, I¡¯ll definitely beat him up!¡±


    Shen Xin waved his hand and said, ¡°Enough, you¡¯re not his match.¡±


    ¡°Father!¡± Shen Qiu was stunned. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you think poorly of me just because I made a mistake! I really let my guard down this time. I didn¡¯t know he was hiding his ability! I¡­¡±


    ¡°This is not all he¡¯s hiding.¡± Shen Xin interrupted him with a complicated expression.


    ¡°Father?¡± Shen Qiu was puzzled. ¡°What do you mean? Is he hiding something else from us? Is he a bad person?¡±


    ¡°Alright, just leave.¡± Shen Xin said, ¡°Don¡¯t let your imagination run wild. Practice your martial arts well.¡±


    Shen Qiu didn¡¯t know what to say.


    He had only lost once. Why did everyone look at him like he was a weak scholar?


    Shen Qiu left angrily. He planned to go to the drill ground to spar with others every day from today onwards. However¡­ Before Shen Qiu left, he couldn¡¯t help but glance at Shen Xin and saw that Shen Xin looked very worried.


    Shen Xin was indeed very worried. At this moment, this worry was gradually magnified in his heart, to the point where he could not hide it. He wanted to do something to divert his attention, but the more he did this, the more he thought about it.


    However, he could not tell anyone. If he told anyone, it would cause a huge change in the current situation.


    He asked Shen Qiu to test Prince Rui¡¯s martial arts because he wanted to see if Prince Rui was qualified to be the son-in-law of the Shen family. Before today, Prince Rui was just a name. The Shen family had no clue what kind of a person he was. They treated Prince Rui as an ambitious person with evil intentions.

 Chapter 840 - 840 Saving Pei Lang (5)

    840 Saving Pei Lang (5)


    However, today, seeing that Luo Xueyan and Prince Rui were chatting happily, Shen Xin, who knew his wife the best, knew that his wife was very satisfied with Prince Rui.


    If Prince Rui wanted to become the son-in-law of the Shen family, he had to go through all kinds of harsh tests.


    Martial arts was one among them. He did not need to be peerless in martial arts, but he had to be able to protect Shen Miao. As a husband, if his wife was in danger, at least he could protect her.


    This was what Shen Xin thought. Unexpectedly, this spar revealed much more than they expected.


    The juniors could not see it, but he and Luo Xueyan could, especially Shen Xin. He could even see the moves the two of them used when they were confronting each other. Shen Xin had once seen someone use the throat lock move Prince Rui did with his dagger.


    It was Xie Ding.


    The Shen family and the Xie family did not get along for generations. The Shen family believed in commanding the army by rules, while the Xie family believed that in war, one had to be flexible and unpredictable. They had been competing for many generations. In Shen Xin¡¯s generation, it had become almost like a matter-of-fact thing. As for why the two families were at loggerheads with each other, no one actually knew.


    The person who understood you the most was not your friend, but your enemy. From a young age, Shen Xin had been secretly competing with Xie Ding. The Shen family was good at using spears, while Xie Ding¡¯s mastery of dagger was envied by many people. Dagger was the most suitable weapon used to assassinate the enemy general. Just think about it, when you were fighting with the enemy general on the horse, if you could pull out a dagger suddenly and stab in the throat of the enemy. How terrifying was that?


    With this move, Xie Ding won almost every battle.


    Xie Ding did not pass this move on to anyone else. He only passed it on to his only legitimate son, Xie Jingxing, and never to his two illegitimate sons. When Xie Jingxing was in a confrontation with others when he was young, he also used this move. At that time, Shen Xin happened to see him doing it. He was surprised that Xie Jingxing could use this move so well at such a young age. Xie Jingxing even made improvements on this move to make it more ruthless.


    Today, when Prince Rui confronted Shen Qiu, he used this move.


    Or rather, Xie Jingxing used a move that had been modified by himself. The angle was exactly the same, but for some reason, it was slower than before. It was almost as if he was deliberately letting Shen Xin see it.


    Shen Xin could not hide the shock on his face at that moment. Apart from remaining silent, he did not know what to do.


    Xie Jingxing was already dead on the battlefield in the northern border two years ago. However, how could Prince Rui of the Daliang Dynasty use the throat-lock dagger move developed by Xie Jingxing in the exact same way?


    Even if two people accidentally learned the same thing, there would still be some difference.


    Therefore, a strange thought appeared in Shen Xin¡¯s mind. Could Prince Rui be Xie Jingxing?


    But Xie Jingxing was already dead!


    On the one hand, Shen Xin felt that this thought was unbelievable and laughable, but on the other hand, he could not help but think about it. He even felt that when Prince Rui was competing with Shen Qiu, Prince Rui was deliberately slowing down just so he could see it clearly.


    Did Prince Rui want to tell him something?


    Shen Xin was uncertain, and he could not tell anyone. He thought that it was better to investigate first.

 Chapter 841 - 841 Saving Pei Lang (6)

    841 Saving Pei Lang (6)


    After all, he did not want Shen Miao to be hurt. If Prince Rui was Xie Jingxing, then this matter was going to get much more complicated.


    ¡­


    The days passed, and in the blink of an eye, there were only a few days left until the end of the year. To ordinary people, the days at the end of the year were the happiest, because at the end of the year, they would treat themselves better. They ate, drank, played, and were happy every day.


    However, to Pei Lang, every second was suffering. Every day, he would be tortured until a piece of flesh was cut off. The next day, the torture would continue. Sometimes, he wished he could kill himself.


    !!


    He had been locked up in the dungeon for God knows how long. Apart from the guards who tortured him, even Fu Xiuyi was not coming now. The torture was getting more and more painful. His legs were already dripping with blood and sweat. It was said that after today, if he still refused to speak, his kneecaps would be gouged out.


    After having his kneecaps gouged out, he could only crawl for the rest of his life. For a proud person like Pei Lang, it was undoubtedly a nightmare. Fu Xiuyi indeed knew the weakness of human nature very well. A young man with a lot of knowledge and a bright future would have to crawl from now on. Even if he could still live to see the sun rising, his life would probably be completely ruined.


    Strangely, even at this moment, Pei Lang did not intend to betray Shen Miao even though his mind had been persuading him to do it.


    He and Shen Miao were not really friends. It was just that Shen Miao used Liu Ying to threaten him back then, so he had no choice but to work for her. Although Shen Miao spoke ruthlessly every time, she actually never harmed innocent people. Even if he betrayed her, Shen Miao would definitely not take her anger out on the innocent Liu Ying.


    After all, such torture was too unbearable.


    Every time he was about to open his mouth, he would shut up at the last moment. He felt as if it was a heinous crime to betray Shen Miao. Pei Lang wondered if he owed Shen Miao a huge debt in his previous life so that he was so willing to suffer for her in this godforsaken dungeon.


    However¡­ it had been so long, but no one had come to save him. Pei Lang was a little disappointed.


    Shen Miao had probably forgotten about him. Or perhaps, in her chess game, sacrificing an insignificant chess piece was not worth mentioning.


    Just as he was thinking, he suddenly heard a commotion outside. He did not know what happened, but it was noisy.


    Then, the heat wave swept past him.


    Someone shouted, ¡°There¡¯s a fire! A fire!¡±


    A fire?


    Pei Lang was stunned. This was Fu Xiuyi¡¯s dungeon. Usually, only Fu Xiuyi¡¯s trusted aides and guards would come to the dungeon. Because the security was very tight, nothing could go wrong. He did not expect a fire to break out here, but it would probably be put out very quickly.


    However, Pei Lang was wrong this time. Not only was the fire not put out, but it also became bigger and bigger. Some black smoke even floated in, and the chaotic footsteps outside gradually became weaker and weaker, as if they were getting further and further away.


    Pei Lang¡¯s cell was the furthest away and the innermost one. Others usually could not see him, so he was almost isolated here alone. When the fire broke out, Pei Lang¡¯s cell was in the most dangerous position. Generally speaking, no one dared to break into the fire to save him..


    Feeling the surging heat wave, Pei Lang felt a strong sense of d¨¦j¨¤ vu, as if he had seen it somewhere before. At the same time, he felt relieved and liberated.


    Let¡¯s leave it at that¡­ It was not a bad thing to end it like this.


    Just as he closed his eyes, he heard an unfamiliar voice in front of him. ¡°Hey, are you dead?¡±


    Pei Lang opened his eyes in surprise and saw a man in black standing in front of him. This person¡¯s face was covered by a black mask, so his face could not be seen. Only his eyes were revealed, shining brightly. Seeing that Pei Lang did not answer, he seemed to be a little impatient and opened the cell door.


    This person was actually here to save him!


    Pei Lang actually found it unbelievable. However, dressed like this, what else could this person do but save him?


    When Pei Lang met this person¡¯s eyes, his heart skipped a beat as he felt a sense of familiarity with that pair of eyes.

 Chapter 842 - 842 Injured (1)

    842 Injured (1)


    At night, Shen Miao lit a lamp, wanting to pack up the books that Shen Qiu had sent over during the day. Shen Qiu knew that she liked to read. These days, knowing that she was about to get married, he asked someone to find many books. Some of these books recorded the major events of the previous dynasty, and some were romance books. Shen Miao planned to give the romantic books to Luo Tan and Feng Anning and keep those historical books to herself.


    Just as she was tidying up, she suddenly heard movement outside the window. She was not used to being served at night, and usually, Jingzhe and Gu Yu would leave early. She looked up at the window, but there was no one there. After thinking for a moment, Shen Miao opened the door and walked to the courtyard to take a look.


    She was not afraid of bad people. After all, there was still Cong Yang hiding in the dark. If someone like a burglar had barged in, Cong Yang would¡¯ve already made a move. Unexpectedly, when she walked into the courtyard, she saw a person standing under the tree. She was stunned for a moment before taking two steps forward with a lantern. To her surprise, it was Xie Jingxing.


    Xie Jingxing was not wearing his purple robe. Instead, he had changed into black clothes. When he was in purple, he was a noble young master. When he was in black, he looked cold and murderous. However, the lazy smile on his face didn¡¯t change as he looked at Shen Miao and walked forward.


    !!


    Shen Miao felt that something was wrong with Xie Jingxing, but she could not tell what was wrong. She stood beside Xie Jingxing and asked, ¡°Why are you standing here?¡±


    If it were in the past, Xie Jingxing would probably have entered her room uninvited and started drinking tea.


    Xie Jingxing smiled. Before Shen Miao could speak, Xie Jingxing suddenly fell on her.


    Shen Miao subconsciously supported him, but when she touched the wet patch on his back, she looked at her hand and saw her hand covered in blood under the dim light of the lantern. When Xie Jingxing fell on her, she smelled a strong smell of blood.


    Shen Miao called out softly, ¡°Cong Yang!¡±


    No one replied. Cong Yang did not seem to be around.


    Shen Miao was a little anxious. At such an urgent moment, Cong Yang was actually not around. She did not dare to alert anyone in the family. She half-dragged and half-carried Xie Jingxing back to her room and let him lie on her bed, wanting to call a doctor over.


    Just as she was about to leave, Xie Jingxing said weakly, ¡°Don¡¯t call anyone.¡±


    Shen Miao was stunned for a moment before squatting down beside him and asking, ¡°What about your injuries?¡±


    Xie Jingxing took out a medicine bottle-like thing from his pocket. Before Shen Miao could continue asking, he fainted again.


    Shen Miao made a prompt decision. There was still some hot water in the room, which was for her to wash her hands at night. She brought the hot water over and found a clean handkerchief to wet it. After a moment of hesitation, she slowly unbuttoned Xie Jingxing¡¯s clothes.


    Under the light, the young man¡¯s body was well-proportioned and slender. For some reason, Shen Miao felt her face burning. She tried her best to calm down.


    Xie Jingxing¡¯s clothes were stained with large patches of blood. The congealed blood stuck to his skin. Blown by the freezing wind outside, the blood-stained clothes almost glued to the flesh. As Shen Miao pulled the clothes off, Xie Jingxing would frown slightly, as if he felt uncomfortable in his coma.


    Helpless, she could only find a pair of silver scissors and burn them before carefully cutting the clothes for him.


    It was not that Shen Miao had never seen a man¡¯s body before. For example, she had seen Fu Ming¡¯s body many times. However, it was different from seeing Xie Jingxing¡¯s body. In order to protect Xie Jingxing, she did not even call Jingzhe and Gu Yu. She was pulling off Xie Jingxing¡¯s clothes alone, so she inevitably felt a little awkward.

 Chapter 843 - 843 Injured (2)

    843 Injured (2)


    However, soon, the embarrassment on her face disappeared and was replaced by a serious expression.


    There were many knife wounds scattered on Xie Jingxing¡¯s body, but these knife wounds were not deep. Although they were not fatal, Shen Miao knew that with so many knife wounds, just bleeding would be enough to make Xie Jingxing die of blood loss. At that moment, she did not dare to be careless. She immediately wet a handkerchief with hot water and wiped the blood off Xie Jingxing¡¯s body bit by bit. She then took out the powder from the medicine bottle and sprinkled it on him. After searching for a long time, she could not find a clean cloth. Shen Miao could only cut off a piece of her new corset to bandage Xie Jingxing¡¯s wound. Shen Miao had never bandaged anyone before, but she had seen soldiers of Shen Qiu do this in the past, so she imitated it. Although it was clumsily done, the blood had stopped.


    She took out a few more pills from the cabinet. Luo Tan had bought them for her. She said that when women were on their periods and didn¡¯t look good, they could take it. Although Xie Jingxing was not on his period, he had lost a lot of blood. This should be able to nourish him. Shen Miao crushed the pills and mixed them with warm water before feeding it to Xie Jingxing.


    After finishing everything, the night was as dark as ink, and one could not even hear the sound of livestock outside. Xie Jingxing lay on Shen Miao¡¯s bed with his body half-naked, his body wrapped in Shen Miao¡¯s cloth, looking very strange.


    The corners of Shen Miao¡¯s mouth twitched. She planned to turn Xie Jingxing over and check if there were any other wounds on his body.


    Xie Jingxing¡¯s clothes were wet, but his pants were dry, so Shen Miao didn¡¯t think there were any wounds on his lower body. When she flipped Xie Jingxing over, her hand accidentally touched his thigh. Shen Miao felt as if she had been burned by fire. Just as she was about to retract her hand, she suddenly felt that something was wrong.


    The skin under her hand was hard, not as smooth as the skin on the other parts of his body. Instead, it was as if a thick layer of scabs had formed. Her heart skipped a beat and she subconsciously lifted Xie Jingxing¡¯s pants slightly, only to see a terrifying scar spreading into the depths of his stomach.


    This scar was different from the scars that Xie Jingxing had been inflicted upon today. Although there were many scars today, they were not deep, so they were not fatal. The one in front of Shen Miao was long and deep. Clearly, it was an old scar from the past. It was enough to show that when he was injured, the wound must have reached the bone and looked terrifying.


    When Xie Jingxing was in Ming Qi, there was never news of him being injured. Could it be that he was injured in the Daliang Dynasty? Shen Miao was puzzled, but she realized that there were other wounds. Every wound, big and small, was so deep that bones could be seen. Although the wounds had already healed, the sight of which still shocked people. How did Xie Jingxing survive so many calamities?


    Shen Miao did not realize that she had already touched Xie Jingxing¡¯s leg and was about to reach further down when the person on the bed grunted and grabbed her wrist. Shen Miao¡¯s face turned red. She thought that Xie Jingxing was awake and misunderstood that she was taking advantage of him. She subconsciously looked at Xie Jingxing and saw that he was frowning and pursing his lips, but his eyes were closed.


    Shen Miao heaved a sigh of relief. Although she still had many questions about the scars, she did not dare to touch any further. Xie Jingxing¡¯s clothes had been torn by her, so Shen Miao could only take a coat for Xie Jingxing to wear and cover it tightly for him. Afraid that Xie Jingxing would have a fever in the middle of the night, she brought a stool over and sat in front of the bed to guard him.


    She did not know when she fell asleep.


    When Shen Miao woke up, she realized that she was already sleeping on the bed with a thick blanket covering her body. She clearly remembered that she was the one sitting in front of the bed and guarding Xie Jingxing last night, but she did not expect to fall asleep halfway. She thought she was probably so tired that she did not even know that she had unconsciously climbed onto the bed.

 Chapter 844 - 844 Injured (3)

    844 Injured (3)


    She subconsciously got up. Seeing that the room was empty and Xie Jingxing was nowhere to be seen, she was stunned for a moment before hearing a smiling voice from behind. ¡°Are you looking for me?¡±


    Xie Jingxing walked over in a loose robe. Shen Miao did not know where he found the robe. She looked at him in surprise. Xie Jingxing was injured and was unconscious yesterday, but now, he looked refreshed. How could he possibly recover so fast?


    She asked, ¡°Are you feeling better?¡±


    Xie Jingxing smiled. ¡°Of course.¡±


    Shen Miao nodded. ¡°As expected, the pill is effective. Cousin Tan is not lying to me.¡±


    ¡°Pill?¡± Xie Jingxing frowned. ¡°What pill?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s for women to feel better during their periods,¡± Shen Miao said without changing her expression, ¡°When women are on their periods, take one pill and they won¡¯t feel so weak. Last night, I saw that you were bleeding profusely, so I gave you three pills.¡± She smiled at Xie Jingxing and said, ¡°It seems like it¡¯s all thanks to the pill that you recovered so quickly.¡±


    Xie Jingxing¡¯s smile froze.


    Seeing him speechless, Shen Miao couldn¡¯t help but laugh in her heart. The next moment, she couldn¡¯t laugh anymore. Xie Jingxing said leisurely, ¡°Oh, in that case, as a return, I won¡¯t pursue the matter of you touching the last time.¡±


    Shen Miao was stunned. Xie Jingxing smiled ambiguously. ¡°Last night, someone touched something¡­¡±


    Shen Miao¡¯s face turned pale and then red. She said angrily, ¡°You were awake?¡±


    ¡°I couldn¡¯t speak, but my mind was awake.¡± Xie Jingxing walked to the table and sat down. After washing up, he looked even more energized. He heated another pot of tea and poured himself a cup. He smiled at Shen Miao.


    Shen Miao stood rooted to the ground and asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong with your injuries? What happened yesterday?¡±


    ¡°I was doing what you asked me to do,¡± Xie Jingxing said casually. ¡°I won¡¯t go to a place like Prince Ding¡¯s mansion next time.¡± He stretched. ¡°Fu Xiuyi really has a lot of tricks up his sleeve. I¡¯m not confident I can come out alive every time.¡±


    ¡°You went to Prince Ding¡¯s mansion?¡± Shen Miao widened her eyes. ¡°You went to the dungeon?¡±


    Xie Jingxing¡¯s eyes flashed. ¡°You know a lot about Prince Ding¡¯s mansion and even know there is a dungeon.¡± He said, ¡°That¡¯s right. I went and saved ¡®your¡¯ Mr. Pei.¡±


    Shen Miao looked at him blankly.


    She did not expect Xie Jingxing to go and save Pei Lang personally. Xie Jingxing¡¯s identity was sensitive, and Fu Xiuyi was definitely not someone to be underestimated. Once Fu Xiuyi caught him, Xie Jingxing would inevitably be in a lot of trouble. Shen Miao asked Xie Jingxing for help because she knew that he had many capable people by his side. She did not expect him to take the risk.


    Shen Miao had an indescribable feeling in her heart. However, Xie Jingxing went to Prince Ding¡¯s mansion, then it was not surprising that he was wounded.


    Fu Xiuyi was a very cautious and paranoid person. Because he had made countless enemies, Prince Ding¡¯s mansion was like an impregnable castle. As for the dungeon, the prisoners locked inside were mostly spies sent by the enemy. It could even be said that Fu Xiuyi spent much more effort to strengthen the security of the dungeon than the entire Prince Ding¡¯s mansion.


    Under such conditions, it was already not easy for Xie Jingxing to come out alive, let alone save someone.


    Seeing that Shen Miao was in a daze, Xie Jingxing tilted his head and looked at her suspiciously, asking, ¡°Why don¡¯t you ask if your Mr. Pei is dead or alive?¡±

 Chapter 845 - 845 Injured (4)

    845 Injured (4)


    Shen Miao came back to her senses. ¡°Is he still alive?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s alive and well.¡± Xie Jingxing raised an eyebrow. ¡°He didn¡¯t even touch a spark.¡±


    Shen Miao caught the key word and asked, ¡°Spark?¡±


    ¡°I burned down the dungeon,¡± Xie Jingxing said. ¡°Just in case anything happens.¡±


    !!


    Shen Miao gasped. Most of the people locked up in the dungeon had the secrets that Fu Xiuyi wanted to know. With Xie Jingxing¡¯s fire, those secrets could never be discovered. Fu Xiuyi had lost so much, so how could he let Xie Jingxing off easily?


    At this moment, Shen Miao couldn¡¯t help but admire Xie Jingxing. She thought that she was bold enough, but that was because she had the memories of her previous life to rely on. However, Xie Jingxing always did as he wanted, showing no regard for the consequences.


    Shen Miao was silent for a moment before asking, ¡°Is he in your mansion now?¡±


    Xie Jingxing said, ¡°Gao Yang is treating him.¡±


    Shen Miao found it a little strange. Gao Yang was treating Pei Lang. Why didn¡¯t Xie Jingxing let Gao Yang treat him? Instead, he came to her courtyard with injuries. Did Xie Jingxing think that her medical skills were better than Gao Yang¡¯s?


    However, she had another question that bugged her. She looked at Xie Jingxing intently. Xie Jingxing smiled. ¡°Why are you looking at me like that? I¡¯m not that kind-hearted. If not for you¡­¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s with those scars?¡± Shen Miao interrupted him.


    ¡°There are many guards in Prince Ding¡¯s mansion, and there are Fu Xiuyi¡¯s death warriors in the dungeon.¡± It was rare for Xie Jingxing to explain to her.


    ¡°I¡¯m not talking about this.¡± Shen Miao paused for a moment before asking, ¡°Your old scars look very deep. Were you injured in the Daliang Dynasty?¡±


    Xie Jingxing was stunned and did not speak.


    ¡°I¡¯ve never heard of you being injured in Ming Qi,¡± Shen Miao said. ¡°But these scars look old. How did it happen?¡±


    ¡°Concerned about me?¡± Xie Jingxing looked at her with a faint smile. ¡°It¡¯s nothing serious. There¡¯s no need to mention it.¡±


    ¡°I want to know.¡± Shen Miao lowered her eyes. ¡°Tell me for the sake of helping me be better prepared mentally. I don¡¯t want to go to a strange place without knowing anything.¡±


    This reason sounded convincing, but Shen Miao knew that she just wanted to know how he got those scars.


    Apart from the fact that she was reborn, Xie Jingxing already knew her very well. However, from Shen Miao¡¯s point of view, there were still many things she did not understand about Xie Jingxing. In the past, she was very afraid of understanding him. The more she knew the secrets about a dangerous person like Xie Jingxing, the more uneasy she would feel. Now, she wanted to take the initiative to know about Xie Jingxing.


    Xie Jingxing looked at the tea in front of him and smiled. ¡°I was injured on the northern border.¡±


    Shen Miao suddenly looked up.


    Xie Jingxing said indifferently, ¡°There were people planted by the royal family in the Xie army. Back then, when I went to the northern border, because my plan changed, I returned to the Daliang Dynasty in advance to reclaim my identity.¡±


    ¡°The people of the northern border and the royal family worked together from the inside to set up a trap. Originally, they were targeting Xie Ding, but because I requested to go to war, they changed their target to me. That day, I didn¡¯t expect the Marquis of Lin¡¯an¡¯s trusted aide to be the emperor¡¯s subordinate. He schemed against me. Although the Daliang Dynasty¡¯s Black Feather Army secretly came to my aid, I was still seriously injured. My brother sent people to bring me back. The emperor thought that his plan was successful, but in fact, I was brought back to the Daliang Dynasty to recuperate. I was bedridden for half a year before I could walk on my own.¡± He looked at Shen Miao and smiled disapprovingly. ¡°To be precise, I was injured in Ming Qi.¡±

 Chapter 846 - 846 Injured (5)

    846 Injured (5)


    Shen Miao was enlightened.


    In her previous life and this life, many things had changed, and the father and son of the Xie family were one of them. In her previous life, the Marquis of Lin¡¯an, Xie Ding, went to war first and was defeated and died. Then, the Marquis of Lin¡¯an declined. Xie Jingxing received the imperial edict to go to war, but he also ended up with ten thousand arrows piercing his heart. Whether Xie Jingxing faked his death in her previous life was unknown, but one thing was certain. The father and son of the Xie family died on the battlefield at the same time because they were targeted by the royal family.


    For some reason, in this life, Xie Jingxing changed his mind and went to war in advance. The emperor originally wanted to deal with the Marquis of Lin¡¯an, so he took the opportunity to change the target to Xie Jingxing. Xie Jingxing was dead. Unexpectedly, the Marquis of Lin¡¯an couldn¡¯t recover from the setback, so the royal family didn¡¯t have to make things difficult for him again.


    At the thought of this, Shen Miao understood what Xie Jingxing meant when he said to Su Mingfeng, ¡°Ming Qi didn¡¯t nurture me. Instead Ming Qi killed me.¡±


    !!


    The Marquis of Lin¡¯an had once made great contributions to Ming Qi, but once he outlived his usefulness, the royal family could not wait to get rid of him. Although Shen Miao already knew that the fall of the Marquis of Lin¡¯an in her previous life was related to the royal family, it was different when she heard it from Xie Jingxing.


    If even Xie Ding¡¯s trusted aide was a spy planted by the royal family, then almost every move of the Marquis of Lin¡¯an was under Emperor Wen Hui¡¯s nose. Therefore, Xie Jingxing had never been close to Xie Ding since he was young. Perhaps back then, although he could not be sure who the spy was, he knew that the royal family had always been watching their every move.


    Perhaps even Concubine Fang, Xie Changchao, and Xie Changwu were secretly controlled by Emperor Wen Hui. However, now that Xie Changchao and Xie Changwu were dead, Concubine Fang was on the verge of collapse, and the Marquis of Lin¡¯an had no successor, Emperor Wen Hui probably wouldn¡¯t take the Marquis of Lin¡¯an seriously.


    Shen Miao looked at Xie Jingxing again, feeling glad that he had survived a calamity.


    Xie Jingxing¡¯s life in Ming Qi was indeed not as good and comfortable as Su Mingfeng thought. Perhaps the Daliang Dynasty sent Xie Jingxing over because the status of the young marquis of the Marquis of Lin¡¯an could provide a lot of convenience. They thought that if Princess Yuqing died in misery, the Marquis of Lin¡¯an would dote on his son even more. However, they did not expect that Xie Jingxing¡¯s life in the Marquis of Lin¡¯an was even harder than if he was born in an ordinary family.


    There was infighting, deception, hypocrisy, and hidden schemes.


    If not for the people of the Daliang Dynasty coming to his rescue on the battlefield in time, Xie Jingxing would¡¯ve been reduced to dust scattering over the wilderness of the northern border.


    Xie Jingxing looked at Shen Miao¡¯s expression. Although Shen Miao tried her best to remain calm, her breathing was still a little irregular. He smiled and reached over the table to touch her head. ¡°What are you afraid of? When we reach the Daliang Dynasty, with me around, no one will dare to bully you.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s also a royal family in the Daliang Dynasty.¡± Shen Miao felt that things were not that simple.


    Xie Jingxing said indifferently, ¡°I¡¯m also from the royal family.¡± He retracted his hand and said indifferently, ¡°Apart from my brother, you don¡¯t have to be afraid of anyone. Even if you see my brother and really anger him, tell me and I¡¯ll guarantee your safety.¡±


    ¡°The Daliang Dynasty is my territory. Whoever dares to bully you will be going against the world.¡± Xie Jingxing said.

 Chapter 847 - 847 Injured (6)

    847 Injured (6)


    After saying a few more words, the sky lit up. Seeing that Jingzhe and Gu Yu were about to come to wake Shen Miao up, Xie Jingxing left.


    After Xie Jingxing left, Cong Yang appeared out of nowhere. Shen Miao glared at him and asked, ¡°Why weren¡¯t you here last night?¡±


    Last night, when Xie Jingxing was injured, Cong Yang was nowhere to be seen. Now that Xie Jingxing left, he came out.


    Cong Yang said apologetically, ¡°Young Madam, it¡¯s really unfortunate. I had a mission yesterday. I thought I would be back soon. Unexpectedly, I was delayed halfway. When I came back, it was already the next morning.¡± He looked apologetic and sincere as he asked, ¡°Young Madam, do you have something to tell me?¡±


    !!


    ¡°Nothing.¡± Shen Miao waved her hand, closed the window, and left.


    Cong Yang jumped back to the tree, feeling very aggrieved. Last night, his master instructed him not to make a sound, so Cong Yang could only squat on the tree for the entire night without even covering himself with a blanket. He did not know what his master and Young Madam were doing in the room. He thought about how his master had suffered that small injury and still had to rush back to the Shen mansion. Gao Yang wanted to stop his master¡¯s bleeding, but his master did not let him. His master let the blood flow all over his body just to make Young Madam pity him.


    Gao Yang felt sorry for himself. After being in the cold wind for the entire night, he still had to be blamed by Young Madam. His master did not give him any rewards. Why did no one feel sorry for him?


    On the other side, Xie Jingxing was walking towards Prince Rui¡¯s mansion.


    Cong Yang had already reconstructed all the mansions from Prince Rui¡¯s mansion to the Shen mansion. There were no walls between them, almost forming a continuous mansion.


    The cold wind in the late winter was heavy. Outside his loose white robe, he was wearing a black cloak. The black and white colors collided, making his face look a little pale.


    He was not wearing a mask, and his expression was not as relaxed as usual. His beautiful eyes, which were always curved, were deep and dark, carrying a trace of coldness.


    In the end, he still lied to Shen Miao.


    Apart from the scars left behind in the northern border, there were also scars left behind in the Daliang Dynasty.


    The scar left behind in the northern border was caused by the knife of the deputy general of the Xie army, who Xie Ding trusted the most. That scar was so deep that the bones could be seen. Later, during the half a year he was recuperating in the Daliang Dynasty, people said that he could not get over it. In the end, Gao Yang risked his life to save him from the jaws of death. Gao Yang said that if the knife was slightly off at that time, or if Gao Yang came any later, his life would probably not be saved.


    Apart from Gao Yang, Emperor Yong Le, and his trusted aides, no one else knew that Xie Jingxing was injured. When he appeared in the imperial court of the Daliang Dynasty again, he was still the handsome Prince Rui.


    However, it was not easy for people to accept a prince who came out of nowhere. Everything in this world was related to benefits. The appearance of Prince Rui would eventually cause some people to lose benefits. Therefore, there were countless schemes and plots against him.


    There were countless life and death situations, and he had also suffered many injuries. In the Daliang Dynasty, fighting was even more brutal than in Ming Qi. In Ming Qi, his identity was hidden, and the royal family was dealing with the entire Marquis of Lin¡¯an, not him alone. In the Daliang Dynasty, people were targeting him for the title he claimed.


    Every time, after escaping death, the person who appeared in the imperial court the next day was still Prince Rui, who had a lazy smile on his face. In everyone¡¯s hearts, Prince Rui was a terrifying enemy who was scheming and ruthless. They no longer acted rashly. They respected and feared him. In their hearts, they wished that Prince Rui would die instead of living, but on the surface, they had to bow to him.


    That was what Xie Jingxing risked his life to earn.


    He used two years to stabilize his identity as Prince Rui in the Daliang Dynasty. No one dared to suspect him, provoke him, and scheme against him.


    ¡°I want to know.¡± Shen said, ¡°Tell me for the sake of helping me be better prepared mentally. I don¡¯t want to go to a strange place without knowing anything.¡±


    On this winter morning, Xie Jingxing walked slowly. His green boots stepped on the snow, making rustling sounds. Ice crystals swayed on the tree like hanging gems.


    A faint smile slowly appeared on his lips.


    What was there to prepare?


    In any case, he would get rid of all the trouble for her.

 Chapter 848 - 848 Showdown (1)

    848 Showdown (1)


    On this day, an uninvited guest came to Prince Rui¡¯s mansion.


    One look and one could tell that he was someone who had been on the battlefield. He stood straight at the entrance of the mansion, looking like he had come with ill intentions.


    The guard at the door stopped the burly man, who said, ¡°Bring me to see Prince Rui.¡±


    The burly man was arrogant, but the guards of Prince Rui¡¯s mansion weren¡¯t pushovers. They did not back down at all. Instead, they said, ¡°If there¡¯s no invitation. His Highness won¡¯t see you.¡±


    Just as the burly man was about to flare up, he heard a surprised voice from inside. ¡°General Shen?¡± He looked up and saw Tie Yi striding over. When he walked over, he glared at the guards and said respectfully, ¡°General Shen, I hope you won¡¯t mind them being rude. I¡¯ll bring you to see His Highness at once.¡±


    The guard widened his eyes, probably having realized who ¡°General Shen¡± was. Then, he looked at Shen Xin suspiciously, as if he did not expect him to come at this time.


    Shen Xin was filled with anger. Over the past few days, he had been tossing and turning. Every time he thought of his ridiculous guess a few days ago, he could not sleep well. He thought that as time passed, this matter would gradually fade away. Unexpectedly, the longer it passed, the harder it was for him to get over it.


    Shen Xin was a person who did not like to dwell on something. Once he had any doubts, he would definitely get to the bottom of it. Moreover, this concerned Shen Miao¡¯s life. Therefore, he finally decided to come to Prince Rui¡¯s mansion personally. No matter what the outcome was, he had to find out.


    Unexpectedly, as soon as he arrived, he encountered a stupid guard, making him even more furious..


    Fortunately, Tie Yi was a sensible person. When he saw that Shen Xin seemed to be angry, he tried to make him happy by saying that everyone in Prince Rui¡¯s mansion had been busy with the marriage recently, so that Shen Miao could get married in a grand manner and not be embarrassed in Ming Qi.


    Shen Xin followed Tie Yi all the way. As Tie Yi had said, the mansion was decorated with lanterns inside and outside, looking very festive. No matter what, the people of Prince Rui took this marriage very seriously. Only then did Shen Xin feel much better.


    When they arrived at the door of a room, Tie Yi stopped and said, ¡°I can¡¯t enter His Highness¡¯s study. Someone has already reported it. General Shen, you can go in directly.¡±


    Shen Xin thought that what he said to Prince Rui later would be very private, so naturally, he could not let outsiders hear it. If the servants could not enter the study, it would be much more convenient to have the conversation. At the same time, he was a little puzzled. Prince Rui did not allow the servants to enter, but he was allowed to enter. Wasn¡¯t Prince Rui afraid that he would attack him? However, on a second thought, he understood that with the skills Prince Rui displayed that day, they were probably equal opponents.


    Although he was thinking a lot, Shen Xin still looked calm on the surface. He nodded and walked into the door, only to see a furry white thing suddenly jump out of the door. It was a white tiger, but it was still small, whimpering at him aggressively.


    Shen Xin almost slashed down with his sword.


    Tie Yi immediately went forward to carry the white tiger away. Shen Xin took a deep breath and pushed the door open to enter.


    In the room, Prince Rui was sitting on a chair and reading. His posture was lazy, and he was flipping through the pages casually.


    Shen Xin frowned. ¡°Prince Rui?¡±

 Chapter 849 - 849 Showdown (2)

    849 Showdown (2)


    Unlike Luo Xueyan, although Prince Rui kindly asked everyone in the Shen family to call him ¡°Jingxing¡± and Luo Xueyan did so, Shen Xin could not do it. Men were different from women. Women could rely on their intuition to judge if someone was friendly or malicious, but men could not rely on their intuition alone, especially Shen Xin. He was more willing to rely on evidence.


    Prince Rui looked up and casually placed the book on the table. Shen Xin saw that it was a military book, and it was a very obscure one. Only old generals would read it. Prince Rui was only 22 years old now. Him reading such a book, either he was putting on an act, or he was hiding his true color.


    Before Prince Rui paid a visit, in Shen Xin¡¯s eyes, Prince Rui was just an idle prince who was arrogant because he had Emperor Yong Le backing him. However, after Prince Rui competed with Shen Qiu that day, looking at Prince Rui again, Shen Xin felt that he was not that simple.


    Perhaps this was a man¡¯s intuition.


    ¡°General Shen, play chess with me, would you?¡±


    Shen Xin said, ¡°I don¡¯t know how to play.¡±


    ¡°A game of war chess.¡± Prince Rui raised his hand and took the chessboard from the other side. He placed it on the table and gave Shen Xin a jar of white pieces, leaving a jar of black pieces for himself. He said, ¡°General Shen and I will use the chessboard as our country and the chess pieces as our soldiers. How about that?¡±


    When Shen Xin heard it was about war, he was excited. He didn¡¯t want to be looked down upon by a young man, so he said, ¡°I¡¯ll be obliged to keep you company then.¡±


    The two of them set up the chess pieces and started to play.


    Unlike Prince Rui¡¯s appearance, Prince Rui¡¯s chess style shocked Shen Xin. He had a ruthlessness that did not match his age. It was extremely tiring to play war chess. Every step he took had to be thought carefully. However, Prince Rui did not seem to need time to think. Instead, he placed his chess pieces where he wanted to place them. It was very casual, but when one looked carefully, one could tell that every move he made was delicate.


    Shen Xin was good at playing war chess, but compared to Prince Rui, he was at a disadvantage. Shen Xin even had the illusion that he had played chess with Prince Rui before. Otherwise, why did Prince Rui seem to know where his next chess piece was going to be placed?


    After the round ended, as expected, Shen Xin lost.


    Prince Rui said, ¡°You lost.¡±


    Shen Xin waved his hand and said, ¡°Again!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯ll be the same,¡± Prince Rui said.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Shen Xin frowned.


    ¡°You¡¯ll lose,¡± he said.


    For many years, other than Luo Xueyan and Emperor Wen Hui, no one dared to talk to Shen Xin like this. He immediately looked angry. Just as he was about to flare up, he saw Prince Rui say casually, ¡°General Shen, I¡¯m afraid you didn¡¯t come to my place to play chess.¡± He curled his lips and asked, ¡°What is it about?¡±


    Shen Xin¡¯s angry words were stuck in his throat.


    Prince Rui always seemed to have an ability to make people angry. After making people angry, he would change the topic smoothly, as if he wasn¡¯t the one who said those infuriating words just now. This ability was really like a person, Xie Ding, the Marquis of Lin¡¯an when he was young. Every time Xie Ding and Shen Xin argued, Xie Ding would act like this. Shen Xin was an honest person and took every word seriously, so he was often fooled by Xie Ding.


    At the thought of Xie Ding, Shen Xin suddenly remembered why he came today. He was no longer in the mood to flare up. He looked straight into Prince Rui¡¯s eyes and did not let go of the change in Prince Rui¡¯s expression. He slowly asked, ¡°When you were competing with Shen Qiu the other day, you used your dagger to lock his throat. Where did you learn that move?¡±

 Chapter 850 - 850 Showdown (3)

    850 Showdown (3)


    Hearing this, Prince Rui smiled. ¡°General Shen, I did it so slowly that I thought you saw it clearly. Why? Do you need me to do it again?¡±


    Shen Xin was stunned, and his heart skipped a beat. Prince Rui indeed did it on purpose!


    That day, the dagger move was done deliberately slower than usual, as if Prince Rui was letting him see what move it was. At this moment, hearing Prince Rui admit it, Shen Xin felt an indescribable feeling, but he was more puzzled. He asked, ¡°How did you learn it?¡±


    ¡°I learned it a long time ago.¡± Prince Rui said lazily, ¡°General Shen, haven¡¯t you seen it before?¡±


    !!


    Instantly, Shen Xin¡¯s mind went blank, as if a thunderclap had suddenly exploded around him, making every inch of his body tremble.


    Many years ago, on the street of Ming Qi, he accidentally saw the heir of the Marquis of Lin¡¯an, Xie Ding¡¯s son, use this move on someone. At that time, he even thought that Xie Jingxing¡¯s move was much more powerful than his father¡¯s.


    Shen Xin¡¯s heart was in turmoil. At this moment, he was actually at a loss. He did not know if he should look surprised or shocked, but at the same time, he was also calm, because the guess that was bugging him day and night was proven right.


    He asked, ¡°Are you Xie Jingxing?¡±


    Prince Rui took off his mask.


    Shen Xin gasped.


    The relationship between the Shen family and the Marquis of Lin¡¯an had never been good, but it was precisely because of this that Shen Xin knew the Marquis of Lin¡¯an the best. Xie Ding had a son who was always going against him. On the surface, Shen Xin was gloating that this was the case, but he secretly admired Xie Jingxing. He felt that although this young man was a little mischievous, he had a boldness and carefreeness that no noble young master in the capital had.


    Therefore, Shen Xin remembered Xie Jingxing¡¯s appearance very well.


    Now, the person in front of him looked more mature and handsome, but there was still a shadow of the past in his looks. At that moment, Shen Xin understood everything.


    He said, ¡°What¡¯s going on? Shouldn¡¯t you explain?¡±


    His tone was like an elder disciplining a junior. At this moment, Shen Xin even had the ridiculous illusion that he was helping Xie Ding discipline his son.


    Xie Jingxing smiled and poured a cup of tea for Shen Xin. He said, ¡°Father-in-law, have some tea and listen to my explanation.¡±


    In the next hour, Shen Xin heard a shocking secret from Xie Jingxing that he had never thought of.


    Shen Xin did not expect Xie Jingxing to be the prince of the Daliang Dynasty and had such a bumpy life. He did not expect Xie Jingxing to be so bold as to come to Ming Qi like this. Wasn¡¯t he afraid that once his identity was exposed, he would be in trouble?


    After hearing Xie Jingxing¡¯s words, Shen Xin was furious, indignant, regretful, and hesitant. All kinds of emotions welled up in his heart. However, he still understood what decision he should make at this moment. He said, ¡°Since you have this identity, Jiaojiao can¡¯t marry you!¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± Xie Jingxing asked.


    ¡°Your goal is definitely not just to come to Ming Qi to pay tribute.¡± Shen Xin¡¯s words were sharp. He said, ¡°The Daliang Dynasty¡¯s ambitions will not stop. One day, the Daliang Dynasty will make a move on Ming Qi. At that time, you and I will meet on the battlefield. If Jiaojiao marries you, what should she do? Do you want her to be torn between you and her father? I won¡¯t put Jiaojiao in such a difficult position even if I have to defy the imperial edict and risk losing everything.¡±

 Chapter 851 - 851 Showdown (4)

    851 Showdown (4)


    ¡°Father-in-law, you¡¯re thinking too much.¡± Xie Jingxing smiled indifferently. ¡°She knows my identity and understands the situation she¡¯s facing better than you. Perhaps you should think about the relationship between the Shen family and Ming Qi.¡±


    Feeling that Xie Jingxing was hinting at something, Shen Xin frowned and asked, ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    Xie Jingxing snapped his fingers and his gaze landed on the chessboard that had just been played. Most of Shen Xin¡¯s white pieces had been eaten, but Xie Jingxing¡¯s black pieces were still all over the chessboard. Shen Xin had lost badly, and this chessboard did not look too complicated. Xie Jingxing said, ¡°I played this chess with Father-in-law as a member of the Ming Qi royal family. Father-in-law, didn¡¯t you notice anything?¡±


    Shen Xin suddenly looked up and said angrily, ¡°Nonsense!¡±


    ¡°We both know very well if I¡¯m spouting nonsense or not.¡± The smile on Xie Jingxing¡¯s face suddenly disappeared, and his lazy expression was immediately replaced by seriousness. ¡°I don¡¯t believe you can¡¯t tell Ming Qi¡¯s attitude towards the Shen family. In fact, if not for Shen Miao secretly interfering, the Shen family would probably be down and out now. I¡¯m not a kind-hearted person. I just don¡¯t want to see Shen Miao risking her life for the Shen family alone, but you don¡¯t know anything. She¡¯s just a little girl. I can¡¯t bear to see her being the villain.¡±


    Shen Xin was so angry that the beard on his lips straightened, but he still caught the crux of Xie Jingxing¡¯s words and asked, ¡°What¡¯s with Jiaojiao? What did you mean just now? Explain it!¡±


    ¡°Father-in-law and Mother-in-law are stationed in the northwest all year round, so you are naturally too busy to take care of Jiaojiao. However, I¡¯m lucky enough to know what the second and third branches did to her back then. They schemed against her and wanted to send her to Prince Yu¡¯s bed. How did Shen Yuan die? How did Ren Wanyun go crazy? How did Shen Gui and Shen Wan get into trouble? Jing Chuchu, Jing Guansheng¡­ Not only did the Shen family scheme against her, but even the royal family of Ming Qi used her to their advantage behind your back.¡±


    ¡°Back then when you retreated to Spring City, who do you think was paving the way? Do you think it¡¯s really a coincidence that Su Yu suddenly appeared and asked the emperor to forgive you to arouse his suspicion? Is the Shen family so blessed that you can escape unscathed every time?¡±


    He looked at Shen Xin¡¯s stiff expression and mocked, ¡°Two years ago, when you returned to the imperial court, it happened to be Old Madam Shen¡¯s birthday. The ancestral hall of the Shen family was set on fire. Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s Shen Miao who personally set it on fire just to let you see the ambition of the Shen family? She used her life to warn and remind you. General Shen, do you dare to say that you can still protect her?¡±


    Shen Xin felt like he had been struck by lightning.


    Ever since he and Luo Xueyan returned to the capital, he had suspected that something was wrong, but every time he investigated, he could not find anything. Later, there were many things to do in the Ministry of War, so he did not have much time to dwell on it and gradually put it to the back of his mind.


    Now that Shen Xin heard the whole story from Xie Jingxing, he was lost for words.


    ¡°Shen Miao is the one who pushed the second and third branches of the Shen family to their demise. General Shen, don¡¯t blame her for being ruthless. If not for her, I¡¯m afraid you¡¯ll long be six feet under.¡± Xie Jingxing said sarcastically, but his gaze was sharp and oppressive. He said, ¡°You might be a good general to the world, but I think you are not a good father to Shen Miao. I don¡¯t know why she shoulders all the burden, as if she owes the Shen family. However, in my opinion, General Shen, you are not a good father, but you are very lucky to have raised a daughter like Shen Miao.¡±

 Chapter 852 - 852 Showdown (5)

    852 Showdown (5)


    ¡°She¡¯s doing everything she can to protect the Shen family. The future emperor of Ming Qi is also someone she wants to deal with.¡± He said coldly and mockingly, ¡°Do you really understand Shen Miao?¡±


    Shen Xin collapsed on the chair. At this moment, he suddenly felt ashamed.


    ¡°On the contrary, although I don¡¯t have a deep relationship with Shen Jiaojiao, we¡¯ve been through thick and thin together. We listened to each other¡¯s stories and came up with ideas at night. I saved her life and saved her from danger.¡± Xie Jingxing said, ¡°Why can¡¯t I marry her?¡±


    Shen Xin suddenly felt extremely tired. The Shen Miao Xie Jingxing was talking about was unfamiliar to him. He did not know anything about what Shen Miao had experienced. Just as Xie Jingxing said, he thought he doted on his daughter a lot, but he didn¡¯t even know what she had been through. Then what had he done all these years?


    He looked at the chessboard on the table for a long time. When his eyes started to hurt, he said softly, ¡°Tell me everything.¡±


    ¡°Everything you know about Jiaojiao, tell me.¡±


    ¡­


    When Pei Lang woke up, he was in an unfamiliar place. There were many well-dressed maids serving him medicine. Pei Lang¡¯s memory of before he fainted was in the dungeon of Prince Ding¡¯s mansion. A masked man in black saved him from the fire.


    He did not know who saved him, nor did he know why that person saved him. He asked the surrounding maids who came to serve him, but he was only told that this was Prince Rui¡¯s mansion.


    Pei Lang vaguely sensed that Shen Miao and Prince Rui might be friends, but he did not know how deep the friendship was. He thought that Prince Rui would not take him in for no reason. If he did, it must be because of Shen Miao. Shen Miao did not give up on him. At the thought of this, Pei Lang¡¯s heart skipped a beat.


    It was as if everything he insisted on was worth it at this moment, although Pei Lang did not understand where this strange thought came from.


    Just as he was thinking, the door to the room opened and a young man walked in with a medicine box on his back. He walked up to him and sat down, as if he wanted to take his pulse.


    Pei Lang did not look at the young man seriously at first, thinking that it was a doctor hired by Prince Rui. When he saw the doctor¡¯s face clearly, he was slightly stunned at first before shouting, ¡°Imperial Physician Gao!¡±


    He reacted so strongly that he accidentally pulled the wound and gasped in pain. Gao Yang quickly pressed down on his wound and said, ¡°You don¡¯t have to be so surprised. Be careful not to pull on the wound.¡±


    Pei Lang looked at Gao Yang, and many thoughts flashed across his mind. Gao Yang was the youngest imperial physician in the Imperial Hospital. The royal family liked this young imperial physician very much, probably because he was very good with words and often made Emperor Wen Hui happy. In the eyes of the consorts, he was much more pleasing to the eye than the old men in the Imperial Hospital.


    Since he was an imperial physician in the palace, he would not treat people outside the palace for no reason, let alone in Prince Rui¡¯s mansion. Pei Lang¡¯s first thought was that Prince Rui might have borrowed Gao Yang from Emperor Wen Hui for him, but this thought was quickly shaken by Pei Lang. Although Gao Yang was excellent, he was not the only physician in the capital. There was no need for Prince Rui to find Gao Yang to alert the royal family.


    Then the second possibility was that Gao Yang and Prince Rui were friends in private.


    This possibility was really shocking. He looked up at Gao Yang with a suspicious gaze, but he smiled gently and said, ¡°Imperial Physician Gao, why are you here?¡±

 Chapter 853 - 853 Showdown (6)

    853 Showdown (6)


    As Gao Yang took Pei Lang¡¯s pulse, he said, ¡°Prince Rui summoned me over to treat you, so I came over.¡± After taking Pei Lang¡¯s pulse, he said, ¡°Your situation is almost stable. However, Prince Ding tortured your legs heavily. Your legs are injured, so I have to acupuncture you. Otherwise, your legs will be crippled soon.¡±


    Pei Lang was stunned. Fu Xiuyi was extremely ruthless to him. He seemed to hate the people who betrayed him very much. Although he did not take his life, that was probably because Fu Xiuyi was certain that he would die from the torture. In fact, if not for the fact he was saved, given the intensity of the torture, his kneecaps would have been dug out in the next few days.


    Hearing Gao Yang¡¯s words, even Pei Lang, who had always been calm, couldn¡¯t help but feel like he had escaped the jaws of death.


    ¡°Fu Xiuyi is really ruthless.¡± Gao Yang took out a row of golden needles from the medical box and asked Pei Lang to sit still. He rolled up his pants and slowly started to perform acupuncture on him. As he performed it, he said, ¡°I can¡¯t tell from his appearance that he¡¯s so ruthless.¡±


    !!


    Pei Lang¡¯s heart skipped a beat. Gao Yang was an official of Ming Qi after all, and he was an imperial physician who specialized in treating the royal family. However, he actually called Prince Ding by his name. Not only that, but when he mentioned Fu Xiuyi, his tone was not respectful at all, as if he was evaluating an unimportant person. With Gao Yang¡¯s status, this behavior was too strange.


    Gao Yang did not even look up and was focused on performing acupuncture on Pei Lang. He suddenly said, ¡°Do you want to ask what kind of relationship I have with Prince Rui?¡±


    Pei Lang paused for a moment before saying with a smile, ¡°Are you willing to tell me?¡±


    ¡°To be honest, I¡¯m Prince Rui¡¯s man,¡± Gao Yang said.


    This time, it was Pei Lang¡¯s turn to remain silent. He was surprised by Gao Yang¡¯s identity, but what surprised him the most was that Gao Yang actually told him this secret so bluntly. Then what was Gao Yang now? A spy sent by the Daliang Dynasty to Ming Qi? What was the point of doing this? To poison Emperor Wen Hui?


    Or was he bribed by Prince Rui and betrayed?


    ¡°Are you surprised and curious why I told you such a big secret?¡± Gao Yang continued, as if he could guess what Pei Lang was thinking.


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Pei Lang said frankly, ¡°I indeed don¡¯t understand.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s so difficult to understand?¡± Gao Yang smiled. ¡°Prince Ding¡¯s mansion is on fire. After the fire is put out, Fu Xiuyi will send people to look for your corpse. If they can¡¯t find your corpse, he will know that someone saved you. Fu Xiuyi is not a fool. The person who saved you even set fire to his dungeon. Fu Xiuyi naturally has to blame you for everything. At this moment, only Prince Rui can protect you in Ming Qi. Whether you like it or not, you¡¯re tied to Prince Rui. In that case, we¡¯re all on the same side. What secrets can¡¯t I tell you?¡± Gao Yang looked up and smiled at Pei Lang. ¡°We¡¯re all in the same boat.¡±


    Pei Lang quickly caught the crux of Gao Yang¡¯s words and asked, ¡°Did Prince Rui set the fire?¡±


    Gao Yang said, ¡°Of course.¡±


    Pei Lang was dumbfounded. That dungeon was considered the most hidden place in the entire Prince Ding¡¯s mansion. The people locked up there were also very useful to Fu Xiuyi. Pei Lang could easily guess that Fu Xiuyi must be burning with rage. Gao Yang was right. In the entire capital, only Prince Rui could make Fu Xiuyi afraid and only Prince Rui could protect him.


    Pei Lang hesitated for a moment before asking the question he wanted to ask the most. ¡°Did Prince Rui save me?¡±


    ¡°Otherwise, who would have the ability to save you?¡± Gao Yang said, ¡°No one dares to take this risk.¡±


    ¡°But why did he save me?¡± Pei Lang asked tentatively, ¡°Because someone else asked him to do this?¡± He did not know if Gao Yang knew about Shen Miao, so he did not say Shen Miao¡¯s name, afraid that this would cause trouble for her.


    Gao Yang looked at him meaningfully and stabbed a golden needle into his knee. Pei Lang frowned slightly and heard Gao Yang saying, ¡°That¡¯s right, because our princess consort asked him to.¡±


    ¡°Princess Consort?¡± Pei Lang was stunned. ¡°Princess Consort Rui?¡± He had never heard of Prince Rui having a princess consort, nor did he know what kind of relationship he had with Princess Consort Rui. He asked, ¡°Why did Princess Consort Rui¡­¡±


    Gao Yang smiled. ¡°It¡¯s probably because Princess Consort Rui was once your student.¡±


    Pei Lang said, ¡°She¡¯s¡­¡±


    ¡°Shen Miao.¡±

 Chapter 854 - 854 Secret (1)

    854 Secret (1)


    At the end of the year, the Shen family was both happy and unhappy.


    The happy thing was that the family was gathered together, which was always a joyous thing. The unhappy thing was that after the new year, Shen Miao was going to marry into the Daliang Dynasty. As time approached, everyone in the Shen family was busy every day. They had to prepare Shen Miao¡¯s dowry, gather guards and servants Shen Miao was going to bring with her, and plan out the journey to the Daliang Dynasty.


    Although the dowry Shen Xin prepared for Shen Miao was not as good as the betrothal gift Xie Jingxing gave her, it was still very generous. He did not include the shops and fields, because they were useless since Shen Miao was going to another country, and there was not much furniture either because it would be too heavy to carry. Apart from some rare jewelry, the dowry consisted mostly of money. In a foreign country, everything else was dispensable, but money was indispensable.


    The money Shen Xin and his wife had prepared for Shen Miao was more than enough. However, Shen Qiu still pulled Shen Miao to the side and took out a thick stack of banknotes from his sleeve. He said, ¡°These are the banknotes from the Tonghui Bank. They can be used in the Daliang Dynasty.¡± He then said awkwardly, ¡°Brother doesn¡¯t have anything else. I only have these banknotes for you. Sister, don¡¯t mind it.¡±


    !!


    Shen Miao looked at the banknotes, and a warm feeling surged in her heart. Shen Qiu was a young man after all. The soldiers of the Ministry of War worked hard for him every day, so Shen Qiu naturally had to treat them to a meal every now and then. Shen Qiu¡¯s salary was not much. Most of it was rewards from his military achievements in the past. Shen Miao was touched and said, ¡°Brother, the banknotes given to me by our parents can last me for the rest of my life. Why did you give me these?¡±


    ¡°Say no more.¡± Shen Qiu stuffed the banknote into Shen Miao¡¯s hand and left without looking back. Shen Miao looked at his back and was caught between laughter and tears, thinking that she had to find a chance to get Mo Qing to secretly return it to Shen Qiu.


    Just as she was thinking, she saw Shen Xin walk in and say, ¡°Jiaojiao, I have something to tell you. Come, let¡¯s go to the study.¡±


    When Luo Xueyan heard this, she wanted to follow and said, ¡°It just so happens that I have something to say to Jiaojiao as well.¡±


    ¡°Madam, it won¡¯t be too late to say to Jiaojiao later.¡± Shen Xin said, ¡°Let me talk to Jiaojiao in private.¡±


    Luo Xueyan snorted, but she did not follow him in. She thought that Shen Xin was going to secretly give Shen Miao money or something, so she did not think too much about it.


    Shen Miao followed Shen Xin into the study. Shen Xin asked the servants to guard the door outside and asked Shen Miao to sit down at the table in the room before getting some pastries and tea for Shen Miao to eat. He sat down opposite Shen Miao and sighed deeply. ¡°Jiaojiao, you¡¯re going to get married in a few days. I plan to get Mo Qing to go with you.¡± After a pause, Shen Xin continued, ¡°Although Prince Rui is Emperor Yong Le¡¯s brother and has a lot of status in the Daliang Dynasty, the royal family is always complicated. Some things might not be as simple as they look. At that time, don¡¯t let yourself suffer. If anyone bullies you, tell Prince Rui. You¡¯re his wife. He will protect you. Don¡¯t take it on yourself. Leave it to him.¡±


    Shen Miao nodded.


    ¡°If Prince Rui can¡¯t protect you, don¡¯t be afraid. You still have us. I¡¯ve chosen a few people from the Shen army. Although they¡¯re not as skilled as Mo Qing, they¡¯re not ordinary either. They¡¯ll dress up as guards of the Shen family and go with you. Just don¡¯t make yourself suffer.¡±


    Shen Miao thought for a moment and finally couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Father, have you and Mother¡­ never thought of leaving Ming Qi?¡±

 Chapter 855 - 855 Secret (2)

    855 Secret (2)


    Shen Xin was stunned and looked at Shen Miao without saying anything.


    Since she had already said it, Shen Miao might as well say it all. She continued, ¡°Now that I¡¯m married to the Daliang Dynasty, the emperor will definitely be wary of the Shen family. Although Father and Mother are still generals now, the emperor might not put you in an important position in the future. It¡¯s always difficult to guess what the emperor is thinking. If the emperor has ill-intentions¡­ it¡¯s better to go to the Daliang Dynasty with me now. Military power is no longer that important, because if you stay in Ming Qi, it¡¯ll be taken back by the emperor sooner or later.¡±


    Shen Miao put it euphemistically. If it were before, after hearing Shen Miao¡¯s words, Shen Xin would definitely be confused. However, after having a long conversation with Xie Jingxing that day, when he heard it again from Shen Miao, Shen Xin immediately understood. He couldn¡¯t help but smile bitterly. It turned out that his daughter had already reminded him so many times. Why didn¡¯t he take what she said to heart at all? Was it because of the family teaching that one had to be loyal to his country? Or did he not trust Shen Miao at all?


    Shen Xin said, ¡°The royal family wants to suppress the Shen family and is afraid of my military power. They definitely won¡¯t let the Shen family leave Ming Qi so easily. Moreover, they want to use the Shen family to threaten you.¡±


    Shen Miao was stunned. All along, she had been afraid of making Shen Xin angry by saying these treacherous words. It was not that she felt that Shen Xin was stupidly loyal, but Shen Xin had been taught by Old General Shen since he was young to be loyal to the emperor. It was a long process to make someone abandone what they had believed in for decades. Some people would never be able to change in their lives. However, Shen Xin seemed to have seen through it.


    Shen Xin said, ¡°I know what you are worried about, but I still can¡¯t leave.¡±


    ¡°If Father wants to leave, we can always come up with an idea to leave.¡± Shen Miao said, ¡°The royal family wants to use the Shen family to threaten me or use me to threaten the Shen family. Why don¡¯t we let them suffer a double loss.¡± At the end of her sentence, there was a faint hostility in her tone, and her words became sharp.


    Shen Xin laughed out loud. ¡°I originally thought that you were too gentle and did not look like a daughter from a military family. Now that I see you, you look exactly like me. You have the demeanor of a heroine. You¡¯re not afraid of power and have a clear mind. Very good!¡± He took a sip of tea and said, ¡°Jiaojiao, you¡¯re smart. I believe it¡¯s not difficult for you to find a way, but what will happen in the future?¡±


    ¡°In the future?¡± Shen Miao was puzzled. ¡°What future?¡±


    ¡°Jiaojiao.¡± Shen Xin suddenly said, ¡°The Shen family is like a thorn in the side of the royal family. Even if Ming Qi becomes powerful one day, the Shen family will still be at the mercy of the royal family.¡± Shen Xin sighed. ¡°The Shen family is not afraid of being accused. Even if we die, we won¡¯t be afraid. It¡¯s just that I don¡¯t want your mother, your brother, and you to be implicated, nor do I want the loyal ancestors of the Shen family to be defamed.¡±


    Shen Miao¡¯s heart was pounding. She had guessed what Shen Xin was going to say, but she couldn¡¯t believe it.


    The next moment, Shen Xin said, ¡°I, Shen Xin, am done with being a loyal servant of the royal family.¡±


    Shen Miao suddenly looked up and said, ¡°Father¡­¡±


    ¡°Jiaojiao, you don¡¯t have to persuade me.¡± Shen Xin smiled brightly. ¡°Although I¡¯m loyal, I won¡¯t be loyal to a heartless person, nor will I risk the life of my entire family for them. As you can see, if everyone in the Shen family goes to the Daliang Dynasty with you now and one day, the Daliang Dynasty attacks Ming Qi, the people of Ming Qi will scold us for being treacherous and helping the wicked. We can¡¯t take the blame.¡±

 Chapter 856 - 856 Secret (3)

    856 Secret (3)


    ¡°If we stay in Ming Qi and one day, Ming Qi and the Daliang Dynasty fight, the people will understand that you are just a woman and can¡¯t do anything to reverse the situation, so they won¡¯t blame you. The Shen family is in Ming Qi, so it¡¯s even more impossible for us to collude with the Daliang Dynasty and be accused of treason.¡±


    Shen Miao shook her head. ¡°If that happens, Father, are you going to fight the Daliang Dynasty for Ming Qi?¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Shen Xin smiled. ¡°Before that, the emperor will definitely make a move on the Shen family. Even if the emperor doesn¡¯t make a move, I have a way to get him to make a move on the Shen family.¡± Shen Xin looked at the tea on the table. ¡°The royal family is paranoid. As long as I spread some rumors, the emperor will definitely not be able to hold back from making a move.¡± He said sarcastically. He had fought for Emperor Wen Hui for many years, protected the country, and risked his life many times. However, as long as Emperor Wen Hui heard these rumors about Shen Xin, he would forget Shen Xin¡¯s contributions and kill him without hesitation.


    Once Emperor Wen Hui felt that his throne was threatened, he would not be merciful even to his sons.


    ¡°When that day comes¡­¡± Shen Xin¡¯s eyes suddenly darkened.¡± The day the emperor raises his knife to our Shen family will be the day the Shen family rises up!¡±


    He didn¡¯t want the Shen family to be tarnished, but he also didn¡¯t want his beloved to be sacrificed to the despicable royal family. Therefore, he wanted the people of the world to see clearly that the royal family was the one who was heartless to the Shen family first.


    Perhaps compared to the royal family, the mighty general with outstanding military achievements would have a higher reputation among the people of Ming Qi. Shen Xin wanted to use this to compete with the royal family.


    This was the Shen family¡¯s counterattack against the royal family.


    However, Shen Miao was not thinking about this at this moment. She was thinking that this was not Shen Xin¡¯s style of doing things.


    Shen Xin was straightforward and non-scheming. This was why ever since Shen Miao was reborn, she had been walking the path of revenge alone. Firstly, Shen Xin wouldn¡¯t scheme against people. Secondly, she was afraid her father would think she was a sinister person.


    However, what Shen Xin was doing now was secretly setting up a trap. It was impossible for Shen Xin to take the initiative to do this. He must be guided by someone. Shen Miao thought of someone almost immediately, Xie Jingxing.


    She looked at Shen Xin and wanted to speak, but she was lost for words.


    Shen Xin seemed to have seen through her inner turmoil. He smiled and patted her head. ¡°I used to think that Jiaojiao couldn¡¯t grow up. Later, while staying in the capital alone, you grew up. I originally thought that it was not good for a little girl to be too mature so early, but now, I¡¯m very glad.¡± He smiled and said, ¡°I believe that even if Father and Mother are not by your side, you can still protect yourself.¡±


    Shen Miao said, ¡°Father, if you can¡¯t protect the Shen family, write a letter to the Daliang Dynasty. I¡¯m the daughter of the Shen family. I¡¯ll think of a way.¡±


    Shen Xin laughed heartily. ¡°My Jiaojiao is the best girl in the world.¡±


    Shen Miao felt a lump in her throat. It seemed to have started at this moment that she clearly understood that in this life, she was about to leave her family.


    ¡°Although Prince Rui is a little cunning and ruthless, he¡¯s still a trustworthy person. Since he agreed to marry you, he will protect you. If you like him, don¡¯t worry about anything. Just do what you want.¡±

 Chapter 857 - 857 Secret (4)

    857 Secret (4)


    ¡°I understand,¡± Shen Miao said softly.


    Shen Xin looked at Shen Miao for a while before saying with a smile, ¡°In a few years, in a few years, I promise you that I will come and look for you.¡±


    Shen Miao smiled. ¡°I¡¯ll wait for you, Father.¡±


    ¡­


    Ever since that day when Shen Xin and Shen Miao had a long private conversation in the study, Shen Xin and Shen Miao seemed to have become closer. Shen Miao often watched Shen Xin practice martial arts in the courtyard, making Shen Qiu very jealous. He said, ¡°Sister, you¡¯ve been sticking to Father these days and even ignoring me.¡±


    Shen Miao felt that there was an unspoken mutual understanding between her and Shen Xin. Shen Xin had become the person in the Shen family who understood the most about her, so she did not hold back when she talked to Shen Xin. Most of the time, she advised Shen Xin to be wary of the royal family. She had been in the palace for so long in her previous life, so she had some understanding of the royal family of Ming Qi. When Shen Xin heard this, he was very surprised, not knowing where Shen Miao found out all this. Shen Miao naturally did not hesitate to push all the credit to Xie Jingxing, making Shen Xin more wary of him. Such a sophisticated person could not be underestimated. He had to be careful.


    Speaking of Xie Jingxing, Shen Miao had also asked Xie Jingxing if he had said anything to Shen Xin. Xie Jingxing did not admit or deny it. When she asked him what would happen to the Shen family in Ming Qi in the future, Xie Jingxing said that with his help, the Shen family would be fine. With his words, Shen Miao was relieved.


    In the blink of an eye, it was the night before the wedding.


    The next day, Shen Miao was going to get married. She would sit in the sedan chair to tour the entire capital. Then, she would leave Ming Qi and go to the Daliang Dynasty in a grand manner.


    She had brought everything she needed to bring, including Pei Lang. It was already very dangerous for Pei Lang to stay in the capital. Fu Xiuyi would definitely search the entire capital to find him. It was better to let Pei Lang join the wedding team and go to the Daliang Dynasty together.


    Shen Miao used to think that Pei Lang would not agree to go to the Daliang Dynasty so easily, so she had to persuade him. However, she only mentioned it in the letter, and Pei Lang replied to her very readily, saying that he agreed to go to the Daliang Dynasty. This puzzled Shen Miao. She thought that Xie Jingxing might have threatened Pei Lang, but she felt that Xie Jingxing probably would not do such a thing. Whether Pei Lang was alive or dead, Xie Jingxing probably did not care at all.


    Shen Miao was getting married tomorrow. Apart from the fact that it was a sleepless night in the Shen family, there were naturally others who were not in the mood to sleep.


    The princess mansion was one of them.


    Princess Rong Xin paced back and forth in the room. She was afraid that her abnormal behavior would arouse suspicion, so she dismissed all the servants.


    Ever since she found out that Prince Rui was Xie Jingxing, although Princess Rong Xin had many questions, she had never taken the initiative to go to Prince Rui¡¯s mansion to ask Xie Jingxing in person. She knew that the royal family in the capital had many spies. Although she had stayed away from the imperial court for a long time, there might still be people who watched her every move. If someone found out something about Xie Jingxing¡¯s identity, what would happen?


    Princess Rong Xin still had some feelings for Xie Jingxing. She was wary of him, suspicious of him, and on guard against him, but she could not forget the past. She could not forget that it was Xie Jingxing who came to talk to her and helped her through the difficult times of being a widow.


    Human emotions were very complicated. There was no pure love and hate. If one could distinguish between love and hate, many things in the world would probably be much easier. The most difficult thing was that love was very mixed.

 Chapter 858 - 858 Secret (5)

    858 Secret (5)


    Tomorrow, Shen Miao would get married, and tomorrow, Xie Jingxing would leave Ming Qi¡¯s capital. When Xie Jingxing returned to the Daliang Dynasty and stepped into Ming Qi again, would he be leading troops to flatten Ming Qi¡¯s capital?


    Princess Rong Xin was Xie Jingxing¡¯s former aunt, but she was also the princess of Ming Qi. Between her country and family, she had to make a choice.


    After a moment, she walked to the table and sat down. She took out a pen and paper and dipped it in ink. Just as she was about to write on the paper, she stopped, looking very conflicted.


    If she wrote this letter and sent this letter, no one would know what awaited Xie Jingxing. Perhaps he would be criticized by thousands of people, or perhaps his life would be in danger. However, one thing was certain. If this letter was completed, it meant that she had made a choice. Upon finishing this letter, the relationship between her and Xie Jingxing would be gone.


    It was painful for both Xie Jingxing and Princess Rong Xin to be enemies with each other. Princess Rong Xin did not dare to imagine what would happen, but there was nothing she could do.


    She did not expect that she, who had almost died when she heard the news of Xie Jingxing¡¯s death, would now personally push Xie Jingxing to his death.


    She gritted her teeth and quickly picked up the pen to write.


    ¡­


    In the Earl of Pingnan¡¯s mansion, Su Yu and Mrs. Su looked at Su Mingfeng¡¯s tightly shut study door and looked at each other. This was the first time Su Mingfeng liked a girl. Unfortunately, this marriage was not fated. Previously, while the crown prince was still around, the Su family was willing to take the risk to make Su Mingfeng marry Shen Miao. Unexpectedly, after the crown prince was gone, Prince Rui appeared out of nowhere.


    In the end, Shen Xin, who doted on his daughter, had no choice but to obey the imperial edict and let his daughter marry far away to the Daliang Dynasty.


    Mrs. Su said with a sigh, ¡°Now, we can only wait for Mingfeng to think it through and forget about Miss Shen.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s easier said than done.¡± Su Yu shook his head. ¡°Mingfeng is like me. It¡¯s not that simple for him to forget Miss Shen.¡± He looked at Mrs. Su. ¡°It¡¯s useless for us to stand here. Let¡¯s go back and let Mingfeng think for himself.¡±


    Mrs. Su glared at Su Yu. ¡°He¡¯s my son. Seeing him sad hurts more than cutting off my flesh.¡±


    ¡°Even if you tried to persuade him, he wouldn¡¯t listen.¡± Su Yu felt aggrieved. Outside, Su Minglang walked over with a thick stack of calligraphy.


    As Su Minglang grew older, he finally stopped being bratty and gradually became more like a second Su Mingfeng. However, compared to the gentle and polite Su Mingfeng, Su Minglang was more proud. Now facing his parents, he even liked to put on the airs of an adult, Su Yu felt that Su Minglang was becoming less and less cute.


    Su Yu called out to him, ¡°Minglang!¡±


    Su Minglang stopped in his tracks and walked towards the two of them before greeting them.


    ¡°Your brother is not in a good mood. I have something important to ask you to do. Go in and talk to him for a while to make him feel better.¡±


    Although Su Minglang¡¯s personality had changed, he was still as close to Su Mingfeng as before. Thinking about it, it made sense. Su Minglang was slow on the uptake when he was young and was as round as a meatball. He was either mocked by his friends or reprimanded by Su Yu. Every time, Su Mingfeng would protect him. When Su Minglang grew up, he remembered how well his brother treated him when he was young.

 Chapter 859 - 859 Secret (6)

    859 Secret (6)


    Mrs. Su also said, ¡°That¡¯s right, that¡¯s right. Minglang, get your brother to teach you how to write or let him play with you for a while. Don¡¯t let him be idle.¡±


    Su Minglang glanced at his parents and said in an adultlike voice, ¡°Do you want me to persuade Brother not to be sad about Sister Shen¡¯s marriage?¡±


    Su Yu and Mrs. Su were speechless.


    Su Minglang glanced at the light in the study and said, ¡°The two of us have something to say to each other. If there¡¯s nothing else, Father and Mother, you can leave first. I won¡¯t let Brother drown himself in the river.¡±


    After being stunned for a while, Mrs. Su said, ¡°Thank you, Minglang.¡±


    Su Minglang walked towards Su Mingfeng¡¯s study. He pushed open the door with difficulty and saw Su Mingfeng sitting at the desk, looking a little anxious and fluttered. These days, he had always been like this.


    Su Minglang climbed onto the chair very close to Su Mingfeng and sat down properly. Then, he looked at Su Mingfeng and said, ¡°Brother, if you like her, go and fight for her.¡±


    Su Mingfeng was confused.


    ¡°As your brother, I will definitely support you. Since you like Miss Shen, snatch her over. Anyway, compared to that prince, you¡¯re much better.¡± Su Minglang encouraged him with a serious expression.


    Only then did Su Mingfeng understand what Su Minglang was talking about. Su Mingfeng laughed and shook his head. ¡°What does it have to do with me who she marries?¡±


    ¡°Then why are you sad?¡± Su Minglang asked in confusion, ¡°Don¡¯t you like Sister Shen anymore?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t listen to Mother. When have I ever liked her?¡±


    ¡°But you even sent someone to secretly investigate Sister Shen.¡± Su Minglang complained, ¡°If that doesn¡¯t mean you like her, then what it is?¡±


    Su Mingfeng shook his head. ¡°I didn¡¯t do it because I like her. It¡¯s just that¡­¡± He suddenly paused, and a complicated expression appeared on his face.


    Su Minglang looked at him. ¡°Brother, you¡¯re really strange now.¡±


    ¡°Minglang.¡± Su Mingfeng suddenly asked, ¡°Do you still remember Xie Jingxing from the Marquis of Lin¡¯an?¡±


    ¡°Brother Xie?¡± Su Minglang said, ¡°Of course I remember him. Isn¡¯t he your best friend? Back then, you said that Brother Xie went to a far place and would never come back. You asked me not to mention him in the future. Why did you mention him today? Brother, has Brother Xie returned to the capital?¡±


    Su Mingfeng shook his head. ¡°No.¡± He asked, ¡°Do you also think he¡¯s my best friend?¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡± Su Minglang said, ¡°Although Brother Xie is very scary and always bullies me, he treats me very well.¡±


    Su Mingfeng fell silent.


    Su Minglang looked at him curiously. ¡°Did you quarrel with Brother Xie?¡±


    Su Mingfeng stood up. ¡°No, I¡¯m going out for a while. Minglang, stay here and don¡¯t go anywhere.¡±


    The darkness of the night in the capital covered everything. In the princess¡¯s mansion and Earl of Pingnan¡¯s mansion, a storm that was enough to destroy everything was brewing.


    In Prince Ding¡¯s mansion, Fu Xiuyi sat at the head of the table.


    He looked a little haggard, making his handsome appearance less charming. Some time ago, the dungeon was burned to the ground, and Fu Xiuyi almost smashed everything in the entire bedroom. He was furious, and the news that followed made him even angrier. Pei Lang¡¯s corpse was not in the dungeon.


    Obviously, Pei Lang had been brought away. It was obvious that this fire was set by the person who came to save Pei Lang.


    Fu Xiuyi was determined to find out who did it. He thought that it was someone from the Shen family, but in the end, it turned out that it had nothing to do with the Shen family.


    One could imagine how angry Fu Xiuyi was.


    Tomorrow was Shen Miao and Prince Rui¡¯s wedding. After tomorrow, Shen Miao would go to the Daliang Dynasty with Prince Rui, so there was no time to find out Prince Rui¡¯s secret. Seeing that the opportunity was slipping away, how could Fu Xiuyi not be indignant.


    At this moment, the guard Fu Xiuyi sent to investigate came in from outside and bowed to Fu Xiuyi. Then, he said, ¡°Your Highness, there¡¯s something going on in the princess¡¯s mansion and the Earl of Pingnan¡¯s mansion.¡±


    Fu Xiuyi¡¯s eyes lit up and he said, ¡°What is it?¡±


    The guard took two steps closer and leaned down to whisper something into Fu Xiuyi¡¯s ear. Then, Fu Xiuyi was shocked for a moment before looking overjoyed.


    ¡°The heavens are helping me! Immediately send someone to follow the two of them. Don¡¯t let anything go.¡±


    The guard accepted the order and left. Fu Xiuyi leaned back in his chair and slowly smiled smugly.


    ¡°Prince Rui, Princess Rong Xin, the Earl of Pingnan, and Shen Miao.¡± He said, ¡°I want to see what shameful secrets you are hiding.¡±

 Chapter 860 - 860 Getting Married (1)

    860 Getting Married (1)


    On the eighth day of the first month of the lunar year, which was auspicious for marriage and a long journey, Shen Miao was woken up by Jingzhe and Gu Yu to be dressed up.


    Shen Miao originally thought that she would not be able to fall asleep the night before her wedding. Unexpectedly, when that day really came, she slept especially soundly. It was as if she had returned to her carefree childhood.


    Because she had slept well, her face looked even more rosy and her complexion was extremely good. Bai Lu and Shuang Jiang brought Shen Miao some exquisite pastries. The pastries were all small. Bai Lu said, ¡°Miss, eat something to fill your stomach first. The wedding procedure today is complicated. You can¡¯t go hungry on the way.¡± She picked up a bowl of small porridge and said, ¡°Madam woke up early and personally made porridge for you!¡±


    Shen Miao picked up the bowl and slowly drank, feeling complicated.


    In her previous life, she cried and threw a tantrum with her family, forcing Shen Xin to agree to let her marry Fu Xiuyi. However, in this marriage, there was more criticism than blessings. At that time, Luo Xueyan was so angry with Shen Miao that she fell ill. She barely managed to hold on and watch Shen Miao finish the wedding. How could she still be in the mood to make porridge?


    Unlike now, everyone in the mansion was happy and did their best for her. Shen Miao suddenly felt that this marriage seemed to be extremely good.


    Just as she was about to finish eating, Luo Xueyan came in, followed by a middle-aged woman. This woman did not look very outstanding, but she was able to attract people¡¯s attention, and she was also dressed very nicely.


    ¡°This is Miss Mei from the capital.¡± Luo Xueyan smiled and said, ¡°She¡¯s specially here to be your bridesmaid today.¡±


    Shen Miao was a little surprised.


    Miss Mei was a very famous person in the capital. She came from an official family, but from a young age, despite her parents¡¯ objection, she started a business. The business she did was rouge, powder, clothes, and jewelry. There were countless daughters from official families in the capital who did not lack money.


    Miss Mei¡¯s clothes, jewelry, and rouge were the best and unique. Although she was doing business, no one would look down on her.


    However, Miss Mei¡¯s most outstanding skill was dressing people up. Once, a prince in Ming Qi married a consort. That consort was friends with Miss Mei, so Miss Mei agreed to be her bridesmaid. Later on, people said that the princess consort was probably the most beautiful bride since the founding of Ming Qi.


    However, Miss Mei became the bridesmaid only because she had a relationship with the princess consort, and others were not so lucky. All these years, Miss Mei had never been the bridesmaid of others.


    Shen Miao was surprised. She smiled and said, ¡°I didn¡¯t expect Miss Mei to do me the favor.¡±


    Miss Mei smiled and said, ¡°Princess Consort, don¡¯t say that. When I saw you, I felt that we hit it off very well. I¡¯ll be happy if you can let me be your bridesmaid.


    These merchants had always been sharp-tongued. Shen Miao naturally did not believe that they hit it off. She thought that perhaps Shen Xin had given Miss Mei a lot of money, but on second thought, Miss Mei did not seem to be short of money.


    As she was thinking, Miss Mei had already come forward and said with a smile, ¡°Princess Consort, the wedding dress is very complicated. Please change into it first so that I can help you put on more makeup.¡±


    She changed her clothes, coiled her hair, changed her jewelry, and put on layers of makeup.

 Chapter 861 - 861 Getting Married (2)

    861 Getting Married (2)


    As Miss Mei helped Shen Miao dress up, she smiled and said, ¡°I¡¯ve seen many girls over the years, but none of them can compare to the princess consort.¡± She smiled and said to Luo Xueyan, ¡°Madam, don¡¯t mind me for being chatty. The princess consort doesn¡¯t look like you. Madam is straightforward, but the princess consort is graceful and noble. Even the noble ladies in the palace are inferior to her.¡±


    Hearing people praise her daughter, Luo Xueyan was naturally happy. Luo Xueyan said humbly, ¡°You are exaggerating it. It¡¯s just that Jiaojiao has always been calm and mature, even more so than her father.¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t say that.¡± Miss Mei drew Shen Miao¡¯s eyebrows and said, ¡°Although some people have noble statuses, they don¡¯t have that bearing. They¡¯re just putting on airs. As soon as they take off their clothes and throw away their jewelry, they¡¯ll be no different from ordinary people. Some people are different. Even in plain clothes and jewelry, they still exuded noble auras. I think the princess consort is the latter.¡± She smiled and said, ¡°She looks like she¡¯s destined to be extraordinary. Madam, don¡¯t worry. I will definitely make the princess consort the most envied bride in the capital!¡±


    As Shen Miao let Miss Mei help her dress up, she listened to Miss Mei talk. She thought that Miss Mei seemed to be quite good at reading people and found it interesting, so she listened to their conversation carefully.


    !!


    The entire process lasted for a full hour.


    The rouge was done in a natural manner. Her eyebrows were like crescent moons, and her lips were like rose petals. Her eyes were the most beautiful, looking like that of a newborn deer.


    Luo Xueyan was shocked at the thought that her daughter actually had the bearing of an empress. Miss Mei smiled and said, ¡°There¡¯s nothing else to do now. Madam, stay here and accompany the princess consort for now. I¡¯ll go find some bay leaves to make a pouch for the princess consort to wear.¡±


    Luo Xueyan nodded.


    Shen Miao sat at the table. Luo Xueyan looked at her beautiful daughter in the mirror. She was happy and reluctant. She held Shen Miao¡¯s hand tightly and said, ¡°Jiaojiao, you¡¯re getting married today. I have something to say to you.¡±


    Shen Miao said, ¡°Mother, I¡¯m listening.¡±


    ¡°When girls get married, their mother would say a few words to them. However, when I married your father, your grandmother had already passed away. I only have brothers and no sisters, and my sisters-in-law are young, so no one told me these things.¡± Luo Xueyan sighed. ¡°So I figured these things out myself. I don¡¯t know if they¡¯re right, but I¡¯ll tell you.¡±


    ¡°The most important thing in marriage is honesty. Your father and I have been together for so many years and have never had any secrets from each other. If you find out that the other party has secrets, don¡¯t be anxious to ask. You have to wait and be patient. He will tell you.¡± Luo Xueyan patted Shen Miao¡¯s hand lovingly. ¡°I know you have a stable personality. This is a good thing. You won¡¯t be affected by anything, but if you like him, you will care about his every move and be affected.¡±


    ¡°Be honest, don¡¯t be shy, and don¡¯t be afraid. That¡¯s your husband, the person you want to spend the rest of your life with.¡± Luo Xueyan paused for a moment and said, ¡°Jingxing promised me that after having you, he won¡¯t have any concubines. To be honest, I don¡¯t trust him. As a member of the royal family, how can there be only one woman at home?¡±

 Chapter 862 - 862 Getting Married (3)

    862 Getting Married (3)


    Shen Miao lowered her eyes and heard Luo Xueyan say, ¡°But my daughter will never need to compromise. If he brings back another woman, you can be jealous and make a fuss with him. All that nonsense about a virtuous wife being magnanimous is just nonsense. If that day comes, you don¡¯t have to treat him as your husband in your heart. If you want a divorce, Father and Mother will help you.¡±


    Shen Miao looked at Luo Xueyan in surprise at first, then she laughed in her heart. That¡¯s right, the Luo family did not have concubines. The environment Luo Xueyan lived in since she was young made her believe that there should only be two in a marriage. Luo Xueyan¡¯s words would probably shock the world, but Shen Miao felt very warm.


    Luo Xueyan always cared about Shen Miao¡¯s feelings and would not let her feel aggrieved. As for what others thought, it had nothing to do with her.


    Thinking about how Consort Dong, Fu Xiuyi¡¯s biological mother, always asked her to be virtuous and magnanimous and take the initiative to seek a secondary consort for Fu Xiuyi not long after she got married, the contrast was really stark.


    Luo Xueyan suddenly took out a small booklet from her sleeve and said, ¡°Jiaojiao, this¡­ Take this. After the wedding is over, find some time to read it.¡±


    Shen Miao was puzzled. She took it and asked casually, ¡°What is this?¡±


    Luo Xueyan blushed and stammered, ¡°You need to understand something.¡± Seeing that Shen Miao was about to open it, she quickly grabbed Shen Miao¡¯s hand and said, ¡°Don¡¯t read it now! Later¡­ later when you¡¯re alone.¡±


    Shen Miao nodded. Just as she was about to ask a few questions, she saw Luo Xueyan¡¯s unnatural expression and suddenly understood.


    It was a booklet filled with sexual techniques. She had never read such a thing before. When she got married in her previous life, the entire Shen family was in a mess, and she even forgot to learn about it. Later, on the wedding night, Fu Xiuyi did not consummate the marriage with her.


    Everytime Fu Xiuyi did it with her, he always rushed it. Although Shen Miao had never read it, she had heard that on the wedding night, the newlyweds would usually read it together.


    Just as Luo Xueyan and Shen Miao were feeling a little awkward, footsteps came from outside. Luo Tan pulled Feng Anning in. Seeing that Luo Xueyan was also here, she said, ¡°Aunt, we¡¯re here to send some gifts to Little Cousin!¡±


    Luo Xueyan was embarrassed. Seeing that the two of them were here, she immediately smiled and said, ¡°Then you can talk first. I¡¯ll go out for a while before coming back.¡±


    After Luo Xueyan left, Luo Tan walked around Shen Miao in circles and exclaimed, ¡°Cousin Miao, you¡¯re really too beautiful today! You¡¯re even better than a fairy!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Feng Anning echoed, ¡°She¡¯s the most beautiful bride I¡¯ve seen.¡± Ever since she was given a cold shoulder by Shen Qiu, Feng Anning had come less often. However, this time, when Shen Miao got married, although she was afraid of Shen Qiu, she still mustered her courage to come.


    ¡°I heard that Miss Mei made you a bridesmaid.¡± Feng Anning said, ¡°No wonder you are so beautiful. I can¡¯t recognize you.¡±


    ¡°Little Cousin is good-looking to begin with.¡± Luo Tan smiled and took out a box from behind her. ¡°This is my gift to you!¡±


    Shen Miao opened the box. It was something that looked like a metal lump, but she did not know what it was. Before Shen Miao could ask, Feng Anning was the first to speak and ask, ¡°What¡¯s this? Isn¡¯t it too shabby for you to give this to Shen Miao?¡±

 Chapter 863 - 863 Getting Married (4)

    863 Getting Married (4)


    ¡°What do you know? This thing is called a compass!¡± Luo Tan said, ¡°It¡¯s different from the one used in the military camp. This is very accurate. It¡¯s something from the far east. It¡¯s said that it¡¯s only used in the fleet now. Cousin Ling brought ten back and said that he wanted the craftsmen to make more for the army. It took me a lot of effort to get one. If you don¡¯t want it, forget it!¡±


    Shen Miao quickly closed the box. ¡°Thank you.¡±


    Luo Tan curled her lips. ¡°Little Cousin, you don¡¯t lack anything to begin with, and Prince Rui gave you such a big betrothal gift. If I give you jewelry, I¡¯ll only embarrass myself, so I thought I¡¯d give you something more practical. Take this compass. You are unfamiliar with the Daliang Dynasty. If you lost your way one day, it could come in handy.¡±


    Shen Miao smiled. ¡°That makes sense. This is more special than gold and silver jewelry.¡±


    !!


    Luo Tan looked at Feng Anning smugly. ¡°Miss Feng, what did you prepare? Show us. If it¡¯s gold, silver, or jewelry, take it back. It¡¯s too boring.¡±


    Feng Anning glared at her and said indignantly, ¡°What¡¯s a compass worth? Our Feng family has everything. Why would I give Shen Miao those tacky things?¡±


    She opened her box and took out a small bottle from it. She said, ¡°There are three Guiyuan Pills here. Do you know about Guiyuan Pills? It¡¯s something made by a great psychician of the previous dynasty that can extend one¡¯s life. It¡¯s priceless.¡± She placed the bottle and the box in Shen Miao¡¯s hand and said, ¡°While you are in Ming Qi, you¡¯ve been harmed a few times. I think it¡¯s more likely to happen when you go to the Daliang Dynasty. If anything god forbid should happen to you, just take one. It can save your life.¡± Then, she added, ¡°But I think you can live for a long time.¡±


    Shen Miao smiled. ¡°Thank you.¡± Feng Anning wasn¡¯t good with words, but her intention was good. Fu Xiuyi had once bribed an aide he wanted to rope in with one Guiyuan Pill. One pill was worth a talent, which showed how valuable it was. Feng Anning was really generous to give her three pills.


    When Feng Anning heard this, her eyes turned red. She said, ¡°I don¡¯t know if we¡¯ll be able to see each other again in this life. You don¡¯t have many friends in Ming Qi. Since we are friends, I naturally can¡¯t give you something shabby to embarrass you¡­¡± As she spoke, she choked and continued, ¡°It¡¯s not that I can¡¯t bear to part with you, but I just feel that you can¡¯t return a gift when I get married. It¡¯s really not a good bargain¡­¡±


    Shen Miao was caught between laughter and tears and said, ¡°When you get married, I¡¯ll definitely get someone to send you a gift. I¡¯ll also write to you from time to time.¡±


    Only then did Feng Anning feel better.


    Shen Miao suddenly thought of something and took out a letter from her sleeve. She said to Feng Anning, ¡°I have one now. After my wedding is over, read this letter and let your brother read it.¡±


    Luo Tan and Feng Anning were stunned at the same time. Luo Tan smiled and said, ¡°Little Cousin, do you feel sorry for Brother Feng? Back then, you didn¡¯t agree to Brother Feng¡¯s marriage proposal, so you specially wrote a letter to express your apology?¡± After saying that, she shook her head. ¡°But why did you let Anning read it?¡±


    Shen Miao said, ¡°If you¡¯re in trouble in the future, look for my brother. My brother will help.¡± Shen Miao remembered that in her previous life, the Feng family did not have a good ending. Feng Anning even married a guy with a human face and a beast heart. In the end, she died at a young age. In this life, she and Feng Anning were friends after all. She could only write a letter to remind the Feng family of everything. If Feng Anning showed this letter to her parents, they would only think that Feng Anning was fooling around, but it was different if Feng Zixian showed it. After all, Feng Zixian had already become an official. Mr. Feng believed in Feng Zixian¡¯s talent and would treat this letter seriously.

 Chapter 864 - 864 Getting Married (5)

    864 Getting Married (5)


    As for Shen Qiu, Shen Miao would not be in Ming Qi from now on, so she could only ask her brother to help take care of the Feng family.


    When Feng Anning heard that, she blushed and muttered, ¡°He¡¯s so fierce. Who wants his help¡­¡±


    However, Shen Miao did not hear this.


    Shen Miao did not have any sisters, and she had even fewer friends in Ming Qi. Most of the people who came to give Shen Miao gifts were here because of Luo Xueyan. Most of the things they gave were gold and silver jewelry. When they came, they were envious of Shen Miao¡¯s generous betrothal gift.


    !!


    At this moment, the procession had already arrived at the entrance of the Shen mansion.


    Luo Xueyan and Miss Mei both came in. Miss Mei covered Shen Miao with a veil, and Shen Miao slowly walked out with the help of the two of them.


    The entrance of the Shen mansion was really lively today.


    It was crowded with people, and they were discussing.


    ¡°The wedding of the fifth daughter of the Shen family is really grand today. Look at the carriages. They don¡¯t look like something ordinary people can afford to use.¡±


    Another person chimed in, ¡°How can it not be grand? Not to mention that the Shen family is glorious to begin with, look at who Miss Shen is marrying. He¡¯s the prince of the Daliang Dynasty. I heard that the Daliang Dynasty is prosperous. At first, I didn¡¯t believe it, but now, I have to. Prince Rui is making the wedding even grander than when His Majesty married the empress. Isn¡¯t he slapping His Majesty¡¯s face?¡±


    ¡°Shh, don¡¯t speak it out loud.¡± The middle-aged woman said, ¡°I heard that Prince Rui of the Daliang Dynasty gave a total of 99 betrothal gifts. I wonder if it¡¯s true.¡±


    ¡°Hey, hey, hey, look, it¡¯s here!¡±


    On the day of the wedding, it was a custom in Ming Qi that the groom had to bring the betrothal gifts to the bride¡¯s family one by one for everyone to see. Therefore, the richer the betrothal gifts, the more respect the bride¡¯s family would receive.


    In order to make it look good on the surface, some people would deliberately use the empty boxes as betrothal gifts on the day of the wedding.


    However, that was not the case today.


    Because the boxes were all wide open, allowing people to see what was inside clearly.


    Antiques, calligraphy, jewelry, furniture, clothes, silver¡­ There was everything. The boxes were filled to the brim, making people envious.


    However, no one dared to snatch anything. Even the most arrogant bandits did not dare to act rashly, because around the servant who was carrying the box were soldiers of the Daliang Dynasty. The soldiers were wearing thick armor, and their swords were unsheathed and stuck to their sides. They looked dignified, and their footsteps were in unison. It was as if as long as someone had ill intentions, they would immediately drag the person away and kill him.


    The crowd automatically made way for the people carrying the betrothal gifts to pass.


    Some people were curious and really counted with their fingers. ¡°One, two, three, four¡­¡± The long line seemed to be endless, and the sound of people gasping rose and fell in the crowd. Finally, someone shouted, ¡°It¡¯s 99! 99 betrothal gifts!¡±


    99 betrothal gifts!

 Chapter 865 - 865 Getting Married (6)

    865 Getting Married (6)


    When the crown prince married the crown princess, there were only 58. 99 was almost twice as much. However, Prince Rui was only a prince of the Daliang Dynasty. If the emperor of the Daliang Dynasty got married, how grand would it be?


    The crowd couldn¡¯t help but exclaim. From today onwards, Shen Miao¡¯s grand marriage would probably become a pinnacle that no one in Ming Qi could surpass.


    Among the crowd, there were also young girls in their prime. All of them were envious because they also looked forward to a grand marriage.


    However, who would have thought that the stupid Shen Miao, who was always mocked and laughed at, who was always inferior to her sisters, and who was disdained by Prince Ding, would be able to marry such a good man?


    !!


    Back then, Fu Xiuyi was extremely cold to Shen Miao, but Shen Miao continued to pursue him shamelessly. She was treated as a joke by everyone in the capital.


    Someone said, ¡°Didn¡¯t Fifth Miss Shen love Prince Ding back then? I¡¯m afraid she¡¯s rejoicing now. You have to know that Prince Ding has always been frugal. If she married Prince Ding, I¡¯m afraid their wedding wouldn¡¯t be as grand as it is now.¡±


    Coincidentally, Fu Xiuyi, who also was in the crowd, heard this. A trace of anger suddenly appeared on his face, but he quickly suppressed it.


    His frugality was an act he put on to gain a good reputation among the people. Fu Xiuyi would only be happy to hear people say that in the past, because this meant that he had succeeded. However, today, at this time, Fu Xiuyi felt angry, feeling like he was far inferior to Prince Rui.


    The subordinates sent to investigate yesterday had not returned yet. Fu Xiuyi knew that the plan had probably fallen flat. As he sent people to find the whereabouts of his subordinates, he also had to come and witness this wedding.


    He also wanted to see how highfalutin this Prince Rui could be.


    Unexpectedly, Prince Rui really meant what he said..


    By holding such a grand wedding, he made the royal family of Ming Qi look stingy. Wasn¡¯t this equivalent to slapping the royal family in the face? What was worse was that there was nothing they could do to stop it, because Prince Rui was not from Ming Qi. Ming Qi¡¯s rules didn¡¯t apply to him.


    He then looked at Shen Miao, who was helped out by Luo Xueyan and Miss Mei.


    Her movements were careful and slow, as if she was extremely serious about this wedding. The people around her were amazed by how dazzling Shen Miao¡¯s wedding dress was, but Fu Xiuyi felt an indescribable feeling surge in his heart.


    He suddenly felt that this scene was very unpleasant to the eye.


    But why? Fu Xiuyi always had a strange feeling about Shen Miao. At first, Shen Miao chased after him. He only wanted to use her as a tool. Later, all of a sudden, Shen Miao stopped chasing after him. Then, Fu Xiuyi realized that he actually did not know Shen Miao at all. Not only was Shen Miao not stupid, but she was also very cunning.


    The Shen family was also very strange. They were supposed to be chess pieces at his disposal, but at some point, these chess pieces had slipped off his hand and formed a faction on their own, confronting him.


    However, this feeling was not love. Before the great cause was completed, Fu Xiuyi was not in the mood to waste time on love.


    Just as he was deep in thought, there was suddenly a commotion in the crowd. He turned around and saw that the crowd had parted to make way for someone who was coming over from the other end of the street on horseback.


    His bright red robe was as hot as a fire as he quickly galloped over from afar. His clothes fluttered, and his posture was elegant.


    Everyone was in an uproar.


    That person suddenly pulled the reins a step away from Shen Miao.


    The young man did not say anything. He only leaned over slightly on the horse and reached out a hand to his bride.


    He spoke lazily and irresistibly.


    ¡°I¡¯m here to marry you, Shen Jiaojiao.¡±

 Chapter 866 - 866 Farewell (1)

    866 Farewell (1)


    ¡°I¡¯m here to marry you, Shen Jiaojiao.¡±


    His tone was casual, but the way he stretched out his hand from the horse was extremely serious. He was so confident and arrogant that he treated etiquette as nothing, but it made people feel as if everything in the world had fallen silent. Only this man¡¯s appearance was deeply engraved in people¡¯s hearts and was unforgettable.


    The crowd fell silent.


    Shen Miao¡¯s face was covered by a veil and she could not see anything. She could only hear the voice. She instinctively looked up, but the next moment, she felt her hand being lifted and something being put on her fingertip.


    She was a little confused by the cold and gentle touch.


    The people around gasped.


    All the princes had their own thumb rings. The thumb ring was not just a decoration, but also a symbol of status. With this thumb ring, they could be easily recognized. Of course, everyone knew the princes, so they did not have to use this thumb ring. However, the people had never seen any princes give a thumb ring that symbolized their status as a prince to others.


    What Prince Rui gave away was not just a thumb ring. It was also the power to mobilize his subordinates at will. With this ring, everyone had to treat Shen Miao as if she was Prince Rui.


    He was giving his power to a woman.


    The young ladies around were extremely envious. Although Prince Rui was wearing a mask, he was infinitely charming. His status was noble to begin with, and he was generous. The only thing they could say to themselves to feel better was that Prince Rui was so outstanding, so he naturally had many women around him. Shen Miao was not drop-dead gorgeous, so she would definitely be abandoned by Prince Rui soon.


    Unexpectedly, the groom slapped them in the face with the truth. This was probably the first time they had seen someone dote on his wife so much.


    Why did Fifth Miss Shen have such a good life?


    However, no one knew what Shen Miao experienced in her previous life.


    After Prince Rui put the ring on Shen Miao¡¯s finger, he smiled and leaned over slightly, planting a kiss on the back of Shen Miao¡¯s hand.


    Shen Miao naturally knew what the wet feeling on the back of her hand was. She couldn¡¯t help but blush. Fortunately, the veil was covering her face, so others couldn¡¯t see it.


    Prince Rui stood up, and Miss Mei quickly smiled and sang, ¡°Take betrothal gifts in and carry the dowry.¡±


    After carrying the dowry, as a mother, Luo Xueyan had to personally feed the bride dumplings.


    The dumpling was small, and it was stuffed with peanuts, lotus seeds, and sesame seeds. Luo Xueyan scooped it up with a small spoon. Shen Miao lifted a corner of the veil slightly and swallowed the dumpling fed by Luo Xueyan. Luo Xueyan¡¯s eyes were a little moist. ¡°Jiaojiao, after you get married, take care of yourself.¡±


    Shen Miao also felt choked with emotions. ¡°I understand, Mother.¡±


    Shen Xin turned around and quietly wiped the tears from the corners of his eyes. As a man and a general who had led countless soldiers, it was naturally inappropriate for him to cry in front of others. However, he was very sad. Shen Xin always felt that he owed Shen Miao a lot, especially after the conversation he had with Xie Jingxing that day. He had always thought that they had raised Shen Miao in a greenhouse, but he did not know that there were more snakes, insects, rats, and ants in the greenhouse. During the years she was alone, she gradually grew up.


    Before he could make it up to Shen Miao, Shen Miao was about to get married. From a baby to a little girl, to a slender and beautiful bride, Shen Xin sighed with emotion.


    Shen Qiu walked over. The brothers of the bride were responsible for carrying the bride onto the sedan chair.

 Chapter 867 - 867 Farewell (2)

    867 Farewell (2)


    Shen Miao lay on Shen Qiu¡¯s back. Shen Qiu walked especially slowly. As he walked, he whispered, ¡°Sister, you¡¯re too thin. When I see you again, if you¡¯re still so thin, I¡¯ll go and settle the score with Prince Rui.¡±


    Shen Miao was speechless.¡±


    ¡°Give me a niece. A nephew is fine too.¡± Shen Qiu said foolishly, ¡°I¡¯ll come and see you.¡±


    Shen Miao buried her head in Shen Qiu¡¯s neck and said to him like she used to when she was young, ¡°You have to.¡±


    When Prince Rui, who was on the horse, saw this scene, his heart skipped a beat.


    After Shen Qiu put Shen Miao on the sedan chair and the curtain fell, Miss Mei started singing.


    ¡°The grand occasion of the world is nothing compared to the joy of marriage. Rise the sedan sedan.¡±


    Miss Mei¡¯s voice was cheerful and clear, pleasant to the ear. After she finished singing, everyone clapped and cheered. The servants outside suddenly threw out copper coins with gold foil on them. The crowd rushed forward, saying auspicious words as they snatched the wedding money and candy.


    It was extremely lively.


    Shen Miao sat in the sedan chair. Although she could not see what was going on outside, she could hear the surroundings clearly. It was lively, and she felt nervous.


    This was not the first time she had gotten into a sedan chair. What was there to be nervous about? However, now that she was doing it again, her hand would still tremble uncontrollably. She lowered her head and saw the white jade thumb ring on her finger flickering with a lustrous and smooth color. She couldn¡¯t help but reach out to rub it.


    The bearers outside began to lift the sedan chair. The bearers that Xie Jingxing found were naturally good. The sedan chair was not shaking at all.


    Prince Rui walked at the front on horseback. The horse was hung with large flowers made of red silk, looking very perky. His posture was lazy but elegant. Wherever he went, the people cheered.


    This was actually very rare because Prince Rui was not from Ming Qi. In addition, the relationship between the Daliang Dynasty and Ming Qi was very delicate now. However, even so, the people still seemed to respect Prince Rui. Perhaps it was because Prince Rui was generous, or perhaps it was because some people felt comfortable looking at him. After all, Prince Rui¡¯s marriage was considered a joyous occasion for everyone.


    Behind Prince Rui was the sedan chair carried by the bearers. The procession on both sides kept sprinkling wedding money. It was said that Prince Rui was going to walk around the entire capital today.


    After that was the Shen family¡¯s dowry team. The Shen family was not as high-key as Prince Rui. There were a total of 50 boxes of dowry, which was half of the betrothal gift sent by Prince Rui. Although this dowry could not compare to the betrothal gift, it was definitely not a small amount. It had to be known that there were only 42 dowry boxes from the crown princess. Most importantly, although the Shen family could live comfortably, they were by no means rich.

 Chapter 868 - 868 Farewell (3)

    868 Farewell (3)


    This was enough to show how important Shen Miao was to Shen Xin and his wife.


    Behind the crowd, Luo Xueyan, who was riding with the wedding procession, secretly turned her head and said to Shen Xin, ¡°Is this really good¡­¡±


    Shen Xin said, ¡°Since he dares to give it to us, we will take it. Besides, he gave us 99 boxes. Our family can¡¯t afford so much dowry. If we give too little, we¡¯ll be laughed at.¡±


    Luo Xueyan stopped talking.


    Of Shen Miao¡¯s 50 boxes of dowry, twenty were from Prince Rui. That day, when Prince Rui came to deliver the dowry, a piece of paper fell out of the box. Luo Xueyan saw it clearly. It was a list of Shen Miao¡¯s dowry.


    Prince Rui also knew that his betrothal gift was too shocking. The Shen family would definitely not be able to afford a dowry that matched it, so he decided to settle the dowry himself. Although there were only 20 boxes, these 20 boxes were still filled to the brim. In that case, Prince Rui had actually given the Shen family 119 boxes of gifts.


    It was precisely because of this that Shen Qiu¡¯s impression of Prince Rui improved. After all, Prince Rui was not stingy with his money when it came to Shen Miao¡¯s marriage.


    The streets were filled with gongs and drums. Fu Xiuyi mixed in the crowd but did not continue to follow. He felt that this scene was very intolerable. With a cold expression, he turned around and left.


    Emperor Wen Hui was naturally equally aggrieved. Emperor Wen Hui had long found out from his subordinates that Prince Rui¡¯s marriage this time was grand and even more glorious than his, the emperor. This was a slap to his face. The grander Prince Rui¡¯s marriage was, the more it made the Ming Qi Royal Family look miserable.


    Of course, what displeased Emperor Wen Hui the most was not the scale of the wedding, but the marriage itself. He was very unwilling to give Shen Miao away. If not for the fact that Prince Rui threatened him with the cities at the border, he would not have done this at all. He did not want to lose the Shen family¡¯s support at this moment.


    As long as Prince Rui¡¯s marriage was mentioned today, the scene of Prince Rui threatening him in the imperial study would appear in his mind. He felt suffocated and angry. He didn¡¯t want to be bothered by this matter anymore, so he asked the eunuch in the palace to receive the wedding gift sent by Prince Rui before shutting the door tightly, not allowing anyone to disturb him.


    Originally, after the sedan went around the city gate, they were going to leave the city, but Prince Rui insisted on completing all the procedures in the capital.


    Therefore, they picked the altar in the capital as a place to kowtow to their parents.


    The altar in the capital was a place used by the emperor to crown the empress. Needless to say, this was an additional reward Prince Rui asked Emperor Wen Hui for. No matter how unwilling Emperor Wen Hui was, he could only agree.


    On the altar, Miss Mei carefully helped Shen Miao down from the sedan chair. Luo Xueyan and Shen Xin, who followed, sat on the other side of the altar.


    They kowtowed to the heavens and the earth, to their parents, and to each other.


    This was Ming Qi, so Luo Xueyan and Shen Xin naturally accepted Shen Miao¡¯s kowtow. However, Prince Rui¡¯s father and mother had already passed away for many years. The two of them could only sprinkle wine on the ground as a form of worship.


    In the end, the two of them bowed to each other. At this point, it was time to announce that from now on, Shen Miao was Princess Consort Rui.


    While everyone was cheering and laughing, in the distance, Ji Yushu was talking to the person beside him.


    ¡°Ah, I really didn¡¯t expect Third Brother to really marry Miss Shen.¡± He sighed. ¡°Two years ago, I could tell that Third Brother treated Miss Shen differently, but I didn¡¯t expect her to become my sister-in-law now. However, that¡¯s not a bad thing. I originally thought that with Third Brother¡¯s personality, ordinary girls wouldn¡¯t be able to handle him, but Miss Shen is different. With her around, I¡¯m relieved.¡±


    logo

 Chapter 869 - 869 Farewell (4)

    869 Farewell (4)


    The person standing opposite him was also wearing the servant¡¯s clothes. He looked calm and indifferent. It was Pei Lang, who had disguised himself.


    In the end, Pei Lang agreed to follow Shen Miao to the Daliang Dynasty. Just as Shen Miao said, he had offended Fu Xiuyi. If he stayed in Ming Qi, not only would he not have a good time, but he might also implicate Liu Ying. Fu Xiuyi had many eyes and ears, so he might find out about him one day. It was better to take Liu Ying to the Daliang Dynasty with him. Even if Fu Xiuyi really found out something, he would not be able to do anything.


    On one hand, it was to protect Liu Ying, and on the other hand, it was because Pei Lang wanted to do this.


    He knew that Prince Rui¡¯s real identity was Xie Jingxing a few days ago. He was recuperating in Prince Rui¡¯s mansion. When he went out to the courtyard at night, he happened to see Prince Rui with his back facing him. When he went forward to greet him, he saw Prince Rui¡¯s true face.


    Prince Rui was not wearing a mask at that time.


    Pei Lang knew that a person like Prince Rui would not easily let his guard down. Clearly, he was deliberately ¡°accidentally¡± letting Pei Lang see his face. Perhaps Prince Rui was using his identity to tell him something.


    Now, Pei Lang understood why Prince Rui did that.


    Pei Lang had been persuading Shen Miao to think about her marriage with Prince Rui again. After all, Shen Miao did not know much about Prince Rui. However, after Prince Rui revealed his identity as Xie Jingxing, many things were different. Xie Jingxing and Shen Miao knew each other from long ago and seemed to be friends.


    Since Shen Miao already knew that Xie Jingxing was the Prince of the Daliang Dynasty, the relationship between the two of them must be close.


    He looked up at the couple in wedding clothes on the altar. The man was handsome, and the woman was beautiful. They were extremely compatible. A sour feeling surged in his heart.


    Although Shen Miao was always scheming, she was an extremely stubborn person. Once she made up her mind, no one could change it. For example, if she hated Fu Xiuyi, she could use all kinds of methods to cut ties with him, even if it meant risking her life.


    If she didn¡¯t want to do something, no one could force her.


    Pei Lang¡¯s gaze landed on Prince Rui again.


    Ji Yushu glanced at him and patted his shoulder. He said sympathetically, ¡°Mr. Pei, don¡¯t be too sad. When we return to the Daliang Dynasty, with your charm, many girls will admire you. At that time, I¡¯ll get Miss Shaoyao to introduce her friends to you.¡±


    Although Ji Yushu still remembered that he had to be locked up in the tower prison for a period of time because he kept Pei Lang¡¯s news from Xie Jingxing, seeing that Pei Lang was so sad today, he did not hit him when he was down.


    Pei Lang looked at the couple stubbornly and refused to look away.


    Ji Yushu sighed in his heart.


    Gao Yang was also going back to the Daliang Dynasty today. However, he was the imperial physician of Ming Qi in name and had some things to pack. If Emperor Wen Hui found out that Gao Yang had brought all the expensive herbs from the Imperial Hospital back to the Daliang Dynasty, he would definitely be shocked.


    When all of this was done and the complicated etiquette was done meticulously, it was already afternoon. It was time to leave the city.


    After leaving the capital of Ming Qi, Shen Miao would become a member of the Daliang Dynasty.

 Chapter 870 - 870 Farewell (5)

    870 Farewell (5)


    Everyone in the Shen family naturally had to follow.


    Luo Tan did not go. She said that Shen Miao was unwilling to bring her to the Daliang Dynasty, so she was angry. She refused to go and see Shen Miao off at the city gate.


    In the princess¡¯s mansion in the capital, Princess Rong Xin was restless.


    ¡°Your Highness, the wedding procession is about to reach the city gate,¡± the person who came to report said.


    !!


    Princess Rong Xin waved her hand in frustration and asked the servants to leave. She fell into a chair and bit her lip uneasily.


    In that letter she wrote, she exposed Prince Rui¡¯s identity. She sent the letter to Emperor Wen Hui. This was her responsibility as a princess of Ming Qi.


    Since ancient times, it was always a difficult decision to make between one¡¯s family and one¡¯s country. Although Xie Jingxing and her had a deep relationship that was closer than mother and son, the country they were part of was different.


    If Xie Jingxing died because of this, Princess Rong Xin would be sad. However, if she did nothing and let Xie Jingxing return to the Daliang Dynasty with this secret, Princess Rong Xin would regret it.


    Therefore, at the last moment, she chose to cut off her ties with him.


    Princess Rong Xin chose to use a letter to explain everything, but she did not go to see Emperor Wen Hui personally, as if she felt that this way, she would feel less bad.


    However, why wasn¡¯t Emperor Wen Hui doing anything yet?


    At this moment, the wedding procession was about to reach the city gate. Next, Shen Miao had to get out of the bridal sedan and get into the carriage to leave the capital for the Daliang Dynasty with Xie Jingxing. Being passive at such a moment didn¡¯t seem to be her brother¡¯s style.


    She was a little puzzled and uneasy, but Princess Rong Xin could not take the initiative to walk out of her house to see what was going on.


    It was because she could not face Xie Jingxing, or rather she was too ashamed to face him.


    ¡°Go and find out what¡¯s going on!¡± She called another subordinate over.


    ¡­


    Princess Consort Rui¡¯s sedan chair had already arrived at the city gate. Jingzhe and Gu Yu helped Shen Miao out of the sedan chair.


    Shen Xin and Luo Xueyan instructed Shen Miao in detail, ¡°The Daliang Dynasty is different from Ming Qi. When you get there, remember to take good care of yourself. Write back from time to time. If you feel aggrieved, you have to tell us.¡±


    Shen Xin turned to say a few words to Xie Jingxing.


    He instructed Xie Jingxing not to let Shen Miao be bullied in the Daliang Dynasty no matter what. Xie Jingxing nodded without hesitation.


    Shen Qiu, on the other hand, threatened fiercely that if he saw Shen Miao lose weight or look haggard next time, he would definitely bring the Shen army to flatten Prince Rui¡¯s mansion.


    Prince Rui only snorted at this.


    If not for Luo Xueyan stopping him, Shen Qiu would probably have fought with Xie Jingxing on the spot.


    It was time. Shen Miao said a few more words to Shen Xin and Luo Xueyan. She was about to leave the capital, but there were still many things unsettled in Ming Qi. However, she would be too far away to do the things herself, so she could only remind her family.

 Chapter 871 - 871 Farewell (6)

    871 Farewell (6)


    Luo Xueyan wiped her tears and said, ¡°Jiaojiao, you have to write letters back!¡±


    The curtain of the carriage was lowered, and the guards of the long procession walked forward one after another, carrying the heavy dowry.


    At the front, Xie Jingxing sat upright on his horse. From time to time, he would talk to Shen Miao through the curtain of the carriage.


    It was a few months¡¯ journey from Ming Qi to the Daliang Dynasty. In her previous life, she had also gone out of the city gate of the capital and traveled to the State of Qin. However, the carriage she was in was not as comfortable as the one she was in now. At that time, she brought very few servants and palace maids.


    For some reason, Shen Miao felt happy.


    In the evening, it was time to find a place to rest outside. Just as she was thinking, the procession suddenly stopped.


    Shen Miao¡¯s heart tightened. There were often bandits on the road outside the city. Could it be that they had encountered bandits? However, on second thought, she didn¡¯t think so. Xie Jingxing¡¯s subordinates were skilled in martial arts and there were a lot of them. They would probably be able to beat the bandits.


    Curious, she put down the veil and lifted the curtain of the carriage. Before Jingzhe and Gu Yu could react, Shen Miao had already jumped out of the carriage.


    Xie Jingxing stopped his horse in front. In the middle of the road, a person wearing a black bamboo hat was holding the reins and blocking the way.


    He said, ¡°Hey, are you going to leave without giving me a red packet of wedding money?¡±


    It was Su Mingfeng¡¯s voice. He was probably wearing a cloak to hide his face.


    Shen Miao was slightly stunned, but Xie Jingxing had already gotten off the horse and walked up to Su Mingfeng. Su Mingfeng took out a letter and suddenly slapped it on Xie Jingxing¡¯s chest. He said in a low voice, ¡°My congratulatory gift. This letter came out of the Princess¡¯ mansion, but I intercepted it.¡±


    ¡°I know it already.¡± Xie Jingxing smiled. ¡°But thank you anyway.¡±


    Su Mingfeng was stunned for a moment before his voice became angry. ¡°You knew it already? Oh right, you are Prince Rui and you have eyes everywhere. I¡¯m afraid you probably know everything that happens in the princess¡¯ mansion. Even if I didn¡¯t intercept this letter yesterday, you still have a way to get it.¡±


    Xie Jingxing did not comment.


    ¡°You!¡± Su Mingfeng grabbed Xie Jingxing¡¯s collar and was about to hit him. Jingzhe and Gu Yu were shocked, but Tie Yi and the others did not rush up to stop him.


    Su Mingfeng suddenly let go and said angrily, ¡°You bastard!¡±


    Xie Jingxing raised his eyebrows. ¡°I¡¯m very happy that you¡¯re willing to send me off.¡±


    Su Mingfeng was silent. A moment later, he said, ¡°This is the last time.¡±


    ¡°This is the last time I¡¯m here to send you off.¡± He looked up. ¡°I can¡¯t be loyal to both of you and my country, but this time, I still choose to be loyal to you. After this, we won¡¯t be brothers anymore.¡±


    He continued, ¡°The two of us will eventually reach the point of crossing swords with each other. When we meet again, we¡¯ll be enemies and will no longer be friends.¡± He said seriously, ¡°However, for now, you¡¯re still my brother.¡±


    There were some things in the world that made people feel helpless. Fate, by a freak combination of factors, would always turn the person closest to you into a stranger. If people wanted something, they had to give up other things.


    Looking at the two of them, Shen Miao seemed to have seen two young men running through the streets and alleys of the capital and sparring with each other on the training ground.


    Su Mingfeng slowly clenched his fists and placed them in front of Xie Jingxing.


    This was something the two of them often did when they were young. The boys in the capital often used this gesture as a testament to their brotherhood. When Su Mingfeng was young, he felt that this gesture was very cool, so he asked Xie Jingxing to do it too. Later, when he grew up, he felt that this gesture was stupid and cheesy, so he didn¡¯t do it often.


    Xie Jingxing looked at him and suddenly smiled. He reached out to fist bump him.


    Su Mingfeng looked up and laughed. ¡°How satisfying!¡±


    He suddenly got on the horse and said to Xie Jingxing, ¡°After today, the two of us are no longer brothers. However, now that the sun has yet to set and the moon has yet to rise, you and I are still good brothers.¡± He pulled the rein, and the horse neighed. Su Mingfeng turned around and left.


    ¡°I hope that from now on, you won¡¯t have to worry about food and clothing, and you¡¯ll have many children and grandchildren. You¡¯ll have a long life!¡±


    The voice of the young man trailed off as he galloped into the afterglow of the setting sun, leaving only a blurry figure in the distance.


    Xie Jingxing smiled, but his eyes gradually turned cold. He got on the horse again.


    He shouted, ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡±

 Chapter 872 - 872 Concealment (1)

    872 Concealment (1)


    It had been more than a month since Shen Miao left the capital.


    In the past month or so, there had been a lot of discussions about this marriage in the capital. When the storyteller in the inn talked about the grand occasion of Prince Rui marrying a consort that day, the inn was always crowded with customers.


    After all, such a grand marriage was unheard of in the history of Ming Qi.


    After Shen Miao and Prince Rui left, two things happened in the capital.


    One thing was that the Exiled Immortal Pawnshop, which had been open in the capital for many years, suddenly closed. All the shops and buildings under the Exiled Immortal Pawnshop were sold off at a low price overnight. It was said that the shopkeeper of the Exiled Immortal Pawnshop had an emergency and needed money, so he suddenly left.


    It was only after the new owner appeared that the commoners realized that no one had seen what the shopkeeper of the Exiled Immortal Pawnshop looked like.


    The second thing was that after his daughter got married, the mighty general, Shen Xin, was promoted to be in charge of the entire imperial army.


    On the surface, it looked like he was promoted, but in fact, that was not the case. It was just an empty post. Moreover, Shen Xin had always been training the Shen army, and the Shen army listened to his command. On the other hand, the imperial army served the royal family. Could Shen Xin really be able to discipline them?


    Therefore, everyone with eyes and brains knew that Emperor Wen Hui was wary of Shen Xin. Shen Miao had married into the Daliang Dynasty, and Shen Xin doted on his daughter. The relationship between the Daliang Dynasty and Ming Qi was unstable now. If Shen Xin secretly sided with the Daliang Dynasty, he would do something bad to Ming Qi.


    Although Shen Xin had been a general in Ming Qi for so many years and was loyal, it couldn¡¯t stop the emperor from being paranoid.


    The people felt bad for Shen Xin. The royal family was really too heartless. It was clearly a marriage granted by Emperor Wen Hui, but now, because of this marriage, Shen Xin had to bear unreasonable punishment. It was really infuriating.


    Emperor Wen Hui did not care about the opinion of the people. He was trying his best to please the emperor of the State of Qin. For some reason, the Daliang Dynasty always made him feel uneasy. At least if he joined forces with the State of Qin, he would be able to enjoy peace during the time he was alive.


    Prince Ding also had not been very happy recently.


    Fu Xiuyi said with a dark expression, ¡°It¡¯s been a month, but you still haven¡¯t found Pei Lang. Does he know how to fly? Whether he¡¯s alive or dead, I want to see his corpse. If you can¡¯t find him, don¡¯t come back.¡±


    The subordinates below nodded. Fu Xiuyi waved his hand in frustration. ¡°Get lost!¡±


    The few of them retreated in fear.


    He sat down on the chair and pressed his forehead, looking a little tired.


    The person who saved Pei Lang set fire to his dungeon. Many people in the dungeon were useful to him, but they were all burned to ashes. One could imagine how angry Fu Xiuyi was.


    What made him the most angry was that there was no trace of Pei Lang at all. Fu Xiuyi thought that he had eyes and ears all over the capital, but he could not even find a person. This could only mean that Pei Lang was more capable than him. Having such an opponent couldn¡¯t make him happy.

 Chapter 873 - 873 Concealment (2)

    873 Concealment (2)


    Fu Xiuyi had always suspected that the person behind Pei Lang was from the Shen family, but after investigating, he found that it wasn¡¯t the case. If not the Shen family, who could it be?


    ¡°Your Highness, there¡¯s no news of Pei Lang in the capital. Could it be because Pei Lang has already left the city?¡± The aide asked.


    ¡°That¡¯s impossible.¡± Fu Xiuyi said, ¡°I have people guarding the city gate. Everyone who left the city these days has to be investigated. It¡¯s impossible for Pei Lang to leave unnoticed.¡±


    The aide frowned when he heard that, not knowing what to say.


    !!


    ¡°However, there are people who didn¡¯t have to be investigated.¡± Fu Xiuyi suddenly said, ¡°That day, when Prince Rui¡¯s wedding procession left the city, no one stopped them.¡±


    The aide¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°Could Pei Lang have mixed in with Prince Rui¡¯s people and walked out?¡±


    Fu Xiuyi sneered. ¡°Everyone under Prince Rui is strictly selected. How can he sneak in? Moreover, Pei Lang and Prince Rui are not friends. How can he¡­¡± He suddenly stopped.


    At this moment, Fu Xiuyi suddenly thought of something. All along, he had treated Pei Lang as a member of the Shen family, and the person in charge of the Shen family was Shen Xin. However, he had neglected one thing. In fact, from the looks of it, the one who was in the way of his great cause had always been Shen Miao.


    If Pei Lang was not loyal to the Shen family but Shen Miao alone, everything would make sense.


    Pei Lang was Shen Miao¡¯s man and Shen Miao was now Princess Consort Rui. For the sake of Shen Miao, Prince Rui might help Pei Lang this time.


    In that case, Pei Lang and Prince Rui were related.


    Fu Xiuyi suddenly stood up. The more he thought about it, the more he felt that this was the case. In the entire capital, the only person who had the ability to burn down his dungeon without anyone knowing and escape unscathed was Prince Rui.


    ¡°Damn it!¡± Fu Xiuyi slammed the table. He had always wanted to know what secrets Prince Rui was hiding. However, the night before Shen Miao got married, the spies he sent never returned. They must have been discovered and killed. Otherwise, he would know what the secret Prince Rui was hiding was.


    Just as he was feeling vexed, he saw a guard rush in from outside. This guard was trusted by Fu Xiuyi. He quickly walked forward and took out a letter from his pocket. ¡°A letter came out of the princess¡¯s mansion. It was sent to the palace. I intercepted this letter and made a copy. Your Highness, please take a look.¡±


    Fu Xiuyi¡¯s heart skipped a beat and he quickly took the letter. Princess Rong Xin was also acting very abnormally whenever Prince Rui was concerned. Fu Xiuyi wanted to investigate, but ever since Prince Rui and Shen Miao left the capital, neither Princess Rong Xin nor the Earl of Pingnan had done anything special, making him unable to find anything.


    Princess Rong Xin had been alone for many years and was not very close to the Emperor Wen Hui. It was rare for her to enter the palace, let alone take the initiative to write a letter.


    Fu Xiuyi took out the letter from the envelope and couldn¡¯t wait to read it. At first, he only looked a little anxious, but as time passed, his expression changed.


    He seemed to be extremely shocked and angry, and even his facial features were a little distorted. Seeing him like this, the guard did not even dare to breathe loudly. A moment later, Fu Xiuyi suddenly placed one hand on the table and flipped it over.

 Chapter 874 - 874 Concealment (3)

    874 Concealment (3)


    The tea spilled on the ground, and the guard and trusted aides were all shocked. Fu Xiuyi was a person who did not show his emotions. Although he would occasionally be angry, it was never to such an extent. It seemed to be the first time they had seen him lose his composure like this.


    Fu Xiuyi slapped the letter hard on the guard¡¯s face. The guard hurriedly took it and was stunned after reading.


    In the letter, Princess Rong Xin mentioned something about Prince Rui. Everyone knew that back then, because Princess Rong Xin and Princess Yuqing were very close, she even took good care of Xie Jingxing, who was born to Princess Yuqing. She even fell out with the Marquis of Lin¡¯an for Xie Jingxing. Two years ago, Xie Jingxing died on the battlefield, causing Princess Rong Xin to be in great grief.


    Princess Rong Xin naturally knew Xie Jingxing well. In this letter, Princess Rong Xin suggested something sensational. She felt that Prince Rui and Xie Jingxing were very similar.


    When people heard that Prince Rui looked similar to a person who had been dead for more than two years, they would most likely find it ridiculous. However, Fu Xiuyi had been paying attention to Princess Rong Xin for so long and had long discovered that Princess Rong Xin was unusual. Needless to say, Fu Xiuyi was almost certain that what Princess Rong Xin said was the truth.


    There was no doubt that Prince Rui, who came from the Daliang Dynasty, was Xie Jingxing.


    The guard almost lost his grip on the letter. Xie Jingxing was Prince Rui? What did that mean? It meant that Xie Jingxing had the entire Ming Qi wrapped around his finger and fooled everyone. If Xie Jingxing had already been in contact with the Daliang Dynasty when he was still the heir of the Marquis of Lin¡¯an, then the Daliang Dynasty probably knew everything that happened in Ming Qi.


    ¡°Your, Your Highness¡­¡± The guard looked at Fu Xiuyi, a trace of fear flashing across his eyes.


    Fu Xiuyi slowly calmed down, but on closer look, his hands seemed to be trembling.


    ¡°Since Xie Jingxing is not dead, what happened to the Xie army on the northern border must have been exposed¡­¡± he said slowly.


    There were people from the royal family in the Xie army, and Xie Ding¡¯s trusted aide had stabbed Xie Jingxing in the back. Since Xie Jingxing was not dead, he must have found out the scheme in advance. Then why was Xie Jingxing here to pay tribute to Ming Qi this time? Was he here to take revenge?


    Fu Xiuyi held the table to stabilize his wobbling body.


    The trusted aide was also extremely at a loss. He paused for a moment before saying, ¡°Since the Princess has already sent this letter to the palace, His Majesty will take action after reading it.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s useless.¡± Fu Xiuyi interrupted him. ¡°Xie Jingxing has already left the capital for more than a month. My father is afraid of the Daliang Dynasty and won¡¯t go against them openly. If Xie Jingxing hasn¡¯t left yet, we can expose him to cause an uproar among the people. Unfortunately, it¡¯s too late now.¡±


    The aide also sighed. ¡°Why didn¡¯t the Princess send this letter earlier? If we were informed earlier, we wouldn¡¯t be so helpless.¡±


    Fu Xiuyi glanced at him, as if he was unhappy with his aide¡¯s stupidity. The aide panicked under his gaze and heard Fu Xiuyi say, ¡°Idiot. Princess must have thought of a way to inform my father before. Perhaps she already did it the night before the wedding. However, in the end, the letter was intercepted by Xie Jingxing.¡±


    Although he tried his best to hold back his anger, he could not hide the anger in his eyes. ¡°Xie Jingxing¡­ is hiding it too well!¡±


    ¡°Then the Shen family¡­¡± The aide asked.


    ¡°Continue to keep an eye on them.¡± Fu Xiuyi sneered. ¡°I want to see if the Shen family knows anything about Xie Jingxing¡¯s identity or if they¡¯ve been pretending to be stupid for so many years.¡±


    At this moment, no one in the Shen family knew that something like this had happened in Prince Ding¡¯s mansion.

 Chapter 875 - 875 Concealment (4)

    875 Concealment (4)


    Ever since Shen Xin took on the new post, he did not go to the Ministry of War every day. Shen Qiu was still in his old position and was a small leader in the garrison with Luo Ling.


    Luo Xueyan said to Shen Xin, ¡°Why don¡¯t we ask His Majesty to allow us to go back to Spring City?¡± Luo Xueyan sighed. ¡°At least in Spring City, we won¡¯t waste time like this.¡±


    Shen Xin shook his head. ¡°His Majesty asked us to stay in the capital so that he can keep an eye on us. He won¡¯t let us return to Spring City. Only when we are in the capital can he have something to threaten Jiaojiao.¡±


    Luo Xueyan vaguely felt that Shen Xin was hinting at something. Just as she was about to ask, she heard Shen Xin continue with a sigh, ¡°Besides, there¡¯s no news of Tan¡¯s whereabouts yet. If we really go back, how can we explain it to her family?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± At the mention of this, Luo Xueyan felt a headache coming on. ¡°I¡¯ve already sent someone to send a letter to Jiaojiao. I don¡¯t know if he can make it in time. It takes time for that person to make a round trip. I feel uneasy that there¡¯s no news yet.¡±


    On the day Shen Miao left the capital, Luo Tan did not come to send her off. She said that it was because Shen Miao refused to bring her to the Daliang Dynasty, so she was sulking, and she did not want to see the farewell scene with her own eyes. Luo Tan had always been a little willful, and everyone was helpless. After Shen Miao left the capital that day, it was already evening when everyone returned. Luo Tan¡¯s maid said that Luo Tan was already asleep. Luo Xueyan thought that Luo Tan was unhappy, so she did not disturb her.


    The next day, at noon, Luo Tan still refused to go out with the excuse that she was not feeling well. Luo Xueyan finally realized that something was wrong. When she went to look for her again, she saw Luo Tan¡¯s maid kneeling down and begging for mercy with a letter in her hand.


    Luo Tan left a letter and followed her cousin to the Daliang Dynasty.


    Luo Xueyan was shocked and quickly sent someone to chase after Luo Tan. However, Shen Miao and Prince Rui traveled very fast, and she did not know when the person would catch up. There was no news for a month, and Shen Xin and Luo Xueyan were still worried about this.


    ¡°I just hope that when the letter reaches Jingxing, he can get some reliable people to send Tan back,¡± Luo Xueyan said.


    ¡­


    It was evening, and the wedding procession had to stop to rest. Shen Miao was arranged to stay in a farmer¡¯s house, but Luo Tan was not having a good time.


    She mixed in among the servants. Growing up in the Luo army, she didn¡¯t have the temperament of a girl. After she disguised herself, no one could tell that she was a girl. However, every night, she had to put up with a lot. The servants were not like Shen Miao, who had a room of her own. Instead, they had to cram together in a shed.

 Chapter 876 - 876 Concealment (5)

    876 Concealment (5)


    She didn¡¯t mind sleeping on the floor or on a plank. The only thing she could not tolerate was sleeping with more than ten unfamiliar men. At night, she could hear snoring, and there were all kinds of strange smells. From time to time, men would put their legs on her. Luo Tan felt horrible. If Luo Liantai and Madam Ma found out, they would probably break her legs.


    What terrified Luo Tan the most was¡­ taking a shower.


    No matter how rough she was usually, it was impossible for her to not take a shower for more than ten days like these men. She could not tolerate jumping into the water with all the men every time they came across a lake. Previously, there were a few times when she was almost pushed down into the lake, scaring Luo Tan so much that she almost screamed. In the end, she had an idea and said that she had very ugly scars on her body and did not want to be seen in front of everyone. Although those men felt that she was too sissy, they did not force her.


    Today, there happened to be a hot spring behind this farmhouse. The water in the hot spring looked very clear. In the evening, the men had already gone into the water to take a shower, but she did not. Now that it was dark outside, Luo Tan sneaked out with her clothes.


    She walked a long distance to the lake in the dark and looked around. It was already late at night, and everyone was sound asleep. Even if some people woke up in the middle of the night to go to the toilet, they would not come all the way here. Luo Tan was relieved. She took off her clothes and went into the water.


    The hot spring water was very warm and comfortable. It had been a long time since Luo Tan took such a blissful shower. In the past few days, she always snuck out to burn firewood to heat up water to take a shower at night while no one was around, which was very troublesome. However, at this moment, she felt extremely happy.


    As she looked at the moon in the sky, she thought to herself, ¡°It¡¯s been more than a month. It seems like they¡¯ve given up on fetching me back. Even if they catch up with me and persuade me to go back, I won¡¯t agree. In that case, why don¡¯t I confess to Shen Miao? My little cousin has a sharp tongue but a soft heart. She won¡¯t really do anything to me. This way, I can sleep in her room and won¡¯t have to take a shower like a thief.¡±


    Just as she was thinking, she suddenly heard footsteps approaching from afar. Luo Tan was shocked. The footsteps were already very close, so she could only pick up the clothes by the rock and sink into the water.


    Luo Tan knew how to swim, but it was not easy to bury her head in the water. The footsteps stopped at the edge of the hot spring, but they did not leave for a long time. Gradually, Luo Tan felt that it was extremely difficult to breathe. She wanted to surface, but she was only wearing an undergarment.


    Luo Tan was stubborn just like the rest of the Luo family. When that person stopped at the edge of the hot spring and did not leave, Luo Tan hid in the water and refused to surface. However, as time passed, Luo Tan¡¯s eyes became blurry and her mind was blank. She felt that she was probably going to die here before she could see what the Daliang Dynasty looked like¡­


    She heard someone say vaguely above her, ¡°You¡¯re quite good at holding your breath. Are you planning to suffocate yourself to death?¡±


    Luo Tan¡¯s heart skipped a beat. She couldn¡¯t hold it in anymore and suddenly jumped out of the water. However, she was still rational. She only stuck her head out of the water, but her body was hidden under it. Fortunately, the hot spring water was steaming, so her body couldn¡¯t be seen.


    ¡°Tsk.¡± That person said, ¡°I thought you could last longer.¡±

 Chapter 877 - 877 Concealment (6)

    877 Concealment (6)


    Luo Tan glared at that person, but when she saw his face clearly, she was suddenly stunned and said in a daze, ¡°Doctor Gao?¡±


    The young man squatting on the lake with a pink lantern in his hand and looking at her with a smile was Gao Yang. It was such a cold day, but he was still in the mood to gently fan himself with his folding fan.


    ¡°Why are you here?¡± Luo Tan couldn¡¯t help but ask.


    Gao Yang smiled and did not speak.


    !!


    Luo Tan muttered in her heart. Could it be that he was treating patients in such a remote place? She asked, ¡°Doctor Gao, are you coming all the way here to treat people? Is the money given by the imperial court very little so that you have to moonlight as a country doctor? Why are you working so hard?¡± Her words were filled with sympathy.


    Gao Yang laughed out loud. After a while, he said, ¡°It¡¯s not what you think.¡±


    Luo Tan looked at him. ¡°Then why are you here?¡±


    Gao Yang stared at her calmly. ¡°Why are you here?¡±


    ¡°Me?¡± Luo Tan said matter-of-factly, ¡°I¡¯m accompanying my little cousin to the Daliang Dynasty.¡±


    Gao Yang pretended to look surprised and said, ¡°Oh, I met someone a few days ago. He seemed to have come out of the Shen family. He brought a letter to Princess Consort Rui, but he didn¡¯t know where she was and asked me for directions.¡±


    Luo Tan was shocked. ¡°Did you take him to see my little cousin?¡±


    Gao Yang shrugged. ¡°No. I saw that he was travel-worn and very tired, so I let him rest first. We¡¯ll go to see her when he¡¯s rested enough.¡±


    Luo Tan heaved a sigh of relief, then became nervous. ¡°Doctor Gao, don¡¯t let that person see Princess Consort Rui.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°¡­ He¡¯s a bad person,¡± Luo Tan said. ¡°He wants to frame me! Please don¡¯t.¡±


    Gao Yang smiled. ¡°Frame you? Frame you for sneaking into the wedding procession and going to the Daliang Dynasty?¡±


    ¡°You¡­¡± After saying ¡°you¡± a few times, Luo Tan stared at Gao Yang and was speechless.


    ¡°What should I do?¡± Gao Yang looked a little conflicted. ¡°If I take this person to see Princess Consort Rui, you would be sent back to the capital immediately.¡±


    Luo Tan blurted out, ¡°No!¡± It was not easy for her to follow the procession for so long and sleep with those rough men for a month, but all her efforts were about to be in vain at this moment. She was indignant! She looked at Gao Yang determinedly. ¡°What should I do to make you keep it a secret for me?¡±


    Gao Yang said, ¡°That¡¯s the right attitude. If you had said that earlier, I wouldn¡¯t have wasted my time with you.¡±


    Luo Tan was speechless.


    Why did she feel that Gao Yang had been waiting for her to say this all along?


    ¡°What do you want me to do?¡± Luo Tan asked.


    Gao Yang glanced at her and said, ¡°Come out first.¡±


    Only then did Luo Tan remember that she was still in the water, talking to Gao Yang. Although her body could not be seen, she still felt embarrassed and her cheeks turned red. Fortunately, it was dark now, so Gao Yang could not notice.


    She said, ¡°My clothes are all wet. I can¡¯t get out of the water. Help me find some clothes.¡± Just now, in order to hide, she grabbed all her clothes and dove into the water.


    Gao Yang thought for a moment and started to take off his clothes. Luo Tan was shocked. ¡°What do you want to do?¡±


    Gao Yang took off his clothes and slowly handed them to her. ¡°I¡¯m just giving you some clothes to wear. What are you thinking?¡±


    ¡°Turn around!¡± Luo Tan felt that Gao Yang was especially annoying today. If she bickered with him, she would only embarrass herself.


    Gao Yang turned around and said, ¡°There¡¯s nothing to see anyway.¡±


    Luo Tan did not hear this. She came out of the water and hid behind a rock. She quickly put on Gao Yang¡¯s clothes. Gao Yang¡¯s clothes were a little too big for her, but she couldn¡¯t care less now.


    After putting it on, Luo Tan said to Gao Yang, ¡°You can turn around now.¡±


    Only then did Gao Yang turn around with a smile.


    ¡°Tell me, what are your conditions to keep it a secret?¡± Luo Tan asked.


    ¡°How have you slept these past few days?¡± Gao Yang asked a question.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been sleeping with everyone,¡± Luo Tan replied matter-of-factly.


    ¡°You¡¯ll sleep in my room from now on.¡±


    ¡°Why should I?¡± Luo Tan was angry. ¡°Men and women shouldn¡¯t be too close!¡±


    ¡°Are you a woman?¡± Gao Yang smiled.


    ¡°I¡¯m not a woman, and you¡¯re not a man either,¡± Luo Tan immediately retorted.


    Gao Yang said faintly, ¡°The person who came to deliver the letter is still in my room¡­¡±


    ¡°Sleep, sleep, sleep!¡± Luo Tan quickly said, ¡°I¡¯ll go to sleep in your room immediately!¡±


    Gao Yang waved his fan and left, followed by Luo Tan.


    Why did she feel that Gao Yang seemed to have changed into a different person from a pushover.


    It was as if he had revealed his true nature.

 Chapter 878 - 878 Bridal Chamber (1)

    878 Bridal Chamber (1)


    Although the journey was long, three months later, they safely arrived at the Daliang Dynasty.


    Xie Jingxing¡¯s team was quite fast. If it were an ordinary person, it would probably take them more than half a year to reach the Daliang Dynasty.


    In her previous life and this life, Shen Miao had never been to the Daliang Dynasty. In her impression, the Daliang Dynasty was a very rich country. She heard that Long Ye was also very prosperous. When Fu Ming was studying, he even told her that one day, he also wanted to see how prosperous Long Ye was and if the Daliang Dynasty was as peaceful as the books said.


    However, time could not be reversed. Fu Ming and Wanyu had already turned to dust, but she managed to set foot in Long Ye with Fu Ming¡¯s wish.


    Over the past few days, Shen Miao had already changed out of her wedding dress. Xie Jingxing had specially prepared clothes for her. When they arrived at the city gate of Long Ye, the guards let them in without even looking at the token. The grand procession attracted all the commoners to gather on the street.


    The commoners shouted, ¡°Prince Rui brought the princess consort back!¡±


    Shen Miao¡¯s heart skipped a beat. Xie Jingxing married her in Ming Qi, but the people here seemed to know the whole story and were not surprised at all. Xie Jingxing must have thought of a way to spread this news to the Daliang Dynasty long ago.


    Just as she was thinking, the curtain of the carriage was lifted. Xie Jingxing said, ¡°Do you want to see the scenery of Long Ye?¡±


    At this moment, he had already taken off his mask. In the Daliang Dynasty, there was probably no need for him to hide his identity, and his expression was different from when he was in Ming Qi. His lazy and cynical attitude dissipated, replaced by sharpness and seriousness.


    Shen Miao looked out.


    Just like in the books, the scenery in Long Ye was different from that in the capital. Although the capital was also lively, it was only so for rich families. So what if there were restaurants everywhere? How could ordinary families afford to dine there? On the streets of Long Ye, the people coming and going were all smiling.


    Shen Miao noticed that the fabric of the clothes these people were wearing was not bad, and they looked very healthy. Everyone looked like they were doing well. Shen Miao thought to herself that it was really not an exaggeration to say that the people of the Daliang Dynasty lived in harmony.


    Long Ye was very big and the shops and restaurants were grand. Shen Miao had been to the State of Qin, but the State of Qin was not as interesting as Long Ye.


    Even though she had seen the world, she still couldn¡¯t help but look around curiously.


    Seeing her like this, Xie Jingxing raised his eyebrows and said, ¡°There¡¯s no hurry. When I have time, I¡¯ll take you out to play. Long Ye is not small. You have to take your time to familiarize yourself with this place.¡±


    He did not deliberately lower his voice. Some commoners who were close to him looked at Shen Miao curiously and said, ¡°His Highness is very good to the princess consort. He actually dotes on her so much.¡±


    ¡°No wonder His Majesty didn¡¯t agree to the marriages arranged by His Majesty. It turns out that he already has a crush on the princess consort.¡±


    ¡°Princess Consort is also very beautiful. They look very compatible.¡±


    ¡°It won¡¯t be long before she gives birth to an heir.¡±


    When Shen Miao heard these discussions, her face instantly turned red. The people of Long Ye seemed to be very kind. Even the discussions were mostly congratulations or praises. Shen Miao was a little absent-minded. All along, she had always felt that human nature was evil. People always commented on things they did not know, but they did not know that those comments were enough to ruin a person¡¯s life. She was from Ming Qi after all. She thought that it would definitely be like before, attracting a lot of criticism, but she did not hear anything negative about her. She was a little surprised, but at the same time, she was touched.

 Chapter 879 - 879 Bridal Chamber (2)

    879 Bridal Chamber (2)


    At the back of the procession, Ji Yushu said to Gao Yang, ¡°Third Brother has put in a lot of effort. In order to make the people of Long Ye accept Shen Miao, he has been spreading good words for a long time.¡±


    ¡°No man can resist the charms of a beautiful woman.¡± Gao Yang waved his fan and sighed.


    ¡°It¡¯s just that His Majesty must be furious. Also, the ladies of those families are deeply in love with Third Brother. I¡¯m afraid Sister-in-law will be pestered this time.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s there to be afraid of?¡± Gao Yang said, ¡°Shen Miao is not an ordinary person.¡± With that, he said sadly, ¡°Now that we¡¯re back where we came from, I actually miss the days in Ming Qi.¡±


    !!


    ¡°Who doesn¡¯t?¡± Ji Yushu also sighed and patted Gao Yang¡¯s shoulder. He said in a sad tone, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    ¡­


    The palace of the Daliang Dynasty took up a lot of space. There were golden glazed tiles and red wall pillars. The royal family probably liked gold and red. The entire palace looked very majestic.


    The stone lion at the door was mighty and imposing. On the dragon throne made of gold, a golden dragon was circling. The dragon head was on the back of the throne, embedded with two red gems. The dragon tail was wrapped around the armrest, and the scales were carved vividly, as if it was about to soar into the sky from the dragon throne in the next moment.


    At this moment, there was no one in the empty hall except for the man sitting on the dragon throne. He sat upright and dignified. However, for some reason, at this moment, when the sun was about to set and the lanterns in the palace were not lit, his dignified figure looked especially lonely.


    Tap, tap, tap. Footsteps sounded in the hall. A woman slowly walked over, dragging her long dress and wearing a nine-phoenix crown. She had a gentle smile and walked towards the man sitting on the dragon throne.


    She said, ¡°Your Majesty, you¡¯re sitting here alone again.¡±


    Only then did the man look up and say, ¡°Empress, what brought you here?¡±


    Empress Xiande said with a smile, ¡°Your Majesty, what¡¯s troubling you?¡±


    ¡°Jingxing came back today.¡± Emperor Yong Le rubbed his forehead. ¡°He even brought back that woman from Ming Qi. I told him countless times to stay away from that woman. Not only did he not listen, but he even married that woman and brought her back.¡±


    ¡°Your Majesty, don¡¯t you like Shen Miao?¡± Empress Xiande¡¯s voice was gentle.


    ¡°Those who are not of our clan will not be loyal,¡± Emperor Yong Le said.


    If she was not from the Daliang Dynasty, she would naturally not be loyal to the Daliang Dynasty.


    ¡°You don¡¯t like Shen Miao, but Jingxing does.¡± Empress Xiande said, ¡°Otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t have married Shen Miao back to Long Ye from so far away. He wouldn¡¯t have given 99 betrothal gifts, nor would he have spread good words for Shen Miao among the people.¡± After a pause, she continued, ¡°And he wouldn¡¯t have disobeyed you time and time again.:


    ¡°I think he¡¯s married to an enchantress!¡± Emperor Yong Le said in a low voice, but there was suppressed anger in his voice.


    ¡°Maybe Shen Miao is really something.¡± Empress Xiande comforted him. ¡°Jingxing always has his own ideas. Your Majesty has chosen so many beauties for him, but he doesn¡¯t like any of them. Now that he¡¯s willing to do this for Shen Miao, there must be a reason. Your Majesty, don¡¯t you want to trust Jingxing this time?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t trust him, but I don¡¯t trust Shen Miao!¡± Emperor Yong Le said.


    ¡°But Your Majesty has no choice, right?¡±


    Emperor Yong Le looked at her unhappily. ¡°Empress, are you saying that I¡¯m incapable?¡±


    ¡°Of course not.¡± Empress Xiande smiled. ¡°You have always been unable to harden your heart towards Jingxing. That¡¯s why Jingxing is so unbridled. He knows that you won¡¯t really punish him.¡±

 Chapter 880 - 880 Bridal Chamber (3)

    880 Bridal Chamber (3)


    ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± After a while, Emperor Yong Le replied, ¡°But time is running out.¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter who Jingxing marries. I don¡¯t want to control him, but he can¡¯t bring back a variable. That woman¡¯s identity is too special. If Jingxing listens to her, it might change the situation in the future. I won¡¯t allow such a thing to happen.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no time.¡± Emperor Yong Le¡¯s voice was deep. ¡°For the sake of the country and the great cause, I can sacrifice anything and be ruthless.¡±


    He continued, ¡°Let the two of them come to the palace tomorrow. I want to see what kind of woman bewitched him. I want to remind him not to forget his identity just because he stayed in Ming Qi for two years.¡±


    !!


    With that, he stood up and walked down the long stairs, walking out of the quiet hall. Empress Xiande frowned slightly.


    Empress Xiande stood rooted to the ground, her eyes filled with sadness. A moment later, she sighed and walked out.


    ¡­


    There was only one prince in the Daliang Dynasty, and that was Prince Rui, Emperor Yong Le¡¯s biological brother. This Prince Rui¡¯s identity was very mysterious. It was said that he had been traveling around the world with a master since he was young, so almost no one had seen him. Even Eunuch Deng, who had been with Emperor Yong Le for the longest time, knew nothing about him.


    Two years ago, there was suddenly news that Prince Rui had returned to Long Ye. At the altar, the people were able to see Prince Rui¡¯s face. He was indeed peerlessly handsome, causing all the ladies in Long Ye to fall head over heels for him.


    However, at first, everyone was suspicious of Prince Rui¡¯s sudden appearance. They wondered if he was an imposter. However, later on, they thought that the royal family was meticulous, so they probably wouldn¡¯t make such a mistake. Moreover, Prince Rui looked like the empress dowager and Emperor Yong Le.


    After Prince Rui returned to Long Ye, he reinstated his status as a prince and went to imperial court with the officials. Some of the officials objected, saying that Prince Rui had not been involved in the state affairs for so many years and knew nothing about the situation in the Daliang Dynasty. How could they let him participate in the matters of the imperial court? Emperor Yong Le was very angry and even punished a few officials who made a fuss. However, most of the officials objected. Emperor Yong Le could not punish them one by one.


    Later, Prince Rui settled a few difficult matters that the imperial court had been dragging on for a long time. Therefore, the objections gradually subsided. The officials could no longer say that he knew nothing about the state affairs. He clearly knew a lot. He had not been in Long Ye for so many years and had not participated in the state affairs, but he was capable.


    In short, in the eyes of the people of the Daliang Dynasty, Prince Rui was a good-looking, good-tempered, and capable young man. Most importantly, he was very rich.


    For example, Prince Rui¡¯s mansion was as gorgeous as the palace.


    Emperor Yong Le was very tolerant of his younger brother, so he did not blame Prince Rui for being extravagant. However, the commoners passing by would occasionally stare at the door of Prince Rui¡¯s mansion and wonder who would be so lucky as to marry Prince Rui.


    Unexpectedly, Prince Rui actually married a girl from Ming Qi.

 Chapter 881 - 881 Bridal Chamber (4)

    881 Bridal Chamber (4)


    As soon as Shen Miao stepped into Prince Rui¡¯s mansion, a group of guards in official clothes stood straight and bowed to her. ¡°Greetings, Princess Consort!¡±


    Xie Jingxing put his arm around Shen Miao¡¯s shoulder and walked in. As he walked, he called out to everyone, ¡°Carry the things in. Is the bridal chamber ready?¡±


    ¡°Your Highness, it¡¯s all settled.¡± A person who looked like a butler in his fifties ran out from inside. He had a kind and honest face. ¡°Princess Consort, please follow me to take a look.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for your hard work,¡± Xie Jingxing said.


    !!


    ¡°Not at all.¡± The old butler smiled and said, ¡°It¡¯s good that Your Highness is back.¡± He looked up and sized up Shen Miao curiously.


    Shen Miao vaguely felt that this butler had a high status. Otherwise, Xie Jingxing would not speak so nicely to him. She looked up and met his gaze with a smile.


    Xie Jingxing pulled Shen Miao in dissatisfaction and walked forward. ¡°Stop looking.¡±


    When Shen Miao arrived at the bridal chamber that the butler mentioned, she couldn¡¯t help but be dumbfounded.


    The bed was so big that it could accommodate seven or eight people. There was a soft blanket on it, and the bedding was bright red. After all, the bridal chamber had to be festive, but what did the erotic painting on the wall mean?


    There were also all kinds of lamp furnaces and incense¡­


    Shen Miao said, ¡°I think I¡¯ll find another place to sleep.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Madam?¡± The butler asked, ¡°Are you dissatisfied with this room? Please tell me. I¡¯ll get someone to modify it.¡±


    Xie Jingxing glanced at the old butler. ¡°What¡¯s all the nonsense on the wall? Ridiculous. Get rid of it!¡±


    ¡°That won¡¯t do.¡± The old butler insisted. ¡°I heard that the two of you have yet to consummate your marriage, and you¡¯ll inevitably be at a loss as to what to do. I¡¯ve been looking for these paintings for a long time¡­¡±f


    Shen Miao was speechless.


    The servants of Prince Rui¡¯s mansion were too straightforward! Even if she was not a shy little girl, she still blushed when she heard these words!


    Xie Jingxing put down the dagger in his hand and stared at the old butler with a murderous gaze. He said, ¡°Thank you, Uncle Tang.¡±


    ¡°But there¡¯s no need to teach me.¡± He gritted his teeth. ¡°I know how.¡±


    Uncle Tang was stunned for a moment before saying, ¡°But there is still so much to learn.¡±


    Shen Miao turned around and strode out¡­


    This day passed uneventfully. Shen Miao was new here, so she did not put on airs. Moreover, Long Ye was a perfect place, so there was really nothing to be picky about. The servants here were very respectful to her, but being called ¡°Princess Consort¡± still made her feel a little weird.


    In the end, she was not used to hearing it.


    At dinner, Uncle Tang specially made a few light dishes for her according to the taste of Ming Qi. In the afternoon, Xie Jingxing went out for a while. He was probably very busy. After all, after returning to the Daliang Dynasty, he had to fulfill his responsibility as a prince.


    After washing up, the sky was already dark. Shen Miao returned to her bridal chamber. It wasn¡¯t that she wanted to enter this room, but apart from this room, Prince Rui did not prepare any other rooms for her. Jingzhe and Gu Yu still came to serve her.


    As Jingzhe combed Shen Miao¡¯s hair, she said, ¡°Before I came to Long Ye, I was a little afraid because we were unfamiliar with this place. I didn¡¯t expect that after I came, I was relieved. The servants here are extremely respectful. Miss, I think it¡¯s all because Prince Rui taught them well.¡±

 Chapter 882 - 882 Bridal Chamber (5)

    882 Bridal Chamber (5)


    ¡°You should change the form of address.¡± Gu Yu said, ¡°It¡¯s time to change it from Miss to Madam.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right, that¡¯s right. I should use Madam instead.¡± Jingzhe quickly changed her words and said, ¡°No wonder everyone says that the Daliang Dynasty is good. It really lives up to its name. Not to mention Madam, I like it here too.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± Shen Miao teased her. ¡°Isn¡¯t life good in the capital? Why do you like it here more?¡±


    Jingzhe thought for a moment. ¡°It¡¯s not that it¡¯s not good in the capital. I just feel that the people here treat you better. I feel that our lives will get better and better in the future.¡±


    Shen Miao smiled. When she was in Ming Qi, the second and third branches of the Shen family were doing all they could to bring the first branch down. In the eyes of the maids, her life was not easy.


    In Long Ye, it was different. She came as a princess consort, and Xie Jingxing¡¯s attitude towards her made the people around her not dare to disrespect her.


    However¡­ would her life really get better and better? Shen Miao did not think so. What Xie Jingxing was planning was probably not simple. It was probably more dangerous and complicated than Ming Qi.


    Anyhow, since she was here, she could only bite the bullet and face whatever that was in store for her.


    However, for a long time, Shen Miao hadn¡¯t felt so relaxed.


    As she was thinking, she heard Jingzhe and Gu Yu say, ¡°Greetings, Your Highness.¡±


    Shen Miao looked up and saw Xie Jingxing walking in. Xie Jingxing said, ¡°You can leave.¡± Jingzhe and Gu Yu quickly left.


    He walked to the table and sat down. As he waited for Shen Miao to comb her hair, he asked, ¡°How are you getting used to it?¡±


    ¡°Everything is good.¡± Shen Miao said, ¡°Long Ye lives up to its name.¡±


    Xie Jingxing poured himself some tea. ¡°But you have to perk up.¡±


    Shen Miao was puzzled. ¡°What happened?¡±


    ¡°My brother has issued a decree to summon you and me to the palace tomorrow.¡± He said, ¡°My brother is old-fashioned and strict. He¡¯s very unhappy with my marriage this time. He¡¯ll probably try to scare you.¡±


    Shen Miao glanced at him. ¡°Oh, he¡¯s very dissatisfied with your marriage. As expected, you did it behind his back. You even lied to my parents that he had already agreed.¡±


    Xie Jingxing smiled. ¡°It¡¯s just a temporary solution. Besides, so what if he¡¯s dissatisfied with you? There are many people in the world who are dissatisfied with you, and you¡ª¡± He made a beheading gesture and said lazily, ¡°Sent them all to hell.¡±


    Shen Miao also smiled. She said, ¡°Are you hinting at something?¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Xie Jingxing said, ¡°Our Xie family is different from the royal family in Ming Qi. We won¡¯t kill each other.¡±


    Shen Miao said, ¡°Is that so?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t believe me?¡± Xie Jingxing asked.


    Shen Miao shook her head. ¡°The royal family has been heartless since ancient times. Now, you¡¯re only close because you don¡¯t have any conflicts of interest. One day, when your stance is different, or if you want to snatch something, you¡¯ll make a move to protect your interest. At that time, you won¡¯t be brothers anymore.¡± Although she tried her best to speak calmly, her words were filled with disdain.


    Xie Jingxing stared at her sharply for a long time. Shen Miao felt a little uncomfortable under his gaze and asked, ¡°Why are you looking at me like that?¡±

 Chapter 883 - 883 Bridal Chamber (6)

    883 Bridal Chamber (6)


    He shook his head, sighed, and smiled. ¡°You don¡¯t seem to believe in the relationship between the royal members.¡±


    Shen Miao pursed her lips and did not say a word. In her previous life, she was the empress. As the empress, she had seen many things that people did not know. She had seen a prince who doted on his concubine in every way yesterday and sent his concubine to his aides the next day just to rope him in. She had also seen how in order to accumulate power, men could abandon their loved ones and marry the daughter of an official instead. Killing and scheming between brothers were by no means rare.


    After seeing so many such things, Shen Miao found it unbelievable that there was kinship between royal members. Perhaps there was, but she just refused to believe it.


    ¡°You¡¯ll understand in the future.¡± Xie Jingxing shook his head and changed the topic. ¡°My brother is not a good person, but he¡¯s a good emperor. It¡¯s just that to you, he¡¯s probably not someone to befriend.¡±


    Shen Miao thought that the only person who had the guts to say that about Emperor Yong Le was probably Xie Jingxing.


    ¡°If he scares you, don¡¯t be afraid. With me around, no one will dare to touch you.¡± Xie Jingxing continued, ¡°The empress is a good person. You can make friends with her. If there is a chance, you can talk to her more.¡±


    Shen Miao suddenly panicked because she felt as if Xie Jingxing was going to leave her after telling her this.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you going tomorrow?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Why? Are you afraid of being alone?¡± Seeing her frown, Xie Jingxing said, ¡°I¡¯ll go with you. It¡¯s just that my brother will definitely find excuses to send me away. If he says anything to you, you don¡¯t have to take it to heart. Just treat it as bullsh*t.¡±


    Shen Miao was silent for a moment. ¡°Got it.¡±


    Xie Jingxing smiled and looked at her. ¡°Shen Jiaojiao.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I feel that you¡¯ve become much more obedient after coming to Long Ye.¡± The smile on his face widened. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t abandon you.¡±


    Shen Miao took a deep breath and placed the comb on the dressing table. She stood up and said, ¡°I¡¯m going to sleep. When are you leaving?¡±


    ¡°Leaving?¡± Xie Jingxing raised an eyebrow. ¡°Why should I leave my bridal chamber?¡±


    Shen Miao widened her eyes. Xie Jingxing stood up and lay on the bed.


    Shen Miao was speechless.


    Shouldn¡¯t they have a mutual understanding about this? Wasn¡¯t it normal for fake couples to sleep in separate rooms? Why was Xie Jingxing being an asshole?


    She said, ¡°Then I¡¯ll sleep outside.¡±


    Before she could finish her sentence, her arm was suddenly grabbed. Before Shen Miao could steady herself, she fell onto the bed. A pair of strong arms supported her and pulled her into his arms.


    Shen Miao¡¯s nose was filled with the fragrance of bamboo on the man¡¯s body. However, his chest was heaving, and his breathing was warm. For a moment, she did not dare to look up at his face.


    After a long silence, Xie Jingxing¡¯s low voice sounded from above.


    ¡°Two months.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± She subconsciously looked up and met a pair of dark eyes. However, at this moment, his eyes seemed to be extremely invasive, making Shen Miao¡¯s heart involuntarily beat faster.


    Xie Jingxing hugged her and said lazily, ¡°I¡¯ll give you two months. After two months, I won¡¯t be able to control myself anymore.¡±


    Shen Miao was stunned. The corners of Xie Jingxing¡¯s lips curled up into a devilish and meaningful smile. He said, ¡°Being a gentleman is not my forte¡­ I¡¯ve never been a good person.¡±


    Shen Miao suddenly jumped up and said, ¡°I¡¯ll sleep in the study.¡±


    Xie Jingxing grabbed her and said, ¡°I¡¯ll sleep outside.¡±


    Shen Miao did not dare to look him in the eye.


    When she was in Ming Qi, there were still people from the Shen family around, so Xie Jingxing did not dare to be impudent. Now that she did not know anyone in Long Ye and that she and Xie Jingxing were husband and wife, it was only right for them to do something.


    Xie Jingxing pushed open the door and left in a good mood.


    Shen Miao rubbed her chest, which was still beating violently just now. After Xie Jingxing left Ming Qi and returned to the Daliang Dynasty, he was indeed getting more and more impudent. It was as if he was suppressing his true nature when he was in Ming Qi, but now, he showed his true nature to Shen Miao.


    How were husband and wife supposed to live together? Shen Miao thought to herself. She was experienced in other things, but in this matter, she was still like a green girl.


    After a while, Shen Miao shook the thought and covered her head with the blanket.


    In this life, she would let nature take its course¡­

 Chapter 884 - 884 Emperor Yong Le (1)

    884 Emperor Yong Le (1)


    The next morning, Shen Miao was going to the palace with Xie Jingxing to see Emperor Yong Le. Because this was the first time they would meet each other, Shen Miao had to wear the princess consort¡¯s court dress. When Xie Jingxing came out, Shen Miao couldn¡¯t help but be stunned.


    The court dresses of the Daliang Dynasty and Ming Qi were different. Ming Qi¡¯s was more exquisite and beautiful, while the Daliang Dynasty¡¯s was more elegant. Xie Jingxing was wearing a purple-gold robe with a qilin embroidered on it. He wore an official hat, green boots, and an agate belt, looking extremely dignified. Without his usual playful attitude, he looked a little unapproachable.


    After having breakfast with him, they took a carriage to the palace. Because of what happened last night, Shen Miao felt a little ill at ease being in a confined space with him. However, Xie Jingxing was not a shy person. When they were in the carriage, he deliberately teased her.


    Shen Miao thought to herself that this person really had revealed his true colors after coming to the Daliang Dynasty. However, because this was the first time she went to see Emperor Yong Le, her heart was a little heavy, but because of Xie Jingxing¡¯s teasing, she actually felt much better.


    Prince Rui¡¯s mansion was not far from the palace. When the guards at the palace gate saw Xie Jingxing, they let him in. As Shen Miao¡¯s maids, Jingzhe and Gu Yu followed closely behind, not daring to breathe loudly. They walked carefully, afraid that they would cause trouble for Shen Miao.


    The maids and eunuchs in the palace all lowered their heads, doing their own things. However, when Shen Miao walked past them, she could still feel some probing gazes landing on her. This was the first time she had come to the Daliang Dynasty¡¯s palace. Perhaps everyone had some preconceived opinions about her. The commoners were friendly towards her, but the people in the palace were different. In addition, Xie Jingxing¡¯s identity was special. If Shen Miao was not wrong, many people were fighting for the title of Princess Consort Rui.


    Her every move not only represented her status as Princess Consort Rui, but also the Shen family in Ming Qi.


    At the thought of this, Shen Miao couldn¡¯t help but stand straight with her shoulders back, giving off an aura that belonged to the rulers.


    Xie Jingxing noticed her movement and smiled playfully. He leaned close to her ear and whispered, ¡°Don¡¯t be so nervous. You are almost going to overshadow the empress.¡±


    Shen Miao glared at him. At this time, Xie Jingxing was still in the mood to fool around. Emperor Yong Le probably had eyes and ears all over the palace. If Emperor Yong Le heard of Xie Jingxing¡¯s words, would he think of her as a femme fatale?


    Just as she was thinking, Xie Jingxing held her hand. Shen Miao subconsciously wanted to break free and say, ¡°If we are seen holding hands¡­¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with us holding hands?¡± Xie Jingxing was displeased. ¡°Do I need people¡¯s approval to hold your hands?¡±


    Shen Miao was about to say something when she saw that she had already followed Xie Jingxing to a side hall. Outside the door stood a fat eunuch. When he saw the two of them, he said, ¡°Your Highness, His Majesty and Her Majesty have been waiting for you for a long time.¡±


    It was unknown if it was intentional or not, but he did not bow to Shen Miao.


    ¡°Eunuch Deng, this is my wife.¡± Xie Jingxing refused to let it go just like that. He pushed Shen Miao forward and said, ¡°Why aren¡¯t you bowing to her?¡±


    Shen Miao rolled her eyes at Xie Jingxing in her heart. Eunuch Deng had obviously received orders from his master to treat her like this. Apart from Emperor Yong Le, who else could this master be? Since it was Emperor Yong Le¡¯s idea, not only did Xie Jingxing not go along with it, but he even deliberately brought it up. Was he here to start a fight today?


    Eunuch Deng¡¯s smile did not change. He immediately looked at Shen Miao and said, ¡°So it¡¯s Princess Consort, Your Highness. I was blind and didn¡¯t see you. Please forgive me.¡±

 Chapter 885 - 885 Emperor Yong Le (2)

    885 Emperor Yong Le (2)


    Shen Miao was different from Xie Jingxing. She smiled gently. ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡±


    Xie Jingxing glanced at Eunuch Deng and said, ¡°Alright, since my brother is so dissatisfied with me, why does he still want to see me?¡± He smiled. ¡°If not for the fact that the princess consort persuaded me to come today, I wouldn¡¯t be bothered to come.¡±


    Eunuch Deng and Shen Miao were speechless.


    Shen Miao tugged at his sleeve. Xie Jingxing said, ¡°What¡¯s there to be afraid of? Don¡¯t be afraid. I¡¯ll stand up for you if anyone bullies you.¡±


    !!


    He did not lower his voice. Even Eunuch Deng, who was quick-witted, could not help but look embarrassed. A violent cough suddenly came from the hall. Eunuch Deng shuddered and said, ¡°Prince and Princess Consort, please come in with me.¡±


    Shen Miao was pulled in by Xie Jingxing.


    Along the way, she kept her head lowered and did not look up. Shen Miao knew that Emperor Yong Le probably did not like her very much, so she did not want to make any mistakes. She could only see that the smooth marble in the hall was engraved with cloud patterns and covered with a soft woolen blanket.


    ¡°Greetings, Brother,¡± Xie Jingxing said lazily and bowed perfunctorily.


    Xie Jingxing was impudent, but Shen Miao was not. She bowed, saying respectfully, ¡°Greetings, Your Majesty.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re Shen Miao?¡± After a while, a dignified and low voice sounded. ¡°Look up.¡±


    Shen Miao looked up.


    The man sitting on the throne was not very old. He looked to be in his thirties. He had sharp eyebrows, dark eyes, a high nose, and thin lips. He looked 70 to 80% similar to Xie Jingxing. Xie Jingxing¡¯s facial features were sharp, and his beauty and heroic aura were very well integrated. On the other hand, probably because he had been a ruler for a long time, the middle-aged man did not have that gentle temperament. Compared to Xie Jingxing¡¯s mischievousness, he looked even more upright. His gaze was deep, and when he looked at people, it was cold, as if he wanted to see through them.


    Although the two brothers looked similar and were both elegant and noble, their auras were worlds apart. Xie Jingxing looked like a playful young master and had a cynical and lazy attitude towards everything, but this middle-aged man clearly looked like a self-disciplined person who was strict with himself.


    Shen Miao was surprised. She did not expect Emperor Yong Le to be so young and handsome. He was completely different from the old man she had imagined.


    While she was sizing up Emperor Yong Le, Emperor Yong Le was also sizing her up. His gaze was even sharper, and it carried an oppressive pressure. His face was cold, as if he was about to flare up in the next moment. If an ordinary girl was sized up by him like this, she would probably cry from fear. However, Shen Miao was different from ordinary girls. In the past, when she faced Fu Xiuyi, he treated her with more coldness than this.


    Seeing that her expression was still calm, a sharp glint flashed across Emperor Yong Le¡¯s eyes. In the hall, Xie Jingxing¡¯s lazy voice sounded. ¡°Brother, are you done looking at my wife? If you continue, I¡¯ll feel uncomfortable.¡±


    Shen Miao widened her eyes, revealing obvious surprise. She had been guessing what kind of a relationship it was between Xie Jingxing and Emperor Yong Le. She also vaguely sensed that these two brothers should be more sincere to each other than the royal brothers in Ming Qi, but she did not expect Xie Jingxing to dare to speak to Emperor Yong Le like this. Moreover, Emperor Yong Le was not angry.


    In the royal family, there were many rules. Coupled with the fact that they were in different positions, it was impossible for them to be ordinary brothers. It was already a luxury for royal brothers to be friendly without killing each other. Moreover, Xie Jingxing had been in Ming Qi for so many years, but now, he and Emperor Yong Le seemed to be ordinary brothers who had lived together since a very young age.

 Chapter 886 - 886 Emperor Yong Le (3)

    886 Emperor Yong Le (3)


    ¡°Jingxing, don¡¯t talk like that to your brother.¡± A soft voice sounded. Shen Miao¡¯s gaze landed on the woman beside Emperor Yong Le.


    This must be Emperor Yong Le¡¯s wife, the empress of the Daliang Dynasty, Empress Xiande.


    Empress Xiande looked younger than Emperor Yong Le. She was wearing a court dress with gold embroidery and a wide belt. Her outfit was very simple, and she was very graceful. One look and one could tell that she was a woman from a rich family. She sat beside Emperor Yong Le and smiled at Xie Jingxing.


    Shen Miao also remembered that Xie Jingxing had once praised Empress Xiande. There were not many women who could be praised by someone as picky as Xie Jingxing. Since Empress Xiande could be one of them, there was naturally something special about her. Even if Xie Jingxing never praised her, Shen Miao would still have a good impression of Empress Xiande, because she exuded an elegant and calm aura. Even Shen Miao, who was the empress in her previous life, felt inferior in comparison.


    ¡°Jingxing¡¯s wife, Miss Shen of Ming Qi¡¯s Shen family.¡± Empress Xiande nodded at her and smiled gently. ¡°I¡¯ve always been curious about what kind of girl can make Jingxing fall in love with her. Now that I see you, I understand. Jingxing has good taste.¡±


    Empress Xiande¡¯s praise displeased Emperor Yong Le. He glanced at Empress Xiande and seemed to be a little unhappy. He said in a low voice, ¡°The rules in Ming Qi are different from those in the Daliang Dynasty. Since you¡¯re already married to the Daliang Dynasty, you have to abide by the rules.¡±


    ¡°Brother.¡± Xie Jingxing interrupted him. ¡°I¡¯ll naturally teach her the rules. You just mind your own business.¡±


    Xie Jingxing was protective of Shen Miao and did not give Emperor Yong Le any face in front of Shen Miao. Emperor Yong Le was finally angry and said, ¡°Are you so protective of your wife? Am I not allowed to say a word about her? Do you want me to give you my seat?¡±


    ¡°Forget it.¡± Xie Jingxing waved his hand indifferently. ¡°Leave this seat to yourself. I¡¯m not interested. It¡¯s just that it¡¯s not easy for me to marry a girl. If you interfere again and my wife runs away, what will happen to me? Will I be alone for the rest of my life?¡±


    Shen Miao was speechless.


    If Xie Jingxing was Fu Xiuyi¡¯s brother, he would probably have died ten times over for talking to him like this.


    Emperor Yong Le stood up and glanced at Shen Miao with a threatening gaze. He turned around and left. Halfway there, he saw that Xie Jingxing was still standing beside Shen Miao and had no intention of following him. He immediately flew into a rage and said, ¡°Get over here!¡±


    Xie Jingxing said to Empress Xiande, ¡°Sister-in-law, I¡¯ll leave Jiaojiao to you.¡± Then, he said to Shen Miao, ¡°I¡¯ll pick you up after I¡¯m done.¡±


    After Xie Jingxing and Emperor Yong Le left, Empress Xiande smiled and stood up to walk up to Shen Miao. She said, ¡°It¡¯s quite stuffy here. Since you¡¯ve never been to the palace, I¡¯ll show you around.¡±


    Shen Miao quickly agreed.


    Empress Xiande was a very good person and did not put on the airs of an empress. The two of them went to the royal garden to have a walk. Along the way, Empress Xiande asked her if she was used to life in Long Ye.


    ¡°Ever since Jingxing returned to Long Ye, I haven¡¯t seen him fall in love with any girl in the past few years. I thought that it was probably impossible for him to fall in love with any girl, but I didn¡¯t expect him to eventually marry someone in Ming Qi. Although I¡¯m a little surprised, I¡¯m also relieved at the same time. Otherwise, he would probably be alone for the rest of his life.¡±


    When Shen Miao heard that, she smiled and said, ¡°When Prince Rui was in Ming Qi, many girls liked him. How could such a person be alone?¡±

 Chapter 887 - 887 Emperor Yong Le (4)

    887 Emperor Yong Le (4)


    Empress Xiande smiled and shook her head. ¡°Then have you ever seen him treat anyone especially well?¡±


    Shen Miao was stunned.


    Empress Xiande continued, ¡°Jingxing and his brother are very much alike. The emperor is cold inside and out. Jingxing looks gentle and easy to talk to, but in fact, his personality is also cold. He probably knows very well that his identity is special, so he shouldn¡¯t have designs on things he shouldn¡¯t have.¡± She looked at Shen Miao and smiled. ¡°I think Jingxing has told you his secret.¡±


    ¡°Since he was young, he had to hide his identity and emotions and gradually developed self-control, but his heart has also become hard. This is a good thing for him as a royal member, but it¡¯s not a good thing for him as a man. I¡¯ve always thought that if Jingxing is like the emperor, he¡¯ll suffer too much in this life. Fortunately, he¡¯s luckier than the emperor and met you.¡±


    !!


    In the short time Shen Miao had spent with Empress Xiande, she almost took a liking to Empress Xiande immediately. She seemed to have the magic of making people feel at ease naturally. This was a quality rarely seen in the women of the harem.


    However, what did she mean by saying that Xie Jingxing was luckier than Emperor Yong Le?


    Empress Xiande said, ¡°His Majesty wants Jingxing to live a comfortable and happy life, but he also doesn¡¯t want Jingxing to be corrupted by the greed for a comfortable life. His Majesty is having a hard time. If he says some hurtful words to you, don¡¯t blame him.¡±


    Shen Miao smiled. ¡°I have no right to blame His Majesty. However,¡± she looked at Empress Xiande, ¡°Do you have something to say to me?¡±


    Empress Xiande smiled and sighed. ¡°The first time I saw you just now, I felt a sense of familiarity with you. You¡¯re a smart girl, I know, but smart people can easily get wrapped up in their own thoughts. If you don¡¯t untie it yourself, the knot in your heart will never be untied.¡±


    Shen Miao frowned slightly. She vaguely felt that there were layers in Empress Xiande¡¯s words.


    ¡°His Majesty values Jingxing very much. Although he agreed to Jingxing¡¯s marriage, he is still unhappy. Jingxing naturally has a way to resist His Majesty¡¯s decision, but you¡¯re different. You¡¯re from Ming Qi. In the Daliang Dynasty, there were always many restrictions.¡± Empress Xiande said, ¡°I like you very much, but I can¡¯t change His Majesty¡¯s mind. I just hope you can live a comfortable life.¡±


    Shen Miao said, ¡°What is His Majesty going to do?¡±


    Just as Empress Xiande was about to speak, a charming female voice came from behind her and said, ¡°Sister, you¡¯re in a good mood today. I haven¡¯t seen you coming to the royal garden in a long time.¡±


    Shen Miao and the empress turned around at the same time and saw a few palace maids escorting a woman out of the small corridor on the other side of the garden. This woman was wearing silver and gold. She was dressed even more gorgeous than the blooming flowers in the early spring. When she got closer, they realized that this woman was actually beautiful, but because of her gorgeous dress, she looked vulgar .


    She came over and bowed to Empress Xiande. However, it was perfunctory, as if she did not take Empress Xiande seriously.


    ¡°Oh, so it¡¯s Consort Jing,¡± Empress Xiande replied indifferently.

 Chapter 888 - 888 Emperor Yong Le (5)

    888 Emperor Yong Le (5)


    Shen Miao was surprised that a woman in her early twenties could become a consort. Either her family was extremely prominent, or she was very favored. However, Shen Miao felt that compared to Empress Xiande, apart from being younger and more beautiful, this Consort Jing seemed to be much inferior to Empress Xiande in terms of temperament. She really could not see anything about her that was worthy of Emperor Yong Le¡¯s favor.


    Consort Jing seemed to have just noticed Shen Miao and asked, ¡°This person looks very unfamiliar. Which family is she from?¡±


    Shen Miao was already dressed like a married woman. Therefore, although she looked young, no one would think that she was an unmarried young lady.


    ¡°This is Prince Rui¡¯s wife, Princess Consort Rui.¡± Empress Xiande did not seem to want to introduce Shen Miao to Consort Jing, so her reply was curt.


    As soon as she said that, Consort Jing¡¯s expression changed. She first called out in surprise, ¡°Princess Consort Rui?¡± Then, she sized up Shen Miao.


    Her gaze was very rude, as if she was sizing up a plaything. After sizing Shen Miao up, she snorted and said in a low voice, ¡°I originally thought the girl who Prince Rui brought back from Ming Qi must be a peerless beauty, but now¡­¡± She smiled meanly. ¡°It¡¯s probably because my taste is bad. I really can¡¯t see anything special about you.¡±


    Shen Miao was careful not to speak. However, Empress Xiande¡¯s expression turned a little ugly. She said, ¡°I¡¯m afraid in your eyes, no one can be considered special.¡±


    Shen Miao was a little surprised that Empress Xiande would flare up at Consort Jing for her, but she also felt that Empress Xiande was a little like Emperor Yong Le.


    However, Empress Xiande¡¯s mockery did not work. It was unknown if Consort Jing did not understand. Consort Jing looked at Empress Xiande and suddenly smiled, saying, ¡°It seems like you two are on good terms. I wonder if you¡¯re having a good chat, You should talk to her more. After all, Princess Consort Rui is new here and needs to know a lot of things.¡±


    Shen Miao looked at Consort Jing.


    Consort Jing chuckled. ¡°Prince Rui is busy every day and probably doesn¡¯t have time to talk to Princess Consort Rui about the Daliang Dynasty. Speaking of which, a few days ago, my fourth sister asked when Prince Rui will be back. She said that she learned a song and wants Prince Rui to give her some pointers.¡±


    Empress Xiande said angrily, ¡°Consort Jing!¡±


    Shen Miao was enlightened. She was wondering why Consort Jing would target her for no reason. She thought that Xie Jingxing was liked by girls in Ming Qi, but in the Daliang Dynasty, there were even more girls in love with him. Now, as soon as she came, she was hated by them.


    Consort Jing looked at Shen Miao with a smile. ¡°Princess Consort Rui, if you have nothing to do, you can invite my fourth sister over. My fourth sister has always liked to make good friends. It¡¯s good to have more sisters in a new place.¡±


    More sisters? Shen Miao sneered in her heart. She probably meant more wives for Xie Jingxing.


    Shen Miao originally wanted to brush her off. However, when her gaze accidentally landed on the thumb ring Xie Jingxing gave her, she changed her mind. She smiled and said, ¡°I¡¯m afraid that won¡¯t do.¡±


    Consort Jing was stunned, and so was Empress Xiande, as if she did not expect Shen Miao to say that.


    ¡°His Highness Prince Rui asked me to take care of everything at home. I¡¯m afraid I don¡¯t have time to entertain guests.¡± Shen Miao smiled gently and seemed to be a little apologetic. ¡°After all, I¡¯m new here. His Highness trusts me. I don¡¯t dare to let him down. If your fourth sister wants, she can go and look for Prince Rui directly. As for me, I don¡¯t have time.¡±

 Chapter 889 - 889 Emperor Yong Le (6)

    889 Emperor Yong Le (6)


    Consort Jing was rendered speechless, but her heart was burning with anger.


    Shen Miao was not aggressive and said that she did not have time to entertain guests, but in fact, she was showing off, telling everyone that Prince Rui doted on her and handed the management of the mansion to her.


    While emphasizing that she would be busy with the management of Prince Rui¡¯s mansion, Shen Miao also indirectly criticized Consort Jing¡¯s fourth sister for being idle and unworthy of becoming Prince Rui¡¯s consort.


    The corners of Empress Xiande¡¯s mouth curled up.


    Consort Jing was so angry that her face turned ashen.


    However, Shen Miao usually did not make enemies with anyone, especially in an unfamiliar place. However, at this moment, if she did not confront Consort Jing¡¯s provocation, she would give everyone an illusion that they could all bully her.


    With Xie Jingxing backing her up, she would be a fool if she gave in!


    Shen Miao smiled. ¡°I heard that good women are always empathetic. Consort Jing is so worried about me being lonely and wants to help me find some friends. I think the reason you can empathize with me is because you are lonely too. Why don¡¯t you find some sisters to visit you in the palace in the future? That way, you will not be that lonely.¡±


    Consort Jing was so angry that she almost choked.


    Consort Jing asked Shen Miao to invite her fourth sister to accompany her. Shen Miao quickly came up with a solution. She said the same thing and asked Consort Jing to invite home a few more ¡°sisters¡±.


    Consort Jing gritted her teeth in hatred. She was in her prime now, but she couldn¡¯t stay young forever. Every year, so many concubines entered the palace, and everyone strove to win the favor of the emperor. If a few more beautiful ¡°sisters¡± came, wouldn¡¯t she be putting herself at risk?


    What a sharp-tongued woman!


    Empress Xiande smiled and said, ¡°So Consort Jing is lonely. That¡¯s easy. I¡¯ll mention it to His Majesty tomorrow. The palace has been a little deserted these days. It¡¯s time to add a few new sisters.¡±


    Consort Jing panicked and said, ¡°I¡¯m not lonely. I¡¯m not lonely!¡± Empress Xiande¡¯s position as the empress was stable, so adding a few more sisters naturally did not matter to her. However, Consort Jing was at a time when she was favored, so she didn¡¯t want anyone to compete with her over the favor of the emperor.


    Shen Miao was grateful to Empress Xiande for going along with her. Although she knew that Empress Xiande was just joking, she still said seriously, ¡°Consort Jing, don¡¯t decline. Since you¡¯re considerate to me, I should also be considerate to you.¡±


    Suddenly, there was the sound of chuckling. They turned around and saw Emperor Yong Le and Xie Jingxing standing behind the garden. Because the two of them hid behind the bushes, no one noticed them. It was unknown how long they had been listening.


    Emperor Yong Le¡¯s expression was cold, and no one could tell if he was happy or angry. He only said indifferently, ¡°Prince Rui, your wife is quite sharp-tongued.¡± He sounded a little unhappy. It seemed that he heard the part where Shen Miao and Empress Xiande teased Consort Jing.


    Consort Jing ran to Emperor Yong Le aggrievedly. ¡°Your Majesty¡­¡±


    Xie Jingxing walked over and patted Shen Miao¡¯s head, as if he was rewarding his white tiger. He said with relief, ¡°Jiaojiao is really kind. You even show consideration for people you¡¯ve just met.¡± He glanced at Emperor Yong Le. ¡°Since Consort Jing wants sisters, Brother, you should help her. It¡¯s not like the palace can¡¯t afford to raise a few idle people.¡±


    When Consort Jing heard that, she was anxious and flustered. She bit her lip and looked at Emperor Yong Le with a pitiful expression.


    Shen Miao wanted to laugh. Consort Jing came to bully her, but in the end, she became the one being bullied. Shen Miao did not know why Emperor Yong Le would favor such a woman.


    Emperor Yong Le said, ¡°Since when are you interested in interfering in my matters?¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t your consort also interfering in my matters?¡± Xie Jingxing raised his eyebrows and looked at Consort Jing. He was handsome, and he usually had a lazy smile on his face. The women in the palace also liked him, but they all knew in their hearts that Prince Rui was not to be trifled with.


    His gaze was sharp, and his tone was calm, but it made people shiver.


    He said, ¡°Consort Jing, are you sure you want me to listen to your fourth sister play a song?¡±


    Consort Jing shuddered.

 Chapter 890 - 890 Aristocratic Family (1)

    890 Aristocratic Family (1)


    Consort Jing had always been domineering in the palace. Although she was arrogant and brainless, no one dared to provoke her. Even Empress Xiande couldn¡¯t be bothered with her. Today, no one expected that she would be taught a lesson by Shen Miao, or rather, Prince Rui.


    No matter how sharp-tongued Shen Miao was, Consort Jing still had the ability to punish her. However, Prince Rui was not someone she could offend.


    When Prince Rui just arrived at Long Ye two years ago, the officials in the imperial court objected openly and secretly. Everyone looked at his mischievous and arrogant attitude and thought that he was just a devil incarnate. Unexpectedly, in just two years, he made those officials avoid him like a mouse seeing a cat. Consort Jing¡¯s father had also warned her not to be enemies with Prince Rui.


    No matter how arrogant Consort Jing was, she did not dare to go against Prince Rui. Even Emperor Yong Le couldn¡¯t do anything to him, let alone a consort like her.


    She forced a smile. ¡°Prince Rui, you¡¯re busy. How can you have the time to listen to my fourth sister play a song?¡± Prince Rui, please don¡¯t mind what I said.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t have time to mind.¡± Xie Jingxing smiled and put his arm around Shen Miao¡¯s shoulder. ¡°My wife doesn¡¯t have time either. If Consort Jing is free, it¡¯s better for you to help my brother relieve his burden.¡±


    Consort Jing bit her lip and looked at Emperor Yong Le awkwardly.


    Emperor Yong Le¡¯s expression darkened. No matter what, he wouldn¡¯t be happy to see Xie Jingxing humiliating his consort time and time again. Perhaps in the past, he could turn a blind eye to it, but now, he did not want Xie Jingxing to stand up for Shen Miao. He asked Shen Miao coldly, ¡°Princess Consort Rui, is this what you think too?¡±


    Shen Miao lowered her head docilely and said, ¡°I¡¯m with my husband.¡±


    Empress Xiande looked at Shen Miao in surprise, as if she did not expect Shen Miao to be so unyielding when she was facing Emperor Yong Le. Then, she suddenly thought of something and shook her head with a smile.


    When Emperor Yong Le heard this, he stared at Shen Miao in silence for a long time. His gaze was fierce. However, Shen Miao lowered her head to avoid his gaze.


    Xie Jingxing grabbed Shen Miao and said, ¡°Brother, if you have nothing else to say, I¡¯ll take my leave first.¡± He said, ¡°We¡¯re newlyweds. We have many things to do.¡±


    Shen Miao was speechless.


    Emperor Yong Le said, ¡°Remember what I told you!¡±


    Xie Jingxing said with a faint smile, ¡°Ok.¡±


    However, that ¡°ok¡± didn¡¯t sound like he took Emperor Yong Le¡¯s words to heart at all.


    After Shen Miao and Xie Jingxing left, Emperor Yong Le seemed to be extremely unhappy. Turning around, he ignored Empress Xiande and Consort Jing and left. Empress Xiande and Consort Jing knew that Emperor Yong Le was angry and did not follow him.


    Consort Jing looked at Empress Xiande and said, ¡°Sister, you and Princess Consort Rui are quite close. Just now, you kept speaking up for her. Those who don¡¯t know better would think that the two of you already knew each other from a long time ago.¡±


    ¡°Princess Consort Rui is knowledgeable, smart, and virtuous. She¡¯s naturally likable,¡± Empress Xiande said with a smile.


    ¡°But Sister, don¡¯t forget that she¡¯s from Ming Qi!¡± Consort Jing said fiercely, ¡°Who knows what she¡¯s up to? Sister, if you help her, you might get yourself in trouble in the future.¡±


    ¡°Since she¡¯s married to the Daliang Dynasty, she¡¯s one of us. Are you suspecting that Prince Rui is up to something too? Princess Consort Rui and Prince Rui are husband and wife.¡±

 Chapter 891 - 891 Aristocratic Family (2)

    891 Aristocratic Family (2)


    Consort Jing sneered. ¡°Sister, you¡¯re still so glib-tongued. It seems like you trust Princess Consort Rui very much and have decided to side with her.¡±


    Empress Xiande did not comment.


    ¡°But there is only so much you can do.¡± Consort Jing suddenly smiled. ¡°You can help her for a while, but you can¡¯t help her for the rest of her life. Prince Rui won¡¯t just have one woman. Even if my fourth sister doesn¡¯t have the luck to marry him, someone will.¡± Looking at Empress Xiande¡¯s face, Consort Jing said, ¡°His Majesty doesn¡¯t seem to like Princess Consort Rui very much.¡±


    Empress Xiande said, ¡°Prince Rui¡¯s matter is not something the two of us can interfere in. He knows what to do.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t dare to interfere.¡± Consort Jing smiled. ¡°I just want to give you a piece of advice. You¡¯re not a Bodhisattva. Even if you¡¯re so kind-hearted that you want to help everyone, you don¡¯t have the ability.¡± With that, she seemed to have regained her confidence. She raised her head proudly and left with the maid.


    The gentle smile on Empress Xiande¡¯s lips gradually disappeared, and a trace of worry flashed across her eyes.


    In the carriage, Shen Miao asked, ¡°What did the emperor say to you?¡±


    ¡°Some trivial matters in the imperial court,¡± Xie Jingxing said.


    Shen Miao knew that if it was really a trivial matter, Emperor Yong Le would not specially summon Xie Jingxing. Without thinking, she could guess that it must be related to her. Today, Emperor Yong Le¡¯s attitude had already shown that he did not like Shen Miao, nor did he like Xie Jingxing to think highly of her. Perhaps it was because Shen Miao¡¯s identity was too sensitive, or perhaps¡­ Emperor Yong Le had found someone better for Xie Jingxing.


    Seeing that Shen Miao did not speak, Xie Jingxing turned around and pinched her face. ¡°But you¡¯ve impressed me today. I haven¡¯t seen you so fierce in a long time.¡±


    ¡°Fierce?¡± Shen Miao asked.


    Xie Jingxing sighed and said as if he was reminiscing, ¡°Back then, when I saw you in the Wolong temple in Ming Qi, you struck me as a fierce woman. I was wondering which young master would be unlucky enough to marry such a shrew in the future.¡±


    Shen Miao looked at him calmly. ¡°Do you want to quarrel?¡±


    Xie Jingxing smiled and said, ¡°That¡¯s right. This is the right attitude of the Xie family.¡±


    After being interrupted by him, Shen Miao¡¯s displeasure with Xie Jingxing hiding what Emperor Yong Le said disappeared. She said, ¡°It¡¯s fine if you don¡¯t tell me what the emperor told you, but who is Consort Jing? The emperor seems to dote on her very much, but¡­¡± She deliberated over her words.¡± I don¡¯t think there¡¯s anything special about her.¡±


    Xie Jingxing said, ¡°Consort Jing is the eldest daughter of General Lu. General Lu¡­ is equivalent to your father.¡±


    Shen Miao raised an eyebrow. So it was a family with military power. No wonder Emperor Yong Le was especially tolerant of her.


    ¡°The Daliang Dynasty is different from Ming Qi. Ming Qi has very few generals. The Shen family and the Xie family each have half of the military power. The Daliang Dynasty has many generals, among whom, General Lu is considered the most powerful. It¡¯s precisely because of this¡­ that he¡¯s a little impudent lately.¡± At this point, a trace of coldness flashed across Xie Jingxing¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°Just by looking at Consort Jing¡¯s attitude in the harem, I can tell what kind of status the Lu family has in Long Ye,¡± Shen Miao said. The women in the harem often represented the family behind them. The more influential a family was, the more fearless they were. For example, in her previous life, if not for the Shen family backing her, Fu Xiuyi would probably not even be bothered to look at her.

 Chapter 892 - 892 Aristocratic Family (3)

    892 Aristocratic Family (3)


    Xie Jingxing praised, ¡°That¡¯s right. Consort Jing is arrogant and willful, and the Lu family is impudent. My brother wants to suppress them, but he has to do it slowly.¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t we keep them in check?¡± Shen Miao asked.


    Xie Jingxing shook his head. ¡°The Lu family served the late emperor. Most of the people left behind by the late emperor have been cleaned up by my brother. Apart from the two families, the Lu family, which is a military family, and the Ye family, which is an official family. The two families have a deep foundation. They have many henchmen. If we want to uproot them, we will suffer a backlash. My brother can¡¯t act rashly. They know this very well, so they don¡¯t have any scruples.¡¯


    Shen Miao frowned. Xie Jingxing and Emperor Yong Le were biological brothers, and the late emperor was their father. Why did Xie Jingxing call him ¡°the late emperor¡± instead of ¡°Father¡±? Moreover, as Xie Jingxing said, the Lu and Ye families were both the late emperor¡¯s people. Emperor Yong Le was the rightful successor to the throne, so these elders should do their best to assist him. Why did it seem like the Lu and Ye families were ambitious, and Emperor Yong Le wanted to eradicate them.


    !!


    Could it be that the late emperor did not want to see Emperor Yong Le govern the country? Or did the Lu and Ye families have a change of heart after the late emperor died?


    Shen Miao was sensitive enough to notice this.


    Suddenly, she felt that it was a little ironic. In Ming Qi, the Shen family and the Xie family were loyal and honest. However, the royal family was paranoid and tried their best to wipe them out. When it came to the Daliang Dynasty, the situation was completely reversed. The officials were treacherous, but the royal family could only compromise and deal with them slowly.


    ¡°Which family is Her Majesty from?¡± Shen Miao asked.


    ¡°She¡¯s from the Ke family.¡± Xie Jingxing said, ¡°The Ke family is a family of historians.¡±


    Shen Miao was stunned. ¡°Historian families don¡¯t have real power. The emperor is willing to marry a girl from a historian family and even made her the empress. It¡¯s obvious that he loves the empress very much.¡±


    Xie Jingxing did not comment.


    ¡°But¡­¡± She continued,¡± Since he has the empress in his heart, why did he allow Consort Jing to be disrespectful to her? Since Consort Jing dares to be disrespectful to the empress, it¡¯s obvious that she¡¯s permitted to do it.¡± If Emperor Yong Le doted on the empress, no matter how arrogant Consort Jing was, she would not dare to be disrespectful to the empress. However, since Consort Jing dared to argue with the empress without any manners, it was obvious that she knew that Emperor Yong Le would not blame her for this.


    Since he married her not for power, why didn¡¯t he protect her?


    Xie Jingxing smiled faintly. ¡°My brother is different from me.¡± He patted her head. ¡°My sister-in-law is also different from you.¡±


    Shen Miao waved his hand away and said, ¡°So the fourth miss of the Lu family is in love with you?¡±


    Xie Jingxing was stunned for a moment before smiling. ¡°Why are you still jealous?¡±


    ¡°But there¡¯s something strange.¡± Shen Miao continued, as if she was talking to herself, ¡°If the Lu family wants to control the imperial court or show their ambition, they¡¯ve already sent a daughter to the palace, and they¡¯ve already achieved their goal. Why would they send another girl over?¡± Shen Miao looked at him. ¡°Even if they want to send a girl over, why should they give her to you? You¡¯re just Prince Rui, not the emperor. The daughter of the Lu family doesn¡¯t have to control all the royal brothers, right?¡±


    She was stunned when she looked up. Xie Jingxing looked at her deeply, his gaze unreadable. Before she could ask, Xie Jingxing had already pulled her forward. He wrapped his arms around her waist and buried his head in Shen Miao¡¯s shoulder, half hugging her.

 Chapter 893 - 893 Aristocratic Family (4)

    893 Aristocratic Family (4)


    His low voice came from beside her ear. ¡°If you continue, I¡¯ll soon have no secrets from you.¡±


    Secret? Shen Miao¡¯s heart skipped a beat. Was she right about something?


    ¡°You still have secrets from me?¡± she asked deliberately.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you have secrets from me too?¡± Xie Jingxing said.


    She froze. Xie Jingxing let go and stared into her eyes. The corners of his mouth curled up, but his gaze was locked on her, making her unable to breathe.


    He said, ¡°Why don¡¯t we trade? My secret for yours?¡±


    Shen Miao¡¯s heart skipped a beat, but she quickly reacted and turned around. ¡°I don¡¯t want to know your secret.¡±


    Xie Jingxing nodded and smiled. ¡°Anyway, you have the ability to find out yourself, right?¡±


    Shen Miao turned around and looked at him in silence.


    Xie Jingxing said lazily, ¡°You have the ability to find out about my secrets. Do you think I have the ability to find out about your secrets too?¡±


    Shen Miao instantly panicked.


    She had secrets from her previous life. However, she did not have the courage to tell anyone, not even Shen Qiu, Shen Xin, and Luo Xueyan.


    Not to mention whether people would think that she was crazy if she laid bare her heart, she was just afraid that no one would believe her, and she was even more afraid that people would look at her strangely.


    Would they blame her for being too stupid and weak and causing the death of her children and family? Shen Miao did not dare to try.


    Then if Xie Jingxing found out that she had been married before and was Fu Xiuyi¡¯s wife, what would he think of her?


    Shen Miao used to think that she didn¡¯t care what others thought of her, but at this moment, she suddenly felt a little afraid. She didn¡¯t want Xie Jingxing to treat her like an enemy.


    Xie Jingxing saw her strange expression. His eyes darkened, but he sighed and hugged her again.


    ¡°I don¡¯t like to force you. If you don¡¯t want anyone to know, I won¡¯t ask,¡± he said.


    ¡°But don¡¯t make me wait too long.¡±


    ¡­


    After returning home, Xie Jingxing quickly went out again. He always had a lot of things to do, so Shen Miao did not ask further. The situation of the Lu and Ye families that Xie Jingxing explained to her in the carriage made her realize that the Daliang Dynasty was essentially no different from Ming Qi. Under the harmony and peace, there were dangers lurking in every corner, even more so than Ming Qi precisely because it was more powerful.


    Emperor Yong Le and Xie Jingxing¡¯s attitude towards their father was also very strange. Shen Miao remembered that when she first met Xie Jingxing in Ming Qi, he seemed to be searching for something. In the secret room of Prince Yu¡¯s mansion, Xie Jingxing and Gao Yang seemed to have obtained something.


    But what exactly was it?


    Shen Miao originally thought that it was a map that showed the layout of Ming Qi¡¯s capital, but she thought that such a map would probably not be placed in the secret room of Prince Yu¡¯s mansion. As for what it was, she did not know.


    As she thought about it, she thought of something else.


    Pei Lang followed them all the way to the Daliang Dynasty to run away from Fu Xiuyi. He also brought Liu Ying along. Liu Ying could settle down anywhere, but Pei Lang aimed high and would probably not be satisfied with the status quo. Originally, he was forced to work for Shen Miao because of Liu Ying. However, now, Shen Miao had no reason to ask Pei Lang to do anything for her.

 Chapter 894 - 894 Aristocratic Family (5)

    894 Aristocratic Family (5)


    In the end, Shen Miao stood up and walked out of the room, deciding to talk to Pei Lang face to face.


    Pei Lang was arranged to stay in the room on the east side of Prince Rui¡¯s mansion. The environment was not bad, and Pei Lang was treated quite well.


    When Shen Miao arrived, Pei Lang was sitting in the courtyard and playing chess. Two maids in green stood beside him. The two of them were pouring tea for Pei Lang from time to time. Occasionally, their gazes would land on Pei Lang. Although they had been restraining themselves, their eyes still revealed admiration.


    The sight of which made Shen Miao stop in her tracks and look from afar, thinking about what happened in her previous life.


    In her previous life, Pei Lang was extremely talented. In the end, after Fu Xiuyi ascended the throne, he supported Pei Lang and made him the state preceptor. Pei Lang was handsome and lofty, looking like a sage. The court officials all knew that he was trusted by Fu Xiuyi and did not dare to be his enemy. Pei Lang was considered very famous throughout Ming Qi.


    Fu Xiuyi once tried to matchmake him with the daughter of a minister, but Pei Lang rejected it. Fu Xiuyi thought that Pei Lang probably had someone he liked, so he let him be. Before Shen Miao went to the State of Qin to be a hostage, she was quite close to Pei Lang and had once asked him if he had a girl he liked.


    What was Pei Lang¡¯s answer at that time?


    Shen Miao looked a little dazed.


    Pei Lang answered, ¡°Love is not what I¡¯m pursuing.¡± Pei Lang was a very rational person, so much so that when he was helping Fu Xiuyi make a decision, he would eliminate any possibility of being emotional to ensure that nothing would go wrong.


    Speaking of which, until Shen Miao died in her previous life, Pei Lang had always been alone and had never had a relationship with women.


    As Shen Miao was thinking, the maid beside Pei Lang who was fanning him to chase away the flies saw Shen Miao. She was first stunned, then she quickly bowed and said, ¡°Greetings, Princess Consort.¡±


    The other maid in green quickly bowed respectfully.


    Pei Lang looked up and saw Shen Miao. Shen Miao smiled and walked over, saying to the two maids in green, ¡°You can leave.¡±


    The maids looked at Pei Lang with a troubled expression. Pei Lang waved his hand, and the two maids left. Shen Miao looked at the backs of the two of them and asked, ¡°It¡¯s rare to see Mr. Pei together with women.¡±


    The way the two maids looked at Pei Lang was filled with admiration.


    Pei Lang shook his head and smiled bitterly, but he did not refute. These two maids were sent to him by Prince Rui. If it were in the past, Pei Lang would definitely think of a way to chase them away and not keep them by his side. However, this was not Ming Qi, and they were not his servants. He did not know if it was Xie Jingxing¡¯s idea, but no matter how much he disliked them, he could only endure having them around.

 Chapter 895 - 895 Aristocratic Family (6)

    895 Aristocratic Family (6)


    However, seeing that Shen Miao did not seem to be jealous at all, Pei Lang couldn¡¯t help but feel a little sad.


    ¡°Sir, I had no choice but to bring you to the Daliang Dynasty.¡± Shen Miao said, ¡°Now that we¡¯re here, what are your plans for the future?¡± She paused for a moment. ¡°Back then, I forced you to do what you didn¡¯t want to do. I really feel guilty for causing you to leave your country. If you want to leave, that¡¯s fine.¡±


    Hearing this, Pei Lang looked at Shen Miao in surprise.


    All along, when Shen Miao faced him, for some reason, she always behaved and spoke in a righteous manner. From the beginning, when she threatened Pei Lang with Liu Ying, Pei Lang had vaguely sensed that Shen Miao was hostile to him, but it was not just hostility. Pei Lang had also investigated carefully because he was puzzled, but in the end, he found nothing.


    !!


    At this moment, when Shen Miao faced him, her hostility was gone. It was as if she had let go of something. She was very calm, but it made Pei Lang a little disappointed. It was as if something special had disappeared as Shen Miao let go of something.


    Shen Miao looked at Pei Lang and felt a little emotional.


    She had always defined Pei Lang as someone who owed her a lot. However, that day, when Xie Jingxing said that Pei Lang was locked up in Fu Xiuyi¡¯s dungeon and tortured but did not betray her, Shen Miao changed her opinion about Pei Lang. Shen Miao knew how rushless Fu Xiuyi was when it came to punishing the traitors. Under such circumstances, Pei Lang did not yield. Shen Miao didn¡¯t know how she should feel about that.


    Now that she thought about it, the reason why she hated Pei Lang and was angry with him was because Pei Lang had been on Fu Xiuyi¡¯s side from the beginning to the end. When Fu Xiuyi dealt with the Shen family, Pei Lang chose to stand by and do nothing. Even when the crown prince was deposed, he did not say a word for Fu Ming. When Wanyu was married off to Xiongnu, he did not try to stop it either.


    However, in this world, no one was obliged to help another person. Pei Lang¡¯s relationship with her was not to the extent where he would risk his life to help her.


    In this life, Pei Lang was no longer Fu Xiuyi¡¯s man. He had even turned against Fu Xiuyi and had no reason to pledge loyalty to him again. Therefore, Shen Miao let go of the hostility.


    Revenge was something that she had to rely on herself. Hatred or resentment was not going to help.


    Pei Lang suppressed the disappointment in his heart and said, ¡°What are your plans for the future?¡±


    Shen Miao was stunned. ¡°Me?¡±


    Pei Lang¡¯s gaze suddenly became sharp as he said, ¡°Prince Rui is not as invincible as he looks on the surface. I think a storm is brewing in the Daliang Dynasty.¡±


    He looked at Shen Miao. ¡°Even if the Daliang Dynasty has nothing to do with me and Prince Rui has a way to protect himself, your path might not be smooth.¡±


    Shen Miao frowned slightly. ¡°That¡¯s true. But why are you telling me this¡­¡±


    ¡°I can help you,¡± Pei Lang said.


    Shen Miao asked, ¡°Sir?¡±


    ¡°Although I¡¯m not considered a talent in statecraft, I can still do my best. Liu Ying and I are both relying on you to gain a foothold in the Daliang Dynasty now. The better your life is and the more stable your position is, the better our lives will be. Even if it¡¯s for my own sake, I have to help you. I want to stay in Prince Rui¡¯s mansion.¡± He paused. ¡°If I can also participate in the state affairs of the Daliang Dynasty or give counsel on your matters when needed, it might be better.¡±


    After a moment of silence, Shen Miao said, ¡°Sir, think about it carefully. You don¡¯t owe me anything. There¡¯s no need for you to be on the same boat with me. You don¡¯t have to rely on me. With your ability, you can live a good life. You¡¯re not a person who chases fame and fortune.¡±


    Pei Lang smiled bitterly in his heart. Shen Miao seemed to know him very well, even better than he himself.


    He said, ¡°This is my choice.¡±


    Shen Miao took a deep breath. Just as she was about to speak, she saw Jingzhe walk in with an exquisite invitation. She said, ¡°Madam, the invitation to the Summer Banquet has been sent over. It¡¯s said that it¡¯s an invitation to Princess Consort Rui. I accepted it. Madam, take a look.¡±


    As soon as Shen Miao arrived at the Daliang Dynasty, someone sent an invitation. This would be the first time she would appear in the circle of noble ladies in Long Ye. The other party clearly had ulterior motives.


    She asked, ¡°Who sent the invitation?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s from Mrs. Lu, the wife of General Lu.¡±


    Shen Miao paused.


    The Ye family and the Lu family seemed to have an extremely subtle relationship with the royal family of the Daliang Dynasty.


    They really did not come with good intentions.

 Chapter 896 - 896 Wife and Concubine (1)

    896 Wife and Concubine (1)


    That night, when Xie Jingxing returned, Shen Miao told Xie Jingxing about the invitation. Xie Jingxing told Shen Miao that if she did not want to go, she could decline. Although the Lu and Ye families were arrogant, they did not dare to really fall out with Prince Rui now. In other words, Shen Miao had the right to refuse.


    However, Shen Miao did not want to refuse. She knew nothing about the Daliang Dynasty now, so she could take this opportunity to understand more about it.


    Xie Jingxing naturally wouldn¡¯t stop Shen Miao from making the decision. After they discussed for a while, Shen Miao got someone to reply to the invitation and said that she would be there on time.


    Two days later, it was the day of the Summer Banquet.


    !!


    Shen Miao woke up early. When it was time for breakfast, Xie Jingxing had already gone out. It seemed that after returning to the Daliang Dynasty, he was very busy every day. He went out early in the day and returned home at night. Shen Miao knew that Long Ye was not as peaceful as it looked on the surface.


    Jingzhe combed Shen Miao¡¯s hair. After Shen Miao came to the Daliang Dynasty, she still used her personal maids. There were very few women in Prince Rui¡¯s mansion. Apart from the female cooks and a few nannies, there were all men. She heard from Uncle Tang that after Xie Jingxing returned to the Daliang Dynasty two years ago and was conferred the title of Prince, he caught a few spies dressed as maids at home. He probably felt that if there were too many women, it would be easier for some people with ill intentions to take advantage of him. In the end, he dismissed all of them.


    However, it was precisely because of this that the mansion was like an impregnable wall. For so long, the people outside could not find a way in.


    Gu Yu said, ¡°Madam, this is the first time you¡¯re attending a banquet in Long Ye. You have to dress up beautifully. When others see you like this, they won¡¯t dare to disrespect you. You will definitely make Ming Qi proud.¡±


    Xie Jingxing was considered the most outstanding among the young men in Long Le. When Jingzhe and Gu Yu went out to buy things, they would occasionally hear people saying that Shen Miao was not worthy of being Prince Rui¡¯s wife. Hearing this, Jingzhe and Gu Yu were extremely indignant. Even in the capital of Ming Qi, Shen Miao was one of the top young ladies. Not only was she smart, but she was also kind. Her aura was not inferior to a princess. How was she not worthy?


    Gu Yu thought that if Shen Miao stunned everyone at the banquet this time, those people would stop talking nonsense.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t bother me.¡± Shen Miao laughed. ¡°They belittle me just to make themselves feel better, but I¡¯m not affected.¡±


    ¡°Madam, Gu Yu is right.¡± As Jingzhe picked a hairpin for Shen Miao in the jewelry box, she said, ¡°We can¡¯t let them look down on us.¡±


    As they spoke, Uncle Tang knocked on the door outside. Shen Miao gestured for him to come in and saw a young girl following behind Uncle Tang. She looked a little younger than Shen Miao and was a little chubby. Perhaps because she was still young, people couldn¡¯t help but find her likable. Her eyes were smiling, and her lips were very wide. In an instant, Shen Miao thought of Su Minglang¡­ However, it was a girl.


    ¡°Madam, you are going to the Summer Banquet today.¡± Uncle Tang smiled and said, ¡°Master instructed me to find some to be your guide. I brought Miss Ba Jiao. Take her as your maid. If you can¡¯t find the way, Miss Ba Jiao will tell you.¡±


    Shen Miao smiled. ¡°Thank you, Uncle Tang.¡±

 Chapter 897 - 897 Wife and Concubine (2)

    897 Wife and Concubine (2)


    Uncle Tang said with a smile, ¡°I originally thought that Madam wouldn¡¯t accept the invitation, but I didn¡¯t expect you to accept it. Madam, you¡¯re so bold. I¡¯m impressed.¡± Ordinary people would always be a little afraid when they were in a completely unfamiliar place.


    ¡°I¡¯m just going to have a tea talk.¡± Shen Miao said casually, ¡°Why should I be afraid?¡±


    Uncle Tang nodded. ¡°That¡¯s right, that¡¯s right.¡± He looked at Shen Miao with admiration and said a few more words before leaving.


    Shen Miao looked at Ba Jiao. She was standing very upright and was smiling at her. Her expression was a little silly, but it made her look very cute. Today, Shen Miao was going to attend the Summer Banquet. It was indeed difficult for her to navigate her way without someone to guide her. If there was someone familiar with this place, it would save a lot of effort. Xie Jingxing was thoughtful. Suddenly, Shen Miao thought of something and looked at Ba Jiao. She asked, ¡°I heard that there are no maids in this mansion. You¡­¡±


    Apart from a few female cooks and nannies, there were only servants and guards in Prince Rui¡¯s mansion. Therefore, Jingzhe, Gu Yu, and the others Shen Miao brought were very popular in the mansion.


    Ba Jiao smiled. ¡°I¡¯m not a maid from Prince Yu¡¯s mansion. I¡¯m from the Black Feather Army and was specially transferred here to accompany Madam.¡±


    ¡°Black Feather Army?¡± Shen Miao was stunned. She had once heard Xie Jingxing mention it vaguely. When they were in Ming Qi, this army had helped Xie Jingxing do many things. It seemed to be an army that Xie Jingxing had privately established. It seemed to be extremely powerful. However, since Xie Jingxing dared to use the people of Black Feather Army so openly, Emperor Yong Le should know something about it.


    She asked, ¡°Do you know martial arts?¡±


    ¡°I know how to kill people,¡± Ba Jiao replied with a smile. Hearing this, Jingzhe and Gu Yu gasped. This girl, who was smiling innocently, was actually a trained assassin.


    Shen Miao was satisfied. At least, with Ba Jiao around, she wouldn¡¯t be in danger at the banquet.


    Shen Miao said, ¡°In that case, follow me. Jingzhe, you stay in the mansion and clean up the storeroom with Bai Lu, Shuang Jiang, and the others. Gu Yu, you and Ba Jiao will set off with me.¡±


    Jingzhe had already prepared to go with Shen Miao, but she was suddenly told that she could not go. She felt very aggrieved and was quite unhappy with Ba Jiao, but she was afraid that Ba Jiao would kill her in a fit of anger, so she reluctantly reminded Ba Jiao to take good care of Shen Miao before leaving.


    When everything was ready, Shen Miao got into the carriage and rushed to the Lu mansion where the banquet was held.


    Long Ye was different from the capital. The Daliang Dynasty was closer to the east and had more sun. Even winter was not as cold as the capital, let alone summer. During May, the capital was still in spring, but in Long Ye, it was already early summer.


    As the carriage drove, Shen Miao and Gu Yu lifted the curtain a little and looked out. They saw that the street was really crowded and lively.

 Chapter 898 - 898 Wife and Concubine (3)

    898 Wife and Concubine (3)


    It was no wonder that the people of the small countries that were being attacked by the Daliang Dynasty would even open the city gate to welcome them. To the people, peace and prosperity were clearly more important than who the ruler was.


    After walking for almost two hours, the carriage finally stopped. Ba Jiao lifted the curtain and said, ¡°Madam, we¡¯re here.¡±


    Gu Yu and Ba Jiao helped Shen Miao out of the carriage and saw that there were already many carriages parked at the entrance of the Lu mansion, but there was no one to welcome them. Gu Yu was dumbfounded and said, ¡°This¡­ Why isn¡¯t anyone here to welcome us? Could it be that we¡¯ve come to a wrong place?¡±


    However, it did not look like they had come to a wrong place, because the door was not tightly shut, as if it was specially left open for them.


    Shen Miao glanced at the door and asked Gu Yu, ¡°What time does the banquet start?¡±


    Gu Yu quickly took out the invitation and opened it. She said, ¡°It¡¯s nine o¡¯clock. It¡¯s not nine yet.¡±


    ¡°I think only our invitation says it starts at nine,¡± Shen Miao said indifferently.


    Gu Yu said, ¡°Madam, what do you mean?¡±


    ¡°There are carriages all over the entrance. Clearly, the guests have arrived long before us. There¡¯s no one at the door to welcome us, but they left the door open, knowing that we would definitely come. If I¡¯m not wrong, on the invitations of others, it must be seven o¡¯clock, but on our invitation, it¡¯s nine o¡¯clock. They deliberately made us come late.¡± After saying that, she smiled. It seemed that be it in Ming Qi or the Daliang Dynasty, these noble ladies were all the same.


    Gu Yu was enlightened. Then, she said angrily, ¡°But what good will it do them to tease us like this? They¡¯re going too far!¡±


    Shen Miao¡¯s voice turned cold. ¡°If we enter without being welcomed in, it will be considered rude. They will say that the Shen family from Ming Qi is uncivilized. If we don¡¯t enter, we will be disrespectful. If we leave, we will break the promise. They have all kinds of reasons to criticize us.¡±


    Ba Jiao asked, ¡°Madam, are you still going in?¡±


    ¡°Absolutely.¡± Shen Miao picked up her dress and was about to walk in.


    ¡°But Madam.¡± Gu Yu asked in confusion, ¡°If we go in, we¡¯ll be pointed at. Since it¡¯s wrong to go in, why do we have to go in?¡±


    ¡°Then let others make a mistake bigger than yours.¡± Shen Miao smiled. ¡°This way, no one will care about what mistake you made.¡±


    At this moment, the atmosphere in the hall of the Lu mansion was very harmonious. As a very famous general in Long Ye, the Lu family had an extremely high status, so the mansion was built grandly. Today, the Summer Banquet was personally held by Madam Lu, and the praises were endless.


    Madam Lu was in her early forties this year, no longer considered young. When she was young, she was probably a beauty, but when she turned old, she looked thin and mean, less dignified. Even so, she still dressed extremely gorgeously, as if this could add a little charm to her.


    However, when a woman was old, not only would gorgeous clothes not help her look young, but it would also make her wrinkled face stand out even more.


    ¡°Madam Lu, you¡¯re really lucky.¡± A round-faced madam smiled and said ingratiatingly, ¡°Consort Jing is doted on by His Majesty and is also so filial to you. His Majesty even specially sent a gift to you this time. It¡¯s enough to show how important Consort Jing is to His Majesty.¡±

 Chapter 899 - 899 Wife and Concubine (4)

    899 Wife and Concubine (4)


    Madam Lu was smug, but on the surface, she didn¡¯t show it.


    Another short madam smiled and said, ¡°Consort Jing is favored, and your second daughter is married to a commander. I heard that she¡¯s pregnant with twins recently. You are really lucky.¡±


    Madam Lu shook her head and said with a sigh, ¡°But the other two children are giving me a headache.¡±


    The round-faced madam quickly said in an exaggerated manner, ¡°Madam, why are you worried? The Third Young Master is talented and outstanding in martial arts at such a young age. I wonder which girl will be lucky enough to marry him in the future. As for Fourth Miss, there¡¯s no need to mention her. She¡¯s like an angel and knows Guqin, chess, calligraphy, and painting. Is there a need to worry about her?¡±


    !!


    ¡°You flatter me.¡± Madam Lu shook her head and smiled bitterly. ¡°I¡¯m not worried about my third son. It¡¯s only right for him to make a name for himself before settling down. But the marriage of my fourth daughter really gives me a headache¡­¡±


    ¡°Mother, you¡¯re making things up about me in front of other madams again!¡± A delicate female voice suddenly sounded. Everyone turned around and saw a young girl appear in the hall. This girl looked to be about 16 or 17 years old. She was wearing a light purple dress with butterfly patterns and a cherry-colored lotus flower. Her hair was tied into a bun and she had a butterfly-shaped pearl hairpin. With the red hairpin, she looked dazzling, like a graceful butterfly fairy walking on the grass in spring.


    This was the fourth miss of the Lu family, Lu Wan¡¯er.


    Madam Lu rubbed her head lovingly and said, ¡°I didn¡¯t make things up about you.¡±


    Lu Wan¡¯er pouted and stopped talking. She stood in the hall, where there were other young ladies, but compared to her, they looked overshadowed.


    Lu Wan¡¯er looked around arrogantly and said, ¡°Why isn¡¯t Miss Shen from Ming Qi here?¡±


    Her voice was not low. When the madams and young ladies in the hall heard this, they immediately started whispering.


    Lu Wan¡¯er called Shen Miao ¡°Miss Shen from Ming Qi¡± instead of Princess Consort Rui¡±. That explained a lot. Back then, everyone said that the fourth miss of the Lu family was going to marry Prince Rui and be his princess consort. Lu Wan¡¯er was also very satisfied with Prince Rui. Unexpectedly, Shen Miao appeared out of nowhere. The Lu family was unhappy, and Lu Wan¡¯er was even more indignant.


    Most of these madams were here to watch the show. Perhaps they wanted to build a good relationship with Lu Wan¡¯er. That Miss Shen was now in the limelight, but she was not from Long Ye. Who knew how far she could go? Prince Rui was still young. It was only a matter of time before he married a concubine.


    All in all, Miss Shen did not look like she would have a good ending.


    Madam Lu smiled and said, ¡°Maybe she was delayed by something on the way.¡±


    ¡°How rude.¡± Lu Wan¡¯er said unhappily, ¡°The other madams and ladies are all here on time, but she¡¯s late. Are there no rules in Ming Qi?¡±


    As she spoke, a girl with a round face suddenly appeared outside. No one knew when she came in. The girl smiled and said, ¡°Excuse me, is this the Summer Banquet?¡±


    Madam Lu was stunned for a moment before saying with a smile, ¡°That¡¯s right. Are you Princess Consort Rui?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not.¡± The girl said, ¡°Princess Consort is here.¡± As she spoke, she ran out and walked in again, holding a young girl.

 Chapter 900 - 900 Wife and Concubine (5)

    900 Wife and Concubine (5)


    With the round-faced girl as a contrast, when the young girl walked in, everyone was stunned.


    She was wearing a dress with a lotus and butterflies embroidered on it. It was not gorgeous, but it was not simple either. She only had a phoenix-shaped gem on her head, but it made her look noble.


    This young girl had crescent eyebrows, almond-shaped eyes, a small and straight nose, a red mouth, and an extremely delicate face. She looked like a very gentle person, but with her chin slightly raised and her back straight, she walked over with a faint smile. Every step she took made people¡¯s hearts tremble. They couldn¡¯t help but look up at her, as if she was a royal.


    Today, Princess Consort Rui and Fourth Miss Lu were both wearing purple dresses. Fourth Miss Lu¡¯s purple was light, and Princess Consort Rui¡¯s purple was dark. Young girls looked gentle and lively in light purple, but in dark purple, they looked old and unfashionable. However, today, Shen Miao¡¯s purple dress seemed to be tailor-made for her. She had a graceful beauty that was unparalleled. In comparison, Fourth Miss Lu¡¯s dress was like the one worn by the performer in a brothel.


    !!


    Lu Wan¡¯er had always been used to being the center of attention. She did not expect someone to steal her thunder today. What was more, it was Shen Miao, who had snatched her position as the princess consort.


    Madam Lu¡¯s eyes flashed and she smiled. ¡°Princess Consort, you¡¯re finally here. The madams are all waiting for you.¡±


    Shen Miao smiled and said unhurriedly, ¡°I didn¡¯t expect the madams to come so early. The invitation said that the banquet would start at nine o¡¯clock. His Highness Prince Rui asked me to stay for breakfast. It¡¯s all His Highness¡¯s fault. I should be able to make it in time if I left at seven.¡±


    Madam Lu¡¯s heart skipped a beat. She did not expect Shen Miao to say it so openly. As expected, as soon as she said that, the surrounding madams looked at her differently.


    Shen Miao was an outsider after all. Although those madams were always biased towards the Lu family, they still found it ridiculous that the Lu family would use such a childish trick. Madam Lu also felt a little regretful. She originally just wanted to invite Shen Miao over and intimidate her, but she couldn¡¯t stop Lu Wan¡¯er from tampering with the invitation. When Shen Miao said that on the invitation, it was said that the banquet would start at nine, everyone present knew very well what the Lu family was up to and they found it funny.


    If Shen Miao told Prince Rui about this later, how could a smart person like Prince Rui not understand? If he was unhappy with the Lu family because of this, the loss would be greater than the gain.


    Lu Wan¡¯er couldn¡¯t stand Shen Miao doing well. She sized up Shen Miao and said, ¡°Princess Consort Rui, why did you come in without asking the servant to inform us?¡±


    It was indeed considered rude to come in without asking the servant to inform the madam of the mansion in advance. Shen Miao looked at Lu Wan¡¯er and smiled. ¡°That¡¯s exactly what I am going to say. It¡¯s really a little dangerous for you to leave the door wide open.¡± She smiled gently. ¡°So I asked my guards to watch the door for you to prevent strange people from sneaking in.¡±

 Chapter 901 - 901 Wife and Concubine (6)

    901 Wife and Concubine (6)


    When Lu Wan¡¯er and Madam Lu heard this, they almost choked.


    What was going on? They originally wanted to trick Shen Miao and accuse her of being rude, so naturally, there was no one guarding the entrance. However, after hearing what Shen Miao said, it seemed like the Lu family was so poor that they could not even afford to hire a servant to guard the door. Shen Miao even asked the guards to guard the door. If the commoners passing by outside saw this, what would they think?


    Shen Miao said kindly, ¡°Madam, you don¡¯t have to thank me. If you need it in the future, you can ask His Highness to send a few guards over to watch the door.¡±


    The surrounding madams also understood that this Princess Consort Rui was definitely not someone to be trifled with. The Lu family had originally arranged this show to scare Shen Miao so that Shen Miao would make a fool of herself.


    Unexpectedly, not only was Shen Miao not at a disadvantage, but she even gave the Lu family a taste of their own medicine.


    Madam Lu forced a smile and said, ¡°Princess Consort, please take a seat first.¡±


    The seat arranged for Shen Miao was in an inconspicuous spot.


    Shen Miao did not decline. She did not come today to argue, let alone quarrel. She just wanted to express her attitude and take the opportunity to evaluate the situation clearly.


    Ba Jiao quietly leaned over and whispered into Shen Miao¡¯s ear, ¡°That round-faced madam is Madam Yuan. She¡¯s on good terms with the Lu family. The short madam is Madam Wei, the wife of the Minister of Revenue. She¡¯s in-laws with the Ye family and has a good relationship with the Lu family¡­ As for the madam on the left wearing a yellow dress, her husband is the marquis. Young Master Ji is her youngest son.¡±


    Ji Yushu¡¯s mother? Shen Miao looked at Madam Ji. Madam Ji was very composed and calm, lookng completely different from Ji Yushu.


    Shen Miao thought to herself that these madams were either rich or noble. No wonder they said that the Lu family was quite influential in Long Ye, and Consort Jing was so arrogant that she did not even take Empress Xiande seriously. Since these families all wanted to get close to the Lu family, it was obvious that the Lu family had a lot of connections with them.


    If Emperor Yong Le and Xie Jingxing wanted to completely suppress the Lu family, it would not be easy. The life and death of the Lu family concerned many other officials. If the Lu family fell, many families related to it would suffer. For the sake of their own survival, those families would not sit back and watch the Lu family fall.


    Just as she was thinking, someone walked over and sat down beside her. Ba Jiao immediately stood up and stopped explaining to Shen Miao. Shen Miao turned around and saw the beautiful and proud Fourth Miss Lu sitting beside her.


    Lu Wan¡¯er said, ¡°Princess Consort Rui, can I ask you something?¡±


    Shen Miao said, ¡°Please go ahead.¡±


    ¡°How long have you known Prince Rui?¡± Lu Wan¡¯er asked.


    Shen Miao sneered in her heart. She knew why Lu Wan¡¯er approached her. Speaking of which, Xie Jingxing had been in Ming Qi since he was young. Apart from Emperor Yong Le and Xie Jingxing¡¯s people, no one else should know about this. The people of the Daliang Dynasty thought that Xie Jingxing had been traveling with a master for many years.


    In that case, it should have been less than a year since she returned to the capital from Spring City and met Xie Jingxing at the tribute banquet.


    She said, ¡°Less than a year.¡±


    Hearing this, Lu Wan¡¯er smiled. Her smile was a little smug and disdainful. Lu Wan¡¯er said, ¡°So it¡¯s less than a year. In that case, I think Princess Consort Rui still doesn¡¯t know much about Prince Rui.¡±


    Shen Miao smiled. ¡°Fourth Miss, you seem to know His Highness very well?¡±


    Lu Wan¡¯er said, ¡°I know the status of your Shen family in Ming Qi is high, but in Long Ye, our Lu family is equally powerful. Prince Rui is a very good person. In the Daliang Dynasty, almost every young lady wanted to marry Prince Rui. However, ordinary girls are not worthy of him.¡±


    Lu Wan¡¯er glanced at Shen Miao and continued, ¡°Prince Rui is a very ambitious person.¡±


    ¡°From the moment he returned to Long Ye, he started to make a name for himself in the imperial court. Such a person will waste time on love. What can you help him with? In the future, when you¡¯re useless to him, he¡¯ll mercilessly abandon you.¡±


    Shen Miao was surprised. She originally thought that Lu Wan¡¯er was an innocent and willful girl who was infatuated with Prince Rui. Hearing her words, she realized that Lu Wan¡¯er could see the situation very clearly and could analyze the pros and cons.


    ¡°So?¡± Shen Miao asked.


    ¡°His Majesty wants me to be Prince Rui¡¯s wife, but Prince Rui can¡¯t have two consorts.¡± Lu Wan¡¯er said as if she was giving Shen Miao a gift, ¡°So, you¡¯ll be his concubine, and I¡¯ll be his wife.¡±

 Chapter 902 - 902 Secret (1)

    902 Secret (1)


    Shen Miao looked at Lu Wan¡¯er in surprise. She did not know where Lu Wan¡¯er got the confidence to say that. Originally, after hearing what Lu Wan¡¯er said just now, Shen Miao felt that she wasn¡¯t all that brainless. Now, what Lu Wan¡¯er said made Shen Miao wonder if she was actually an idiot.


    ¡°Miss Lu, you can go and tell His Highness about it yourself.¡± Shen Miao smiled. ¡°Telling me is useless.¡±


    ¡°Of course I know.¡± Lu Wan¡¯er glanced at her disdainfully. ¡°I told you this today because I hope you know your place and take the initiative to tell His Highness that you are willing to be his concubine.¡±


    Shen Miao almost laughed out loud. She smiled and said, ¡°I can¡¯t do that.¡±


    ¡°What did you say?¡± Lu Wan¡¯er widened her eyes, as if she did not expect Shen Miao to reject her.


    They spoke a little too loudly, and the surrounding madams looked over. Shen Miao did not hide it and said with a smile, ¡°I won¡¯t take in concubines for my husband. Back then, when Prince Rui came to the Shen family to propose marriage, he also said that he would not take in any other women. Otherwise, I wouldn¡¯t have married him and come all the way to Long Ye.¡±


    The surrounding madams were dumbfounded.


    It was not that there was no monogamous marriage in the Daliang Dynasty or Ming Qi, but it was rare. The men of ordinary families could not resist beauty, let alone rich men, officials, and the royal family.


    Prince Rui was handsome, charming, and had a high status. How could a person like him only have one woman in his life?


    Lu Wan¡¯er was so angry that her face was ashen. She said word by word, ¡°Princess Consort Rui, this is jealousy. Jealous women are not virtuous.¡±


    Shen Miao smiled. ¡°Maybe. I¡¯ve always been jealous. If not for Prince Rui making that promise, I probably wouldn¡¯t be tempted to marry him.¡±


    Lu Wan¡¯er was so angry that she was speechless.


    The surrounding madams were also shocked. Shen Miao was new to Long Ye. Not only did she not behave herself, but she was also arrogant. She even dared to offend the Lu family, which even Emperor Yong Le was a little afraid of. Was she really so stupid?


    Shen Miao was naturally not afraid.


    Even if Emperor Yong Le was dissatisfied with her and wanted to arrange another marriage for Xie Jingxing, he would not matchmake Lu Wan¡¯er with Xie Jingxing. Although Lu Wan¡¯er said that her marriage to Xie Jingxing would help his official career, not to mention that Xie Jingxing was not someone who relied on women to climb up the social ladder, even Emperor Yong Le did not dare to let Xie Jingxing be tied to the Lu family.


    Emperor Yong Le probably had no choice but to marry Consort Jing back then. However, if Lu Wan¡¯er married Prince Rui, the entire royal family of the Daliang Dynasty would be inseparable from the Lu family. Fu Xiuyi was willing to marry Shen Miao back then just to get the power of the Shen family because the Shen family was loyal by nature, but the Lu family was ambitious.


    Emperor Yong Le couldn¡¯t possibly let Lu Wan¡¯er marry Xie Jingxing. Now that Shen Miao rejected Lu Wan¡¯er outright, it was probably also what Emperor Yong Le wanted.

 Chapter 903 - 903 Secret (2)

    903 Secret (2)


    Just as Madam Lu and Lu Wan¡¯er were both stunned, they heard a chuckle from the other side. ¡°Princess Consort Rui is indeed a straightforward person. Prince Rui is young and talented, but most of all, he is devoted. He¡¯s a rare man in the world.¡±


    Shen Miao looked at the person who spoke. That person was sitting beside Ji Yushu¡¯s mother. She was a slightly thin madam. She was wearing a tea-colored embroidered dress. Her skin was slightly dark, and her eyebrows were straight, but because she was old, she looked a little unapproachable. Her eyes were deep, and when she looked at people, she seemed to be studying them, as if she could see through them. At a glance, one could tell that she was a no-nonsense woman.


    While refilling tea for Shen Miao, Ba Jiao whispered into her ear, ¡°This is the wife of the Prime Minister, Madam Ye.¡±


    Unlike Madam Lu, who was a little arrogant, this Madam of the Ye family looked much more restrained, but it also made Shen Miao feel that she was even more difficult to deal with.


    Madam Ye looked at Shen Miao and suddenly said with a smile, ¡°Royal hunt will be held in a few days. Princess Consort Rui, you will also be present at that time, right?¡±


    Shen Miao smiled and said, ¡°I still have to discuss this with Prince Rui.¡± She couldn¡¯t make a hasty promise. Today, the entire room was filled with people with ill intentions. She didn¡¯t dare to let her guard down.


    ¡°Princess Consort Rui, you¡¯re new here and don¡¯t know the wonders of hunting in Long Ye yet. There are many interesting things. Please join in the fun with us,¡± Madam Ye continued.


    Shen Miao looked at Madam Ye, who was trying to force her to agree to go to the royal hunt.


    Madam Ji, who was sitting beside Madam Ye, said with a smile, ¡°Everyone, don¡¯t force Princess Consort Rui. Princess Consort Rui is still young. Just as Madam Ye said, she¡¯s new here. I¡¯m afraid she¡¯s still a little shy. It¡¯s only right for her to think about it.¡±


    She took the initiative to help Shen Miao out.


    Shen Miao looked over in surprise to see Madam Ji smiling at her with a nod.


    Madam Ji¡¯s husband was the marquis, and his status was not low. When Madam Ye heard this, she did not talk back. She only looked at Shen Miao inquisitively, making Shen Miao frown.


    The banquet ended eventually. Lu Wan¡¯er was angered by Shen Miao, so she left halfway through the banquet. Madam Lu treated Shen Miao indifferently. Since the hostess of this banquet was Madam Lu, the other madams naturally followed suit and deliberately ignored Shen Miao.


    However, when Shen Miao was young, she was often ignored in Ming Qi, so she did not take it to heart. As she drank her tea, she listened to Ba Jiao secretly explain the relationship between the madams to her and remembered it. Not only did these cold treatments not affect her, but it also allowed her to remember the relationship between these people better.


    When she left, no one sent her off. Just as she was about to get into the carriage, she was unexpectedly stopped.


    She turned around and saw that it was Madam Ji.


    Ji Yushu¡¯s mother had a dignified and amiable personality. She looked at Shen Miao and said with a smile, ¡°Yushu told me that when he was in the capital in Ming Qi, he was taken care of by you. Today, I came to thank you on his behalf.¡±


    Shen Miao blushed and shook her head. It should be the other way around. It was her who often used Ji Yushu¡¯s Exiled Immortal Pawnshop to achieve her goals.

 Chapter 904 - 904 Secret (3)

    904 Secret (3)


    Seeing that there was no one around, Madam Ji leaned closer to her and said in a low voice, ¡°Princess Consort, you saw it too today. Fourth Miss Lu¡­ wants to marry Prince Rui, but you don¡¯t have to take it to heart. If it can work, Fourth Miss will have long become Princess Consort Rui. As for the royal hunt that Madam Ye mentioned today, you have to tell Prince Rui later. Don¡¯t let them scheme against you.¡± Seeing that other madams had already come out one after another, Madam Ji said, ¡°If you have time, you can come to my mansion. I don¡¯t think you¡¯re familiar with Long Ye, so I can show you around.¡± Only then did she say goodbye to Shen Miao and leave in a hurry.


    On the way back, Shen Miao kept thinking about what happened today. She did not take what Lu Wan¡¯er said to heart, but for some reason, she felt that Madam Ye was extremely strange.


    Shen Miao asked Ba Jiao, ¡°I don¡¯t think I saw Madam Ye¡¯s daughter at the banquet today. How many ladies are there in the Ye family? Why didn¡¯t she bring them along?¡±


    Ba Jiao was stunned for a moment before shaking her head. ¡°There¡¯s no young lady in the Ye family.¡±


    !!


    ¡°Why?¡± Shen Miao frowned.


    ¡°Everyone in Long Ye knows this.¡± Ba Jiao said, ¡°Prime Minister Ye and Madam Ye married when they were young. They had a daughter, but unfortunately, she died prematurely. Later, Prime Minister Ye took in a concubine and the concubine gave birth to a son, the current Young Master Ye.¡±


    Shen Miao frowned. ¡°They don¡¯t have any other children?¡±


    Ba Jiao shook her head. ¡°After Prime Minister Ye had Young Master Ye, he was harmed once and became infertile. It¡¯s impossible for him to have any children in the future.¡±


    Shen Miao was surprised. How could a high-ranking family like the Ye family only have one son? She asked, ¡°Doesn¡¯t that mean the Ye family only has one illegitimate son?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not the case. The concubine passed away when Young Master Ye was born¡­ However, there are also people who say that the Ye family strangled the concubine to death. After Young Master Ye was born, he was raised by Madam Ye as the legitimate son. However,¡± Ba Jiao paused for a moment,¡± Even if he¡¯s the legitimate son, Young Master Ye is still not valued by Madam Ye.¡±


    ¡°Why is that?¡± Shen Miao found it strange. Although he was not her biological son, he was after all the only son in the Ye family.


    ¡°Young Master Ye was born with a congenital disease and can¡¯t walk properly. Such a person won¡¯t be able to enter the official path in the future, so some people say that the Ye family will decline in this generation,¡± Ba Jiao explained.


    Only then did Shen Miao understand. It turned out that he was a cripple. No wonder Madam Ye looked down on him. At the thought of this, she was enlightened. The Lu family had sent Consort Jing to the palace. Why didn¡¯t the Ye family send someone to the palace too? It turned out that it was not that the Ye family was not ambitious, but that the Ye family did not have any daughters to be sacrificed.


    Then in this situation¡­ Shen Miao could roughly guess Emperor Yong Le¡¯s plan.


    If the Ye family formed an alliance with the Lu family, the Lu family would benefit the most. They were both big families in the Daliang dynasty. Why should the Lu family reap all the benefits while the Ye family declined day by day?


    Emperor Yong Le probably wanted to incite internal strife between the Lu family and the Ye family to subdue the Ye family before dealing with the Lu family, which had military power. This way, it would be much easier.

 Chapter 905 - 905 Secret (4)

    905 Secret (4)


    However, the Ye family and the Lu family had been on good terms for so many years and their interests were intertwined. The Ye family had the Lu family¡¯s weakness, and the Lu family also had something on the Ye family. It was not easy to sow discord.


    As she was thinking about these things, Shen Miao did not even notice it when the carriage arrived at Prince Rui¡¯s mansion until Ba Jiao suddenly shouted, ¡°Master¡±. Someone flicked Shen Miao¡¯s forehead and said, ¡°What are you thinking about?¡±


    Only then did Shen Miao see Xie Jingxing. He came back early today and was still wearing his dark red official uniform, looking dignified. Shen Miao pulled his sleeve, hurriedly walking towards the study. She said, ¡°Coincidentally, I have something to ask you¡­¡±


    Xie Jingxing was stunned at first, then he let her pull him forward. On the other hand, Ba Jiao and Gu Yu were dumbfounded. Ba Jiao smiled and said, ¡°Madam is really proactive.¡±


    Uncle Tang appeared from behind and said, ¡°What are you looking at? Go to work!¡±


    Ba Jiao and Gu Yu stuck out their tongues and quickly walked away. Uncle Tang looked at the tightly shut door and shook his head. He sighed and said, ¡°The marriage is not even consummated yet.¡±


    ¡­


    In the room, Shen Miao told Xie Jingxing what happened today. Xie Jingxing said, ¡°Royal hunt?¡±


    Shen Miao nodded. ¡°It seems a little unusual.¡±


    ¡°Every year, on the second day of June, the royal family will hunt. It¡¯s a rule passed down by the late emperor.¡± Xie Jingxing said lazily, ¡°However, my brother and I will only roam on the periphery. We won¡¯t go too deep into the forest to hunt.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± Shen Miao asked.


    ¡°It¡¯s dangerous.¡± Xie Jingxing lowered his voice.


    Shen Miao was stunned.


    When Xie Jingxing saw the look on her face, he smiled and raised his eyebrows. ¡°Are you afraid?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s there to be afraid of?¡± Shen Miao looked at him. ¡°Do you mean that someone will attack the emperor and you? The hunting ground will be filled with imperial guards. Who has the guts to do that?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve seen the Black Feather Army before.¡± Xie Jingxing suddenly changed the topic and said, ¡°That¡¯s my people. My brother knows the existence of this army too. Do you know why I raised an army?¡±


    ¡°Because you don¡¯t trust the royal army?¡± Shen Miao answered quickly.


    Xie Jingxing snapped his fingers.


    Shen Miao didn¡¯t know what to say.


    People said that Emperor Yong Le was a wise emperor, and the people of the Daliang Dynasty all respected him. It seemed that this was the case for the people, but the soldiers and officials under him did not seem to be as loyal as the rumors said. There was no threat coming from inside the royal family of the Daliang Dynasty, but there was an external threat.


    The royal army was established by the late emperor. In other words, the people served the late emperor and were unwilling to be loyal to the current emperor. Thinking of the cold tone Xie Jingxing used when he talked about the late emperor, Shen Miao was a little curious. She hesitated for a moment and looked at Xie Jingxing, asking, ¡°Speaking of which, what exactly happened that caused you to end up in the capital of Ming Qi back then?¡±


    Hearing this, Xie Jingxing¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly. Shen Miao, who was sitting beside him, could feel the temperature drop by a few degrees.


    A moment later, Xie Jingxing smiled and reached out to touch Shen Miao¡¯s head. He said, ¡°Why do you have so many questions? Do you want to know my secret again? If you want to know, you have to trade.¡± He smiled ambiguously. ¡°Your body is fine too.¡±


    Shen Miao rolled her eyes at him.


    Xie Jingxing continued, ¡°However, you don¡¯t seem to be angry at Lu Wan¡¯er at all.¡± He was a little dissatisfied. ¡°Someone lusts after your husband but you are unmoved. Shen Jiaojiao, you¡¯re really heartless.¡±


    Shen Miao said, ¡°You won¡¯t agree anyway, right? The Lu family is ambitious. You¡¯re probably not so stupid as to keep a poisonous snake by your side.¡±

 Chapter 906 - 906 Secret (5)

    906 Secret (5)


    Xie Jingxing laughed and stared at her. ¡°Don¡¯t I have a poisonous snake by my side already? A beautiful snake.¡±


    Shen Miao couldn¡¯t be bothered to talk to him and said, ¡°The Ye family¡­ What do you think of the Ye family?¡±


    Xie Jingxing thought for a moment. ¡°The Ye family is smarter than the Lu family and knows how to endure. Perhaps because they don¡¯t have many offspring, they¡¯re not as arrogant as the Lu family. My brother and I plan to start with the Ye family to sow discord between the Ye and Lu families.¡±


    Shen Miao narrowed her eyes. For some reason, when she faced Madam Ye today, she felt that the Ye family was not as easy to deal with as she thought. However, this thought came out of nowhere, and she did not know what was going on.


    Xie Jingxing saw the strange expression on her face and asked, ¡°You seem to have something to say?¡±


    Shen Miao shook her head, thinking to herself that she was probably overthinking. She asked, ¡°Will you participate in the hunt this time? Madam Ji told me to be careful. It makes me feel very strange.¡±


    Xie Jingxing¡¯s expression turned cold as he said, ¡°This time, even if you don¡¯t want to go, you have to.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°This year is the 60th festival set by the late emperor. In the hunt, my brother has to hunt a male lion in the hunting ground to be sacrificed for the good weather next year and to prove that he is qualified to be the emperor.¡±


    ¡°A male lion?¡± Shen Miao said, ¡°This is considered a ferocious beast.¡± In ordinary hunting grounds, safety was naturally the most important. After all, the people who came to hunt were all high-ranking officials and nobles. It was not good to lose their lives.


    ¡°Wild beasts are nothing to be afraid of.¡± Xie Jingxing curled his lips and smiled coldly. ¡°Wild beasts don¡¯t know how to shoot arrows in secret. It¡¯s much safer than humans.¡±


    ¡°Only the imperial guards can be allowed to enter. This is a rule set by the late emperor. It¡¯s hard to say if the imperial guards are loyal or not.¡± Xie Jingxing raised an eyebrow. ¡°So you have to understand that this is a show for the world to see. My brother and I have no choice.¡±


    He glanced at the worried Shen Miao and pinched her face. ¡°But don¡¯t worry, you¡¯ll be fine. Although you¡¯ll go as a consort of the royal family, you don¡¯t have to enter the main venue.¡±


    Shen Miao asked, ¡°Are you confident?¡± A trace of an ominous feeling flashed across her heart, so she couldn¡¯t relax.


    Xie Jingxing stared at her and slowly shook his head. ¡°No.¡±


    Shen Miao¡¯s heart skipped a beat.


    Xie Jingxing smiled. ¡°I was lying to you.¡±


    Shen Miao glared at him. Xie Jingxing stretched and said leisurely, ¡°After the hunt, I¡¯ll tell you about what happened in the palace so that you won¡¯t have to think about it all day long.¡± He said with a faint smile, ¡°You¡¯re also a member of the Xie family now. You have to bear some responsibility.¡±


    Shen Miao became nervous. Was Xie Jingxing planning to tell her his secret? How exactly did Xie Jingxing end up in the capital of Ming Qi? She felt that there was something else going on.


    Although she was happy that she could know the secrets, she still felt extremely uneasy about this royal hunt. It was as if something bad was about to happen. Her heart was beating rapidly. Although she tried her best to calm down, she was still in a state of panic.


    She clenched her fists in silence.

 Chapter 907 - 907 Secret (6)

    907 Secret (6)


    ¡­


    In the palace of the Daliang Dynasty, Empress Xiande listened to the palace maid report what happened at the Summer Banquet today. When she heard Shen Miao say, ¡°I won¡¯t take in concubines for my husband. When Prince Rui came to propose marriage to me, he said that he wouldn¡¯t take in any other women. Otherwise, I wouldn¡¯t have married him and come all the way to Long Ye.¡± Hearing this, Empress Xiande couldn¡¯t help but laugh. She had to look dignified as an empress and rarely smiled. When she smiled, she actually looked a little girlish.


    ¡°Empress, why are you smiling so happily?¡± Emperor Yong Le¡¯s voice came from outside. His expression was slightly cold as he stepped into Weiyang Palace. Looking at Empress Xiande, a strange look flashed across his eyes.


    Empress Xiande smiled happily and said, ¡°Cai Lian, tell His Majesty what the princess consort said.¡±


    The palace maid called Cai Lian quickly lowered her head and repeated what she had said to the empress in detail. Hearing this, Emperor Yong Le flicked his sleeve and said angrily, ¡°Nonsense! Unruly! How dare she!¡±


    Cai Lian was shocked and her body was trembling. The emperor¡¯s anger was not something a small palace maid like her could withstand.


    Empress Xiande looked at Emperor Yong Le reproachfully and said to Cai Lian, ¡°You can leave.¡±


    Cai Lian heaved a sigh of relief and quickly left. Only then did Empress Xiande smile and say, ¡°Shen Miao is really compatible with Jingxing. They are both straightforward people.¡±


    ¡°Xie Yuan is insensible and fools around. Are you also insensible?¡± Emperor Yong Le looked at Empress Xiande in dissatisfaction. ¡°You seem to like Shen Miao very much?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s been a long time since I¡¯ve seen such an interesting person in Long Ye.¡± Empress Xiande smiled. Seeing Emperor Yong Le sit down beside her, her tone was still gentle, but her voice was filled with praise. ¡°She is a smart person, but she also keeps an honest heart.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t tell if she¡¯s smart or honest,¡± Emperor Yong Le said coldly. ¡°But I can tell she¡¯s scheming.¡±


    ¡°If that¡¯s the case, with Jingxing¡¯s intelligence, how could he not tell and fall for a scheming woman?¡±


    Emperor Yong Le said disapprovingly, ¡°Xie Yuan is still young and can¡¯t tell right from wrong. That¡¯s why he¡¯s bewitched by that woman.¡±


    Empress Xiande sighed. She knew that Emperor Yong Le was stubborn and did not want to argue with him, so she said, ¡°In short, I think Jingxing¡¯s wife is a very good person.¡±


    ¡°If she¡¯s really good, she wouldn¡¯t have said that in front of so many people.¡± Emperor Yong Le was very dissatisfied. ¡°Empress, do you also think it¡¯s right for women to be jealous and stop her husband from taking in concubines?¡±


    Empress Xiande smiled faintly. ¡°That¡¯s naturally a good thing for womens. It¡¯s just that very few women can do it.¡±


    ¡°Empress!¡± Hearing this, Emperor Yong Le frowned and looked at Empress Xiande sternly.


    ¡°My apology.¡± Although Empress Xiande said that, she did not look too afraid. She only said, ¡°Your Majesty, don¡¯t worry too much about Jingxing. He knows what to do. If you interfere too much, you will only irritate him.¡±


    ¡°I have my own ideas,¡± Emperor Yong Le said in a low voice.


    After a moment of silence, Empress Xiande said, ¡°Your Majesty, are you ready for the hunt next month?¡±


    Emperor Yong Le¡¯s expression was unreadable. ¡°I¡¯ve already arranged everything.¡±


    ¡°Can I go with you?¡± Empress Xiande asked, ¡°I want to be by your side.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll bring Consort Jing along.¡± Emperor Yong Le said, ¡°If anything happens to me, you have to take care of the harem.¡±


    Empress Xiande lowered her head and did not speak. A moment later, she looked up and smiled gently. ¡°I understand.¡±


    ¡°The person I¡¯m most worried about is Xie Yuan. Back then, he hid in Ming Qi when he was young. I felt guilty towards him. However, now that the world is in a state of chaos, I still can¡¯t fulfill the promise I made back then. In the future, no matter how much he hates me and understands the efforts I made, this is all I can do.¡± Emperor Yong Le looked out and said sadly, ¡°Unfortunately, before Mother died, she didn¡¯t even get to see him.¡±


    ¡°Mother will be happy to see Jingxing becoming such an outstanding man,¡± Empress Xiande said.


    ¡°Empress,¡± Emperor Yong Le suddenly said.


    Empress Xiande looked at him and heard Emperor Yong Le continue, ¡°It¡¯s been hard on you all these years.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s my job to share Your Majesty¡¯s burdens.¡± Empress Xiande smiled. Her expression was very calm as she said, ¡°I¡¯ve accompanied Your Majesty for decades. Your Majesty treats me very well. I¡¯m already satisfied.¡±


    Emperor Yong Le looked at Empress Xiande and wanted to say something. He moved his lips, but he couldn¡¯t bring himself to say it. He only looked at Empress Xiande with a complicated expression before looking away.

 Chapter 908 - 908 Hunt (1)

    908 Hunt (1)


    The weather on the second day of June was fortunately good. Yesterday, it was still raining heavily, but the sun was high the next day.


    Luo Tan stretched lazily. There was enough ice in the room, so although the summer in Long Ye was long and hot, the room was cool.


    The maid in the room smiled and asked her, ¡°Miss, where else do you want to go today?¡±


    Luo Tan said, ¡°I don¡¯t know. I¡¯ll ask Doctor Gao later.¡±


    !!


    ¡°Young Master Gao went out today and won¡¯t be back until tomorrow night.¡± The maid said, ¡°He asked me to tell Miss that if you want to go out, you have to bring a few guards with you. If you like anything, you can buy it.¡±


    ¡°Is he busy?¡± Luo Tan asked, ¡°Is there a patient he has to treat?¡±


    The maid smiled but did not answer.


    Luo Tan waved her hand. ¡°Never mind.¡±


    She had been in Long Ye for almost a month. Over the past few days, she had been with Gao Yang. Gao Yang said that when he was young, he traveled around and lived in Long Ye for a period of time. This mansion in Long Ye was his. Although Luo Tan didn¡¯t believe it, she did not ask further.


    The messenger sent by the Shen family to deliver a letter to Shen Miao had already been sent back by Gao Yang. He told the messenger that Shen Miao had already agreed to bring Luo Tan along and would take good care of her. After that, the Shen family really did not send anyone over again.


    Luo Tan thought to herself that when she toured around Long Ye, she would go and tell Shen Miao everything. If she told Shen Miao now, she was afraid that Shen Miao and Prince Rui would get someone to send her back. She had not had enough fun. How could she be willing to go back now?


    Luo Tan walked out of the door and into the courtyard. When she heard some noise coming from the street through the courtyard wall, she asked the maid beside her, ¡°Why is it so noisy outside?¡±


    The maid smiled and said, ¡°Today is the royal hunt, and it happens to be the 60th year of the festival. His Majesty is also going to the hunting ground to hunt. Now that the imperial guards are marching towards the hunting ground, the people on the street are cheering.¡±


    Luo Tan liked to join in the fun, so she said, ¡°Then let¡¯s go and take a look. Will we be able to see His Majesty¡¯s face?¡±


    The maid¡¯s expression changed slightly. She shook her head and said, ¡°The street is crowded. Moreover, His Majesty is inside the carriage. You can¡¯t see him.¡±


    Luo Tan was a little disinterested. The maid smiled and said, ¡°I¡¯ll go and prepare some snacks for you to eat on the way. After this, where do you want to go? I¡¯ll go with you.¡±


    ¡°Go ahead,¡± Luo Tan said. After the maid left, Luo Tan secretly sneaked towards the door of the backyard and muttered to herself, ¡°It won¡¯t be too much to take a look from afar, right?¡±


    Soon, her figure disappeared from the courtyard.


    After Shen Miao washed up, she saw Xie Jingxing come out after changing his clothes.


    Because he was going to hunt today, he was wearing riding clothes, looking very agile.


    Seeing Shen Miao, Xie Jingxing frowned and said, ¡°This dress¡­¡±


    After all, they were going to the hunting ground and it was a hot summer day. Jingzhe was afraid that Shen Miao would faint from the heat, so she specially found light clothes for her. The pants were wide and comfy, but the clothes were a little revealing. It was a thin layer of silky gauze coupled with a tube top. Shen Miao usually dressed formally and solemnly. After dressing up like this, she actually looked charming and feminine.

 Chapter 909 - 909 Hunt (2)

    909 Hunt (2)


    Shen Miao lowered her head and looked at herself. ¡°It doesn¡¯t look good.¡±


    Xie Jingxing said, ¡°It¡¯s cold in the mountains. Why don¡¯t you put on a coat?¡±


    Shen Miao was speechless. How could it be cold in June? Moreover, Long Ye had always been hot during summer.


    Xie Jingxing added, ¡°Your body, hair, and skin now belong to the Xie family. You can¡¯t get sunburned casually.¡±


    Shen Miao said, ¡°Got it. Jingzhe, go and get a coat.¡±


    Only then did Xie Jingxing stop nagging at her.


    When they went out, Mo Qing and some of the guards were already ready to set off. Ba Jiao and the others were also there. Jingzhe and Gu Yu did not have to follow them today. Xie Jingxing also got a female guard, Hui Xiang, from Black Feather Army to pretend to be Shen Miao¡¯s personal maid with Ba Jiao to protect her.


    The more well-arranged it was, the more uneasy Shen Miao felt. It was the 60th royal hunt, so she had to come. However, even if it wasn¡¯t the 60th, Shen Miao would still come, because her right eyelid kept twitching, as if it was indicating that something was about to happen.


    When Xie Jingxing saw the worried look on her face, he asked, ¡°Why do you look unhappy?¡±


    Shen Miao said, ¡°I feel uneasy for some reason.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m blessed and won¡¯t die so easily.¡± The corners of his lips curled up. ¡°Madam, don¡¯t worry about me.¡±


    Shen Miao rolled her eyes at him. Seeing that there was no carriage at the door, she asked, ¡°Is the carriage still on the way?


    Xie Jingxing smiled and pulled Shen Miao to the door. Mo Qing led a horse over. Xie Jingxing got on the horse and suddenly grabbed Shen Miao¡¯s hand. Shen Miao was caught off guard and was lifted onto the horse by Xie Jingxing.


    ¡°The carriage is too slow.¡± He looked down at Shen Miao and said unhurriedly, ¡°Do you know how to ride a horse?¡±


    Just as Shen Miao was about to speak, Xie Jingxing interrupted her again and said, ¡°It¡¯s fine if you don¡¯t know. I¡¯ll teach you.¡± With that, he raised the whip and the horse neighed and ran away.


    Shen Miao leaned back against Xie Jingxing and was hugged by him. She couldn¡¯t help but feel nervous. The horse was a top-notch horse and ran very quickly. Xie Jingxing¡¯s horsemanship was extremely good. He picked some winding roads. Whenever the crowd saw him, they would exclaim.


    Shen Miao thought of the first time she saw Xie Jingxing in this life. In front of Guangwen Hall, the handsome young man in purple sat on the tall horse and sized up everyone lazily.


    His breath landed on her cheek. His low and happy laughter came from above her head, and Shen Miao gradually felt a sense of freedom.


    Shen Miao actually yearned for such freedom. She had once stood on the palace wall and looked at the eagles flying in the distance and the horses under her feet. She yearned for such a free life. However, she could only be locked in the palace, guarding the man she did not love and scheming against the women who coveted her position.


    It seemed like it had been a long time since she felt so liberated.


    Shen Miao smiled. ¡°Are you as rebellious in Long Ye as in the capital?¡±


    ¡°More so in Long Ye!¡± Xie Jingxing replied. He lowered his head and glanced at her. He rested his chin on the top of her head and chuckled. ¡°You were never so happy when you were in the capital.¡±


    Shen Miao was stunned. Xie Jingxing continued with a smile, ¡°I like it when Shen Jiaojiao is happy and smilling.¡±


    ¡°Me too,¡± Shen Miao said with a smile.

 Chapter 910 - 910 Hunt (3)

    910 Hunt (3)


    The laughter of the two of them drifted far away with the summer breeze. Among the guards behind them, Hui Xiang whispered to Ba Jiao, ¡°Didn¡¯t they say that Madam has a cold personality and that it¡¯s always Master who pleases Madam? They seem to have a good relationship.¡±


    ¡°Madam is not a cold person.¡± Ba Jiao smiled and said, ¡°Madam is a good person.¡±


    ¡­


    When the sun almost reached its zenith, Shen Miao and Xie Jingxing finally arrived at the hunting ground.


    The outer venue of the hunting ground was a flat forest, but the inner venue was in the depth of the forest towards Hua Luan Peak. Hua Luan Peak was a strange peak in Long Ye. It was densely covered with trees, and it was tall and dangerous. There were many rare beautiful sceneries and many rare birds and beasts. Naturally, the journey was very difficult, and it was dangerous because there were wild beasts roaming around.


    This place was personally chosen by the late emperor to be the hunting ground. It was a rule that during the 60th year of the festival, the emperor would have to enter the hunting ground to hunt a lion to be sacrificed.


    When the late emperor hunted on the Hua Luan peak, he would also encounter danger. However, because there were imperial guards following him in the forest, it was not a big problem. However, things were different now. With the imperial guards, it was even more dangerous than without them.


    Shen Miao and Xie Jingxing were undoubtedly the center of attention. When everyone saw that they didn¡¯t come in a carriage, they were dumbfounded. Emperor Yong Le and Consort Jing had already arrived. Consort Jing covered her mouth and exclaimed in surprise. Then, she said, ¡°As the wife of the royal family, how can she¡­ She¡¯s really ill-mannered.¡±


    Emperor Yong Le frowned and looked at Xie Jingxing, as if he was also very unhappy with his doing. Xie Jingxing helped Shen Miao get off the horse and walked towards Emperor Yong Le under the gaze of everyone.


    Emperor Yong Le was wearing a bright yellow riding outfit today. He was handsome and had a strong aura. When the two brothers were together, they stole the limelight from all the men present.


    Xie Jingxing and Shen Miao bowed to Emperor Yong Le, but neither of them paid attention to Consort Jing. Seeing this, Consort Jing bit her lip and suddenly looked at Shen Miao with a smile. ¡°Princess Consort Rui, you came to the hunting ground with Prince Rui today. You are deeply in love with each other. I¡¯m really envious.¡± With that, she changed the topic. ¡°In that case, when Prince Rui enters the inner venue, I think you will also follow him, right?¡±


    Before Shen Miao could answer, Emperor Yong Le frowned and said coldly, ¡°She doesn¡¯t have to enter!¡±


    Consort Jing was stunned, as if she did not expect Emperor Yong Le to suddenly speak. She was still thinking that it would be good if Shen Miao followed Prince Rui into the inner venue. The inner venue was filled with ferocious beasts. Even if Shen Miao was not injured, it would still be satisfying to see her in a sorry state. That day, at the Summer Banquet, Shen Miao¡¯s rude words to the Lu family had already reached Consort Jing¡¯s ears. Consort Jing was determined to teach Shen Miao a lesson, but she did not expect Emperor Yong Le to help her out.


    Although Consort Jing was arrogant, she did not dare to go against Emperor Yong Le.


    Shen Miao understood that Emperor Yong Le was not helping her out. Perhaps Emperor Yong Le and Xie Jingxing had already set up everything. If one more person went in, there would be more variables. Emperor Yong Le was probably afraid that her going in would affect their plan.


    Xie Jingxing smiled and glanced at Consort Jing. Although he did not say anything, Consort Jing felt a warning in his gaze. For some reason, apart from Emperor Yong Le, she was most afraid of this young prince. She was even more afraid of Prince Rui than her father.

 Chapter 911 - 911 Hunt (4)

    911 Hunt (4)


    Xie Jingxing put his arm around Shen Miao¡¯s shoulder and said, ¡°Brother, I¡¯ll show Jiaojiao around first. She just came to Long Ye and is not familiar with people.¡± With that, he left with Shen Miao without waiting for Emperor Yong Le to speak.


    After taking a few steps, they saw Ji Yushu running over excitedly from afar. He ran up to them and said, ¡°Third Brother, Sister-in-law!¡±


    Shen Miao looked at Ji Yushu¡¯s bright smile and really could not associate the shopkeeper Ji in Ming Qi with this young master. She asked the question she had always wanted to ask, ¡°Why do you keep calling him Third Brother?¡±


    ¡°Eh?¡± Ji Yushu was stunned and looked at Xie Jingxing. ¡°Didn¡¯t you tell Sister-in-law?¡±


    Seeing that Xie Jingxing did not intend to speak, Ji Yushu scratched his head and smiled at Shen Miao. ¡°Actually, I should call him Third Cousin. Third Cousin and I are cousins. He¡¯s the third child in the family. Third Brother¡¯s mother is my aunt, so we¡¯re cousins.¡±


    When Shen Miao heard Ji Yushu¡¯s explanation, she understood that Ji Yushu¡¯s mother and Xie Jingxing¡¯s mother were sisters from the same mother. No wonder Xie Jingxing took care of Ji Yushu despite the fact that Ji Yushu had messed up a lot of things.


    Ji Yushu smiled foolishly and said, ¡°I heard that my mother has also seen Sister-in-law. My mother even said that Sister-in-law had a good upbringing and looked like a lady from a rich family. If not for the fact that Third Brother made a move early, ahem, she would have asked me to marry Sister-in-law.¡±


    Xie Jingxing said calmly, ¡°Ji Yushu, do you want to go to the tower prison again?¡±


    ¡°I was just joking!¡± Ji Yushu jumped up and ran away like his butt was on fire. ¡°I heard that Gao Yang is here today. I¡¯ll go and see him¡­ Sister-in-law, enjoy your time!¡±


    He disappeared into the distance.


    Shen Miao was caught between laughter and tears. She turned to ask Xie Jingxing, ¡°Gao Yang is here too? Where is him?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s an official and will arrive later than us.¡± He continued, ¡°Gao Yang is the minister of defense.¡±


    Shen Miao smiled. ¡°I know.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re quite capable. You can even find out Gao Yang¡¯s identity,¡± Xie Jingxing said with a faint smile.


    Shen Miao¡¯s heart skipped a beat and she didn¡¯t know what to say. She knew Gao Yang¡¯s identity because in her previous life, the person who came was not Xie Jingxing, but Gao Yang. At that time, as Princess Consort Ding, she had also seen Gao Yang.


    Fortunately, Xie Jingxing did not dwell on this question. He only said, ¡°When the hunt begins, just follow me to the outer venue to hunt some rabbits and wild storks. At 11 o¡¯clock, I¡¯ll go to the inner venue with my brother and leave a guard for you. You can do whatever you want in the outer venue.¡± After a pause, he continued, ¡°Auntie is here today. If I¡¯m not back later, you can return to the city with Auntie. She will send you back.¡±


    ¡°If you are not back later?¡± Shen Miao looked at him intently. Xie Jingxing had always been very confident with his plans. Under the watchful eyes of the royal family in Ming Qi, he could still carry out his plan with ease. It was enough to show that he was not a careless person. However, this time, Shen Miao felt really bad.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, my brother and I have already made preparations.¡± He smiled ambiguously. ¡°I still have to live to consummate our marriage.¡±

 Chapter 912 - 912 Hunt (5)

    912 Hunt (5)


    Shen Miao pushed him. She did not want to be teased by Xie Jingxing in public. When she turned around, she saw Madam Ye looking at her.


    Madam Ye was wearing light clothes. She stood far away, looking at Shen Miao without avoidance. However, that gaze made Shen Miao instinctively uncomfortable. She asked, ¡°Are the Ye family going to hunt today too?¡±


    ¡°Ye Mao is the prime minister, so he naturally has to go. However, the officials will only be on the outside and won¡¯t go in.¡± Xie Jingxing followed Shen Miao¡¯s gaze and realized that she was staring at Madam Ye. He asked curiously, ¡°You seem to be very concerned about Madam Ye. What happened?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know why¡­¡± Shen Miao frowned.¡± I keep having a bad feeling. You¡¯d better be careful.¡±


    !!


    ¡°My brother wants to rope in the Ye family and has been watching their every move. He didn¡¯t find anything unusual about the Ye family.¡± Xie Jingxing thought for a moment and comforted her, ¡°They¡¯ll be kept on the outer venue and can¡¯t affect the situation inside. Don¡¯t worry.¡±


    When Shen Miao looked at Madam Ye again, Madam Ye had already turned around to talk to other madams. She suppressed the uneasiness in her heart and put this thought to the back of her mind for the time being.


    The hunt was about to begin. The people who came today were all officials of a high status in Long Ye. The officials would join the hunt while their wives and daughters would watch from the side.


    Coincidentally, Lu Wan¡¯er was also here today.


    Lu Wan¡¯er dressed up carefully. Even her riding clothes were very exquisite, making her look extremely beautiful. If not for Shen Miao, she would probably be the most eye-catching person on this occasion. After all, Consort Jing and Lu Wan¡¯er were sisters. She had been pampered and raised well by the Lu family.


    However, with Shen Miao around, she didn¡¯t receive much attention, and her gorgeous outfit was quite out of place. She and Prince Rui didn¡¯t look compatible at all.


    On the other hand, there was a strange harmony between Xie Jingxing and Shen Miao. Prince Rui was Emperor Yong Le¡¯s brother after all. He was a true noble. However, Shen Miao was a girl from a military family, but she also had a noble aura and was dignified and beautiful. The atmosphere between the two of them was flawless.


    Lu Wan¡¯er did not seem to realize this. She walked up to Shen Miao under everyone¡¯s strange gazes. Although she was talking to Shen Miao, her eyes were glued to Xie Jingxing. Her voice was delicate and sweet.


    ¡°Princess Consort, I didn¡¯t expect to meet you here today. On the Summer Banquet, I hit it off with you at first sight. I was just thinking about finding a time to pay you a visit when I saw you here. What a coincidence.¡± At this moment, Lu Wan¡¯er was polite to Shen Miao. Her humble attitude and obedient look were nothing like that day at the Summer Banquet.


    As Lu Wan¡¯er spoke, she looked at Xie Jingxing without waiting for Shen Miao to answer. Her beautiful eyes were filled with undisguised love as she said in a soft voice, ¡°Prince Rui, you look very impressive today. I met you once in the palace. At that time, you even praised me for my outstanding Guqin skills. Now that I have practiced hard, I have improved a lot. I wonder when you will have time to listen to me playing Guqin again?¡±

 Chapter 913 - 913 Hunting (6)

    913 Hunting (6)


    Shen Miao was stunned and couldn¡¯t help but look at Xie Jingxing. Lu Wan¡¯er wouldn¡¯t lie in front of Xie Jingxing. Had Xie Jingxing really listened to Lu Wan¡¯er playing the Guqin and praised her?


    Seeing Shen Miao throw a glance at her, Xie Jingxing smiled and said, ¡°Oh? Are you unhappy?¡±


    Shen Miao turned her head away.


    Xie Jingxing shrugged. When he looked at Lu Wan¡¯er again, his expression had changed. He was still talking lazily, but his smile was gone.


    ¡°Back then, when I was talking to my brother, we met Consort Jing. She said that her fourth sister was playing the Guqin in the Jinghua Palace and asked my brother to go and listen to it. That day, I listened to it and said that it¡¯s comparable to the crow cawing. Fourth Miss Lu, can¡¯t you even tell sarcasm from compliments?¡±


    Shen Miao almost laughed out loud. She did not realize that Lu Wan¡¯er was so stupid. Xie Jingxing never showed mercy when he spoke.


    Lu Wan¡¯er¡¯s face immediately turned red.


    In fact, back then at Jinghua Palace, after she finished playing the Guqin, she was focused on Prince Rui, and her heart was pounding non-stop. She was so engrossed in Prince Rui¡¯s handsome face that she did not listen to what he said. She did not hear it clearly and thought that Prince Rui was praising her. Now that Prince Rui pointed it out, Lu Wan¡¯er was immediately dumbfounded.


    Xie Jingxing slowly glanced at her and said, ¡°Also, be careful with what you say. I¡¯m a married man and don¡¯t want people to misunderstand.¡± With that, he pulled Shen Miao away, leaving Lu Wan¡¯er to stand rooted to the ground.


    Shen Miao felt that Lu Wan¡¯er was so stupid that she was a little pitiful. She asked Xie Jingxing, ¡°The Lu family is so powerful. How did they raise such a stupid daughter?¡± Be it Consort Jing or Lu Wan¡¯er, they were comparable to Shen Miao in the past.


    Xie Jingxing said, ¡°The Lu family is all focused on the competition in the imperial court, so they naturally don¡¯t have time for their children. Moreover, the Lu family has always been relaxed with their daughters. They focus on nurturing the men.¡±


    Only then did Shen Miao understand. With the Lu family¡¯s background, their daughters could live comfortably for the rest of their life. Therefore, it did not matter if they were arrogant and willful. Anyway, they had their family backing them up.


    As he spoke, Xie Jingxing had already pulled Shen Miao to the edge of the hunting ground. As Xie Jingxing approached, Tie Yi led two horses over. One was a tall black horse, and the other was a slightly short red horse. Xie Jingxing helped Shen Miao onto the red horse and got on the black horse.


    Emperor Yong Le also started to set out. The imperial guards were ready to follow Emperor Yong Le in.


    The drummer began to beat the drum rhythmically. The sound of the drum became louder and louder. In the end, an archer standing on the platform drew his bow and shot. The bow flew straight and hit a golden fruit hanging in the distance. The drummer raised the drumstick and gave the drum a hard hit.


    It was a signal for the hunt to begin!


    Xie Jingxing brought Shen Miao to the outer venue. Mo Qing and the others were following closely behind. When they entered the hunting ground, they could bring a few guards with them. However, the outer venue was not dangerous to begin with, and it was broad daylight. Nothing would happen.


    ¡°When are you entering the inner venue?¡± Shen Miao asked Xie Jingxing as she rode. She had not ridden a horse for a long time, but the horse under her was quite docile.


    ¡°My brother will give me a signal when it¡¯s time. At that time, I¡¯ll leave.¡± Xie Jingxing sat up straight. ¡°I can still show you around for a while. Do you want to hunt a fox?¡±


    Shen Miao asked, ¡°Fox?¡±


    Xie Jingxing reached out and grabbed her reins. ¡°Follow me.¡±


    Xie Jingxing was an expert hunter. Shen Miao had no doubt that if not for the fact that he was Prince Rui of the Daliang Dynasty, he would probably be able to make a fortune with his hunting skills. In just a short period of time, their horses were already filled with prey.


    ¡°What else do you want to hunt?¡± Xie Jingxing smiled smugly. ¡°I¡¯ll help you hunt it.¡±


    Just as Shen Miao was about to speak, she saw Cong Yang rushing over from the other side. He was out of breath and said, ¡°Master, bad news. His Majesty has entered the inner venue! Just now, Tie Yi and I were searching for His Majesty, but we didn¡¯t see him. We saw hoof prints at the bottom of the peak.¡±


    ¡°Inner venue?¡± Xie Jingxing frowned. ¡°He went to the inner venue without giving me a signal.¡± His eyes narrowed and he suddenly growled, ¡°Damn it!¡±

 Chapter 914 - 914 Going Down the Mountain (1)

    914 Going Down the Mountain (1)


    Xie Jingxing suddenly turned around and instructed Mo Qing and the others, ¡°Escort Madam out of the venue. Tie Yi, follow me.¡±


    Shen Miao said, ¡°Are you going to the inner venue now?¡± The uneasiness in her heart grew stronger and stronger, so much so that Shen Miao almost had the urge to grab Xie Jingxing and stop him from leaving.


    Xie Jingxing looked at her deeply, and for the first time, his eyes darkened. ¡°The plan has changed.¡±


    Shen Miao clenched her fists and looked at him. ¡°I¡¯ll wait for you to come back.¡±


    Xie Jingxing did not say anything else. He turned his horse around and rode away, followed by Tie Yi.


    Shen Miao held the reins tightly and sat on the horse. At this moment, she was no longer in the mood to stroll around alone. Mo Qing said, ¡°Madam, let¡¯s go back.¡±


    Shen Miao nodded, and Mo Qing and a group of guards escorted Shen Miao away. Even so, Shen Miao¡¯s heart was still racing. She tried her best to calm down and analyze the situation.


    What happened today was filled with danger. Emperor Yong Le¡¯s throne was not as stable as Shen Miao thought. The Lu family seemed to be plotting a rebellion. Most importantly, the Lu family served the late emperor.


    Could it be that there was a conflict between Emperor Yong Le and the late emperor? Did Emperor Yong Le use some method to take the throne because the late emperor didn¡¯t want to pass down the throne to him.


    Xie Jingxing and Emperor Yong Le should have made some arrangements for the event today, but for some reason, Emperor Yong Le entered the inner venue alone and went to Hua Luan peak without giving Xie Jingxing a signal. There were only two possibilities. First, someone in the imperial guards threatened Emperor Yong Le and forced him to enter the inner venue in advance. Second, this was Emperor Yong Le¡¯s idea. He made a decision without telling Xie Jingxing.


    Shen Miao felt that it should be the second possibility, because there were still some officials and others walking in the outer venue. Even the people with evil intentions in the imperial guards would not choose to make a move there. They would definitely let Emperor Yong Le enter the inner venue before making a move.


    However, why did Emperor Yong Le go in early and what decision did he make to make Xie Jingxing so nervous? It seemed that Shen Miao had never seen such a serious expression on Xie Jingxing¡¯s face.


    She rode the horse in a daze and happened to see an eagle flying across the sky letting out a long cry. Her heart suddenly skipped a beat, and an unbelievable thought appeared in her mind.


    However, she quickly rejected that thought. She shook her head and rubbed her chest.


    When she left the venue, she saw Madam Ji. Madam Ji did not go to the venue to hunt with Marquis Ji and was waiting outside. Shen Miao did not know anyone in Long Ye, so she walked up to greet Madam Ji.


    ¡°Princess Consort, why are you out so early?¡± Madam Ji smiled and said, ¡°I thought you would spend more time there. There are many foxes. Sometimes, if you¡¯re lucky, you can hunt a rare black fox. The scarf made of its skin is warm and beautiful.¡±


    Shen Miao smiled. ¡°I don¡¯t know how to hunt.¡± She looked at Madam Ji and said, ¡°Madam, you don¡¯t have to call me Princess Consort. We¡¯re considered relatives after all. Just call me Jiaojiao.¡±


    Madam Ji was stunned for a moment before smiling even more warmly. ¡°So Jingxing already told you. In that case, I won¡¯t stand on ceremony.¡±

 Chapter 915 - 915 Going Down the Mountain (2)

    915 Going Down the Mountain (2)


    Madam Ji held Shen Miao¡¯s hand and said as they walked to the other side, ¡°Jingxing is going to the inner venue to hunt today. Wait outside with me. By the time the sun sets, they will be back. At that time, let¡¯s go back to the Ji mansion for dinner. Speaking of which, Jingxing hasn¡¯t come to our mansion since he came back this time.¡±


    Shen Miao smiled and agreed. In the next moment, she thought of Xie Jingxing and suddenly became a little worried. She asked, ¡°Auntie, is the inner venue dangerous or not¡­ I¡¯m afraid it¡¯s not easy to hunt a lion, right?¡±


    Madam Ji sighed. She paused for a moment and looked at Shen Miao with a smile.¡± You don¡¯t have to worry. They brought the imperial guards. Although the lions are fierce, those guards are not to be trifled with. Moreover, the two of them know martial artists. They can protect themselves.¡±


    When Shen Miao heard that, she smiled too. It seemed like Madam Ji did not know anything. If she did, she would definitely not look so relaxed. Those guards were by no means trustworthy. Madam Ji was not someone who Shen Miao could discuss things with. At this moment, Shen Miao felt a little regretful. She should have brought Pei Lang along. At least at this moment, she could discuss things with him. She did not know anyone in Long Ye and did not know anything about Xie Jingxing¡¯s arrangements.


    At the far edge of the venue, there was an awning. Because the people who came today were all nobles, ice was transported over in batches. At this moment, it was very cool over there. Some young ladies sat under the awning, drinking tea and eating snacks. Occasionally, when they saw their families return with some prey, they would be excited and cheer.


    Apparently, they all treated this event as a joyful occasion.


    Shen Miao¡¯s heart was heavy. She looked at the foggy peak in the distance. The peak was steep and endless. Everyone here was chatting happily, not caring about whether there was a life and death battle in the depth of the inner venue.


    Just as she was thinking, someone walked over. Shen Miao looked up and saw that it was Madam Ye. Madam Ye walked to Madam Ji¡¯s side and sat down. She looked at Madam Ji and said with a smile, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you go in?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know how to hunt. Me going in will only become their burden.¡± Madam Ji smiled too. Although the Ji family and the Ye family did not have much to do with each other, she still had to show some respect. Madam Ji said, ¡°Madam Ye, aren¡¯t you going in?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not.¡± Madam Ye waved her hand. ¡°I¡¯m too weak to hunt anything.¡± Her gaze landed on Shen Miao and she said, ¡°Why isn¡¯t the princess consort going in? I saw you with Prince Rui just now. Why don¡¯t you stay there for a while longer?¡±


    Shen Miao¡¯s heart skipped a beat. Madam Ye seemed to be testing her. Could it be that she also knew a thing or two about what was going to happen today? The Lu family and the Ye family had special statuses in Long Ye, so Shen Miao had to pay heed to them. She said, ¡°The sun was too strong, and I felt dizzy, so I came back first.¡± Then, she held her chest and continued, ¡°Besides, I can¡¯t bear to see animals being killed.¡±

 Chapter 916 - 916 Going Down the Mountain (3)

    916 Going Down the Mountain (3)


    Madam Ji smiled. ¡°Princess Consort Rui is really soft-hearted.¡± As if afraid that Madam Ye would continue to pester Shen Miao, Madam Ji deliberately changed the topic and asked Madam Ye, ¡°Speaking of which, I heard that Young Master Ye had a pain attack a few days ago. Is he feeling better?¡±


    Young Master Ye was naturally the son born to the concubine of the Ye family. When Madam Ye heard that, she said, ¡°He¡¯s alright. It¡¯s just an old illness. It hurts a lot when it rains. There¡¯s nothing we can do about it.¡± Her tone was indifferent.


    Shen Miao later found out from Ba Jiao that on the surface, Young Master Ye was the legitimate son of the Ye family. The servants treated him very respectfully, but in fact, they didn¡¯t think he could go far. Madam Ye only treated him well on the surface, but it was all pretense.


    Shen Miao felt that this Young Master Ye, who she had never met, was a little pitiful.


    Madam Ji continued to keep Madam Ye busy, probably trying to divert her attention. In the end, Madam Ye became impatient and stood up to leave.


    Shen Miao and Madam Ji sat together and waited.


    The sun gradually set, but Emperor Yong Le and Xie Jingxing were still nowhere to be seen.


    Shen Miao instructed Mo Qing, ¡°Go and see if they¡¯re back.¡±


    Madam Ji smiled. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. It happened in the past. Because hunting requires patience and concentration, time often passes in the blink of an eye. The road down Hua Luan Peak is too steep. It¡¯s not easy to walk when it¡¯s dark. They probably have to wait until the next morning to come back.¡± Although she said that, Shen Miao still caught the anxiety in her eyes.


    Shen Miao did not know if she was being too sensitive. This time, she had a bad feeling and knew that Xie Jingxing was not as confident as he looked on the surface, so she was on tenterhooks all this time.


    After the sunset, the sky gradually darkened. The emperor had not returned yet. Apart from the ladies and madams who had already returned, the officials were still around the hunting ground. Shen Miao asked Madam Ji if this was the first time such a thing had happened. Madam Ji said, ¡°Not exactly, but it¡¯s rare.¡±


    Some officials had already set up camp and made something like a tent. At night in summer, if they were not careful, they would still catch a cold. The Ji family had also made such a tent.


    Shen Miao was walking outside when she saw Lu Wan¡¯er standing not far away and talking to a middle-aged man. The man was stern-looking. Right on the heels of that, Lu Wan¡¯er was dragged into the carriage and escorted away by a group of guards.


    Lu Wan¡¯er probably wanted to stay here, but this man did not allow her to. Just as Shen Miao was about to leave, the man seemed to have sensed Shen Miao¡¯s gaze and suddenly turned around, revealing a fierce face. He was as burly as a bear, and his face was filled with bloodlust. He looked at Shen Miao with a dark gaze. Ba Jiao said, ¡°That¡¯s the head of the Lu family, General Lu Zhengchun.¡±


    Shen Miao was shocked. Shen Xin was also a general, but he was more of a heroic kind and didn¡¯t look so ruthless and tyrannical. However, this stern-looking man had a killing aura that he couldn¡¯t hide, as if he was born to be a killer. Shen Miao had been curious about how since Madam Lu, Lu Wan¡¯er, and Consort Jing were so stupid, the Lu family could still maintain such a status in Long Ye. Now that she saw Lu Zhengchun, she understood. With such a man around, it was no wonder Emperor Yong Le could not easily make a move on the Lu family.


    Shen Miao wondered if Lu Zhengchun stayed here because he was also waiting for the outcome on Hua Luan Peak. Shen Miao thought to herself and glanced at Lu Zhengchun before turning to leave.

 Chapter 917 - 917 Going Down the Mountain (4)

    917 Going Down the Mountain (4)


    Lu Zhengchun stayed, and so did Madam Ye. Ye Maocai had also returned and was talking to Madam Ye. The Lu and Ye families were both here. If anything should happen to Emperor Yong Le here, would the Lu and Ye families take the opportunity to do something outrageous?


    Looking around, some of the officials had already crawled into the tent to rest. They treated this hunt as a fun game and were just waiting for Emperor Yong Le and Xie Jingxing to hunt the lion back as an offering for the ceremony.


    Shen Miao stopped in her tracks and looked at the sky. The starry sky was peaceful, and the summer breeze blew past her face, making her feel very comfortable.


    However, was such a night really as calm as it looked on the surface?


    !!


    Madam Ji called her, ¡°Jiaojiao, it¡¯s cold outside. Come into the tent first.¡±


    Shen Miao smiled and went in. Old Master Ji was not in the tent. The officials sat together in groups of three or five, drinking and chatting.


    Madam Ji poured a cup of tea for Shen Miao and said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, they¡¯ll be fine. As for you, if you catch a cold and Jingxing blames me for not taking good care of you, I won¡¯t be able to bear the responsibility.¡±


    Shen Miao smiled and said, ¡°He naturally won¡¯t dare to blame you.¡± After saying that, she thought of something and hesitated for a moment before asking, ¡°His Highness¡­ doesn¡¯t seem to have a good relationship with the late emperor?¡±


    Hearing this, Madam Ji was stunned. She smiled and said, ¡°Why are you suddenly asking about the late emperor?¡±


    No matter how hard Madam Ji tried to hide it, Shen Miao could still feel a trace of hatred flashing across her eyes.


    Shen Miao had always been curious about what kind of role the late emperor played in the life of Xie Jingxing and Emperor Yong Le. Since Madam Ji was sisters with the late empress, she must know something about the late emperor. Could she get some information about the late emperor from Madam Ji?


    Shen Miao stopped hesitating and said, ¡°I once heard His Highness mention something about his father, but he didn¡¯t say much. I just found it strange.¡±


    Madam Ji looked at her in surprise and said, ¡°I didn¡¯t expect him to tell you about his father.¡± Then, she smiled and said, ¡°After all, this is Jingxing¡¯s family matter. It won¡¯t be good if I tell you. Another day, when you talk to Jingxing, you can ask him more about it.¡±


    It was precisely because of Madam Ji¡¯s attitude that Shen Miao confirmed her guess. It seemed that the late emperor was not on good terms with Xie Jingxing and his brother. From the looks of it, the late emperor probably didn¡¯t treat the late empress¡¯s family well either.


    Madam Ji was deep in thought for a while before saying to Shen Miao, ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about this. Jiaojiao, sleep for a while. Don¡¯t tire yourself out.¡±


    Concerned about Xie Jingxing¡¯s safety, how could Shen Miao sleep at this moment? She said, ¡°I¡¯ll just sit here. I can¡¯t sleep anyway.¡±


    Seeing that she insisted, Madam Ji did not persuade her anymore. After chatting for a while, Madam Ji was tired. She was not as young as Shen Miao and could not stay up late. Soon, she fell asleep in the tent. Shen Miao covered her with a cloak and sat in the tent.


    Unexpectedly, she sat there for the entire night.


    The first ray of sunlight came from the horizon, and the cries of birds and beasts came from the distant forest. Yesterday, Master Ji was drinking with his colleagues on the other side. At this moment, he had already sobered up and walked towards the tent. He happened to see Shen Miao opening the tent door to go out. Shen Miao smiled at him and said, ¡°Auntie is not awake yet. She¡¯s sleeping. Uncle, keep your voice down.¡±


    Master Ji nodded and said to her, ¡°Go and eat something.¡±

 Chapter 918 - 918 Going Down the Mountain (5)

    918 Going Down the Mountain (5)


    Shen Miao nodded and walked out.


    Some of the madams had already woken up, but they still looked tired. They were all noble people who couldn¡¯t make do in the tent. The especially pampered ones had already gone back last night. The ones who stayed were either here to curry favor with Emperor Yong Le or to experience this rare leisure time.


    Hui Xiang scooped a bowl of porridge for Shen Miao. As Shen Miao drank the porridge, she asked Ba Jiao, ¡°Is there any news of His Highness?¡±


    Ba Jiao shook her head.


    Shen Miao looked into the distance. The sun had already risen from the mountain. In another two hours, the sky would be completely bright. Even if Xie Jingxing and the others spent the night on the mountain, they should be back by now.


    ¡°Did the Black Feather Army receive any signals?¡± Shen Miao asked, ¡°Didn¡¯t your master tell you what kind of signal he will send to inform you once he carried out his plan?¡±


    Ba Jiao and Hui Xiang were stunned. The two of them looked at each other and shook their heads at the same time. Hui Xiang said, ¡°Master didn¡¯t tell us about the plan this time.¡±


    Shen Miao muttered to herself, ¡°I wonder what¡¯s going on now.¡± Looking at Lu Zhengchun, who was stretching in the distance, and Ye Maocai, who was on the other side, she felt a headache coming on.


    Just as she was thinking, she saw a familiar figure walking over from the other side. Shen Miao couldn¡¯t be bothered to eat the porridge. She placed the bowl in Ba Jiao¡¯s hand and quickly went forward to catch up to him.


    That person was Ji Yushu. Shen Miao pulled Ji Yushu to a corner and asked him, ¡°Why are you back?¡±


    Ji Yushu asked, ¡°Sister-in-law, what do you mean?¡±


    Shen Miao frowned. ¡°Aren¡¯t you with Xie Jingxing?¡±


    Ji Yushu was surprised. ¡°No, only the royal family can enter the inner venue. Although I¡¯m half a royal family member, I¡¯m still not qualified.¡±


    Shen Miao was surprised. She thought that Ji Yushu came over to help Xie Jingxing. Could it be that Xie Jingxing and Emperor Yong Le were going to fight alone? She said, ¡°Tell me, what exactly does Xie Jingxing want to do this time?¡±


    Ji Yushu rubbed his nose. ¡°Sister-in-law, you¡¯re really asking the wrong person. Third Brother never brings me along when he wants to do anything big. The more dangerous it is, the more he won¡¯t let me be involved. Back then, when I was in Ming Qi, I was only responsible for eating and drinking in the Exiled Immortal Pawnshop and was not allowed to be part of anything else. Yesterday at the hunting ground, Gao Yang was with him. No matter what it was, Third Brother would only bring Gao Yang. I wanted to follow him, but Third Brother didn¡¯t allow it.¡±


    ¡°Gao Yang?¡± Shen Miao asked, ¡°Gao Yang is also an official. How can he go?¡±


    ¡°Gao Yang disguised himself as Third Brother¡¯s personal guard and went with him.¡± Ji Yushu said, ¡°He¡¯s smart and knows medicine. If anything happens, he¡¯ll be able to help.¡±


    Shen Miao panicked. Gao Yang knew medicine, so Xie Jingxing brought him along. Could it be that the situation was already so dangerous that he needed a doctor?


    Ji Yushu looked at Shen Miao and asked, ¡°Sister-in-law, did something happen to Third Brother?¡±


    Shen Miao said, ¡°No, I¡¯m just anxious because he¡¯s not back yet.¡±

 Chapter 919 - 919 Going Down the Mountain (6)

    919 Going Down the Mountain (6)


    ¡°I don¡¯t believe you.¡± Ji Yushu said firmly, ¡°Sister-in-law, you¡¯re too strange just now. Yesterday, when I went to look for Gao Yang, he was also very strange. They¡¯re like this every time something happens. Once we returned to Long Ye, they never told me anything important.¡±


    Shen Miao looked at Ji Yushu¡¯s flustered and exasperated expression and sighed in her heart. Xie Jingxing was used to keeping the people around him out of danger and taking everything upon himself. Sometimes, it was indeed better and safer to not know.


    She said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I can¡¯t answer you that, because I don¡¯t know what he wants to do either.¡±


    ¡°Only the royal family can enter the inner venue. Could it be that it¡¯s dangerous over there?¡± Ji Yushu said, ¡°Third Brother and the emperor are always strange. Sister-in-law, do you really not know?¡±


    ¡°Know what?¡± Before Shen Miao could answer, a female voice came from behind. It was Madam Ji. She looked at Ji Yushu and then at Shen Miao, her expression becoming strange. She said, ¡°What happened to Jingxing? What did you mean just now?¡±


    Madam Ji originally wanted to ask Shen Miao to go back to the city with her, but she happened to see Shen Miao taking Ji Yushu to an inconspicuous corner. Ba Jiao and Hui Xiang were busy wacthing Lu Zhengchun and Ye Maocai and didn¡¯t pay attention to Madam Ji. Madam Ji heard Shen Miao and Ji Yushu¡¯s conversation.


    Ji Yushu said, ¡°Mother, it¡¯s nothing. I was just messing around with Sister-in-law.¡±


    ¡°Do you think you can fool me?¡± Madam Ji looked at Ji Yushu and said angrily, ¡°Back then, I asked you to go to Ming Qi to find Jingxing, but you never came back. I don¡¯t know what you were doing in Ming Qi and I don¡¯t care what you did. You¡¯re the young master of the Ji family after all. Let me ask you again, what exactly do you know? Why did you say that? Are Jingxing and his brother¡­ in danger?¡±


    Ji Yushu looked at Shen Miao for help. Shen Miao quickly said, ¡°Auntie, you¡¯ve misunderstood. Yushu and I were just joking. It¡¯s just that His Highness isn¡¯t back at this time, so I was a little anxious. I asked Yushu if he knew anything. I was thinking too much. Auntie, don¡¯t blame him.¡±


    Madam Ji looked at Shen Miao again and said sternly, ¡°Jiaojiao, this is not a small matter. I¡­¡±


    As they spoke, Ba Jiao suddenly ran over. Without caring that Madam Ji was present, she said, ¡°Madam, they¡¯re back! The emperor has left the mountain!¡±


    Ji Yushu felt relieved. He quickly said to Madam Ji, ¡°See! I told you that nothing would happen to Third Brother. Mother, don¡¯t let your imagination run wild. Let¡¯s go and see the lion Third Brother and the emperor hunted!¡± With that, he ran away.


    When Shen Miao heard that Emperor Yong Le and the others had returned, she heaved a sigh of relief and smiled at Madam Ji. ¡°Let¡¯s go too.¡±


    Madam Ji wanted to say something, but when she saw Shen Miao¡¯s calm expression, she swallowed her words and sighed, then followed behind Shen Miao.


    A group of imperial guards walked out of the inner venue. The person in the lead was Emperor Yong Le. However, what was very strange was that Emperor Yong Le did not ride a horse but walked. Those with sharper eyes could see that the sword at Emperor Yong Le¡¯s waist seemed to be blood-red.


    Emperor Yong Le¡¯s expression was as usual, and no one could tell if he was happy or angry. Consort Jing immediately went up to him lovingly. She said sweetly, ¡°Your Majesty, you¡¯re finally out. I¡¯ve been waiting here for the entire night.¡±


    Emperor Yong Le only glanced at her indifferently and did not speak. Shen Miao noticed clearly that Ye Maocai¡¯s expression was normal, but Lu Zhengchun was a little gloomy.


    The guards behind Emperor Yong Le pulled the thing from the horse, immediately causing the surrounding women to cry out in surprise. It was the corpse of a huge lion. There was blood on it, and there were countless arrow holes on its back. It must have struggled hard.


    Immediately, the bootlicking officials went forward to congratulate Emperor Yong Le. ¡°Your Majesty is wise and mighty. It¡¯s the blessing of the Daliang Dynasty to have you.¡± Everyone followed suit and knelt down to praise.


    Shen Miao also knelt down. Emperor Yong Le gestured for everyone to rise.


    However, Shen Miao did not see Xie Jingxing.


    After everyone stood up, Lu Zhengchun suddenly said, ¡°Your Majesty, why is His Highness Prince Rui nowhere to be seen?¡±


    Only then did everyone realize that Prince Rui was not around.


    Emperor Yong Le stared at Lu Zhengchun with a gaze as cold as ice and said, ¡°Prince Rui is injured and has already returned to the city for treatment.¡±


    Everyone was in an uproar.

 Chapter 920 - 920 Injury (1)

    920 Injury (1)


    Shen Miao¡¯s heart tightened.


    Madam Ji stood beside Shen Miao and immediately held her hand tightly. She was probably afraid that Shen Miao would be anxious, so she persuaded her, ¡°There will inevitably be accidents on the hunting ground. He probably hurt himself. With so many guards protecting him, he should be fine.¡±


    Shen Miao did not want Madam Ji to panic, so she tried her best to hide the worry, but she did not think it was just an accident. Since Emperor Yong Le sent Xie Jingxing back to the city first, the injuries Xie Jingxing suffered must be deadly.


    She looked around. Seeing that Tie Yi and Gao Yang were also not around, she was even more anxious.


    Emperor Yong Le did not seem to want to say anything else. Even if he hunted a lion, he did not look very happy. Everyone was guessing Prince Rui¡¯s injuries, but they knew that Emperor Yong Le was unhappy this time. Everyone knew that Prince Rui and Emperor Yong Le were close. The two of them went to the inner venue together, but only Prince Rui came out injured. Emperor Yong Le would definitely not be happy. Therefore, no one dared to talk to Emperor Yong Le at this moment. Even Consort Jing lowered her arrogant attitude and served him obediently.


    Since the lion had been hunted, there was naturally no need for everyone to stay in the hunting ground. Emperor Yong Le wanted to return to the palace, and the officials also returned home. While everyone was being quiet, Lu Zhengchun asked about the sacrificial ceremony. Emperor Yong Le usually had some respect for Lu Zhengchun. Today, he snorted and left. However, not only was Lu Zhengchun not angry, but he even smirked, making his fierce face look extremely terrifying.


    Shen Miao also had to hurry back home. She was concerned about Xie Jingxing¡¯s injuries. Madam Ji and Ji Yushu also wanted to go. Shen Miao shook her head and said, ¡°We still don¡¯t know what happened. I¡¯m afraid it¡¯s not that simple. If Auntie and Yushu come with me now, people will make wild guesses. I¡¯ll go back and see what¡¯s going on first. You can come over when Jingxing is better.¡± After a pause, she continued, ¡°At this time, we can¡¯t panic.¡±


    Although Ji Yushu and Madam Ji did not understand the ins and outs of this matter, they understood what Shen Miao meant.


    Shen Miao, Mo Qing, and the others immediately rushed back. On the way, Ba Jiao and Hui Xiang comforted Shen Miao. ¡°Madam, don¡¯t worry. Master¡¯s martial arts are superb. Ordinary people can¡¯t hurt him. Perhaps this is Master¡¯s plan to confuse the enemy.¡±


    Shen Miao shook her head. ¡°I don¡¯t have a good feeling.¡± It was as if something was tugging at her heart. This feeling made her extremely uneasy. She wished she could appear in front of Xie Jingxing instantly to see what was going on with him.


    Ba Jiao and Hui Xiang looked at each other and fell silent.


    When they arrived at Prince Rui¡¯s mansion, Shen Miao got off the carriage and walked straight into the mansion. The guards at the door quickly let her in. Shen Miao stepped in and realized that the mansion was surprisingly quiet.

 Chapter 921 - 921 Injury (2)

    921 Injury (2)


    If it were any other day, Uncle Tang would have come out to welcome them, but today, there was no one.


    Shen Miao was anxious. Without a word, she walked into the courtyard and saw Uncle Tang standing at the door, pacing back and forth with a worried expression.


    Shen Miao felt like her heart was being clenched. Uncle Tang happened to see her too. Shen Miao immediately went forward and asked directly, ¡°How is he?¡±


    ¡°His Highness is seriously injured. Young Master Gao is treating him.¡± Uncle Tang sighed with a worried expression. ¡°I haven¡¯t seen His Highness like this in a long time.¡±


    Shen Miao thought for a moment before pushing the door open and walking in.


    As soon as she entered the room, she felt a strong smell of blood. Tie Yi was also inside. He was wringing a handkerchief at the side. The blood in the basin was shocking. Gao Yang was frowning tightly. When he saw Shen Miao enter, he was slightly stunned. Then, he said, ¡°You¡­ know it already, right?¡±


    Shen Miao quickly walked to the bed. Xie Jingxing¡¯s eyes were tightly shut, and his face was as pale as paper. The clothes on his upper body were pulled open, and there were layers of arrow wounds on his abdomen.


    What made Shen Miao¡¯s heart palpitate was that the blood around the wound was purple. She pointed at Xie Jingxing¡¯s wound and said in a trembling voice, ¡°This¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s poisonous,¡± Gao Yang interrupted her.


    Shen Miao felt like she had been struck by lightning.


    A moment later, she calmed down. ¡°Can you remove the poison?¡±


    Gao Yang shook his head.


    ¡°This is not made of one kind of poison, but several kinds of poison mixed together. If I want to detoxify him, I have to first distinguish what kind of poison it is. This will take time, but the poison will kill him before that¡­¡±


    ¡°Think of a way to keep him alive. In short, his life is in your hands. Nothing can go wrong!¡± Shen Miao shouted sternly.


    Gao Yang was stunned. He knew that Shen Miao was by no means gentle and kind, but this was the first time he had seen her speak so harshly, as if she was instructing her officials.


    Even Tie Yi was stunned. He had always felt that although Shen Miao was smart and scheming, she was soft-hearted. She usually had a gentle smile on her face and was less ruthless. If she became Xie Jingxing¡¯s wife, she would inevitably become his burden in the future. Now that he saw Shen Miao like this, he suddenly thought of the late empress.


    Shen Miao took a deep breath to calm herself down before asking Gao Yang, ¡°How many days will it take for you to cure him?¡±


    ¡°He can last at most seven days, and it will take me at least half a month to remove the poison.¡± For the first time, Gao Yang looked helpless and even wanted to give up. ¡°The most important thing now is that he can¡¯t last seven days at all. His old injuries have relapsed.¡±


    Shen Miao looked at Xie Jingxing. When he was lying on the bed, he looked very quiet and less troublesome. On his beautiful skin, there were countless scars left behind during the tough battles.


    She suddenly thought of something and said to Gao Yang, ¡°Wait a moment.¡± Then, she left the room and walked to the other room. Jingzhe and Gu Yu were waiting outside. That day, the two of them did not go to the hunting ground. Instead, they waited for Shen Miao in the mansion only to see Xie Jingxing returning in a bad state. They were already flustered. At this moment, they were afraid that Shen Miao would be worried sick and wanted to comfort her, but they saw Shen Miao go straight to the dressing table, take out a small box from the drawer under the dressing table, and open it.

 Chapter 922 - 922 Injury (3)

    922 Injury (3)


    There was a round thing in the box and a medicine bottle. Shen Miao grabbed the medicine bottle and rushed back to the room where Gao Yang was. She handed the medicine bottle to Gao Yang and said, ¡°There are three Guiyuan Pills here. Can these help him?¡±


    Inside the box were the gifts given to her by Luo Tan and Feng Anning when Shen Miao got married. Luo Tan gave her a compass, but Feng Anning gave her three Guiyuan Pills. Guiyuan Pills were something that could extend one¡¯s life and allow people who were about to die to live a bit longer.


    Gao Yang was delighted and said, ¡°Where did you get it?¡± He took the medicine bottle and poured out one to take a closer look. He sniffed and said, ¡°That¡¯s right, it¡¯s Guiyuan Pill. With this, he can probably last for ten days.¡±


    Shen Miao heaved a sigh of relief. Gao Yang continued, ¡°But I might not be able to make the antidote in ten days.¡±


    ¡°No matter if you can make it or not, you have to give it a try. If you can¡¯t, we¡¯ll think of another way,¡± she said coldly.


    Tie Yi and Uncle Tang looked at Shen Miao in surprise. They did not expect a woman like her to be so calm at this moment.


    In fact, Shen Miao was not as calm as she looked on the surface. However, at this moment, panicking was useless. She had to clear her mind and think about what to do next.


    Gao Yang nodded and said, ¡°I¡¯m going to perform acupuncture on him now. Coupled with the Guiyuan Pill, his life will be stable for the time being.¡±


    Shen Miao glanced at Xie Jingxing and walked out. After walking out, she said to Uncle Tang, ¡°You can leave first. I want to be alone for a while.¡±


    Uncle Tang wanted to say something but hesitated. In the end, he said, ¡°Madam, no matter what, you have to take care of yourself. We will do our best to cooperate with you.¡±


    Shen Miao nodded. Tie Yi and Uncle Tang left. After sending Jingzhe and the others away, Shen Miao stood outside the door and looked at the courtyard. At this moment, she felt unprecedentedly tired.


    After a while, she sat down on the steps in the courtyard.


    The weather in June was hot to begin with, especially so in the Daliang Dynasty. However, the ground was cold, and the wind was blowing. Shen Miao actually felt a little cold. She thought to herself, if anything really happened to Xie Jingxing, what should she do? She seemed to have to plan her future life. However, at this moment, she could not focus and analyze the future rationally, as if she was unwilling to admit that something would happen to Xie Jingxing.


    When did Xie Jingxing become so important to her? He was so important that at the thought of losing him in the future, she felt that the rest of her life was a little boring. If she had never tasted honey, she should be able to live without it. However, when she tasted it, she found herself unable to live without it.


    Someone¡¯s footsteps sounded in the courtyard. Pei Lang had entered the courtyard at some point. When he saw her sitting on the steps, he sat down too. He hesitated for a moment before saying, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, he¡¯s the prince of the Daliang Dynasty. It¡¯s not that easy for him to die.¡±


    Shen Miao was silent and looked dejected. For some reason, Pei Lang felt bitter. He had never seen Shen Miao like this. In front of him, Shen Miao was always confident and overbearing. When Pei Lang was locked up in the dungeon of Prince Ding¡¯s mansion, he had also wondered if Shen Miao would feel guilty and worried about his life, and what Shen Miao looked like when she was worried. Now, he finally saw it. She was not aggressive and pushy, no different from an ordinary girl.

 Chapter 923 - 923 Injury (4)

    923 Injury (4)


    He felt that although he was sitting very close to Shen Miao, they were thousands of miles apart.


    Pei Lang said, ¡°Why don¡¯t you go back to take a rest? You look tired.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Shen Miao looked up. ¡°You¡¯re not fully recovered yet. Don¡¯t worry about me. Go back and rest.¡±


    Pei Lang was silent for a moment before saying, ¡°I¡¯ll keep you company for a while.¡±


    Shen Miao couldn¡¯t be bothered to persuade him. At this moment, her mind was not on Pei Lang at all. She was focused on Xie Jingxing¡¯s injuries in the room.


    Gao Yang was busy for the entire night.


    Shen Miao sat there for the entire night.


    Speaking of which, Shen Miao had not slept for two days but was in high spirits.


    When the rooster crowed at daybreak, Gao Yang opened the door and walked out. When he saw Shen Miao and Pei Lang sitting on the steps in front of the door, he couldn¡¯t help but be slightly stunned and say, ¡°You¡­ sat there for the entire night?¡±


    As Shen Miao rubbed her numb knees, she asked Gao Yang, ¡°How is he?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s out of danger for the time being. The effect of the Guiyuan Pill is not bad. Next, I¡¯m going to make the antidote in the room. Don¡¯t let anyone disturb me.¡± He looked at Shen Miao. ¡°I¡¯ll leave him in your care for the next few days.¡±


    ¡°Go,¡± Shen Miao said flatly. Her voice was very calm, as if the life and death of the person on the bed didn¡¯t concern her.


    Gao Yang looked at her seriously. ¡°I also hope I can make it. If I can¡¯t, I will live with guilt for the rest of my life.¡±


    With that, he turned around and left.


    Uncle Tang looked at Shen Miao, then at Pei Lang and said, ¡°Madam, Young Master Pei, you stayed up all night and didn¡¯t eat anything. Now that Master¡¯s condition has stabilized, you can eat something and rest first. Don¡¯t fall sick from exhaustion.¡±


    Shen Miao nodded and said, ¡°Bring it to the room. I¡¯ll rest in the room for a while. Also, send someone to send a message to Madam Ji to say that His Highness¡¯s condition has stabilized for the time being, but he hasn¡¯t woken up yet. Don¡¯t let them come over for now.¡±


    Uncle Tang nodded. Pei Lang looked at Shen Miao and saw that she had already walked to the chair in the room and sat down. His eyes darkened as he turned around and left.


    Gu Yu quickly brought a bowl of porridge over. Shen Miao asked her to go out and close the door. Only Shen Miao, the unconscious Xie Jingxing, and Tie Yi were left in the room. As she ate, she asked Tie Yi, ¡°What exactly happened? Can you tell me now?¡±


    Tie Yi hesitated.


    Shen Miao stopped what she was doing and stared at him. She said sternly, ¡°That day, you followed him into the inner venue. No one knows better than you what happened.¡±


    Tie Yi quickly said, ¡°No, Madam, it¡¯s just that I¡¯m not very clear about Master¡¯s plan this time because the person he discussed the plan with was the emperor. He didn¡¯t use anyone from the Black Feather Army. However, something seemed to have happened midway. Someone sneaked into the imperial guards and attacked the emperor. In order to block the knife for the emperor, Master was seriously injured. The knife was poisoned. Clearly, someone wanted the emperor¡¯s life¡­¡±


    In an instant, Shen Miao was enlightened, feeling like all the dots were connected. Shen Miao had a vague answer to the questions that puzzled her previously. This hunt was actually a game between Emperor Yong Le and the Lu family. Emperor Yong Le wanted to use his life to take down the entire Lu family. The Lu family wanted to take this opportunity to deal with Emperor Yong Le, but they did not know that Emperor Yong Le had made up his mind to die.

 Chapter 924 - 924 Injury (5)

    924 Injury (5)


    However, Emperor Yong Le did not tell Xie Jingxing that he wanted to die with the Lu family. Or rather, Emperor Yong Le knew that Xie Jingxing would not agree, which was why Xie Jingxing said that the plan had suddenly changed. In order to save Emperor Yong Le¡¯s life, Xie Jingxing was seriously injured.


    Shen Miao looked at the young man lying on the bed in silence. He was usually arrogant and mischievous, and he was good at playing the power game. Because he was so capable, people tended to forget that he was actually just an ordinary person. Once he was injured, he might die.


    Shen Miao¡¯s heart suddenly ached. She recalled Xie Jingxing telling her to wait for him to come back before he entered the inner venue. Looking at the scene in front of her, she felt extremely ironic.


    Then, the effect of the Guiyuan Pill would not last long. What if Gao Yang could not find the antidote within ten days? Shen Miao frowned and looked at Xie Jingxing, her nails gradually digging into her palm.


    ¡­


    In Weiyang Palace, Emperor Yong Le slammed the letter in his hand on the ground.


    Empress Xiande sighed and bent down to pick up the letter.


    ¡°How dare the Lu family.¡± The emperor¡¯s expression was solemn. ¡°At this point, they are still flaunting their power in front of me. I want them all dead!¡±


    ¡°The Lu family is getting bolder and bolder. If not for Jingxing risking his life to protect you¡­¡± Empress Xiande stopped mid-sentence.


    Hearing this, a trace of pain flashed across Emperor Yong Le¡¯s eyes. He said, ¡°I wish I was dead.¡±


    ¡°Your Majesty, you know very well that Jingxing cares about you. You know that he won¡¯t agree to your plan, so you didn¡¯t tell him, right? In other words, even if everything went according to your plan, Jingxing would not be happy. To him, it¡¯s a pain that he will not be able to get out of. You haven¡¯t considered his feelings at all.¡±


    Emperor Yong Le was already unhappy, so when he heard this, he was almost furious.


    ¡°Your Majesty, don¡¯t be angry. Jingxing is not awake yet. The most important thing now is to not complain,¡± Empress Xiande reminded him.


    Emperor Yong Le closed his eyes and said, ¡°I know. I only have this one brother.¡±


    ¡°Gao Yang is taking care of Jingxing. Your Majesty, what¡¯s more important now is that the Lu family has already started to take action.¡±


    ¡°I know.¡± The corners of Emperor Yong Le¡¯s lips curled up slightly. At this moment, he looked almost identical to the usual Xie Jingxing. He was smiling, but it made people feel that he was cold and dangerous. He said, ¡°He wants to deal with me. Since I¡¯m not dead, it¡¯s my turn to deal with him. Military power? Everyone has it. The Lu family has lived long enough. This time, if anything happens to Jingxing, I want the entire Lu family to die with him!¡± He paused and said word by word, ¡°If Jingxing recovers, they won¡¯t have a good ending either.¡±


    Empress Xiande nodded slightly and looked at the sky outside. Just now, the sun was hanging high outside the palace, but now, it was already blocked by thick dark clouds.


    ¡­


    In the Gao mansion, as soon as Gao Yang returned, he heard an aggressive voice. ¡°Gao Yang, you¡¯re clearly from the Daliang Dynasty, but you lied to me that you¡¯re from Ming Qi. You¡¯re not an imperial physician. You¡¯re clearly the minister of the Daliang Dynasty. You liar!¡±

 Chapter 925 - 925 Injury (6)

    925 Injury (6)


    Luo Tan stood at the door angrily. She looked a little haggard, and there were dark circles under her eyes. At this moment, she looked at Gao Yang as if she would not give up unless she got an explanation from him.


    Gao Yang was coming back to refine medicine. The alchemy room was in his mansion, and there were many herbs. The Gao mansion and Prince Rui¡¯s mansion were not far away, so he came back to refine medicine. Unexpectedly, as soon as he returned, he was questioned by Luo Tan.


    The maid beside Luo Tan looked at Gao Yang apologetically. On the morning of the royal hunt, she asked Luo Tan to stay away from it according to Gao Yang¡¯s instructions. Unexpectedly, Luo Tan snuck out and happened to see Gao Yang walking among the officials.


    To Luo Tan, this was a little unacceptable. If Gao Yang was just a doctor, it did not matter if he was in the Daliang Dynasty or Ming Qi. However, he was clearly the minister of defense of the Daliang Dynasty, but he became an imperial physician in Ming Qi. In Luo Tan¡¯s eyes, he was no different from a spy from an enemy country.


    Luo Tan originally had a good impression of Gao Yang. Although he had some shortcomings, he usually took good care of her. Now that the person taking care of her had become a bad person, Luo Tan found it very unacceptable.


    At this moment, Gao Yang was overwrought about Xie Jingxing¡¯s injury. If it were in the past, he would definitely explain to Luo Tan nicely, but now, he was really running out of time. He thought that Shen Miao must be feeling terrible now. She was alone in a foreign country, and her husband¡¯s life was on the line. Perhaps it would be good to have a sister by her side. He said to the servant beside him, ¡°Tell her. I¡¯ll go in first. No one is allowed to enter.¡± Then, he walked to the alchemy room.


    Luo Tan originally thought that Gao Yang would explain his difficulties. After all, she still did not believe that Gao Yang would do such a despicable thing. She did not expect Gao Yang to ignore her. She said, ¡°Hey, what do you mean? Explain it to me. What exactly¡­¡±


    ¡°Miss Luo.¡± The servant beside Gao Yang quickly stopped her and said, ¡°Actually, the situation is complicated now. Something happened to Prince Rui and he needs Young Master to treat him.¡±


    Luo Tan was stunned. ¡°Prince Rui? Isn¡¯t that my brother-in-law? What happened to him?¡±


    The servant wiped his sweat. ¡°It¡¯s a long story¡­¡±


    On the other side, Shen Miao lay in front of Xie Jingxing¡¯s bed. She suddenly blinked and sat up.


    After taking a short nap, she felt much better. She turned to look at the man on the bed. His eyes were still closed, as if he was asleep. Seeing that he was not in danger now, Shen Miao was relieved. However, her heart was in a mess.


    Shen Miao felt that ever since she was reborn, her life had been stable. Because she had the experience of her previous life, she hardly made any mistakes. It was rare for her to be forced to a dead end. However, this was indeed the first time in this life that she had felt the feeling of being powerless.


    Firstly, she did not know medicine, and secondly, she knew nothing about detoxification. All she could do was take out three Guiyuan Pills. Shen Miao was usually in control of everything and was now not used to placing all her hopes on Gao Yang. She slowly reached out and held Xie Jingxing¡¯s hand, as if this would make her feel at ease.


    Uncle Tang came over to deliver some tea and snacks to Shen Miao. Shen Miao did not rest well and looked haggard. Uncle Tang said, ¡°Madam, eat something. It¡¯s very tiring to take care of Master like this.¡±


    Shen Miao thanked him and suddenly thought of something. She hesitated for a moment and asked, ¡°Uncle Tang, when His Highness first arrived in Long Ye two years ago, was he also like this?¡±


    There was another reason why Xie Jingxing returned to Long Ye two years ago. On the battlefield in the northern border, there were people planted by Emperor Wen Hui in the Xie army. Those people wanted to take his life. Xie Jingxing escaped death, but he did not escape serious injuries. It also seemed to be a life and death situation. At that time, it was fortunate that Gao Yang was around. Otherwise, there would not be Prince Rui.


    Uncle Tang was stunned. He glanced at Xie Jingxing on the bed and said with a reminiscent tone, ¡°Indeed, two years ago, Master was also sent back to Long Ye like this. Back then, Young Master Gao also said that there was nothing he could do. In the end, Master survived. It¡¯s really a miracle.¡±

 Chapter 926 - 926 Expert (1)

    926 Expert (1)


    Shen Miao lowered her eyes. ¡°It seems like many people in Long Ye want him dead.¡±


    Uncle Tang looked at Shen Miao in surprise. He hesitated for a moment before sighing. ¡°It¡¯s not that easy to rule the Daliang Dynasty. Back then¡­¡± He suddenly stopped and said,¡± In short, Madam, you have to take care of yourself.¡± As he spoke, he was about to leave.


    Just as Uncle Tang was about to leave, Shen Miao stopped him and asked, ¡°Uncle Tang, the late emperor doesn¡¯t seem to have a good relationship with His Highness and His Majesty. Do you know about this?¡±


    Uncle Tang staggered and turned around, saying, ¡°Madam, I was once a servant of the late empress before she got married. However, if Madam wants to know these things, you have to wait for His Highness to tell you personally. I¡¯m sorry, but I can¡¯t tell you.¡± He bowed and left the room.


    Shen Miao pressed her forehead. The Daliang Dynasty¡¯s royal family was by no means simpler than the royal family of Ming Qi. What secrets could Xie Jingxing have? What was going on between the late emperor and Emperor Yong Le? Xie Jingxing did not tell her about this, and she did not know anything. At this moment, Shen Miao didn¡¯t know what to know.


    Just as she was thinking, she saw Gu Yu rush in. Her eyes were wide open and she looked a little helpless. ¡°Madam¡­ Madam¡­¡±


    Shen Miao frowned. At this moment, she had to keep the situation under control. She asked, ¡°What happened? Why are you so flustered?¡±


    Before she could finish her sentence, she heard a familiar voice from outside. ¡°Little Cousin!¡±


    Shen Miao was stunned. She saw a familiar figure suddenly appear behind Gu Yu. Who else could it be but Luo Tan? Luo Tan looked a little anxious. When she saw Shen Miao, she walked in quickly and looked at Xie Jingxing, who was still unconscious on the bed. She muttered, ¡°He really didn¡¯t lie to me¡­¡±


    Shen Miao jumped up and asked, ¡°Why are you here?¡±


    She had always been gentle towards Luo Tan like an elder to a junior. Now that she had a cold expression, Luo Tan was shocked. She couldn¡¯t help but shrink her neck and say in a low voice, ¡°It¡¯s a long story¡­¡±


    After Luo Tan told Shen Miao how she got here, Shen Miao couldn¡¯t help but gasp and exclaim. ¡°How ridiculous! The Daliang Dynasty and Ming Qi are very far apart. You¡¯re staying alone in someone else¡¯s mansion. If anything happens, what are your parents supposed to do? What are my parents supposed to do?¡±


    Luo Tan knew that she was in the wrong. ¡°I know I was wrong. I just wanted to follow you.¡± Then, she said in a softer voice, ¡°I didn¡¯t expect Gao Yang to be from Long Ye. He lied to me that he had a mansion in Long Ye because he once traveled here¡­¡±


    Shen Miao did not know what to say. It had already happened, so it was useless to blame anyone. Moreover, Luo Tan was safe and didn¡¯t cause any trouble. Although Gao Yang was not as simple as he looked on the surface, he would probably not do anything rude to Luo Tan. Although Shen Miao did not know why Gao Yang did this, from the looks of it, Gao Yang should have taken good care of her.

 Chapter 927 - 927 Expert (2)

    927 Expert (2)


    Luo Tan was afraid that Shen Miao would send her back now, so she immediately changed the topic and said, ¡°Gao Yang went to the alchemy room to refine medicine to detoxify Brother-in-law. I thought he was just spouting nonsense. Now that I see Brother-in-law, I know it¡¯s true.¡± She looked at Shen Miao. ¡°Cousin, is Brother-in-law really seriously injured?¡±


    Shen Miao did not want to hide it from her, so she nodded and said, ¡°The Guiyuan Pills can only keep him alive for ten days at most. If Gao Yang still can¡¯t make the antidote after ten days, he will be in danger.¡±


    Luo Tan was terrified. ¡°Is there no other way?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m thinking about it.¡± Shen Miao lowered her eyes. ¡°The news has already spread to the emperor. The emperor is secretly recruiting doctors, but¡­ while the grass grows the horse starves, it¡¯s not enough.¡±


    Luo Tan was silent for a moment before reaching out to hold Shen Miao¡¯s hand and saying firmly, ¡°Brother-in-law is such a hero. He will definitely be fine. The two of you will be together forever. I¡¯m still waiting for you to give birth to a little nephew for me. Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll stay with you these days.¡±


    Shen Miao sat by Xie Jingxing¡¯s bed all day and fed him water from time to time. When she had nothing to do, she would read books at the side, but the books she was reading were all about the political situation and the history of the Daliang Dynasty.


    She had to get to know the Daliang Dynasty as soon as possible so that she could come up with a countermeasure in the future. She really did not like being in a passive situation.


    Luo Tan was also by Shen Miao¡¯s side. Apart from going back to her room to sleep at night, she sat in the room with Shen Miao. It was rare for her to be so patient.


    Three days passed quickly. For the past three days, Xie Jingxing had not opened his eyes once. Apart from Gao Yang who was in seclusion refining medicine in the alchemy room, Emperor Wen Hui also sent an old imperial physician with the best medical skills to take care of Xie Jingxing. WIth the old imperial physician around, Xie Jingxing¡¯s condition was stabilized for the time being.


    Everyone placed their hopes on Gao Yang. They only hoped that Gao Yang could make the antidote within ten days.


    Unexpectedly, on the fourth day, Xie Jingxing¡¯s condition suddenly worsened.


    First, his pulse became extremely unstable, and his breathing was very rapid. His face was so pale that it was terrifying. The wound actually began to fester, looking very scary.


    The old imperial physician came to take a look and shook his head with a sigh. He said that the poison had begun to spread. Without the three Guiyuan Pills, Xie Jingxing would probably be dead by now.


    However, even if he was lucky enough to survive for ten days, it was hard to say if Gao Yang could come up with the antidote.


    Xie Jingxing¡¯s sudden deterioration made everyone feel uneasy, especially Shen Miao. Previously, although Xie Jingxing was unconscious, his life was at least stable. Now, Shen Miao could no longer lie to herself. She was forced to accept the fact that Xie Jingxing might never wake up again.


    Although the old imperial physician¡¯s medical skills were brilliant, he was not as brilliant as Gao Yang. Even Gao Yang was helpless, so naturally there was nothing he could do. After shaking his head repeatedly, he returned to the palace to report.


    Uncle Tang hesitated for a long time before asking Shen Miao, ¡°Madam, should we also inform Madam Ji¡­¡± Uncle Tang said every word with difficulty and dejection, as if it contained huge sadness.

 Chapter 928 - 928 Expert (3)

    928 Expert (3)


    After Xie Jingxing returned from the hunting ground, Shen Miao forbade anyone to inform the Ji family because she did not want Madam Ji to worry and wanted to avoid alerting the enemy. However, what Uncle Tang meant now was that if Xie Jingxing really could not make it, Madam Ji would have to come to see him¡­


    ¡°No need.¡± Shen Miao interrupted him firmly. ¡°Not for the time being.¡±


    Uncle Tang was stunned, and Tie Yi was also a little surprised. Pei Lang, who had been silent all this while, said, ¡°No matter what, you should think about yourself.¡±


    What should she think about? Should she think about her future? Although Shen Miao knew that Pei Lang was right, after the initial grief was over and done with, the most important thing was the future. Now, she had to think about the future. For some reason, Shen Miao felt angry. Thinking of how after Wanyu got married in her previous life, Pei Lang also said to her so casually, ¡°Her Highness is already married. Your Majesty, you should think about yourself.¡±


    !!


    She glanced at Pei Lang coldly. Pei Lang was stunned by her gaze, his heart couldn¡¯t help but tighten.


    Luo Tan couldn¡¯t sit still anymore. She returned to the Gao mansion to look for Gao Yang, but she was told that when Gao Yang was refining medicine, he was not to be disturbed. No one was allowed to enter.


    Luo Tan was furious. ¡°Do you want me to watch my brother-in-law slowly die just like that? My poor little cousin has lost so much weight in just a few days. She¡¯s looking haggard. If something really happens to him, how is my little cousin supposed to live?¡±


    She thought that although Shen Miao was usually calm and collected, she was still a girl in her teens. As soon as she was married, her husband was in a critical situation. If something really happened, how could she take the blow?


    The servants of the Gao mansion looked at each other, not daring to speak. This Miss Luo had a powerful background. She was the cousin of Princess Consort Rui and was hot-tempered. Even their Young Master usually had to give in to Luo Tan, let alone servants like them.


    Now that Gao Yang could not come out from refining medicine in the alchemy room, the servants were in trouble and had to be doormat for Miss Luo.


    ¡°He claims to be the best doctor and treated countless patients, but he can¡¯t even remove a poison. What will happen if he can produce an antidote within ten days?¡± Luo Tan¡¯s eyes turned red, and her voice was choked. She seemed to feel very embarrassed to cry in front of so many people. She turned around and ran into the room. She suddenly closed the door and fell on the bed, crying silently.


    Luo Tan felt that she was really useless. She felt too ashamed to face Shen Miao and herself, so she locked herself in the room for a day. She did not even eat, as if doing this would make her feel better, because no matter how sad she was, her sadness was nothing compared to what Shen Miao was experiencing.


    In the end, Luo Tan¡¯s hunger strike frightened everyone in the Gao mansion. The servants had been working for Gao Yang since they were young. Gao Yang had always been gentle to women, but he had never brought anyone back. The servants were not stupid. The reason why they treated Luo Tan with so much respect was because they already regarded her as their future madam.


    This future madam was unhappy and refused to eat. If Young Master Gao came out a few days later and saw Luo Tan losing weight, his heart would definitely ache. If his heart ached and he was angry, the servants would be the ones to suffer.

 Chapter 929 - 929 Expert (4)

    929 Expert (4)


    The servants thought that they had to find someone to go in and comfort Miss Luo. In the end, they unanimously agreed to let a little girl called Ben Yue to do the job.


    Ben Yue was the daughter of a poor family that Gao Yang saved from a bully back then. If not for Gao Yang¡¯s help, Ben Yue would have been sold to a brothel. After entering the Gao mansion, she became a maid. Ben Yue was very smart and had a glib tongue.


    Everyone called Shen Yue over and asked her to quickly persuade Luo Tan to eat something.


    Luo Tan was sitting in the room and crying silently when she saw someone push the door open and enter. A little girl entered with a food basket in her hand. As she placed the food basket on the table, she opened it and brought out some dishes.


    !!


    The food was fragrant, but how could Luo Tan have an appetite to eat it now? She said, ¡°Go out. I don¡¯t want to eat.¡±


    ¡°Miss, don¡¯t torture yourself. Your health is the most important thing. If you don¡¯t eat, you¡¯ll fall sick easily. If you fall sick, Princess Consort Rui will feel terrible,¡± Ben Yue said.


    Luo Tan shook her head. ¡°I can¡¯t eat.¡±


    ¡°Miss, why do you have to be so hard on yourself? Although His Highness Prince Rui is in danger, we all believe that he will be fine in the end. It¡¯s said that after surviving a calamity, one will be blessed. I think he will be blessed in the future.¡± Ben Yue continued to comfort her.


    Luo Tan smiled bitterly. ¡°Everyone knows how to say good words, but good words can cure the sick. If good words can, what¡¯s the point of having a doctor in the world? No matter how nice your words are now, it¡¯s useless.¡±


    Ben Yue said, ¡°Miss, it¡¯s better to say something positive than negative. It¡¯s not a bad thing to hope that Prince Rui will get better.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± Luo Tan said, ¡°It¡¯s just that the situation is critical now. I can¡¯t relax. Don¡¯t try to persuade me, because it won¡¯t enter my ears. Even if I force myself to listen, in my heart,¡± she pointed at her chest, ¡°I can¡¯t do it.¡±


    Ben Yue thought for a moment. This was the first time she was at her wits¡¯ end. She racked her brains for a long time and seemed to have thought of something to comfort Luo Tan. She said, ¡°Actually, His Highness might not be in so much danger. It¡¯s not even ten days yet. I have a little brother who fell sick when he was only three years old. Everyone said that he would not live for more than three days. At that time, Young Master Gao checked him and said that he would definitely die in three days. Unexpectedly, I was lucky enough to meet an expert. He said that he had a way to change my brother¡¯s fate, so I brought my brother to look for that expert. Three days later, guess what?¡±


    Ben Yue recounted the story like a seasoned storyteller. Luo Tan could not help but be attracted by the story and continued to ask, ¡°What happened after that?¡±


    Ben Yue clapped her hands. ¡°My brother is alive! Not only is he alive, but he¡¯s even healthier than before.¡±


    Luo Tan was stunned and asked, ¡°How did this happen?¡±

 Chapter 930 - 930 Expert (5)

    930 Expert (5)


    Ben Yue said, ¡°We all felt very strange. Even Young Master Gao can¡¯t explain it.¡±


    ¡°Where is your brother now?¡± Luo Tan asked.


    ¡°My brother moved out of Long Le with my parents. I don¡¯t know where they went exactly.¡± Ben Yue said, ¡°Speaking of which, back then, I wrote down the place where that expert lived. I even gave it to Young Master Gao. Young Master Gao brought people to take a look, but he realized that there was no one. He thought that that expert had probably moved away, so he left. In the end, he didn¡¯t even get to see that expert.¡±


    Luo Tan pondered for a moment and suddenly asked, ¡°Do you still have that expert¡¯s place?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I do.¡± Ben Yue nodded. ¡°Almost everyone in this mansion knows where that expert lives. Back then, there were too many people who were curious. Everyone wanted to find that expert to change their fate. However, in the end, they all came back empty-handed.¡±


    Luo Tan asked, ¡°Then get it for me.¡±


    ¡°What do you want his place for?¡± Ben Yue suddenly thought of something and cried out, ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you want to go to look for that expert? It¡¯s been many years. I don¡¯t even know if that expert is still alive. Moreover, Young Master Gao couldn¡¯t find him back then. You¡­¡± She said, ¡°It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t want you to find that expert.¡± Ben Yue was filled with regret. She told Luo Tan about this to make Luo Tan feel better. Her brother was predicted to die in less than three days but eventually, he survived, let alone Prince Rui. Unexpectedly, Luo Tan actually wanted to find that expert. If the expert was really that easy to find, wouldn¡¯t everyone be able to find him? Why would Gao Yang have to refine medicine himself?


    Luo Tan shook her head. ¡°Just give it to me. I don¡¯t have to look for that expert. I just feel very uncomfortable sitting here and doing nothing. Whether I can find that expert or not, at least I¡¯ve done my best for my brother-in-law and little cousin. I will feel much better if I¡¯m not useless.¡±


    At this point, Ben Yue had no reason to refuse. She quickly went out and returned. She handed Luo Tan a map that was embroidered on a handkerchief and said with a blush, ¡°I¡¯m not good at painting and can¡¯t read. My embroidery is alright, so I embroidered the map according to my memory. Miss, see if you can read the map.¡±


    Ever since Luo Tan arrived in Long Ye, she had been wandering outside every day. The more remote the place was, the more interested she was in it. She had only been in Long Ye for a short time, but she was very familiar with the roads. As soon as she saw it, she jumped up and said, ¡°Isn¡¯t this Phoenix Head Village south of the west city?¡±


    Ben Yue was stunned. ¡°Miss, you know this place too?¡± She continued, ¡°Back then, after crossing Phoenix Head Village, I found the expert in a house at the bottom of the mountain as I kept walking south. However, when Young Master brought people there, what they saw in the south of the Phoenix Head Village was a cliff.¡±


    Luo Tan stared at the map and said, ¡± Phoenix Head Village is not far from here. I can get there in a day.¡±


    Ben Yue said, ¡°Miss, you can¡¯t¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going to look for my little cousin.¡± Luo Tan said, ¡°Stay here.¡±


    Ben Yue was a little worried that Luo Tan would really go to look for that expert who might have already died. However, Princess Consort Rui was not as impulsive as Luo Tan. She would definitely not fool around with Luo Tan.

 Chapter 931 - 931 Expert (6)

    931 Expert (6)


    In Prince Rui¡¯s mansion, Shen Miao looked at the unconscious Xie Jingxing and frowned.


    Xie Jingxing¡¯s condition was getting worse and worse. There were only six days left. Apart from praying that Gao Yang could produce the antidote, was there really no other way?


    Just as she was thinking, Luo Tan ran in from outside. As soon as she entered, she asked Shen Miao straight away, ¡°Cousin, do you still have the compass I gave you on your wedding day? If you do, can I borrow it?¡±


    Shen Miao looked at her suspiciously. ¡°Why do you want that?¡±


    Luo Tan avoided her gaze and said, ¡°I just feel bored and wanted to play with it.¡±


    At this time, no matter how reckless Luo Tan was, she would not be in the mood to play. Shen Miao said, ¡°You don¡¯t have to lie to me. Tell me, what exactly do you want it for?¡± After a pause, she continued, ¡°If you don¡¯t tell me the truth, you don¡¯t have to think about getting it.¡±


    Luo Tan was angry and anxious. She gritted her teeth and made up her mind to tell Shen Miao everything.


    After explaining, Luo Tan looked at Shen Miao and said, ¡°I want to find that expert. Since he can change the fate of someone, he might be able to change Brother-in-law¡¯s fate too. Now, there¡¯s no other way. It¡¯s better to find someone than no one.¡±


    Shen Miao thought for a moment and shook her head. ¡°Gao Yang has already been there once. As a doctor, he must have wanted to figure out what was going on more than you back then. Since Gao Yang can¡¯t find that place, how can you?¡±


    Luo Tan said, ¡°Cousin Miao, if I¡¯m not confident, I won¡¯t have come to waste your time at this juncture. I once heard from Grandpa that when he was young, he saw a kind of strange formation. Outside the formation, every grass and tree look normal, but once you enter, you will subconsciously be led astray and never be able to find yourself out. In the early years, people thought that this was a demonic technique.¡±


    Shen Miao frowned. ¡°Strange formation?¡±


    Luo Tan nodded. ¡°Grandpa said that he saw it once when he was young. Later, this formation gradually disappeared. I think since that expert has the ability to change people¡¯s fate, he might know this strange formation.¡±


    ¡°Do you want to say that the reason Gao Yang couldn¡¯t find the house that the expert lived in was because the expert set up the formation to confuse him?¡± Shen Miao asked.


    Luo Tan was a little discouraged by Shen Miao¡¯s questioning tone and said, ¡°In the end, you just don¡¯t believe me. You don¡¯t believe that anyone else can save Brother-in-law, right?¡±


    ¡°I believe you,¡± Shen Miao said.


    Luo Tan was stunned.


    Shen Miao asked her, ¡°Human eyes can be affected by the illusion created by the formation, but the compass won¡¯t. It will continue to point south.¡±


    Luo Tan said, ¡°Exactly! I just thought of it. With the compass, we won¡¯t be led astray in the formation. However,¡± She looked at Shen Miao and asked in disbelief, ¡°Cousin Miao, are you really willing to believe me and let me go find that expert?¡±


    ¡°I believe in you.¡± Shen Miao said, ¡°We can¡¯t sit back and do nothing. It¡¯s better to do something than nothing. No matter what the outcome is, we have to give it a try.¡± She said, ¡°I¡¯ll go with you.¡±


    Luo Tan opened her mouth in shock. ¡°Go with me?¡±


    ¡°If there¡¯s really an expert in the world, there must be a reason why that expert hid his whereabouts. How can you convince him alone? Since it is my husband who needs help, I naturally have to do the talking myself.¡±


    Luo Tan felt as if this was the first time she had met Shen Miao. All along, Shen Miao had been rational, calm, and took an analytical approach to everything. She thought that she would never see Shen Miao taking a risk and believing in the impossible, but this time, Shen Miao did it.


    Was it because of Prince Rui?


    Shen Miao stood up. A moment later, her expression changed, and she was as firm as if this had been her plan from the beginning. She said, ¡°Let¡¯s go get the compass.¡± She then called Mo Qing and Cong Yang over and said, ¡°You two, go with me to Phoenix Head Village. Tie Yi, take good care of Xie Jingxing and wait for me to come back. If the emperor blames you, I¡¯ll bear the responsibility.¡±


    With that, she took her cloak and left. ¡°Prepare the carriage!¡±


    Her tone carried great authority and dignity, making people subconsciously want to submit to her.

 Chapter 932 - 932 Astonishing (1)

    932 Astonishing (1)


    Tie Yi and the others did not expect Shen Miao to come up with such a plan at this juncture. Although Phoenix Head Village was not far from Long Ye, it would still take two days for them to get there and back. Apart from Ben Yue, no one else had seen that legendary expert. They did not know if it was true or not. Shen Miao was too irrational and naive to go find someone as elusive as that.


    However, Shen Miao seemed to have made up her mind. She instructed Uncle Tang something before getting ready to go out.


    After disguising herself, she brought Ba Jiao, Hui Xiang, Mo Qing, Cong Yang, and Luo Tan along.


    Because she was wearing a bamboo hat and ordinary clothes, no one recognized her. Although Tie Yi was a little worried, when Shen Miao was strict, even Shen Qiu did not dare to stop her, let alone these servants.


    Looking at Shen Miao¡¯s departing figure, Uncle Tang asked, ¡°Can¡­ Madam really find that expert?¡±


    Tie Yi shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s better to try than not anyway. At least it shows she¡¯s really concerned about Master.¡± He turned around and instructed the others, ¡°Keep it a secret. If word gets out, you¡¯ll have to bear the consequences!¡±


    In the carriage, Luo Tan looked at Shen Miao and said, ¡°Little Cousin, why don¡¯t you sleep for a while? You haven¡¯t rested well for the past few days.¡±


    At this moment, the carriage was wobbling along the road. Although she was not in the mood to rest, what Luo Tan said made sense. If she did not rest well, she might mess it up. She closed her eyes in a daze and fell asleep.


    She slept especially soundly. Shen Miao set off at noon. After being shaken awake, she opened her eyes in a daze and saw Luo Tan looking at her and saying, ¡°Cousin, wake up. We¡¯re here.¡±


    Shen Miao got out of the carriage with Luo Tan. The carriage stopped in a remote forest. The branches grew wildly, almost covering the sky. In June, even in the evening, there was still sunlight, but here, it was gloomy and dark.


    Mo Qing and Cong Yang frowned. Cong Yang said, ¡°What kind of place is this? There¡¯s no one here.¡±


    ¡°I heard that this used to be an embroidery village. The embroiderers here were best at embroidering phoenix. However, later on, the business gradually declined, and this village was abandoned,¡± Ba Jiao immediately explained.


    Luo Tan looked up and down and opened the handkerchief embroidered with a map in her hand. She said, ¡°According to the map, there should be a small path here, but there is nothing.¡±


    Everyone leaned over to take a look at the map and saw that there was indeed a path leading to a field where the house was located.


    However, there was not even a trace of a path here, let alone the field and house.


    ¡°Why isn¡¯t there anyone around? It¡¯s as if no one has been here for a long time.¡± Luo Tan said, ¡°Could it be that the overgrown weeds have covered the path, so we can¡¯t see it?¡±


    Mo Qing and Cong Yang looked around and shook their heads. ¡°I don¡¯t think so.¡±


    Ba Jiao and Hui Xiang also looked around. Hui Xiang said, ¡°This forest is too big. After the sun sets, it¡¯s easy to get lost in the forest. There might be wild beasts lurking around. We¡¯re not familiar with the forest. Madam, do you think we should¡­¡±

 Chapter 933 - 933 Astonishing (2)

    933 Astonishing (2)


    As subordinates, the most important thing was to protect Shen Miao. The black feather army was good at close combat, but they were not good at exploring this unfamiliar dark forest in the middle of the night. In fact, Hui Xiang and the others did not care much about the expert. In their opinion, Luo Tan was just being naive. However, the fact that Shen Miao believed Luo Tan made everyone feel a little strange.


    Only Mo Qing followed Shen Miao¡¯s orders unconditionally. Hui Xiang and the others did not know Shen Miao well. Mo Qing had been with Shen Miao since the beginning. Back then, when Shen Miao was in Ming Qi, the situation she was in was even more dangerous. However, she still managed to come out unscathed. Every decision Shen Miao made had a special effect in the future. Mo Qing never doubted this.


    Shen Miao looked at the map and asked Luo Tan, ¡°Did Ben Yue say that once we enter Phoenix Head Village, as long as we continue to walk south, we¡¯ll see the house, right?¡±


    Luo Tan said, ¡°Yes, but she also said that there¡¯s a small path to the south on the map. The small path will take us to where we want, but there¡¯s no small path here.¡±


    !!


    ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± Shen Miao said.


    Everyone was puzzled. Cong Yang asked, ¡°Madam, where are we going?¡±


    Shen Miao gestured for Luo Tan to take out the compass and said, ¡°South.¡±


    ¡°But there¡¯s no path here.¡± Hui Xiang was extremely surprised. ¡°If we get lost, won¡¯t we be trapped here?¡±


    Shen Miao glanced at Hui Xiang and said, ¡°There are only so many directions here. Since Ben Yue said that we have to go south, we have to go in that direction. No matter where the path is, we¡¯ll try all four directions if we have to. When we have no choice, trying is also a way.¡± She took the compass and walked forward.


    Everyone was stunned for a moment before Luo Tan said, ¡°Little Cousin, wait for me too!¡±


    Ba Jiao said, ¡°Let¡¯s hurry up and follow.¡±


    The others followed.


    The sun quickly set. The forest was already dark because of the dense leaves. After the sunset, it was almost pitch-black. Fortunately, Cong Yang brought enough torches with him. After lighting them, they continued to advance deeper.


    As they walked, they could no longer tell where they were because the scenery was almost identical. The same branches and huge leaves were everywhere. Moreover, even in June, it was still bone-chilling at night in the forest. Mo Qing and Cong Yang were fine, but the women were shivering.


    Shen Miao and the others were all wearing a cloak. At this moment, they couldn¡¯t help but hold their cloak tighter. From time to time, they would hear beastly howls. Mo Qing and Cong Yang placed their hands on the swords at all times, afraid that a beast would suddenly jump out of the thick bushes.


    Hui Xiang lowered her voice and whispered, ¡°It¡¯s the sound of a wolf. There are actually wolves here.¡±


    ¡°Wolves are afraid of fire.¡± Shen Miao said, ¡°Everyone, take two torches and light them up. Wolves are very cunning animals. If a wolf pack is in the forest and sees so many flames, they will think that there are many of us and not dare to approach.¡±


    Hui Xiang and Ba Jiao were both surprised. ¡°Madam, you even know how to deal with the wolf pack.¡± It was not surprising that the people of the Black Feather Army knew this. However, Shen Miao was the daughter of an official, so it was too unusual for her to know this.

 Chapter 934 - 934 Astonishing (3)

    934 Astonishing (3)


    Shen Miao smiled. ¡°I¡¯ve heard people mention it before.¡±


    When Wanyu was about to marry into the Xiongnu, Shen Miao heard that there were often wolves in the grassland of Xiongnu. Shen Miao was worried and found many ways to chase away the wolves for Wanyu. She originally thought that she could let Wanyu use them in the future, but¡­ what a pity.


    A look of pain flashed across her eyes. When Shen Miao looked up again, she was very calm and said, ¡°Let¡¯s continue forward.¡±


    ¡°Are we still going forward?¡± Hui Xiang said, ¡°Madam, we¡¯ve been walking for a few hours. Didn¡¯t you notice? We seem to be walking in circles. We¡¯ve been here a few times. If this continues, I¡¯m afraid we won¡¯t be able to reach the end even if we walk here for a night.¡±


    Cong Yang also said, ¡°That¡¯s right, Madam. Even if we want to reach the end, we can¡¯t walk like this aimlessly. Otherwise, we¡¯ll just tire ourselves out for nothing.¡±


    Shen Miao pondered for a moment and looked at Luo Tan. ¡°Has the compass been pointing south?¡±


    Luo Tan quickly nodded and said, ¡°Yes, we definitely didn¡¯t go in the wrong direction, but¡­ it seems like we¡¯ve seen this scene a few times.¡±


    ¡°We are clearly walking in the right direction, but the scenery remains the same. This is very strange.¡± Shen Miao said, ¡°When something is extremely strange, it means it¡¯s not natural. If we go back the way we came, we will definitely fall into the trap. Why don¡¯t we just keep walking like this? However, you¡¯re right. We¡¯ve always been looking at the same scenery. These trees look identical, so it¡¯s inevitable that they will mislead us. If they¡¯re really the same, it will make us self-doubt. If they¡¯re fake, it will confuse us even more.¡±


    She took out a handkerchief from her sleeve and asked Luo Tan to take out a handkerchief too. She tied the handkerchief to her eyes and said, ¡°How about this? Don¡¯t be misled by your eyes. Just follow the compass and see where it will take us. Cousin Tan and I will blindfold ourselves. Ba Jiao and Hui Xiang, keep your eyes on the compass and walk in front. Cong Yang and Mo Qing, walk in the back to protect us.¡±


    Mo Qing was a little hesitant. ¡°Madam, is this really going to work?¡±


    ¡°I know what you want to say.¡± Shen Miao was blindfolded, but her tone was still firm. ¡°To be honest, I don¡¯t know what the consequences will be if we continue like this, but Xie Jingxing doesn¡¯t have that much time. The more we walk, the more likely we will reach the end. If we don¡¯t walk at all or go back the way we came, nothing will change.¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes, yes.¡± Luo Tan quickly said, ¡°No matter what, we have to give it a try. What¡¯s the point of talking if we are doing it?¡±


    Hui Xiang was a little surprised. She felt that she really could not understand this madam. When Shen Miao married Prince Rui, the subordinates of the Black Feather Army had also come to see her. They felt that Shen Miao had a calm personality and was cold to Xie Jingxing. However, she was also willing to take the risk to walk in this dark forest for Xie Jingxing for the entire night. She looked like a smart person who relied on common sense and rationality, but at this moment, she naively believed in the legend that there was an expert who could change people¡¯s fate.


    Hui Xiang could not understand Shen Miao¡¯s contradictory actions, but it was actually not as complicated as she thought. At critical junctures, people would subconsciously rely on instinct rather than rationality and smartness.


    Mo Qing followed behind Shen Miao in silence. Hui Xiang and the others paused for a moment before continuing to follow.


    ¡­


    The people in Long Ye did not know what Shen Miao was doing. All the officials knew was that Prince Rui was injured on the day of the royal hunt, but no one knew how badly he was injured, and no one dared to ask. However, Prince Rui¡¯s status in the imperial court was very delicate. Some people wanted him to die, and some people were closely related to him, praying that nothing would happen to him.

 Chapter 935 - 935 Astonishing (4)

    935 Astonishing (4)


    No matter how curious everyone was, Prince Rui¡¯s mansion was like an impregnable wall. They did not know anything and could not find out anything.


    In the Lu mansion, Lu Wan¡¯er was pacing back and forth in the room. She said to Madam Lu, ¡°Mother, I want to see Prince Yu. I wonder how he is doing. What if he¡¯s seriously injured?¡±


    Madam Lu comforted her. ¡°It can¡¯t be that serious. If it¡¯s really serious, they will be inviting all the doctors in Long Ye over. There¡¯s not much movement in Prince Rui¡¯s mansion at all now. I think the situation is under control. Why do you want to go over to join in the fun?¡±


    ¡°But I feel very uneasy.¡± Lu Wan¡¯er said, ¡°It¡¯s all Shen Miao¡¯s fault. She¡¯s simply a jinx. As soon as she married Prince Rui, something happened to him. She¡¯s the jinx! They have to get divorced as soon as possible. If they continue to live together, something might really happen to Prince Rui.¡±


    Madam Lu smiled and said, ¡°Yes, yes, yes. However, you can¡¯t go over now. When Prince Rui is better, ask your sister to think of a way to let the two of you meet. Don¡¯t cause trouble now.¡±


    Lu Wan¡¯er said, ¡°Mother, don¡¯t lie to me.¡±


    After Lu Wan¡¯er left, the smile on Madam Lu¡¯s face darkened. She instructed the maid at the side, ¡°Keep an eye on Miss and don¡¯t let her go out for the next few days. If she causes trouble, I¡¯ll punish you!¡± At the end of her sentence, her tone was ruthless and her face was ferocious, just like the fierce-looking General Lu Zhengchun.


    The maids lowered their heads repeatedly in agreement.


    On the other side, in the Prime Minister¡¯s mansion, Madam Ye and Master Ye were also talking about this.


    Madam Ye was playing chess with Master Ye. Ye Maocai was completely different from Lu Zhengchun. Lu Zhengchun was a typical martial artist. One look and one could tell that he was someone who had been on the battlefield. His eyes were filled with killing intent, and his fierce appearance was probably enough to scare a child to tears. On the other hand, Ye Maochun looked harmless and amiable like a scholar.


    However, the fact that Emperor Yong Le didn¡¯t dare to fall out with him openly meant that he was definitely not a harmless person.


    Madam Ye placed a piece down and said with a smile, ¡°Prince Rui¡¯s mansion is like a metal bucket. We can¡¯t find out anything at all. I wonder what Prince Rui looks like now. I can¡¯t eat or sleep well. I¡¯m really frustrated.¡±


    ¡°Madam, don¡¯t you already have a plan in mind? Why are you troubled by this?¡± Ye Maochun smiled and placed a piece down.


    As she placed the chess piece, Madam Ye said, ¡°No news is bad news. Prince Rui is high-profile. As long as he can, he will show up. The reason why he hasn¡¯t shown up for a long time is probably because he can¡¯t.¡±


    Ye Maochun smiled. ¡°Maybe he¡¯s trying to confuse us.¡±


    Madam Ye said, ¡°I don¡¯t think so.¡±


    ¡°Oh? Why is that?¡±


    Madam Ye looked at the chessboard and said, ¡°I¡¯m not sure about Prince Rui, but the emperor is not hiding it. He has already started to deal with the Lu family. From the looks of it, Prince Rui must be seriously injured.¡±


    Ye Maochun laughed out loud. ¡°Madam, I didn¡¯t know you could see through everything in the imperial court. Then why don¡¯t you take a guess and see what I plan to do?¡±

 Chapter 936 - 936 Astonishing (5)

    936 Astonishing (5)


    Madam Ye lowered her head and smiled. ¡°That¡¯s hard to say. It depends on what happens to Prince Rui.¡± Seeing that Ye Maochun did not deny it, Madam Ye felt that she was right and continued, ¡°The emperor and the Lu family have been secretly competing for so many years and have been trying to rope us in these days, but we¡¯re not stupid. Why should we be used by others? Let the emperor and the Lu family fight. Previously, Prince Rui was still around, so we were on the emperor¡¯s side and were happy to be on good terms with him. However, if Prince Rui can¡¯t survive this time¡­ the emperor will eventually lose to the Lu family.¡±


    ¡°Prince Rui is not omnipotent as you think.¡± Ye Maochun smiled faintly.


    ¡°Prince Rui is a capable person.¡± Madam Ye smiled. ¡°Master, don¡¯t you think so too?¡±


    Ye Maochun paused and looked at Madam Ye meaningfully. ¡°Madam, you always seem to be able to read my mind. However, Madam, do you think Prince Rui can escape the calamity this time?¡±


    !!


    Madam Ye thought for a long time before saying, ¡°Unlikely.¡±


    Ye Maochun looked at her.


    ¡°Master, do you still remember that two years ago, when Prince Rui just returned to Long Ye, he was also seriously injured at that time. The emperor could hide it from others, but not from us. At that time, we thought that Prince Rui would definitely die. We didn¡¯t know how he got lucky and came back to life. Later, he even turned the table around in the imperial court on his own.¡± Madam Ye smiled. ¡°But it¡¯s impossible for people to have good luck twice. Last time, he was blessed. This time, who can protect him? Prince Rui is never meant to live thus far. He escaped two years ago, but he won¡¯t be able to escape two years later.¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡± Ye Maochun placed a piece on the chessboard and said, ¡°I beg to differ. Two years ago, Prince Rui miraculously survived. It was probably destined that he won¡¯t die so easily. If he can escape two years ago, he can naturally escape two years later.¡±


    When Madam Ye heard that, she was not angry, nor did she refute Ye Maochun. She only said, ¡°Then let¡¯s wait and see.¡±


    Ye Maochun also smiled and placed the last piece. ¡°Madam seems to have lost.¡±


    Madam Ye took a look and said coquettishly, ¡°Master, it¡¯s not right for you to distract me while placing a piece. Let¡¯s play another round.¡±


    Ye Maochun smiled and shook his head. ¡°Another day. I have to test Hongguang¡¯s homework today. It¡¯s almost time.¡±


    Madam Ye quickly said, ¡°Master, in that case, Hongguang¡¯s homework is more important.¡±


    Ye Maochun stood up and left. Madam Ye looked at Master Ye¡¯s departing figure, and her expression gradually turned cold, looking extremely ugly. She said sharply, ¡°He¡¯s just a cripple. So what if he¡¯s knowledgeable? He can only stay at home for the rest of his life!¡± With that, she swept the chess pieces on the table to the ground and said in a low voice, ¡°He¡¯s exactly the same as that vixen!¡±


    The maids in the room did not dare to move. Everyone knew that Young Master Ye was the one Madam Ye hated the most. Ye Hongguang was born to that concubine and was raised as Madam Ye¡¯s son. He was the only son of the Ye family.


    ¡­


    The morning sun shone through the gaps in the branches on the ground, looking like specks of silver. In the dark night, the silver-like sunlight finally chased away the gloom. Although it was only a little, it was enough to make people feel relieved.


    Hui Xiang and Ba Jiao stopped in their tracks and turned around to support Shen Miao and Luo Tan, who were still blindfolded. They said to Shen Miao, ¡°Madam, it¡¯s already dawn.¡±

 Chapter 937 - 937 Astonishing (6)

    937 Astonishing (6)


    If they did not see it with their own eyes, Hui Xiang and the others would not have believed that a rich young lady like Shen Miao could walk with them in the dark for the entire night in such a desolate forest. Hui Xiang and the others had undergone special training, so they naturally did not feel tired. Even Luo Tan, who had practiced martial arts, was already very haggard with sleepiness written all across her face, but Shen Miao still looked fully awake.


    Hui Xiang and Cong Yang both wondered if this madam was actually a martial artist too, which was why she had a strong will.


    In fact, they were thinking too much. It was just that when Shen Miao was in the cold palace, sometimes, Consort Mei and the other consorts would make things difficult for her. There was no lack of people in the palace hitting her when she was down. This was how she gradually built up her will power to survive the hardship.


    ¡°How far have we gone?¡± Shen Miao asked.


    !!


    ¡°Madam.¡± Cong Yang said, ¡°We¡¯ve walked for a night. However, according to the marks we left along the way, we didn¡¯t seem to be walking in circles.¡± He continued, ¡°It seems like we were deceived by our eyes previously and blindfolding really worked.¡±


    ¡°But everything in this forest still looks identical,¡± Luo Tan said weakly.


    ¡°Let¡¯s continue.¡± Shen Miao said, ¡°We¡¯ve already walked so far. We¡¯ll eventually reach the end.¡±


    Hui Xiang was stunned for a moment, but this time, she did not say anything. Last night, they had also tried to stop Shen Miao a few times. Not only did Shen Miao not listen to them, but she was probably annoyed by them and even reprimanded them sternly.


    The few of them continued to follow behind Shen Miao. Luo Tan was a little dispirited. No matter how much she practiced martial arts, she was still inferior to Hui Xiang and the others. She was not like Shen Miao, who had suffered before. Now, she forced herself to open her eyes wide, trying to find something to distract herself.


    As soon as she looked around, she felt that something was wrong. She grabbed Shen Miao and said, ¡°Eh? There are flowers here. I didn¡¯t see any along the way.¡±


    Everyone walked over to take a closer look. As expected, they saw small flowers hidden in the bushes.


    Mo Qing suddenly frowned. ¡°I think there¡¯s the sound of poultries.¡±


    Ba Jiao and Cong Yang pricked up their ears to listen and said excitedly, ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±


    ¡°Why is there the sound of poultries?¡± Shen Miao pondered for a moment and said, ¡°Could it be that there¡¯s a house ahead?¡± She said, ¡°Stop looking. Let¡¯s go. Since there¡¯s a sound, the exit shouldn¡¯t be far. We¡¯ll be out of this forest soon.¡±


    When everyone heard that they could walk out of the forest, they were all in high spirits and immediately set off. This time, they were lucky. After walking for a while, they felt that the gap between the branches was getting wider and wider. Previously, the forest was dense, but now, it was much sparser. The more sunlight shone in, the more comfortable they felt.


    ¡°It seems like we¡¯re really reaching the end.¡± Luo Tan¡¯s sleepiness was swept away. ¡°Let¡¯s go quickly!¡± Before she could finish her sentence, she saw that there was a small path at the end of the forest. Everyone looked at each other, and Shen Miao walked over first.


    At the end of the path, there was farmland. On this farmland, there were flowers, plants, and vegetables planted. It looked very messy, as if it was not taken care of.


    However, even so, there was still a house standing solitarily on the farmland.


    The house was made of thatch and was on the verge of collapse, as if the roof would be blown away by the wind in the next moment. Everyone walked forward. Ba Jiao ran in first, then shook her head and came out. She said, ¡°Madam, there¡¯s no one inside.¡±


    No one? A trace of disappointment flashed across Luo Tan¡¯s eyes. ¡°How can there be no one?¡±


    Shen Miao said, ¡°The flowers and plants are still there. It doesn¡¯t seem like it¡¯s uninhabited. Let¡¯s wait here.¡±


    Before she could finish his sentence, she heard a hoarse voice. ¡°Oh, a distinguished guest is here. Sorry for not coming out to receive you.¡±


    Everyone turned around. When Shen Miao saw the person¡¯s face clearly, she couldn¡¯t help but be stunned and cry out, ¡°It¡¯s you.¡±


    Ba Jiao asked, ¡°Madam¡­ do you know him?¡±


    The middle-aged man who came with a smile and wearing a tattered Daoist robe was the strange Daoist priest who gave Shen Miao a fortune-telling in Putuo Temple in Ming Qi.

 Chapter 938 - 938 Giving Herb (1)

    938 Giving Herb (1)


    Shen Miao did not expect that the so-called expert was actually the strange Daoist priest who she had met once in Putuo Temple. What the strange Daoist priest said that day still lingered in Shen Miao¡¯s ears. She felt that this Daoist priest seemed to know her deepest secret, the fact that she was reborn. However, when she wanted to find the Daoist priest again, she searched the entire capital but could not find any traces of him.


    Now that she thought about it, it was no wonder that she couldn¡¯t find him. This Daoist priest actually came all the way to Long Ye.


    According to what Ben Yue said, it was a few years ago when she met this Daoist priest. A few years ago, the Daoist priest was actually in Long Ye. From the looks of it, this Daoist priest had been in Long Ye for a long time. Could it be that he was from the Daliang Dynasty? Then why was he in the capital of Ming Qi? It was impossible for him to travel all the way to Ming Qi just to give her a fortune-reading, right?


    Shen Miao said, ¡°Daoist priest¡­¡±


    The strange Daoist priest looked at her and stroked his beard. ¡°My Daoist name is Chi Yan. Madam, you¡¯re here to ask me to save someone, right? I¡¯ve been waiting for you for a long time.¡±


    Luo Tan was stunned and asked, ¡°Daoist Priest Chi Yan, you already knew that we would come to look for you?¡±


    Daoist Priest Chi Yan smiled smugly and said, ¡°I also gave myself a fortune-reading.¡±


    Shen Miao thought to herself that this Daoist priest seemed to have some ability. For example, what he said at the Putuo Temple made sense. If he was that so-called expert, it was not a surprise. She said, ¡°My husband is seriously injured. Hearing that you can change people¡¯s fate, I specially came to look for him. Daoist priest, please save my husband¡¯s life. After this is done, we will reward you handsomely.¡±


    Hui Xiang and the others were all standing behind Shen Miao. When they heard what Shen Miao said just now, they wondered if Shen Miao was deceived by a swindler. How could fate be changed? This Daoist priest looked not much different from an ordinary person.


    However, Shen Miao knew it was probably not a coincidence that the Daoist priest knew that she was the empress in her previous life.


    Hearing Shen Miao¡¯s words, the strange Daoist priest shook his head with a smile. The closer he walked, the more everyone could see that he was carrying a fish basket on his back. It seemed like he had gone to fish. However, the hook on the fishing line was straight, and the fish basket was empty.


    Seeing that he did not reply to Shen Miao for a long time, Luo Tan asked anxiously, ¡°Daoist priest, can you save my brother-in-law?¡±


    The Daoist priest placed the fish basket against the door and straightened his back. He looked at Shen Miao deeply and said, ¡°The heavenly secrets can¡¯t be revealed. I can¡¯t even reveal the heavenly secrets to Madam. How can I claim that I can change people¡¯s fate?¡±


    ¡°But you saved Ben Yue¡¯s brother.¡± Luo Tan was puzzled. ¡°Isn¡¯t that considered changing fate?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s because that young man is not destined to die. The heavens brought him to meet me, and I¡¯m destined to save his life,¡± Daoist Priest Chi Yan said.


    Shen Miao frowned slightly. ¡°Then Daoist priest, what is my husband¡¯s fate?¡±


    The Daoist priest chuckled. ¡°The secrets of the heavens can¡¯t be revealed.¡±

 Chapter 939 - 939 Giving Herb (2)

    939 Giving Herb (2)


    At this critical moment, no matter how good Shen Miao was at tolerating, she couldn¡¯t help but shout angrily, ¡°Good people are harmed by bad people, but the bad people are not punished. What kind of Heavenly Dao is this? What kind of justice is this? Daoist priest, you¡¯ve broadened my horizons and made me laugh.¡±


    To everyone¡¯s surprise, not only was Daoist Priest Chi Yan not angry, but he even laughed and clapped his hands. ¡°After staying with that ferocious dragon for a long time, you¡¯ve become fierce too. That¡¯s good!¡±


    Luo Tan muttered softly, ¡°Is he crazy? Why is he so happy to be scolded¡­¡±


    Daoist Priest Chi Yan said, ¡°You¡¯re right. The Heavenly Dao is unfair. The people of the world are in charge of the world. The Heavenly Dao decides fate, but it can¡¯t decide life or death.¡± He smiled. Although he was wearing tattered clothes, at this moment, he actually exuded the aura of an otherworldly sage. He said, ¡°Although I¡¯m not destined to change his fate, and his fate is too noble for me to change, the Heavenly Dao still brought us to meet here.¡±


    Everyone was confused by his elusive language. Only Shen Miao looked at him sharply. The Daoist priest said, ¡°Do you really want to save him?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±


    The Daoist priest smiled again. ¡°Since you want to save him so much, come with me.¡± With that, he turned around and was about to walk forward.


    Shen Miao followed without hesitation. Hui Xiang and the others also followed.


    Daoist Priest Chi Yan suddenly turned around and looked at Hui Xiang and the others. ¡°You can¡¯t come.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± Cong Yang looked angry. They were ordered to protect Shen Miao¡¯s safety. How could they let Shen Miao go with a strange Daoist priest alone? If anything happened, how would they explain it to Xie Jingxing when he woke up?


    ¡°There¡¯s a formation set up by my shifu ahead of us. No one in the world can solve the formation, including me. It¡¯s targeting people with martial arts. The higher your martial arts, the faster you¡¯ll die. This madam doesn¡¯t have any martial arts and can come with me. As for the rest of you¡­¡± He shook his head.¡± If you come, you¡¯ll die.¡±


    ¡°But why should we believe that you won¡¯t harm Madam?¡± Hui Xiang said, ¡°If you don¡¯t let us follow you, how will we know where you will take Madam?¡±


    Daoist Priest Chi Yan spread out his hands. ¡°If you don¡¯t believe me, you can bring your madam back right now.¡±


    Shen Miao said, ¡°Just wait for me here. I¡¯ll go with him.¡±


    ¡°Madam.¡± Ba Jiao also disagreed.


    ¡°Well¡­¡± Luo Tan carefully said, ¡°I mean, can I go? Although I know martial arts, my martial arts are not outstanding. I shouldn¡¯t be affected, right?¡±


    Only then did Daoist Priest Chi Yan seem to see Luo Tan. He sized her up and said, ¡°Not bad. You don¡¯t know a lot of martial arts. Alright, you come with me.¡±

 Chapter 940 - 940 Giving Herb (3)

    940 Giving Herb (3)


    Luo Tan said, ¡°Cousin, I¡¯ll accompany you. If anything happens, we can take care of each other.¡±


    Shen Miao thought for a moment and nodded. Although Luo Tan was impulsive, she had not caused any trouble. Shen Miao did not know what Daoist Priest Chi Yan wanted to do. She had always been wary of people. Although she believed that Daoist Priest Chi Yan was capable, she was still instinctively guarded against him.


    Seeing that Shen Miao had made up her mind, Hui Xiang and the others knew that it was impossible to talk her out of it. Seeing that Luo Tan would be with Shen Miao, they felt a little relieved. They instructed Luo Tan and even gave her the signal fireworks used by the Black Feather Army to send a message. They said that if anything happened, she just needed to set off the fireworks and they would rush to rescue them.


    Daoist Priest Chi Yan was a little impatient and said, ¡°Hurry up. When it gets dark, I won¡¯t be able to help you anymore.¡±


    Shen Miao said, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    The path Daoist Priest Chi Yan took with Shen Miao and Luo Tan was very strange. Or rather, this place, which was a forest, originally had no path, but Daoist Priest Chi Yan took a very sharp turn at a certain point, and a clear path appeared suddenly. The path he took was not easy to walk on. Sometimes, when it seemed to be a dead end, he could take a sharp turn onto a new path. Luo Tan clicked her tongue in wonder, and Shen Miao was also surprised.


    Luo Tan asked, ¡°Daoist priest, you seem to be very familiar with this place. Have you been here often?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve lived here since I was young, so I¡¯m naturally familiar with it.¡± Daoist Priest Chi Yan stroked his beard proudly and said, ¡°Many of these trees were planted by me back then.¡±


    Luo Tan nodded. ¡°It seems like you¡¯re from the Daliang Dynasty. Why did I hear that¡­ you¡¯ve met my little cousin before? My little cousin has never been to the Daliang Dynasty in the past.¡± Luo Tan was still thinking about the surprised look on Shen Miao¡¯s face when she saw Daoist Priest Chi Yan. Clearly, they knew each other before.


    Daoist Priest Chi Yan looked at Shen Miao meaningfully. ¡°I¡¯m fated to meet this madam. No matter where we are, we¡¯ll eventually meet.¡±


    Luo Tan scratched her head, not understanding, but Shen Miao was deep in thought. She felt that this Daoist priest seemed to know more than she thought. She planned to ask him about her previous life after Xie Jingxing¡¯s matter was over.


    As soon as this thought appeared in her mind, Daoist Priest Chi Yan smiled and said, ¡°Madam, you want to save your husband and ask questions, but you can only choose one of the two. You have to think carefully about your choice.¡±


    Shen Miao¡¯s heart skipped a beat. The Daoist priest seemed to be able to see through her mind. This meant that if she wanted to ask about her previous life, she couldn¡¯t save Xie Jingxing. If she wanted to save Xie Jingxing, she couldn¡¯t ask questions about her previous life. Shen Miao was unhappy. She heard Daoist Priest Chi Yan ask, ¡°Madam, have you made up your mind?¡±


    Luo Tan looked at the two of them curiously, not understanding what Daoist Priest Chi Yan and Shen Miao were up to. However, Shen Miao had always been mysterious like this. Very few people could understand what she said.


    Shen Miao said indifferently, ¡°I can think of a way to find the answers myself. Please save my husband first.¡±

 Chapter 941 - 941 Giving Herb (4)

    941 Giving Herb (4)


    The Daoist priest casually picked up a willow branch and walked forward like a child, humming an unknown tune.


    The Daoist priest walked for a long time. Afraid of angering him, Luo Tan did not dare to complain, and Shen Miao did not say anything. She did not know what time it was, but she felt that the sky was gradually getting dark. When the sun almost set, the Daoist priest suddenly stopped and said, ¡°We¡¯re here.¡±


    Luo Tan and Shen Miao both took two steps forward and saw a huge valley in front of them. The flowers and plants filled the valley, blooming densely. Painted by the afterglow, this place looked like a paradise on earth.


    ¡°This place is so beautiful!¡± Luo Tan exclaimed.


    !!


    Daoist Priest Chi Yan looked at Shen Miao. ¡°Madam, did you notice anything?¡±


    Shen Miao only smelt a faint medicinal fragrance in the air. Looking at the flowers and plants everywhere, she hesitated for a moment and said, ¡°Are they herbs?¡±


    Daoist Priest Chi Yan laughed. ¡°That¡¯s right. Although I can¡¯t save your husband or change his fate, my shifu has a herb valley. There¡¯s a herb inside that can remove all poisons, but this herb can save your husband¡¯s life.¡±


    Shen Miao did not tell Daoist Priest Chi Yan about Xie Jingxing¡¯s injuries, but Daoist Priest Chi Yan immediately pointed out that Xie Jingxing was poisoned. Luo Tan looked at the strange Daoist priest in admiration. Shen Miao had long expected this strange Daoist priest to be capable, so she was not surprised.


    She said, ¡°Daoist priest, please give me the herb that can save my husband.¡±


    Chi Yan smiled. ¡°This herb was left behind by my shifu. It¡¯s been kept in this herb valley for a long time. There¡¯s only one in the world. If ordinary people eat it, they will live for a long time. If people who are poisoned eat it, they will naturally be cured¡­ This herb is so precious. How can I give it to you for nothing?¡±


    Luo Tan said, ¡°If you want gold and silver, my little cousin can afford it.¡±


    Shen Miao also said, ¡°As long as it¡¯s within my ability, I can give you anything.¡±


    ¡°What if I want you to exchange your life for it?¡± Chi Yan said cunningly.


    Shen Miao was stunned. Before she could speak, Luo Tan shouted, ¡°You¡¯re too much. How can you do that?¡±


    Chi Yan waved his hand. ¡°I¡¯m a Daoist priest, so I naturally won¡¯t do such a thing. I¡¯m just joking. I have a question to ask you.¡± He looked at Shen Miao, who was stunned for a moment. ¡°Madam, can you enlighten me?¡±


    Only then did Shen Miao come back to her senses. She was extremely surprised. The moment Chi Yan asked her if she was willing to exchange her life for it, a thought flashed across her mind. She was willing.


    But how was that possible? She still had Shen Qiu, Shen Xin, and Luo Xueyan to protect, but now, she was willing to die for Xie Jingxing. Shen Miao suddenly felt a little afraid.


    If she invested too much in love, she would be hurt more in the future. Everything in her previous life was a living example. She could try to love again, but she did not dare to and could not take the risk.


    ¡°Little cousin?¡± Luo Tan shook her arm.


    Shen Miao composed herself and looked at the Daoist priest. ¡°Daoist priest, please go ahead.¡±


    ¡°Look.¡± The Daoist priest squatted down and pointed at a small flower in the grass. ¡°This is the Red Sleeve Flower. It¡¯s a spirit herb that can treat respiratory diseases. However, it hasn¡¯t bloomed much these days. Madam, what do you think is the reason?¡±

 Chapter 942 - 942 Giving Herb (5)

    942 Giving Herb (5)


    What did this mean? Shen Miao was not a doctor. She didn¡¯t even know how to distinguish herbs, so how could she know the reason? However, she still squatted down and took a closer look. She saw some black spots squirming on the bud. Her heart skipped a beat and she said, ¡°It¡¯s infested with worms.¡±


    ¡°I think so too.¡± Chi Yan looked troubled. ¡°But this Red Sleeve Flower is the most delicate. It attracts insects and worms the most. If you want to get rid of these insects and worms, you have to use your hands to pick them out one by one. You have to be gentle. Otherwise, you will hurt the petals.¡±


    Luo Tan said, ¡°But what does this have to do with us?¡±


    Daoist Priest Chi Yan stood up. Seeing that Shen Miao also stood up, he smiled and said, ¡°I¡¯m a man and my hands are clumsy. I¡¯m afraid if I¡¯m not careful, I¡¯ll hurt the petals. These are all rare and precious herbs, so I want Madam to help me remove the worms on them.¡±


    !!


    Luo Tan widened her eyes. Did this Daoist priest ask Shen Miao to come over because he wanted to use her as free labor?


    Shen Miao asked, ¡°After picking all these worms, will you give me the herb that can cure all poisons?¡±


    Chi Yan nodded.


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll do it.¡±


    Luo Tan did not speak. She thought that It did not seem to be an unfair trade to earn a herb by doing some work.


    However, Chi Yan shook his head and led Shen Miao and Luo Tan forward. He said, ¡°It¡¯s the Red Sleeve Flowers here.¡±


    The two of them were stunned by what they saw.


    It was a large area of herbs. Moreover, the herbs were not neatly arranged. Among Red Sleeve Flowers, there were all kinds of other herbs. It would take a lot of effort to just identify the Red Sleeve Flowers.


    ¡°Are you deliberately playing with us?¡± Luo Tan jumped up and said angrily, ¡°It¡¯s not a task a person can carry out.¡±


    Chi Yan only looked at Shen Miao with a smile. ¡°Madam, do you also think that one person can¡¯t do it?¡±


    Shen Miao only looked at him deeply and said, ¡°After doing this, will you really give me the herb?¡±


    ¡°Little Cousin!¡± Luo Tan was anxious. ¡°He¡¯s clearly playing with you. If he had the intention to save Brother-in-law, why would he give you such an impossible task? He doesn¡¯t look like a benevolent person.¡±


    Chi Yan said, ¡°Young lady, you¡¯re wrong. There¡¯s no such thing as a free lunch in the world. In this world, there are gains and losses. If you want something, you have to pay the corresponding price. If Madam wants my herbs, she has to get rid of the worms on the flowers for me. This is a very fair trade. Moreover, it¡¯s up to Madam whether she wants to take on this task or not.¡±


    He continued, ¡°Fix the Red Sleeve Flowers and fertilize the herbs on this valley. Then, I¡¯ll give you the herb you want.¡± He waved his horsetail whisk. ¡°Don¡¯t try to fool me. I will check them in the end. If the task is not done well, I won¡¯t give you the herb. Also,¡± he looked at Luo Tan, ¡°this girl can¡¯t help. Madam, can you do it?¡±


    ¡°I can do it. I hope you can keep your promise too.¡± After saying that, Shen Miao jumped into the herb bush, bent down, and started to pick up the worms seriously.


    Who would¡¯ve thought that Princess Consort Rui, a woman who grew up pampered, would be treated like a servant. If Shen Xin and Shen Qiu in the capital found out, they would definitely fly into a rage.

 Chapter 943 - 943 Giving Herb (6)

    943 Giving Herb (6)


    Luo Tan gritted her teeth and wanted to go over to help, but she was stopped by Shen Miao. Shen Miao shouted, ¡°Stop! If you don¡¯t want me to hate you, don¡¯t come down.¡±


    Luo Tan was taken aback by Shen Miao¡¯s reproachful words. She felt aggrieved and thought that if she had known that this would happen, she wouldn¡¯t have told Shen Miao what Ben Yue said. Now, she made Shen Miao suffer. She shouted, ¡°This Daoist priest is clearly playing with you. Why do you fall for it?¡±


    ¡°I have never done anything for Jingxing.¡± Shen Miao didn¡¯t even look up as she cleaned the flowers. ¡°As long as there is a chance, I¡¯ll do it.¡± She continued, ¡°If you really want to help me, make a lantern for me so that I can see when it gets dark.¡±


    Luo Tan took a deep breath and turned around to see Daoist Priest Chi Yan walking to the other side with a smile. She quickly followed and said, ¡°Daoist priest, listen to me first¡­¡±


    !!


    Shen Miao squatted in the bushes. It had been a long time since she did anything so tiring, so she was a little unaccustomed to it. She did not feel that it was humiliating to pick worms and fertilize the herbs. In this world, pride was not something to have at this time. When it was time to bend down and lower her head, she would bend down and lower her head. In her previous life, she had gone through many hardships to understand this.


    If she had given up on competing with Consort Mei earlier, perhaps Consort Mei would not have targeted Fu Ming and Wanyu so much. Why did she have to make herself suffer because of her vain dignity?


    If Chi Yan could keep his promise in the end, then it would be worth it for her to suffer. It was much more honorable to do some labor in this desolate mountain than to sit on the empress seat and be mocked by everyone.


    However, Shen Miao really did not know how long it would take to clean all the Red Sleeve Flowers in this valley.


    When Luo Tan sent the lantern over, the sky was already dark. At night, there was a cool wind, dazzling stars, the moon, and the chirping of cicadas in the valley, but Shen Miao was not in the mood to appreciate it. At night, holding the lantern, she cleaned the flowers one by one. Bitten by the mosquitoes and flies, her delicate skin was red and swollen, and her hand was pricked by the thorn. She did not rest for the entire night.


    Luo Tan cried as she watched, but she could not help. She could only curse Chi Yan in her heart.


    It was the afternoon of the next day.


    Shen Miao wiped the sweat off her forehead and went to ask Daoist Priest Chi Yan to take a look.


    Daoist Priest Chi Yan smiled. ¡°There¡¯s no need. You did very well.¡± He took out a box from his bag and handed it to Shen Miao. Shen Miao opened it and saw a herb lying inside.


    ¡°This is the herb.¡± Daoist Priest Chi Yan smiled and said, ¡°You helped me treat the Red Sleeve Flowers on the mountain, and as I promised, I¡¯ll give you this herb to treat your husband¡¯s injuries.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for this.¡± Shen Miao was in a hurry to rush back. The moment she received the herb, she felt extremely weak. She had not slept all night and had not rested well these days. Now that she relaxed, she felt dizzy.


    ¡°Thank you, Daoist priest.¡± Luo Tan was very unhappy with the strange request made by this Daoist priest. Looking at Shen Miao¡¯s disheveled appearance, she felt bad. She was very indignant and said, ¡°I also hope that the flowers won¡¯t be infested with worms in the future because no one will be as kind as my little cousin to do so much work for you.¡±


    Daoist Priest Chi Yan laughed out loud. ¡°That¡¯s hard to say. Madam and I are fated to meet three times. We¡¯ve only met twice, and there is one more time in the future.¡±


    Luo Tan pouted angrily. ¡°Who wants to meet you?¡± She pulled Shen Miao and said, ¡°Let¡¯s get out of here.¡± She then said to Daoist Priest Chi Yan, ¡°Hurry up. We need this to save life.¡±


    Daoist Priest Chi Yan followed behind. Looking at the two of them, his gaze landed on Shen Miao¡¯s slightly unsteady footsteps. His smile disappeared, and a trace of pity flashed across his eyes.


    After a while, he shook his head and said,


    ¡°Futile.¡±

 Chapter 944 - 944 Consort Mei (1)

    944 Consort Mei (1)


    Shen Miao and Luo Tan returned to the original thatched house. Hui Xiang and Ba Jiao stood under a locust tree, looking around. Cong Yang and Mo Qing sat under the tree, hugging their swords and frowning.


    Hui Xiang suddenly said, ¡°They¡¯re here!¡± Ba Jiao quickly went up to them and saw Luo Tan and Shen Miao walking over. Luo Tan was fine, but Shen Miao seemed to have fallen somewhere. Her entire body was covered in mud, and her hair was disheveled.


    Hui Xiang and Ba Jiao looked at each other and asked, ¡°Madam, you¡­¡±


    Just as Luo Tan was about to speak, Shen Miao tugged at her sleeve. Luo Tan looked up and saw Shen Miao shaking her head.


    Shen Miao said, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    Daoist Priest Chi Yan said, ¡°Since you¡¯re in a hurry to go back, there¡¯s no need to take the way you came. I¡¯ll show you a shortcut.¡± He led the few of them around and when they arrived, they saw an endless field with a path stretching out to as far as the eye could see.


    It seemed that Ben Yue did not take the path Shen Miao and the others came from, but this one.


    Chi Yan said, ¡°Walk straight along this path and you¡¯ll reach the exit.¡± He looked at Shen Miao and smiled. ¡°Madam, do you remember that I once told you that you will face a calamity.¡±


    Shen Miao looked at him calmly. ¡°Are you trying to say that the calamity is about to appear?¡±


    ¡°The timing of the calamity is a heavenly secret that can¡¯t be revealed.¡± The Daoist priest smiled mysteriously. ¡°However, it won¡¯t be long before I meet you again. At that time, I hope you will be as patient and serious as you were last night while cleaning the flowers. At that time, there will be a chance to resolve the calamity.¡±


    His words were ambiguous and hard to understand. The others were puzzled, and Shen Miao did not understand fully either. However, if memory served her right, today was already the sixth day. The Guiyuan Pill would at most last ten days. Moreover, according to the old imperial physician, Xie Jingxing¡¯s poison had already begun to spread. There was really not much time now.


    After saying goodbye to Chi Yan, Shen Miao and the others walked on the path in the field. Just as Chi Yan said, this path was much easier than the forest they traversed the day before.


    When they were about to get into the carriage, Hui Xiang couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Madam, what exactly did that Daoist priest ask you to do? What happened last night?¡± She looked at Shen Miao¡¯s disheveled appearance and didn¡¯t believe that nothing had happened.


    Shen Miao said, ¡°Nothing. It¡¯s more important to rush back.¡± Shen Miao was the first to get into the carriage. Seeing that Shen Miao was unwilling to say it, although Hui Xiang and the others were curious, they didn¡¯t ask further. In addition, Xie Jingxing¡¯s injuries could not be delayed, so they quickly went back.


    In the carriage, Luo Tan asked Shen Miao, ¡°Little cousin, why didn¡¯t you tell them?¡± In Luo Tan¡¯s opinion, it was touching that Shen Miao had suffered so much for Xie Jingxing.


    ¡°I was not doing it to put up a show.¡± Shen Miao said, ¡°Besides, if word gets out that I was treated like a servant, it will embarrass Prince Rui. This matter will end here. Don¡¯t tell anyone else.¡±

 Chapter 945 - 945 Consort Mei (2)

    945 Consort Mei (2)


    Luo Tan asked, ¡°Not even Prince Rui?¡±


    Shen Miao nodded.


    Luo Tan said, ¡°Got it.¡± She then said to Shen Miao, ¡°Rest for a while. We¡¯ll be back in Long Ye tomorrow. You were busy all night last night and didn¡¯t rest at all. You look extremely haggard. Even if you want to hide it, people will still notice something by looking at your face.¡±


    Shen Miao nodded and leaned against the back of the carriage before closing her eyes. She was indeed tired and on the verge of collapse. There was no need to hang in there. She fell asleep almost immediately after closing her eyes even when the road was bumpy.


    !!


    That night, she slept very quickly. It seemed that she did not sleep for long before she was woken up by someone. When she opened her eyes, she saw Ba Jiao looking at her and saying, ¡°Madam, Miss Luo, we¡¯re back.¡±


    The two of them jumped out of the carriage. It was already the next morning, and the sun was already high in the sky. Shen Miao rubbed her forehead. When she saw that the door of Prince Rui¡¯s mansion was unguarded, her heart skipped a beat.


    Prince Rui¡¯s mansion had always been heavily guarded, and the guards were mobilized from the Black Feather Army, but at this moment, there was no one. Could it be that¡­ something had happened?


    When Luo Tan saw it, she had a bad feeling, but she was afraid of making Shen Miao worry, so she did not say a word. Mo Qing said, ¡°Madam, let¡¯s go in and take a look first.¡±


    Cong Yang and the others were all Xie Jingxing¡¯s subordinates, so they were naturally worried. When they entered, they saw that it was also empty inside. They became more and more uneasy. Shen Miao walked in a hurry and almost bumped into someone.


    This person was Uncle Tang.


    Uncle Tang looked very disheveled and was no longer as high-spirited as before. Shen Miao hurriedly asked, ¡°What happened? Why is there no one in the mansion?¡±


    ¡°Madam, why did it take you so long to come back? For some reason, the news that Master¡¯s life is on the line was leaked. Over the past few days, many people have been probing openly and secretly. The mansion is simply in a mess. Madam Ji came to ask about your whereabouts a few times, and the emperor¡­¡±


    Luo Tan said, ¡°Little Cousin is also busy helping Brother-in-law find that expert. Speaking of which, we¡¯ve already¡­¡±


    ¡°By the way!¡± Uncle Tang slapped his head. ¡°I forgot to tell you good news. Master is awake!¡±


    Shen Miao and Luo Tan were stunned. Shen Miao asked, ¡°He is awake?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right!¡± Uncle Tang said, ¡°On the night you left, his wound suddenly burst open, and the poison couldn¡¯t be controlled. The imperial physicians in the palace said that the Guiyuan Pills can no longer keep Master alive. They called Young Master Gao over, but Young Master Gao was also helpless. He said that in less than two days, Master would die.¡± Uncle Tang¡¯s words made Luo Tan anxious. Luo Tan was an impatient person and couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Then what happened?¡±


    ¡°Then, the news spread that Master was about to die. For some reason, it spread throughout the streets. Madam Ji was anxious. Seeing that everyone in Long Ye was going to know about it anyway, she put up posts on the streets, saying that if anyone could save Master, they would be rewarded very handsomely. Soon after that, someone came and gave us a herb. Young Master Gao refined the herb into a pill and gave it to Master. Master¡¯s wound gradually healed, and he even woke up once this morning. Young Master Gao and the imperial physicians have checked Master. His injuries are gradually recovering and the poison has been removed.¡±

 Chapter 946 - 946 Consort Mei (3)

    946 Consort Mei (3)


    After Uncle Tang finished speaking in one go, he paused for a moment and sighed. ¡°Everyone says that Master is not destined to die. Two years ago, people said that Master was going to die, but he survived in the end. Now, it happened again. The late empress must be protecting Master from the heavens.¡±


    When Shen Miao heard that Xie Jingxing¡¯s poison had been removed, she heaved a sigh of relief. Ba Jiao and the others also patted their chests, feeling relieved.


    Luo Tan looked at Shen Miao and thought to herself that it was not easy for Shen Miao to get the herb from that strange Daoist priest, but now, that herb was useless.


    Uncle Tang continued, ¡°When Master woke up, he asked us where you went. I was also afraid that Master would be worried about your safety and fall sick again, so I didn¡¯t tell him.¡±


    !!


    Shen Miao said, ¡°You did very well.¡± She did not want others to know that she went to look for Chi Yan. Firstly, she was afraid that others would take advantage of the situation to do something while she was away. Secondly, she didn¡¯t want others to know that Xie Jingxing was her weakness. Otherwise, in the future, her enemy would continue to target Xie Jingxing just to deal with her.


    ¡°I¡¯ll go and see him first,¡± Shen Miao said.


    ¡°Madam.¡± Uncle Tang stopped her and said, ¡°Master just took the medicine and is already resting. It¡¯s not good to disturb him.¡±


    Shen Miao pondered for a moment and looked at Uncle Tang. ¡°Why isn¡¯t there anyone guarding the door? Why is it so chaotic in the mansion? What¡¯s going on?¡±


    Uncle Tang said apologetically, ¡°Too many things have happened these days. I actually forgot to tell you this. Although everyone in Long Ye knows that Master was saved and that he was out of danger, Madam Ji and Young Master Ji are still worried and have been staying in the mansion for the past few days. I also hid from them where you went and only said that you went to look for a doctor to treat Master. On the other hand, the person who saved Master¡¯s life is considered Master¡¯s benefactor, so I arranged for him to stay in the mansion. Today, when Master woke up, Madam Ji and the others went to see him. That benefactor is sitting in the hall now. Madam Ji and Young Master Ji are both in the hall, saying that they want to thank him. However, he¡¯s not a person who wants wealth and power. Previously, I wanted to give them a thousand gold and silver, but he rejected it.¡±


    ¡°Then what does he want?¡± Luo Tan asked.


    Uncle Tang looked at Luo Tan and said, ¡°I¡¯m also puzzled. Madam Ji asked the benefactor and he said that he happened to pass by that day and saw the post. He thought of the herb that was passed down from his ancestors. It can cure all poisons. Thinking that this herb could save a life, he gave it away without hesitation.¡±


    Luo Tan praised. ¡°Good Samaritan he is. If it were me, I would have to think twice before giving something my ancestors passed down to save a stranger.¡±


    Uncle Tang smiled. ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Then, he looked at Shen Miao and said, ¡°It¡¯s good that Madam is back now. Let¡¯s go and see what we can give to them as an exchange.¡±

 Chapter 947 - 947 Consort Mei (4)

    947 Consort Mei (4)


    ¡°Since he¡¯s Prince Rui¡¯s savior, I¡¯ll go and see him first.¡± Shen Miao lowered her eyes. ¡°Is he in the main hall now?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Uncle Tang said, ¡°I¡¯m about to go over too. Madam, let¡¯s go together.¡±


    Shen Miao nodded, and Luo Tan quickly followed.


    Along the way, Uncle Tang seemed to have suddenly thought of something and said, ¡°Speaking of which, those two benefactors seem to have just arrived at Long Ye and are not familiar with this place. They said that they¡¯re here to look for their relatives.¡±


    !!


    ¡°Two benefactors?¡± Shen Miao asked, ¡°Why are there two?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a pair of siblings.¡± Uncle Tang smiled and said, ¡°They¡¯re about the same age as Madam and are very outstanding. Madam Ji is very enthusiastic and wanted to introduce some young talents and young ladies to that pair of siblings. They are very friendly. After staying here for a few days, they¡¯ve gotten along quite well with the servants.¡±


    The servants in Prince Rui¡¯s mansion were mostly from the Black Feather Army. Some of them were not from the Black Feather Army, but they were all firm-minded.


    It was not easy to get along well with this group of servants. Shen Miao did not know if she was overthinking, but she felt that the two benefactors were not simple.


    Luo Tan was curious. ¡°In that case, this pair of siblings are extremely good people.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s probably the case.¡± Uncle Tang smiled and said, ¡°No matter what, the fact that they saved Master will make them an honored guest of Prince Rui¡¯s mansion for the rest of their lives.¡±


    As they spoke, they had already walked to the entrance of the main hall. As soon as they entered, they saw the Ji family. Marquis Ji was talking to Madam Ji. Seeing Shen Miao behind Uncle Tang, Madam Ji stood up and quickly walked up, saying, ¡°Jiaojiao, you¡¯re finally back!¡±


    There were also some madams in the hall, but they were strangers that Shen Miao had never seen before. Shen Miao looked at Madam Ji in confusion. Madam Ji said in a low voice, ¡°They are here to check in on Jingxing¡­ It¡¯s not appropriate to ask them to leave, so I let them sit here.¡±


    Shen Miao understood that Xie Jingxing¡¯s status in Long Ye was very delicate. His life was related to many people in the imperial court. It was not easy for those court officials to show up, but they could get their wives to come and see how badly Xie Jingxing was injured, Shen Miao guessed that these madams must be instructed to come and see if Xie Jingxing was dead.


    Madam Ji said, ¡°Where have you been these days? Butler Tang said that you went to look for a doctor, but we couldn¡¯t find you no matter what. It¡¯s good that you are finally back.¡± After saying that, she reproached, ¡°I know you¡¯re worried about your husband, so you went to look for a doctor, but no matter what, you should stay by your husband¡¯s side. When he woke up this morning, he was disappointed that you were not around. Now, your identity is not that of an official¡¯s daughter, but Princess Consort Rui. Think about the consequences. Many eyes are on you.¡±


    Although her words were not pleasant to the ear, Shen Miao knew that Madam Ji said it for her own good.

 Chapter 948 - 948 Consort Mei (5)

    948 Consort Mei (5)


    As soon as Madam Ji finished speaking to Shen Miao in a low voice, a woman in the hall looked at Shen Miao and said with a smile, ¡°Princess Consort, we¡¯ve been visiting Prince Rui these past few days, but we didn¡¯t see you. We were worried that you were heartbroken because Prince Rui was bedridden, so you didn¡¯t come out. Now that we see that you¡¯re fine, we¡¯re relieved.¡±


    In fact, they were all implying that Shen Miao was really not qualified to be the princess consort. As the princess consort, not only did she not stay by the sick bed, but she also did not come out to meet guests.


    Shen Miao smiled and said to the madam indifferently, ¡°My family is not peaceful these days. Sorry for making you concerned about us.¡± In other words, Shen Miao was saying that she didn¡¯t need outsiders like them to meddle in her family¡¯s business.


    Shen Miao had always been flexible when dealing with people. When dealing with an unfathomable person like Xie Jingxing, she had to give in, but when dealing with a brainless woman, she did not have to hold back too much. Therefore, her words were especially sarcastic, making the madam unable to retort.


    When she walked closer enough, another madam exclaimed, ¡°Princess Consort Rui, what¡¯s wrong? Why are your clothes so dirty? Did you fall into a pit?¡± Then, she suddenly covered her nose and revealed a look of disgust.


    Madam Ji and Marquis Ji were stunned, and so was Uncle Tang. Everyone in the hall focused their gazes on Shen Miao. Only then did they realize that Shen Miao¡¯s clothes were covered in mud and dust. They were really dirty. Her hair was also messy. Although it had already been tidied, she still looked disheveled. She smelt lie¡­ fertilizer.


    Those madams did not like Princess Consort Rui, who was a foreigner, to begin with. Now that they had something to say, they immediately started gossiping, saying that Shen Miao was in a hurry to come and accidentally fell into a gutter.


    Luo Tan was furious when she heard that. Only she knew how Shen Miao was in such a sorry state, but Shen Miao had warned her not to tell anyone.


    Uncle Tang was stunned. When he saw Shen Miao just now, he was too focused on telling her that Prince Rui had woken up and didn¡¯t notice her dirty clothes. Moreover, Shen Miao had always been dignified and graceful, and she was always dressed meticulously. When had she ever been so careless with her appearance?


    Amidst the mocking laughter, Shen Miao¡¯s expression was the calmest. She did not think there was anything wrong with this. These madams were xenophobic and did not treat her as one of them. No matter how expensive she wore today, those people would not change their opinion of her. Therefore, when her disheveled appearance was seen by everyone, she did not feel embarrassed.


    Just as Madam Ji was about to say a few words to smooth things over, she suddenly heard a man saying from the outer hall, ¡°Brother Li, you¡¯re really talented. I can¡¯t solve the ring puzzle, but you did it in less than half an hour. Apart from my third brother, no one else can do it faster than you.¡±


    It was Ji Yushu¡¯s voice.


    Right on the heels of that, another voice sounded. It seemed to be a young man¡¯s voice. It was a little hoarse. That person said, ¡°Brother Ji, thank you for letting me win. I don¡¯t dare to compare myself to Prince Rui.¡±

 Chapter 949 - 949 Consort Mei (6)

    949 Consort Mei (6)


    Shen Miao¡¯s heart skipped a beat. Involuntarily, her heart tightened. That clear and low voice sounded very familiar, but she could not remember who it belonged to. However, at this moment, her body was trembling. She lowered her head to look at her hands. Her sleeves were long, and only her fingertips were exposed. However, her fair fingertips, which were dirty, were trembling violently.


    The next moment, Ji Yushu said, ¡°Don¡¯t say that. When my third brother wakes up, I will definitely let the two of you compete. He likes smart people the most and will definitely admire you.¡±


    The curtain of the main hall was lifted, and two people walked in. Ji Yushu was walking at the front. When he suddenly saw Shen Miao, he was stunned. Then, ignoring the presence of the madams, he walked forward and called out, ¡°Sister-in-law!¡± Then he said in a low voice, ¡°You¡¯re back. I asked TIe Yi many times to tell me where you went, but he refused to say a word. Where exactly did you go?¡±


    Shen Miao did not answer him. She stared at the person walking behind Ji Yushu.


    It was a young man who looked to be in his early twenties. His facial features were very ordinary, but he was able to attract people¡¯s attention because he exuded the aura of a ¡°smart person¡±. He was wearing a pine-colored robe and green boots. His eyes were like the summer sun, warm and passionate, but with a faint fanaticism.


    Shen Miao wobbled and she almost fell down. Luo Tan quickly held her from behind, thinking that she was too tired from the night before and couldn¡¯t hold on anymore.


    Madam Ji said, ¡°This is one of the people who saved Jingxing, Young Master Li.¡±


    The young man bowed to Shen Miao and smiled. ¡°I¡­¡±


    ¡°Li Ke!¡±


    Shen Miao shouted in her heart. She would never forget this name and this pair of seemingly warm eyes! This official who was promoted to be Fu Xiuyi¡¯s right-hand man in just a few years and was almost on par with Pei Lang, this biological brother of Consort Mei, Li Ke!


    She did not expect that in this unfamiliar country, in her mansion, and in a room full of people, Li Ke would appear in front of her again.


    Her face suddenly turned pale. On one hand, she was rationally reminding herself not to do anything strange in front of these madams, but on the other hand, she stared at Li Ke fiercely, wishing she could rush up and tear this person into pieces, drink his blood, and eat his flesh!


    The reason why she ended up in such a tragic state in her previous life was because of this pair of siblings. Consort Mei won Fu Xiuyi¡¯s heart, and Li Ke relied on his sister to get promoted. The siblings joined hand to gain a foothold in the palace. Consort Mei thought of a way to get Wanyu to marry into the Xiongnu, and Li Ke thought of a way to persuade Fu Xiuyi to abolish the crown prince. Consort Mei caused the entire first branch of the Shen family to be eradicated while Li Ke had a deep relationship with Shen Gui and Shen Wan.


    Shen Miao knew that she had to face this pair of siblings sooner or later! However, she did not expect to meet them here, and nor did she expect them to be Xie Jingxing¡¯s benefactors.


    Shen Miao¡¯s fierce gaze stunned Madam Ji for a moment. Madam Ji asked, ¡°Jiao¡­¡±


    ¡°Where is the other benefactor?¡± Shen Miao smiled and slowly looked away. Her tone was strange.


    ¡°Just now, the maid accidentally spilled tea on her. I asked her to change her clothes and come over,¡± Madam Ji said.


    As she spoke, Ji Yushu looked at the door and said, ¡°she¡¯s here.¡±


    The woman had a good figure and she walked gracefully. As the curtain was lifted, the noon sun shone on her face, making her look ethereal. She had a gentle smile and was dazzling.


    Shen Miao stood in the room, her clothes disheveled and her face pale. She stared at the woman like a hungry wolf, a fierce tiger, and a poisonous snake and beast waiting for an opportunity to attack.


    That person wore her clothes and came to her mansion. She saved her husband and was now mounting the high horse.


    Shen Miao was again pushed to comfort her mortal enemy of two lifetimes.


    ¡°Greetings, Your Highness,¡± the woman said.


    This was Shen Miao¡¯s sworn enemy, Consort Mei.

 Chapter 950 - 950 Encounter (1)

    950 Encounter (1)


    Madam Ji smiled and said, ¡°Jiaojiao, this is Li Mei. She was the one who gave us the herb to save Jingxing.¡±


    Shen Miao stared at her.


    The reason why Consort Mei could be favored by Fu Xiuyi for so many years meant that she was not easy to deal with. Those who were more beautiful than her were not as smart as her, and those who were smarter than her were not as beautiful as her. When it was time to make a move, she would make a move, and when it was time to retreat, she would retreat. She was scheming, but she knew her place well and would not push her luck. She was beautiful, and she knew how to make use of her beauty. The consorts in the palace used to say that if she wanted, all the men in the world would submit to her.


    For example, at this moment, she came in wearing Shen Miao¡¯s clothes. Even the simple and conservative clothes looked good on her. Naturally, by contrast, Shen Miao looked even more miserable.


    Consort Mei had an extremely charming pair of eyes, like a cat that had just woken up in the afternoon. When she met Shen Miao¡¯s gaze, she was stunned. The way Shen Miao stared at her was too strange.


    However, in the next second, Shen Miao lowered her head. When she looked up again, her eyes were full of smiles.


    ¡°You are beautiful,¡± Shen Miao said softly.


    Luo Tan sighed in her heart. Previously, Uncle Tang said that the pair of siblings were very outstanding. When she saw Li Ke, she didn¡¯t think too highly of him. She felt that at most, he was good-looking, but when she saw Li Mei, she knew what it was like to be outstanding. Luo Tan had always felt that among the women she knew, Shen Miao was the most unique. Apart from her looks, Shen Miao had a dignified aura that no woman could compare. Li Mei, on the other hand, gave people a completely different feeling. If Shen Miao was a peony, the queen of flowers, this woman was a poppy, an extremely tempting, charming, and gorgeous existence.


    Shen Miao said, ¡°Miss Li, are you from the Daliang Dynasty?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Li Mei looked at Shen Miao in surprise and smiled. ¡°I just came to Long Ye.¡±


    ¡°Miss Li and Young Master Li are from Qinzhou.¡± Madam Ji smiled and said, ¡°When they arrived in Long Ye, they saw the post at the city gate and immediately came to give us the herb.¡±


    ¡°You saw the post as soon as you arrived in the city?¡± Shen Miao looked at Li Mei with a faint smile. ¡°Should I say that His Highness is lucky or Miss Li is lucky?¡±


    This time, almost everyone in the room could hear Shen Miao¡¯s hostility. Li Mei was also stunned. Li Ke took a step forward and bowed to Shen Miao with a smile. ¡°Since Prince Rui is recovering, my sister and I will take our leaves first. Sorry for disturbing you these days.¡±


    Li Ke¡¯s attitude was neither servile nor overbearing. Madam Ji was stunned. Without asking Shen Miao what was going on, she subconsciously grabbed Li Ke and Li Mei and said, ¡°What¡¯s the hurry? You saved Jingxing¡¯s life. Speaking of which, we haven¡¯t repaid you¡­¡±

 Chapter 951 - 951 Encounter (2)

    951 Encounter (2)


    Li Mei smiled and said, ¡°Madam Ji, I told you previously that I saw the post by accident. At that time, I didn¡¯t think too much about it. This herb is used to detoxify the poison and save people¡¯s lives. The two of us don¡¯t need it and it will be a waste in our hands. If we can use it to save people, we will naturally do it. We are fated to give the herb to Prince Rui.¡±


    The other madams in the hall looked at Li Mei approvingly. She was beautiful and generous. On the other hand, Shen Miao made things difficult for her for no reason. She did not have the bearing of a princess consort.


    Li Mei looked at Shen Miao and said apologetically, ¡°I dirtied my clothes just now, so I borrowed your clothes. Please don¡¯t mind it. After I wash them, I will definitely return them to you personally.¡±


    Shen Miao looked at her fixedly.


    When Shen Miao first saw Consort Mei in her previous life, it was after she returned to Ming Qi from the State of Qin. She had long expected that there would be many consorts in the palace, but Consort Mei was the only one who gave birth to a son. At first, Shen Miao did not believe that someone as cold as Fu Xiuyi could dote on a woman so much. Later, when she saw it with her own eyes, she had no choice but to believe it.


    Consort Mei was favored by Fu Xiuyi, so when she faced Shen Miao from the beginning, she was never humble. Even though Shen Miao was the empress, it seemed that Consort Mei was above her in status.


    At this moment, the woman who was always arrogant and held her chin high called Shen Miao ¡°Princess Consort¡± in a humble manner.


    The world was so small that in her second life, Shen Miao would still meet her enemy again.


    Seeing that Shen Miao did not answer, Li Mei was a little embarrassed. She smiled and was about to pull Li Ke away. Madam Ji wanted to persuade them to stay, but Shen Miao was the princess consort after all. She had no reason to speak on behalf of Shen Miao.


    ¡°Wait,¡± Shen Miao suddenly said.


    Li Ke and Li Mei were stunned. The two of them turned around and saw Shen Miao smiling gently. She said, ¡°If the two of you leave now, won¡¯t you make people think that Prince Rui is cold and ungrateful?¡±


    ¡°No, that¡¯s not what we mean.¡± Li Mei shook her head and smiled. ¡°It¡¯s our own idea to leave.¡±


    ¡°You have to at least wait for His Highness to recover before leaving.¡± Shen Miao smiled. ¡°Otherwise, Prince Rui will blame me.¡±


    What she meant was that she was still suspicious of the herb. If the herb was actually fake and Xie Jingxing¡¯s condition worsened, where was she supposed to find this pair of siblings?


    Madam Ji and Ji Yushu were a little embarrassed. Shen Miao was not an aggressive person. Why was she so aggressive with this pair of siblings? They were Prince Rui¡¯s saviors after all. No matter what, she should have a better attitude. Even if she had doubts, there was no need to say it out loud.


    However, Shen Miao knew that this brother and sister might not stay if she thanked them, but they would definitely stay if she suspected them.


    Because even if they did all kinds of bad things, they still wanted to have a good reputation and would not tolerate people slandering them.


    As expected, as soon as Shen Miao said that, Li Ke looked angry. He said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, we will definitely stay until Prince Rui opens his eyes.¡±

 Chapter 952 - 952 Encounter (3)

    952 Encounter (3)


    Shen Miao smiled. ¡°That¡¯s good. Prince Rui owes you a favor. If you don¡¯t stay, how can we ¡®repay¡¯ your kindness?¡±


    One moment, she suspected them, and the next, she was talking about repaying them. Such an ambiguous attitude made people a little confused. Li Mei looked at her thoughtfully. Shen Miao noticed her gaze and smiled. ¡°I still have something to do, so I won¡¯t stay any longer.¡± She then said to Madam Ji, ¡°Auntie, help me entertain the madams.¡± Just as she was about to leave, she suddenly thought of something and stopped in front of Li Mei. She smiled and said, ¡°I think this dress suits you quite well. It¡¯s as if it was made for you. Since it fits you, you don¡¯t have to take it off and return it to me. Just treat it as a gift from me.¡±


    Shen Miao talked as if she was not giving a gift to her but rather, she was doing charity. No matter how smart Uncle Tang was, he was a little confused by Shen Miao¡¯s strange behavior today. Only after Shen Miao left did he look at Luo Tan.


    Luo Tan stuck out her tongue. ¡°Don¡¯t ask me. I don¡¯t know either.¡± She turned around and left.


    !!


    Madam Ji looked at Li Mei and Li Ke and said apologetically, ¡°The princess consort has been worried about Prince Rui these days and is probably worn out. I hope the two of you won¡¯t take it to heart.¡±


    ¡°Not at all.¡± Li Mei smiled.


    ¡°Then let¡¯s talk inside,¡± Madam Ji said with a smile.


    Ji Yushu also looked at Li Ke. After a moment of hesitation, he said, ¡°Brother Li, please.¡±


    When Jingzhe and Gu Yu saw Shen Miao return, they went up to her in surprise and said, ¡°Madam, you¡¯re finally back! We¡¯ve been anxious these days. I¡¯m afraid something might happen to you.¡±


    When they saw that Shen Miao was in a sorry state, the two of them were stunned at the same time. Jingzhe asked, ¡°Madam¡­ What¡¯s going on? Did you get hurt?¡±


    Shen Miao¡¯s clothes were dirty and she was disheveled, looking like she had suffered a huge blow.


    Gu Yu was the smartest. She said, ¡°Madam, I¡¯ll go and run a bath for you first. You can clean up and eat something. His Highness is fine now. After you take a rest, it¡¯ll be easier to think it through.¡±


    After the bath was prepared, Shen Miao dismissed the two of them and sank into the wooden bucket. The temperature of the water was just right, but at this moment, Shen Miao felt as cold as in an igloo.


    How did Consort Mei appear in the Daliang Dynasty? How did she become Xie Jingxing¡¯s savior by a freak combination of factors? She endured all kinds of hardships to not kill Consort Mei the moment she saw her.


    However, no matter how much she endured it, everyone still noticed her strange behavior today. She didn¡¯t know what others would think of her. These people were probably wondering if she was jealous. However, Shen Miao wanted to find out why Consort Mei came to the Daliang Dynasty.


    In her previous life, Shen Miao went to the State of Qin to be a hostage. When she returned, Consort Mei had already entered the palace. It was said that Consort Mei was the daughter of an official Fu Xiuyi met on the way to the east battlefront. However, now that Fu Xiuyi had yet to go to the east battlefront, he naturally could not meet Consort Mei, and Consort Mei was now in the Daliang Dynasty.


    Could it be that Consort Mei had also arrived at the Daliang Dynasty in her previous life at this point? According to the time, Consort Mei had already met Xie Jingxing before she met Fu Xiuyi.


    Then why did Consort Mei end up becoming Fu Xiuyi¡¯s favorite consort? Why did she end up in Ming Qi¡­ Could it be that this was also Xie Jingxing¡¯s doing? Shen Miao couldn¡¯t help but shiver.

 Chapter 953 - 953 Encounter (4)

    953 Encounter (4)


    In her previous life, she and Xie Jingxing did not meet, nor did she come to Long Ye with Xie Jingxing. Xie Jingxing did not go to Ming Qi¡¯s tribute banquet either. Shen Miao was Fu Xiuyi¡¯s wife, and Xie Jingxing was unconscious in Long Ye at this very moment. Consort Mei and her brother, who were passing by, saved him. If Consort Mei was originally from the Daliang Dynasty, how did she end up becoming the favorite consort of Fu Xiuyi? Could it be that she was also a spy?


    Just like how Xie Jingxing, the prince of the Daliang Dynasty, became the young marquis of the Marquis of Lin¡¯an in the capital of Ming Qi. Could Consort Mei be a spy sent by the Daliang Dynasty too?


    However, if that was the case, Consort Mei didn¡¯t have to give birth to Fu Sheng for Fu Xiuyi and even made Fu Sheng the crown prince.


    She frowned more and more. What made her most afraid was whether Consort Mei and Xie Jingxing were allies in her previous life. If Consort Mei was sent to Ming Qi by the Daliang Dynasty¡¯s royal family, which caused Fu Ming and Wanyu to die indirectly, how was she supposed to live with Xie Jingxing in the future?


    !!


    As she was deep in thought, Shen Miao did not even know when the water in the wooden bucket had turned cold. Jingzhe was worried and came over to knock on the door to call her. Shen Miao came back to her senses with a start. When she touched the water again, it was surprisingly cold. She wiped her body, put on her clothes, and went out. The first person she saw was Luo Tan.


    Luo Tan leaned forward and asked, ¡°Little Cousin, do you not like Li Mei?¡±


    Shen Miao said, ¡°Why do you say that?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve always been very polite to people, but you treated Li Mei very strangely, just like how you treated Chang Zaiqing back then.¡± Luo Tan thought for a moment and said, ¡°That Chang Zaiqing was not a good person in the end. Could it be that Li Mei is not a good person either? Speaking of which, I feel that compared to Chang Zaiqing, you disliked Li Mei even more.¡±


    As Shen Miao dried her hair, she said indifferently, ¡°If I say that she¡¯s a bad person, will you believe me?¡±


    ¡°Is she really a bad person?¡± Luo Tan was stunned. ¡°But she doesn¡¯t look like a bad person.¡±


    Shen Miao shook her head. No matter what she said, without evidence, no one would believe her. She said, ¡°Go back.¡±


    Luo Tan was stunned. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to see Prince Rui?¡±


    Shen Miao paused and said, ¡°I¡¯m very tired today and want to sleep early.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡± Luo Tan nodded. ¡°You¡¯ve been tiring yourself out these past few days. You¡¯ve lost a lot of weight. Rest well. I won¡¯t disturb you anymore.¡± After thinking for a moment, she added, ¡°If you think there¡¯s anything wrong with Li Mei, you can tell me. In the Daliang Dynasty, we can only rely on each other.¡±


    After Luo Tan left, Shen Miao¡¯s expression turned cold. She said to Jingzhe, ¡°Call Mo Qing over.¡±


    It was rare for her to be so serious. Today, she actually had a faint killing intent, making Jingzhe and Gu Yu not dare to even ask. Without a word, they went out to look for Mo Qing.


    Mo Qing quickly walked in. Shen Miao asked someone to close the door tightly. Without anyone around, she asked Mo Qing, ¡°Where are the siblings living now?¡±


    Mo Qing thought that Shen Miao had something important to instruct him. Hearing this, he was slightly stunned and said, ¡°They live in an empty room in the side courtyard.¡±


    ¡°Kill them for me,¡± Shen Miao said.


    Mo Qing was stunned.


    Mo Qing knew better than anyone the situation Shen Miao was in. It was no exaggeration to say she was walking on thin ice everyday. From time to time, people would scheme against her and shoot arrows at her. In such an environment, Shen Miao had never let anyone take advantage of her. Many of the things she instructed Mo Qing to do were retaliative. However, this was the first time she said ¡°kill them for me¡±.

 Chapter 954 - 954 Encounter (5)

    954 Encounter (5)


    Mo Qing looked at Shen Miao and hesitated for a moment before asking, ¡°Madam, they¡­¡±


    ¡°If I don¡¯t get rid of these two people, there will be endless trouble in the future. Kill them for me,¡± she said.


    Before Mo Qing could answer, he suddenly heard a voice outside the window. ¡°That¡¯s not a good idea.¡±


    The two of them turned around and saw that the window was open. Jingzhe had probably left in a hurry and forgot to close the window. At this moment, it was dark outside, so the two of them did not know that there was someone else standing outside the window. It was Pei Lang.


    Shen Miao gestured for him to come in. Pei Lang walked in and glanced at Mo Qing. He shook his head at Shen Miao and said, ¡°It¡¯s not a good idea to kill someone rashly.¡±


    Shen Miao stared at him coldly. Consort Mei¡¯s appearance reminded her of those dark days in the past, and she inexplicably found Pei Lang displeasing to the eye.


    Pei Lang cleared his throat. He said, ¡°That pair of siblings are living in this mansion now. If you kill them, Prince Rui will be implicated.¡±


    ¡°Secondly, what you did in the hall today was too much. There are already rumors outside that you¡¯re jealous of Li Mei¡¯s beauty and deliberately made things difficult for her. I was wondering why you behaved strangely today, but now that I heard that you have a grudge against them, I understand. Since you have a grudge against them, you shouldn¡¯t show it. Once you show it, you¡¯ll be the first suspect if anything happens to that pair of siblings.¡±


    ¡°Thirdly, the fact that you asked Mo Qing to kill someone for you means that you don¡¯t trust anyone else, including Prince Rui¡¯s subordinates. But is Mo Qing really a match for the other guards in this mansion? No matter how good Mo Qing¡¯s martial arts are, it¡¯s difficult for him to fight against two. If he¡¯s caught, Prince Rui will definitely ask you the reason. There must be a reason why you asked Mo Qing to do it but didn¡¯t tell Prince Rui. At that time, your secret will be exposed.¡±


    ¡°Therefore, this is not a good idea,¡± Pei Lang said in one breath.


    Shen Miao stared at him for a while. After a while, she suddenly smiled and said, ¡°Mr. Pei, are you always so rational?¡± Without waiting for Pei Lang to speak, she sneered. ¡°That¡¯s right. If you weren¡¯t rational, you wouldn¡¯t have been where you were.¡±


    Pei Lang did not understand what she meant. Shen Miao continued, ¡°You¡¯re right. I can¡¯t kill people rashly in Prince Rui¡¯s mansion. Moreover, death is too merciful a punishment for these two people.¡±


    Shen Miao said to Mo Qing, ¡°Go out and investigate for me first. I want to know everything about this pair of siblings! Everything, big or small!¡±


    Mo Qing left.


    Shen Miao took a deep breath. Her enemy was right in front of her, but she could not do anything now. This feeling was really uncomfortable.


    Mo Qing nodded and left. Pei Lang looked at Shen Miao and thought for a moment before asking, ¡°You seem to be very resentful towards this pair of siblings.¡±


    Shen Miao sneered. ¡°Why do you say so?¡±


    He looked at Shen Miao inquisitively. ¡°The fact that you want them dead so much means that you¡¯re afraid of them. Are these siblings¡­ very powerful?¡±


    Shen Miao¡¯s heart skipped a beat. She looked at Pei Lang in front of her and asked angrily for no reason, ¡°Mr. Pei, you¡¯ve always prided yourself on being insightful. Do you know what kind of deep hatred is driving me to want to kill them so much.¡±


    ¡°Are you willing to tell me?¡±

 Chapter 955 - 955 Encounter (6)

    955 Encounter (6)


    ¡°They owe me two lives.¡± Shen Miao said, ¡°Even if I kill them ten thousand times, it won¡¯t be enough!¡±


    Pei Lang was shocked by the obvious fierceness in Shen Miao¡¯s eyes. He said, ¡°I can help you.¡±


    Shen Miao stared at him. ¡°Why should I believe you?¡±


    These words surprised Pei Lang. A few days ago, he clearly felt that Shen Miao¡¯s attitude towards him had softened, and she seemed to have let go of some things. He felt that the relationship between the two of them was not as tense as before. However, today, Shen Miao was like a hedgehog with thorns all over her body. She was sharp and wary, and her attitude towards him had returned to the past.


    It was as if they were enemies.


    Pei Lang knew that this must be related to the appearance of the siblings. He thought for a moment and asked, ¡°I heard that the siblings are from the Daliang Dynasty. I don¡¯t think you have ever been to the Daliang Dynasty in the past and have ever seen the two of them. How can you have such a deep hatred towards them?¡±


    ¡°Mr. Pei.¡± Shen Miao interrupted him. ¡°I¡¯ve already said everything I can say to you. You know very well what kind of attitude I have towards this pair of siblings. I don¡¯t expect you to give me advice, but I hope you won¡¯t interfere and tell anyone about this.¡±


    Pei Lang suddenly felt angry. He was originally lofty and unwilling to enter the officialdom. However, Shen Miao used Liu Ying to threaten him to become a spy on Fu Xiuyi¡¯s side. Because of that, he was later tortured and forced to leave his country. When his sincerity to help was not appreciated, he had the urge to turn around and storm out. However, when he saw Shen Miao¡¯s cold gaze, he couldn¡¯t bring himself to be angry at her.


    It was as if the moment he saw her, he would feel an inexplicable sense of guilt towards her.


    He paused for a moment and said, ¡°You don¡¯t trust me.¡±


    Shen Miao said coldly, ¡°I don¡¯t trust anyone.¡±


    After Pei Lang left, Shen Miao sat back at the table. She felt as if she had exhausted all her strength.


    Shen Miao couldn¡¯t kill Li Mei and Li Ke at this moment, but she had to make sure they could not leave. She had to take revenge eventually. Otherwise, she was not worthy of being the mother of two children.


    Just as she was thinking, Jingzhe pushed open the door and walked in. She said to Shen Miao, ¡°Madam, His Highness just woke up and wants to see you.¡±


    Shen Miao was stunned for a moment before nodding.


    Shen Miao had guessed all the possible connections between the Daliang Dynasty¡¯s royal family, Xie Jingxing, and Consort Mei. The more she thought about it, the more afraid she felt. If those terrifying guesses were all true, Shen Miao did not know how she should react.


    Consort Mei¡¯s appearance disrupted her plan and emotions, and she found it difficult to even face Xie Jingxing. She was afraid that others would see the hatred in her eyes, and she was also afraid that Xie Jingxing would confirm her terrifying guess.


    The bedroom was filled with a strong medicinal fragrance. The servants coming and going were all busy with their own things. Gao Yang was walking out with a medicine box. When he saw Shen Miao, he was stunned and said, ¡°He just woke up. He woke up once in the morning and asked about you. His wound is not healed yet. Don¡¯t go against him.¡±


    Shen Miao nodded and pushed the door open.


    Xie Jingxing was only wearing an inner robe and a cloak. He was leaning against the couch and reading. It was unknown if it was because he was injured, but he had lost a little weight these days, and his facial features became even sharper. When he was quiet, he looked like a scholar. He flipped through the book elegantly. It was impossible to tell that he had been on the verge of death a few days ago.


    Shen Miao wanted to go in, but just as she took a step forward, she hesitated, knowing that taking this step meant facing a question she did not dare to face. She was afraid of the answer and instinctively wanted to escape this question.


    However, there was no question in life that could be avoided forever.


    Xie Jingxing did not look up and said indifferently, ¡°Since you¡¯re here, why don¡¯t you come in?¡±


    Shen Miao paused, clenched her fists, and slowly walked in. As she approached the bed, she sat down and said, ¡°Are you alright? I heard from Uncle Tang that you¡¯re already awake. I thought you wanted to rest, so I didn¡¯t disturb you.¡±


    Xie Jingxing was probably not fully recovered yet and his voice was still hoarse. He suddenly smiled and said in an ambiguous tone, ¡°Interesting.¡±


    Shen Miao looked at him. His gaze was still on the book, and his voice was a little cold.


    ¡°You don¡¯t dare to come?¡±


    ¡°Of course not.¡± Shen Miao smiled. ¡°Did the wound hurt your brain too?¡±


    Xie Jingxing also smiled, but the smile did not reach his eyes. He closed the book and threw it aside. He turned around and looked at Shen Miao for the first time since she entered.


    His gaze was sharp, and there was a hint of anger. He asked, ¡°Shen Miao, if I didn¡¯t ask you to come, you would not come, right?¡±

 Chapter 956 - 956 Interrogation (1)

    956 Interrogation (1)


    The atmosphere in the room was tense. His gaze was as sharp as a knife. Although his face was pale, his aura didn¡¯t weaken.


    Shen Miao said, ¡°You¡¯re overhinking.¡±


    ¡°Are you hiding something from me?¡± Xie Jingxing asked.


    Shen Miao shook her head. ¡°No.¡± How should she put it? To be honest, this life was completely different from her previous life. Xie Jingxing might not really have anything to do with Consort Mei. However, because Fu Ming and Wanyu were also involved, she couldn¡¯t think rationally.


    If she did not have any feelings for Xie Jingxing, it would be much easier. What she was most afraid of was that her relationship with Xie Jingxing was mixed with something else.


    Xie Jingxing looked at her deeply. Shen Miao was afraid that he would see through her, so she said, ¡°Since you¡¯ve recovered, you should rest well. The night is long. After taking the medicine, sleep early.¡± She stood up and turned to leave.


    ¡°Are you in such a hurry to leave?¡± Xie Jingxing¡¯s voice came from behind. He sounded like he was aggrieved. ¡°I heard that you haven¡¯t come to see me for the past few days. Do you know what was on my mind when I first opened my eyes? I I thought that you must be frightened.¡± The corners of his mouth curled up and he lowered his eyes. ¡°I was indeed overthinking.¡±


    Shen Miao did not say anything. She pushed the door open and walked out. After taking a few steps, she suddenly stopped.


    Xie Jingxing would definitely notice her abnormality. He was such a sensitive person. If he found out, she would not be able to explain herself. Her dealing with Chang Zaiqing was justifiable because Chang Zaiqing posed a threat to her family, but she had never seen Li Mei and her brother, and they were Xie Jingxing¡¯s saviors. It was precisely because everyone in Long Ye knew this that Shen Miao could not kill Li Mei and her brother. Once they were dead and people suspected her, Prince Rui would also be dragged into this mess.


    On one hand, it was a potential disaster for both her and Xie Jingxing, and on the other hand, she wanted to get rid of the enemies of her previous life as soon as possible. Shen Miao felt that after coming to the Daliang Dynasty, she was finally face-to-face with her greatest problem.


    Ba Jiao carried the empty medicine bowl over. When she saw Shen Miao, she was stunned and said, ¡°Madam, why did you come out so quickly? Aren¡¯t you going to spend more time with Master?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no need.¡± Shen Miao said, ¡°Take good care of him.¡± She walked forward without looking back.


    Two days later, Mo Qing came to Shen Miao with the information he had gathered.


    He said, ¡°This pair of siblings is from Qinzhou. They¡¯re the children of a merchant. However, they were adopted. The wife of this merchant died early. Before the merchant died, he told them that the two of them were not his biological children. After burying their adoptive father, they came to Long Ye to look for their relatives. However, there is no progress so far.¡±


    ¡°Impossible.¡± Shen Miao stood up.


    Mo Qing said, ¡°That¡¯s all the information I can get. I got someone to ask around in Qinzhou. All the neighbors said so. They watched this pair of siblings grow up.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure Li Mei has never been to Ming Qi?¡± Shen Miao was so anxious that she dug her nails into her palms.


    ¡°She¡¯s never taken a long journey. This is the first time she¡¯s been outside Qinzhou,¡± Mo Qing said.


    Shen Miao closed her eyes.


    ¡°Over the past two days, Li Mei and Li Ke would go to the Ji mansion to talk to Madam Ji. Other than that, they didn¡¯t do anything special.¡±


    Shen Miao asked, ¡°Then have they seen His Highness?¡±


    ¡°No. Without being summoned, no one can see His Highness in person, not even his savior,¡± Mo Qing replied.

 Chapter 957 - 957 Interrogation (2)

    957 Interrogation (2)


    ¡°I understand. You can leave. Continue to pay attention to this pair of siblings. If there¡¯s anything strange, tell me immediately,¡± Shen Miao said.


    Mo Qing nodded and left.


    After Mo Qing left, Shen Miao sat back down and gradually lowered her eyes.


    Mo Qing, who was meticulous, could not be wrong. Either this life was really different from her previous life or this pair of siblings was too good at hiding.


    This way, even if she told Madam Ji that the two of them had ulterior motives, no one would believe her. The reason the siblings, who had grown up in Qinzhou, came to Long Ye was to look for their relatives. Who would believe that they wanted to harm Prince Rui?


    She stood up and wanted to go and see Xie Jingxing, but at the thought that Li Mei and her brother were considered Xie Jingxing¡¯s saviors and that they might be related to the Daliang Dynasty¡¯s royal family, she felt that it was difficult to face him.


    In the end, she gave up.


    ¡­


    Weiyang Palace.


    When Empress Xiande heard the palace maid finish speaking, she heaved a sigh of relief and said with a relaxed smile, ¡°It¡¯s good that he¡¯s out of danger. Someone, go and send the two hundred-year-old ginsengs to Prince Rui to nourish his body.¡± She suddenly thought of something and added, ¡°Does the emperor know about this?¡±


    ¡°His Majesty is already informed¡± the palace maid said with a smile.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to see him.¡± Empress Xiande was about to stand up.


    The palace maid said hesitantly, ¡°His Majesty is at Consort Jing¡¯s place¡­ probably celebrating¡­¡±


    Empress Xiande paused for a moment, then smiled gently and said, ¡°In that case, I don¡¯t have to go.¡± A trace of sadness flashed across her eyes.


    ¡°However, I heard that when Prince Rui woke up, some madams were saying¡­¡±


    ¡°Saying what?¡±


    ¡°Saying that the princess consort didn¡¯t seem to like the siblings who saved Prince Rui¡¯s life and made things very difficult for them, and that she was jealous of the beautiful woman . Some even said that Princess Consort Rui didn¡¯t want Prince Rui to be saved at all¡­¡± At the end of her sentence, her voice gradually trailed off, as if she knew that what she said was offensive.


    ¡°Nonsense!¡± Empress Xiande shouted sternly, ¡°How can the princess consort not want Prince Rui to be saved!¡±


    The palace maid was so frightened that she didn¡¯t dare to look up.


    Empress Xiande calmed down after this shout. She said indifferently, ¡°Are you trying to say that the princess consort is jealous? I think it¡¯s this simple.¡±


    Weiyang Palace was quiet, and no one spoke. Empress Xiande sat in the high seat, and her figure looked extremely lonely.


    ¡­


    For more than ten days in a row, Shen Miao locked herself in her room and carefully thought of a way to get the best of both worlds. However, no matter how she thought about it, she could not be sure that she could have done it perfectly without implicating anyone. The appearance of Li Mei and her brother had placed Shen Miao and Xie Jingxing in a very tricky position.


    Over the past ten days, she had been deliberately avoiding Xie Jingxing because every time she faced Xie Jingxing, she would have countless doubts in her mind. If Li Mei and her brother were really related to Xie Jingxing in her previous life, Shen Miao really did not know how to face Xie Jingxing anymore. She was afraid that their fate as husband and wife would end just like that.

 Chapter 958 - 958 Interrogation (3)

    958 Interrogation (3)


    This morning, when Shen Miao woke up, her complexion was very bad. Jingzhe and Gu Yu could tell that something was wrong with her. They asked a few times, but Shen Miao only brushed them off.


    Last night, she had a dream for the entire night. She dreamed that in the Palace of Earthly Tranquility in the capital, Wanyu and Fu Ming were eating fruits and chatting in front of her. As they spoke, blood started to flow from the corners of Wanyu and Fu Ming¡¯s mouths at the same time. She panicked and looked for the imperial physician. When she looked up, she saw Consort Mei and Fu Xiuyi walking over. Fu Xiuyi got someone to tie her and Wanyu and Fu Ming up. Then, he burned the Palace of Earthly Tranquility to the ground.


    She screamed heart-wrenchingly and saw Consort Mei smile and say to her, ¡°You lost.¡±


    Shen Miao suddenly woke up from her dream. The summer sun in the morning dazzled her eyes. Shen Miao broke out in cold sweat, and her entire body was covered in sweat. However,her mind was still filled with the pained faces of Wanyu and Fu Ming, making her feel uneasy.


    As soon as she left the courtyard, she saw Li Mei walking out.


    When Li Mei saw Shen Miao, she immediately stopped and bowed to her.


    Shen Miao¡¯s eyes darkened. Every time she met the woman in front of her, she had to try her best to restrain her killing intent, especially after the dream last night. She almost couldn¡¯t help but reach out and strangle her to death. The fingertips in her sleeve stabbed her palm, making her feel a slight pain.


    Shen Miao glanced at Li Mei and said, ¡°Miss Li, where are you going?¡±


    Li Mei smiled and said, ¡°Prince Rui is awake. He summoned us over today. My brother has already gone over, and I¡¯m about to go over too.¡± He looked at Shen Miao with embarrassment. ¡°After disturbing you for so many days, it¡¯s probably time for us to leave. Thank you for taking care of us.¡±


    Shen Miao sneered in her heart. She had never asked anyone to ¡°take care¡± of the two of them. It must be Madam Ji¡¯s idea. In addition, everyone in the mansion knew that they had saved Xie Jingxing¡¯s life, so they were more polite to the two of them.


    ¡°Why do you want to leave?¡± Shen Miao said indifferently, ¡°We haven¡¯t ¡®repaid¡¯ you yet.¡±


    Li Mei shook her head. ¡°We¡¯re here to look for our relatives. Since Prince Rui has recovered, it¡¯s time for us to leave.¡±


    Shen Miao really could not believe that Li Mei was in Long Ye to look for her relatives.


    Li Mei looked at Shen Miao and suddenly said softly, ¡°Your Highness, did I offend you in some way? You don¡¯t seem to like me.¡±


    Shen Miao¡¯s attitude towards Li Mei was almost obvious. Apart from meeting Li Mei and her brother on the day of her return, Shen Miao had never gone to see the two of them again. It was definitely not that Shen Miao had forgotten that they were in the mansion, but she did it on purpose. As for why she did it, it was puzzling to everyone.


    ¡°I indeed don¡¯t like you.¡± Shen Miao raised her chin. She could pretend to be polite to her enemy, but she could not do this to Consort Mei. She wanted to express her hatred blatantly. If not for Prince Rui, if not for the fact that she could not explain it to Xie Jingxing¡­ She chuckled. ¡°Do you want to know why?¡±

 Chapter 959 - 959 Interrogation (4)

    959 Interrogation (4)


    Li Mei looked at her in confusion, her charming eyes filled with confusion, as if she was a completely different person from the one Shen Miao remembered.


    ¡°Instinct,¡± Shen Miao said coldly. Then, without looking back, she walked past Li Mei with Jingzhe and Gu Yu.


    Li Mei stood rooted to the ground for a while, shook her head, and left.


    Standing far away, Shen Miao looked at her back, her expression as cold as ice.


    Jingzhe and Gu Yu did not dare to say a word. For some reason, they always felt that when Shen Miao faced this unfamiliar lady, she seemed to become very terrifying. That kind of terrifying look¡­ was something they had never seen from Shen Miao in the past.


    ¡°You¡¯re leaving?¡± Shen Miao muttered to herself. Then, she said coldly, ¡°Can you leave?¡± She turned around. ¡°Call Mo Qing over.¡±


    Mo Qing quickly came to Shen Miao¡¯s room and said, ¡°Madam, I have something to report.¡±


    Shen Miao said, ¡°Put your matters aside for now. I have something more important for you to do.¡±


    Mo Qing was puzzled. ¡°Madam, at your service.¡±


    ¡°Kill Li Mei and Li Ke for me.¡±


    Mo Qing was stunned.


    Shen Miao continued, ¡°I¡¯ve been thinking about it. Although it is not appropriate and might cause trouble for Prince Rui, if these two people don¡¯t die, it will be a variable I can¡¯t control. I¡¯d rather be accused of than let these two people live and become an even bigger disaster in the future. These two wolves haven¡¯t sharpened their claws yet. Once they have, It won¡¯t be that easy to kill them.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not asking you for an opinion. I just want to ask you if you can kill them,¡± Shen Miao asked in a low voice. Her voice lingered in the room, as if it came from hell, but it was filled with determination.


    The dream of Wanyu and Fu Ming reminded her that she could not be indecisive. Since there was no way to get the best of both worlds, she would kill them first. She would think about how to clean up the mess later. Now that the siblings were just the children of merchants, killing them would be much less troublesome. If they found someone to rely on in the future, it would be even more difficult.


    Moreover, Li Mei had also said today that they would leave soon. Where would they go after leaving? To a place that could protect them better? As long as Li Mei and Li Ke were alive, Shen Miao would not be able to get over it and would distance from Xie Jingxing.


    In this life, she chose to kill Li Mei and Li Ke now. As for what role the Daliang Dynasty¡¯s royal family played in the death of her two children in her previous life, she did not want to pursue it. This was the biggest concession she could make for Xie Jingxing.


    Mo Qing suddenly knelt down and said, ¡°Forgive me for not being able to do it.¡±


    Shen Miao stared at him.


    ¡°I was about to tell you. I just heard that the family Li Mei and her brother are looking for is the current prime minister, Ye Maocai. Li Mei and her brother are Madam Ye¡¯s children.¡± Mo Qing said, ¡°The Ye family has already sent people over to pick them up.¡±


    Shen Miao staggered back and said, ¡°What did you say?¡±


    ¡°I failed you, Madam. I can¡¯t kill the siblings. Punish me as you wish!¡±


    Mo Qing did not dare to look up for a long time. For some reason, he could almost imagine the disappointment in Shen Miao¡¯s eyes. He was too ashamed to face Shen Miao.


    After an unknown period of time, Shen Miao said, her voice desolate and tired, ¡°It¡¯s not your fault. They came prepared, and I was too hesitant. I missed the opportunity because of my indecisiveness.¡±

 Chapter 960 - 960 Interrogation (5)

    960 Interrogation (5)


    ¡°However.¡± Her voice suddenly turned sharp like a knife, dangerous and murderous. ¡°Even if they are backed by the Ye family, I will still take their lives!¡±


    Long Ye was different from the capital of Ming Qi. The capital was located in the north, so it was the most beautiful in winter when the mountains and forests were covered with snow. Long Ye was located in the south, and the best season was summer when the nights were cool and the sky was starry.


    In a remote courtyard at the back of Prince Rui¡¯s mansion, the view was also great. With a pot of tea and a chessboard, the man in green drank alone under the moonlight like a hermit.


    When Shen Miao came to the courtyard, she saw Pei Lang sitting at the stone table, drinking tea and playing chess. He was always like this. Back then, after he became the state preceptor, his personality remained unchanged. Shen Miao had always felt that it was not a good decision for Fu Xiuyi to let Pei Lang enter the imperial court. With Pei Lang¡¯s personality, he was more suitable to live a carefree life. He read books, admired the historical sages, liked to play chess, and liked flowers, bamboos, and everything unworldly. However, he was forced to be scheming and cunning in the power game.


    ¡°Mr. Pei.¡± Shen Miao sat down opposite him.


    Pei Lang looked up at Shen Miao and was a little surprised. That day, Shen Miao cut ties with him mercilessly. No matter how tolerant Pei Lang was, he was a man after all and had pride. He had not taken the initiative to look for Shen Miao these days, and Shen Miao was not someone who would take the initiative to seek reconciliation. Now that she appeared in front of him, Pei Lang¡¯s emotions fluctuate slightly.


    ¡°Mr. Pei, you said that you would help me. Does that still count now?¡± Shen Miao did not intend to beat around the bush.


    ¡°Help you with what?¡± Pei Lang put down the teacup in his hand.


    ¡°Everything. However, the thing I want to do now is to kill Li Mei and her brother.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s very difficult.¡± Pei Lang smiled bitterly.


    ¡°It¡¯s actually more difficult than you think.¡± Shen Miao said, ¡°These siblings are related to the Ye family. They said that they¡¯re Ye Maocai¡¯s children. They¡¯ll probably become Ye Mei and Ye Ke soon. It¡¯s nearly impossible to assassinate them. However, I can¡¯t let them off.¡±


    Pei Lang frowned. ¡°But why do you want their lives so much?¡±


    Shen Miao smiled and said coldly, ¡°Not every question has to have an answer. You wanted an answer to your question, but I also wanted an answer to my question. Since I don¡¯t have an answer, how can I give you an answer?¡±


    Pei Lang looked at the chess piece on the table and smiled. ¡°I understand. I won¡¯t continue to ask you why, but what do you want me to do?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not good at killing, but I know what you¡¯re capable of.¡± Shen Miao said, ¡°Since they have already become Ye Mei and Ye Ke, then I¡¯ll deal with the entire Ye family. No one knows better than you how to make a family collapse in the imperial court. I want you to be my advisor.¡±


    Pei Lang was stunned and shook his head. ¡°I don¡¯t understand what you mean. I¡¯ve been only with Prince Ding, and all I did was give him ideas on political matters. I¡¯ve never caused any family to collapse. Why did you say that?¡±


    Shen Miao smiled. She naturally knew. Pei Lang looked gentle and scholarly, but his methods were ruthless. When Fu Xiuyi just ascended the throne, Prince Zhou and the others tried to make a comeback, but in the end, they were all defeated by Pei Lang.

 Chapter 961 - 961 Interrogation (6)

    961 Interrogation (6)


    ¡°Let me ask you one more time. Are you going to help or not?¡± Shen Miao asked.


    Pei Lang pondered for a moment and said, ¡°The situation the Ye family is in is very delicate now. The Daliang Dynasty¡¯s emperor wants to use the Ye family to deal with the Lu family. The Ye family has no children, so it¡¯s easier to control. However, if they have children, the situation will be completely different.¡±


    ¡°The Ye family might change sides, or they might fight with the Lu family, or they might join forces with the royal family to deal with the Lu family. The appearance of Ye Mei and Ye Ke is an extremely unstable variable. The attitude of the royal family towards the Ye family will also affect the attitude of the Ye family towards the royal family. At this time, the royal family should not act rashly and should be even more polite to the Ye family. You are the princess consort of Prince Rui, and Prince Rui is the brother of the emperor. You are tied to the royal family. If you want the Ye siblings to die, the Daliang Dynasty¡¯s emperor will be the first to disagree.¡±


    Shen Miao stared at him. ¡°I naturally know this. That¡¯s why I want you to think of a way to get the royal family to take the initiative to deal with the Ye family.¡±


    !!


    ¡°Whoever makes a move first will lose. The royal family is watching, and so is the Ye family. If you want the lives of the Ye siblings, you have to find fault with the Ye family first and get something on them. It¡¯s best if you can start a war between the Ye family and the royal family.¡±


    Shen Miao asked, ¡°What about the Lu family?¡±


    Pei Lang was stunned.


    ¡°What if I instigate a war between the Lu family and the Ye family?¡±


    Pei Lang shook his head. ¡°You¡­ want to protect Prince Rui, right? However, I have to advise you that it¡¯s impossible to have the best of both worlds. The Lu family is not a fool. At this time, they won¡¯t take the initiative to fall out with the Ye family.¡±


    Shen Miao said, ¡°I understand.¡±


    ¡°Are you really going to risk falling out with the royal family just to deal with the Ye family?¡± Pei Lang frowned. ¡°If you¡¯re really going against the royal family, then Prince Rui and you¡­¡± Pei Lang did not continue. Although he was also very puzzled by Shen Miao¡¯s attitude towards Ye Mei and Her brother, he didn¡¯t think the hatred was so great that Shen Miao was even willing to die with them.


    What exactly did the Ye siblings do?


    ¡°I don¡¯t have a second choice.¡± Shen Miao lowered her eyes. ¡°Maybe I¡¯m not fated to be part of the royal family.¡± In her previous life and this life, she could not escape the fate of dying in the hands of the royal family. But so what?


    ¡°How do you plan to sow discord between them?¡± Pei Lang asked.


    ¡°That¡¯s what I want to discuss with you,¡± Shen Miao said.


    The battlefield in the Daliang Dynasty was different from the one in Ming Qi. She was not familiar with the forces in Long Ye. She could not consult with Xie Jingxing now, but she was unwilling to let her enemy live well under her nose. After thinking about it, she decided to rely on Pei Lang.


    Pei Lang was strategically minded. He was best at analyzing the situation in the imperial court. Even if the Ye siblings had a huge backer behind them, she would still take them down along with their backer.


    This discussion lasted until late at night.


    When Shen Miao returned to her courtyard, it was already very late. She pushed open the door and entered the house. Just as she was about to take off her outer clothes, she suddenly paused and turned around. Xie Jingxing was sitting at her desk with his arms crossed, flipping through a book in boredom.


    ¡°Why are you here?¡± Shen Miao asked, ¡°You¡­ can get out of bed now?¡±


    Today, Xie Jingxing went to see Li Mei and her brother. Shen Miao did not want to think about the siblings, nor did she want to go. She was afraid that as soon as she saw them, she couldn¡¯t control her hatred, but she did not expect Xie Jingxing to come looking for her.


    Xie Jingxing smiled lazily and did not answer her. He said, ¡°Why are you back so late?¡±


    ¡°I couldn¡¯t fall asleep.¡± Shen Miao said, ¡°So I walked around.¡±


    Xie Jingxing tossed the book in his hand on the table and said, ¡°Oh? Didn¡¯t you go to have tea with Pei Lang?¡±


    From the looks of it, he was here to question her.


    Shen Miao was preoccupied with the matters of the Ye family. She asked with a frown, ¡°What do you want to say?¡±


    ¡°Half a month,¡± Xie Jingxing said.


    Shen Miao stared at him.


    He also stared at her with a complicated gaze that made Shen Miao¡¯s heart skip a beat. He said, ¡°I¡¯ve been awake for half a month, but you¡¯ve only come to see me once.¡±


    ¡°Have you forgotten that you¡¯re Princess Consort Rui and my wife?¡± he said.


    Shen Miao did not speak because she didn¡¯t know how to explain.


    However, Xie Jingxing stared at her, his gaze showing disappointment and anger. He said, ¡°I waited for you here for the entire night, and you were drinking tea and playing chess with Pei Lang. Shen Miao, do you like that scholar?¡±


    Shen Miao suddenly felt inexplicably angry. She couldn¡¯t sleep at night because Xie Jingxing was involved in this matter, so she couldn¡¯t make a move and let a good opportunity slip. When she was already frustrated, Xie Jingxing accused her of things she didn¡¯t do. She said, ¡°What does that have to do with you?¡±


    Xie Jingxing pulled Shen Miao over in front of him. He pulled so hard that Shen Miao almost fell. Xie Jingxing held her chin and said word by word, ¡°You are my wife. Remember that.¡±


    Shen Miao frowned and said, ¡°Maybe we formed an alliance too rashly.¡±


    Xie Jingxing paused and looked at her deeply. ¡°Maybe?¡±


    He suddenly let go and stood up. With his back facing Shen Miao, he said indifferently, ¡°Is your heart made of iron? Is scheming and plotting all you care about?¡±


    ¡°Perhaps, you¡¯ve never liked me from the beginning to the end, right?¡± he said indifferently.

 Chapter 962 - 962 Good Intention (1)

    962 Good Intention (1)


    Xie Jingxing left.


    Shen Miao sat alone at the table. Jingzhe walked in. Just now, the two people inside did not deliberately lower their voices, so she heard every word. She said nervously, ¡°Madam, you¡¯re too cold to His Highness.¡±


    Shen Miao did not speak. Jingzhe continued, ¡°Before Madam married His Highness, you treated His Highness better than now. These days, it seems like you are deliberately avoiding him. People who are sick are especially sensitive, especially His Highness, who escaped death this time. If you don¡¯t show concerns about His Highness, he will inevitably feel sad. When you go and talk to him for a while tomorrow, he should be fine. Madam, don¡¯t worry.¡±


    Shen Miao said, ¡°I understand. You can leave.¡±


    Only then did Jingzhe leave.


    After Jingzhe left, Shen Miao pressed her forehead. In all fairness, Xie Jingxing was innocent. The sentence ¡°Actually, from the beginning to the end, you never liked me, right?¡± made her shiver.


    Shen Miao could no longer remember when she fell in love with Xie Jingxing. Perhaps it was when he saved her life at Lake Wanli, or perhaps it was when he took off his mask in front of Princess Rong Xin, or perhaps it was on the day of the wedding when he reached out a hand to her on the horseback, or perhaps it was way earlier than that.


    The feeling of being in love was too alien to her. In her previous life, she had only been in love with Fu Xiuyi, and the price she paid was heavy. After learning from the previous lesson, she did not dare to love anyone rashly. Even if she wanted to learn to love again, she was still very careful and calculated the gains and losses. However, Xie Jingxing was different. He was generous in giving his love. What the two of them contributed to make this marriage happening was not equal. However, Shen Miao thought that she had also done everything she could.


    Now, because she was in love with Xie Jingxing, she couldn¡¯t deal with Consort Mei without scruples. Instead, she had to take Xie Jingxing into consideration.


    As for Xie Jingxing? He was probably extremely disappointed in her.


    She sat at the table. The herb that she had obtained from the Daoist priest was locked in a box and was casually thrown to the side. Because no one cleaned it these days, it was covered in a thin layer of dust.


    In the next few days, Prince Rui¡¯s mansion was quite desolate.


    Seeing that Xie Jingxing¡¯s poison had almost been removed, Gao Yang took Luo Tan somewhere.


    Madam Ji and Ji Yushu also returned to the Ji mansion. As long as Xie Jingxing was fine, there was no point in them staying in Prince Yu¡¯s mansion.


    For some reason, Pei Lang seemed to have caught a cold, so he rested in his room and did not go out.


    Therefore, Shen Miao was suddenly left alone. The servants of Prince Rui¡¯s mansion could also tell that Xie Jingxing and Shen Miao seemed to be having a quarrel. For a moment, everyone in Prince Rui was on tenterhooks, and the atmosphere was even more tense than when Xie Jingxing was unconscious.


    At this moment, someone from the Ye family came to pick up Ye Mei and Ye Ke.


    The Ye family seemed to know that Shen Miao did not like Ye Mei and Ye Ke. From the beginning to the end, they did not mention this to Shen Miao.

 Chapter 963 - 963 Good Intention (2)

    963 Good Intention (2)


    However, as Princess Consort Rui, Shen Miao still had to go and see the Ye family.


    In the main hall, Madam Ye was talking to Ye Ke. Ye Mei sat at the side and smiled. Ye Maocai raised his head slightly, as if he was saying something, and in front of him sat Xie Jingxing.


    Xie Jingxing was wearing a silver-purple robe. Perhaps because his injuries were not fully healed, his sitting posture was lazy. He listened to Ye Maocai with a faint smile, but no one could tell what he was thinking.


    When Shen Miao came in, the first person to see her was Ye Mei. Ye Mei quickly stood up and bowed to her, but Ye Ke did not move. Now that they were already the children of the Ye family, their statuses had risen, so they naturally did not have to bow to the princess consort like before.


    However, when Ye Mei bowed, Shen Miao didn¡¯t even look at her. A trace of displeasure flashed across Madam Ye¡¯s eyes.


    Shen Miao walked to the other side and sat at the head of the table beside Xie Jingxing. Ye Maocai stood up and said, ¡°Princess Consort Rui, thank you for taking care of my children these days.¡±


    Shen Miao smiled. ¡°Miss Ye and Young Master Ye are His Highness¡¯s saviors. I should be the one thanking them.¡±


    Just as Ye Maocai was about to bid goodbye, Shen Miao changed the topic and asked in confusion, ¡°However, how did Miss Li and Young Master Li become Miss Ye and Young Master Ye? It¡¯s a little surprising that the family they¡¯re looking for is the Ye family.¡±


    When she said that, Xie Jingxing was playing with the teacup in his hand. He did not stop her, nor did he echo her, as if he just wanted to watch a show. Ye Maocai was a little uncertain about Xie Jingxing¡¯s attitude. He hesitated for a moment and said with a smile, ¡°It happened more than ten years ago. At that time, my wife gave birth to two children, but the midwife was instructed by someone to steal my children and replace them with a baby girl who died prematurely. All these years, we¡¯ve been investigating in secret. This time, the two of them entered Long Ye, and it was an accident that we found them.¡± Ye Maocai had an honest look and looked like a scholar. When he spoke, people subconsciously found it convincing. He looked at Shen Miao and continued, ¡°Although Mei and Ke saved His Highness, our Ye family are still grateful that we could reunite because of this.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Madam Ye smiled. Ever since Shen Miao met Madam Ye, this was the first time she had seen her smile so happily, as if she was happy from the bottom of her heart. No one would suspect that Ye Mei and Ye Ke were her missing children.


    However, Shen Miao didn¡¯t think so. How did two people from Ming Qi end up becoming people of the Daliang Dynasty in this life? The relationship between them was probably not that simple.


    Ye Mei and Ye Ke sat at the side. Ye Mei was beautiful, and Ye Ke was smart. One look and one could tell that they were rare talents. What was even rarer was that they were careful and did not behave rudely and arrogantly simply because they were Prince Rui¡¯s savior.


    That made sense. Fu Xiuyi was such a smart and cold person. He was so selfish that he did not even hesitate to kill his own children, but he doted on Consort Mei so much. It was obvious that she had tricks up her sleeve.

 Chapter 964 - 964 Good Intention (3)

    964 Good Intention (3)


    ¡°What a coincidence.¡± Shen Miao smiled and said casually, ¡°Qinzhou is not far from Long Ye. The Ye family has been searching for them for more than ten years but to no avail. This time, you found them as soon as they entered Prince Rui¡¯s mansion.¡± She looked at Ye Mei. ¡°It¡¯s really coincidental, right, Miss Ye?¡±


    Ye Mei smiled. ¡°Indeed. Prince Rui¡¯s mansion is a lucky place.¡± She did not seem to understand what Shen Miao was implying.


    Shen Miao looked away and at Ye Maocai. ¡°Lord Ye, what brought you here today?¡±


    Ye Maocai quickly said, ¡°I¡¯m here to bring them back home.¡± After saying that, he said in shame, ¡°As a father, it¡¯s my fault for failing to take care of the two of them. Now that my family is finally reunited, we naturally can¡¯t let them live outside anymore. Today, we¡¯ll bring them back and put their names on the genealogy. From now on, they¡¯re the descendants of the Ye family.¡± At the end of his sentence, he looked a little excited. Looking at Ye Mei and Ye Ke, his eyes were filled with tears.


    !!


    However, Shen Miao felt that this show was lame and boring.


    Ye Maocai then exchanged a few words with Xie Jingxing, looking like he wanted to take this opportunity to befriend Xie Jingxing.


    The Daliang Dynasty¡¯s royal family wanted to rope in the Ye family to deal with the Lu family. The Ye family was in an awkward position. They had always been neutral and did not express their stance. Logically speaking, after Ye Mei and her brother returned to the Ye family, the Ye family would have more confidence to outlast the Lu family and the emperor. However, at this moment, he was clearly expressing good will and his desire to side with Emperor Yong Le. After all, Prince Rui and Emperor Yong Le were close. If he pledged loyalty with Prince Rui, it would be no different from pledging loyalty with Emperor Yong Le.


    Shen Miao¡¯s heart skipped a beat. This was naturally not something she wanted to see happening. Once the Ye family really sided with Emperor Yong Le, if she took down the Ye family, she would be undermining Emperor Yong Le¡¯s power. Not to mention Emperor Yong Le, even Xie Jingxing would not agree.


    However, if she were to form an alliance with the murderer who killed her children, she would hate herself for the rest of her life.


    On the other hand, Xie Jingxing¡¯s attitude was ambiguous.


    He listened to Ye Maocai¡¯s words casually and replied indifferently, avoiding the question that would expose his attitude. Ye Maocai and Madam Ye talked for a long time and said everything they had to say, but Xie Jingxing still did not reveal any attitude.


    The Ye family thought that if they pledged loyalty to the royal family, the royal family would accept them readily with gratitude. However, Xie Jingxing remained indifferent, as if he was just watching a show. It even made people wonder if he understood the hint in Ye Maocai¡¯s words just now.


    Ye Maocai and his wife were anxious. It was said that Prince Rui of the Daliang Dynasty was very unfathomable and also very tricky to deal with. They originally wanted to put on airs, but in the end, they made a fool of themselves.


    Shen Miao was also a little surprised by Xie Jingxing¡¯s attitude. On second thought, there was indeed something fishy about the Ye family suddenly expressing goodwill. Xie Jingxing was not a brainless person, so he naturally had to investigate thoroughly. Shen Miao heaved a sigh of relief. As long as Xie Jingxing did not express the intention to accept the Ye family, it was fine.

 Chapter 965 - 965 Good Intention (4)

    965 Good Intention (4)


    In the end, nothing came out of this conversation. It seemed to be the first time Ye Maocai had met a stubborn person like Xie Jingxing. Seeing that it was getting late, he gave up. He knew that he had come for nothing today, and there was no point in staying any longer. He was about to stand up and leave with Ye Mei and Ye Ke.


    Just as Xie Jingxing instructed Uncle Tang to send them off and was about to leave the main hall, Madam Ye seemed to have thought of something and turned around to ask, ¡°In a few days, it will be Prince Rui¡¯s birthday, right?¡±


    Shen Miao was stunned. She did not know about Xie Jingxing¡¯s birthday. The birthday he spent in Ming Qi was definitely not real. As for his real birthday, she had never heard Xie Jingxing mention it.


    Madam Ye, on the other hand, had sharp eyes. When she saw Shen Miao¡¯s slightly surprised expression, she smiled and asked, ¡°Why do you look like you don¡¯t know?¡±


    !!


    Ye Mei and Ye Ke also stopped in their tracks. Ye Mei looked at Shen Miao with a strange gaze.


    As a wife, she did not know her husband¡¯s birthday. This¡­ was strange for a married couple.


    Xie Jingxing drank tea, as if he did not hear Madam Ye. Shen Miao smiled and said indifferently, ¡°Madam Ye, do you still remember Miss Ye and Young Master Ye¡¯s birthday?¡±


    Madam Ye was puzzled. ¡°This¡­¡±


    Shen Miao did not give her a chance to speak. She smiled and said, ¡°Madam Ye, you¡¯d better think of a way to make up for Miss Ye and Young Master Ye¡¯s birthday first.¡± In other words, she was saying ¡°Don¡¯t be a busybody and mind your own business¡±.


    Madam Ye¡¯s expression turned ugly. Ye Maocai seemed to be a little embarrassed. Ye Mei pulled Ye Ke and bowed to Shen Miao before hurriedly leaving.


    Looking at their backs as they left, Shen Miao took a deep breath.


    In the end, Ye Mei and her brother succeeded. Before she made a move, the Ye family brought them away. From now on, if she wanted to make a move on Ye Mei and Ye Ke, she had to first deal with the Ye family. This was much harder than simply assassinating this pair of siblings.


    She was indignant and unhappy.


    As she thought about it, she hesitated for a moment before turning back to look at Xie Jingxing. She thought about how she was angry yesterday and took her anger out on him. Perhaps they should really have a serious talk. These days, she had indeed been behaving badly.


    However, just as she turned around, she saw Xie Jingxing stand up expressionlessly and walk past her without looking at her. He didn¡¯t say a word, like a stranger.


    Shen Miao wanted to stop him and say that she had something to tell him, but she couldn¡¯t bring herself to say it.


    Seeing this, Gu Yu and Jingzhe, who were behind her, looked at each other. The two of them knew that Shen Miao and Xie Jingxing were having a quarrel these days. If the master and madam were not happy, the servants would naturally not be happy. However, just now, Shen Miao clearly wanted to reconcile but she was given the cold shoulder. Xie Jingxing¡¯s coldness probably hurt her a lot.


    Jingzhe and Gu Yu had been with Shen Miao for so many years, especially in the past two years, they had figured out Shen Miao¡¯s personality. Shen Miao was stubborn. With Xie Jingxing treating her like this, she would not take the initiative to make peace again. Jingzhe said in a low voice, ¡°This is bad. We can¡¯t let this continue.¡±


    Gu Yu also pondered and said, ¡°We have to think of a way.¡±


    When Shen Miao returned to the house, the more she thought about it, the more uncomfortable she felt. Xie Jingxing¡¯s attitude towards her was really annoying.

 Chapter 966 - 966 Good Intention (5)

    966 Good Intention (5)


    With Xie Jingxing like this, she no longer wanted to talk to him. The two of them were both stubborn. When the two of them were in conflict, neither of them wanted to back down.


    Just as she was thinking, someone knocked on the door from outside. It was Ba Jiao.


    Ba Jiao placed a plate of pastries on the table with a smile and said, ¡°This is a new pastry made in the kitchen. It¡¯s specially made according to the taste in Ming Qi. Madam, try it and see if it suits your taste.¡±


    Because Shen Miao and Xie Jingxing were having a quarrel, the servants in the mansion were not having a good time. The people from the Black Feather Army were naturally on their master¡¯s side, just like how Jingzhe and Gu Yu were definitely on Shen Miao¡¯s side. Ba Jiao and Hui Xiang had long gone back. Shen Miao did not expect Ba Jiao to come again.


    Shen Miao looked at her and said, ¡°Do you have something to say to me?¡±


    Ba Jiao immediately smiled and scratched her head. ¡°Madam, Jingzhe and Gu Yu asked me to come over to persuade you.¡±


    Shen Miao laughed. ¡°How do you plan to persuade me?¡±


    ¡°They all say that you have a very cold personality. Master was injured and sick for so many days, but you were nowhere to be seen and didn¡¯t go to see Master. After Master woke up, you only went to see him once. Everyone feels sorry for Master, so they¡¯ve been neglecting you these days. Please don¡¯t blame them.¡±


    Shen Miao shook her head. ¡°What they said is the truth.¡±


    ¡°But Madam, you don¡¯t have a cold personality.¡± Ba Jiao smiled and said, ¡°You are just not expressive. Otherwise, you wouldn¡¯t have brought us to the forest to find that hidden expert and beg for the herb to save Master. But Madam, why didn¡¯t you tell Master about this?¡±


    Shen Miao said indifferently, ¡°I¡¯m not the one who saved him, and I didn¡¯t use the herb in the end. What¡¯s there to talk about?¡± She had also done many things for Fu Xiuyi in the harem. She practiced frugality and helped Fu Xiuyi win a good reputation. In the end, it still didn¡¯t make Fu Xiuyi show mercy on her.


    Ba Jiao frowned and said, ¡°But that¡¯s your good intention.¡±


    Shen Miao looked at her. ¡°Good intention?¡±


    Ba Jiao nodded. ¡°Regardless of whether you saved Master in the end or not, even if that herb didn¡¯t come in handy in the end, your intention was good. How could Master know your good intention if you hid it? When you wandered in the forest for the entire night and insisted on walking forward, you did it with good intention. In my opinion, your good intentions are more precious than that herb.¡±


    Shen Miao was stunned.


    Ba Jiao smiled and said, ¡°Madam, your good intention is more useful than the herb. It can cure Master¡¯s illness.¡±


    ¡°Do I have to say it out loud to let people know?¡± Shen Miao lowered her eyes. ¡°If he wants to know, how can he not know?¡±


    Ba Jiao shook her head. ¡°That might be the case for others, but it¡¯s different for Master.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡±


    ¡°As you know, Master¡¯s life¡­ is not smooth-sailing. The Black Feather Army was established by Master alone, and we¡¯ve been with Master for a long time. Master has to face schemes every day and be wary of enemies. However, facing his own people, he wanted to let down his guard.¡± Ba Jiao looked at Shen Miao seriously. ¡°Madam, you¡¯re his wife, the person closest to him. Master might notice that you are concerned about him, but he won¡¯t be sure. He¡¯s not doubting you, but himself!¡±

 Chapter 967 - 967 Good Intention (6)

    967 Good Intention (6)


    He is not doubting you, but himself!


    Shen Miao¡¯s heart suddenly skipped a beat. She felt as if a flower had bloomed in her heart because of this simple sentence.


    ¡°Master will also question himself. He will question if he¡¯s done something wrong and if you¡¯re dissatisfied with him. With all these doubts added together, he will question your feelings towards him. Do you still want to hide your feelings?¡±


    Shen Miao lowered her eyes slightly, but her heart began to race.


    Xie Jingxing was a proud person. He had survived the harshest battlefields and the nastiest schemes. At a young age, a heavy burden was thrown upon him. His family, brothers, and friends were distant and no one believed him. All this made him look like a cynic who didn¡¯t care about anything.


    However, people tended to forget he also had the sincerity and naivety of a young man, just like how he treated Su Mingfeng, Princess Rong Xin, and even the Marquis of Lin¡¯an.


    He was so proud that he refused to tell people everything, but he was doing everything without people knowing. Such a person would not be involved with people like Li Mei and Li Ke in her previous life and this life. She should not have doubted him in the first place. Her distrust came from her lack of confidence in herself.


    Shen Miao closed her eyes.


    People would always become extremely sensitive when it came to things they cared about the most. She was in love with Xie Jingxing, which was why she was afraid that Xie Jingxing would be involved with Li Mei.


    She seemed to have done something wrong. Fortunately, there was still a chance to make up for it.


    Seeing the change in Shen Miao¡¯s expression, Ba Jiao suddenly smiled. ¡°Madam, I hope you can calm Master down. Master has been very erratic these days. The people of the Black Feather Army are also having a hard time.¡±


    Shen Miao nodded and smiled. ¡°I understand.¡±


    ¡°But,¡± Ba Jiao hesitated for a moment before asking, ¡°Madam, do you¡­ have a grudge against the siblings of the Ye family?¡±


    Shen Miao was stunned. ¡°Why do you say that?¡± Everyone in Prince Rui¡¯s mansion knew about her cold attitude towards the Ye siblings, and everyone was guessing. However, this was the first time they had met after all. Everyone said that Shen Miao was jealous of Ye Mei¡¯s beauty. Although it was ridiculous, they could not find any other reason. It was a surprise that Ba Jiao had a different guess from others.


    ¡°You¡¯re too cold to that pair of siblings. Master has been getting people to investigate their background these days, but they don¡¯t seem to have found anything. So¡­ Madam?¡±


    Shen Miao¡¯s heart skipped a beat. Firstly, she was surprised that Xie Jingxing was actually investigating the background of Ye Mei and her brother in private. Secondly, even Xie Jingxing could not find anything wrong with them, which meant that they might really be innocent.


    ¡°You are right.¡± Shen Miao said, ¡°However¡­ This matter is very important. Let¡¯s not talk about it for now.¡±


    Ba Jiao nodded thoughtfully and looked at Shen Miao with a smile. ¡°It¡¯s good that Madam has thought it through. Madam, don¡¯t hide your feelings. Master can¡¯t tell because he¡¯s in a fit of anger. However, when we accompanied Madam to look for the strange Daoist priest that day, we all saw it clearly. Anyone with a discerning eye could tell how concerned you were, so there¡¯s no need to hide it.¡± She winked at Shen Miao. ¡°Master¡¯s birthday is on the third day of next month. In the past, there would be a banquet at Bixiao Restaurant. It¡¯s the same this year. If Madam wants to prepare a birthday gift, you have to hurry up.¡±


    Before Shen Miao could speak, Ba Jiao added, ¡°Master is very easy to coax. If you really don¡¯t know how, Madam, make a bowl of noodles yourself. I guarantee that Master will calm down! Of course, the most important thing is that you don¡¯t hide your feelings!¡± With that, she ran away.


    Shen Miao laughed when she saw the door closing.


    She felt much more relaxed than a few days ago.


    Since there were some things that could not be avoided, she would face them head-on. For example, the blood feud that could not be reconciled, or¡­ the feelings she had been hiding.

 Chapter 968 - 968 Birthday (1)

    968 Birthday (1)


    The third day of July was Xie Jingxing¡¯s birthday. Everyone in Prince Rui¡¯s mansion was busy. It was said that although Xie Jingxing did not like it, Emperor Yong Le would still hold a banquet for Xie Jingxing every year. The more Emperor Yong Le valued Xie Jingxing, the more the officials respected him. The birthday was a day for the officials to curry favor with Xie Jingxing. Early in the morning, the courtyard was already filled with birthday gifts.


    Uncle Tang made a name list of people who sent gifts today and showed it to Shen Miao. Although she had been in a conflict with Xie Jingxing these days, Shen Miao was still the princess consort. Shen Miao glanced at it. The list was densely packed with names. Be it high-ranking officials or low-ranking officials, they were all rushing over to curry favor with Xie Jingxing. The Lu and Ye families also sent people to send gifts.


    Shen Miao sighed in her heart. Emperor Yong Le and Xie Jingxing were close, so a grand banquet was not unacceptable. If it were in Ming Qi, no official would hold such a grand birthday banquet lest the emperor felt threatened.


    As Uncle Tang pointed out to Shen Miao which gifts were to be placed in the storeroom and which could be used directly, he asked Shen Miao, ¡°Madam, don¡¯t forget to dress up early today. Tie Yi will send someone to take you to the Bixiao Restaurant.¡±


    Shen Miao was puzzled. ¡°Me?¡±


    Uncle Tang smiled and said, ¡°Madam, you are the princess consort and His Highness¡¯s wife. You naturally have to go to the banquet.¡± He hesitated for a moment and stammered, ¡°His Highness is angry, but if you don¡¯t go today, I don¡¯t know when he will cool down, so¡­¡±


    ¡°I know. I¡¯ll go over,¡± Shen Miao said.


    Only then did Uncle Tang heave a sigh of relief. He reminded Shen Miao a few more times before leaving.


    After he left, Shen Miao finished reading the gift list. Just as she was about to return to the room, Jingzhe came up to her and asked carefully, ¡°Madam, you will definitely go to Bixiao Restaurant tonight, right?¡±


    ¡°Prince Rui¡¯s mansion is being watched by others. I¡¯ve just come to the Daliang Dynasty, and there will definitely be people watching my every move. If I don¡¯t go, I will give people a chance to gossip. There is no reason why I shouldn¡¯t go.¡±


    Jingzhe nodded repeatedly. ¡°That¡¯s right. Show them what the princess consort from Ming Qi is made of. It¡¯s not like everyone can be a princess consort.¡±


    Gu Yu pulled Jingzhe and glared at her. She whispered, ¡°You¡¯re exaggerating.¡±


    Jingzhe pursed her lips. Seeing that Shen Miao was already walking into the room, she whispered into Gu Yu¡¯s ear, ¡°It seems like Madam wants to make peace with Master. She¡¯s finally willing to give in.¡±


    Gu Yu said, ¡°Don¡¯t be too gossipy.¡±


    When Shen Miao returned to her room, Jingzhe and Gu Yu followed her in. Gu Yu asked, ¡°Madam, do you want to choose what to wear tonight so that I can do your hair.¡±


    Shen Miao said, ¡°I¡¯ll do that later. Grind the ink for me.¡±


    Jingzhe and Gu Yu looked at each other. The two of them did not know why Shen Miao wanted to write at this moment. Speaking of which, Shen Miao was not a person who liked to write and paint, but they would naturally do as their master said. Shen Miao spread out the letter paper, and only then did Gu Yu and Jingzhe understand that she was going to write a letter.

 Chapter 969 - 969 Birthday (2)

    969 Birthday (2)


    Shen Miao asked Gu Yu, ¡°Cousin Tan will be back soon, right?¡±


    Gu Yu said, ¡°Young Master Gao asked someone to send a message back, saying that they will definitely be in time for the banquet tonight.¡±


    Luo Tan and Gao Yang had disappeared for the past few days. Shen Miao was not worried. She knew that Gao Yang would not do anything bad to Luo Tan. Today was Xie Jingxing¡¯s birthday. As Xie Jingxing¡¯s right-hand man and his friend, Gao Yang naturally had to rush back.


    Shen Miao thought for a moment and started to write. She wrote a little hesitantly. After writing two or three sentences, she seemed to think that it was not a good idea, so she quickly crumpled the letter into a ball and threw it away. She started to write again. After writing for a while, she threw it away like before. In the end, she finished writing the letter and handed it to Jingzhe. ¡°When you see Tie Yi later, give this to him and ask him to give it to Xie Jingxing at his birthday banquet tonight.¡±


    !!


    Jingzhe widened her eyes. She did not expect this letter to be for Xie Jingxing. She thought that Shen Miao was writing a letter for Shen Xin.


    Shen Miao said, ¡°Gu Yu.¡± She took out a piece of paper and wrote a few words before handing it to Gu Yu. ¡°Help me buy these things.¡±


    Gu Yu quickly nodded.


    The two of them left in a hurry. Shen Miao sat in the room and heaved a sigh of relief.


    She rarely backed down to anyone, especially in this life. Her pride did not allow her to lower her head to others. However, this time, she was in the wrong. Moreover, Xie Jingxing was a proud person. Between the two of them, one had to lower their head first.


    Xie Jingxing had received enough gifts, and he did not lack money. After thinking about it, she decided to do something simple. She hoped that as Ba Jiao said, Xie Jingxing looked picky on the surface, but he was actually very easy to coax.


    Since the Ye family was also going to be present at the banquet, Ye Mei and her brother would also come. Whenever Ye Mei and her brother were around, Shen Miao had to be there to prevent the two of them from getting close to Xie Jingxing.


    Time passed quickly. In the blink of an eye, it was evening. The people sent by Tie Yi had already come over to pick Shen Miao up. Jingzhe put the last pearl hairpin on Shen Miao¡¯s hair and smiled. ¡°That¡¯s enough. Madam will definitely outshine everyone today.¡±


    ¡°What difference does it make?¡± Shen Miao forced a smile and looked at herself in the mirror. Then, she pulled off the pearl hairpin and replaced it with a purple-red jade begonias.


    Jingzhe blinked. ¡°This one is indeed better than the hairpin just now!¡±


    The image of the first time Xie Jingxing gave her this jade begonias appeared in Shen Miao¡¯s mind. At that time, they were wary of each other and were both suspicious of each other. At that time, Shen Miao did not know Xie Jingxing¡¯s background yet. She only felt that he was different from the arrogant young man he was rumored to be in her previous life.


    There were too many magical coincidences in life. She and Xie Jingxing had actually become husband and wife and even came to the Daliang Dynasty together. She could never have foreseen this happening. Wearing this jade begonias might help Xie Jingxing cool down and remind him of how much they had been through together and how pointless it was to be in a conflict.

 Chapter 970 - 970 Birthday (3)

    970 Birthday (3)


    Shen Miao stood up with a smile and said, ¡°Ba Jiao and the others are still waiting outside. Let¡¯s go.¡±


    The few of them went out together and saw that the carriage was already prepared. Ba Jiao and Hui Xiang were guarding outside. Jingzhe asked curiously, ¡°Is Master not going with us?¡±


    Hui Xiang replied, ¡°His Highness has already gone and asked us to come and pick up Madam.¡±


    This made people feel that something was wrong. The prince and the princess consort did not go out together, but one after the other. Anyone with a brain could tell that something must have happened. Jingzhe and Gu Yu were a little indignant for Shen Miao, but Shen Miao said indifferently, ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go.¡±


    She knew what kind of person Xie Jingxing was. He was a proud person by nature, but at times, he was as stubborn as a child. She did not mind this, but at the thought of her ¡°apology¡± tonight, she felt nervous.


    Bixiao Restaurant was the largest and most expensive restaurant in Long Ye. Not to mention the commoners, even those high-ranking officials would face a lot of difficulty if they wanted to set up a banquet there. Today, the entire restaurant was booked, which was enough to show how rich Price Rui was.


    At the head of the table, a young man sat diagonally, listening to everyone¡¯s compliments with a casual smile. His purple-gold robe almost covered the entire seat.


    There were also women among the guests who came and went. Looking at the young man, they couldn¡¯t help but admire him. Prince Rui was young and handsome, and he was elegant and charming. Coincidentally, he was the kind that women were most infatuated with. In addition, he had a noble status and was rich.


    Unfortunately, he was already married at such a young age. However¡­ Although he had a princess consort, wasn¡¯t the position of secondary consort still empty? Even if they couldn¡¯t be a secondary consort, they would fight to be the concubine.


    Lu Wan¡¯er sat beside Madam Lu with her eyes fixed at Xie Jingxing. Two years ago, when she first saw Xie Jingxing, she had already fallen in love with him. The seat beside him should have been hers, but now it was occupied by that stupid woman, Shen Miao! At the thought of this, Lu Wan¡¯er was furious and wanted to tear Shen Miao into pieces. She wanted to go over and talk to Xie Jingxing, but now, those officials were all praising Xie Jingxing. No matter how bold she was, it was impossible for her to talk to him in front of so many people. She couldn¡¯t help but feel a little unhappy.


    Turning around, she saw Ye Mei talking to Ye Ke. Lu Wan¡¯er¡¯s expression darkened.


    As a woman, she always found pretty women a threat. Lu Wan¡¯er had been pampered since she was young and had the best jewelry and clothes. Therefore, she always looked down on the women around her. In the entire Long Ye, she thought that she was not much different from a princess. She did not even care about the Ye family, which was as famous as the Lu family, because the Ye family had almost no descendants.


    However, when Lu Wan¡¯er saw the long-lost children that the Ye family found, she was not happy at all.

 Chapter 971 - 971 Birthday (4)

    971 Birthday (4)


    Ye Mei was too beautiful. There was no need to mention her beauty. She also had a special charm that attracted people¡¯s attention at all times. In her charm, there was also a hint of innocence unique to young women. Most importantly, Ye Mei was very glib-tongued. For example, this was the first time the siblings had seen so many rich madams today, but now, they were already chatting happily with them.


    She was a beautiful, smart, and sensible woman. Now, she even became the daughter of the Ye family. Seeing that Madam Ye doted on her very much and that she was much better than her in terms of status and power, Lu Wan¡¯er felt a strong sense of danger.


    When she heard that Ye Mei had even saved Prince Rui¡¯s life, Lu Wan¡¯er gritted her teeth in hatred.


    All along, Lu Wan¡¯er had always treated Xie Jingxing as her man. Even with Shen Miao around, Lu Wan¡¯er had never given up on this idea. It was not difficult for the Lu family to make a woman who came from a foreign land disappear. Therefore, Lu Wan¡¯er had never taken Shen Miao seriously. On the other hand, Ye Mei was different. The relationship between the Ye family and the Lu family was subtle. They weren¡¯t considered foes nor friends. If the Ye family wanted to have a marriage alliance with Prince Rui¡­ Lu Wan¡¯er shuddered at the thought of this and bit her lip without saying anything.


    As she was thinking, Madam Ye said in surprise, ¡°Speaking of which, I haven¡¯t seen the princess consort. Why isn¡¯t she here today?¡±


    The madams started whispering again. In fact, they weren¡¯t stupid. They had naturally noticed it long ago. The reason why they did not say it was because no one brought it up. Now that Madam Ye mentioned it, they started to discuss without scruples.


    Madam Ye continued, ¡°Is she sick? A few days ago, when I went to pick up my children, she looked a little haggard when I saw her. I think it¡¯s probably the case. Prince Rui was bedridden, so as his wife, she should be terribly worried. It seems that at that time, her health was not good, so she couldn¡¯t even take care of Prince Rui.¡±


    As soon as she said that, there was an uproar. Madam Ye secretly mentioned that she had been to Prince Yu¡¯s mansion. She also belittled Shen Miao. When Prince Rui¡¯s life was on the line, Shen Miao actually didn¡¯t even take care of him. Even if she was really sick, she should stay by his side.


    On the other side, Xie Jingxing was drinking a glass of wine his colleague handed to him. It was unknown if he heard Madam Ye¡¯s words or not, but he had a faint smile on his lips and did not even look over.


    Someone said, ¡°Could it be that they are quarreling?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think so.¡± Madam Lu smiled amiably. ¡°Back then, didn¡¯t the princess consort personally say that Prince Rui won¡¯t take in anyone else? It can be seen that the two of you are very deeply in love. Otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t have said such a thing. Since they love each other so much, they definitely won¡¯t quarrel. Don¡¯t overthink.¡± Madam Lu was still unhappy with what Shen Miao said to Lu Wan¡¯er back then. The more she said that, the more it made Shen Miao look like she was arrogant and made a fool of herself.


    When Lu Wan¡¯er heard this, she felt a little better.


    Ye Mei looked at Madam Ye slightly and said, ¡°Prince Rui won¡¯t take in anyone else?¡±

 Chapter 972 - 972 Birthday (5)

    972 Birthday (5)


    Madam Ye shook her head and said in a low voice, ¡°Prince Rui never said that. It was the princess consort who said it.¡±


    Luo Tan was really angry. She rushed back but didn¡¯t see Shen Miao. She did not know any of the madams and ladies here, and she could not speak rashly, afraid that she would cause trouble for Shen Miao. Now that she heard these people talking behind Shen Miao¡¯s back, she really could not take it anymore.


    ¡°Is she really not coming?¡± A madam asked.


    Just as Luo Tan was about to retort, she heard a gentle and smiling voice coming from the door. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, everyone. I¡¯m late.¡±


    Everyone subconsciously looked at the door.


    The young woman lifted the bead curtain and walked in with a smile.


    She was young and extremely delicate-looking. Her eyebrows were like the crescent moon, and her eyes were clear like autumn water. She was wearing a purple lily dress with dark patterns and dark purple gourd earrings. Her outfit was not gorgeous and could even be considered simple. However, with her arrival, the hall seemed to have lit up. Not only did the purple color not dim her, but it also made her skin as fair as snow and her face as beautiful as a painting. As she walked over step by step, every step was elegant and beautiful.


    Shen Miao raised her chin slightly and walked to the seat next to the head of the table. Her expression was proud. There were high-ranking officials and nobles in the room, but compared to her, they looked inferior.


    She took the wine from Luo Tan and smiled. ¡°I came late and will punish myself with a glass of wine.¡± She finished it elegantly.


    Luo Tan blinked. She felt that Shen Miao was especially good-looking today, and her aura was different. No matter what, Luo Tan was proud of her little cousin. She also raised her head and straightened her back.


    Shen Miao smiled and glanced at everyone present. Jingzhe and Gu Yu had been busy the entire afternoon making her hair. She had to show all the high ranking officials her best side. More importantly, Consort Mei was also present.


    She would not allow herself to be outdone by Consort Mei at all. No matter how badly she lost in her previous life, she would not allow herself to repeat the same outcome in this life.


    Li Mei also looked at Shen Miao in a daze, looking surprised.


    Shen Miao smiled at her, but her heart was cold. The two of them really dared to appear in front of her so openly time and time again¡­ Did they really think that with the Ye family protecting them, they would be safe?


    Luo Tan tugged at Shen Miao and said in a low voice that only the two of them could hear, ¡°Cousin, did you quarrel with Brother-in-law? Why does it look like something is going on between the two of you?¡±


    Shen Miao turned to look at Xie Jingxing. He was listening to a bureaucrat casually and did not even look over. Shen Miao was saddened by his indifferent attitude. She did not know if Tie Yi had given him the letter. If he already received the letter but was still like this, tonight¡­ Shen Miao was not sure if she should explain it.

 Chapter 973 - 973 Birthday (6)

    973 Birthday (6)


    As she was thinking, she heard an official say, ¡°Since everyone is here, let¡¯s toast Prince Rui together.¡±


    Everyone raised their glasses to toast Xie Jingxing. Xie Jingxing smiled and finished the cup. A madam said, ¡°Speaking of which, Madam Ye has just found Miss Ye and Young Master Ye. Miss Ye is so beautiful and talented. She¡¯s also Prince Rui¡¯s savior. Miss Ye, why don¡¯t you show us your talents to liven up the occasion.¡±


    It was a little disrespectful to ask a rich young lady to perform talents for others in front of so many people. Moreover, Ye Mei was raised by a merchant family. Who knew what kind of talents she was taught? This madam was obviously here to cause trouble. The Ye family had many political enemies in Long Ye.


    Ye Ke looked unhappy. Just as Madam Ye was about to retort, she heard Ye Mei say with a smile, ¡°I would like to, but I¡¯m afraid my talents are too unpresentable, so I don¡¯t want to embarrass myself.¡±


    !!


    The madam who suggested it couldn¡¯t wait for Ye Mei to embarrass herself. She immediately smiled and said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. No one will laugh at you. Prince Rui, am I right?¡±


    Xie Jingxing raised an eyebrow and glanced over. The corners of his lips curled up and he said with a faint smile, ¡°Perform what you wish.¡±


    His tone was casual, as if he was instructing a servant.


    Ye Mei stood up. She first bowed to Shen Miao and said, ¡°Since everyone is in such a delightful mood today, I won¡¯t spoil the fun. I¡¯m willing to make a fool of myself to make everyone happy.¡±


    ¡°I once learned a water sleeve dance from my adoptive mother in Qinzhou. Please bear with me if my dancing is unskillful,¡± she said.


    Shen Miao lowered her head slightly, a cold smile flashing across her lips.


    Water Sleeve Dance was the kind Ye Mei was best at. She was good at the Guqin, chess, calligraphy, and painting. There was naturally a reason why she was favored so much by Fu Xiuyi. When she danced, she would stain her sleeve with ink and draw on the paper. After a dance, the painting would be completed. It was elegant and unique.


    Every time Shen Miao saw this dance, it hurt her tremendously.


    Back then, when the Xiongnu came to ask for a marriage alliance, Fu Xiuyi wanted to marry Wanyu over. Shen Miao used both soft and hard methods and even used the Shen family to threaten Fu Xiuyi. However, Fu Xiuyi was unmoved. Wanyu thought for a long time and came up with an idea. She learned a song and played it for Fu Xiuyi.


    Everything Wanyu wanted to say was in the song. She just hoped that Fu Xiuyi wouldn¡¯t be so ruthless as to give her away.


    That day, Shen Miao invited Fu Xiuyi to the Palace of Earthly Tranquility and asked Wanyu to play for Fu Xiuyi. Just as she finished playing, she saw Fu Xiuyi seemed to be wavering. However, to everyone¡¯s surprise, Consort Mei came uninvited. She smiled and said as if no one was around, ¡°Your Majesty, I learned a new dance today and want to dance it for you. Since Her Majesty is here, you can watch it too.¡±


    She danced charmingly, and Fu Xiuyi looked at her affectionately, completely forgetting about Wanyu and Shen Miao, who were still waiting. Shen Miao would never forget the disappointment in Wanyu¡¯s eyes.


    The next day, Wanyu came to her and said, ¡°Mother, don¡¯t waste your effort on me. I agree to the marriage alliance.¡±


    Perhaps Wanyu felt that even if she had to marry someone she didn¡¯t like, it was better than staying in the palace and being surrounded by schemes.


    Shen Miao would never be able to let go of this hatred.


    The snow-white sleeve on Li Mei¡¯s clothes fluttered, but Shen Miao felt that the sleeve was not stained with ink, but with Wanyu¡¯s blood.

 Chapter 974 - 974 Cold Moon (1)

    974 Cold Moon (1)


    Li Mei¡¯s waist was slender, and her movements were graceful. Her eyes were sparkling, and wherever she looked, people were infatuated. She was like a butterfly, tickling people¡¯s hearts. They thought that the butterfly was about to stop in their hands, but all of a sudden, it flew away, making them want to catch it.


    The women couldn¡¯t take their eyes off her, let alone the men. Men always liked good-looking things, and their eyes were almost glued to Li Mei. Madam Ye and Ye Maocai gradually revealed smug expressions. No family in the Daliang Dynasty had such a beautiful and talented daughter.


    Lu Wan¡¯er gritted her teeth in anger and jealousy.


    Shen Miao watched coldly as Li Mei danced, her thoughts wandering back to her previous life.


    The first time she saw Consort Mei was when she returned to the capital from the State of Qin. She only heard that there was an additional consort in the palace called ¡°Consort Mei¡±. Shen Miao heard that Fu Xiuyi doted on Consort Mei a lot. Although Shen Miao felt sad, she did not think much of it. She thought that with Fu Xiuyi¡¯s cold personality, no matter how much he doted on someone, he would not go too far.


    Then, she went to the imperial study to look for Fu Xiuyi, wanting to talk to him about something serious, but she saw Consort Mei throwing Fu Xiuyi¡¯s paperweight in the imperial study. On the day she returned to the palace, Consort Mei said that she was sick and did not come to greet her. This was the first time Shen Miao had seen Consort Mei. Shen Miao saw that the woman was beautiful, and her smile was like a painting. However, she was arrogant and unreasonable. She actually threw a tantrum in the imperial study. Shen Miao thought that Fu Xiuyi would flare up, and Fu Xiuyi was indeed angry, but Consort Mei actually turned around and left.


    At that time, Shen Miao thought to herself, What a fierce woman. How long could she live in the harem with such a personality?


    At that time, she was busy asking about Wanyu and Fu Ming, so she did not pay much attention to Consort Mei. She only felt that that woman was extremely beautiful and arrogant.


    However, even if Fu Xiuyi was so angry, the next morning, Shen Miao still saw Fu Xiuyi taking a walk with Consort Mei in the royal garden. His tone was quite doting.


    Shen Miao ws stunned. She had never seen Fu Xiuyi like this before, and Fu Xiuyi was never such a good-tempered person. Fu Xiuyi only showed his good sides to his valued aides. He had never been very patient with women. However, Consort Mei had just angered him yesterday, and she could make Fu Xiuyi smile from ear to ear the next day. At that time, Shen Miao suddenly realized that this woman was not only beautiful and arrogant, but also very dangerous, because she could wrap people around in her fingers. In short, she had successfully won Fu Xiuyi¡¯s heart.


    As expected, Shen Miao gradually realized that this Consort Mei was really scary. She looked arrogant and rude, not restraining her temper at all. However, because of that, Fu Xiuyi found her difficult to tame and became more and more fascinated with her. When facing Shen Miao, Consort Mei was rude, mocking, and antagonistic. She had repeatedly tried to sow discord between Fu Ming and Fu Xiuyi.


    What was Consort Mei¡¯s true motive? Shen Miao looked at the charming woman in front of her. In this life, Consort Mei had become the daughter of the Ye family. She was cautious, smart, and restrained. She no longer showed her arrogant side. However, was this really her true colors?


    Having been in contact with Consort Mei for her entire life, Shen Miao knew how terrifying she was. She was a cunning woman who would fight for whatever she wanted using whatever means she had.

 Chapter 975 - 975 Cold Moon (2)

    975 Cold Moon (2)


    What was her plan today? Did she want Xie Jingxing to be like Fu Xiuyi, fascinated by her at first sight and falling in love with her again? Shen Miao sneered in her heart. She couldn¡¯t help but look up at Xie Jingxing.


    What caught Shen Miao off guard was that Xie Jingxing¡¯s gaze was on her. He probably did not expect Shen Miao to suddenly look at him. He paused for a moment before turning his head away and continuing to look outside as if he was hiding something.


    He didn¡¯t seem to be interested in the person dancing in the middle of the hall at all.


    Shen Miao was stunned, but an indescribable feeling surged in her heart. Although she hated Consort Mei to the core, she also felt a sense of inferiority deep in her heart. In terms of appearance and charm, she admitted that she was inferior to Consort Mei, which was why Fu Xiuyi sacrificed her without hesitation in her previous life. Xie Jingxing was thousands of times better than Fu Xiuyi. If Li Mei also liked Xie Jingxing¡­ Shen Miao thought that she would be abandoned in no time.


    However, Xie Jingxing¡¯s gaze was on her and not on Li Mei.


    If it were Fu Xiuyi, when Shen Miao and Consort Mei appeared at the same time, he would not even look at Shen Miao.


    No two people were alike. Just like her and Li Mei, Xie Jingxing and Fu Xiuyi were also different.


    Deep in thought, she did not even know when Li Mei finished dancing. Only when she heard the enthusiastic applause in the hall did she look up and see Li Mei standing there with a faint smile. There were some beads of sweat on her forehead, and her cheeks were pink, making her look even more charming and beautiful. Behind her, the ink painting was completed. It was a painting of a qilin stepping on the cloud.


    ¡°Miss Ye is really talented!¡± An official said, ¡°Your painting is vivid and lifelike.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s also a good dancer.¡± A madam quickly added, ¡°Madam Ye, you¡¯re really lucky. Miss Ye is just like you. Not only is she beautiful, but she¡¯s also talented. Look at how well she dances and paints. You can find another girl like her in Long Ye.¡±


    Madam Ye accepted the praise with a smile, but Lu Wan¡¯er clenched her handkerchief jealousy, her eyes filled with hatred.


    Another person said, ¡°Prince Rui, what do you think of this painting?¡±


    Everyone looked at Xie Jingxing. Ye Mei also looked at Xie Jingxing and saw him looking out of the window with a wine cup in his hand. He was deep in thought and did not listen to the conversation at all.


    ¡°Your Highness?¡± Gao Yang recalled him.


    Xie Jingxing came back to his senses and asked, ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re asking you how Miss Ye¡¯s painting is,¡± Gao Yang said.


    Everyone felt bad for Ye Mei. Prince Rui was absent-minded and didn¡¯t pay attention to the dance at all. This was undoubtedly too disrespectful to Ye Mei.


    When Xie Jingxing heard that, he glanced at the painting and said with a smile, ¡°Not bad.¡±


    Everyone could see his perfunctory attitude.


    Ye Mei¡¯s smile suddenly froze. When Shen Miao saw this, a trace of a smile flashed across her eyes. Xie Jingxing must have been ¡°absent-minded¡± on purpose. Although she did not know why he deliberately embarrassed Ye Mei, Shen Miao was happy.


    Ye Mei noticed her smile. She stared at Shen Miao and suddenly said with a chuckle, ¡°Speaking of which, when I lived in Prince Rui¡¯s mansion, I heard that the princess consort was also talented.¡±

 Chapter 976 - 976 Cold Moon (3)

    976 Cold Moon (3)


    The attention was suddenly diverted to Shen Miao.


    ¡°I¡¯ve only heard that you¡¯re very good at archery, but I¡¯ve never heard of anything else. Since it¡¯s Prince Rui¡¯s birthday today, why don¡¯t you perform something to liven things up? I¡¯ve admired you for a long time,¡± she said humbly. Anyone who saw it would think that Ye Mei admired Shen Miao sincerely and wanted to see it with her own eyes.


    However, Shen Miao was the daughter of a general. It was no surprise for her to be good at archery, but no one had ever seen her dance. If she danced, she might make a fool of herself. If she did not, it would be no different from admitting that she was not as talented as Ye Mei.


    Everyone looked at Shen Miao.


    Shen Miao smiled. ¡°I¡¯m the princess consort. How can I play and sing like a dancer?¡±


    In an instant, the hall fell silent. Ye Mei¡¯s face turned red.


    Originally, singing and dancing in front of the officials was already an unbecoming thing. However, because Ye Mei was the daughter of the Ye family and was beautiful and talented, everyone ignored this. However, they all realized this when Shen Miao mentioned it.


    Madam Ye and Ye Maocai¡¯s expressions were ugly.


    Madam Lu and Lu Wan¡¯er were gloating. They were the most happy to see Shen Miao and Ye Mei fighting.


    Xie Jingxing watched everything with a smile, as if he did not think there was anything wrong with what Shen Miao said. He did not intend to stop the fight.


    Luo Tan felt that Shen Miao seemed to be targeting Ye Mei, but she also felt strangely satisfied. It was Xie Jingxing¡¯s birthday. Why was Ye Mei dancing here to steal the limelight? Moreover, she took the initiative to ask Shen Miao to sing and dance. Who was she to ask the princess consort to do this?


    Madam Ji looked at Shen Miao and was anxious. Xie Jingxing¡¯s birthday was filled with court officials. If Shen Miao made the atmosphere so tense, others would only blame Prince Rui for not disciplining his wife and say that Shen Miao was a jealous woman.


    Ye Mei stood rooted to the ground. She looked pitiful, making people feel sorry for her. The men in the hall felt indignant and wanted to stand up for her.


    Shen Miao glanced at everyone in the hall and saw their expressions. Ye Mei was capable. Whatever she wanted, she never needed to do it herself to get it. She only needed to play the victim to get the people around her to fight for her. If Shen Miao went against Ye Mei today, everyone in Long Ye would probably stand on her side the next day.


    How could Shen Miao let Ye Mei have her way?


    She stood up and smiled under everyone¡¯s surprised gazes. ¡°Miss Ye, I found it difficult to decline your suggestion, so I¡¯ll accept it with reluctance. Coincidentally, I learned a song a few days ago. I played it for you.¡±


    ¡°Why are you playing it for Miss Ye?¡± Madam Lu smiled and said, ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you be playing it for His Highness on his birthday?¡±


    ¡°This song is very sad.¡± Shen Miao said indifferently, ¡°It doesn¡¯t sound like a festive tune, nor is it suitable for a birthday. I heard it a few days ago and liked it very much, so I learned it. Since Miss Ye admires me, I naturally won¡¯t disappoint you.¡± She smiled at Ye Mei.


    Ye Mei also smiled gently. ¡°Of course.¡±


    Shen Miao held her dress and walked to the middle. Ye Mei stepped to the side. Jingzhe quickly found a chair for Shen Miao. Shen Miao looked up and said, ¡°Bring the Guqin over.¡±

 Chapter 977 - 977 Cold Moon (4)

    977 Cold Moon (4)


    After a long time, Gu Yu came out and said, ¡°Bixiao Restaurant only has a Jiaowei Guqin, Madam¡­¡±


    Gu Yu knew very well that in all the years she had been with Shen Miao, she had never seen her play the Guqin. On the one hand, she hated this daughter of the Ye family for harboring ill intentions towards Shen Miao. On the other hand, she was anxious for Shen Miao. If Shen Miao insisted, she would only be embarrassing herself. In this foreign land, no one would be polite to Shen Miao because of the power of the Shen family. Most of the people here had ulterior motives and wanted to hit her when she was down.


    In front of Ye Mei¡¯s unique painting, it seemed like no matter what Shen Miao did, she would be outdone.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. Bring it over,¡± Shen Miao said.


    !!


    When the surrounding madams and young ladies heard this, they started whispering.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t they say that she was vulgar? Why does she know how to play the Guqin?¡±


    ¡°She probably wants to compete with Miss Ye. She¡¯s really competitive.¡±


    ¡°Sigh, what a pity. I¡¯m afraid Prince Rui will be embarrassed today.¡±


    ¡°Ming Qi¡¯s people are really arrogant. They don¡¯t even know their limits.¡±


    However, Luo Tan was very confident. Although she had never heard Shen Miao play the Guqin, for some reason, she felt that Shen Miao was omnipotent.


    Ji Yushu whispered to Gao Yang, ¡°Sister-in-law really knows how to play the Guqin? According to the information the Exiled Immortal Pawnshop collected on her, the Shen family had never hired a musician to teach her. Was she self-taught? That¡¯s too amazing.¡±


    Gao Yang shrugged. ¡°I¡¯m not sure either. Let¡¯s wait and see.¡±


    Pei Lang was also among the guests invited. There was a Guqin class in Guangwen Hall, but Shen Miao never took it seriously. Pei Lang had also heard the teachers there complain, saying that Shen Miao was practically a tone-deaf. Now that Shen Miao agreed to perform, he could not hide his surprise.


    Xie Jingxing frowned slightly, but his hand that was holding the wine cup was clenched tightly.


    Shen Miao washed her hands and said indifferently, ¡°This song is called ¡®Blood Chant¡¯. It¡¯s a song made by a young princess who was forced to marry a leader of the enemy country who was in his fifties. She was at a loss about the future, but there was nothing she could do. She hoped that she could change her father¡¯s mind, which was why she made this song.¡± Her voice was calm, like the dim moonlight, making people quickly calm down from the excitement of Li Mei¡¯s dance.


    She swept across the strings.


    The sound was heart-wrenching. At the beginning of the melody, the hall fell silent.


    She opened her mouth slowly and sang.


    ¡°The Yangtze River is vast. The mountains are connected by mountains and rivers, and the towers are opposite each other. It¡¯s the arrangement of the heavens.¡±


    ¡°A long journey under the moonlight, the worry on the horseback, the hometown I left behind, and the rest after death.¡±


    Her voice was usually gentle and clear like water, but at this moment, it carried a hint of pain, making people¡¯s eyes turn red and their hearts ache. With her singing and the sound of the Guqin, it was as if the young princess appeared in their minds. As a young girl, she was forced to wear a phoenix coronet and a robe to live in the desolate palace. The palace was majestic, deep, and heavy.


    At such an innocent age, she had to face an arduous fate.

 Chapter 978 - 978 Cold Moon (5)

    978 Cold Moon (5)


    She got into the carriage and said goodbye to her mother. The emperor was heartless. He sacrificed his daughter for the stability of his throne.


    The journey was long. She lifted the curtain dejectedly and looked at the eagles flying past, the fish at the bottom of the river, the wind, the rain, and the clouds. Everything was freer than her.


    Under the light, Shen Miao swept the strings with tears rolling down her face, as if she had countless grievances to utter. She looked like a flower in the rain, trembling, making people want to protect her.


    She sang until everyone in the hall was speechless, their eyes were red, and they felt suffocated. They were no longer as joyful as when Li Mei was dancing.


    !!


    However, the sound of the Guqin suddenly became hurried, and her lyrics became sharper.


    ¡°The emperor is muddle-headed, and the treacherous officials are in control. The law is unjust, and the punishment is heavy. The thief became an official, and the official became a thief. The wise are suspected while the fool succeed. How pitiful!¡±


    ¡°Why don¡¯t I just stand by and coldly watch how the dynasty of fifty years collapsed and became rubble?¡±


    Her eyes were cold, and her voice was choked, as if she was crying and complaining about her past. Then, her eyes were filled with the killing intent, and her heart was filled with hatred. She threw a penetrating glance at Ye Mei and her brother.


    Now, here, listen! Listen! Does this tune sound familiar? Is there a trace of fear?


    Xie Jingxing put down the cup, his eyes as sharp as blades.


    Ye Mei felt a little cold. What did that song have to do with her? But why did it seem to be directed at her? Why did she feel uneasy?


    After the song ended, Shen Miao suddenly stopped and looked up.


    The hall was silent for a long time.


    Who would now dare to say that Princess Consort Rui was vulgar and did not know anything about Guqin?


    Shen Miao said gently, ¡°This song is not considered festive. It¡¯s not supposed to be played on one¡¯s birthday, but since Miss Ye wanted to hear it, I felt obligated to play it ¡®specially¡¯ for you.¡± She looked at Ye Mei. ¡°Miss Ye, are you satisfied?¡±


    Everyone¡¯s gazes landed on Ye Mei.


    Ye Mei was a little uneasy. It sounded like she was forcing Shen Miao to play the Guqin for her. However, she had to admit that Shen Miao was not vulgar. It was not difficult to play the Guqin, and it was even rarer that the song was moving.


    ¡°Princess Consort is really as talented as the rumors say.¡± Ye Mei smiled and said, ¡°This song, Blood Chant, is impressive. However¡­¡± She was a little puzzled.¡± Why is the first half and the second half of Blood Chant completely different? The second half seems to have a different style.¡±


    The second half was intense, resentful, and despairing. It was like the last cry of a trapped beast, making people shiver with fright.


    Shen Miao smiled bitterly. The first half was naturally different from the second half. The first half was written by Wanyu who was sad and wanted to convince Fu Xiuyi to not marry her off, while the second half was written by Shen Miao who was locked up in the cold palace and could not get over the pain of losing her children.

 Chapter 979 - 979 Cold Moon (6)

    979 Cold Moon (6)


    Shen Miao smiled. ¡°The first half described the feeling of this little princess who was forced to marry, but the second half described the feeling of the mother of this little princess. The empress was in despair and grief over losing her daughter.¡±


    ¡°I see!¡± Everyone was enlightened. Someone asked, ¡°This song is really touching. Where did Princess Consort Rui get this story? It¡¯s really moving.¡±


    ¡°I heard a storyteller telling this story when I passed by a place.¡± Shen Miao smiled. ¡°I just felt that this story was too touching, so I remembered it.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± A young lady couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Since it¡¯s a story, what¡¯s the ending of the story? What¡¯s the ending of that little princess?¡±


    !!


    Shen Miao said emotionlessly, ¡°The ending of the story is that the little princess died on the way to the foreign land. The empress was also sent to the cold palace. Not long after, she was given a rope to hang herself to death.¡±


    The others sighed and said that this story was too tragic.


    Madam Ye was a little unhappy. Shen Miao¡¯s performance was actually on par with Ye Mei¡¯s. Ye Mei was enchanting and charming, and her dance was passionate and moving. However, Shen Miao only sat there and played and sang for a while before attracting the attention of the others. Moreover, she told a story and stole Ye Mei¡¯s thunder. This way, Ye Mei seemed to have been outdone.


    Women were always sentimental. After Shen Miao told such a pitiful story, everyone felt much closer to her.


    Madam Ye said, ¡°It¡¯s a joyous occasion. It makes us sad to hear such a story.¡±


    Shen Miao said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry for spoiling everyone¡¯s fun.¡± She walked to the side and took out a wine bowl. The wine bowl was for men to drink. She poured herself a full bowl. The slightly yellow wine reflected her young face.


    ¡°A bowl of wine as an apology.¡± She raised the bowl and drank it.


    Xie Jingxing¡¯s eyes suddenly darkened.


    Shen Miao raised her chin. This bowl of wine was emptied in a hurry. The wine that she did not have time to swallow flowed down her neck and wet a small piece of her clothes.


    Her eyelashes were long, and her eyes were clear. She placed the wine bowl on the table and said, ¡°It¡¯s your turn.¡±


    The guests all took the bowl of wine and smiled. ¡°Princess Consort, cheers!¡±


    Shen Miao smiled, but that smile was a little unfathomable. She glanced at Ye Mei and her brothers. The siblings were also staring at her.


    This bowl of wine Shen Miao emptied sent everyone in the Bixiao Restaurant in high spirits. Shen Miao stood up and said, ¡°I¡¯ll go out and take a breather.¡±


    With that, she left.


    Ba Jiao and Hui Xiang were waiting for her outside and walking towards the pavilion not far away. Shen Miao felt a burning sensation on her throat from the strong wine. However, she did not feel drunk. Instead, the corners of her eyes were filled with tears.


    That bowl of wine was for her daughter, the little princess who died tragically on the way. These listeners felt extremely sad just listening to it. What about her? What about Wanyu? When she left the capital alone, was she even more desperate?


    She thought that she could hold it in, but in the end, she couldn¡¯t. As a mother, she would rather die a thousand times than let Wanyu and Fu Ming suffer.

 Chapter 980 - 980 Cold Moon (7)

    980 Cold Moon (7)


    She walked step by step. The moonlight was as cold as water, but it could not blow away the desolation in her heart.


    The wine and food basket had already been placed in the pavilion. Ba Jiao said, ¡°Madam, the fireworks have been bought.¡±


    Shen Miao nodded.


    Say it, say it out and you¡¯ll be freed, Shen Miao thought to herself. No matter what Xie Jingxing thought of her in the future and what she had to face, she would take it. Not being understood or being treated like a freak was nothing compared to what she had gone through in her previous life.


    !!


    Just as she was thinking, she heard a voice behind her. ¡°Are you waiting for Prince Rui?¡±


    She turned around and saw Pei Lang.


    Pei Lang glanced at the things on the table in the pavilion and smiled. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to do such a thing.¡±


    Shen Miao asked him, ¡°Why are you out?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not used to such an occasion.¡± Pei Lang said, ¡°I can¡¯t drink, so I planned to go back first. I didn¡¯t expect to see you preparing these.¡± He said, ¡°Are you planning to make up with Prince Rui?¡±


    Shen Miao nodded.


    ¡°In the past, I used to think that there was probably no one that could make your heart soften. Now I know that there is someone and it turns out to be Prince Rui.¡± Pei Lang¡¯s smile had an imperceptible sadness. When he looked at Shen Miao again, he was still calm. ¡°Although it¡¯s surprising, I¡¯m not all that surprised.¡±


    Shen Miao smiled.


    At the same time in Bixiao Restaurant, Xie Jingxing glanced at Tie Yi and was about to get up and leave.


    Ji Yushu tugged at the corner of his shirt. ¡°You¡¯re the birthday boy today. Why? Are you going to run away?¡±


    ¡°Let go.¡± Xie Jingxing glanced at him.


    Ji Yushu let go obediently. ¡°What exactly are you going to do? Why are you being so mysterious?¡±


    Gao Yang said, ¡°Why are you being such a busybody?¡±


    Xie Jingxing glanced at the siblings who were talking to Madam Ye and couldn¡¯t help but frown.


    Shen Miao¡¯s attitude towards this pair of siblings was really too strange. It was as if she had already abandoned her rationality and became a different person. The Ye siblings did not look all that harmless. It was precisely because the Black Feather Army couldn¡¯t find out anything about this pair of siblings that he found them suspicious.


    He suddenly thought of the letter Tie Yi stuffed into his sleeve.


    That letter was written to him by Shen Miao.


    She did not mention apologizing. She only said that at the birthday banquet, she had something to say to him in the pavilion in an alley not far from Bixiao Restaurant.


    It was already the biggest concession Shen Miao could make. Xie Jingxing had always doted on Shen Miao and was very easy to be coaxed. His indifferent attitude was just a front he put up. At this moment, he felt happy inside.


    In the pavilion, after Pei Lang finished talking to Shen Miao, he was about to leave. As soon as he walked down the stairs, he bumped into an eight or nine-year-old child. Pei Lang was caught off guard and fell. Ba Jiao and Hui Xiang were waiting on the other side for Xie Jingxing to come over. Shen Miao thought that the child might be one of the young masters in Bixiao Restaurant who came out to play. Seeing that Pei Lang was moaning in pain on the ground, she planned to go over and take a look.


    Just as she walked up to Pei Lang, she saw the child lying on the ground. Shen Miao squatted down and was about to speak when the child suddenly looked up with murderous eyes!


    Shen Miao was caught off guard and saw a silver dagger stabbing at her. At this moment, it was too late to dodge. She saw Pei Lang suddenly hug her and turn her over, protecting her under him!


    Then, there was a groan of pain.


    However, he did not let go no matter what. He protected Shen Miao extremely tightly, but the child did not care. He kicked Pei Lang away and turned the knife to stab at Shen Miao!


    Xie Jingxing was walking over with Hui Xiang and Ba Jiao.


    Hui Xiang said, ¡°Madam has been waiting for you for a while. She¡¯s afraid that you¡¯ll still be angry, so she¡¯s been waiting for you patiently. When you see Madam, you have to talk to her nicely.¡±


    Xie Jingxing was expressionless, but a trace of a smile flashed across his eyes.


    After walking around the alley, he saw the pavilion. Before he got close, there was a strong smell of blood.


    Xie Jingxing stopped in his tracks.


    Ba Jiao and Hui Xiang were also stunned.


    The moonlight was as bright as a lantern, illuminating the ground. It was supposed to be a pleasant scenery, but now, it made people feel a chill run down their spines.


    There were large patches of blood and familiar people.

 Chapter 981 - 981 Fate (1)

    981 Fate (1)


    Prince Rui¡¯s mansion was especially unusual tonight.


    The servants coming and going in the courtyard all had solemn expressions, as if the dynasty was on the verge of collapse. Even the wind at night seemed to be especially cold, making people shiver.


    Tie Yi walked up to the young man and said in a low voice, ¡°Master, we can¡¯t find him.¡±


    Xie Jingxing glanced at him. The calmer his expression was, the fiercer the storm brewing in his eyes, as if it was about to engulf Tie Yi in the next moment.


    !!


    Tie Yi shuddered. Just as he was about to speak, he saw Gao Yang walk out. Gao Yang still smelled of alcohol. It was obvious that he had been called over from the banquet. Fortunately, he was still sober. He walked straight over and said, ¡°Princess Consort is fine. The stab is not fatal. She¡¯s already been bandaged. She probably fainted from shock. She¡¯s taken some calming medicine and will wake up tomorrow morning.¡±


    Xie Jingxing¡¯s tense body relaxed a little, and Tie Yi heaved a sigh of relief. Gao Yang continued, ¡°However, Pei Lang¡¯s injury is very serious. The knife wound was too deep, and he bled a lot. I¡¯ve done everything I can. Whether he can survive or not depends on him.¡±


    ¡°It seems like Mr. Pei took the blow for Madam,¡± Tie Yi said carefully.


    ¡°That¡¯s not a good thing.¡± Gao Yang glanced at Xie Jingxing, who had a cold expression, and said, ¡°If he really dies¡­ With Princess Consort¡¯s personality, she will feel guilty for the rest of her life.¡±


    Shen Miao hated owing people favors the most. If she owed anyone anything, she would definitely repay them. No one could imagine what would happen to Shen Miao if Pei Lang did not survive.


    ¡°Is the city gate sealed?¡± Xie Jingxing asked.


    ¡°It¡¯s sealed.¡± Tie Yi said, ¡°Everyone from the Black Feather Army has been mobilized. Madam didn¡¯t even have time to call for help. That person must be a trained killer.¡±


    Xie Jingxing said, ¡°Capture him alive and beat him to death.¡±


    ¡°Then what about the person behind the scene?¡±


    ¡°Investigate!¡±


    After Tie Yi left, Xie Jingxing looked at Gao Yang and said, ¡°Stay here tonight.¡±


    Gao Yang said, ¡°I know.¡± He glanced at Xie Jingxing again. ¡°You should rest first.¡±


    Not far from Bixiao Restaurant, Princess Consort Rui was attacked. This person was really too bold. Not only that, but he probably did not even care about Prince Rui. The only person in the capital who was so bold was probably the Lu family. However, the Lu family would not target Shen Miao, so this incident became very puzzling.


    No matter what, this was a signal. The force hiding in the dark finally couldn¡¯t hold back anymore and began to make a move, and the first person they chose to get rid of in Prince Rui¡¯s mansion was Shen Miao.


    However, Xie Jingxing was not in the mood to think about this. He walked into the room and saw Shen Miao lying on the bed. Her face was pale, and her eyes were closed. Her eyelashes were lowered, making her look very weak.


    He sighed and sat down by Shen Miao¡¯s bed.


    There was also a food basket on the table in the room. Inside was the noodles that Shen Miao instructed the kitchen to specially make for him. However, now, the noodles were probably too sticky to eat.

 Chapter 982 - 982 Fate (2)

    982 Fate (2)


    Xie Jingxing thought for a moment and reached out to open the food basket to take out the bowl.


    The noodles in the bowl had already become pasty. When it was just cooked, it must have smelled fragrant. Now that it was cold, it did not taste good.


    Xie Jingxing took a pair of chopsticks and started eating.


    Ba Jiao and Hui Xiang said that Shen Miao asked Gu Yu to buy many fireworks and food this morning. In a pavilion not far from Bixiao Restaurant, watching fireworks by the lake was the best. She even specially instructed someone to cook noodles at the right time. Obviously, she intended to apologize.


    !!


    The two of them had a cold war for a while. In the end, Shen Miao backed down first. Ba Jiao said that Shen Miao had not been doing well these days, so Xie Jingxing also planned to reconcile with her. He was a man and had to be more magnanimous. Unexpectedly, before Shen Miao could apologize, she was harmed.


    It was hard to describe his feelings at that moment. It was like even though he was in midsummer, he would still shiver with cold. S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Fortunately, she was fine.


    Xie Jingxing finished the bowl of noodles. He placed the empty bowl on the table and held Shen Miao¡¯s hand, full of remorse.


    If not for the fact that he wanted to be angry with Shen Miao, Shen Miao would not have wanted to apologize to him. If she did not go to the pavilion, this might not have happened.


    Outside, Luo Tan had received the news and was rushing over. When she saw Gao Yang, she asked him, ¡°What happened to my little cousin?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s fine.¡± Gao Yang said, ¡°Pei Lang took a knife for her.¡±


    ¡°Mr. Pei?¡± Luo Tan was stunned. ¡°Then how is Mr. Pei?¡±


    ¡°Not good.¡± Gao Yang shook his head.


    ¡°Can¡¯t you save him?¡± Luo Tan asked.


    Gao Yang smiled bitterly. ¡°I¡¯m a doctor, not a Bodhisattva. I can¡¯t save people from the jaws of death.¡±


    Luo Tan said, ¡°I only found out today that my little cousin quarreled with my brother-in-law and said that it¡¯s because my little cousin didn¡¯t visit him when he was sick. Those madams in Bixiao Restaurant all said that my little cousin is cold and heartless. What do they know? When my little cousin went to find the herb for my brother-in-law from the strange Daoist priest, did any of them see it? How infuriating!¡±


    ¡°A strange Daoist priest?¡± Gao Yang asked, ¡°What strange Daoist priest? What¡¯s going on.?¡±


    Luo Tan was stunned, annoyed that she had said something she shouldn¡¯t say. Remembering that Shen Miao had told her not to say it, she said, ¡°It¡¯s nothing. I was talking nonsense. I¡¯ll go and see my little cousin first.¡± With that, she walked towards the room where Shen Miao was resting.


    Gao Yang grabbed her and said, ¡°Don¡¯t enter. Xie Jingxing is inside.¡±


    ¡°Ah?¡± Luo Tan lowered her head and suddenly thought of something. ¡°Are you going to stay here tonight?¡±


    ¡°I need to stay here to watch over Pei Lang.¡± Gao Yang said, ¡°You can go back first.¡±


    Luo Tan shook her head. ¡°I¡¯m not going back. I¡¯ll stay here and wait for Little Cousin to wake up.¡±


    Gao Yang knew that Luo Tan was stubborn, so he did not persuade her.


    This night was especially long for everyone.


    The assassination of Shen Miao and Pei Lang was kept a secret. The people in Bixiao Restaurant did not know. They only knew that Xie Jingxing left the banquet early. That night, even the servants were waiting anxiously for the result.


    In summer, the day was long, and the night was short. When the birds in the courtyard started to chirp, the two rooms were still silent.

 Chapter 983 - 983 Fate (3)

    983 Fate (3)


    Xie Jingxing looked at Gao Yang and asked, ¡°What happened?¡±


    Gao Yang frowned. He took Shen Miao¡¯s pulse and Pei Lang¡¯s pulse. In front of everyone in the room, he shook his head.


    ¡°That¡¯s strange. Pei Lang is seriously injured. He should have shown signs of death by now, but there is nothing as if he¡¯s just asleep. Princess Consort didn¡¯t get badly hurt and should have woken up after resting for a night, but she hasn¡¯t woken up yet.¡±


    ¡°So?¡± Xie Jingxing¡¯s face was as dark as he stared at Gao Yang aggressively.


    !!


    ¡°This¡­ is a little strange.¡±


    Uncle Tang said carefully, ¡°Are they poisoned?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s impossible.¡± Gao Yang denied flatly. ¡°The pulse of the two of them is not that of poisoned people. Instead, it¡¯s faint. I can¡¯t see anything wrong with them, but they just won¡¯t wake up.¡± woken up yet.¡±


    ¡°Then what should we do?¡± Luo Tan was a little anxious. ¡°My little cousin can¡¯t sleep like this forever. There has to be a reason.¡±


    Gao Yang glanced at Xie Jingxing and said hesitantly, ¡°Let¡¯s wait for another half a day.¡±


    Xie Jingxing had been by Shen Miao¡¯s bed without leaving her side. However, Shen Miao still did not wake up. It was the same for Pei Lang.


    Uncle Tang asked Gao Yang, ¡°Young Master Gao, what exactly is going on? Even if Madam and Young Master Pei don¡¯t wake up, there has to be a reason. Don¡¯t you know the reason?¡±


    Gao Yang was stumped. Shen Miao and Pei Lang were not showing any symptoms and were just in a state of sleep. They were like ordinary people sleeping. How could he know what was going on?


    However, facing Xie Jingxing¡¯s increasingly cold and sharp gaze, Gao Yang felt pressured.


    Luo Tan couldn¡¯t help but be so anxious that she was about to cry. She said, ¡°Are we haunted by some kind of jinx? First, it¡¯s my brother-in-law who was injured, and now it¡¯s my little cousin. If anything should happen to my little cousin, how am I going to explain it to my aunt and uncle?¡± She sniffled. ¡°I swore to protect my little cousin. Who knew that my little cousin would end up like this? I¡¯m really useless!¡±


    Gao Yang patted her shoulder. ¡°It¡¯s not your fault.¡±


    ¡°If I were by her side, at least I could take the knife for her.¡± After saying that, she thought of something and said angrily, ¡°And Brother-in-law too. If not for the fact that he was angry with my little cousin, she wouldn¡¯t have been in such a state.¡±


    Gao Yang was helpless. It was really not her place to interfere in the matters between Xie Jingxing and Shen Miao.


    ¡°If my little cousin doesn¡¯t wake up, I¡¯ll make him regret it!¡± Luo Tan said angrily, ¡°Those madams are outsiders who follow the herd, but he is not an outsider. When everyone points a finger at her, he should be by her side.¡± She thought for a moment and clenched her fists. ¡°After thinking about it carefully, I think I need to tell my brother-in-law about this. My little cousin has sacrificed so much for him, but in the end, her effort was in vain.¡±


    ¡°What are you going to tell him?¡± Ji Yushu asked curiously.


    Luo Tan glared at him. ¡°A secret!¡±


    Luo Tan angrily went to look for Xie Jingxing angrily. Gao Yang was afraid that she would cause trouble, so he quickly followed behind. When he reached the door, he saw Xie Jingxing coming out of the house with a dark expression. Ever since Shen Miao was in danger, Xie Jingxing had been pulling a long face. S~ea??h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 984 - 984 Fate (4)

    984 Fate (4)


    Luo Tan shouted, ¡°Prince Rui!¡± She did not call him ¡°brother-in-law¡± anymore.


    Xie Jingxing glanced at her. He was frustrated that Shen Miao was not awake, and he had no patience for others.


    However, Luo Tan had a reckless personality. Once her temper flared up, she was not afraid at all. She said aggressively, ¡°Little Cousin refused to let me tell you this before. Now that she¡¯s lying on the sick bed, if she doesn¡¯t tell you, I¡¯ll tell you. I don¡¯t have any scruples.¡±


    Uncle Tang, Tie Yi, and the others, who had rushed over after hearing the news, were also standing at the side. When they heard this, they looked at Luo Tan in surprise. Sear?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    !!


    ¡°Those madams all said that when you were bedridden, my little cousin didn¡¯t go to see you much. You felt neglected and that my little cousin was a heartless person, so you were unhappy and angry with her, right?¡± Luo Tan stared at him and said, ¡°But you don¡¯t know that she didn¡¯t go to see you those days not because she didn¡¯t want to, but because she went out of the city to find a herb for you.¡±


    Hearing that, Xie Jingxing turned to look at Tie Yi. Tie Yi lowered his head and did not dare to look Xie Jingxing in the eyes.


    At first, Shen Miao asked them to hide it. Later, after she returned, she started to have a cold war with Xie Jingxing. Once Xie Jingxing was in a bad mood, no one around him would dare to add fuel to the flame. They wanted to wait a few days, but they did not expect this to happen.


    ¡°Make yourself clear!¡± Xie Jingxing took a step forward.


    Luo Tan said, ¡°You don¡¯t know, right? It¡¯s said that there¡¯s an expert in Phoenix Head Village who can change one¡¯s fate.¡± She glanced at Gao Yang. ¡°At that time, Gao Yang was making the antidote for you. Little Cousin gave you all three Guiyuan Pills, but they can only keep you alive for a moment. If the antidote couldn¡¯t be made within ten days, your life would be in danger. However, on the fourth day, your situation suddenly worsened. The imperial physician said that you wouldn¡¯t be able to live past the seventh day. When my little cousin heard the legend of that expert in Phoenix Head Village, she brought me and a few guards to seek that expert.¡±


    Xie Jingxing¡¯s eyes widened.


    What kind of person was Shen Miao? She was rational and would not believe in supernatural things. If not for the fact she was really desperate, she wouldn¡¯t have taken this journey to seek that expert.


    ¡°The Phoenix Head Village is not far from Long Ye, but the place where that expert lives is extremely difficult to find. That day, we rushed over overnight and almost lost our way in the forest. There was also the wolf pack lurking around. Little Cousin was not afraid at all and insisted on going deeper into the forest, afraid that we would not be able to make it in time to come back and save you.¡±


    ¡°The next day, we found that expert. He brought only me and my little cousin, who don¡¯t have any martial arts, into the valley. He said that there¡¯s a spirit herb that can cure all poisons, but he wanted my little cousin to pay the price. The price is actually not difficult. He doesn¡¯t want money. He only wants her to pick out the insects one by one on the flowers and fertilize them.¡±


    Gao Yang and Ji Yushu both looked surprised, and Uncle Tang and Tie Yi were even more shocked.


    Uncle Tang was enlightened. No wonder Shen Miao was in such a sorry state on the day she returned to the mansion. At that time, he did not know the reason, but now that he heard the ins and outs, he understood. It turned out that Shen Miao did not sleep that night. Instead, she was busy getting the herb for Xie Jingxing.

 Chapter 985 - 985 Fate (5)

    985 Fate (5)


    Luo Tan seemed to have found it especially satisfying to share this secret. She continued, ¡°It doesn¡¯t sound like a big deal, right? But she¡¯s been pampered since she was young. Cleaning an entire mountain of flowers is not something a weak willed person can do. She immediately started working for the entire night. I¡¯m afraid you people have never even seen fertilizer with animal waste in it. Why should her efforts go to waste simply because that pair of siblings beat her to it?¡± Luo Tan looked at Xie Jingxing and said, ¡°It¡¯s true that the Ye siblings saved you, but my little cousin also saved you.¡±


    ¡°They said that she¡¯s not by your side, but go and ask the servants in your mansion. Before she left the mansion, how many days did she stay by your bed? Did she leave? Did she take care of you day and night? After all she has done for you, is she still not as good as the siblings of the Ye family?¡±


    ¡°Now that my little cousin is in such a state, I feel bad for her. When Prince Rui married her from Ming Qi to the Daliang Dynasty, what did you promise? However, you can¡¯t even give her your trust. Although she is not perfect, her sincerity is unquestionable!¡±


    After Luo Tan finished speaking, her face was red, and she felt much better. She looked at Xie Jingxing¡¯s expression. He was neither sad nor happy, and his expression was calm. However, the calmer he was, the more terrifying he made people feel. It was as if there was an endless storm brewing under the calmness.


    !!


    ¡°Are you done?¡± he asked slowly.


    His tone was so cold that Luo Tan couldn¡¯t help but shrink her neck.


    Gao Yang quickly stood up and said, ¡°Now is not the time to pursue this matter. The most important thing now is to think about how to wake the two of them up.¡±


    Xie Jingxing sneered. ¡°That¡¯s simple. Just kidnap the Ye siblings.¡±


    Ji Yushu was stunned. ¡°Third Brother, what do you want to do?¡±


    ¡°Since she¡¯s acting abnormally because of the Ye siblings, there must be something wrong with them. Regardless of whether they were behind it or not, there¡¯s no reason to let them off.¡± Xie Jingxing turned around and was about to leave when he was grabbed by Gao Yang who said, ¡°No! They¡¯re no longer powerless. They are now the children of the Ye family. What will happen if the Ye family finds out?¡±


    ¡°Let go,¡± Xie Jingxing said coldly.


    ¡°Calm down!¡± Gao Yang said, ¡°If Princess Consort really hates the Ye siblings, she must have come up with a plan to deal with them. If you do something rashly, you¡¯ll ruin her plan.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right, Third Brother.¡± Ji Yushu chimed in, ¡°The Ye family is not a small family in Long Ye. If you do this, I¡¯m afraid you¡¯ll cause trouble for His Majesty.¡±


    ¡°She can tolerate them, but I can¡¯t.¡± Xie Jingxing said, ¡°The Ye family has crossed the line.¡±


    ¡°Third Brother¡­¡± Ji Yushu was about to persuade him when Ba Jiao¡¯s voice suddenly came from outside the courtyard. The girl, who had always been smiling, looked a little flustered as she said, ¡°Master, someone is here!¡±


    Tie Yi frowned slightly, as if he was displeased with Ba Jiao¡¯s loss of composure. He asked, ¡°Who is it?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s¡­ the Daoist priest we saw at Phoenix Head Village that day,¡± Ba Jiao said hesitantly.


    ¡°What?¡± Luo Tan widened her eyes.


    Ji Yushu, who was holding Xie Jingxing¡¯s sleeve, couldn¡¯t help but let go and look at Ba Jiao. ¡°Daoist priest?¡±


    Ba Jiao nodded.


    In the hall, the strange Daoist priest in tattered clothes was touching this and looking at that, his eyes filled with curiosity, as if this was the first time he had entered a mansion. Hui Xiang and Cong Yang stood at the side awkwardly. sea??h th§× ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 986 - 986 Fate (6)

    986 Fate (6)


    When Xie Jingxing and the others arrived at the hall, Daoist Priest Chi Yan was about to take out the jewel eye on the slot on a vase. He asked Hui Xiang, ¡°Can I take this away?¡±


    ¡°Daoist Priest Chi Yan!¡± Luo Tan shouted when she saw him.


    When Chi Yan saw her, he smiled and said, ¡°Miss Luo, long time no see.¡±


    Luo Tan immediately said, ¡°Did you come because you know that something happened to my little cousin?¡± Although Luo Tan felt that Daoist Priest Chi Yan was an annoying person, he seemed to be quite capable. Otherwise, Shen Miao wouldn¡¯t have trusted him so much.


    !!


    Daoist Priest Chi Yan looked at the silent Xie Jingxing behind Luo Tan and smiled. ¡°I can¡¯t change her fate. I can only read fortunes. Young man, what do you think?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t believe in the Heavenly Dao,¡± Xie Jingxing said.


    ¡°The Heavenly Dao is not a belief. Why should people insist on seeking answers from the Heavenly Dao?¡± Daoist Priest Chi Yan shook his head and said, ¡°This madam¡¯s fate is strange. Others can¡¯t fathom it. It¡¯s all up to her choice. You and I can¡¯t do anything to help.¡±


    Luo Tan did not understand what Daoist Priest Chi Yan was talking about and hurriedly asked, ¡°Daoist priest, what should my little cousin do now?¡±


    ¡°Do you still have the spirit herb I gave her back then?¡± Daoist Priest Chi Yan asked.


    ¡°Eh?¡± Luo Tan was puzzled. ¡°Back then, when we came back, Prince Rui¡¯s poison had already been removed, so the herb was naturally useless. I didn¡¯t know where my little cousin put it.¡±


    ¡°I think I know!¡± Jingzhe said and then brought everyone to Shen Miao¡¯s room. She really found a dusty box under the dressing table. She opened it and saw an ordinary-looking herb lying inside.


    Luo Tan pointed at it and said, ¡°That¡¯s it!¡±


    ¡°Chuck it away.¡± Chi Yan stroked his beard.


    ¡°Wait.¡± Xie Jingxing looked at the strange Daoist priest. ¡°Why should I believe you?¡±


    ¡°You can choose not to believe me, but you have no other choice.¡± Chi Yan sighed and said, ¡°This herb was obtained by your wife, but when she got it back then, I told her that her efforts were in vain. Even without this herb, you would still be safe and sound. Your fate doesn¡¯t end with this calamity. What she did was useless.¡±


    Everyone was stunned.


    ¡°However, it¡¯s not for nothing.¡± The strange Daoist priest looked relieved again. ¡°The person who gives love will be reciprocated, and the person who saves will likewise be saved. If she had been half-hearted and perfunctory in the valley back then, she wouldn¡¯t have obtained this spirit herb, and we wouldn¡¯t meet here today. This spirit herb was obtained to save you, but little did she know that she did it to save herself.¡±


    At this moment, Luo Tan vaguely understood something. She asked, ¡°What you mean is that you already knew that this spirit herb would not be used on Prince Rui, but on my little cousin. You predicted that my little cousin would suffer such a life and death tribulation, so you asked her to do something to trade for this herb.¡±


    The strange Daoist priest looked at Luo Tan and smiled. ¡°You are quick on the uptake.¡±


    Xie Jingxing stared at him. ¡°You asked her to work in the field?¡±


    There was killing intent in his eyes. The Daoist priest took a step back and hid behind Gao Yang. He cleared his throat and said, ¡°This calamity is preordained to happen in her life. I¡¯ve already minimized the effect of this calamity. Compared to her life, working in the field was not worth mentioning.¡±


    ¡°But why isn¡¯t she awake yet?¡± Gao Yang was puzzled. ¡°I¡¯m also a doctor. I checked her condition, but I couldn¡¯t find the reason why she couldn¡¯t wake up. She looks fine. She should have woken up today, but she hasn¡¯t woken up for a long time. What¡¯s the reason?¡±


    The Daoist priest said, ¡°I said that this is a calamity destined for her.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean by calamity? I don¡¯t understand.¡± Luo Tan said, ¡°Why don¡¯t you tell us when my little cousin will wake up after eating that herb?¡±


    Chi Yan smiled. ¡°That herb is not for her, but for another injured person.¡±


    Could the other injured person be Pei Lang?


    Xie Jingxing said in a low voice, ¡°If you dare to play tricks, I¡¯ll kill you.¡±


    Chi Yan shook his head. ¡°That person is entangled with Madam in some sense. With this herb, Madam can disentangle with him.¡±


    ¡°Then what about my sister-in-law?¡± Ji Yushu asked.


    The strange Daoist priest looked at Shen Miao, who was lying on the bed. Her expression was calm, as if she was asleep.


    ¡°This calamity is both a blessing and a misfortune for her.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fated to see her three times, and this is the third time. I came here to end this fate.¡± S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Things in the world are never perfect. There are regrets and indignation. She wanted an answer, but no one could give her one.¡± The strange Daoist priest narrowed his eyes.


    ¡°Now, she has found a way. The answer she¡¯s pursuing is right in front of her. No one can help her. You can¡¯t, she can¡¯t, and neither can I.¡±


    ¡°So, just wait patiently.¡± The Daoist priest looked at Xie Jingxing.


    ¡°That¡¯s what you can do.¡±

 Chapter 987 - 987 Previous Life (1)

    987 Previous Life (1)


    The desert was endless, and the wind was blowing.


    The guards were slacking off and did not show much respect to the person in the carriage.


    A girl who looked like a maid walked over from behind the carriage and jumped into the carriage. She handed a bowl of porridge to the person inside and said, ¡°Your Majesty, the porridge is a little cold, but it¡¯s still edible. There¡¯s no restaurant nearby. Please make do with it.¡±


    The woman in the carriage was still young, but her face was very haggard, and her clothes were not exquisite and did not even fit her because she was emaciated. She lifted the curtain of the carriage and asked, ¡°Where are we now?¡±


    !!


    Bai Lu smiled and said, ¡°I¡¯ve asked around. We¡¯ll definitely be able to reach the capital in five days.¡±


    Shuang Jiang also smiled. ¡°When we reach the palace, Your Majesty, your suffering will come to an end.¡±


    ¡°Suffering will come to an end.¡± Shen Miao smiled bitterly. ¡°But the dead can¡¯t come back to life.¡±


    She was talking about Jingzhe and Gu Yu. Hearing this, Bai Lu and Shuang Jiang also looked sad and stopped talking.


    In order to rope in a powerful official, Jingzhe was willing to be his concubine. In the first year after Shen Miao went to the State of Qin, there was news that Jingzhe was killed by the wife of a powerful official. As for Gu Yu¡­ Shen Miao clenched her fists. She died at the hands of Huangfu Hao while protecting Shen Miao.


    Five years, a full five years. In the five years in the State of Qin, her arrogance had all been worn off. She gritted her teeth and endured it because she wanted to return to her homeland one day and reunite with her children. However, the heavy price she paid was not something that outsiders could imagine.


    How difficult was this journey? There were not many guards escorting her. Who would have thought that this was the escort team of the empress of a country? The people she brought to the State of Qin had either died or run away in the past five years. If not for Mo Qing protecting her, she would definitely not have been able to return alive.


    Shen Miao sighed. Fortunately, all the hardships were not in vain. Five years had finally passed.


    When it was time for the carriage to continue setting off, not only did it not set off, but there was also a commotion outside.


    She frowned slightly, lifted the curtain of the carriage, and asked, ¡°What happened?¡±


    Mo Qing walked over from the front and said, ¡°We met a strange person who came to ask for water.¡± Before he could finish his sentence, an old man in gray appeared behind him. He looked at Shen Miao and smiled. ¡°Madam, I¡¯m about to die of thirst. Give me some water to drink.¡±


    This old man was dressed strangely and smelled bad. It was not that he did not want to give her water, but Shen Miao¡¯s identity was special. Mo Qing ordered someone to take this old man away and not let him get close to Shen Miao. Shen Miao said with a smile, ¡°There¡¯s a drought along the way. A bowl of water can perhaps save his life. Give it to him. I¡­ I can¡¯t drink that much water anyway.¡±


    Since Shen Miao had said so, Mo Qing ordered someone to get a bowl of water for the old man. The old man gulped it down and patted his stomach. He stood up, bowed to Shen Miao, and said, ¡°Madam, you¡¯re kind and saved my life. I have to repay you for this bowl of water.¡±


    Shen Miao asked, ¡°Are you a Daoist priest?¡±


    ¡°My name is Chi Yan.¡± The strange old man looked at Shen Miao and shook his head. ¡°Madam, you have an extremely noble face, but your life is too short for this noble life.¡± S§×ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 988 - 988 Previous Life (2)

    988 Previous Life (2)


    ¡°What nonsense are you talking about?¡± Bai Lu frowned and looked at Shen Miao. ¡°Mother¡­ Madam, he might be a charlatan. Don¡¯t listen to his nonsense.¡±


    Mo Qing was about to chase this strange old man away.


    ¡°Wait.¡± Shen Miao said, ¡°It¡¯s been quite boring along the way. Let¡¯s listen to what he has to say.¡±


    The old man bowed again and said, ¡°Madam, there¡¯s black aura around you. I¡¯m afraid it¡¯s not an auspicious sign. At the end of this journey, there is a calamity in store for you. If you turn your horse around, you can avoid this calamity. Madam, I have to mind you. This journey is towards the Netherworld. Don¡¯t take it. If you take it, you won¡¯t be able to turn back.¡±


    !!


    ¡°You¡¯re getting more and more ridiculous!¡± Shuang Jiang was so angry that her face was ashen. ¡°Are you cursing us?¡±


    Shen Miao, on the other hand, had a good temper. After staying in the State of Qin for a long time, she found everyone from her motherland pleasing to the eyes. Even if this old man was talking nonsense, she was not angry. She only smiled and said, ¡°Thank you for your reminder, Daoist priest, but I have to walk this path. My children are on this path. I have to go home.¡± S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The strange Daoist priest took a deep breath and said, ¡°As expected.¡± He looked at Shen Miao. ¡°We met by chance, so I¡¯ll give you a gift.¡± With that, he took out a red string from his sleeve and was about to hand it to Shen Miao when he was stopped by Mo Qing. He could only hand the red string to Mo Qing. Mo Qing looked at it carefully and saw that there was nothing strange about the red string before handing it to Shen Miao.


    ¡°This red string is a gift from me to you for giving me a bowl of water. Madam, tie it to your wrist.¡± He said seriously, ¡°Madam, remember, the Heavenly Dao is changeful, and everything depends on individuals. I can predict your fate, but I can¡¯t change it. The person who can change your fate is not me. The heavens are merciful. When there is a calamity, there will also be a way to solve the calamity. This red string is a question. One day, you will find your answer.¡±


    With that, he laughed out loud and turned to leave.


    Bai Lu and Shuang Jiang were a little unhappy with what the Daoist priest said. Bai Lu said, ¡°Your Majesty, don¡¯t take what that strange person said to heart. He¡¯s probably not in his right mind.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t wear this either.¡± Shuang Jiang also said, ¡°It might bring bad luck.¡±


    Shen Miao looked at the red string and felt that it was quite cute. For some reason, she liked it and tied it to her wrist. She said with a smile, ¡°We¡¯re fated to meet by chance. I¡¯ll wear it. If it¡¯s all nonsense, it¡¯s fine. If isn¡¯t not, isn¡¯t that better?¡±


    Since Shen Miao had already said so, Bai Lu and Shuang Jiang could not say anything else. Mo Qing told the escort team to continue the journey.


    When she returned to Ming Qi, it was nowhere near the end of her suffering.


    The world was changing at all times. The situation would change, and so would the people.


    Apart from her status as the empress, there was nothing special about her anymore. Sometimes, when she thought about it, she felt that she was no better than when she was humiliated in the State of Qin. When she was in the State of Qin, she was humiliated openly, but in Ming Qi, she was humiliated secretly.


    Shen Miao sat in the Palace of Earthly Tranquility and looked at the withered Red Sleeve Flower on the table, looking a little tired.


    The Red Sleeved Flower was sent to her by Mo Qing. It was said to be a very rare spiritual herb and was very good-looking. It looked like the sleeve of a woman¡¯s dress swaying in the wind, so it was called the Red Sleeve Flower. However, it had been a little withered recently because Shen Miao had no intention of taking care of it.


    She had been back in Ming Qi for a few years. In the past few years, she had not been doing well.

 Chapter 989 - 989 Previous Life (3)

    989 Previous Life (3)


    Consort Mei was slowly replacing her in the harem. She was beautiful and smart, charming and gentle, making people subconsciously want to follow her. Sear?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    In the beginning, Shen Miao was heartbroken. The man she used to love took a fancy to another woman. She thought that he was equally cold to everyone, but later, she realized that was not the case. He was only cold to her because he never liked her.


    After being heartbroken for a long time, she gradually became numb. The pain and dispiritedness gradually turned into hatred and indignation towards Fu Sheng.


    Fu Sheng stole too much of Fu Xiuyi¡¯s attention from her child, Fu Ming. Fu Ming was clearly the crown prince. He was talented and hardworking, but in the end, he was neglected. Fu Xiuyi taught Fu Sheng how to write and discussed politics with him, but he never showed concern for Fu Ming.


    !!


    When being asked, he would say that Fu Ming was the crown prince and had to be mature and learn to teach himself.


    However, every time Shen Miao looked at Fu Ming¡¯s disappointed eyes, she felt like a knife was twisting in her heart.


    The Shen family was not doing well either. Luo Xueyan was getting sicker and sicker, and Jing Chuchu was scheming against Shen Qiu. The Shen family¡¯s reputation was getting worse and worse, and Shen Xin had aged a lot.


    Fu Xiuyi seemed to be suppressing the Shen family. Shen Miao vaguely sensed this, but she had no way of getting to know what was going on in the imperial court. The only way she could know one thing or two was through Pei Lang, but Pei Lang was loyal to Fu Xiuyi. Although Pei Lang was on good terms with her, he would never reveal too much.


    Shen Miao¡¯s love towards Fu Xiuyi had been fading away ever since he had Consort Mei. However, she couldn¡¯t abandon her position as the empress. She had to stabilize her position and fight for some opportunities for Fu Ming and Wanyu.


    There had been news of the Xiongnu¡¯s invasion recently. Consort Mei seemed to be urging Fu Xiuyi to marry Wanyu to the Xiongnu to build a marriage alliance.


    This was what Shen Miao could not tolerate the most.


    However, Consort Mei was urging harder and harder. Everyone knew how much Fu Xiuyi doted on Fu Sheng. The Shen family was getting worse day by day, and there were too many people standing on Consort Mei¡¯s side. In addition, Consort Mei¡¯s brother, Li Ke, had recently helped Fu Xiuyi settle a few important matters, and Consort Mei¡¯s status in the harem was rising steadily.


    Shen Miao knew what the officials were thinking. They were thinking about when to change the crown prince and when to depose the empress.


    Guarding against everyone around her, Shen Miao was already exhausted. If not for her children, she sometimes felt that it was better to burn this palace to the ground.


    Bai Lu walked in and said, ¡°Your Majesty, the clothes for the palace banquet have been prepared. We have to comb your hair early.¡±


    Shen Miao nodded.


    Shuang Jiang died a year ago. Consort Mei was really scheming. She did not even let her maids off. At this moment, Bai Lu was the only one left.


    Tonight was Ming Qi¡¯s palace banquet. The new year was coming, and Fu Xiuyi was holding a banquet to reward the officials. Of course, the most important thing was to bid farewell to the young marquis of the Marquis of Lin¡¯an, Xie Jingxing. The Marquis of Lin¡¯an, Xie Ding, had died on the battlefield in the northern border, and now, his son was going to war in his place.


    Shen Miao and Xie Jingxing did not have much interaction because of the subtle relationship between the Shen family and the Xie family. However, the two families were both on decline.

 Chapter 990 - 990 Previous Life (4)

    Chapter 990 Previous Life (4)


    She said, ¡°Comb my hair.¡±


    This palace banquet was especially lively.


    It had been a long time since Fu Xiuyi was so happy. His usually cold expression softened a lot, and he was smiling from ear to ear. Shen Miao watched coldly as Fu Sheng went to toast him. The father and son drank as they chatted happily.


    Fu Ming and Wanyu sat at the side obediently. Those officials always praised the crown prince and the princess for being extremely sensible at such a young age. Not everyone was born with such a natural temperament.


    !!


    Wanyu and Fu Ming had also tried their best to get close to Fu Xiuyi. Children were the most sensitive. They could feel Fu Xiuyi¡¯s coldness, so they gradually became distant.


    Shen Miao sat beside Fu Xiuyi and watched as Fu Xiuyi exchanged glances with Consort Mei from time to time. Consort Mei was smiling happily. Fu Xiuyi also smiled.


    Shen Miao thought to herself that the two of them must be sincerely happy.


    But what about the protagonist of this palace banquet?


    Shen Miao couldn¡¯t help but look at the man on the left row of the seats.


    The young man was handsome and had a lazy posture. He sat diagonally. His dark purple robe was a little loose, but it could not hide his lean figure. He smiled and slowly drank, as if the lively banquet had nothing to do with him.


    Shen Miao smiled bitterly. She felt that this young marquis of Lin¡¯an was a little similar to her. The hall was filled with happy laughter, but they were not very happy. Xie Jingxing was walking down a path that led him to a future filled with uncertainties, and Shen Miao did not know what would happen to her from now on either.


    She also poured herself a glass of wine to drink in a restrained manner.


    As the empress, she naturally had to mind her demeanor, unlike the consorts who could be themselves.


    After the banquet ended, everyone dispersed in twos and threes. She sat in her seat and heard Consort Mei say, ¡°Your Majesty, I prepared good wine tonight. Your Majesty, let¡¯s watch the fireworks together as we drink. Sheng even said that he wants to play chess with you.¡±


    Fu Xiuyi laughed and rubbed Consort Mei¡¯s nose. ¡°His competitive personality is really like you.¡±


    Shen Miao wanted to say that Wanyu and Fu Ming also wanted to spend time with their father, but she swallowed the words.


    When she turned around, the sadness in the two children¡¯s eyes made her heart ache.


    However, she endured the pain and pretended to be calm.


    This new year was destined to be a sad one for her. S§×ar?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    She put the two children to sleep. She felt that her two children were not very enthusiastic about the new year. The sound of fireworks sounded in the palace. It was late at night. On such a night, Consort Mei¡¯s palace was the best place to watch fireworks. The three of them must be having a good time.


    Shen Miao put on her cloak and asked Bai Lu to take a jar of wine and a bowl before going to the garden.


    From a corner of the garden, one could see the reflection of the fireworks. However, it was still garden.


    From a corner of the garden, one could see the reflection of the fireworks. However, it was still extremely dazzling, almost illuminating the entire sky. One could imagine what kind of scenery it would be on the other side.


    She took out a bowl. Bai Lu felt bad. Shen Miao waved her hand, telling her not to speak.

 Chapter 991 - 991 Previous Life (5)

    Chapter 991 Previous Life (5)


    ¡°These fireworks are really beautiful.¡± Shen Miao¡¯s voice was low and had a hint of drunkenness. ¡°When can I watch the full show?¡±


    She suddenly smiled bitterly. ¡°Probably never will.¡±


    As she spoke, she heard footsteps behind her. The boots stepped on the snow, making a rustling sound.


    Bai Lu was shocked and said, ¡°You¡­¡±


    !!


    Shen Miao turned around and saw someone walking out of the bushes.


    The person was tall and wore a purple robe and green boots. His eyes reflected the fireworks in the night, looking especially bright and beautiful.


    ¡°Young Marquis of Lin¡¯an?¡± Shen Miao narrowed her eyes at him.


    That person seemed to be a little surprised. He clicked his tongue and said, ¡°So the empress is actually an alcoholic.¡±


    The guard behind him said, ¡°Master, it¡¯s time to leave.¡±


    Bai Lu was also a little nervous. She did not know why Xie Jingxing was still in the palace. However, if the empress and the official were seen standing together, a rumor might spread, especially since Shen Miao had been having a hard time in the palace these days. Once she was caught with another man, she would naturally be slandered. At this moment, the further the Young Marquis of Lin¡¯an stood, the better.


    Bai Lu did not dare to speak too loudly, so she whispered, ¡°Young Marquis, the empress is a little drunk. I¡¯m about to help her back. Please pretend not to see us.¡±


    Xie Jingxing glanced at Shen Miao and chuckled. He was not interested and turned to leave.


    ¡°Wait!¡± Shen Miao called him.


    Bai Lu was stunned and was so anxious that she wanted to cover Shen Miao¡¯s mouth. Shen Miao stared at Xie Jingxing. She was a little drunk. Ever since she went to the State of Qin, she had never drunk as much as she wanted. However, it was true that when people were drunk, they would feel relaxed and would do many things that they would not normally do.


    She said, ¡°I heard that you¡¯re going to the northern border?¡±


    Xie Jingxing crossed his arms and said with a faint smile, ¡°Your Majesty, what can I do for you?¡±


    Tie Yi and Bai Lu both stared at Shen Miao. Shen Miao smiled and grabbed the bowl she had just drunk from the table. She poured a large bowl of wine from the jar and showed it to Xie Jingxing. She said, ¡°Young talent, an eternal figure. You are peerless in the world!¡±


    Xie Jingxing raised an eyebrow. Bai Lu was so embarrassed that she wanted to drag Shen Miao away.


    ¡°The northern border is a very bad place.¡± Shen Miao patted his shoulder. She was petite, so when she patted his shoulder, she had to stand on her tiptoes. She looked at Xie Jingxing and said seriously and drunkenly, ¡°I heard from my father that flowers don¡¯t grow there. The terrain is treacherous, and there are many poisonous snakes, insects, and worms. It¡¯s very easy to fall into a trap. It¡¯s full of danger.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for your concern, Your Majesty,¡± Xie Jingxing said casually.


    She raised the wine bowl in her hand at Xie Jingxing and downed it in one go.


    Bai Lu and Tie Yi were both shocked. The former did not expect Shen Miao to drink it just like that, and the latter was surprised that the empress was so straightforward. Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Bai Lu and Tie Yi were both shocked. The former did not expect Shen Miao to drink it just like that, and the latter was surprised that the empress was so straightforward.


    Shen Miao wiped her mouth and burped. She said, ¡°This is a toast to you. You have to return triumphantly!¡±


    Xie Jingxing stared at her. There was still wine on her lips that had not been wiped clean. Under the moonlight, with the pretense of an empress, she looked delicate and beautiful.

 Chapter 992 - 992 Previous Life (6)

    Chapter 992 Previous Life (6)


    He curled his lips and smiled evilly. He said slowly, ¡°It seems like the emperor has neglected you.¡±


    Bai Lu widened her eyes. Xie Jingxing was too presumptuous, but she did not dare to drag Shen Miao away, in case Shen Miao made a sound and alarmed others.


    After Shen Miao finished drinking, she picked up the wine jar and filled a large bowl. She handed it to Xie Jingxing and said, ¡°You drink too!¡± S§×ar?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Why should I drink it?¡± Xie Jingxing was puzzled.


    !!


    ¡°Because we are fellow sufferers!¡± Shen Miao said.


    Xie Jingxing found it funny, but Shen Miao had already raised the wine bowl and fed it to him.


    Bai Lu was shocked. This interaction was too close! Tie Yi was also extremely surprised, but without Xie Jingxing¡¯s order, he wouldn¡¯t make a move rashly.


    Xie Jingxing was suddenly fed a bowl of wine. When he pushed Shen Miao away, a lot of wine spilled on his clothes. Shen Miao, on the other hand, smiled in satisfaction. She said, ¡°We are bound to each other by this bowl of wine. When you return triumphantly, come and watch the fireworks with me!¡±


    Xie Jingxing felt that today was really strange. It turned out that women were so sentimental when they were drunk. Even the dignified empress was like a different person when she was drunk.


    ¡°Your Majesty, you should look for the emperor.¡± He tidied his clothes.


    Shen Miao said sadly, ¡°I¡¯ve never watched fireworks with him.¡±


    Xie Jingxing stared at the woman opposite him. She lowered her head slightly and looked like she was about to cry. For some reason, his heart softened and he said, ¡°Alright, alright, alright. I promise you.¡±


    Shen Miao¡¯s eyes lit up. She looked at him and said, ¡°Deal!¡±


    Xie Jingxing nodded.


    Shen Miao thought for a moment and shook her head. ¡°Words are useless. We need to exchange tokens.¡± She started to touch the hairpin on her hair.


    Bai Lu was stunned. If the empress¡¯s thing was with Xie Jingxing, it would be considered adultery. She was afraid that Shen Miao would give him a handkerchief or a hairpin. Suddenly, she saw the red string on Shen Miao¡¯s wrist and had an idea. She said, ¡°Your Majesty, that red string of yours is a very good token!¡±


    Shen Miao¡¯s gaze landed on the red string. She quickly untied it and tied it to Xie Jingxing¡¯s wrist.


    Xie Jingxing¡¯s gaze landed on her slightly curled eyelashes. They were wet from the snow and cute.


    Shen Miao smiled at him. ¡°This is my token. I¡¯ll wait for your return!¡±


    ¡°Thank you for giving me this, Your Majesty.¡± Xie Jingxing smiled casually. ¡°However, I don¡¯t have a token to give you. How about I give you a wish?¡±


    ¡°Wish?¡± Shen Miao looked at him.


    ¡°If we meet again in triumph, I will do my best to fulfill one of your wishes.¡±


    Shen Miao said, ¡°It¡¯s a deal!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a deal.¡±


    With a bang, a corner of the sky was illuminated by the dazzling fireworks again. The two of them looked over at the same time. They seemed to have a tacit understanding and were abnormally compatible.


    Bai Lu was also stunned.


    The fireworks disappeared in an instant, but some things would not disappear, such as this night.


    When Shen Miao woke up again, she felt a splitting headache. As she rubbed her forehead, she stood up and walked to the table, saying, ¡°I didn¡¯t expect to sleep for so long.¡±


    Bai Lu brought her stomach-warming soup and said, ¡°Your Majesty, you drank too much yesterday. Sober up first.¡±


    ¡°Too much?¡± Shen Miao paused. ¡°I didn¡¯t drink much at the palace banquet.¡±


    Bai Lu felt a little guilty and said, ¡°It¡¯s probably because the wine at the palace banquet is too strong.¡±


    Shen Miao nodded and sighed. ¡°My habit of being unable to remember anything when I¡¯m drunk hasn¡¯t changed after so many years, but it is true that I haven¡¯t drunk wine for a long time.¡±


    Bai Lu nodded. Shen Miao looked at her empty wrist. ¡°Why is the red string gone?¡±


    Bai Lu said in a low voice, ¡°It¡¯s probably¡­ lost.¡±


    Shen Miao sighed. ¡°What a pity.¡±


    The sun was hanging high, and the troops were marching towards the city gate.


    The young man in the lead was high-spirited. He had a lazy smile on his face, but his eyes were so cold that people did not dare to look at him directly.


    ¡°Master, everything is ready,¡± Tie Yi said.


    Xie Jingxing looked behind him. After leaving this city gate, his future would be completely different from before. It also meant that he would have to cut ties with his past.


    However, he had to leave eventually.


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing left to miss here.¡± The white-robed man beside him waved his fan and said, ¡°It has nothing to do with you anymore.¡±


    ¡°Maybe the royal family of Ming Qi are all hoping that Third Brother won¡¯t be able to return alive.¡± The young man in the green robe smiled and looked ahead. ¡°No matter what, we¡¯re finally going home.¡±


    ¡°Not necessarily.¡±


    Hearing that, the two of them looked at the purple-clothed man.


    Xie Jingxing lowered his head. His gaze landed on his wrist. There was a red string tied there. The knot at the end of the red string was done neatly and carefully.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t this something women wear?¡± Ji Yushu asked, ¡°Why are you wearing this?¡±


    ¡°I owe someone a wish after drinking the farewell wine.¡± Xie Jingxing said, ¡°I¡¯ll return it when I come back.¡±


    He retracted his gaze and looked ahead. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±

 Chapter 993 - 993 Previous Life (7)

    Chapter 993 Previous Life (7)


    Time passed like an arrow. The sun rose and set as usual.


    The flowers would bloom and wither. Everything in this world would change, let alone humans.


    For example, the Shen family was declining, and the empress was getting neglected, like an old woman on her last breath.


    Princess Wanyu died of illness on the way to the Xiongnu. Empress Shen couldn¡¯t recover from this setback. Although she still assumed a dignified aura in front of others, one could feel that there was a death aura lingering around her. The death aura would only disappear when she saw the crown prince.


    !! S§×arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The beautiful woman looked at the green-robed man in front of her with a smile and said, ¡°State Preceptor, it¡¯s not difficult for you to take a drop of the Empress¡¯s blood, right?¡±


    Pei Lang looked at the woman in front of him. She was as enchanting as a wild cat in the night, smart and beautiful. Otherwise, the high and mighty emperor would not be infatuated with her.


    As a woman, she was charming and was able to win a man¡¯s heart. As a schemer, she also did a good job.


    She never took the initiative to ask for anything, but she could make people willingly give her what she wanted. Not only that, but she also snatched what others wanted. She instructed others to fight, relied on the support of the emperor, and relied on her brothers to slowly gain an upper hand.


    She looked like a charming flower, but she had a vicious heart.


    In comparison, the empress was not as vicious as Consort Mei. Perhaps because she came from a family of generals, no matter how her personality changed, she still had the tendency to be honest and kind.


    However, it was precisely because of this kindness that she was destined to always lose.


    Seeing that he was in a daze, Consort Mei called out, ¡°State Preceptor?¡±


    Pei Lang came back to his senses. He thought for a moment and asked, ¡°Why do you want the blood of the empress¡¯s fingertip?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to know why.¡± Consort Mei smiled like a flower.


    She said, ¡°State Preceptor, I think you know very well what kind of situation the empress is in.¡± She pointed at a vine that was sandwiched between two trees outside the window and smiled. ¡°When this vine just sprouted, it was sandwiched between two trees. It doesn¡¯t have to choose anything and can live very well. However, when it gradually grows up, it has to choose a tree to cling to.¡± She looked at Pei Lang. ¡°Whether it is the right one or the left one, the vine can only choose one.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s only so much land. Eventually, one tree will definitely be cut down.¡±


    ¡°The vine has to choose carefully. If it clings up the tree that¡¯s about to be cut down, it¡¯ll die together with the tree.¡± Consort Mei looked at Pei Lang with a smile. ¡°State Preceptor, if you were that vine, what would you choose?¡±


    Pei Lang looked at the two trees outside for a while before looking back and saying, ¡°I understand.¡±


    Consort Mei smiled in satisfaction.


    After Pei Lang left, a palace maid walked out from behind and poured tea for her. She said softly, ¡°Your Highness, will State Preceptor really go and get the blood from the empress¡¯s fingertip? He and the empress seem to be on good terms.¡±


    Pei Lang had known Shen Miao for much longer than he had known Consort Mei.

 Chapter 994 - 994 Previous Life (8)

    Chapter 994 Previous Life (8)


    ¡°State Preceptor is a smart person.¡± Consort Mei picked up the tea and took a sip. She smiled and said, ¡°Otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t have stood by and watched when the princess was sent to the Xiongnu. He¡¯s so rational that he won¡¯t allow himself to make a mistake. I¡¯m helping him. He can¡¯t wait to accept it.¡±


    The palace maid nodded as if she understood and said, ¡°However, is what the monk said about being able to borrow the empress¡¯s fate true?¡± S§×ar?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Whether it¡¯s true or not, I¡¯m definitely going to replace her.¡± A trace of ruthlessness flashed across Consort Mei¡¯s eyes. ¡°After borrowing her fate and making my son the crown prince, I¡¯ll be merciful and get some monks to chant scriptures for them.¡±


    Shen Miao fell seriously ill.


    !!


    Fu Ming had just come to see her and chatted with her for a while. Shen Miao wanted to find someone to ask about the recent situation in the Shen family. Just as she was about to leave the courtyard, she saw Pei Lang.


    Pei Lang bowed to her, but Shen Miao treated him with coldness.


    On the matter of Wanyu¡¯s marriage, Pei Lang chose to take a neutral stance, which disappointed Shen Miao. After all, they had been friends for so many years. Wanyu even used to regard him as her teacher. Her hatred for Fu Xiuyi was gradually redirected towards Pei Lang. She did not even want to look at Pei Lang.


    ¡°I heard that Your Majesty is sick.¡± Pei Lang handed her a box. ¡°This¡­ might help.¡±


    Shen Miao glanced at him and opened the box. It was a herb that looked inexplicably familiar. Shen Miao took it out to take a look and suddenly felt a pain on her fingertip. When she looked again, she realized that her fingertip was pierced by the thorn on the herb. Blood flowed down her fingertip.


    Bai Lu exclaimed and was about to bandage her wound when Pei Lang stared at her fingertip and said, ¡°This is the Red Sleeve Flower. It can help you recover.¡±


    Shen Miao smiled instead. She threw the herb into the box, closed it, and returned it to Pei Lang. She said coldly, ¡°There¡¯s no need. I once had one, but it withered in the end. Moreover, the one I had didn¡¯t have thorns on it.¡± There was a hidden meaning in her words. ¡°If you don¡¯t want to give me something, then don¡¯t. You don¡¯t have to intentionally make fun of me. Please take it back.¡± With that, she turned around and left without looking at Pei Lang.


    Pei Lang held the box tightly in his hand and stared at Shen Miao¡¯s back with a complicated gaze. Her health was getting worse and worse, and she had to stop and rest for a while every few steps.


    However¡­ Pei Lang looked at the box. The higher he climbed, the less choice he had. He was also helpless.


    It was obvious which of the two trees would be cut down.


    What did Consort Mei want this blood for? It could not possibly be something good. He was helping the evildoer.


    He turned around and walked in the other direction.


    That fire lasted for three days and three nights.

 Chapter 995 - 995: Previous Life (9)

    Chapter 995: Previous Life (9)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    The Cold Palace was burned to ashes. The sorrowful mood, the crying accusation, the curse before death, and the deep despair all dissipated with the fire, leaving only shocking ruins and the rumors passed from people to people.


    After the Shen family was executed for treason, after the crown prince was deposed and committed suicide, after Consort Mei was made the empress, after Fu Sheng became the new crown prince, the desolate Cold Palace suddenly caught fire at night and burned the deposed Empress Shen to ashes. People sighed at the mention of this incident. The emperor of Ming Qi was benevolent. On account of the fact that she was the empress, he did not execute her along with the Shen family for treason. He spared her life and sent her to the cold palace. However, she still died in the fire.


    History was written by the victors.


    !!


    After the fire, all traces of Empress Shen¡¯s life were destroyed. She did not have anything left, and there was no one in the first branch of the Shen family anymore.


    The new crown prince¡¯s mother, Empress Li, had abandoned her gentle self and adopted a ruthless way of doing things. She supported her brother wholeheartedly and coaxed Fu Xiuyi into submission, looking like the de facto ruler in the imperial court.


    Some court officials vaguely sensed that something was wrong and wanted to


    secretly remind the emperor. Unfortunately, before they could do anything, they were either demoted or exiled for some strange reason.


    Pei Lang looked at everything coldly, feeling a little tired.


    In less than half a year after Shen Miao died, the situation in Ming Qi almost changed completely. He was right. Consort Mei and her brother were extremely capable. It was hard to say if Ming Qi would fall into Consort Mei¡¯s hands in the future. He was loyal to Fu Xiuyi and should have reminded him, but after a few failed attempts, he stopped trying.


    People were changeable. A wise emperor could become a stupid emperor, and loyal officials would also betray.


    Every night, when Pei Lang slept, he would always be woken up by a pair of eyes in his dream. That pair of eyes were black and white, and there were no tears in it, but it terrified him.


    It was Shen Miao¡¯s eyes.


    Pei Lang used to think that what he did was right. He just followed the trend and sought advantages and avoided disadvantages. This was his instinct and the best choice. However, the longer time passed, the more he couldn¡¯t lie to himself.


    Shen Miao¡¯s death was not the trend. He didn¡¯t want Shen Miao to die just like that. sea??h th§× Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    When did he start to have other feelings for Shen Miao? Pei Lang did not know either. He was her teacher in Guangwen Hall. He watched as Shen Miao went from an arrogant and ignorant girl to marrying Fu Xiuyi. He watched as she became the princess consort, the empress, and the deposed empress.


    She was not very smart. She was slow at learning things, but she was terrifyingly stubborn. In the harem, she was benevolent to others. Sometimes, Pei Lang felt that Shen Miao was ridiculous, but sometimes, he felt very envious of Fu Xiuyi.


    Later on, he would subconsciously pay more attention to her. Even he didn¡¯t realize that when Shen Miao asked him questions, he would answer her especially patiently.


    However, Pei Lang was a smart person, and a smart person would not allow himself to make a mistake.


    Therefore, when he realized that he was having thoughts that he shouldn¡¯t have, he was determined to stop this mistake. Therefore, he was the one who suggested sending Shen Miao to the State of Qin as a hostage. However, five years later, when Shen Miao returned, his feelings towards her remained unchanged..

 Chapter 996 - 996: Previous Life (10)

    Chapter 996: Previous Life (10)


    He looked coldly at Shen Miao fighting with Consort Mei in the harem. He looked at her listless eyes and haggard face helplessly.


    In the end, when Fu Xiuyi asked him how to deal with the descendants of the Shen family, he said the word ¡®elimination¡¯ without hesitation.


    What he wanted to eliminate was the feeling that was growing wildly.


    However, he did not expect Fu Xiuyi to kill Fu Ming too. Even a tiger would not eat its cubs, but Fu Xiuyi was so cold-blooded that he laid a hand on his children.


    !!


    Pei Lang remembered Shen Miao¡¯s eyes when she found out about Fu Ming¡¯s death. Her clear eyes were wide open. There were no tears, but she was so miserable that Pei Lang could not bear to look at her.


    That fire burned for three days and three nights, and it also aroused the deep regret in Pei Lang¡¯s heart. Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He went to look for the abbot of the Putuo Temple and asked him how to make peace with himself.


    The abbot was an old monk. He looked at him and shook his head. ¡°You need to untie the knot in your heart yourself.¡±


    Pei Lang asked the eminent monk for guidance. The monk said, ¡°Benefactor, the reason why you often dream of your old friend is because you owe her someone. She haunts you in your dream because she has resentment. She is unwilling to die, so her soul is trapped.¡±


    Pei Lang was terrified and asked if there was a solution.


    The monk asked, ¡°Yes, and that is go back to the past and undo the wrong. If what it takes is your life, are you still willing to do it?¡±


    Pei Lang said, ¡°Yes.¡±


    The monk said, ¡°Benefactor, go back.¡±


    ¡°Why do you want me to go back?¡± Pei Lang was puzzled.


    ¡°Benefactor, even if you are willing to sacrifice your life, you still have to wait for that opportunity.¡±


    ¡°That opportunity¡­ What opportunity do you mean?¡± Pei Lang asked.


    ¡°Benefactor, the person you owe has an unfulfilled wish. When her wish is fulfilled, you might be able to sacrifice your life and give her a new chance.¡± The monk said, ¡°That¡¯s all I can say.¡±


    Pei Lang thanked the monk and returned to the palace.


    What was Shen Miao¡¯s unfulfilled wish?


    Shen Miao¡¯s life was miserable. Her children were dead, and her family was gone. What she wanted to see was probably her enemy going to hell and justice for the Shen family.


    There was a chance to do it all over again, but you had to wait. Would you wait for it?


    Pei Lang made a decision to wait.


    ¡°Tilling tm hie lifp 1 In fnr tho miQtnlcp ho


    Winter passed and spring came.


    When a dynasty was about to fall, the aura of decline would shroud it.


    Ming Qi was no longer the same as before. There was harsh taxation and conscription, and the people were struggling to make a living. The imperial court was in chaos, and the emperor was muddle-headed.


    The crown prince, on the other hand, was busy forming alliances all day long, wishing he could ascend the throne as soon as possible.


    Ming Qi was a piece of fat meat that everyone wanted to take a bite of.


    The Daliang Dynasty attacked and annexed the State of Qin and finally launched an attack on Ming Qi. The victory was easily won and they marched smoothly all the way to the capital of Ming Qi.


    After the Daliang Dynasty set up tents outside the capital, the people were scared out of their wits. The doors of the houses were tightly shut, and the atmosphere was filled with the aura of a country being destroyed.


    In the big tent, someone sat there, wiping his sword.


    ¡°Ming Qi is coming to an end.¡± The white-robed Young Master walked in with a folding fan, his voice emotionless. ¡°I heard that the palace is cleaning up tonight.¡¯


    The women, consorts, palace maids, and even the princesses of the royal family had to be cleaned up. Instead of being humiliated by the enemy, it was better to kill them all first..

 Chapter 997 - 997: Previous Life (11)

    Chapter 997: Previous Life (11)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    How many of those people actually did not want to die?


    The man looked up, revealing a beautiful face. He said, ¡°Oh, have you found


    Empress Shen¡¯s corpse?¡±


    !!


    Ji Yushu opened the door of the tent and walked in. When he heard this, he said, ¡°I¡¯ve asked around, but there¡¯s nothing. A fire in the Cold Palace burned everything down, leaving not even a piece of clothes.¡±


    Gao Yang mocked, ¡°Fu Xiuyi made sure no one could find anything because he is guilty of doing it.¡±


    Ji Yushu sighed and said, ¡°If the Shen family was still around, she wouldn¡¯t end up like this.¡±


    Xie Jingxing glanced at the red string on his wrist.


    The color of the string had already faded a little, but it was still firmly tied to his wrist. Later, he had been to the battlefield many times, but this red string sea??h th§× novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    had never fallen off.


    Thinking of the woman¡¯s words that night, Xie Jingxing shook his head. That promise would eventually be broken. Who knew that in just a few years, Ming Qi would fall so quickly? Even without the Daliang Dynasty launching an attack, it would fall apart on its own.


    He had indeed returned triumphantly, and he planned to watch the fireworks with her. However, she was already gone and there was no chance that he could fulfill his promise in this life.


    He said, ¡°Tomorrow morning, we¡¯ll attack the city.¡±


    The flag of the Daliang Dynasty fluttered. The weather in June was ever-changing. Black clouds pressed down on the capital of Ming Qi, and a strong wind blew, as if it was going to rain in the next moment.


    There was no one in the palace anymore. There were corpses everywhere. There were women who had ¡°hanged¡± themselves, and there were also servants who had been beheaded by the Daliang Dynasty¡¯s soldiers.


    Blood flowed everywhere, and there were millions of corpses.


    Pei Lang sat in the hall and poured himself tea. He poured slowly, and the green smoke rose from the incense burner, emitting a fragrance that was as intoxicating as the whisper of a beauty.


    He glanced out of the window.


    The day Shen Miao died, the weather was also like this. The sky was dark, and suddenly, it rained heavily.


    He had waited for a long time for this day.


    The Daliang Dynasty¡¯s army had arrived, and Ming Qi was about to fall. Fu Xiuyi and Consort Mei were about to die, and Shen Miao¡¯s wish would soon be fulfilled.


    There was finally a chance to undo the mistake he had made.


    He poured the thing in the small bottle into the wine pot on the other side and filled his cup.


    ¡°Your wish is about to come true. Unfortunately¡­ I¡¯m not the one who helped you fulfill your wish,¡± He muttered to himself.


    On the city tower, the emperor and the empress were tied to the flagpole with their hands behind their back.


    For the sake of their own survival, they would sacrifice the lives of others. This was something Consort Mei and Fu Xiuyi often did. Now, it was their turn to have a taste of it.


    The officials kidnapped the emperor and the empress to express their willingness to surrender to the Daliang Dynasty, hoping that their lives could be spared.


    At this moment, no matter how favored Consort Mei was, it was useless.


    Oh, there was also the new crown prince, Fu Sheng. He had long been beheaded by Xie Changwu and Xie Changchao, who loved to suck up to him.


    Below the city tower, the man sitting on the tall horse narrowed his eyes lazily. The black clouds had dissipated at some point, and gradually, golden light shone across the entire city.


    His clothes were gorgeous, stained with blood, but he still looked noble and untainted, exuding a natural pressure. He formed a sharp contrast with the emperor who was tied up on the platform..

 Chapter 998 - 998: Previous Life (12)

    Chapter 998: Previous Life (12)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    ¡°Xie Jingxing!¡± Fu Xiuyi gritted his teeth.


    The heir of the Marquis of Lin¡¯an, the son of Xie Ding, the brother of Xie Changwu and Xie Changchao. No one expected that the young man who had long died on the battlefield would appear in front of the world like this many years later.


    He was the younger brother of Emperor Yong Le of the Daliang Dynasty, Prince Rui, and the young general of the terrifying army called the Black Feather.


    !!


    ¡°Long time no see,¡± Xie Jingxing greeted him.


    Everyone knew that the younger brother of Emperor Yong Le of the Daliang Dynasty was the most gallant. He helped his brother conquer the world and was heroic. Such a hero was actually the heir of the Marquis of Lin¡¯an.


    Consort Mei stared at the man.


    She was extremely afraid. She had always relied on men to get what she wanted step by step. At this juncture, all her tricks were useless. She blamed Fu Xiuyi for being useless. In contrast, the man below the city tower was handsome and noble. She couldn¡¯t help but stare at him with admiration in her eyes.


    Xie Jingxing frowned and asked Ji Yushu, ¡°Shen Miao lost to this woman?¡±


    Ji Yushu said, ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± He added, ¡°She looks ordinary. I wonder if Fu Xiuyi is blind to be infatuated with her.¡¯


    When the soldiers heard them talking, they burst into laughter. Consort Mei¡¯s face was red with anger. Fu Xiuyi was also angry. He looked at Xie Jingxing and said in a low voice, ¡°If you want to kill me, kill me. There¡¯s no need to waste your breath!¡±


    ¡°Why are you still pretending to be tough at this moment?¡± Ji Yushu said disdainfully, ¡°Third Brother, the emperor of Ming Qi seems to be in a hurry to die. ¡±


    Xie Jingxing smiled lazily and said, ¡°I originally didn¡¯t want to kill you myself because I couldn¡¯t be bothered to do it. However, I owe your wife a wish. Coincidentally, this ending is also something you prepared for me many years ago, so I have to return it to you.¡±


    He reached out his hand. Gao Yang handed him the longbow and the silver arrow. Xie Jingxing put his hand on the bow and arrow and then there was a whoosh!


    Consort Mei, who was on the city tower, was shot!


    At the sight of blood gushing out of Consort Mei, Fu Xiuyi panicked.


    The most terrifying thing in the world was not death, but waiting for it.


    Xie Jingxing smiled and reached out his hand. Gao Yang handed him two more silver arrows.


    He nocked the two arrows on the longbow and whistled.


    Then, the tens of thousands of soldiers of the Daliang Dynasty drew their bows and aimed at the two of them on the city tower!


    The wind made the flags on the city tower flutter, like the cry of a ghost. When the last black clouds dissipated, it was the golden sun that scorched the land.


    The man¡¯s purple clothes fluttered in the wind. His smile was cold, but his eyes were as mischievous as a young man¡¯s. He stood under the city tower and looked at the two of them with panic in their eyes, laughing loudly.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m entrusted by a girl to take your life!¡±


    ¡°Release!¡±


    Tens of thousands of arrows shot out like ferocious beasts, covering the sun and devouring the two of them instantly.


    In the palace, the man in green had already fallen asleep on the table. S§×ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    At his feet, a lantern was tilted, and the candles inside fell down. In less than half an hour, the flame had already spread out, burning past the throne room.


    ¡°Eh, Third Brother, the palace is on fire.¡± Ji Yushu looked into the distance and said in surprise, ¡°Shall we send people to put out the fire?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no need.¡± Xie Jingxing stopped him.


    ¡°Ming Qi¡¯s palace is not clean. It¡¯s good to burn it down.¡± He raised his eyebrows. ¡°Are you around? Take this as the fireworks I promised to watch with you.¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Ji Yushu did not understand.


    Xie Jingxing looked at the corner of the sky that was dyed red by the fire, and the figure drinking alone under the clear moonlight appeared in his mind.


    ¡°If this dynasty lets you down, I¡¯ll wipe out this dynasty for you.¡± He said in a low voice, ¡°This is probably your wish, right?¡±


    However, he did not notice that the red string that had been tied to his wrist for a few years suddenly broke off and floated to the ground, turning into ashes.


    ¡°It¡¯s raining.¡± Gao Yang put away his fan. ¡°The summer days are really strange.¡±


    Xie Jingxing smiled. ¡°Let¡¯s enter the city.¡±


    ¡°What for?¡±


    ¡°Overthrow Ming Qi..¡±

 Chapter 999 - 999: Waking Up (1)

    Chapter 999: Waking Up (1)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    Shen Miao had a long dream.


    That dream seemed to be very, very long. She watched as a bystander as she went from a baby to a naughty little girl, from a naughty little girl to a graceful girl, to a young woman, to the unattainable empress, and finally to the deposed empress in the cold palace, turning into ashes in the raging fire.


    She watched as she fell in love with Fu Xiuyi and begged Shen Xin to allow her to marry Fu Xiuyi. She shouted at her younger self that this path was going to lead her to hell, but to no avail. No one could hear her, so she could only watch helplessly as it happened again.


    !!


    From the perspective of a bystander, Shen Miao finally understood how stupid she was. The most terrifying thing was to experience the heart-wrenching pain again. Her girlhood ended after she married Fu Xiuyi. Those carefree days, even if she was treated as a fool, were free and happy. When she was called Princess Consort Ding, her carefree days were gone and she was forced to be involved in the power game.


    The people around her left one by one, and the first branch of the Shen family was gradually declining. The former prosperity was like flowers that bloomed in the spring, but as soon as the autumn wind blew, they withered, looking even more desolate.


    In that dark life, she saw Xie Jingxing.


    He was not that mischievous young man, nor was he that hero who died on the battlefield. He was as arrogant as he was in the next life. He rode a tall horse and carried a longbow. With a smile, he overthrew an empire. Under the bright moonlight, he drank the farewell wine she gave him. On the day of the invasion, he returned her the wish that she had made.


    They had only met once and were clearly strangers, but through some freak of fate, they established a bond that was harder to break than anything.


    Her wish was fulfilled because of him, and she was reborn because of him.


    However, the fate of that life was really too short. Such a beautiful fate that made people look forward to ended tragically. It was a pity, which was why there was another life to continue the fate.


    Shen Miao slowly opened her eyes.


    As far as the eye could see, there was a tent. An exquisite sachet hung in one corner of the tent, probably to reduce the bitter medicinal smell.


    Shen Miao looked up at her side.


    The young man lay on the head of the bed, one hand still holding her hand tightly. His eyes were closed, and there was stubble on his chin. It was not obvious, but it was different from his usual neat appearance. S§×ar?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    His hand was well-defined, slender, and warm, completely covering her hand. snen Ivnao only movea sngnt1Y, ana Nie Jingxmg woke up.


    Seeing that her eyes were open, Xie Jingxing was stunned for a moment, as if he had yet to react.. After a pause, he suddenly said, ¡°You¡¯re awake!¡±

 Chapter 1000 - 1000: Waking Up (2)

    Chapter 1000: Waking Up (2)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    Shen Miao nodded.


    ¡°Do you feel any pain?¡± Xie Jingxing asked, ¡°Should I get Gao Yang to take a look at you?¡±


    He usually looked lazy and indifferent to everything, but now, he looked anxious. Shen Miao said, ¡°No need. I¡¯m fine.¡± Then, she asked, ¡°How is Mr. Pei?¡± Xie Jingxing¡¯s face immediately darkened.


    !!


    When Shen Miao saw his expression change, she was stunned for a moment before coming to a realization. She did not know how to explain. Was Pei Lang hateful? Of course he was. In her previous life, he took the blood from her fingertip and gave it to Consort Mei. Although she did not know if Consort Mei¡¯s ¡°borrowing her fate¡± was true, he helped the evil doer nonetheless.


    Shen Miao¡¯s feelings for Pei Lang were very complicated. She could forgive Pei Lang for what he did to her, but not what he did to Fu Ming. However, in the end, Pei Lang used his life to give her a chance to start over.


    Shen Miao couldn¡¯t quite describe her feelings. She didn¡¯t want to own Pei Lang anything, nor did she want Pei Lang to owe her anything. It was time to let go of what happened in her previous life. She remembered very clearly that when the child-like assassin pounced on her, it was Pei Lang who took the blow for her. If Pei Lang died because of her, she would never be able to say goodbye to her previous life.


    However, looking at Xie Jingxing¡¯s expression, Shen Miao knew that he had misunderstood.


    She quickly stroked his face and explained, ¡°He saved my life. He¡¯s my savior after all. If he¡¯s dead because of me, I¡¯ll be tormented by guilt.¡±


    Only then did Xie Jingxing¡¯s expression soften. He said, ¡°Gao Yang has checked him. He woke up once last night. He¡¯s lucky that he¡¯s fine.¡± He glanced at Shen Miao. ¡°On the other hand, you¡¯ve been unconscious for a long time. If you still won¡¯t wake up, I think I¡¯ll go and cut off that Daoist priest¡¯s head.¡± S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Daoist priest?¡± Shen Miao was stunned. ¡°Are you talking about Daoist Priest


    Chi Yan?¡±


    Xie Jingxing said disdainfully, ¡°He¡¯s just a charlatan.¡± The so-called ¡°Daoist priest¡± left Prince Rui¡¯s mansion early this morning. Before he left, he even took the top-grade antique vase in the hall as a reward.


    After hearing from Xie Jingxing that the Daoist priest had taken a vase away,


    Shen Miao was a little puzzled. That long dream solved many of her questions. As a matter of fact, the dream might not necessarily be true, but for some reason, Shen Miao felt that everything that happened in the dream was the complete story of her previous life.


    She had indeed met that Daoist priest on the way back to Ming Qi from the


    State of Qin. She thought that he was a refugee who had disguised himself as a Daoist priest to beg for a living. She was kind and gave him water and food, but she did not expect him to be involved in so many things.


    If she had really listened to that Daoist priest in her previous life and did not set foot on the road back to the capital, she probably would not have had to go through all that pain. However, if she had to do it all over again, even if she knew that it was a path to hell, she would still do the same, because her children were both in the palace..

 Chapter 1001 - 1001: Waking Up (3)

    Chapter 1001: Waking Up (3) S§×ar?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    Shen Miao remembered it very clearly.


    In her dream, her corpse was burned to ashes by the fire Fu Xiuyi ordered someone to set up. However, the resentment was extremely strong and refused to dissipate. Her soul was imprisoned in the cold palace and she was floating around aimlessly.


    All the things she left behind had been burned. If not for the red string in Xie Jingxing¡¯s hand, she would probably have long dissipated from the world.


    !!


    Until the day the city was under siege.


    She saw Fu Sheng die at the hands of his own people. She saw Consort Mei and Fu Xiuyi tied up to the city gate tower. She saw the two of them die with their hearts pierced by ten thousand arrows. She saw the palace that she had hated for her entire life be razed to the ground and burnt to ashes. At that moment, her restless soul was finally at peace.


    With the red string broken, she let go of the hatred. Therefore, time suddenly reversed. Pei Lang sacrificed his life to give her a new life.


    Seeing that Shen Miao was silent, Xie Jingxing frowned and asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    Shen Miao came back to her senses and looked at him without saying anything.


    She was a little excited. In her previous life, she had nothing to do with Xie Jingxing. Why was it that in this life, they were tied together by a strange combination of circumstances and could not be separated? It turned out that they were actually related in her previous life. Back then, Xie Jingxing owed her a wish. He kept his promise and personally killed Fu Xiuyi to avenge her.


    She asked softly, ¡°Xie Jingxing, do you have any wishes?¡±


    Xie Jingxing glanced at her. ¡°Why? Do you want to fulfill my wishes for me?¡±


    ¡°Tell me one of your wishes.¡± She said seriously, ¡°As long as I can fulfill it, I will do my best.¡±


    Her expression was so serious that Xie Jingxing was in a daze for a moment. A moment later, he said with a faint smile, ¡°Sure.¡± He leaned closer to Shen Miao¡¯s ear and whispered, ¡°My wish¡­ you can definitely fulfill it.¡±


    Shen Miao asked, ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°Give me a child,¡± he said casually.


    Shen Miao looked at him steadily for a while. Xie Jingxing rubbed his nose and was about to speak when he heard Shen Miao answer, ¡°Sure.¡±


    Xie Jingxing was stunned.


    Shen Miao stared at him. There was a smile on her lips. It was different from before. It was not a reserved smile, but a sincere smile that came from the bottom of her heart, as if she was really happy.


    Xie Jingxing subconsciously reached out to touch her forehead and said, ¡°I think you are still sick.¡±


    Shen Miao pushed his hand away and said, ¡°Xie Jingxing, on the day of your birthday, you were frightened, right?¡±


    Xie Jingxing let go. Seeing that her expression was calm and there was nothing wrong, he was a little relieved and asked, ¡°I thought¡­¡± He did not continue.


    Even now, when he recalled that scene, Xie Jingxing could not help but feel a lingering fear. Shen Miao was lying in a pool of blood, as if she was dead. His heart suddenly stopped beating. It was the kind of fright that he had never experienced even after going through so many wars.


    He also had things he was afraid of, people he was afraid of losing, and weaknesses.


    Shen Miao said, ¡°Sorry for ruining your birthday.. How about I make it up to you today?¡±

 Chapter 1002 - 1002: Waking Up (4)

    Chapter 1002: Waking Up (4)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    Xie Jingxing looked at her in confusion and said, ¡°You¡¯re not fully recovered yet. Rest well.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just a flesh wound.¡± Shen Miao took the initiative to say, ¡°Let¡¯s go out.¡±


    When she woke up today, she was really a little abnormal. Firstly, Shen Miao was not a person who liked to play, and secondly, she was much friendlier than before. sea??h th§× N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    !!


    He narrowed his eyes and asked, ¡°Did you do something to let me down behind my back?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Shen Miao nodded seriously.


    ¡°Is it related to Pei Lang?¡± Xie Jingxing¡¯s expression turned cold. Shen Miao took a deep breath. She felt that Xie Jingxing really had wild imaginations. She asked with a long face. ¡°Are vou going or not?¡±


    Before Xie Jingxing could speak, he heard a voice behind him. ¡°He¡¯s going.¡±


    Gao Yang walked in and looked at Shen Miao. ¡°I heard that you¡¯re awake, so I came over to take a look. It¡¯s just a flesh wound. It¡¯s nothing serious.¡± He said to Xie Jingxing, ¡°Go out and exercise. You¡¯ve been staying in the house these days and haven¡¯t been out to bask in the sun. The weather is good today.¡±


    Then he picked up the medical box in the room and left.


    Xie Jingxing and Shen Miao looked at each other in silence. After a while, Xie


    Jingxing smiled. ¡°Where do you want to go?¡±


    Shen Miao said, ¡°I¡¯m not very familiar with Long Ye. Let¡¯s take a walk around and tell me about the city.¡± Shen Miao suddenly thought of something and said, ¡°By the way, that day, I asked Ba Jiao to buy some fireworks. They¡¯re probably still there. Take that with you.¡±


    ¡°Why do you want to watch fireworks in broad daylight?¡± Xie Jingxing stared at her. ¡°Is your brain injured too?¡± Shen Miao asked, ¡°Have you seen fireworks during the day?¡±


    Xie Jingxing said, ¡°Only the fool have.¡± ¡°I have,¡± Shen Miao replied.


    Xie Jingxing stared at her in confusion.


    ¡°The fireworks at night are beautiful, but the ones in the day are not inferior. If you haven¡¯t seen it, I¡¯ll show you.¡± Shen Miao smiled and was about to get off the bed. However, she had been lying on the bed for the past few days, and her legs were very sore. As soon as she got off the bed, she gasped in pain.


    Seeing this, Xie Jingxing stood up with a smile and crossed his arms, looking at her as if he was watching a show. ¡°Do you want me to help you?¡±


    ¡°Will you?¡± Shen Miao knew from his expression that he was up to no good.


    Xie Jingxing said, ¡°If you beg me, I¡¯ll help you.¡± He leaned over, as if he wanted to hear Shen Miao speak softly to him.


    Shen Miao felt that Xie Jingxing¡¯s personality was really unpredictable. When he was young, he had the maturity of a grown man. However, at this moment, he was like a young man who liked to play pranks and teased others.


    She stared at Xie Jingxing¡¯s handsome and beautiful side profile and suddenly had a thought. She kissed Xie Jingxing¡¯s cheek.


    Xie Jingxing was stunned. Shen Miao looked away at the sachet hanging at the head of the bed.


    ¡°Shen Miao.¡± Xie Jingxing frowned at her. ¡°You¡¯re not right. I have to get Gao Yang to take a look at you again.¡± Just as he was about to leave, Shen Miao shouted anxiously, ¡°Xie Jingxing!¡±


    He stopped in his tracks and turned around with a mischievous expression. Shen Miao knew that she had been tricked and regretted it. She saw Xie Jingxing suddenly walk forward and pick her up. Shen Miao subconsciously hooked her arms around his neck..

 Chapter 1003 - 1003: Waking up (5)

    Chapter 1003: Waking up (5)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    Just like that, Xie Jingxing carried her out, attracting the servants to look at the two of them. In her previous life and this life, Shen Miao had never been so close to a man. She always had to put on the airs of an empress.


    Shen Miao glanced at the servants who were covering their mouths and giggling. She was angry. She pinched Xie Jingxing and said, ¡°What are you doing? Put me down!¡±


    ¡°Tsk, are you being shy now?¡± Xie Jingxing raised an eyebrow, his tone so bad that it made people want to beat him up. He said, ¡°I wonder who took advantage of me in broad daylight just now¡­¡±


    !!


    Shen Miao tried her best to calm down and not hit him.


    Luo Tan walked in from outside. Growing up, she had never seen a man and a woman interacting so intimately. For a moment, she felt quite ill at ease, not knowing if she should look away or continue to look at the two of them. Shen Miao asked Xie Jingxing to put her down. She asked Luo Tan, ¡°It¡¯s been hard on you these days.¡±


    ¡°Not at all, not at all.¡± Luo Tan waved her hand repeatedly. Looking at Xie


    Jingxing, she was a little afraid. A few days ago, she wanted to stand up for Shen Miao and flared up at Xie Jingxing. Later, she regretted it. Xie Jingxing had a high status and was Prince Rui of the Daliang Dynasty. If she angered Xie Jingxing, she would be in trouble. However, looking at Shen Miao and Xie Jingxing being so close, it seemed that they did not quarrel. Luo Tan could not help but feel relieved.


    ¡°Oh, right.¡± Luo Tan suddenly thought of something and took out something from her sleeve. She placed it in Shen Miao¡¯s hand and said, ¡°Daoist Priest Chi Yan handed this to me before he left and asked me to pass it to you. He said that it¡¯s for you.¡±


    Luo Tan said, ¡°I wonder why he carved a chicken and a snake on it.¡± Shen Miao was speechless. She said, ¡°It¡¯s a dragon and a phoenix.¡±


    Shen Miao opened the wooden box and took out two red strings.


    Luo Tan said, ¡°These are just two red strings. What¡¯s so special about them? I thought it was something precious. He might as well give you a herb. This Daoist priest is really stingy. He has a mountain of herbs, but he only gives you this..


    Shen Miao stared at the red strings, her eyes flickering.


    In her previous life, she had obtained a red string from a Daoist priest. That red string had accompanied her for several years. Later, it went to Xie Jingxing. Her soul had once lived in the red string, and it was also a medium that connected her to Xie Jingxing¡¯s fate in her previous life.


    She suddenly felt like she had found a long-lost item. S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    She reached out and tied the red string to her hand. Luo Tan looked at her and said in surprise, ¡°You¡­ little cousin, are you going to wear this?¡±


    Shen Miao looked at the red string in her hand in satisfaction and picked up another one. She said to Xie Jingxing, ¡°Give me your hand.¡±


    Xie Jingxing said, ¡°I¡¯m not wearing it.¡±


    ¡°Give me your hand!¡± Shen Miao repeated.


    Xie Jingxing looked at her in disbelief. ¡°I¡¯m a man.¡±


    ¡°This can keep you safe.¡± Shen Miao said, ¡®We¡¯re both wearing this. If you¡¯re in danger, I¡¯ll know. If I¡¯m in danger, you can feel it too..¡±

 Chapter 1004 - 1004: Waking Up (6)

    Chapter 1004: Waking Up (6)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    Luo Tan stood at the side and asked weakly, ¡°Is it really¡­ that magical?¡±


    Shen Miao did not care if it was magical or not. She felt that Daoist Priest Chi Yan was very capable, and the things he gave her should be very precious. Just as Luo Tan said, these were just two ordinary strings, but they meant something profound to her. They were more memorable than gold and silver.


    When Xie Jingxing heard this, he did not reject her anymore. Although his eyes were still filled with disdain, he still let Shen Miao put the red string on his wrist.


    !!


    Xie Jingxing was the elegant and noble Prince Rui, but he was wearing such a girlish thing. Most importantly, this red string did not look expensive. It was really incompatible with the luxurious clothes the two of them were wearing.


    Shen Miao said, ¡°Done.¡±


    Xie Jingxing quickly retracted his hand into his sleeve, trying to block the red string.


    Luo Tan said, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ve done my job. You seem to have something to do. I won¡¯t disturb you anymore. I¡¯ll take my leave first.¡± She winked at Shen Miao and scurried away.


    Shen Miao was speechless. Xie Jingxing said, ¡°Let¡¯s go and watch the fireworks!¡±


    The servants looked puzzled.


    Cong Yang asked Tie Yi in a low voice, ¡°Is Master infected with the illness too? Why is he going to watch fireworks in broad daylight?¡±


    Tie Yi handed the broom to him expressionlessly. ¡°Shut up and sweep!¡±


    In Weiyang Palace, Empress Xiande was leaning against the couch and reading. She was reading leisurely as she listened to the palace maid. After listening, she put down the book in her hand and said with a relieved expression, ¡°It¡¯s good that she¡¯s fine. There¡¯s always something going on these days. I plan to go to the temple and pray.¡±


    The assassination attempt on Shen Miao was kept a secret from outsiders, but not from Emperor Yong Le and Empress Xiande. Even Gao Yang was helpless, let alone the imperial physicians in the palace. Speaking of which, it was really strange these days. Things happened one after another in Prince Rui¡¯s mansion. First, it was Xie Jingxing. Xie Jingxing had just escaped a calamity when it happened to Shen Miao. Fortunately, Shen Miao was fine.


    Empress Xiande put down her book and was no longer in the mood to read. She stood up and walked to the window. Last night, it rained, and today, the weather cleared up.


    She muttered to herself, ¡°Long Ye is not as peaceful as it seems.¡±


    A storm was coming. Ever since Xie Jingxing returned to the Daliang Dynasty,


    two accidents had happened. This was a signal. Perhaps it was a warning, or perhaps it was a counterattack because Emperor Yong Le had already started to make a move on the Lu family.


    Nanny Tao was Empress Xiande¡¯s old maid. Ever since Empress Xiande was appointed as the empress, she had been by her side. For so many years, she was Empress Xiande¡¯s most loyal aide. S§×arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Nanny Tao said, ¡°Today, Consort Jing went to the imperial study to look for His Majesty. When she went, her eyes were filled with tears, and when she came out, she seemed to be in a very bad mood. The palace maids said that after she returned, Consort Jing punished a few servants and smashed many things. She seemed to be in an extremely bad mood.¡±


    Empress Xiande smiled. ¡°The Lu family has suffered a loss and wants to test His Majesty¡¯s attitude, so they will naturally get Consort Jing to do the job.


    Didn¡¯t Madam Lu enter the palace to see Consort Jing a few days ago?¡±


    ¡°His Majesty doesn¡¯t seem to have any patience with Consort Jing anymore.¡±


    Nanny Tao said, ¡°Consort Jing has been restraining herself a lot these days. If His Majesty really wants to deal with the Lu family, how should we deal with Consort Jing..


    ¡°Let His Majesty decide for himself.¡± Empress Xiande said indifferently, ¡°Whether he has feelings for Consort Jing or not, I can¡¯t tell.¡± She looked at the worried Nanny Tao and smiled. ¡°Do you think I still care about who His Majesty is favoring?¡±


    Nanny Tao stopped talking.


    Empress Xiande looked out again and said, ¡°Ever since I became the empress, I¡¯ve stopped treating myself as a woman. The wife of an emperor is not a wife. She¡¯s someone who has to bear the burden of the world with him. Fortune or misfortune, I need to go through it with him, and we¡¯ll live and die together. I¡¯ve never been afraid. I just feel sorry¡­¡± She looked at her stomach. ¡°That I¡­


    can¡¯t give birth to a child for him. ¡®


    ¡°If not for Consort Jing back then¡­¡± Nanny Tao gritted her teeth, her tone filled with hatred and resentment.


    ¡°Forget it.¡± Empress Xiande waved her hand tiredly. She smiled, but that smile was forced. ¡°With or without Consort Jing back then, it was the same. I would not be able to give birth to that child.¡± She said softly, ¡°Look at the harem. Who succeeded in giving birth to a child?¡±


    ¡°No, no one can. At least, I still have this position that no one can challenge,¡± she said..

 Chapter 1005 - 1005: Confession (1)

    Chapter 1005: Confession (1)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    The sun was heading west. Shen Miao and Xie Jing were walking back to the mansion.


    Because Xie Jingxing was too famous, almost everyone in the Daliang Dynasty knew him. Wherever he went, he would be surrounded by surprised gazes. A few days ago, it was rumored that Prince Rui and Princess Consort Rui were having a quarrel. Now that the two of them went out together, this rumor was proven false. If it was really as the rumor said, why would the two of them be so close?


    This was the first time Shen Miao had come out to walk around like this since she came to Long Ye. Xie Jingxing was very familiar with this place. She was not a person who liked to shop, but today, she seemed to have been influenced by Luo Tan. She bought a carriage of things. Xie Jingxing still felt that Shen Miao was a little strange. Along the way, he looked at her suspiciously from time to time.


    !!


    Shen Miao felt more relaxed than ever.


    It was as if after that dream, all the indignation, resentment, anger, and hatred of her previous life were gone. She naturally had to take revenge, but this new life was not just about revenge.


    The current her was braver, more determined, and more straightforward than before. She could face her feelings head-on and embrace a new life passionately. After all, this her was completely different from that her.


    She was in a relaxed mood, and there was a smile on her face from the beginning to the end. She looked around like a child. She even said to Xie Jingxing, ¡°Long Ye is really different from the capital of Ming Qi. I think the places in the Daliang Dynasty are all different. If one day, I can travel around the Daliang Dynasty, that will be great.¡±


    Xie Jingxing smiled. ¡°Why is that difficult?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s easier said than done.¡± Shen Miao said, ¡°Sometimes, I¡¯m envious of those hermits who are carefree and have nothing to do.¡± Xie Jingxing stared at her thoughtfully.


    Shen Miao asked, ¡°Why are you looking at me?¡±


    He smiled and held Shen Miao¡¯s hand. ¡°After the Daliang Dynasty unified Ming


    Qi, I¡¯ll bring you wherever you want to go.¡±


    Shen Miao turned around and left. ¡°Who said I want to travel with you?¡±


    Cong Yang and Tie Yi followed behind. Cong Yang looked embarrassed, and Tie Yi was also awkward. It was naturally a good thing that the relationship between their master and madam was good, but being around them was simply torture! sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    They might as well guard the tower prison!


    When the moon gradually rose, there were fewer people on the street. Shen


    Miao and Xie Jingxing walked around for the entire day and felt a little sleepy. It was rare for her to be in a good mood today, so Xie Jingxing accompanied her. Seeing that the two of them were very calm when they returned, Jingzhe and Gu Yu heaved a sigh of relief.


    Xie Jingxing went back to his room, and Shen Miao also returned to her room. Jingzhe had already run a hot bath for her and said, ¡°Madam, go and take a bath first. There¡¯s food made. When you come out later, you can eat it. You must be tired after a day outside..¡±

 Chapter 1006 - 1006: Confession (2)

    Chapter 1006: Confession (2)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    Shen Miao nodded. The water was very warm, making her feel sleepy. She lay on the bed, and Gu Yu served her at the side as she said, ¡°I haven¡¯t seen Madam smile like this for a long time.¡±


    Shen Miao actually smiled a lot. Perhaps because she had been in the harem for a long time in her previous life, she knew very well that no matter how bleak the road ahead was, no matter how disadvantageous the situation was to her, she had to put on a smile. When the enemy saw her smile, they would not be able to figure out what she was thinking.


    However, that smile was subconscious and not sincere. How could it be the same as a sincere smile?


    !!


    At this moment, her eyes were curved, as if she had just eaten honey, making her already delicate and beautiful face look even more charming and making people unable to take their eyes off her.


    Jingzhe noticed the red string on Shen Miao¡¯s wrist. When Luo Tan gave Shen Miao the red string, Jingzhe was not present, so when she saw it now, she was very curious and said, ¡°Madam, did you buy this red string on the street? It¡¯s a little unique, but it doesn¡¯t match your clothes.¡±


    When Gu Yu saw this, she smiled and said, ¡°I remember Putuo Temple sells such red strings as well. One copper coin for five strings. They said that it was used for people to wish for a good marriage.¡±


    Jingzhe smiled. ¡°Isn¡¯t it too cheap?¡± She was also a little puzzled. ¡°Madam, don¡¯t you believe in supernatural things the most? Why did you buy this red string? But then again, if His Highness sees you wearing this red string, he will probably be unhappy again. He will definitely misunderstand and think you still want to have a marriage after marrying him.¡± Jingzhe was lively. At this moment, she imitated Xie Jingxing¡¯s unhappy expression, making Shen Miao and Gu Yu laugh.


    Gu Yu scolded with a smile, ¡°You mischievous girl. Why are you making fun of His Highness?¡±


    Shen Miao waved her hand and said, ¡°Serve the food in Xie Jingxing¡¯s room later.¡±


    The two of them had always slept in separate rooms. Jingzhe was stunned for a moment before saying with a smile, ¡°Madam, do you want to eat with His Highness?¡± She could not help but be happy for Shen Miao. These maids did not expect their relationship to improve by leaps and bounds after this calamity.


    Shen Miao said, ¡°This red string is very effective.¡±


    ¡°Eh?¡± Gu Yu looked at Shen Miao in surprise, not knowing whv she suddenlv said that.


    Shen Miao looked at the red string and sighed softly. However, this time, her expression was relaxed.


    This day would come sooner or later. This time, she was fully prepared. This life was different from her previous life, so she would still look forward to the future, but she would not bet all her future on one person.


    She would grow up and become someone who could stand side by side with the person she liked and be equally powerful. She would protect what she wanted to protect and end the feud she wanted to end. It was that simple.


    She asked Jingzhe to bring a handkerchief and said, ¡°Help me make my hair.¡±


    Xie Jingxing put on his inner clothes and walked out.


    He had been bathing for a long time, and the water turned a little cold. When he was alone, there was no lazy smile on his face. Instead, there was a cold expression, which could not be seen clearly in the night. Under his usual cynical front, he was just indifferent to this world.. S§×arch* The n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 1007 - 1007: Confession (3)

    Chapter 1007: Confession (3)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    When he went out, he saw a few plates of exquisite dishes and snacks in the middle of the room.


    Xie Jingxing frowned. ¡°Tie Yi.¡± He was not used to eating in the room. He loved cleanliness, and in private, he was very disciplined. The bedroom was where he slept and the dining room was where he ate.


    He called out a few times, but there was no response. The door suddenly creaked open, and Shen Miao came in with a wine jar.


    !!


    The wine jar was huge, and she was holding it unsteadily. Xie Jingxing went forward to catch it and placed it on the table, asking, ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    Shen Miao said, ¡°I searched your storeroom for a long time and found this jar. I smelled it and guessed that it must be good wine, so I brought it over.¡±


    Xie Jingxing paused and opened the wine jar. As expected, the fragrance of wine hit him. He smiled and said, ¡°Uncle Tang didn¡¯t stop you?¡±


    This was a top-grade wine that was priceless. There were only three jars in the entire Prince Rui¡¯s mansion.


    Shen Miao smiled. ¡°I¡¯ve drunk it before.¡±


    Xie Jingxing was suspicious. ¡°When?¡±


    Shen Miao didn¡¯t answer immediately. When she was the empress, she had tasted all kinds of wine at the palace banquet. Although a jar of this wine was precious, it was not to the point where she couldn¡¯t afford it.


    Shen Miao patted her head. ¡°I think I forgot to bring the wine glasses.¡± She glanced at the rice bowls at the side and grabbed two to pour two bowlfuls of wine.


    Xie Jingxing looked at her in disbelief and asked, ¡°Shen Miao, are you an alcoholic?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m here to eat with you.¡± Shen Miao said, ¡°Food without wine is not as delicious. ¡±


    Xie Jingxing crossed his arms and looked at her for a while. He suddenly thought of something and said, ¡°If you didn¡¯t mention it, I would have forgotten. That day at Bixiao Restaurant, you drank a bowl of wine in front of all the guests¡­ Shen Jiaojiao, you have to be careful in the future.¡±


    When she drank, she was charming and attractive. At that moment, she was so seductive that people couldn¡¯t take their eyes off her. At that time, Xie Jingxing was not happy. If not for his status, he would probably have carried Shen Miao and left.


    He instructed his wife, ¡°Don¡¯t drink while I¡¯m around in the future. With me around, you can¡¯t drink too much either, especially not in front of others¡­ Shen Jiaojiao, are you listening?¡±


    Shen Miao put down the bowl. She had just taken a big gulp of the wine. The wine was fragrant, but when it entered her throat, it was spicy, so spicy that she was about to cry. She praised, ¡°As expected of good wine.¡±


    Xie Jingxing said, ¡°Did you ignore me just now?¡±


    Shen Miao glanced at him. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to drink it?¡± She picked up the wine bowl and took another sip.


    Xie Jingxing said, ¡°Are you going to get drunk tonight? You shouldn¡¯t drink good wine like this. You need to savor it slowly.¡±


    Shen Miao glanced at him from the corner of her eye. ¡°Don¡¯t teach me what to do.¡±


    Xie Jingxing was speechless. S§×ar?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He always felt that every time Shen Miao drank, she would become a different person. For example, that time when the Shen family left the capital many years ago and he was going to the northern border. Could it be that there was someone else living in Shen Miao¡¯s body who would be released as long as she drank? Xie Jingxing was really puzzled. Moreover, she usually looked like a person who restrained herself and was cautious. Once she was drunk, not only did she not have any rationality, but she also did unimaginable things..

 Chapter 1008 - 1008: Confession (4)

    Chapter 1008: Confession (4)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    He felt that the heroic spirits of the Shen family could only be seen on Shen Miao when she was drunk.


    The more mellow the wine was, the stronger it was.


    Shen Miao handed the big bowl of wine to Xie Jingxing and said, ¡°You drink too. ¡±


    !!


    Xie Jingxing looked at her in confusion. He sat down at the table and took the wine from her, sipping it slowly.


    Xie Jingxing had just taken a few sips when he saw Shen Miao put the bowl upside down on the table and wiped her mouth like a rough man. He asked, ¡°Are you done drinking?¡±


    Shen Miao cleared her throat. ¡°I have something to tell you.¡±


    Xie Jingxing glanced at her and then at the wine in his bowl that was as bright as amber. He said, ¡°You have to drink to be brave enough to tell me. Did you cheat on me?¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you ask me what my secret was before?¡± Shen Miao said, ¡°I¡¯ll tell you today.¡±


    Xie Jingxing paused and looked up at her.


    ¡°Do you want to hear it or not?¡± She asked him.


    Xie Jingxing put down the wine bowl and pondered.


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll take it that you want to know. I¡¯ll tell you.¡± Shen Miao continued without waiting for him to speak.


    ¡°Do you find it strange that I always target Prince Ding and seem to know everything that I¡¯m not supposed to know?¡±


    Everything she said was what Xie Jingxing had been wanting to ask.


    Shen Miao continued, ¡°In the beginning, you must have been wary of me, so you got someone to investigate me in private.¡±


    Xie Jingxing looked a little awkward. Clearly, just as Shen Miao had said, he had asked someone to investigate her. sea??h th§× Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°You must have found out nothing. You thought that there was someone smart behind me, or rather, there was an expert guiding the Shen family.¡±


    Xie Jingxing was silent. Ji Yushu¡¯s Exiled Immortal Pawnshop could find out many secrets, but about Shen Miao, there was nothing.


    ¡°Slnce you¡¯ve investigated me, you should also know that before my parents returned to the capital in the 68th year of Ming Qi, I fell into the water once because of Prince Ding. Ever since that time, my personality has changed. For example, in the past, I was infatuated with Prince Ding, but after that, I didn¡¯t have any feelings for him.¡±


    A trace of displeasure flashed across Xie Jingxing¡¯s eyes. He was really puzzled by the fact that Shen Miao used to love Fu Xiuyi. If not for the fact that everyone in Ming Qi knew about it, he would have thought that Shen Miao was putting on a show. In terms of looks, talent, and status, although Fu Xiuyi was outstanding, he was not one of the top in the world. Shen Miao actually fell head over heels in love with Fu Xiuyi. He was speechless..

 Chapter 1009 - 1009: Confession (5)

    Chapter 1009: Confession (5)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations S§×ar?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°After I fell into the water that time, I started to distance myself from the second and third branches of the Shen family. I¡¯m not as friendly to Shen Qing and Shen Yue as before. I even went against Old Madam Shen.¡± Shen Miao said, ¡°Do you find it strange?¡±


    Xie Jingxing said, ¡°People will wake up when they have enough of something.¡± In the early years, Shen Miao was fooled because she was young. When it reached a certain point, she might realize the truth and grow up overnight.


    Shen Miao shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s not like that. After I was saved from the water,


    !!


    I was bedridden for a long time. During that period, I had a very long dream.¡± She looked at the dancing candle light on the table, and a pensive look gradually appeared on her face. ¡°That dream was very long and detailed, as if it really happened. ¡±


    ¡°Can you believe that kind of dream?¡± Shen Miao smiled. ¡°It¡¯s like a prophecy.¡± Xie Jingxing gradually frowned and stared at Shen Miao sharply.


    ¡°It¡¯s said that there was once a governor who sat under a tree and fell asleep. He dreamed that he was the emperor and lived a long life. When he suddenly woke up, he realized that it had only been a moment. Everything in that dream was just a dream. It¡¯s just that it felt real, so he couldn¡¯t tell dream from reality.¡±


    ¡°My dream was longer and more bitter than the one the governor had in the story. I dreamed of the future,¡± she said.


    ¡°I dreamed that I finally married Prince Ding, and the Shen family was tied to him. I dreamed that in the future, when the imperial court was in chaos, the princes would compete for the throne. In the end, Fu Xiuyi would win. He would ascend the throne, and I would be the empress with a glorious life ahead of me.¡±


    Xie Jingxing raised an eyebrow.


    ¡°You probably think that it was a beautiful dream because dreams usually have a perfect ending. I also hope that it was a beautiful dream, but it was the most terrifying nightmare I¡¯ve had in my life.¡±


    ¡°I gave birth to a son and a daughter. They were the most sensible and cute children in the world. Then, the Daliang Dynasty became more and more powerful. Ming Qi¡¯s border was threatened, so Ming Qi borrowed troops from the State of Qin. The State of Qin took me as a hostage and kept me in the State of Qin for five years.¡±


    ¡°I met Huangfu Hao and Ming An,¡± Shen Miao said.


    Xie Jingxing¡¯s expression gradually became serious.


    ¡°I don¡¯t like the royal family of the State of Qin. They always humiliate me. They invented a kind of game where they put an apple on my head and miss shots on purpose. Later, I secretly practiced archery. However, no matter how well I practiced, I would never get to make them the target.¡±


    ¡°Five years passed quickly, and I returned to Ming Qi. There was a new consort called Consort Mei in the capital. She gave birth to a son called Fu Sheng.¡±


    ¡°Fu Xiuyi doted on Consort Mei and Fu Sheng. I was neglected. Although I¡¯m the empress, I was mocked by people.¡±


    ¡°Fu Xiuyi started to make a move on the Shen family. Although I wanted to help, I was not allowed to get involved in politics. My brother¡¯s official career was ruined because Jing Chuchu drove him to murder someone. My mother¡¯s condition worsened and she later died of depression because of Chang Zaiqing.


    My father became older and older, and his military power was snatched away. He got drunk every day. The second and third branches, on the other hand, rose step by step and became more and more powerful.¡±


    ¡°When Consort Mei and I fight in the harem, neither of us will let the other off. It¡¯s not that I¡¯m greedy for the position of the empress, but if I can¡¯t even keep this position, I won¡¯t be able to keep my children either.¡±


    ¡°In the end, I lost. The Shen family was wiped out. Wanyu died of illness on the way to the the Xiongnu, and Fu Ming committed suicide after being deposed as the crown prince. In the Cold Palace, I was given a rope to hang myself to death. Then, I suddenly opened my eyes wide and found myself lying on the bed. I had a very, very long nightmare..¡±

 Chapter 1010 - 1010: Confession (6)

    Chapter 1010: Confession (6)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    She spoke of this shocking dream indifferently with a smile on her face. This smile was a little unfathomable, as if it contained endless bitterness. However, the bitterness was too much and deep to be uttered, so she simply replaced it with a smile.


    Xie Jingxing did not speak.


    Shen Miao said, ¡°Do you believe in this dream?¡±


    !!


    Xie Jingxing asked back, ¡°Do you believe it?¡±


    Shen Miao smiled. ¡°If I didn¡¯t believe it, I¡¯m afraid what stood in front of you today would be a tomb.¡±


    ¡°After I woke up, I was very afraid that everything that happened in my dream would happen again. I tried to find some clues to prove that it was just a nightmare. However, I later realized that it was not just a dream. The things in the dream were happening one by one.¡±


    ¡°I reminded Su Minglang because not long after that, the Su family will be wiped out because they aroused the emperor¡¯s fear. Everyone in the Su family will be executed, and only you will go and collect the corpses for the father and son. After the Su family, it will be the Shen family¡¯s turn. I reminded the Su family just to protect myself, but I didn¡¯t expect you to notice.¡±


    At that time, after Su Minglang told Xie Jingxing about Shen Miao¡¯s reminder, Xie Jingxing was suspicious of her. The two of them had interacted many times, but they couldn¡¯t figure out what was on each other¡¯s mind.


    ¡°Then in that dream of yours, what was the ending for me?¡± Xie Jingxing stared at her and asked.


    Shen Miao said, ¡°You are doing well.¡±


    ¡°The Xie family gradually declined. Later, the Marquis of Lin¡¯an died in battle. You went to war on behalf of your father. It was said that you died tragically in the battle, but many years later, you returned to Ming Qi as Prince Rui.¡± Shen Miao smiled. ¡°But with troops to overthrow the emperor.¡±


    Xie Jingxing frowned. ¡°That¡¯s it?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Shen Miao nodded.


    ¡°I see.¡± He raised his eyebrows. ¡°I thought that in that dream of yours, you and I would be also involved.¡±


    ¡°Do you really just treat it as a dream? Or do you think I¡¯m drunk and spouting nonsense?¡± Shen Miao¡¯s eyes darkened slightly as she continued, ¡°But this is also good. I¡¯d rather it was just a dream.¡±


    ¡°There are some things that you won¡¯t believe, but I did dream of Jing Chuchu,


    Chang Zaiaing. and the others. Because of the dream. I was alreadv Dreoared to deal with them before they came. In fact, now that I think about it, many things can only be done thanks to that dream.¡±


    Xie Jingxing looked at her and smiled, but his smile was gentle and comforting. ¡°You did very well.¡±


    ¡°The past is in the past. I tried my best to avoid the ending in my dream, but there¡¯s one thing that can¡¯t be avoided, the death of the two children.¡±


    Xie Jingxing paused for a moment and said, ¡°We¡¯ll have children too.¡±


    Shen Miao took a deep breath and looked at him. ¡°You have to listen carefully to what I¡¯m about to say.¡±


    ¡°In that dream, Consort Mei, the mother of the new crown prince, the woman who almost controlled the entire imperial court, was called Li Mei. She was the daughter of an official Fu Xiuyi met during the Eastern Campaign. She was gentle, charming, and kind. Now, I met her again. Do you find it strange that I was cold to you when you woke up from being poisoned? Because at that time, I was very flustered. I saw Li Mei again.¡±


    ¡°Her name is Ye Mei now.¡±


    ¡°Do you understand what I¡¯m saying?¡± she asked.


    Xie Jingxing did not speak for a long time.


    After an unknown period of time, he looked at Shen Miao. ¡°So she is the enemy in your dream.¡±


    ¡°I hated her to the core, but I couldn¡¯t kill her with my own hands. When we met again in this life, she became the daughter of the Ye family. Xie Jingxing, I can forget about my hatred, but there¡¯s one thing I have to say. Ye Mei is definitely not a kind person. For the sake of power, she will do anything. Since you owe her a favor, she will definitely make you a knife to her use. You have to be careful.¡±


    Xie Jingxing picked up the wine bowl again and finished it in one gulp. S§×ar?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Although he was smiling, his eyes were cold as he said, ¡°Ye Mei, right? Fu


    Xiuyi¡¯s taste in women is as awful as ever. I¡¯m different from him.¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter if your dream is real or not.¡± Xie Jingxing said, ¡°The hatred in your dream is also hatred. The fact he betrayed you is unforgivable. Leave your hatred to me. I¡¯ll avenge you.¡± He interrupted Shen Miao. ¡°Don¡¯t say that you want to kill your enemy with your own hands. You¡¯re my woman. Your hatred is my hatred. In this world, the two of us will have countless enemies. One day, you can avenge me, and then we¡¯ll be even.¡±


    Shen Miao frowned. ¡°Do you have an enemy? Who is it?¡±


    Xie Jingxing looked at her for a while and suddenly reached out to rub her head. ¡°You are so cute.¡±


    ¡°How dare you!¡± Shen Miao said.


    When she was drunk, she habitually brought out the aura of an empress. Xie


    Jing paused, and Shen Miao was stunned for a moment. He stared at Shen


    Miao. ¡°Do you still want to be an empress?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to have that dream a second time,¡± Shen Miao said. ¡°I don¡¯t want to be that kind of empress a second time either,¡± she said..

 Chapter 1011 - 1011: Good Time (1)

    Chapter 1011: Good Time (1)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    More than half of the jar fell into Shen Miao¡¯s stomach. Xie Jingxing tried to stop her, but every time Shen Miao became stubborn, even Shen Xin was helpless, let alone Xie Jingxing. However, this time, she did not throw a tantrum like before. After drinking, she was very calm and didn¡¯t kick up a fuss. She said a lot of things and staggered out with an empty wine jar. Xie Jingxing sent her back and instructed Jingzhe and Gu Yu to take good care of her. Jingzhe and Gu Yu were shocked. ¡°Madam, you¡¯ve just recovered. Why did you drink so much? It¡¯s not good for your health.¡±


    Xie Jingxing glanced at her and left.


    As he walked in the courtyard, the summer breeze blew on his face, sobering him up a little. However, he did not drink much to begin with, so his mind was as clear as a mirror.


    !!


    In fact, he was not as calm as he looked on the surface.


    Shen Miao¡¯s words hit him like a thunderbolt. In an instant, some things that he did not understand in the past suddenly became clear at this moment. However, what Shen Miao said was too shocking.


    He did not believe in ghosts and gods, but she believed in Shen Miao¡¯s words.


    Xie Jingxing knew Shen Miao very well. If she really wanted to lie to someone, she would look calm. Ever since Xie Jingxing got to know Shen Miao in Ming Qi, he had seen her stab people in the back with calmness. However, when she stammered, it meant that what she was saying was the truth.


    She had probably been holding back what she said today for a long time. Otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t have looked relieved. However, Xie Jingxing could feel that she was anxious, so he maintained a calm expression, even though his heart was in turmoil.


    If what happened in Shen Miao¡¯s dream was real, it would really not be a happy dream. At the thought that Shen Miao ended up with Fu Xiuyi and ended up in such a miserable state because of him, Xie Jingxing felt furious.


    It had rained the day before. His boots stepped on the puddle, making a rustling sound. Xie Jingxing stood there and called out, ¡°Tie Yi.¡±


    Tie Yi appeared.


    ¡°Investigate if the siblings have anything to do with Ming Qi,¡± he said. If everything in Shen Miao¡¯s dream was true, this Ye Mei was Shen Miao¡¯s enemy. However, how did she end up in Long Ye. Now that he thought about it, he understood why Shen Miao was hostile to the siblings from the first time they met.


    Tie Yi nodded and left.


    His thoughts were in a mess. Xie Jingxing frowned at the crescent moon in the sky and walked to the courtyard to play with the tiger cub.


    Jiaojiao had not seen her master for a long time. Seeing that he was here, she was overjoyed. She jumped up and played with him. Xie Jingxing played with the tiger cub absent-mindedly for a while. Seeing that the night was getting late and the tiger cub was starting to doze off, he returned to the room.


    However, he was still not sleepy. He walked to the middle of the room and took off his outer robe. Just as he was about to sit for a while, he suddenly felt that something was wrong. He looked up at the bed and saw a huge bump on the bed. There seemed to be faint breathing. S§×arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He frowned and walked over to lift the blanket. Suddenly, he was stunned and said in amusement, ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    On the bed, Shen Miao was wrapped in his blanket and holding a pillow in her arms, staring at him.


    She was drunk, and her fair face was red. Her clear eyes were covered in a layer of water. She said, ¡°I¡¯m recommending myself to sleep with you..¡±

 Chapter 1012 - 1012: Good Time (2)

    Chapter 1012: Good Time (2)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations sea??h th§× ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Xie Jingxing almost thought that he had heard wrongly. He said, ¡°What did you


    ¡°Consort Li once told me that if I want to win someone¡¯s heart or admire someone, I have to ¡®recommend myself¡¯. It¡¯s only right for a man and a woman to have sex. I¡¯ve never ¡®enjoyed it¡¯ before, and I think you haven¡¯t either, so I came to ¡®recommend myself¡¯.¡±


    When Xie Jingxing heard her shocking words, his face turned red. He stared at Shen Miao, as if he did not know how to react. In the end, he said, ¡°What nonsense are you talking about!¡±


    !!


    Shen Miao sat on the bed, drunk. She put on a dignified air and said, ¡°I want to explore it with you.¡±


    Xie Jingxing quickly walked to the table and poured himself a cup of tea. He took a sip of the tea and calmed a little. Shen Miao¡¯s personality was really outrageous when she was drunk¡­


    He said, ¡°I¡¯m not someone who takes advantage of others.¡±


    There was no response for a long time. Xie Jingxing felt a little strange and couldn¡¯t help but turn around to look. He spat out a mouthful of tea!


    At some point, her outer robe was gone. She was wearing only a dudou as she said aggrievedly, ¡°Do you think I¡¯m ugly? Is that why you won¡¯t touch me?¡±


    That large piece of skin was like snow in the winter, but it was warmer than snow, like cow milk, and more translucent than cow milk. Coupled with her disheveled hair, it made her face look cute and her eyes hazy, making her look very delicious.


    Xie Jingxing quickly covered her with the blanket and said, ¡°The illness this time really damaged your brain.¡±


    Shen Miao said righteously, ¡°We¡¯re husband and wife. What¡¯s wrong with us consummating our marriage?¡±


    Xie Jingxing took a deep breath and avoided her watery eyes. ¡°You¡¯re not fully recovered yet¡­ We¡¯ll talk about this another day.¡±


    Shen Miao was puzzled. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that you will do it with me in two months? I think it¡¯s already been more than two months.¡±


    Xie Jingxing was speechless.


    He emphasized, ¡°I¡¯m not someone who takes advantage of others. What kind of person do you think I am?¡±


    ¡°I know.¡± Shen Miao nodded. ¡°I¡¯m here to fulfill your wish.¡±


    Xie Jingxing was stunneed.


    ¡°Be good. It¡¯s too late today. We¡¯ll talk about this another day.¡± Xie Jingxing tucked her in and turned to leave. He was afraid that if he stayed any longer, he would really not be able to hold it in. After all, he was a young man in his prime. He was holding the woman he loved the most. It would be strange if there was no reaction. However, he did not want to take advantage of Shen Miao when she was drunk. He respected her, so he was unwilling to do this.


    However, just as he stood up, his sleeve was grabbed by Shen Miao again, and the blanket that he had just used to cover Shen Miao slipped off. Shen Miao knelt on the bed, but she was a head shorter than Xie Jingxing. She was a little anxious and hugged Xie Jingxing¡¯s neck, saying, ¡°No.¡±


    Xie Jingxing was stunneed.


    He could almost feel her exquisite body and the faint fragrance coming from Shen Miao. He had not drunk much, but at this moment, he felt his entire body heat up, as if his rationality was gradually disappearing.


    ¡°Now or never,¡± she said seriously, but it was unknown if she was really drunk or pretending to be..

 Chapter 1013 - 1013: Good Time (3)

    Chapter 1013: Good Time (3)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    When Xie Jingxing heard this, he paused and glanced at her. ¡°Never?¡±


    Shen Miao seemed to feel a little dizzy. Half-kneeling on the bed made her a little uncomfortable. She shook her head and looked at Xie Jingxing carefully. Suddenly, she smiled.


    She said, ¡°I think you¡¯re really beautiful. It¡¯s your blessing to be my gigolo. You should thank me for it.¡±


    !!


    Xie Jingxing was speechless.


    Here it comes! Here it comes! Xie Jingxing thought of how a few years ago, the drunk Shen Miao forced a kiss on him like he was a gigolo. He didn¡¯t expect that many years later, the scene would recur.


    Shen Miao whispered into his ear, ¡°I guarantee that you will be rich for the rest of your life if you are obedient!¡±


    Xie Jingxing smiled. In fact, Shen Miao looked like an innocent girl when she was drunk. However, her every move was fatally tempting to him.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t want to, I¡¯ll find someone else. If you miss this opportunity, you¡¯ll regret it for the rest of your life,¡± Shen Miao threatened him.


    Xie Jingxing said, ¡°You want to find someone else? Huh?¡± S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He suddenly fell forward, pressing her under him. Xie Jingxing smiled and leaned over to whisper into her ear, ¡®You¡¯re quite arrogant. You want me to serve you, but you¡¯re actually thinking about another man? I¡¯m not very happy and will punish you for being naughty.¡±


    Shen Miao struggled to break free from his grip and took out something that looked like a book from under the bed. She looked at him with bright eyes.


    ¡°Look at this!¡±


    Xie Jingxing was stunned. He took it and looked at it. His expression instantly became extremely interesting, and his voice was very hoarse. He said, ¡°Where did you get this?¡±


    Shen Miao shrunk her neck. ¡°My mother gave it to me. I told you, I want to explore it with you.¡±


    Xie Jingxing was stunned for a moment before smiling. ¡°Explore this book?¡± Shen Miao nodded.


    ¡°I will naturally serve you and make you physically and mentally comfortable,¡± he said meaningfully, but his eyes suddenly became as dangerous as a wolf¡¯s. He asked, ¡°Do you not regret it?¡±


    ¡°If you miss this opportunity, you¡¯ll regret it for the rest of your life,¡± she muttered.


    Xie Jingxing did not say anything else. With a wave of his sleeve, the candle in the room was extinguished.


    His low voice came from the darkness.


    ¡°You¡¯re right.¡±


    If I miss this opportunity, I¡¯ll regret it for the rest of my life.


    It was late in the morning. Shen Miao felt a splitting headache. She subconsciously turned around, but she felt that something was blocking her way. She opened her eyes in a daze and was stunned.


    She lay in the man¡¯s arms, her hands still tightly wrapped around his waist. Looking up, she saw a peerlessly handsome face. There was a faint smile in his eyes.


    The brain fog made her unable to think properly.


    What happened last night? Why couldn¡¯t she remember anything?


    She subconsciously wanted to sit up, but she felt a soreness all over her body. It was so painful that she gasped. The blanket covering her body naturally slipped off, revealing some obvious marks..

 Chapter 1014 - 1014: Good Time (4)

    Chapter 1014: Good Time (4)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    Shen Miao was dumbfounded.


    There were clothes scattered on the ground, and wine bowls were piled up on the table. No matter how slow her mind was, she could guess one thing or two about what had happened.


    ¡°You¡¯re awake?¡± Xie Jingxing raised an eyebrow.


    !!


    Shen Miao tried her best to regain her composure, but no matter how she pretended, she still looked a little flustered. When Xie Jingxing saw this, he didn¡¯t know whether to laugh or cry.


    He said, ¡°You were very brave last night. Why are you afraid now?¡±


    Shen Miao¡¯s heart skipped a beat. Once she was drunk, she couldn¡¯t remember anything. The memories before she got drunk still lingered in her mind. She was talking to Xie Jingxing about her previous life. Instead of telling him that she was reborn, she thought that it was more convincing to say that she had a prophetic dream.


    She drank some wine to boost her courage and remembered that Xie Jingxing seemed to have believed her words, but¡­ how did they end up on the same bed?


    Xie Jingxing glanced at her confused expression and said leisurely, ¡°Do you know what you did last night?¡±


    Shen Miao did not dare to look at him. She looked at the blanket blankly and said, ¡°What else can I do? I slept.¡±


    ¡°You slept with me.¡± Xie Jingxing said, ¡°You wanted me to serve you well.¡±


    Shen Miao almost choked on her saliva.


    Was that her?


    Xie Jingxing must be lying to her! How could she have said such a shameless thing?


    Xie Jingxing said, ¡°You said that if I follow you and be obedient, you¡¯ll give me endless wealth.¡±


    Shen Miao said, ¡°Don¡¯t take it seriously. I was drunk,¡± She changed the topic, ¡°how do I know if you¡¯re lying to me or not? It doesn¡¯t sound like something I would say.¡± At the end, she simply denied it.


    Xie Jingxing was not in a hurry to retort. He calmly took out something that looked like a book from under the pillow and flipped through it. He said, ¡°You even took out something your mother gave you and wanted to explore it with me. Do you remember?¡± He waved the book at Shen Miao.


    Shen Miao glanced at it, but when she saw it clearly, she almost vomited blood.


    No way! He had this!


    This was given to her by Luo Xueyan before she got married. It was a book that taught newlywed couples how to consummate their marriage. She had kept it well and it was impossible for Xie Jingxing to find it. In other words, she must have taken the initiative to take it out and give it to Xie Jingxing.


    Then what else did she do to Xie Jingxing last night? Did she really ask Xie Jingxing to ¡°serve her well¡±?


    Shen Miao felt that being struck by lightning was nothing compared to the shock she was in.


    ¡°Stop!¡± Shen Miao quickly interrupted him, but her face was already red from embarrassment. She said, ¡°You know I don¡¯t have good alcohol tolerance. Why didn¡¯t you stop me?¡±


    ¡°How would I dare?¡± Xie Jingxing pretended to be aggrieved. ¡°If I don¡¯t agree, you¡¯ll chop off my head.¡±


    Shen Miao was speechless.


    She felt really embarrassed. At the thought that she had seduced Xie Jingxing¡­ She really wanted to dig a hole to hide. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Xie Jingxing seemed to be in an extremely good mood and looked at her with a smile.


    ¡°Forget it.¡± Shen Miao quickly interrupted him and was about to jump off the bed to run out when she was grabbed by Xie Jingxing and pulled into his arms.


    He looked down at Shen Miao. The lazy smile on his face suddenly disappeared, and he looked serious..

 Chapter 1015 - 1015: Good Time (5)

    Chapter 1015: Good Time (5)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    He frowned and asked, ¡°Do you regret it?¡±


    Shen Miao was stunned.


    Xie Jingxing¡¯s eyes were extremely beautiful. Sometimes, Shen Miao would find it strange that such beautiful eyes were on a man.


    !!


    Falling in love with such a man must be a calamity for women, but being loved by such a man was probably a blessing. He was both domineering and gentle.


    Shen Miao¡¯s gaze landed on the red string on Xie Jingxing¡¯s hand.


    He said that he didn¡¯t like it, but in the end, he still did not take it off.


    Shen Miao looked up and said honestly, ¡°I don¡¯t regret it.¡±


    She was just being shy¡­


    Xie Jingxing¡¯s eyes lit up.


    She continued, ¡°What¡¯s there to regret? It was with you, not with anyone else.¡± In the end, she avoided Xie Jingxing¡¯s gaze.


    Xie Jingxing turned her head and forced her to look at him. ¡°Really?¡±


    Shen Miao said, ¡°Really!¡±


    Xie Jingxing stared at her for a long time. Shen Miao felt even more embarrassed and was about to run when Xie Jingxing pulled her over and said,


    ¡°Let me see.¡±


    ¡°See what?¡±


    ¡°Last night, you refused to stop no matter what. I didn¡¯t even take a good look at your wound. Although it¡¯s just a superficial wound, I still have to take a closer look.¡± He pulled Shen Miao into his arms. Seeing that he was only wearing an undergarment, Shen Miao felt that her face was burning. She rejected, ¡°No, no need. I¡¯ll do it myself.¡±


    ¡°That won¡¯t do¡­¡± As Xie Jingxing spoke, he locked her in place.


    Shen Miao couldn¡¯t escape anymore.


    Outside, as Jingzhe and Gu Yu swept the floor, they pricked up their ears to hear what was going on inside. sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Cong Yang squatted in front of the door and played with the birds in the birdcage as he said, ¡°The two of you have been sweeping here for two hours. If you continue, the stone slabs at the door will be swept away.¡±


    Jingzhe and Gu Yu were stunned and stopped what they were doing at the same time. Jingzhe looked at Cong Yang and wanted to ask, but she seemed to feel that this question was too embarrassing, so she blushed and didn¡¯t speak.


    Cong Yang was much more shameless than her. He knew what she wanted to ask at a glance. He waved his hand and said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, it went very smoothly!¡±


    Although Jingzhe and Gu Yu were embarrassed, they still heaved a sigh of relief at the same time. Jingzhe looked at Gu Yu smugly, but Gu Yu gave her a reproachful look.


    Last night, Shen Miao was drunk. Jingzhe and Gu Yu were tidying up the room when they accidentally saw the book Luo Xueyan gave Shen Miao. An idea struck Jingzhe. She thought that every time Shen Miao was drunk, she would not know what she had done and wanted to create an opportunity for her and Xie Jingxing. Shen Miao had been married for so long, but they had not even consummated their marriage..

 Chapter 1016 - 1016: Good Time (6)

    Chapter 1016: Good Time (6)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    Therefore, when Shen Miao was drunk, Jingzhe said, ¡°Prince Rui can explain the things in this book for you.¡±


    Shen Miao was drunk and did not know what she was doing. The two maids followed behind. They were nervous and uneasy. After guarding outside for the entire night, their eyelids were droopy. Luckily, Shen Miao stayed in Xie Jingxing¡¯s room for the entire night.


    Now that they heard Cong Yang¡¯s words, the two of them heaved a sigh of relief. They felt that they had done a good thing. It probably would not be long before they could celebrate the arrival of the young master.


    !!


    At this moment, Uncle Tang walked in from outside. When he saw the three of them, he first shouted at Cong Yang, ¡°What are you doing here so early in the morning? Hurry up and leave.¡± He smiled at Jingzhe and Gu Yu and said, ¡°Why do you look like you¡¯re not in good spirits?¡±


    Jingzhe and Gu Yu were Shen Miao¡¯s personal maids, so Uncle Tang was slightly more respectful to them. Jingzhe and Gu Yu didn¡¯t know how to explain. They said something to brush him off before scurrying away.


    Uncle Tang stood in front of Xie Jingxing¡¯s door alone. After everyone left, he suddenly smiled and was amused for a while. He seemed to have thought of something and muttered to himself, ¡°I have to make some tonic.¡± Then, he left in a hurry.


    Pei Lang¡¯s condition was much worse than Shen Miao¡¯s. Although he managed to survive, Gao Yang did not dare to let his guard down. Ba Jiao and Hui Xiang took care of Pei Lang. If anything happened to him, they would immediately inform Gao Yang.


    Pei Lang woke up a few times at night, but a moment later, he would fall asleep again. This happened repeatedly. Ba Jiao and Hui Xiang were busy taking care of him and didn¡¯t know what was going on between Shen Miao and Xie Jingxing.


    It was almost noon when Hui Xiang brought in porridge. As soon as she entered the room, she saw Pei Lang sitting in front of the window and looking at the tree branch in a daze.


    ¡°Mr. Pei?¡± Hui Xiang paused for a moment before walking over happily. She put the porridge bowl aside and said, ¡°You¡¯re finally awake.¡±


    Pei Lang slowly turned around and looked at her. He seemed to have recognized her as Prince Rui¡¯s maid and said, ¡°Princess Consort must be awake too, right?¡±


    Hui Xiang was a little puzzled by Pei Lang¡¯s confident tone, but she still said, ¡°She woke up yesterday. Madam was not seriously injured, but you were seriously injured. It¡¯s all thanks to you. You blocked the knife for her and saved her life.¡±


    Pei Lang lowered his head and sighed. He said in a low voice, ¡°Saved her? I owed her a life.¡±


    Hui Xiang did not hear what Pei Lang said clearly and asked, ¡°What did you


    Pei Lang looked like he was in trance.


    He finally remembered.


    After taking the knife for Shen Miao and being on the verge of death, he had a dream. That dream was long and real, but it enlightened him.


    Why did Shen Miao always show hostility towards him before? Why did he always feel inexplicably guilty towards Shen Miao?


    These questions were all answered.


    The abbot in the dream said that even if he sacrificed his life, there was no guarantee that he would definitely have the chance to undo his mistake. The abbot also said that even if he could undo his mistake, the trajectory of their lives would be disrupted, and he might suffer because of it. S§×arch* The n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    In spite of all these uncertainties, Pei Lang still agreed.


    He had once loved a woman, but his love was actually no different from Fu Xiuyi¡¯s coldness. He pushed Shen Miao to the edge step by step. On one hand, he sympathized with Shen Miao, but on the other hand, he rationally weighed the pros and cons and abandoned her.


    He and Fu Xiuyi had both abandoned Shen Miao, so in this life, Shen Miao did not hesitate to abandon them.


    After knowing so much, he no longer had the courage to face Shen Miao. He said that he would stay by her side and help her. Now that he thought about it, he was just driven to do it by the guilt from his previous life. He was repaying Shen Miao.


    The complicated entanglement of two lifetimes made him unable to think straight, but he felt that it was time to untangle this complicated relationship.


    Hui Xiang said, ¡°Mr. Pei, eat some porridge first. You still have to rest well. Young Master Gao will come and perform acupuncture on you later. You¡¯ll be fine after recuperating for a few days.¡±


    Pei Lang paused for a moment and said, ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°Mr. Pei, you¡¯re welcome.¡± Hui Xiang said, ¡°You saved Madam¡¯s life and are her savior.¡±


    ¡°Please get me a pen and paper,¡± Pei Lang said. His lips were pale, and his eyes were dim, but his tone was very firm..

 Chapter 1017 - 1017: Leaving (1)

    Chapter 1017: Leaving (1)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    The fact that Shen Miao and Xie Jingxing made peace put everyone in Prince Rui¡¯s mansion in a good mood.


    What was a blessing in disguise was that not only did the two of them make peace, but they also seemed to have started to sleep in the same room. This was simply beyond everyone¡¯s expectations, especially Uncle Tang. Every day, he made nourishing soup for Xie Jingxing, making Shen Miao quite embarrassed.


    Xie Jingxing began to investigate the matter of the Ye family. However, what was strange was that the siblings were indeed born and raised in the Daliang Dynasty and had also grown up in Qinzhou. Shen Miao did not know why either. In the end, she thought that probably a lot of things in this life had changed. For example, Fu Xiuyi¡¯s luck, and the identities of Consort Mei and her brother.


    !!


    However, no matter how much the trajectory of this life had changed, there was one thing that would not change. Ye Mei was her enemy in her previous life.


    Pei Lang was also gradually recovering. Shen Miao went to take a look at him once, but she did not enter the house. She only looked from afar. Seeing that he could get out of the bed, she left. Shen Miao had mixed feelings about Pei Lang. After knowing the full story of her previous life, she didn¡¯t know how to face Pei Lang.


    Therefore, she didn¡¯t take the initiative to talk to him.


    Xie Jingxing was very satisfied with this. He said that she was much more sensible than before and wanted to ¡°reward¡± her, making Shen Miao listless all day long. It was as if he wanted to make up for all the lost time. S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The situation in Long Ye looked stable, but the danger lurking in the dark slowly started to reveal itself. Ever since Emperor Yong Le came back from the royal hunt, the trap he had set up to deal with the Lu family began to work. The Lu family was busy counteracting the royal family, and Xie Jingxing was also involved.


    Shen Miao didn¡¯t have a relaxing time either, because letters came from Ming


    There were two letters. One was written by Luo Xueyan, saying that everything was fine with them now. She also instructed Shen Miao not to take it lying down if she was bullied in Long Ye. She also instructed Xie Jingxing to treat her respectfully and support her.


    The other letter was from Shen Qiu.


    Shen Qiu¡¯s letter was different from Luo Xueyan¡¯s. When Shen Miao got married back then, she had once told Shen Qiu something. Although she did not make it explicit, she had hinted that Shen Qiu had to be wary of the royal family of Ming Qi. The royal family of Ming Qi was a mess. What the Shen family had to do was to protect themselves. No matter what, they had to keep a distance from the royal family. Otherwise, they would be dragged to the bottom of the abyss.


    This time, in Shen Qiu¡¯s letter, he talked about the situation in Ming Qi.


    It had been more than half a year since Shen Miao left the capital. The situation in the capital was very subtle, and there would be changes every day. What half a year of changes amounted to was enough to shock Shen Miao.


    Emperor Wen Hui was seriously ill.


    First, Emperor Wen Hui coughed, and then his condition worsened. Now, he even reached the point where he could not go to court. Occasionally, when he went to court, he would be in low spirits and would leave after hearing a few words. There were even rumors in the palace that Emperor Wen Hui was already at the end of his rope. He would probably die in less than a year.


    When Shen Miao saw this, she only smiled. How long could Emperor Wen Hui live? Was it really just a year? Shen Miao did not believe it. Anyway, in her previous life, Emperor Wen Hui did not die so early. It was hard to say if there was anything fishy about Emperor Wen Hui¡¯s sudden illness. The royal family of Ming Qi was complicated to begin with, and the princes were not as simple as the ones in Long Ye. In order to obtain the throne, many lives had to be sacrificed. A father was nothing..

 Chapter 1018 - 1018: Leaving (2)

    Chapter 1018: Leaving (2)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    In the letter, Shen Qiu mentioned that Emperor Wen Hui was seriously ill, but for some reason, he made things difficult for Consort Xu, who was once his favorite. Not only that, but the entire Xu family also suffered the wrath of Emperor Wen Hui, causing Prince Zhou and Prince Jing to be implicated. These two brothers were no longer allowed to participate in the matters of the imperial court. Shen Qiu did not know the exact situation. In short, Consort Xu, Prince Jing, and Prince Zhou were all out of favor. Prince Zhou and Prince Zhou were at a disadvantage in the competition for the throne.


    Prince Li¡¯s faction was on good terms with Prince Ding for the first time.


    Prince Li¡¯s faction was also a powerful faction in the competition for the throne. Prince Ding, Fu Xiuyi, was never close to Prince Li, but now they were on good terms. What was even more suspicious was that Prince Li seemed to be following Prince Ding.


    !! S§×ar?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    At this point, Shen Qiu¡¯s handwriting was a little messy, showing his uneasiness.


    In summary, among the princes in Ming Qi, the most popular one was the Ninth Prince, Fu Xiuyi, who used to have no desires for the throne. Fu Xiuyi¡¯s mother, Consort Dong, also became Emperor Wen Hui¡¯s most trusted person.


    Some people guessed that at this rate, it was very likely that Emperor Wen Hui would pass the throne to Fu Xiuyi.


    Therefore, a large group of officials sided with Fu Xiuyi. No matter how one looked at it, Fu Xiuyi would become the future crown prince of Ming Qi.


    Fu Xiuyi gradually started to lay hands on the Shen family.


    The Shen family¡¯s military power had been taken back by Emperor Wen Hui, but Fu Xiuyi wanted to give Shen Xin new power and let Shen Xin and Shen Qiu lead a new army. Fu Xiuyi was obviously digging a trap for the Shen family to jump into. If they failed to do their job well, they would give Fu Xiuyi a justifiable reason to deal with them.


    In the letter, Shen Qiu wrote that the Shen family rejected it with the excuse that Shen Xin was ill and could not lead an army for the time being. However, he did not know how long this excuse could last, because since Fu Xiuyi had made up his mind to deal with the Shen family, he would not give up easily. Fortunately, the Shen family was not alone. Fu Xiuyi was also targeting the Feng family. The Feng family and the Shen family planned to join forces to protect themselves.


    Shen Miao finished reading the letter, folded it, and put it away, looking a little worried. Xie Jingxing had just read it with her. Seeing that she was worried, he asked, ¡°Are you very worried?¡±


    ¡°Fu Xiuyi is starting to deal with the Shen family.¡± Shen Miao said in a low voice, ¡°He¡¯s rising too quickly. In less than a year, there¡¯s actually no one in the capital who can compete with him. Prince Zhou and Prince Jing were so arrogant back then, but now, they were all out of the picture. Prince Li is actually following him.¡± Shen Miao said, ¡°His methods are not to be underestimated.¡± Although she knew that Fu Xiuyi would eventually become the emperor of Ming Qi, the speed at which he eliminated his enemy still surprised Shen Miao.


    ¡°It¡¯s not strange.¡± Xie Jingxing smiled. ¡°In order to compete for the throne, he started preparing many years ago. Although Prince Zhou and Prince Jing had an advantage, they didn¡¯t make good use of it.¡±


    ¡°But why does he still target the Shen family?¡± Shen Miao frowned. ¡°Logically speaking, since the Shen family¡¯s military power is gone, it¡¯s no longer a threat to him. For example, the current Marquis of Lin¡¯an. He won¡¯t target the Marquis of Lin¡¯an, but he targets the Shen family¡­¡± Fu Xiuyi would not waste his time on meaningless things.. What was the point of going out of his way to suppress the Shen family?

 Chapter 1019 - 1019: Leaving (3)

    Chapter 1019: Leaving (3)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    Xie Jingxing pondered for a moment and said, ¡°Maybe it¡¯s because of you?¡± ¡°Me?¡± Shen Miao looked at him.


    ¡°Fu Xiuyi suspected that the Daliang Dynasty was the backer of the Shen family. After returning to Long Ye, I also got someone to keep an eye on Fu Xiuyi and found that he was investigating everything I did in the years I spent in the Marquis of Lin¡¯an¡¯s mansion. He might have known my identity. He might have misunderstood the relationship between the Shen family and me and thought that the Shen family had already joined the Daliang Dynasty or had other plans.¡± He paused for a moment and continued, ¡°Fu Xiuyi is ruthless and paranoid. Once he senses danger, he will definitely get rid of it. As long as the Shen family makes him feel uneasy, he will do his best to eliminate it.¡± ¡°My family is not safe.¡± Shen Miao¡¯s eyes turned cold.


    ¡°But you don¡¯t have to worry.¡± Xie Jingxing pinched her face. ¡°I¡¯ve arranged for people in the capital to protect your family.¡±


    !!


    ¡°You already arranged people?¡± Shen Miao asked, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me earlier?¡±


    Xie Jingxing said, ¡°Do I have to take credit for such a thing? They¡¯re my family too. Without proper arrangements, how can I let them stay in the capital?¡±


    When Shen Miao heard Xie Jingxing say, ¡°They¡¯re my family too.¡± Her heart felt as sweet as if she had eaten honey. She smiled and said, ¡°Speaking of which, I didn¡¯t expect the Feng family to actually join forces with my family.¡± Back then, in order to prevent Feng Anning from going down the path of her previous life, she specially asked Shen Qiu to help take care of the Feng family, but she didn¡¯t know that they would be so close.


    ¡°But there¡¯s something I wanted to tell you.¡± Xie Jingxing suddenly became serious. ¡°Fu Xiuyi has a secret relationship with the emperor of the State of


    Qin.¡±


    Shen Miao was stunned and asked, ¡°Does he want to borrow troops from them?¡± At the mention of this, Shen Miao thought of when she was a hostage in the State of Qin for five years. Now that Fu Xiuyi was not married, could it be that he had found other hostages?


    ¡°They might have reached some agreement in private,¡± Xie Jingxing said.


    Shen Miao frowned. ¡°Is he borrowing troops from the State of Qin to help him compete for the throne? If so, it will be no different from inviting wolves home. sea??h th§× ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    I don¡¯t think Fu Xiuyi is that stupid.¡±


    Xie Jingxing lowered his gaze and said, ¡°To deal with the Daliang Dynasty.¡±


    Shen Miao looked at him. ¡°They want to deal with the Daliang Dynasty? They¡¯re crazy.¡± Although the combined strength of Ming Qi and the State of Qin was much higher than before, the Daliang Dynasty¡¯s strength was still beyond their reach. The best scenario for them if a war broke out would only be a lose-lose situation. We had been living in harmony for so many years, so why would they take the initiative to start a war?


    ¡°No one can tolerate a thorn at their side,¡± Xie Jingxing smiled and said, ¡°Besides, Long Ye is in a mess because of the Lu and Ye families. They have a chance and won¡¯t let go of this opportunity to take advantage of this situation.¡±


    Shen Miao thought about what Xie Jingxing said and said, ¡°You¡¯re right. This day will come sooner or later.¡± However, starting a war now might not be a good thing for the Daliang Dynasty.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡± Xie Jingxing rubbed her head. ¡°Leave these to me.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m the princess consort.¡± Shen Miao glared at him, very unhappy with his words.


    Xie Jingxing looked at her calmly. ¡°Oh, don¡¯t you think it¡¯s a loss to go from the empress to the princess consort?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the point of saying this now?¡± Shen Miao snorted.


    Just as Xie Jingxing was about to speak, Hui Xiang knocked on the door and entered. She looked at Shen Miao and then at Xie Jingxing, looking conflicted..

 Chapter 1020 - 1020: Leaving (4)

    Chapter 1020: Leaving (4)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    ¡°Do you have anything to say to me?¡± Shen Miao looked at her in confusion. ¡°If you have something to say, just say it.¡±


    Hui Xiang said, ¡°At noon today, Mr. Pei said that he wanted to go out for a walk. Young Master Gao also said that taking a walk will help him recover. As long as he doesn¡¯t go too far, he will be fine. Mr. Pei wanted to be alone, so we didn¡¯t follow. He usually would not leave the mansion, but today, he hasn¡¯t come back until now.¡±


    Shen Miao frowned. ¡°Did something happen?¡± Pei Lang did not know martial arts. If he encountered any danger on the way, he would not be able to protect himself at all.


    !!


    ¡°We thought so too.¡± Hui Xiang said, ¡°But Ba Jiao found this on the table in Mr. Pei¡¯s room.¡± She took out something that looked like a letter from her sleeve and handed it to Shen Miao. ¡°Mr. Pei¡¯s clothes are missing from his room. If we¡¯re not wrong, he should have left.¡±


    Shen Miao was about to open the letter when she paused.


    Xie Jingxing¡¯s expression changed slightly.


    ¡°Did he say anything before he left?¡± Shen Miao asked Hui Xiang.


    ¡°He didn¡¯t say anything,¡± Hui Xiang said. Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Shen Miao was a little puzzled. Xie Jingxing said, ¡°Let¡¯s see what the letter says.¡± Just as he was about to get up and leave, Shen Miao grabbed his sleeve. Xie Jingxing turned around. Shen Miao said, ¡°Let¡¯s read it together.¡±


    He stopped in his tracks and thought for a moment before sitting down again with a smile on his face.


    At the beginning, the letter said that he was grateful that Shen Miao and Prince Rui were kind enough to accommodate him for so long. He also hoped that Shen Miao would keep her promise and help him take care of Liu Ying.


    Pei Lang wrote that although he had followed Shen Miao to Long Ye, it was just a temporary solution. Because of Fu Xiuyi, he had no choice but to hide in Long Ye. However, staying in Prince Rui¡¯s mansion was not a long term solution. He had his own plans and was prepared to travel around and broaden his horizons while he was still alive, so he left without saying goodbye.


    During the time he spent in Prince Ding¡¯s mansion, he learned some things about Prince Ding. He knew that Shen Miao seemed to be wary of Prince Ding, so he organized some things for Shen Miao, hoping that they could be of use to her in the future.


    He said that after handing the things in this letter to Shen Miao, they would not owe each other anything. Pei Lang wrote that he did not know if they would have a chance to see each other again in this life and asked her to take good care of herself.


    Pei Lang¡¯s letter was extremely simple. There was almost nothing special about it. It was unknown if he was deliberately trying to draw a line between him and Shen Miao, but his words were filled with alienation and politeness. He looked like he had returned to the time when he was a teacher of Guangwen Hall.


    The other piece of paper in the letter was filled with some things about Fu


    Xiuyi. It was about his trusted aides, some of his plans, and some of the people he wanted to rope in or to take down.


    When Xie Jingxing finished reading the last line, his expression couldn¡¯t help but become solemn.


    This letter recorded everything about Fu Xiuyi in detail. With this letter, Fu Xiuyi almost had no secrets in front of them. With this, dealing with Fu Xiuyi would be easy..

 Chapter 1021 - 1021: Leaving (5)

    Chapter 1021: Leaving (5)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    Xie Jingxing said, ¡°How can he know so much?¡±


    Even if Fu Xiuyi had trusted Pei Lang before, it was impossible for him to trust him to this extent. Pei Lang wrote down the chess pieces that Fu Xiuyi had laid out. It was as if Pei Lang was a trusted general who had been with Fu Xiuyi for many years and knew everything about his master.


    Shen Miao¡¯s fingers were trembling.


    !!


    Some of these things would only happen a few years later. Even now, Fu Xiuyi did not know those people, so how could Pei Lang know them?


    Unless Pei Lang also had the memories of his previous life, which was why he already knew Fu Xiuyi¡¯s ¡°future¡± trusted aides and chess pieces.


    When did Pei Lang know? He clearly did not know anything before.


    Could it be¡­ Shen Miao¡¯s heart skipped a beat. She dreamed of her previous life after the assassination attempt on Xie Jingxing¡¯s birthday. Could it be that it also happened to Pei Lang?


    She looked at Hui Xiang. ¡°Is there anything different about Mr. Pei these days?¡±


    Hui Xiang thought about it carefully and said, ¡°There doesn¡¯t seem to be any difference. He often sat there in a daze, deep in thought about something.¡±


    Shen Miao wanted to ask Pei Lang if he knew anything about his previous life. Pei Lang had been by Fu Xiuyi¡¯s side the longest, so he naturally knew him the best. However, just as she was about to speak, she stopped.


    So what? If Pei Lang really remembered his previous life, just like how Shen Miao couldn¡¯t face Pei Lang, Pei Lang definitely couldn¡¯t face her either.


    The two of them were not fated enemies, nor were they close friends. They could not pretend that nothing had happened and could not explain it clearly either, so escaping from it might really be the wise choice.


    Xie Jingxing asked, ¡°Do you need me to get someone to capture him?¡±


    Shen Miao came back to her senses and said, ¡°There¡¯s no need. Since he wants to live his own life, let him go.¡± It was good that Pei Lang left like this. She held the piece of paper, her eyes sharp.


    Seeing this, Xie Jingxing said, ¡°This letter¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s true.¡± Shen Miao said, ¡°We have to hand this to my brother. We¡¯re not in the capital, so it¡¯s useless to us. Give it to my brother and my brother. They can benefit from it. With this, the Shen family will at least have more leverage.¡± Then, she was in a difficult position. ¡°However, this thing is precious. If the messenger is hijacked on the way¡­¡±


    ¡°Let the Black Feather Army go.¡± Xie Jingxing said casually, ¡°The Black Feather


    Army has been sending letters for many years and has never been hijacked.¡±


    Shen Miao felt a little relieved. Before she could speak, Pei Lang¡¯s letter was taken away by Xie Jingxing. Xie Jingxing casually threw the letter away and said, ¡°It¡¯s too late. Rest.¡± S§×arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°How is it late?¡± Shen Miao said curiously, ¡°It got dark not long ago.¡± She continued, ¡°Although we don¡¯t have to find Mr. Pei, we have to at least ensure his safety. That day, he was injured for no reason. If he¡¯s targeted again¡­¡¯ Before she could finish his sentence, Shen Miao was already picked up by Xie Jingxing. He threw Shen Miao on the bed and approached her, saying sinisterly, ¡°Try showing concerns about Pei Lang again.¡±


    Shen Miao was speechless.


    In the palace.


    In the royal garden, the lotus flowers were blooming well in the summer, and the green lotus leaves were almost covering the pond.


    Empress Xiande sat in the pavilion. Although there was no moon today, there were stars. The cool wind was blowing, and the water was sparkling. It was good scenery. She ordered someone to make flower tea. It was extremely comfortable to drink a small cup in summer..

 Chapter 1022 - 1022: Leaving (6)

    Chapter 1022: Leaving (6)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    Nanny Tao stood behind her and smiled. ¡°The lotus flowers are blooming well this year.¡±


    Empress Xiande took a look and said with a smile, ¡°Last year, I got someone to change the seeds. This year, it¡¯s really much more pleasing to the eye.¡±


    As they spoke, they saw someone walking past from afar. That person seemed to have seen Empress Xiande and the others and paused for a moment before turning around and walking towards the pavilion.


    !!


    When that person walked closer, Empress Xiande saw that it was none other than Consort Jing.


    Compared to before, Consort Jing looked much more disheveled today. Or rather, Consort Jing had not been in good condition for the past few days. She seemed to be in no mood to dress up, and her usually beautiful face looked a little tired.


    However, when she saw Empress Xiande, her tiredness immediately turned into hatred.


    She said, ¡°I saw someone here from afar. I was wondering who was in such a


    good mood to appreciate the flowers. So it¡¯s the empress.¡±


    Empress Xiande smiled noncommittally and said, ¡°I¡¯m drinking tea here. Consort Jing, do you want a cup?¡±


    Consort Jing sneered at her and said, ¡°You are in the mood to drink tea, but I¡¯m not.¡±


    Emperor Yong Le had begun to suppress the Lu family. Although the women in the harem did not know what was going on in the imperial court, they could guess one thing or two from the frequency of visits the emperor paid to the consorts. It was clear that Consort Jing was losing favor.


    Empress Xiande smiled and continued to pour tea. ¡°The tea is here whether you are in the mood to drink it or not.¡±


    Consort Jing was so angry that she was trembling.


    Madam Lu went to the palace to look for her and said that Emperor Yong Le had made a move on the Lu family. She also asked her to find out what Emperor Yong Le was up to. If necessary, she had to beg for mercy.


    However, even if Consort Jing did it, it was useless. In fact, all these years, sea??h th§× n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Emperor Yong Le had indeed doted on her a lot. Even in the harem, Empress Xiande had to be respectful to her. No matter how arrogant she was, she would always be safe in the end. However, she had never been able to change Emperor Yong Le¡¯s mind.


    Now that the Lu family was in trouble and needed her help, Consort Jing went to look for Emperor Yong Le. What caught her off guard was that Emperor


    Yong Le¡¯s attitude suddenlv turned cold.


    Consort Jing had a smooth-sailing life and had never suffered much. When she entered the palace, she easily became a consort with the support of the Lu family. Now that the Lu family was in trouble, she was also implicated. However, she realized that for so many years, other than making enemies in the palace, she had done nothing.


    On the other hand, Empress Xiande, whom she had always looked down on, was sitting in the pavilion and drinking tea leisurely. Consort Jing was filled with anger.


    She thought that Emperor Yong Le did not love Empress Xiande, but Empress Xiande could get everyone¡¯s respect because of her status as the empress. This was too unfair. If she was the empress, Emperor Yong Le would not dare to lay hands on the Lu family.


    Consort Jing immediately felt resentful.


    Consort Jing quietly took a few steps closer to Empress Xiande and said, ¡°The tea indeed smells fragrant. I wonder how it tastes.¡± As soon as she finished speaking, she screamed and pretended to sprain her ankle, falling towards


    Empress Xiande. Empress Xiande was on the side facing the pond. If she fell on Empress Xiande like this, Empress Xiande would be knocked into the water!


    Consort Jing was stupid, but Empress Xiande was not. She had been on guard against Consort Jing the moment she appeared. Seeing Consort Jing falling towards her, she immediately took a step to the left and avoided her.


    With a plop, water splashed.


    Consort Jing¡¯s personal maid suddenly screamed..

 Chapter 1023 - 1023: Royal Descendant (1)

    Chapter 1023: Royal Descendant (1)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    Late at night, Prince Rui¡¯s mansion had already fallen into a deep sleep. In the quiet silence, a voice suddenly sounded. It was Tie Yi who had something to report. Typically, at this hour, Tie Yi would not come and disturb Xie Jingxing. Shen Miao was sleeping when she felt Xie Jingxing get up and leave. A moment later, she heard him saying something to someone outside. Then, there was the sound of clothes being put on in the room. She opened her eyes and saw Xie Jingxing standing at the desk to put on his clothes.


    ¡°Did something happen?¡± she asked.


    Seeing that she was awake, Xie Jingxing said, ¡°Something happened in the palace. I¡¯ll go to the palace to take a look. Sleep first. You don¡¯t have to wait for me.¡±


    !!


    Hearing this, Shen Miao¡¯s sleepiness dissipated. Since Xie Jingxing was going out in the middle of the night, it meant this matter was definitely serious. She said, ¡°What is it? Is it very serious?¡±


    ¡°The empress pushed Lu Jing into the pond.¡± Xie Jingxing said as he put on his robe, ¡°I can¡¯t explain the details in a short time.¡±


    Shen Miao first heaved a sigh of relief. She thought that someone was assassinated in the palace. When she heard this, she was relieved. However, on second thought, she said in surprise, ¡°Why would the empress push Consort Jing into the pond?¡± Shen Miao had seen Empress Xiande and Consort Jing. Empress Xiande was not an aggressive person and wouldn¡¯t be bothered to deal with someone like Consort Jing. Shen Miao would believe that Consort Jing pushed Empress Xiande into the pond, but she would never believe that Empress Xiande did it.


    ¡°The Lu family is also in the palace now.¡± Xie Jingxing said, ¡°They like to kick up a fuss the most. I¡¯ll go and take a look first.¡±


    Shen Miao quickly stood up. ¡°I¡¯ll go too.¡± S§×ar?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°It¡¯s too late.¡± Xie Jingxing disagreed. ¡°Go to sleep first. Nothing will happen.¡±


    Shen Miao shook her head. ¡°Since you are already summoned to the palace, it won¡¯t be a simple matter. Anyway, I can¡¯t sleep anymore. If I stay in the mansion alone, I¡¯ll let my imagination run wild. Why don¡¯t I go with you? Perhaps I can help.¡±


    Xie Jingxing thought for a moment and said, ¡°Forget it. I¡¯m not at ease leaving you here alone. Let¡¯s go.¡±


    Shen Miao quickly got up to change her clothes.


    Because it was really late, the servants were all resting. Xie Jingxing and Shen Miao only brought Tie Yi and Cong Yang. The two of them rode a carriage on the street of Long Ye. There was no one on the street at this moment. Xie


    Jingxing¡¯s expression was a little cold, and Shen Miao was deep in thought.


    Even if Empress Xiande really pushed Consort Jing, there was no need to call Xie Jingxing to the palace in the middle of the night. Moreover, it was almost time for Emperor Yong Le and the Lu family to fall out.


    When Shen Miao was in Ming Qi, she had also seen consorts setting each other up. To anyone with a brain, it was obvious that Consort Jing fell into the pond just to frame the empress. Why did they want Xie Jingxing to go to the palace? Shen Miao felt that this matter was not that simple. However, Tie Yi said that the person who sent the message did not explain it clearly, so the exact situation remained unknown.


    The two of them were deep in thought. In the blink of an eye, they arrived at the entrance of the palace. At the entrance was Eunuch Deng. When he saw Xie Jingxing, he was delighted. Then, he was stunned to see Shen Miao jumping down from the carriage. However, he did not dwell on it and smiled. ¡°Prince Rui, you¡¯re finally here. His Majesty is waiting for you in the palace..¡±

 Chapter 1024 - 1024: Royal Descendant (2)

    Chapter 1024: Royal Descendant (2)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    Xie Jingxing asked Eunuch Deng to lead the way. Shen Miao followed behind and thought for a moment before asking Eunuch Deng, ¡°Eunuch Deng, is the empress well now?¡±


    ¡°Her Majesty is fine. Thank you for your concern, Princess Consort,¡± Eunuch Deng said with a smile.


    Shen Miao narrowed her eyes. If the empress was fine, then who was not fine should be Consort ling.


    !!


    As expected, just as she thought of this, she heard Eunuch Deng say, ¡°But Consort Jing hasn¡¯t woken up yet.¡±


    Xie Jingxing sneered. ¡°What is Lu Jing up to this time?¡± He looked quite angry.


    Eunuch Deng smiled and did not say anything else. Shen Miao felt that smile was meaningful.


    After entering the palace, Eunuch Deng brought the two of them straight to the Jinghua Palace. The Jinghua Palace was where Consort Jing lived. It was already midnight, but the Jinghua Palace was brightly lit. A group of palace maids knelt in the hall. Shen Miao immediately saw that Emperor Yong Le and Empress Xiande were also there. The two of them sat in the hall, but Empress Xiande did not look any different. She was still calm, but Emperor Yong Le¡¯s face was as cold as ice.


    Shen Miao and Xie Jingxing entered hand in hand. Eunuch Deng quickly reported. When Emperor Yong Le saw that Shen Miao was also here, he was slightly stunned. Empress Xiande stood up and walked up to Shen Miao with a smile. She held Shen Miao¡¯s hand and said warmly, ¡°I originally wanted to summon you to the palace and ask you how you have been doing, but things happened one after another. I didn¡¯t expect you to come so late tonight.¡±


    Shen Miao smiled and said, ¡°His Highness Prince Rui is summoned to the palace suddenly. I didn¡¯t know what happened, so I followed him here.¡± Empress Xiande asked her, ¡°Are you feeling better these days?¡±


    Shen Miao said, ¡°I¡¯ve already recovered. Thank you for your concern, Your Majesty.¡±


    Empress Xiande smiled. ¡°Then I¡¯m relieved.¡±


    Xie Jingxing looked at Emperor Yong Le and asked with a dark expression,


    ¡°Brother, what happened?¡±


    Everyone knew that Empress Xiande would definitely not push Consort Jing into the pond. Even though Consort Jing was still unconscious, Emperor Yong Le didn¡¯t care because he had already started to attack the Lu family. Why would he summon Xie Jingxing to the palace then? sea??h th§× n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Emperor Yong Le said coldly, ¡°The Lu family just came.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯ve been here?¡± Xie Jingxing frowned and said, ¡°When I came in, I didn¡¯t see the Lu family.¡± The Lu family was arrogant. Now that Consort Jing had fallen into the pond, the Lu family would definitely seize this opportunity to make a fuss. At the very least, they would definitely pester Empress Xiande. Now that the Lu family was nowhere to be seen, could it be that the Lu family had already made a fuss before they came?


    ¡°They¡¯re not afraid that something will happen to Consort Jing.¡± It was Empress Xiande who spoke. ¡°Because they have something to rely on.¡±


    Shen Miao¡¯s heart skipped a beat.


    Just as they were talking, an imperial physician walked out of the bedroom. He walked up to Emperor Yong Le and bowed. ¡°Your Majesty, Consort Jing fell into the water and caught a cold. Fortunately, her condition is stable, and the child is still safe. After recuperating, she will be fine.¡±


    Consort Jing was pregnant?


    Shen Miao and Xie Jingxing were stunned at the same time. Shen Miao subconsciously looked at Empress Xiande. The corners of Empress Xiande¡¯s lips curled up slightly, and she still looked as calm and generous as usual. However, Shen Miao felt that that smile was a little mocking. Looking at Emperor Yong Le, his eyes were cold, and his face was sunken. He did not look haDDV at all.


    In the room, Consort Jing seemed to have woken up. She started to shout ¡°I want to see His Majesty¡±. Xie Jingxing looked at Emperor Yong Le with a faint smile, but Emperor Yong Le turned to look at Empress Xiande. Empress Xiande smiled and said, ¡°Your Majesty, go and see Consort Jing. The child is innocent after all.¡± She then looked at Xie Jingxing. ¡°Your brother will probably want to talk to you later. Wait here for a while.¡± She then said to Shen Miao, ¡°I have to go back and change my clothes. Princess Consort, come with me. I¡¯m afraid you must be tired. You can rest for a while in Weiyang Palace..¡±

 Chapter 1025 - 1025: Royal Descendant (3)

    Chapter 1025: Royal Descendant (3)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    Empress Xiande was so composed that no one could notice anything wrong with her, but the calmer she was, the more it made people feel uncomfortable. Shen Miao saw that a large part of Empress Xiande¡¯s dress was wet. She thought that she must have been by the pond with Consort Jing previously.


    When Consort Jing fell into the water, Empress Xiande¡¯s clothes were also wet. However, probably because she had been worried about Lu Jing, she did not have the time to go back and change into a clean dress.


    Shen Miao nodded and said, ¡°Alright.¡±


    !!


    Emperor Yong Le stared at Empress Xiande and did not speak. Consort Jing¡¯s voice in the room was getting louder. Empress Xiande said, ¡°Your Majesty, you¡¯d better go in and take a look. It¡¯s not Consort Jing who¡¯s important now, but the child in her stomach.¡± With that, she pulled Shen Miao away.


    As soon as they left Jinghua Palace, the air outside seemed to be much more refreshing. The scorching summer in Long Ye was about to pass, and before long, the weather would gradually turn cold, and it would be early autumn.


    Shen Miao lowered her head. Recalling the strange atmosphere between Emperor Yong Le and Empress Xiande just now, she felt that Empress Xiande looked especially tired today. She even seemed to be at odds with Emperor Yong Le in the Jinghua Palace. This was different from Empress Xiande¡¯s calm personality. Perhaps it was because of Consort Jing¡¯s child?


    By the way, Empress Xiande did not have a child. Ever since the first time Shen Miao entered the palace, she had realized that Emperor Yong Le was in his prime, but he did not have an heir.


    But now, Consort Jing was pregnant. If Consort Jing gave birth to a son, would he be able to become the future crown prince? Then wouldn¡¯t the world still fall into the hands of the Lu family in the end? No wonder Emperor Yong Le was not happy at all when he heard that Consort Jing was pregnant. However, Empress Xiande was probably unhappy not only because she felt threatened, but also because of her jealousy as a woman.


    From an outsider¡¯s perspective, one could always see things clearly. It was the same for Shen Miao. The way Empress Xiande looked at Emperor Yong Le was exactly the same as the way she looked at Fu Xiuyi back then. She loved her husband deeply, but in the end, another woman was pregnant with her husband¡¯s child. Despite looking calm on the surface, Empress Xiande must be sad inside.


    After all, she was just a woman.


    ¡°Princess Consort?¡± Empress Xiande¡¯s voice sounded in her ear. Shen Miao came back to her senses and saw that Empress Xiande was already looking at her. She smiled kindly. ¡°You were so deep in thought that you didn¡¯t even hear me.¡±


    Shen Miao quickly apologized, ¡°Sorry.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no need to be sorry.¡± Empress Xiande did not take it to heart and said, ¡°It¡¯s already so late. It¡¯s natural for people to be absent-minded because of sleepiness. Princess Consort, you don¡¯t have to blame yourself.¡± S§×ar?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    As Shen Miao walked, she couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Your Majesty, I want to ask you something.¡±


    ¡°Please.¡±


    ¡°Did you really push Consort Jing into the pond?¡±


    Empress Xiande paused for a moment before looking at her with a smile and saying, ¡°Princess Consort, what do you think?¡±


    ¡°Your Majesty definitely won¡¯t do that. You have been in harmony with her for many years. There¡¯s no need to deal with her at this juncture.¡± Shen Miao said,


    ¡°So I¡¯m very curious. Why do you want to take the blame?¡±


    Empress Xiande stopped in her tracks and looked at Shen Miao with a smile. She said, ¡°It¡¯s good to know that you believe me. Speaking of which, I felt it¡¯s strange. The first time I saw you, I felt that you were very similar to me, but your personality is stronger. It¡¯s probably because your father is a general. I¡¯ve heard a lot about you. Although you¡¯re also extremely scheming, you have a unique heroic aura and straightforwardness. I don¡¯t have it. My methods are soft and indirect. Even if I want to bring someone down, I will do it slowly. You¡¯re different from me..¡±

 Chapter 1026 - 1026: Royal Descendant (4)

    Chapter 1026: Royal Descendant (4)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    Shen Miao was silent. sea??h th§× N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Empress Xiande smiled and said, ¡°Indeed, I don¡¯t have to push her into the pond. The emperor and the Lu family understand this, but Lu Jing is the only one who doesn¡¯t. It doesn¡¯t matter if I take the blame or not. The goal of framing someone is to deceive the world. However, even you, who just came to Long Ye, can expose this lie, let alone the officials.¡±


    Shen Miao asked, ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to defend yourself?¡±


    !!


    ¡°I can¡¯t be bothered, and I don¡¯t care. Consort Jing can do whatever she wants. I don¡¯t take it to heart at all,¡± Empress Xiande said indifferently.


    Shen Miao thought to herself that she was completely different from Empress


    Xiande in this aspect. If it were her, she would not take the blame. However, Empress Xiande was like the ocean, accepting and calm, making others feel very insignificant in front of her.


    As they spoke, Weiyang Palace was already in front of them. Nanny Tao was waiting at the door. Seeing the two of them return, she quickly walked up to Empress Xiande and said, ¡°Your Majesty, are you alright? Is Consort Jing alright?¡± After Consort Jing fell into the water, Empress Xiande asked Nanny Tao to go back first. Nanny Tao had been worried because Empress Xiande took a long time to come back.


    Empress Xiande did not answer Nanny Tao. She smiled and said, ¡°It¡¯s fine. I¡¯ll go and change my clothes first. Nanny Tao, take the princess consort to the hall and make her some hot tea.¡± With that, she went in to change her clothes.


    Nanny Tao brought Shen Miao to the hall. The tea was already made. Nanny Tao poured tea for Shen Miao and couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Princess Consort, what exactly is going on with Consort Jing? Is she alright? Why did it take so long?¡±


    Shen Miao thought for a moment and said, ¡°Consort Jing is fine, and so is the child in her stomach.¡±


    Nanny Tao was suddenly stunned and almost spilled the tea. When she reacted, she quickly put down the teapot, but her face was very pale.


    Seeing her like this, Shen Miao asked, ¡°Didn¡¯t you know that Consort Jing was pregnant?¡±


    Nanny Tao forced a smile. ¡°Princess Consort, you must be joking. How would we know? If we knew¡­¡± She did not continue.


    If her pregnancy was made public, the likelihood of her giving birth to the child in the harem would be very low.


    Just as they were talking, Empress Xiande walked out. She had changed her clothes, but what she changed into was a moon-white gauze dress with orchids embroidered on it. Shen Miao had to admit that after taking off the empress¡¯s court dress, Empress Xiande suddenly looked like a different person. Shen Miao looked carefully and felt that Empress Xiande indeed had the aura of someone who came from a family of historians. She was a little similar to Pei Lang, but she was even calmer than him.


    She walked over and sat down beside Shen Miao. She picked up a cup of tea and smiled. ¡°This tea can help you stay awake.¡±


    Nanny Tao suddenly knelt down and said, ¡°Your Majesty, are you still in the mood to drink tea?¡±


    Empress Xiande was stunned and said, ¡°What are you doing?¡± Her tone was slightly stern.


    Nanny Tao didn¡¯t get up. She continued to kneel, but she was a little sad and angry. She said, ¡°Consort Jing is pregnant. She¡¯s pregnant and wants to frame you. How long do you have to tolerate her?¡±


    These words were a little out of line for a servant to say. The originally good atmosphere in the room immediately turned tense. Shen Miao held her teacup and did not speak. Empress Xiande said, ¡°You¡¯ve been with me for so many years. I treat you as my family, but what you said just now is too inappropriate..¡±

 Chapter 1027 - 1027: Royal Descendant (5)

    Chapter 1027: Royal Descendant (5)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    Nanny Tao refused to stand up.


    A moment later, Empress Xiande sighed and said, ¡°Forget it. Lu Jing doesn¡¯t know that she¡¯s pregnant. I know Lu Jing very well. If she¡¯s pregnant, she definitely won¡¯t dare to use the child in her stomach to frame me. She will do all she can to protect the child well.¡±


    ¡°But it¡¯s a fact that Consort Jing is pregnant now.¡± Nanny Tao looked up. ¡°Your


    !!


    Majesty, you have to think for yourself!¡±


    Shen Miao finally stopped being silent and said, ¡°Nanny Tao is right. You have to think about this matter carefully. For the sake of His Majesty, you can¡¯t just sit back and do nothing.¡±


    Empress Xiande looked at her in surprise, as if she did not expect Shen Miao to speak at this juncture. However, she quickly smiled in relief and said, ¡°It seems like Jingxing has told you a lot.¡±


    ¡°Get up.¡± Empress Xiande said to Nanny Tao, ¡°I don¡¯t want to repeat myself.¡± This was an order. Nanny Tao hesitated for a moment before standing up.


    Empress Xiande looked at Shen Miao. ¡°I¡¯ve made a fool of myself.¡± She sighed. ¡°Actually, I¡¯ve always thought that Lu Jing was stupid. I disdained to compete with her. Now it seems that I was wrong. Lu Jing is still quite capable. She actually avoided the infertility soup and got pregnant.¡±


    Infertility soup. Shen Miao¡¯s heart skipped a beat. Empress Xiande told her this shocking secret just like that. In fact, the more she knew, the more dangerous it was. Those who knew about the secrets in the palace would eventually become the fertilizer for the flowers in the palace. However, for some reason, she felt that Empress Xiande told her this only because she wanted to tell her. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°You¡¯re smart. I think you¡¯ve seen it for yourself. The emperor doesn¡¯t have any children in the palace, not because those consorts are infertile, but because they all drink infertility soup. Lu Jing used to drink it, but for some reason, she actually got pregnant with a child. This is probably the first child in the palace.¡± After saying that, she thought of something and smiled. ¡°Maybe it¡¯s not the first child. I once had a child too, but it was a miscarriage.¡± When Nanny Tao heard this, her eyes turned red.


    Shen Miao¡¯s hand that was holding the teacup trembled.


    ¡°His Majesty doesn¡¯t think highly of you because he thinks that Jingxing is the best man. Back then, Jingxing said that he wanted to marry a girl from Ming Qi. His Majesty sent people to investigate you. After gathering your information, he told me that you¡¯re vicious.¡± Empress Xiande suddenly changed the topic and looked at Shen Miao. ¡°But now, I think you¡¯re very kind.¡±


    Shen Miao was puzzled. Empress Xiande continued, ¡°You clearly want to ask me about the miscarriage, but you¡¯re afraid of making me sad, so you held it back and didn¡¯t ask.¡±


    Shen Miao said softly, ¡°I just don¡¯t dare to ask.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re really straightforward, and I like you even more.¡± Empress Xiande smiled and said, ¡°Actually, it¡¯s been a long time since the miscarriage, and I¡¯m already over it. Back then, when I was pregnant, Lu Jing added some cold herbs to the pastries made by the royal chef. With just a bite, my child was gone. At that time, Lu Jing had just entered the palace and was backed by the Lu family, so His Majesty could only punish her lightly..¡±

 Chapter 1028 - 1028: Royal Descendant (6)

    Chapter 1028: Royal Descendant (6)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    Just by listening, Shen Miao could already feel the heart-wrenching pain. In her previous life, in Ming Qi¡¯s harem, the consorts fought with each other for the favor of the emperor. The harem was a battlefield for women, and when women were ruthless, they were sometimes even more terrifying than men.


    Many consorts¡¯ children were sacrificed under such circumstances. No matter how vicious the consorts were, at the moment they lost their children, they were all crying in despair. Had this calm and gentle Empress Xiande also experienced that kind of despair? The scar would take a long time to heal, and only Shen Miao knew the pain of the scar.


    The most intolerable thing was that she could not even take revenge for her child. Why?


    !!


    ¡°Don¡¯t blame His Majesty, and don¡¯t think I¡¯m very pitiful. Although I¡¯m indeed very pitiful, I¡¯m also an evil person.¡± Empress Xiande said, ¡°After that miscarriage, I can¡¯t give birth anymore and can¡¯t have children of my own in this life. Therefore, His Majesty made all the women in the harem unable to give birth to his children.¡±


    Shen Miao was stunned. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Because Empress Xiande could not give birth, Emperor Yong Le made all the women in the palace unable to give birth?


    Emperor Yong Le should like Empress Xiande very much, but if he really liked her, why would he let her suffer so much? Why would he favor Consort Jing?


    Shen Miao felt that the royal family of the Daliang Dynasty had as many secrets as Ming Qi¡¯s.


    ¡°But you¡¯re right. I naturally have to plan for the future. Lu Jing¡¯s pregnancy came at the right time and saved her life for the time being, but the Lu family is not so lucky.¡± Empress Xiande smiled, and her smile suddenly became sharp..


    ¡°This child can¡¯t be kept.¡± In the imperial study, Xie Jingxing¡¯s eyes were cold as he spoke to the emperor.


    ¡°I know that I can¡¯t let her live. If possible, I want to force a bowl of abortion medicine down her throat,¡± Emperor Yong Le said coldly, as if it was not his child who was going to die, but someone else.


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you make her drink just now?¡± Xie Jingxing asked sharply.


    ¡°Xiande won¡¯t let me,¡± Emperor Yong Le said.


    After a while, Xie Jingxing smiled mockingly. ¡°She has always been soft-hearted. Perhaps it¡¯s because the child in Lu Jing¡¯s stomach reminds her of her dead child.¡±


    ¡°Xie Jingxing!¡± These words seemed to have touched Emperor Yong Le¡¯s sore spot. He glared at him.


    However, what he got in return was a casual smile from Xie Jingxing. He said, ¡°So what should we do now? I don¡¯t care about Lu Jing, and I don¡¯t want to care about that child either. The Lu family must think that the child in Lu Jing¡¯s stomach is a protective talisman.¡±


    Whether Emperor Yong Le liked it or not, the future crown prince would be given to Lu Jing¡¯s child. Therefore, when the Lu family came today and saw that Consort Jing was pregnant, they did not kick up a fuss and left very quickly. Perhaps in their eyes, Empress Xiande¡¯s position as the empress was about to be gone.


    However, was this really the case?


    Life was unpredictable.


    ¡°The Lu family always forgets one thing. You and I have the blood of the Xie family flowing in us.¡± Emperor Yong Le said indifferently, ¡°And the Xie family is heartless..¡±

 Chapter 1029 - 1029: Background (1)

    Chapter 1029: Background (1)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    On the way back, Shen Miao thought about what Empress Xiande said and couldn¡¯t calm down for a long time.


    In the end, Consort Jing and her child were safe, and Empress Xiande did not get into trouble because of this. It looked like a very perfect result, but Shen Miao felt that something was wrong. When they returned to Prince Rui¡¯s mansion, the sky was almost bright. It was already very late to sleep. Moreover, Shen Miao was not in the mood to rest.


    Seeing this, Jingzhe and Gu Yu instructed the kitchen to make some sweet soup for the two of them. Shen Miao and Xie Jingxing returned to the room and closed the door. Shen Miao sat at the table and looked at Xie Jingxing. ¡°Consort Jing is pregnant. What about the Lu family now?¡±


    !!


    Emperor Yong Le did not have any other children, so the child Consort Jing was pregnant with was the most precious. If she was pregnant with a son, as long as nothing went wrong, the position of the future crown prince would naturally belong to the child in Consort Jing¡¯s stomach. Logically speaking, that should be the case, but Empress Xiande did not seem to agree. This was a little puzzling. Could it be that Emperor Yong Le had other children? Because of Consort Jing¡¯s pregnancy, the Lu family was now fearless. Would Emperor Yong Le¡¯s plan to deal with the Lu family be put on hold? S§×ar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Shen Miao didn¡¯t think so.


    When Xie Jingxing heard that, he said indifferently, ¡°Brother has already made a move on the Lu family. It doesn¡¯t make a difference if she¡¯s pregnant or not.¡±


    What he meant was that the child in Consort Jing¡¯s stomach was one thing, but the ending of the Lu family was another. At most, Consort Jing would be spared death because of the child, and the rest of the Lu family would be wiped out according to the original plan.


    Shen Miao frowned. ¡°I talked to the empress for a while and found it a little strange. I heard that the empress once had a miscarriage because of Consort Jing. Let¡¯s not talk about whether she did it on purpose or not, but no matter how magnanimous the empress is, she won¡¯t let Consort Jing live safely for so many years.¡±


    Xie Jingxing was pouring tea for her when he heard this and paused.


    Shen Miao stared at him. ¡°Tell me the truth. Why hasn¡¯t the emperor had any children yet? Did he do it on purpose or because he had no choice?¡±


    After thinking about it, she felt that it was too strange that Emperor Yong Le did not have any children. Every emperor, be it a wise emperor or an incompetent emperor, wanted to have as many children as possible. The more princes there were, the more stable the situation in the dynasty would be. Even someone like Fu Xiuyi had never lacked children. Previously, Shen Miao was puzzled. Emperor Yong Le¡¯s political achievements were so outstanding, and the people lived in harmony. Why was the imperial court still unstable? Later, she understood. This was because Emperor Yong Le did not have any children. Emperor Yong Le was already very capable. If it were any other emperors, they would probably have been removed from the throne and become an ordinary person.


    Xie Jingxing looked at Shen Miao with a strange gaze. ¡°Do you really want to know?¡±


    ¡°When you fell unconscious after returning from the royal hunting ground, I had a feeling that some things would change. However, at that time, I just came to Long Ye and didn¡¯t know much about the situation in the Daliang Dynasty, so I couldn¡¯t do anything. Apart from going to Phoenix Head Garden to look for that person, I couldn¡¯t help with anything else.¡± Shen Miao said, ¡°I don¡¯t like to be in this passive state. If you are going to do something big one day, I hope that I will not be useless. However, I don¡¯t know anything. Even if I want to help, I can¡¯t.¡±


    Xie Jingxing looked at her for a while and suddenly sighed. He patted her head and said, ¡°Not only is Jiaojiao smart, but she¡¯s also considerate..¡±

 Chapter 1030 - 1030: Background (2)

    Chapter 1030: Background (2)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    Shen Miao pushed his hand away and said, ¡°You can¡¯t ask me to be a freeloader.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t dare to underestimate you.¡± Xie Jingxing smiled and sighed. ¡°Since you want to know, I won¡¯t hide it. You once told me that you had a dream. That dream was very tragic. What I want to tell you now is not a dream, but something that really happened.¡±


    ¡°It will take half a year to reach the capital of Ming Qi from Long Ye. Don¡¯t you always want to know why I became the son of the Marquis of Lin¡¯an back then?


    !!


    All these years, I knew my identity, but I didn¡¯t go back to the Daliang Dynasty. It wasn¡¯t that I didn¡¯t want to go back but that I couldn¡¯t go back.¡± His gaze gradually became sharp.


    Xie Jingxing¡¯s real name was Xie Yuan, and his courtesy name was Jingxing.


    The person who named him was his father, Xie Yilong, Emperor Xiaowu, but the person who gave him the courtesy name was his mother, Empress Xiao.


    Xie Yilong was the most outstanding prince of the Daliang Dynasty back then. He held military power, was stable in the world, and was handsome, heroic, and high-spirited. The only bad thing about him was that because he was the youngest son, the royal family of the Daliang Dynasty had never raised the youngest. However, Xie Yilong was too outstanding. The more outstanding a person was, the more they either did not care about worldly affairs or were ambitious. Unfortunately, Xie Yilong was the latter. In addition, the crown prince at that time was much inferior to him, so Xie Yilong eventually took the path of competition for the throne.


    Xie Yilong¡¯s competition for the throne was very smooth. He was born to the empress and had accumulated a lot of merits in his youth. In the end, Xie Yilong schemed against his brother, the crown prince, and caused his mother to die from depression. He controlled his father and successfully obtained the throne.


    In the competition for the throne, one had to give up some things, such as family and love. Of course, to Xie Yilong, these were not important. He was an ambitious person, so in the end, he married the daughter of the Xiao family. Sear?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The Xiao family was the head of the civil officials. If he married the daughter of the Xiao family, he could almost rope in more than half of the civil officials in the Daliang Dynasty. In addition, the daughter of the Xiao family was already beautiful and smart. This marriage was actually extremely worth it.


    After ascending the throne, Emperor Xiaowu treated Empress Xiao with respect. Emperor Xiaowu was a wise emperor, and Empress Xiao was a virtuous figure that all the women in the world looked up to. Not long after, Empress Xiao gave birth to her eldest son, Xie Chi, and made him the crown prince. Originally, the Daliang Dynasty was gradually expanding, and the country was gradually surpassing the other two countries. Everything looked good.


    However, nothing in the world could remain unchanged.


    The people who went through thick and thin with you might not be able to share wealth with you.


    Empress Xiao married Emperor Xiaowu in a time of chaos. The couple complemented each other. Xie Yilong was ambitious and steady. Empress Xiao was smart and resourceful.


    However, when the enemies outside were eliminated, the arrowhead would turn to the people inside.


    Emperor Xiaowu was an ambitious person. Back then, he used tricks to obtain the throne. Ambition came from desire, and he gradually suspected that the Xiao family had the intention of monopolizing the imperial court. The more virtuous and smart Empress Xiao appeared, the more paranoid Emperor Xiaowu was. In order to balance the power of the Xiao family, Emperor Xiaowu took in a large number of women. Among them, there was no lack of women from families that were on par with the Xiao family. In the imperial court, he let the Xiao family fight with the other families, and in the harem, he let Empress Xiao fight with the women of those families..

 Chapter 1031 - 1031: Background (3)

    Chapter 1031: Background (3)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    Empress Xiao was smart and sensible. After she got married, she had always upheld the family motto of treating her husband as the world. In addition, Xie Yilong was also an outstanding person, and they had been getting along well for so many years. However, those women gradually started to give birth to a prince. Their children even threatened Xie Chi¡¯s status as the crown prince. Finally, Empress Xiao could not sit back anymore.


    Every woman, even the weakest woman, could turn into a ferocious beast when it came to protecting their child. Moreover, Empress Xiao was not a weak white rabbit. For her to become the most outstanding girl in a family like the Xiao family, she naturally had her own strength. She began to fight back fiercely.


    To be able to survive the chaotic days with Emperor Xiaowu, Empress Xiao¡¯s ability was naturally not to be underestimated. How could those delicate women who grew up in the incubator compare to her? They were destined to be humiliated. Empress Xiao won every battle. The dominance and intelligence she displayed shocked those women, and for a moment, no one dared to go against her.


    !!


    However, someone as smart as Empress Xiao would also make a mistake. The more outstanding she performed, the more Emperor Xiaowu felt uncomfortable.


    Emperor Xiaowu became more and more wary of her and even started to think of ways to find fault with her. At first, he only found a few opponents for Empress Xiao in the harem and watched them fight. However, towards the end, he would subconsciously side with the other. Everything Empress Xiao did was wrong. He also began to directly suppress the Xiao family without rhyme or reason.


    Empress Xiao felt very sad, but in the end, she still thought that Emperor Xiaowu was her husband. No one would make a mistake at some point in their life. She just had to protect her status and let Xie Chi grow up safely and take over the throne.


    Who knew that those women would have designs on Xie Chi?


    At that time, Emperor Xiaowu suddenlv became affectionate with Empress Xiao. Empress Xiao didn¡¯t know why, but not long after, Prime Minister Xiao suddenly took the initiative to resign.


    Xie Yilong was indeed a very scheming person. Although the Xiao family was ruthless, they were not as ruthless as Xie Yilong. It wasn¡¯t easy for the Xiao family to raise a daughter who eventually became an empress. For this empress, the Xiao family did not hesitate to sacrifice themselves.


    When Empress Xiao found out about this, it was already too late. She knew that Xie Yilong¡¯s sudden affection towards her was just a scheme and she felt extremely disgusted. However, she did not expect to be pregnant.


    The child in her stomach was different from Xie Chi. The child came to this world because of Xie Yilong¡¯s deliberate schemes. When Empress Xiao was pregnant, she often thought that if the child was a son, she had to prevent him from becoming someone like his father. He could be ambitious and could come up with ideas to get what he wanted, but he must not use people and play with people¡¯s hearts. That was the most despicable and the most shameless thing.


    After getting pregnant, Empress Xiao was very vulnerable in the harem. She did not expect someone to have designs on Xie Chi at this time.


    Xie Chi was drugged.


    If not for the fact that the Gao family¡¯s head and Prime Minister Xiao were old friends and the Gao family¡¯s head personally came forward to help, Xie Chi would probably not have survived that time. Although he had survived that time, the Gao family¡¯s head also said that the poison had already entered his organs and that Xie Chi would not live to be 35 years old. Moreover, this poison would affect his children. In the future, if Xie Chi had a child, the child would inevitably have a connate deficiency.


    The head of the Gao family was a divine doctor in the world and trusted by the royal family.. S§×ar?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 1032 - 1032: Background (4)

    Chapter 1032: Background (4)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    Empress Xiao did not expect that she, who was once the most outstanding daughter of the Xiao family and the empress of the Daliang Dynasty, would one day end up in such a state. In order to protect her, her family took the initiative to leave the imperial court. One of her two children was drugged, and the other was born out of a vicious scheme.


    The person who drugged Xie Chi was found. She was the new consort Emperor Xiaowu took in. Empress Xiao tied that consort to the imperial garden and cut off her flesh piece by piece, watching her take her last breath. At that time, all the palace maids and eunuchs in the imperial garden almost fainted from watching the scene. However, Empress Xiao felt that she hadn¡¯t had enough.


    Did Emperor Xiaowu know about this? Empress Xiao felt that after being husband and wife with Emperor Xiaowu for so many years, it was time to reevaluate him. Even if Emperor Xiaowu did not know, this consort was still brought in to deal with Empress Xiao.


    !!


    On one hand, Empress Xiao was wary of Emperor Xiaowu, but on the other hand, she pretended to be depressed and in low spirits because of what happened to her son.


    The fact that Xie Chi was drugged did not spread, but who knew if others would find out in the future? However, what Empress Xiao was most worried about was the future. The child in her stomach was about to come to this world. Emperor Xiaowu was deliberately distancing from Xie Chi because of the Xiao family. If anything happened to Xie Chi in the future, then the child in her stomach would take Xie Chi¡¯s place as the crown prince, but who could guarantee that her second son wouldn¡¯t end up like Xie Chi? If it was a daughter, Empress Xiao did not want her to stay in the palace and be manipulated by others every day. S~ea??h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Empress Xiao was prepared to fight back. After she gave birth to her child, she wanted to seek justice for the Xiao family, Xie Chi, and the pain she had suffered. However, when her second child was just born, it would be inconvenient for her to fight with others. Her son might even be used by others to control her, so she decided to find a newborn to replace her son. The newborn could enjoy everything a prince could while her son would be sent far away.


    Empress Xiao handed her swaddled child to her trusted aide and said, ¡°If he grows up to be an outstanding man one day, tell him that he can use schemes, but he must not play with people¡¯s hearts.¡± She looked at her child one last time and said, ¡°Go.¡±


    From Long Ye to the capital of Ming Qi, it would take half a year. As soon as Xie Yuan came to this world, he was on the run.


    In the Marquis¡¯s Residence in the capital, Princess Yuqing was about to give birth.


    Empress Xiao¡¯s trusted aide originally followed Empress Xiao¡¯s orders to send Xie Yuan to an ordinary rich family to stay away from the power struggles of the imperial court. However, that day, when the trusted aide was asking around on the street, he accidentally found out that Princess Yuqing was about to give birth. The child¡¯s name had already been chosen. It was Jingxing.


    The trusted aide thought that this was really a coincidence.


    That night, the wind was howling, and it rained heavily in the capital. The rain washed away the blood in the courtyard, the woman¡¯s painful moans, and the baby¡¯s gradually weak cries..

 Chapter 1033 - 1033: Background (5)

    Chapter 1033: Background (5)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    The child born to Princess Yuqing died right after birth. The aide holding the baby made a decision that would have an unimaginable impact on the future of the world.


    From then on, Xie Jingxing became the young heir of the Marquis of Lin¡¯an and continued his life as the son of Empress Xiao and Princess Yuqing.


    Not long after, the family that was originally chosen by the aide to raise Xie Jingxing was wiped out overnight. People in the Daliang Dynasty knew very well that Emperor Xiaowu had discovered it and sent people thousands of miles away to eliminate the possible threat, but because of a freak combination of factors, Xie Jingxing managed to escape this life and death calamity.


    !!


    It was as if it was destined to be the case.


    With Concubine Fang and her two sons causing trouble, the Xie family was also in a mess. Xie Jingxing could only rely on Xie Ding¡¯s favor to survive. However, Xie Ding¡¯s favor might not be a good thing. Xie Ding was not in the mansion all year round. It was already difficult for a young man like Xie Jingxing to survive in the mouth of wolves. If not for the help of Empress Xiao¡¯s trusted aide, he would probably have long become ashes. Not only that, but the emperor of Ming Qi also secretly suppressed the Xie family.


    Fortunately, Xie Jingxing grew up safely. He was grateful to the aide for putting him in such a dangerous environment because it taught him to be calm in face of danger. He was cynical and enjoyed riding his horse through the streets and alleys of the capital. He was mischievous and gave people a headache, but just as Empress Xiao had expected, he really grew into an indomitable man who could fight alone. He had never used other people¡¯s feelings. On the surface, he was indifferent, but he respected everyone.


    What about Empress Xiao?


    Over the years, Empress Xiao missed her youngest son and was heartbroken by what happened to her eldest son. She even decided to fight back.


    Aren¡¯t you most afraid that this country will fall into the hands of the Xiao family? Isn¡¯t the throne what you care about the most? Then I¡¯ll take everything away from you and trample it under my feet. At that time, will you feel a trace of regret for what you did today? Let¡¯s see.


    Empress Xiao was the daughter of the Xiao family and was strategically minded like a man. She was motivated by her anger, but Emperor Xiaowu had already begun to age and go downhill. The consorts in the harem had distracted him, and his ambition gradually faded because he thought that he had eliminated all threats.


    Life springs from sorrow and calamity, death comes from ease and pleasure.


    When Emperor Xiaowu died, only Empress Xiao was by his side. Empress Xiao said, ¡°Your Majesty, don¡¯t worry. We¡¯re husband and wife. I won¡¯t let you be too lonely on the way to hell. I¡¯ll get all the consorts you favored and your children to accompany you apart from the crown prince.¡±


    Emperor Xiaowu¡¯s eyes widened.


    ¡°Also.¡± Empress Xiao seemed to have thought of something. She leaned over and whispered into his ear, ¡°Our youngest son is doing well. Back then, Your Majesty sent people to kill him in Ming Qi, but they killed the wrong person. In a few years, when the imperial court is stable, I will bring him back to claim his title.¡±


    ¡°Have a safe journey to hell, Your Majesty. The throne is no longer yours.¡± Empress Xiao stood in front of the bed with a gentle smile.


    Emperor Xiaowu died with his eyes wide open.


    After that, Empress Xiao became Empress Dowager Xiao.


    Xie Chi became Emperor Yong Le.


    Xie Jingxing was still in the capital of Ming Qi, exploring the world alone. He found out about his background, but he was warned that his father was hunting him down, so he could not act rashly.


    Just like she said, Empress Xiao really cleaned up the harem of the Daliang


    Dynasty. Those who once targeted her and her son were buried along with S§×arch* The novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Emperor Xiaowu. She said to Xie Chi, who had already become Emperor Yong Le, ¡°I¡¯m old and can¡¯t do much, but I can at least give you a clean harem. From now on, there will be no villains in this harem. You just have to promise me one thing. Keep this empire in your hands and never let it decline.¡±


    The Lu and Ye families were Emperor Xiaowu¡¯s trusted aides. They were extremely cunning. Because of their power, it was not easy to uproot them.


    Emperor Yong Le had been secretly planning to deal with these two families.


    Empress Dowager Xiao passed away two years later. When she was reading the memorial submitted by the Lu family, she suddenly fell to the ground and did not wake up again. The Gao family said that it was because she was mentally and physically exhausted and died. However, the day before yesterday, she was still asking Emperor Yong Le in good spirits if he had any ideas how they should hold the grand ceremony this year. Perhaps they could think of a way to get Xie Jingxing to return to the Daliang Dynasty once.


    Life was unpredictable. In her life, she sadly did not have the chance to reunite with Xie Jingxing.


    From then on, they would be separated forever..

 Chapter 1034 - 1034: Preparing (1)

    Chapter 1034: Preparing (1)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    Empress Xiao¡¯s life was very legendary. From the prime minister¡¯s daughter to the empress, she experienced the estrangement of husband and wife, the grievance of being framed, and the pain of being separated from her son. However, in the end, she succeeded in cleaning up the harem. She was the kind of person who became stronger in adversity and rose up. If she had any regrets, the first was that Xie Chi couldn¡¯t completely recover from the poison, and the second was that she could not see Xie Jingxing again.


    The two brothers, Xie Chi and Xie Jingxing, were more similar to Empress Xiao. Back in Long Ye, Empress Xiao was a beauty pursued by everyone, and it was not an exaggeration to say that she was peerless. Not only did Xie Chi and Xie Jingxing inherit Empress Xiao¡¯s appearance, but they also inherited her way of doing things. Because Xie Chi was on the throne, he resembled his father in one way or another. For example, when he was playing the power game, he would rely on marriage alliances to gain an upper hand. Xie Jingxing was different. He was far away in Ming Qi and was the enemy of the royal family of Ming Qi. He did not resemble his father at all. He had indeed met Empress Xiao¡¯s expectations of him back then. Although he was not a good person, he was definitely not a despicable person either.


    Shen Miao did not expect Xie Jingxing¡¯s background to be so complicated and strange. She sighed and couldn¡¯t help but admire Empress Xiao. Empress Xiao was so similar to her in her previous life. The only difference was that Empress Xiao stood until the end. However, Shen Miao knew that she could not compare to Empress Xiao, who could endure the pain of sending her child far away. S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    !!


    Seeing her complicated gaze, Xie Jingxing smiled indifferently and said, ¡°Don¡¯t pity me. I¡¯ve never seen her, so I naturally have no attachment to her.¡±


    He was a young man who grew up alone in the storm. He was born against the will of his biological father and had never seen his biological mother. On the contrary, he was more broad-minded than ordinary people. In his eyes, nothing was insurmountable.


    However, he was indifferent to people because he did not have high hopes for them from the beginning.


    Shen Miao was silent for a moment before saying, ¡°I¡¯ll accompany you to the end.¡±


    Xie Jingxing¡¯s eyes flickered. Then, he smiled and said, ¡°If you really pity me, bear me a child.¡±


    His evil smile instantly wiped away the sad atmosphere. Shen Miao glared at him and suddenly thought of something. She said, ¡°The emperor¡¯s illness¡­¡± She did not continue.


    Since the Gao family said that Xie Chi would not live over 35 years old, how many more years did Emperor Yong Le¡­ have left?


    ¡°My brother is already 36 this year.¡± Xie Jingxing said, ¡°The diagnosis back then might not be accurate. However,¡± his eyes turned cold, ¡°He is indeed getting sicker and sicker.¡±


    ¡°Do the Lu and Ye families know about this?¡± Shen Miao asked.


    ¡°I heard that after Emperor Xiaowu died, my mother wiped out all the people in the palace who knew about my brother¡¯s illness. Apart from the head of the Gao family, you, I, and my sister-in-law, no one else knows.¡±


    Shen Miao¡¯s heart skipped a beat. She was surprised at how ruthless and decisive Empress Xiao was.


    ¡°Then did the empress know about the illness before she married the emperor? Or after she married the emperor¡­¡± Shen Miao asked.


    Xie Jingxing looked at her with a faint smile. ¡°What exactly do you want to ask?¡±


    Shen Miao thought that if Empress Xiande had long known that Emperor Yong Le would not live past 35 years old, would she still marry him? After all, it was not easy to be a widow at such a young age..

 Chapter 1035 - 1035: Gathering (2)

    Chapter 1035: Gathering (2)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations S§×arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°If it were you, what would you do?¡± Xie Jingxing asked.


    Shen Miao said, ¡°When I just married you, I definitely wasn¡¯t willing to be a widow for you.¡±


    When Xie Jingxing heard this, he pulled her over and pressed her head on his chest. He smiled and said, ¡°Oh? Do you mean that you are willing to be a widow for me now?¡± Without waiting for Shen Miao to answer, he said thoughtfully, ¡°In that case, when you married me back then, you also had a feeling for me.¡±


    !!


    ¡°No one likes someone like you.¡± Pressed against his chest, Shen Miao couldn¡¯t breathe. Xie Jingxing said in a lazy voice, ¡°If you like me, just say it. Don¡¯t worry. I definitely won¡¯t make you a widow at such a young age.¡±


    Shen Miao smiled instead of being angry and retorted, ¡± Don¡¯t worry, in this world, there aren¡¯t many women who are willing to be a widow. Even if widows stay loyal and virtuous, they¡¯ll still be rumored. There is no shortage of gigolos in Long Ye.¡± The longer she was with Xie Jingxing, the less restrained she became, and she no longer put on a dignified aura.


    As expected, when he heard this, Xie Jingxing paused and stared at her intently. He said, ¡°Are you going to look for a gigolo?¡± His tone was gentle, but Shen Miao felt an inexplicable chill on the back of her neck. Before she could speak, Xie Jingxing suddenly picked her up horizontally and stood up. He strode towards the bed, scaring Shen Miao so much that she screamed. Xie Jingxing said calmly, ¡°It seems like you need to be taught a lesson.¡±


    Tie Yi, who was guarding outside, was so embarrassed by the conversation that his face turned red.


    The couple was intimate for a long time before finally stopping. Shen Miao leaned against Xie Jingxing¡¯s arm and nudged him, asking, ¡°You haven¡¯t answered me yet. Does the empress know or not?¡±


    ¡°She is such a smart woman. If she found out that she was deceived, the palace would be in a mess.¡± Xie Jingxing sighed and said, ¡°When my mother was choosing a wife for my brother, she once called my sister-in-law into the palace to talk to her about something. Needless to say, it was about my brother¡¯s illness.¡±


    Shen Miao said, ¡°Knowing that he¡¯s sick, she was still willing to marry him. It seems like the empress really likes the emperor.¡±


    Xie Jingxing did not speak.


    Empress Xiande came from a family of historians. In fact, in terms of real power, her family was inferior to many families. However, in the end, Empress Xiao still chose Empress Xiande as her daughter-in-law because Empress Xiande¡¯s family was absolutely loyal. Empress Xiande was also gentle, honest, smart, and generous.


    Empress Xiande¡¯s family was loyal. As for whether Empress Xiande had feelings for Emperor Yong Le or not, it was unknown. After all, it was a luxury to have true love in the royal family. However, Empress Xiande had always been calm about the fact that Emperor Yong Le would not live past the age of 35.


    Shen Miao said, ¡°She should plan for herself.¡±


    Xie Jingxing smiled. ¡°My sister-in-law is very smart and not greedy..¡±

 Chapter 1036 - 1036: Gathering (3)

    Chapter 1036: Gathering (3)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    It was best not to be greedy. The root of many tragedies was greed. Greed for power, wealth, and love.


    Shen Miao thought for a moment and said, ¡°Then how do you plan to deal with the Lu family now that Consort Jing is pregnant?¡±


    Xie Jingxing played with Shen Miao¡¯s long hair and said casually, ¡°What does Lu Jing¡¯s pregnancy have to do with all this? The same knife cuts bread and fingers. The Lu family thinks that they can rest easy because their daughter is pregnant, but in fact, they¡¯re wrong. When the officials find out that the bloodline of the Xie family can be continued, will they still side with the Lu family?¡±


    !!


    Shen Miao looked at him. ¡°That can¡¯t be all, right?¡±


    Xie Jingxing raised an eyebrow. ¡°Why do you say so?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s obvious that Consort Jing¡¯s pregnancy was an accident outside your plan. None of you expected this at first.¡± Shen Miao said, ¡°If Consort Jing isn¡¯t pregnant, how do you plan to deal with the Lu family?¡±


    ¡°Simple.¡± Xie Jingxing said, ¡°Ever since my brother ascended the throne, he has been planning to deal with the Lu and Ye families. For so many years, he has been searching for evidence of the Lu family secretly gathering military strength. Now that he¡¯s almost done collecting evidence, it¡¯s time to show it. At that time, wiping out the Lu family will not cause dissent. This is the first plan.¡± Xie Jingxing said, ¡°The second plan is that although the Lu family has a lot of military power, it¡¯s not like we don¡¯t have other generals. Those generals have almost all become my brother¡¯s men in private. Also, the Black Feather Army has been accumulating strength. It¡¯s simple. Present the evidence and force the Lu family to confess. However, Lu Zhengchun has been arrogant and will definitely not confess. He will definitely turn against the royal family, which will give us a justifiable reason to kill him.¡± S§×arch* The ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    When Shen Miao heard him say that, she thought to herself that Xie Jingxing and Emperor Yong Le were indeed brothers. Their methods of dealing with people were really direct. They were very simple and effective. Perhaps they had inherited some of Empress Xiao¡¯s characteristics.


    She said, ¡°If that¡¯s the case, why do we have to prepare for so many years? You can fight back from the beginning.¡±


    Xie Jingxing leaned closer to her ear and said, ¡°Little girl, you have to know that the men of the Xie family don¡¯t like to take unnecessary risks. The Lu family has a deep foundation. If we make a move too early, we might not be their match. Now that the time is right, it¡¯s time to get rid of them all at once.¡±


    Shen Miao frowned and heard Xie Jingxing say, ¡°I know you like to take gambles. Back then, when you were weak, you dared to scheme against Prince Yu. However, it¡¯s too dangerous and you might suffer. I don¡¯t like it.¡±


    Shen Miao had to admit that what Xie Jingxing said made sense. Back then, she dared to confront Prince Yu and Fu Xiuyi because she was fighting alone. Later, as the Shen family gradually became involved, she had too many things to worry about, so she couldn¡¯t be as unrestrained as before.


    ¡°However, what about the Ye family?¡± Shen Miao still had questions.


    ¡°Previously, my brother planned to rope in the Ye family. Anyway, the Ye family doesn¡¯t have any children. They only have a crippled young master. He can¡¯t do anything.¡± Xie Jingxing said, ¡°But since you told me that the Ye siblings are your enemies, I naturally won¡¯t rope them in. Becoming friends with your enemies will only bring destruction.¡± He said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll avenge you..¡±

 Chapter 1037 - 1037: Gathering (4)

    Chapter 1037: Gathering (4)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    Shen Miao was silent for a long time before saying softly, ¡°Thank you.¡± For someone to change a plan they had been preparing to carry out was not easy because they had to change everything that was related to this plan. It was troublesome and risky. However, Xie Jingxing was willing to do it for her and bear all the possible outcomes.


    How lucky was she to meet such a person in this life?


    Seeing that her expression was strange, Xie Jingxing hooked Shen Miao¡¯s chin and made her look up. He clicked his tongue and said, ¡°Well, if you really want to thank me, why don¡¯t you repay me with your body?¡±


    Shen Miao pushed him and scolded, ¡°Stop being so cheeky. How do you plan to deal with the Ye family then?¡±


    Xie Jingxing thought for a moment and said, ¡°That¡¯s not difficult. The Ye family is in cahoots with the Lu family. If something happens to the Lu family, the Ye family will be in trouble too. Aren¡¯t you quite smart? Why can¡¯t you even figure this out now?¡±


    Shen Miao looked at him in shock. Xie Jingxing could make framing others sound so righteous. Those who did not know better would think that he was saving people. Moreover, framing the prime minister of a country was not such a simple thing.


    ¡°The Ye family is actually easier to deal with than the Lu family. The Ye family only has a wide connection in the imperial court. However, once the Lu family is in trouble and the Ye family is implicated, as long as those civil officials are not fools, they will cut ties with the Ye family. All these years, the two trusted aides left behind by Emperor Xiaowu are actually not as powerful as they used to be.¡±


    Shen Miao thought for a moment and said, ¡°It¡¯s not that their strength is being worn down, but that your strength has already increased to the point where you don¡¯t have to fear them.¡±


    The young beast had finally grown into the king of beasts, so it was time to deal with the wolves in the forest one by one.


    Xie Jingxing looked at her and teased, ¡°Do you admire me so much?¡±


    Shen Miao said expressionlessly, ¡°Whatever you say.¡±


    ¡°In order to thank you for admiring me, I have to serve you well,¡± Xie Jingxing said solemnly. He turned around and pressed Shen Miao under him.


    Shen Miao was speechless.


    At the Ye mansion.


    Ye Mei and Ye Ke were talking in the room.


    Ye Maocai prided himself on being a scholar, so the furnishings in the room were naturally elegant. However, on closer look, those paintings and calligraphy were all treasures of famous artists. Even the paperweight on the table was worth a lot. It could be seen that the Ye family was indeed rich. S§×arch* The N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    There were exquisite pastries on the table.


    Ye Mei was wearing a bright yellow dress. This dress was top-notch in both material and workmanship. She was born outstanding, and with this dress, even the nobles in the palace were inferior to her.


    Ye Ke sat opposite her. His clothes were as simple as before, but the fabric was on a different level. Clearly, in the Ye family, the siblings were doing quite well.


    ¡°Sister, what do you mean by that?¡± Ye Ke asked with a frown.


    Ye Mei picked up the tea on the table and took a sip. She said indifferently, ¡°Previously, when Madam Ye was looking for her daughter, she insisted that I was her daughter. It happened too quickly, and we don¡¯t know if it¡¯s true or not. However, she at least found a good place for us to stay. After Father and Mother died, we could no longer run the shop. Moreover, it¡¯s much better to be an official¡¯s children than a merchant¡¯s children. With Prime Minister Ye as your father, your official career will be smoother..¡±

 Chapter 1038 - 1038: Gathering (5)

    Chapter 1038: Gathering (5)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    Ye Ke smiled bitterly. ¡°Of course I know that, but Ye Maocai doesn¡¯t believe in our identity at all, right?¡±


    In the past, Ye Mei and Ye Ke did not believe that things would fall into their laps in this world. However, Madam Ye insisted that Ye Mei was her daughter who was swapped right after birth. After searching for their daughter for so many years, the Ye family finally found Ye Mei. Ye Mei thought that this could not possibly be true.


    Because she and Ye Ke were a pigeon pair.


    However, no matter how Ye Mei explained, Madam Ye wouldn¡¯t listen. She even insisted on bringing Ye Ke into the Ye family because of Ye Mei.


    The siblings were vigilant. Later, Ye Maocai came to see the two of them. Ye


    Maocai was much more sober than Madam Ye and went straight to the point.


    He said that the siblings were not Madam Ye¡¯s children. However, because Madam Ye insisted, Ye Maocai did not want to make her sad and was willing to take them in.


    Ye Mei was a smart person. Without knowing the pros and cons, she wouldn¡¯t take a risk. She thought of a way to investigate the Ye family and found out that the Ye family was now in a delicate situation in the royal family. In addition, the Ye family only had a crippled young master. Ye Maocai naturally needed a pigeon pair to prove to everyone that the Ye family could prosper forever and make them give up on the thought of devouring the Ye family.


    They were just each taking what they needed. A crippled young master was not a threat at all, and all the wealth of the Ye family would eventually fall into the hands of Ye Ke. With the title of the eldest miss of the Ye family, Ye Mei could also easily marry into a rich family in the future. Even if Ye Maocai had other thoughts, the siblings were not fools. They would naturally think of ways to get what they wanted.


    Therefore, Ye Mei and her brother entered the Ye family and became the children of the Ye family. Madam Ye trusted them, but Ye Maocai was wary of them. This made no difference to the Ye siblings, because the Ye family was just a springboard and a backer that could help them walk further.


    Ye Mei said, ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter if he believes our identities or not. We just have to treat him as a businessman and we are doing a deal. However, now it seems that this deal is not doing particularly well. I didn¡¯t expect things to turn out like this.¡±


    ¡°Turned out like what?¡± Ye Ke was puzzled. ¡°Sister, be more specific.¡± Sear?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Ye Mei said, ¡°Previously, I thought that the Ye family was powerful in Long Ye and that we didn¡¯t have to be afraid of anything. However, the Ye family is not doing as well as I thought. It seems like they can¡¯t even fend for themselves. If we get involved with them, we can live a comfortable life, but if the Ye family declines, we¡¯ll also be doomed.¡±


    When Ye Ke heard this, his expression turned a little ugly. He said, ¡°You mean that the Ye family is in a dangerous situation now?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s dangerous or not.¡± Ye Mei sneered. ¡°That sly old fox, Ye Maocai, hid it well and refused to let us know the situation of the Ye family. Although Madam Ye trusts me, she trusts Ye Maocai more. It¡¯s hard to get information out of her. However, the more this is the case, the more uneasy I feel. I have a feeling that the Ye family is in for a catastrophe.¡±


    ¡°Maybe you¡¯re thinking too much.¡± Ye Ke thought for a moment and shook his head. ¡°After all, Ye Maocai is the prime minister of the Daliang Dynasty. How can a catastrophe befall him? As for the Ye family being wary of us, it¡¯s probably because we haven¡¯t spent long enough together. We¡¯re in the same boat now. Otherwise, when you proposed to assassinate Princess Consort Rui back then, the Ye family wouldn¡¯t have agreed so readily. Unfortunately, Princess Consort Rui was lucky and saved by that scholar..¡±

 Chapter 1039 - 1039: Gathering (6)

    Chapter 1039: Gathering (6)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations S§×arch* The N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°But Sister.¡± Ye Ke looked at her. ¡°Back then, why did you let the Ye family kill Princess Consort Rui? Is it really because you want to marry Prince Rui? I feel that this decision is rushed and a little unthoughtful.¡±


    Ye Mei paused and thought for a moment before saying, ¡°If I say that the first time I saw her, I felt that I didn¡¯t want her to live in this world, would you believe me?¡±


    Ye Ke was stunned, and Ye Mei was deep in thought.


    When she first came to Long Ye with the Ye family, Xie Jingxing had just returned from the royal hunt with his life in danger. Ye Maocai gave her the antidote and asked her to save Prince Rui. If Ye Maocai had the antidote, then Prince Rui¡¯s injury was most likely his doing. If Ye Mei went to save Prince Rui as a member of the Ye family, it would inevitably arouse suspicion.


    Ye Maocai wanted to use Ye Mei to get close to Prince Rui. With Ye Mei¡¯s beauty and the fact that she saved Prince Rui, she could smoothlv marrv Prince Rui.


    That day, Ye Mei saw Prince Rui for the time.


    Ye Mei was not into men. She was ambitious and had tricks up her sleeve. Men were tools for her to achieve her goal. If there was someone better, she would hesitate to abandon her husband for him.


    Xie Jingxing was the best she had seen in her life.


    He was young and powerful, and he was flirtatious and beautiful. Even when he was just lying there quietly, his noble aura still attracted people¡¯s attention. Moreover, Ye Mei also found out from Ye Maocai that Xie Jingxing was very capable. It was normal for her to want to have such a good man, and Xie Jingxing¡¯s coldness made her want to conquer him even more.


    It was said that Xie Jingxing had a princess consort, but Ye Mei had never seen her before. Knowing that that woman was the daughter of a Ming Qi general, she didn¡¯t think much of it. The daughter of a general was vulgar. Without a backer in the Daliang Dynasty, Ye Mei didn¡¯t even think that she was qualified to be her opponent.


    Until the moment she saw Shen Miao.


    Shen Miao appeared in muddy clothes, and her hair was messy. Her face was travel-worn. However, she was standing in front of Ye Mei. Against the light, her figure was dignified and noble, like a domineering beast declaring its sovereignty.


    Ye Mei was in the limelight, and Shen Miao was in a sorry state.


    However, at that moment, Ye Mei had a ridiculous feeling, as if no matter how hard she tried, she could not snatch anything from the woman in front of her.


    In the days that followed, Shen Miao was quite cold to her. Occasionally, Ye Mei would feel that Shen Miao had disgust and hatred towards her.


    She heard that Shen Miao had parents who doted on her, a brother who cared about her, good friends, sisters, and Xie Jinginxg who liked her.


    The more she compared herself to Shen Miao, the more indignant Ye Mei felt. Why should Shen Miao enjoy all the good things in this world? She was not gentle and had a stubborn personality. Why should she be favored by Xie Jingxing?


    What she was most indignant about was that people who were inferior to her had a better life. Ye Mei was jealous and disgusted. She loved to snatch other people¡¯s things. However, it was very difficult to snatch Shen Miao¡¯s things.


    What should she do then? Just make Shen Miao disappear.


    Therefore, Ye Mei told Ye Maocai that only when Shen Miao was dead could she secure the position of Princess Consort Rui.


    Instead of saying that Ye Mei wanted to snatch Xie Jingxing away, it was more accurate to say that Ye Mei just couldn¡¯t stand the fact that Shen Miao was doing better than her.


    Ye Maocai had alwavs wanted Ye Mei to get close to Prince Rui. so he agreed.


    However, no one expected that Shen Miao didn¡¯t die. Someone was actually willing to protect her with his life. Moreover, because of the Ye family¡¯s rash move, Xie Jingxing seemed to be suspicious and kept a close eye on the Ye family. Because of this, Ye Maocai even took his anger out on Ye Mei.


    In her life, Ye Mei had never failed to get what she wanted. She used all kinds of people she could use and had always had a smooth-saving life.


    However, Shen Miao made her life bumpy.


    She could not snatch Shen Miao¡¯s man, nor could she snatch Shen Miao¡¯s life, nor could she snatch Shen Miao¡¯s luck..

 Chapter 1040 - 1040: Fu Ming (1)

    Chapter 1040: Fu Ming (1) sea??h th§× NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    ¡°Now, I heard that Prince Rui and Princess Consort Rui are very close.¡± Ye Ke said, ¡°A few days ago, I heard that the two of them went out together. It¡¯s obvious that Prince Rui loves Shen Miao to the core. Speaking of which, Shen Miao is not as beautiful as you. I wonder how she made him fall in love with her.¡± Ye Ke looked at Ye Mei. ¡°Sister, are you still bent on marrying Prince Rui?¡±


    Ye Mei was a little frustrated. Back then, in Qinzhou, she could use any men to her advantage and was invincible. However, facing Xie Jingxing, she felt helpless. Ye Mei could feel that the way Xie Jingxing looked at her was no different from how he looked at Lu Wan¡¯er, no different from all the young ladies of the officials. She felt that she could not conquer Xie Jingxing at all, because Xie Yuan did not treat her as a woman.


    At the thought of this, Ye Mei said ambiguously, ¡°I¡¯ll think about it. The most important thing now is to find out what happened to the Ye family. If the Ye family is in trouble, we have to make plans to escape as soon as possible.¡±


    ¡°Actually¡­¡± Ye Ke stammered and said,¡± Ye Maocai came to look for me once.


    He said that he wanted you to enter the palace. ¡®


    Entering the palace? Ye Mei frowned and suddenly smiled. Her smile was flirtatious, but there was a deep meaning in it. ¡°Ye Maocai wants me to get close to the royal family because he finds Xie Jingxing difficult to deal with?¡±


    Ye Mei sneered and said, ¡°The emperor is childless. There must be something fishy going on. If I enter the palace and have no children too, I won¡¯t have anyone to rely on when I get old. If the emperor dies, will I have to be buried with him? Ye Maocai only wants to suck up to the royal family and doesn¡¯t care about my life. I won¡¯t enter the palace. Let him give up on this idea.¡±


    It was not that Ye Mei had never thought of entering the palace, but she had always been good at analyzing the pros and cons. The fact that the emperor did not have a child of his own was probably due to his own problem. How long could a woman without a son live in the harem? Not to mention the harem, even in the house of a rich family, without a son, she would either die or live a miserable life. This was not what Ye Mei wanted.


    Ye Ke was a little embarrassed and said, ¡°I thought so too, so I immediately told Ye Maocai that it was impossible.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± Ye Mei looked askance at him and said casually, ¡°Is that really what you told him?¡±


    Ye Ke avoided Ye Mei¡¯s gaze and said, ¡°Sister, do you not even believe me?¡±


    Ye Mei smiled. No one knew what that smile meant. She said, ¡°In short, you and I have to know our place. The Ye family is not our real family. I¡¯ll think of a way to find out what exactly happened to the Ye family now and what they¡¯re planning. If the Ye family is in trouble, the two of us have to stay away from them.¡±


    ¡°Sister, it¡¯s not that serious.¡± Ye Ke said disapprovingly, ¡°If it was really that serious, the Ye family would have long started to find a way out for themselves.¡±


    Ye Mei sneered. ¡°I¡¯m afraid that the Ye family doesn¡¯t even know that a disaster is coming.¡±


    As they spoke, they heard someone call from outside the door, ¡°Eldest Sister, Second Brother.¡±


    Ye Ke went forward and opened the door, only to see the servant pushing Ye Hongguang outside. Ye Maocai was not bad to his crippled son. He got someone to specially make a chair for him to sit on. The chair was pushed by the servant, and he could go wherever he wanted. However, Madam Ye did not like this son at all..

 Chapter 1041 - 1041: Fu Ming (2)

    Chapter 1041: Fu Ming (2)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    On the other hand, Ye Hongguang liked Ye Mei and Ye Ke very much. He was happy that he had a brother and a sister. He was also a very innocent person, like a child, and did not look like he was raised by the Ye family. Apart from


    playing chess with Ye Maocai, he only read books. It was natural tor him to be innocent.


    Ye Mei smiled and said, ¡°Third Brother, what¡¯s the matter?¡±


    Ye Hongguang did not look like Ye Maocai, nor did he look like Madam Ye. He probably looked more like his biological mother, the concubine. He smiled and said, ¡°Father asked you to go to the study, so I came over to deliver the message and give the ring puzzle to Eldest Sister. I heard that Eldest Sister is an expert at solving ring puzzles, so I brought it over.¡± Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Ye Mei took the ring puzzle and said, ¡°When I solve it, I¡¯ll personally send it to Third Brother.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Eldest Sister!¡± Ye Hongguang looked very excited.


    Ye Mei smiled and looked back at Ye Ke. They could see the gloom in each other¡¯s eyes.


    At this moment, Ye Maocai wanted to see the two of them. Clearly, he had something new to tell them to do. He used the two of them as chess pieces, but how could Ye Mei and her brother be obediently manipulated by others?


    It would definitely be another round of scheming.


    The news of Consort Jing being pregnant spread throughout Long Ye the next day.


    Emperor Yong Le had not had a child for so many years, so there were naturally all kinds of speculations. The most common one was that Emperor Yong Le was ill and could not have a child. It was also because of this that the open and secret battles in the imperial court had never stopped for so many years. However, the fact that Consort Jing was pregnant meant a lot.


    Perhaps Emperor Yong Le was not ill and did it on purpose. However, now that Emperor Yong Le had ¡°impregnated¡± Consort Jing, it seemed to indicate something. Therefore, the court officials began to want to send their daughters to the palace. On the other hand, some of the court officials in Long Ye who were neutral began to make a new decision. No matter what, Consort Jing¡¯s pregnancy had a huge impact on the harem of the Daliang Dynasty.


    When Shen Miao told Xie Jingxing about this, she even said, ¡°Previously, because the emperor did not have a child, the harem was quiet and there was not much conflict. However, when the news of Consort Jing¡¯s pregnancy spread, all the officials wanted to send their daughters to the palace. I¡¯m afraid the harem will be in chaos.¡±


    The calm water was suddenly disrupted by a stone thrown into the water. That was the most terrifying thing.


    Xie Jingxing sneered. ¡°That depends on whether they can get pregnant or not.¡±


    Emperor Yong Le gave them all infertility soup. Consort Jing¡¯s pregnancy was an accident, but because of this accident, the dose of the infertility soup would definitely increase from now on.


    ¡°The Lu family is too anxious.¡± Shen Miao rested her chin on her hand. ¡°Before the palace could announce this news, the Lu family beat them to it. The entire Long Ye knows about it now.¡±


    ¡°The sooner it spreads, the sooner they¡¯ll die.¡± Xie Jingxing was putting on his outer robe. Shen Miao stood up and helped him tidy his collar. He looked down at Shen Miao and said, ¡°However, if you¡¯re pregnant with my child, I¡¯ll make sure everyone in Long Ye knows about it.¡±


    Shen Miao glared at him and said, ¡°If you dare to make another woman pregnant with your child.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯ll happen then?¡± Xie Jingxing frowned.


    Shen Miao tugged at his collar and said fiercely, ¡°I¡¯ll make sure everyone in


    Long Ye will know that Prince Rui¡¯s mansion was wiped out.¡±


    Xie Jingxing laughed out loud and held her waist. He lowered his head and whispered into her ear, ¡°You alone are enough to exhaust me..¡±

 Chapter 1042 - 1042: Fu Ming (3)

    Chapter 1042: Fu Ming (3)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    Just as Shen Miao was about to retort, Ba Jiao¡¯s voice came from outside.


    ¡°Master, Madam, the carriage is ready. Should we set off now?¡±


    Shen Miao let go and said, ¡°You are dead tonight!¡±


    Shen Miao said to Ba Jiao, ¡°Yes, we are coming.¡±


    They were going to the palace. Over the past few days, Xie Jingxing had been going to the palace frequently. He probably went to discuss with Emperor Yong Le about how to deal with the Lu family. The Lu family probably felt threatened and began to mobilize their troops. On one hand, they felt that since Consort Jing was pregnant, Emperor Yong Le would definitely not do anything to the Lu family. On the other hand, they were suspicious and firmly believed that the royal family had begun to take action.


    In the letter left behind by Pei Lang, Shen Miao also guessed the current and future situation of Ming Qi while helping the Shen family escape from Fu Xiuyi¡¯s grip.


    Today, Shen Miao planned to enter the palace to see Empress Xiande. Coincidentally, Xie Jingxing was also going to the palace, so the couple went together.


    As soon as they arrived at the palace, Xie Jingxing went to the imperial study to see Emperor Yong Le. Shen Miao was going to see Empress Xiande, and Nanny Tao led the way. Seeing that there was carpet on the way, Shen Miao felt a little strange and asked what was going on. Nanny Tao said, ¡°This was instructed by Consort Jing. She¡¯s afraid that she will hurt the child in her stomach if she falls. These days, everyone in the palace has been on tenterhooks. The empress is kind and can¡¯t be bothered to argue with her, but she would not stop causing a ruckus in the harem.¡± sea??h th§× n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Shen Miao raised an eyebrow and asked, ¡°Then what¡¯s His Majesty¡¯s attitude?¡±


    Nanny Tao smiled strangely. ¡°His Majesty hasn¡¯t changed his attitude towards Consort Jing because of this child. Consort Jing is angry because of this, so she is kicking up a fuss.¡± She thought of something and said, ¡°Today, the children of the Ye family also entered the palace. The young lady of the Ye family even went to pay Consort Jing a visit. She¡¯s probably in the Jinghua Palace. When you entered the palace just now, didn¡¯t you see the Ye family?¡±


    The Ye family? Shen Miao shook her head. ¡°I didn¡¯t see them.¡± However, she was deep in thought. Why did Ye Mei and Ye Ke come to see Consort Jing? The Lu family and the Ye family were not particularly close to each other to begin with, so why would they suddenly come to see Consort Jing now? She was afraid that they might be secretly planning something.


    She vaguely felt that something was wrong, but she was here to see Empress Xiande, so it was not appropriate for her to talk about this with Nanny Tao. With questions in her mind, she went to the royal garden.


    Empress Xiande was not in Weiyang Palace. The summer was approaching the end, and the weather was cool. It was pleasant to enjoy the breeze in the royal garden. When Shen Miao saw Empress Xiande, she was making tea. Empress Xiande waved at Shen Miao and invited her to come and taste the tea.


    ¡°This tea is found among the tributes this year. I like it very much. Try it,¡± Empress Xiande said with a smile. She seemed to like tea very much, and she was as mellow as good tea..

 Chapter 1043 - 1043: Fu Ming (4)

    Chapter 1043: Fu Ming (4)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    Shen Miao picked up the teacup and took a sip. She felt that the taste was bitter, but in the bitterness, there was a trace of fragrance. It was indeed a very unique tea.


    Empress Xiande asked, ¡°How is it?¡±


    Shen Miao put down her teacup. ¡°The tea is top-notch.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t have any hobbies. This is all I like.¡± Empress Xiande smiled. ¡°This tea tastes bitter, and most young girls don¡¯t like it. However, for some reason, I feel that you will like it. I think you¡¯re a little similar to me.¡±


    Empress Xiande smiled and continued, ¡°When you went back that night,


    Jingxing should have told you about what happened in the past, right?¡±


    Shen Miao was slightly stunned and said, ¡°A little.¡±


    ¡°Jingxing dotes on his wife, so he will naturally tell you everything.¡± Empress Xiande smiled and said, ¡°Then how do you feel after hearing it? What do you think of the current situation?¡±


    After thinking for a moment, Shen Miao said, ¡°Now that the ending of the Lu family is a foregone conclusion, the child in Consort Jing¡¯s stomach can¡¯t turn the situation around. Since His Majesty and His Highness have already made up their minds, let nature take its course.¡±


    ¡°What about that child?¡± Empress Xiande took a sip of tea and asked, ¡°Do you think we should keep this child or not?¡±


    Shen Miao said, ¡°This child¡¯s life doesn¡¯t have an impact on the overall situation. Whether the child lives or not, it all depends on you.¡±


    ¡°Depends on me.¡± Empress Xiande sighed slightly. ¡°There has always been a thorn in my heart, but I¡¯m not heartless enough to pull it out.¡± She smiled sadly. ¡°The position of the empress is really not suitable for me.¡±


    Shen Miao did not speak. At this moment, nothing she said would be right.


    Empress Xiande changed the topic. ¡°Princess Consort, there¡¯s no doubt that you did a good job as Princess Consort Rui, but if you have to bear a heavier burden and face a more complicated situation in the future, can you do it well?¡±


    Shen Miao¡¯s heart skipped a beat. Empress Xiande seemed to be hinting at something. In the past, Shen Miao would not have thought too much about it, but Xie Jingxing had told her that Emperor Yong Le would not live past the age of 35. If Emperor Yong Le had a plan about the future after his death, Shen Miao could immediately guess what the plan was.


    She composed herself and said, ¡°Your Majesty, no one can say for sure what will happen in the future, but I will stay by his side. I will assist him no matter what he does.¡± S§×arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Empress Xiande looked at her for a while and shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s good that you¡¯re not ambitious, but it¡¯s not good either.¡± She said, ¡°Jingxing is not the emperor, so you¡¯re very lucky. However, you have to understand that one day, when you reach a certain height, there are many things that you can¡¯t control. You don¡¯t like it, but you can¡¯t show that you don¡¯t like it. You have to do that, because it¡¯s what the people of the world expect you to do.¡±


    Was Empress Xiande talking about how she felt? Shen Miao said calmly, ¡°No, I won¡¯t. If I can¡¯t even stick to my true self, no matter how high my status is, it¡¯s meaningless. You can¡¯t control the things around you only because you are not strong enough.¡±


    When Empress Xiande heard this, she was in a daze for a long time. When she finally came back to her senses, she looked at Shen Miao deeply. That gaze was very complicated. It seemed to be that of an envious gaze and a helpless one. She said, ¡°Maybe, you¡¯re right, but half of my life has passed. There¡¯s no time to change.¡± She was a little tired. Shen Miao sensed that compared to the last time, Empress Xiande looked much older, not in terms of appearance though. She still looked elegant and graceful, with the virtuousness of an empress, but her gaze was filled with vicissitudes, like an old woman..

 Chapter 1044 - 1044: Fu Ming (5)

    Chapter 1044: Fu Ming (5)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations S§×arch* The Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Was it because of Consort Jing? Shen Miao thought to herself and asked, ¡°I heard that the Ye siblings also entered the palace today and went to see Consort Jing?¡±


    ¡°The Ye siblings came to the palace originally to see me today, but I could tell that they had other agendas, so I let them go. The Ye family probably saw that Lu Jing was pregnant and wanted to use her.¡± Empress Xiande¡¯s gaze was pensive. ¡°The new daughter they found is extremely beautiful. Not only is she beautiful, but she¡¯s also very smart. Not only is she smart, but she¡¯s also ambitious. Such a woman can survive in the harem.¡±


    Shen Miao narrowed her eyes. ¡°Ye Mei wants to enter the palace?¡±


    At the end of her previous life, Consort Mei became the empress of Ming Qi. Now, not only had her background changed to that of the Daliang Dynasty, but even her future had changed. Could it be that she wanted to become Emperor Yong Le¡¯s woman and the empress of the Daliang Dynasty? Shen Miao felt that it was very ridiculous.


    ¡°Probably.¡± Empress Xiande said indifferently, ¡°However, Long Ye¡¯s harem only exists in name. If Ye Mei wants to fight for power here, she¡¯s made the wrong decision. Moreover, His Majesty doesn¡¯t intend to take in any women now.¡±


    ¡°What if she has another way of entering the harem?¡± Shen Miao asked. Ye Mei was ruthless and would use unscrupulous methods to climb up. In her previous life, she had personally experienced it. No matter how she looked at it, it was impossible for Ye Mei to return empty-handed. Shen Miao did not want to underestimate her opponent, let alone make a big mistake because of her carelessness.


    Empress Xiande looked at Shen Miao strangely and said, ¡°You don¡¯t seem to like this Miss Ye very much.¡± Then, she said in relief, ¡°It¡¯s true that this Ye Mei is up to no good. I¡¯ve been in the harem for so many years and am good at judging women. Ye Mei is too greedy. It¡¯s natural for you to be wary of her. Back then, there were rumors that you were jealous of her and targeted her. I guessed that Ye Mei was not simple. Now that I met her, it¡¯s true.¡±


    Shen Miao said, ¡°I indeed don¡¯t like her very much.¡±


    ¡°Is it because of Jingxing?¡± Empress Xiande teased, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Jingxing is already very smart. He won¡¯t like women smarter than him. He won¡¯t like greedy and ambitious women like Ye Mei.¡±


    Shen Miao was speechless. Empress Xiande made it sound like she was very stupid.


    ¡°Jingxing suggested to His Majesty not to get too involved with the Ye family. I


    guess he did it for you. However, I don¡¯t like the Ye family to begin with. Although the Ye family are civilian officials, they don¡¯t have the morals of civil officials. Instead, they¡¯re tactful and hypocritical. Everyone in the Ye family is sly, but¡­¡± Empress Xiande seemed to have thought of something and said,¡± The young master of the Ye family is not bad. I spoke to him and he¡¯s as innocent as a child. Unfortunately, he¡¯s crippled and is not respected in the mansion.¡±


    Shen Miao had also heard about the crippled young master of the Ye family, but she did not know his character. When she heard Empress Xiande say that, she couldn¡¯t help but take pity on him.


    Empress Xiande said, ¡°It won¡¯t be long before the chaotic situation in Long Ye breaks out. Jingxing is often not at home, and he can¡¯t keep you safe all the time. You have to be careful.¡±


    Shen Miao said with a serious expression, ¡°I understand.¡±


    Dealing with the Lu and Ye families would undoubtedly cause a storm in Long Ye. As Xie Jingxing¡¯s wife, she was naturally the target of everyone. Empress Xiande patted her hand. ¡°You have to start learning these now..¡±

 Chapter 1045 - 1045: Fu Ming (6)

    Chapter 1045: Fu Ming (6)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    Shen Miao nodded. As she spoke, she saw Nanny Tao walking over with a young palace maid. Nanny Tao said, ¡°Consort Hui and Consort Ning are arguing in the garden. It¡¯s getting serious now. Your Majesty, do you want to go over and take a look?¡±


    Over the past few days, when Consort Jing was pregnant, the other women in the palace began to lose their patience. Initially, no one had children, so it did not matter if they did not get the emperor¡¯s favor. Now, it was different. When one person had something others didn¡¯t, they would be jealous. Everyone had selfish motives, and there were many more conflicts than before. In addition, many officials had the idea of sending their daughters to the harem. The harem was no longer as peaceful as before. Every few days, there would be some trouble. Although it was not a big deal, it was still troublesome.


    Empress Xiande looked displeased. No matter how good-tempered she was, she would always be annoyed with such occurrences.


    !!


    ¡°Your Majesty, go and take a look first.¡± Shen Miao said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me.¡± She had no intention of following Empress Xiande to watch the show. This harem in Long Ye had nothing to do with her. Empress Xiande had no choice but to stand up and say to Shen Miao, ¡°I¡¯ll go to the garden first. Rest here and drink tea. If you find it boring, take a walk around. As long as you don¡¯t go too far, it¡¯s fine.¡¯


    Shen Miao had Ba Jiao and Hui Xiang by her side. They both knew martial arts, so she was not afraid of anything happening. Moreover, there were guards everywhere in the palace, so it was naturally safe.


    Shen Miao nodded, and Empress Xiande walked away with Nanny Tao. Shen Miao held the teacup, reminiscing the words Empress Xiande said.


    She had a feeling that there was a hidden meaning in Empress Xiande¡¯s words. Previously, she had thought about it. If Emperor Yong Le really could not live for long, who would take over the Daliang Dynasty after Emperor Yong Le died? Previously, Consort Jing was not pregnant, so he probably did not intend to let his children inherit the throne. Moreover, Emperor Yong Le was suffering from the aftereffect of the poison, so the children he had might not be healthy. This way, Xie Jingxing was the only one with the royal bloodline who was qualified to inherit the throne of the Daliang Dynasty.


    Did Xie Jingxing become the emperor in her previous life? As far as Shen Miao could remember, when she died and Ming Qi was destroyed, Emperor Yong Le was still alive. Xie Jingxing was just leading troops to conquer the world.


    Then, was Xie Jingxing going to be the emperor in this life? If Xie Jingxing became the emperor, she would be the empress. Since ancient times, there had never been a case where there was only one woman in the harem. She was certain that she would not tolerate her husband having another woman. Once that day came, all Shen Miao could do was cut ties with Xie Jingxing.


    However, a good fate was not easy to come by. She did not want to cut off the fate that she had accumulated for two lifetimes.


    She was a little frustrated. She stood up and planned to walk to the pond at the side to enjoy the breeze. Ba Jiao and Hui Xiang followed her.


    Under the dense trees in the garden, the path was winding. One was connected to the other, and it sprawled out in all directions. Every corner had a new scenery, making it very elegant.


    However, Shen Miao was not in the mood to appreciate the beautiful scenery.


    Dne walKeu to tne ponu anu cne cow wmu [hew on ner lace. was rerresmng and comfortable, making her calm down.


    After walking around for a while, she planned to return. She guessed that Empress Xiande would be back soon. Before she left, she casually glanced at the forest at the side.


    It was this glance.


    Shen Miao suddenly stopped!


    She stared at the side and felt that the blood in her entire body was cold and hot. It rushed to her head and she almost lost her balance. Ba Jiao and Hui Xiang also looked to the side nervously, but they did not find anything.


    Shen Miao suddenly pushed open the bushes in front of her and ran to the path at the side.


    ¡°Madam!¡± Ba Jiao and Hui Xiang were shocked and quickly followed.


    Shen Miao ran very quickly. Looking carefully, her hands were trembling violently, and her lips were pale. Her eyes were wide open, and she was extremely nervous.


    She saw it, the silhouette of the young man¡¯s face under the shadow of the trees. He had a shy smile and a familiar expression. It was Fu Ming!


    It was her son, Fu Ming!


    Shen Miao ran with all her might, but the roads in the royal garden led to different places. The trees were dense, and the young man disappeared in an instant, almost making her think that she was hallucinating.


    There was no path ahead. There was only a lake, a rockery, and a pavilion. S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Shen Miao could not find the young man. Hui Xiang and Ba Jiao followed behind. When they caught up with Shen Miao, Shen Miao was standing rooted to the ground, deep in thought, looking in a daze.


    Before the three of them could do anything, they suddenly heard a woman scream in front of them, followed by the sound of something heavy falling to the ground.


    Plop!

 Chapter 1046 - 1046: The Death of Consort Jing (1)

    Chapter 1046: The Death of Consort Jing (1)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    At the end of the rockery was a long staircase. At this moment, there was a woman lying at the bottom of the stairs. At this moment, there were already large patches of blood under the woman. Shen Miao and the two maids were stunned and went forward to check, only to be surprised to find that the woman was Consort Jing.


    At this moment, Consort Jing was holding her stomach, her face covered in sweat, and her face was as pale as paper. She curled up into a ball and groaned in pain. Shen Miao looked up and saw that there were bloody handprints of someone from the top of the long stairs to the bottom. Clearly, Lu Jing had rolled down from these stairs just now.


    Seeing Shen Miao, Lu Jing reached out with all her might and suddenly said,


    !!


    ¡°Save me.¡± Then, she fainted.


    Ba Jiao asked, ¡°Madam, this¡­¡¯


    ¡°Call someone over.¡± Shen Miao frowned and said, ¡°After all, she¡¯s pregnant with a royal descendant. Moreover, if word gets out that I turned a blind eye to it, it will not do any good to Prince Rui.¡±


    Ba Jiao nodded and quickly went out. Hui Xiang looked around and shook her head. ¡°There¡¯s no one else.¡±


    ¡°The murderer ran away a long time ago.¡± Shen Miao narrowed her eyes. ¡°To be able to hurt someone so openly in the palace, this murderer is quite bold.¡± She looked at Consort Jing, who was on the ground, almost dead, and sighed. Shen Miao had seen women having a miscarriage in the harem. With Consort Jing like this, she was afraid that the child in her stomach could not be kept. Shen Miao did not pity Lu Jing, but she felt sorry for the unborn child. If not for the fact that the child was reincarnated into Lu Jing¡¯s stomach, it would not have suffered this calamity. At the thought of the child¡¯s death, Shen Miao suddenly thought of the face of the young man she saw in the forest just now. Her heart skipped a beat. If that was really Fu Ming, why did he not want to see her? If that was not Fu Ming¡­ why did he look so similar to Fu Ming?


    Shen Miao thought to herself that there were only so many people in the palace. After she was done dealing with Lu Jing¡¯s matter, she would ask Xie Jingxing or the empress to find the young man. She did not believe that she was hallucinating because she was clear-minded.


    The people Ba Jiao called over quickly arrived. When they saw Consort Jing like this, they were all shocked. Although Emperor Yong Le did not seem to care about Consort Jing being pregnant, the child in her stomach still had royal blood after all. Looking at her now, anyone with a discerning eye could tell that she was going to die.


    Without saying anything, these people quickly sent Consort Jing to the Jinghua


    Palace and went to inform Emperor Yong Le and Empress Xiande. Because Shen Miao was the first person to find Consort Jing, no matter if it was related to her or not, she could not leave. sea??h th§× n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Hui Xiang was a little uneasy. The matters of the royal family were the most complicated, especially when it involved the death of royal descendants. Hui Xiang even suspected that this was a trap set up for Shen Miao.


    Emperor Yong Le and Empress Xiande quickly rushed over. Shen Miao realized that Xie Jingxing was not around and did not know where he was. She wanted to tell him about Fu Ming.


    After Emperor Yong Le came, he asked about the ins and outs of this matter. At that time, Consort Jing did not even have a palace maid by her side. Otherwise, she would not have fallen down the stairs without anyone around to help her. She could only ask Shen Miao for help. Empress Xiande frowned and asked,


    ¡°Isn¡¯t Consort Jing talking to Miss Ye in the Jinghua Palace? Why did she go to the royal garden? Where is Miss Ye?¡±


    Surprisingly, none of them suspected Shen Miao at all.


    Shen Miao was a little surprised. Before she could speak, screams suddenly came from the room. Right on the heels of that, a few of Consort Jing¡¯s maids ran out and knelt down to Empress Xiande and Emperor Yong Le.


    The imperial physician walked out and wiped his sweat. He said in a low voice, ¡°Your Majesty, I¡¯m useless. Consort Jing is dead..¡±

 Chapter 1047 - 1047: The Death of Consort Jing (2)

    Chapter 1047: The Death of Consort Jing (2)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    The room fell silent.


    ¡°Died?¡± It was Empress Xiande who spoke. She said, ¡°How did Consort Jing


    The old imperial physician bowed and said, ¡°Today, she fell too heavily and had a miscarriage. Consort Jing lost too much blood, so¡­¡±


    !!


    Emperor Yong Le did not look happy or sad. On the other hand, Empress Xiande said in a low voice, ¡°Why did Consort Jing suddenly fall down for no reason? Where were the palace maids?¡±


    The palace maids of the Jinghua Palace hurriedly knelt down and said, ¡°Earlier, Her Highness was talking to Miss Ye, but they suddenly mentioned that they wanted to take a walk in the royal garden. Her Highness didn¡¯t want us by her side, so we didn¡¯t follow her. However, later on, Miss Ye didn¡¯t come back, and Her Highness didn¡¯t come back either. When we saw Her Highness again, she was carried back.¡±


    Consort Jing¡¯s palace maids were also as sharp-tongued as Consort Jing. However, since something happened to Consort Jing, no matter what they said, the maids would inevitably be blamed.


    Empress Xiande did not suspect Shen Miao at all and immediately asked,


    ¡°Where is Miss Ye? Someone, find Miss Ye!¡±


    This was a serious matter. Moreover, it happened in the harem. As the head of the harem, Empress Xiande naturally had to investigate thoroughly. Emperor Yong Le did not say anything and let Empress Xiande give the order. From the beginning until now, he did not show much emotion, making people unable to guess what he was thinking.


    As Shen Miao thought about where Xie Jingxing had gone at such a critical moment, she also thought about the possible explanations of Lu Jing¡¯s death. Did Ye Mei kill Lu Jing? That made no sense, Even if Ye Mei wanted to enter the harem, there was no need to kill Lu Jing. Besides, Ye Mei was the kind of person who would only use others as a knife to achieve her goal and wouldn¡¯t let ner nanas De stamea witn Diooa. ?rms stupid metnoa or Killing LU Jing was not her style. Everyone knew that she went out with Lu Jing. Once something happened to Lu Jing, she would be the first suspect.


    This puzzled Shen Miao.


    Everyone in the Jinghua Palace was thinking about what was going on in their minds. Not long after, they heard a woman¡¯s panicked voice behind them.


    ¡°Consort Jing!¡±


    Shen Miao turned around and saw that Ye Mei was brought in by a few guards. She looked a little flustered, but more than that, she was at a loss and in disbelief. She took two steps forward and was stopped by Empress Xiande¡¯s guards. Empress Xiande looked at her and said coldly, ¡°Where did you go? Why were you nowhere to be seen just now? Before Consort Jing died, she went out with you to the garden. Why did you disappear?¡± Empress Xiande¡¯s tone was aggressive, and the questions were all directed at Ye Mei. Empress Xiande usually looked calm and gentle, but now that she spoke sternly, she gave off a domineering aura of the empress of a country. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Shen Miao looked at Ye Mei coldly.


    Ye Mei lowered her head as if she was recalling something. She said, ¡°Earlier, I was talking to Consort Jing in the Jinghua Palace. Consort Jing said that the weather outside is cool and that she wants to take a breather. Consort Jing¡¯s palace maids also intend to follow, but Consort Jing feels that it¡¯s inconvenient to have too many people around. Moreover, we¡¯re just taking a walk in the royal garden. There won¡¯t be any danger..¡±

 Chapter 1048 - 1048: The Death of Consort Jing (3)

    Chapter 1048: The Death of Consort Jing (3) sea??h th§× n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    Hearing this, everyone in the room had different expressions.


    Lu Jing was arrogant, and because she was pregnant, she became even more so. Perhaps it was because Lu Jing felt jealous of Ye Mei¡¯s beauty, or perhaps it was because of other reasons, she asked Ye Mei to go out with her. Lu Jing wanted to order Ye Mei around like a maid, so she did not let her palace maid follow. This indeed seemed like what Lu Jing would do.


    ¡°Later, when I was walking around the garden with Consort Jing, Consort Jing suddenly said that it was a little cold and asked me to find a silk cloak for her. That cloak is not in the Jinghua Palace, but in the house where a low-class consort lived. I¡¯m not familiar with the palace, so it took me a lot of time to find that small building. After I got the cloak, I didn¡¯t expect some guard to find me and say that something happened to Consort Jing.¡± Ye Mei knelt down and said, ¡°Before I left, Consort Jing was still fine. I really don¡¯t know what happened!¡± She suddenly thought of something and said, ¡°If you don¡¯t believe me, you can send someone to look for that consort. She can testify for me. I really went to look for her to get the cloak. How can I harm Consort Jing?¡± Empress Xiande frowned.


    !!


    Everyone knew Consort Jing¡¯s personality very well. It really seemed to be her style to order Ye Mei to get a cloak for her.


    Empress Xiande said, ¡°Nanny Tao, bring someone to look for that consort and ask her clearly. If she¡¯s lying, she will be severely punished.¡±


    Ye Mei quickly said, ¡°It¡¯s Consort Cao.¡±


    Nanny Tao accepted the order and left.


    The room immediately fell into silence again. Ye Mei knelt on the ground, her weak body trembling, and her face was filled with tears. When she smiled, she was as charming as a fox. Now, she was crying silently, looking frightened but pitiful. Her eyes were misty, and her shoulders were shaking. She was like a kitten, making people want to hug her. When she knelt down, she happened to be in a very delicate spot. Emperor Yong Le lowered his head and could see her beautiful side profile and weak figure.


    Empress Xiande saw all of this and curled her lips into a faint smile. Shen Miao was stunned. She finally understood why she lost to Ye Mei in her previous life. Even in such an urgent situation, Ye Mei still used her beauty to seduce people. When Shen Miao liked someone, she would be a giver, handing out all the precious things to the person she liked. On the other hand, If Ye Mei liked someone, she would show her most beautiful side and make people give her precious things. However¡­ Shen Miao glanced at Emperor Yong Le. Emperor Yong Le did not even look at Ye Mei.


    The Xie brothers were like two boulders. Beauty alone was probably not enough to move them. Moreover, Emperor Yong Le looked like he did not care about beauty even more than Xie Jingxing.


    However, before Nanny Tao could come back, the Lu family came.


    Madam Lu and Master Lu were both here. The child in Consort Jing¡¯s stomach was gone, and so was Consort Jing. Apart from Consort Jing, who was already dead, the people who were the angriest about this matter were probably the Lu family. Lu Zhengchun brought Madam Lu to the Jinghua Palace aggressively. The palace servants could not stop them, and Emperor Yong Le could not be bothered to stop them. As soon as Madam Lu entered, she sat on the ground and cried, sighing at the death of her poor daughter.


    Shen Miao looked at Madam Lu as if she was looking at a clown. If she really felt sorry for her daughter, why didn¡¯t she go to see Lu Jing¡¯s corpse for the last time. Instead, she cried in front of the emperor..

 Chapter 1049 - 1049: The Death of Consort Jing (4)

    Chapter 1049: The Death of Consort Jing (4)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    Lu Zhengchun was born with a fierce-looking face. At this moment, he was really like a ghost from hell, making people afraid. If not for the fact that the opportunity was not right, he would probably attack the emperor.


    He said, ¡°Your Majesty, Jing and the child in her stomach were both harmed. This is not a small matter. I hope Your Majesty can uphold justice and give me an explanation!¡±


    Shen Miao almost laughed out loud. From Lu Zhengchun¡¯s words, it seemed like he was here to interrogate Emperor Yong Le. Was he so impudent simply because he used to be a trusted aide of Emperor Xiaowu? He probably did not take Emperor Yong Le seriously from the beginning.


    Emperor Yong Le said indifferently, ¡°It¡¯s naturally a matter of great importance. General Lu, I don¡¯t need you to remind me.¡±


    !!


    Lu Zhengchun was stunned. In the past, Emperor Yong Le would always be polite to him, but now, he did not show any respect. He also knew that the royal family had started to deal with the Lu family in secret. He originally thought that with Consort Jing pregnant, the Lu family would have more leverage. Now that he lost two lives at the same time, he was furious. However, he could no longer go against Emperor Yong Le like before. The little boy who succeeded the throne back then had already become an almighty emperor. The Lu family had already begun to go downhill.


    There was a kind of person in the world who bullied the weak and feared the strong. However, if you intimidated them, they would chicken out. Lu Jing was like this, and so was Lu Zhengchun.


    After Madam Lu finished crying, she looked at Shen Miao and said, ¡°When Jing was found dead, you were there. Did you see the murderer?¡±


    Shen Miao shook her head.


    Lu Zhengchun said sternly, ¡°When you were there, Jing could still speak. Clearly, that murderer attacked not long before you arrived. How could you not see the murderer?¡± S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Before Shen Miao could speak, Emperor Yong Le spoke first. He said, ¡°Princess Consort just passed by and didn¡¯t see the murderer. It¡¯s not a crime to fail to see the murderer. General Lu, instead of searching for the murderer, you played the blame game. Aren¡¯t you putting the cart before the horse?¡±


    Shen Miao did not expect Emperor Yong Le to speak up for her. After all, Emperor Yong Le had always looked down on her.


    Lu Zhengchun sneered. ¡°Your Majesty, in this world, there are many wolves wearing sheep¡¯s skin.¡±


    Empress Xiande frowned. ¡°Princess Consort Rui won¡¯t do such a thing. I¡¯m willing to vouch for hers.¡±


    Emperor Yong Le and Empress Xiande spoke up for Shen Miao at the same time. Lu Zhengchun could not retort. He forced a smile, but that smile was very fierce.


    Shen Miao said, ¡°Although I am the one who found Consort Jing dead, Miss Ye has been with Consort Jing before the accident. General Lu, why don¡¯t you ask her?¡± This matter was caused by Ye Mei, so Shen Miao was unwilling to take the blame for her.


    Lu Zhengchun looked at Ye Mei, who was kneeling on the ground, and a glint flashed across his eyes, but he did not say anything.


    Shen Miao understood that Lu Zhengchun looked like a rough military man, but he was also smart. Now that the Lu family was encroached by the royal family and was getting weaker and weaker, he naturally wanted to find an ally. The Ye family was the perfect ally. However, Ye Maocai was smarter than him. The Ye family had yet to decide which party to side with. Lu Zhengchun naturally hoped that the Ye family would side with him. Anyway, his daughter and grandchild were already dead, and the future was more important. Compared to his dead family, he valued potential allies more.


    In the vortex of this power game, it was not rare for people to sacrifice their own flesh and blood.


    As Shen Miao was thinking, she saw a person dressed as a guard walk over and walk up to Emperor Yong Le. He said, ¡°Your Majesty, someone said that they saw the murderer who pushed Consort Jing down the stairs..¡±

 Chapter 1050 - 1050: The Death of Consort Jing (5)

    Chapter 1050: The Death of Consort Jing (5)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations Sear?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    As soon as the guard said that, everyone was shocked. Before Emperor Yong Le and Empress Xiande could speak, Lu Zhengchun had already said, ¡°Who is it? Did that person say who the murderer is?¡±


    Madam Lu quickly put her hands together and said with a heartbroken expression, ¡°The heavens have mercy. When I find that murderer, I¡¯ll definitely make him pay with his life!¡±


    Emperor Yong Le said coldly, ¡°Bring them in.¡±


    !!


    Shen Miao subconsciously looked at Ye Mei on the ground.


    Ye Mei knelt on the ground, her back slightly hunched. She looked aggrieved and helpless, but Shen Miao noticed her hand. The long sleeve covered her palm, revealing her fingertips. Her thin fingers were really beautiful and tender. At this moment, she was rubbing the thumb and index finger gently.


    Shen Miao had been in contact with Consort Mei for her entire life, so she naturally knew what every move she made represented. Shen Miao knew this very well. When Ye Mei was plotting against someone and her goal was about to be achieved, she would involuntarily do this.


    Shen Miao¡¯s heart skipped a beat. Was the witness part of Ye Mei¡¯s plan? Was she going to achieve her goal? Or was Lu Jing¡¯s death really related to Ye Mei? Why?


    Right on the heels of that, a creaking sound came from outside the house. This sound was like the sound of wheels rolling on the ground. Shen Miao narrowed


    cyc3 anu ruuncu uuul.


    A maid was pushing someone in.


    The person sat on a chair with wheels. There was a blanket at his knees, and his hands were placed quietly on his knees. He seemed to be unable to walk, and the chair with wheels could be pushed forward effortlessly by the maid.


    When the person was closer, one could see that the person was about 11 or 12 years old. He looked gentle. He was wearing an ivory robe and seemed to be a little shy, but there was a trace of panic in his eyes.


    Shen Miao stood rooted to the ground, almost turning into a stone statue. Her eyes were instantly filled with tears, and they almost fell.


    Fu Ming!


    In the blink of an eye, countless memories flashed across her mind. Through the beautiful young man in the wheelchair, she seemed to have seen Fu Ming in a bright yellow robe holding a large bouquet of red plums in his hand and saying to her with a smile, ¡°Mother, I saw that the plum trees in the courtyard had bloomed, so I collected a large bouquet. Mother, seeing this bouquet of plums everyday, you will be in a good mood.¡±


    He said, ¡°Although Sister is no longer around, I will always be by your side.¡±


    He said, ¡°Mother, don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll learn diligently from the Grand Tutor. When


    I become stronger in the future, no one will dare to bully you.¡±


    Now, the beautiful young man was pushed to Ye Mei, He called out softly, ¡°Sister.¡±


    Shen Miao widened her eyes.


    He was¡­ the young master of the Ye family, Ye Hongguang, who was born to a concubine.


    A member of the Ye family?


    Ye Hongguang looked at Emperor Yong Le. He was a little nervous and clumsy, not knowing where he should put his hands in front of the Daliang Dynasty¡¯s emperor. He said, ¡°Greetings, Your Majesty. Please forgive me for being unable to bow.¡±


    Emperor Yong Le waved his hand indifferently.


    This seemed to be the first time Ye Hongguang had faced so many people. He was a little afraid and subconsciously rolled his chair closer to Ye Mei.


    Seeing this, Shen Miao ¡®s heart skipped a beat.


    Why was Fu Ming so close to Ye Mei? She suddenly had an urge to pull Fu Ming away from Ye Mei, but she couldn¡¯t¡­ She and Fu Ming were strangers now..

 Chapter 1051 - 1051: The Death of Consort Jing (6)

    Chapter 1051: The Death of Consort Jing (6)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    Shen Miao¡¯s gaze was soo intent that even Ye Hongguang sensed it. Ye Hongguang glanced over with a curious gaze. Seeing that Shen Miao was staring at him without blinking, he lowered his head in shock and rubbed the edge of the blanket on his knees uneasily.


    ¡°Young Master Ye?¡± Lu Zhengchun frowned and asked, ¡°Did you see the murderer who killed Jing?¡±


    Ye Hongguang was stunned. When he saw Lu Zhengchun¡¯s fierce expression, he was shocked and looked at Ye Mei for help. Every time he looked at Ye Mei with a reliant gaze, Shen Miao felt like a knife was stabbing her heart.


    !!


    Empress Xiande said amiably, ¡°Hongguang, you said that you saw the person who pushed Consort Jing. Is that true?¡±


    Empress Xiande seemed to have a good impression of Ye Hongguang, and her tone was much gentler. Ye Hongguang looked at Empress Xiande and seemed to be less afraid. He nodded.


    ¡°Then, who is that person?¡± Empress Xiande asked.


    Ye Hongguang lowered his head timidly. He hesitated for a long time before looking up again. He looked up at Shen Miao. Then, Ye Hongguang slowly reached out and pointed at Shen Miao, saying softly, ¡°It¡¯s her.¡±


    Shen Miao felt as if she had been struck by lightning!


    Empress Xiande¡¯s expression changed and she asked sternly, ¡°Hongguang, do you know that if you lie, you will be decapitated?¡±


    Emperor Yong Le also said coldly, ¡°Are you sure you saw it clearly?¡±


    The empress¡¯s attitude made it clear that she did not believe Ye Hongguang. Ye Hongguang looked very timid, but under the empress¡¯s pressure, he became even more determined. He looked at Shen Miao and said with certainty, ¡°It¡¯s that madam.¡±


    Shen Miao staggered, almost unable to believe her ears. Fu Ming actually called her ¡°that madam¡±. Her son was now close to her enemy and was testifying for her!


    How ridiculous!


    In the eyes of others, her action seemed to indicate that she was guilty of something.


    Lu Zhengchun narrowed his eyes. Without a word, he reached out to grab Shen


    Miao. Seeing this, Ba Jiao and Hui Xiang immediately stood in front of Shen Miao. No one expected Lu Zhengchun to suddenly make a move. The guard quickly protected Empress Xiande and Emperor Yong Le. Emperor Yong Le shouted, ¡°Lu Zhengchun, are you going to rebel?¡±


    As Lu Zhengchun fought with Ba Jiao and Hui Xiang, he said loudly, ¡°Your Majesty, now that the murderer is in front of us, let me avenge my daughter first! Then, I¡¯ll let you punish me.?


    Emperor Yong Le was so angry that his face turned ashen.


    Ba Jiao and Hui Xiang had to consider their status and Shen Miao, but Lu Zhengchun was ruthless. The two of them were about to lose. Shen Miao looked at Ye Hongguang, who was beside Ye Mei, in a daze. Ye Hongguang seemed to be avoiding her gaze, unwilling to look at Shen Miao. Instead, he whispered something to Ye Mei.


    At this moment, Lu Zhengchun¡¯s legs suddenly went weak and he knelt on the ground. Before anyone could see what happened, they heard two gold ingots fall to the ground.


    Lu Zhengchun held his knee and fell to the ground.


    A calm voice sounded from outside.


    ¡°Let me see who is bullying my woman while I¡¯m not around.¡±


    Everyone could hear the anger in this calm voice.


    Xie Jingxing appeared at the door with a gold ingot in his hand. Clearly, he had used this to injure Lu Zhengchun¡¯s knee just now.


    He strode to Shen Miao. Seeing that Shen Miao¡¯s face was pale, he thought that she was frightened and became even angrier. He turned to look at Lu Zhengchun, who was being helped up by his subordinates, and said indifferently, ¡°Master Lu, do you have a grudge against me?¡± S§×arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He was handsome and his tone was calm, but it made people shiver.


    Lu Zhengchun was not to be outdone. Although he was wary of Xie Jingxing, he did not back down. He said, ¡°Jing was killed! Young Master Ye saw with his own eyes that it was Shen Miao who killed her. It¡¯s only right for me to avenge my daughter!¡±


    ¡°Young Master Ye?¡± Xie Jingxing glanced around the room and stopped at Ye Hongguang, who was in the wheelchair.


    He slowly approached Ye Hongguang and looked down at him.


    Xie Jingxing exuded an extremely oppressive aura. Ye Hongguang avoided eye contact with him uncomfortably.


    Xie Jingxing looked at him with a faint smile. ¡°Which eye of yours saw her kill someone?¡±


    Without waiting for Ye Hongguang to answer, Xie Jingxing said indifferently, ¡°I¡¯ll dig out that eye..¡±

 Chapter 1052 - 1052: Edict (1)

    Chapter 1052: Edict (1)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    How dare he say such a treacherous thing when Lu Zhengchun and Emperor


    Yong Le were present? Lu Zhengchun was so angry that he almost fainted. Xie Jingxing was clearly asking Ye Hongguang to take back his word! How could there be such a lawless person in the world!


    ¡°Now, tell me again.¡± Xie Jingxing played with the gold ingot in his hand and said casually, ¡°What did you see?¡±


    !!


    Ye Hongguang had probably never thought that someone would dare to be arrogant in front of the emperor. Nervous, he looked at Ye Mei for help, because among everyone present, the person who was closest to him was only


    Ye Mei.


    However, to Ye Hongguang¡¯s disappointment, Ye Mei did not help him. Instead, she lowered her head and avoided Ye Hongguang¡¯s gaze. This made Ye Hongguang even more helpless.


    Emperor Yong Le and Empress Xiande did not speak. S§×ar?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Although Lu Zhengchun was also angry with Xie Jingxing, he did not dare to make a move rashly. Moreover, it was not the time to fall out with the royal family yet. Back then, when Xie Jingxing returned to Long Ye, there were many court officials who expressed their doubts about him, and none of them had a good ending. Xie Jingxing was ruthless and vengeful. Unless it was absolutely necessary, Lu Zhengchun did not dare to go against him openly.


    Ye Hongguang refused to speak. At this moment, Shen Miao calmed down. She walked forward and stood side by side with Xie Jingxing. She looked at the young man in the wheelchair and said, ¡°Did you really see me push Consort Jing down?¡±


    Ye Hongguang looked up at her. Shen Miao was a woman after all. Ye


    Hongguang was not that afraid of her. Although his expression was still a little unnatural, he was much bolder. He hesitated for a moment and nodded firmly.


    She said, ¡°Alright, then tell me where you were at that time.¡±


    Ye Hongguang was stunned.


    ¡°Were you on the top or the bottom of the stairs?¡± Shen Miao asked patiently. She softened her tone, like a gentle sister, but Ye Hongguang suddenly shrank his neck nervously because of her question.


    Ye Mei, who was kneeling on the ground and not moving, trembled slightly.


    Shen Miao did not give him a chance to think. She continued to ask, ¡°Do you remember? On the top or bottom?¡± ¡°Bottom,¡± Ye Hongguang said.


    Shen Miao chuckled.


    Lu Zhengchun and Madam Lu glared at her, as if they were angry that she could still chuckle at such a moment. Empress Xiande, on the other hand, relaxed slightly. Emperor Yong Le stared at Shen Miao, and Xie Jingxing crossed his arms and looked at Ye Hongguang with a faint smile.


    ¡°That¡¯s strange.¡± Shen Miao said, ¡°That staircase is very long and steep. It¡¯s precisely because of this that Consort Jing fell to her death. How can you see me clearly from below? I¡¯m afraid you can¡¯t even see Consort Jing.¡±


    Ye Hongguang was stunned. He was young and inexperienced. Today, when he saw Emperor Yong Le, he was already extremely nervous. Now that Shen Miao was questioning him aggressively, he panicked.


    Ye Mei slowly clenched her fists.


    Shen Miao asked, ¡°Young Master Ye, think about it again. Did you remember wrongly? Is it on the top or the bottom?¡±


    Ye Hongguang quickly said, ¡°On the top. I made a mistake. It¡¯s on the top!¡± He repeated affirmatively..

 Chapter 1053 - 1053: Edict (2)

    Chapter 1053: Edict (2)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    On the ground, Ye Mei suddenly trembled.


    Shen Miao was still smiling, but her eyes turned sharp. She said, ¡°Oh? Young Master Ye, it¡¯s not inconvenient for you to move freely. I don¡¯t think you can climb up such a long staircase. Someone should have carried you up there. You should have your own servants by your side. Why did you say that you were the only one who saw me push Consort Jing down?¡±


    The room fell silent.


    !!


    Beads of sweat broke out on Ye Hongguang¡¯s forehead. His face was red, and he could not speak for a moment, as if he was guilty of being exposed.


    Emperor Yong Le said coldly, ¡°Do you know the crime of deceiving the emperor?¡±


    Ye Hongguang would be beheaded for deceiving the emperor. If he was quick-minded enough, he could come up with excuses. For example, he could say that he asked the servant to fetch something for him. However, Ye Hongguang admitted his lie so easily. Clearly, he was not familiar with doing this at all. If it were an experienced person like Ye Mei, it would be much easier for her to come up with more lies to talk her way out of the difficult situation.


    The corners of Xie Jingxing¡¯s lips curled up. ¡°Brother, why don¡¯t we just cut off his head and hang his corpse outside the palace gate?¡± He said lazily, ¡°If anyone can accuse the royal family, we¡¯ll be made a laughing stock.¡±


    Xie Jingxing obviously wanted to make an example out of Ye Hongguang. However, he was not a kind person to begin with, and he had never had a good impression of the Ye family. He did not hesitate to threaten at all. This made Ye Mei¡¯s face turn pale, and it made Lu Zhengchun¡¯s expression very ugly.


    Empress Xiande said, ¡°Ye Hongguang, how dare you lie in the palace and slander the princess consort?¡±


    She spoke sternly, and Ye Hongguang was so frightened that he almost cried. However, Ye Mei ignored him. He did not have anyone familiar in the palace and was very helpless.


    ¡°Young Master Ye is still young, so it¡¯s understandable that he made a mistake.¡± Shen Miao spoke up for Ye Hongguang.


    Everyone was surprised by her actions. Ye Hongguang had slandered Shen Miao. Although Shen Miao was not vicious, she would never show mercy to the people who harmed her. Back then, she had never shown mercy to the second and third branches of the Shen family, and even the royal family of Ming Qi.


    Therefore, at this moment, her leniency towards Ye Hongguang was puzzling.


    Xie Jingxing also frowned.


    Shen Miao bent down slightly and looked at Ye Hongguang. She said gently,


    ¡°Did anyone teach you to say that?¡±


    Ye Hongguang¡¯s body suddenly trembled. Shen Miao was close to him and could clearly see the panic flashing across his eyes.


    Ye Hongguang was really not good at lying. Although he did not show it, anyone with a discerning eye could tell that he was lying. Xie Jingxing¡¯s eyes narrowed. Ye Hongguang looked up at Shen Miao and said firmly, ¡°No one taught me.¡±


    However, he no longer insisted that Shen Miao was the murderer. sea??h th§× N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Shen Miao said, ¡°I understand.¡±


    Empress Xiande frowned and thought for a moment before saying, ¡°Consort


    Jing¡¯s matter will be handed over to the Ministry of Justice. Since Ye Hongguang admitted that he made a mistake, his words are not to be taken seriously. The most important thing now is to search the palace thoroughly and find out the murderer. Also, we have to keep Consort Jing¡¯s corpse.¡± In the end, she looked at the Lu couple and said, ¡°General Lu, do you have anything else to say?¡± In the end, her tone was filled with mockery..

 Chapter 1054 - 1054: Edict (3)

    Chapter 1054: Edict (3)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    Lu Zhengchun glanced at Empress Xiande and held his breath. Back then, when Emperor Yong Le doted on Consort Jing, they hoped that Consort Jing would replace Empress Xiande. However, no one could find any fault with Empress Xiande. Lu Jing tried to persuade Emperor Yong Le countless times, but in the end, Emperor Yong Le did not have the intention of deposing the empress. It was not easy for Lu Jing to be pregnant. However, at this critical moment, when the Lu family thought that they could turn the table around, Lu Jing died.


    In fact, Lu Zhengchun also knew that it was too late to say anything now. However, he was indignant and hoped that Emperor Yong Le could make it up to him. Although he was angry today, he was actually not sad about his daughter¡¯s tragic death. He was just feeling sorry for his grandchild. When Xie Jingxing suddenly appeared, Lu Zhengchun had to restrain himself. In terms of ruthlessness, Prince Rui was unmatched.


    Knowing that he was destined to go back empty-handed today, Lu Zhengchun said unwillingly, ¡°As you wish.¡¯


    !!


    A trace of killing intent flashed across Emperor Yong Le¡¯s eyes.


    The Lu couple left. From the time they entered the palace until they left, they


    ulu cvcll LU 11 vva3 HUL L11C11 daughter.


    After they left, Emperor Yong Le said, ¡°You all can go back too.¡±


    Empress Xiande looked at Emperor Yong Le in surprise. Ye Mei and Ye Hongguang were both suspects. However, Emperor Yong Le did not seem to intend to pursue the matter. Empress Xiande was puzzled. When she saw that Emperor Yong Le was clenching his hands, she was shocked and immediately said, ¡°That¡¯s right. Let¡¯s go back now.¡±


    Xie Jingxing frowned, but he did not say anything. He only glanced coldly at Ye Mei and the servant who was pushing Ye Hongguang. He slowly stood up and left. He said, ¡°Since there¡¯s nothing else to do, I¡¯ll take my leave first.¡± Xie Jingxing had never hidden his emotions in front of Emperor Yong Le. Clearly, he was not very happy with the way Emperor Yong Le handled this matter.


    Shen Miao and Xie Jingxing left the Jinghua Palace together. When they walked out of the palace, they happened to meet Ye Mei and Ye Hongguang. Shen Miao was slightly stunned when she saw that Ye Hongguang suddenly ordered the servant who was pushing him to stop and turned to look at Shen Miao, as if he had something to say to her.


    Xie Jingxing¡¯s expression immediately turned solemn. Now that the people of the Ye family were all classified as dangerous people by him, what if something happened to Shen Wan when she got close to them? Therefore, he followed closely, and the dagger in his sleeve quietly slipped out of its sheath.


    Shen Miao watched as the young man stopped in front of her. Not far away, Ye Mei was looking over with a nervous expression. It seemed that she wanted to come over and stop Ye Hongguang, but Tie Yi and Cong Yang stopped her, so she did not dare to move at all.


    Ye Hongguang looked up at her, his face red. He seemed to want to say something but hesitated. In the end, he did not say anything. He glanced at Shen Miao and pushed the wheelchair away.


    Xie Jingxing raised an eyebrow, as if he did not understand what Ye Hongguang meant. Shen Miao looked at his back with a complicated expression.


    In the carriage, Xie Jingxing noticed that Shen Miao had been abnormally quiet, so he said, ¡°Get the Black Feather Army to lock that kid up in the jail prison for a day or two. When he¡¯s tortured enough, he¡¯ll come clean


    S§×ar?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 1055 - 1055: Edict (4)

    Chapter 1055: Edict (4)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    No one would believe that it was Ye Hongguang¡¯s own idea to slander Shen Miao.


    Shen Miao rolled her eyes at Xie Jingxing. ¡°What¡¯s there to come clean about?


    Apart from Ye Mei, who else can it be?¡±


    !!


    Ye Mei could fool others with her small tricks, but not Shen Miao.


    ¡°Then why are you not happy?¡± Xie Jingxing pinched her face. ¡°When you saw that kid today, you were very strange. Is there anything I don¡¯t know?¡± He narrowed his eyes.


    Shen Miao pushed his hand away. ¡°Do you still remember the dream I told you about? In the dream, I had a son and a daughter.¡±


    Xie Jingxing paused and looked at her seriously.


    ¡°The first time I saw Ye Hongguang, I felt that he was too similar to the son in my dream. I actually thought he was the son in my dream. However, he stood on Ye Mei¡¯s side and helped her slander me. To be honest, I was very sad.¡± Shen Miao said, ¡°But later, I took a closer look and realized that he¡¯s not exactly the same as my son. They just look alike. Speaking of which, now that I think about it, they only look 70 to 80% alike. There are still many differences.¡±


    After coming back to her senses from the initial shock, Shen Miao had been paying attention to the beautiful young man. At first glance, he looked almost no different from Fu Ming, but their personalities were completely different. Because Fu Ming had never received father¡¯s love from Fu Xiuyi, he had been especially mature since he was young. Fu Ming was generous, honest, and kind. Fu Ming had a quality that an outstanding crown prince should have. However, the child in front of her was just an ordinary young master of an official. Perhaps because of his disability, he had low self-esteem. Fu Ming would not lie, and Fu Ming would not stand by Ye Mei¡¯s side, nor would he help Ye Mei deal with her. Most importantly, when Shen Miao stood in front of the child, her heart didn¡¯t fluctuate. If it was really Fu Ming, she could feel it, and her heart would not be so calm.


    Ye Hongguang was not Fu Ming, but he looked very similar to Fu Mingsheng. She was almost bewitched, but she quickly regained her rationality. There was no one who understood her son better than her. This disappointed Shen Miao, but at the same time, she heaved a sigh of relief. If Fu Ming really became a member of the Ye family in this life, the Ye family would use him to deal with Shen Miao. That would be the last thing Shen Miao wanted. S§×arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Similar?¡± Xie Jingxing was puzzled. ¡°Is that why you¡¯re especially kind towards him?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s probably the reason.¡± Shen Miao said, ¡°Looking at that face, I can¡¯t bring myself to hurt him. Moreover, you also know that the culprit is someone else. Ye Hongguang was just used by someone. I¡¯m afraid he doesn¡¯t lie often. It¡¯s just that I¡¯m very puzzled.¡± Shen Miao said, ¡°If it was really Ye Mei who did it, then why? Why did Ye Mei push Consort Jing down? This is not her style of doing things.¡± Xie Jingxing smiled. ¡°Or perhaps it was just an accident?¡±


    ¡°An accident?¡±


    At the same time, Ye Mei and Ye Hongguang were getting into the carriage and on their way home.


    Ye Hongguang had been feeling very uneasy. The servant carried him into the carriage. He sat beside Ye Mei. Ever since Ye Mei got into the carriage, she did not say a word to him. Just as Ye Hongguang was about to speak, Ye Mei suddenly said, ¡°Third Brother, what did you say to Princess Consort?¡±


    Ye Mei had a smile on her face. This smile was no different from usual, but for some reason, Ye Hongguang felt a little afraid. He hesitated for a moment and said softly, ¡°I told her I¡¯m sorry..¡±

 Chapter 1056 - 1056: Edict (5)

    Chapter 1056: Edict (5)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    Ye Mei¡¯s expression changed slightly.


    ¡°Princess Consort looks like a good person.¡± Ye Hongguang lowered his head and whispered, ¡°She¡¯s not angry with me for slandering her like that. She¡¯s also friendly to me. She¡¯s a good person and doesn¡¯t look down on me for being a cripple¡­ Sister, I lied and wronged a good person. I feel very bad.¡± sea??h th§× novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you?¡± Ye Mei frowned and said, ¡°If you didn¡¯t say that, the emperor and the empress would definitely suspect me. It¡¯s fine if they suspect me, but the entire Ye family will be implicated. Do you want to see Father and Mother get into trouble? The royal family are not merciful. Father and Mother are old. What if they torture them?¡±


    !!


    Ye Mei had always been polite and friendly to Ye Hongguang, and Ye Hongguang also liked this fairy-like sister. This was the first time he was reprimanded by Ye Mei like this, and she even took her anger out on him. Ye Hongguang did not dare to retort. Ye Mei continued to say, ¡°Besides, how do you know she was wronged?¡±


    ¡°Princess Consort Rui said that it¡¯s not her. The emperor and the empress also trust her.¡± Ye Hongguang whispered, ¡°Sister, why do you have to lie? Why don¡¯t you make them suspect you? Why do you have to insist that it was Princess Consort Rui who did it.¡±


    Ye Mei finally revealed an angry look. She looked at Ye Hongguang sinisterly. ¡°Do you rather believe her than me, your sister?¡±


    Ye Hongguang shook his head. ¡°I just don¡¯t think Princess Consort is that kind of person.¡±


    The fact that Ye Hongguang kept saying he trusted Shen Miao made Ye Mei furious. Emperor Yong Le, Empress Xiande, and Prince Rui all believed in Shen Miao. Now, even Ye Hongguang believed in Shen Miao. What kind of an enchanting witchcraft did Shen Miao use to win the trust of others?


    At the thought of what happened today, Ye Mei couldn¡¯t help but tremble with fear.


    She did not expect Lu Jing to be so bad-tempered and stupid. Ye Mei came over to ask Lu Jing for information under Ye Maocai¡¯s instructions. Unexpectedly, Lu Jing was jealous of her and actually wanted to disfigure her.


    Ye Mei was not a pushover. During the argument, she accidentally pushed Lu Jing down. She fled in a panic. She originally wanted to take advantage of the chaos to escape. Ye Maocai would definitely not help her get away with it. Ye Mei could only rely on herself. However, at this moment, she realized that after being in Long Ye for so long, she barely knew anyone. The Ye family was the only one she could rely on.


    However, her luck had always been not bad. She could always escape from a calamity. Much to her surprise, Lu Jing actually died. The dead could not give witness. She was safe for the time being.


    After Ye Mei slowly calmed down, she thought of a way to bribe the unfavored consort. She knew that it was impossible for her to make a flawless alibi, so she might as well make the situation even more puzzling. She asked Ye Hongguang to testify for her. Ye Mei threatened Ye Hongguang. If he did not lie, the entire Ye family would be doomed. Ye Hongguang was timid and innocent, so he agreed in fear.


    However, Ye Mei did not expect Ye Hongguang to be so useless. In the end, this scheme almost backfired, and the fear the Lu family displayed towards Xie


    Jingxing made Ye Mei finally understand how terrifying it was to offend Prince


    Rui.


    Previously, she suggested to Ye Maocai to assassinate Shen Miao. Now, she instructed Ye Hongguang to slander Shen Miao. Ye Mei felt that once Xie Jingxing found out that she was the one behind it, he would definitely not let her off..

 Chapter 1057 - 1057: Edict (6)

    Chapter 1057: Edict (6)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    And today, although Empress Xiande and Emperor Yong Le unexpectedly let her off in the end, the more Ye Mei thought about it, the more she felt that something was wrong and she was in trouble. Ye Maocai would find out sooner or later. She accidentally killed Consort Jing and implicated the Ye family. Ye Mei really did not know what a cunning person like Ye Maocai would do.


    Ye Mei was angry, afraid, and frustrated. Long Ye seemed to be her nemesis. When she was in Qinzhou, she could get whatever she wanted, but in Long Ye, she repeatedly encountered obstacles. She thought that if she got involved with the Ye family, her life would definitely be smooth-sailing in the future, but in the end, not only was the situation of the Ye family uncertain, but she also offended someone she shouldn¡¯t have.


    I can¡¯t stay in Long Ye anymore. I have to leave the Ye family. This thought suddenly popped up in Ye Mei¡¯s mind.


    She subconsciously glanced at Ye Hongguang. Ye Hongguang was holding the blanket on ms mees witn ms nead lowered.


    !!


    Ye Mei¡¯s eyes suddenly turned cold.


    It was not easy for her to escape from the Ye family and Long Ye. It was easy to get on the boat, but it was difficult to get off. Moreover, Ye Maocai was watching her every move.


    However, if she continued to stay here, Ye Mei had a feeling that she would not have a good ending. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    She had to discuss it with Ye Ke.


    When Shen Miao and Xie Jingxing returned home, it was already late. After taking a shower and eating, Shen Miao sorted out some letters on the table and said to Xie Jingxing, ¡°I didn¡¯t expect this to happen.¡±


    Xie Jingxing¡¯s subordinates sent a letter over, saying that they had found out what happened in the palace today. Most likely, Ye Mei killed Lu Jing by mistake. Shen Miao shook her head and said, ¡°The Lu family probably knows that Ye Mei did it and hates her, but they won¡¯t show it.¡±


    Xie Jingxing leaned against the bed and watched her tidy up the table. He nodded.


    Shen Miao asked, ¡°Then what will happen when His Majesty finds out the truth? Will he punish Ye Mei?¡±


    Xie Jingxing said indifferently, ¡°We will eliminate the Ye family whether or not Ye Mei killed Lu Jing.¡±


    Shen Miao sighed. Emperor Yong Le hated the Ye family deeply and did not have any feelings towards the child in Lu Jing¡¯s stomach, so he naturally did not care. Perhaps Lu Jing¡¯s death would even make Emperor Yong Le heave a sigh of relief because if the child really came to the world, he/she would not be healthy.


    The heavens had made a choice for him. Perhaps everything was destined.


    ¡°Speaking of which, when His Majesty came to Jinghua palace, you weren¡¯t there. Where did you go?¡± Shen Miao asked. Xie Jingxing was a very straightforward person. As long as Shen Miao asked, he would answer.


    However, today, he looked at Shen Miao and did not speak.


    Shen Miao was still waiting for him to answer. Seeing that he did not speak for a long time, she stopped what she was doing and saw Xie Jingxing looking at her with a smile. His gaze was very gentle, as if he was looking at something very precious.


    Shen Miao was stunned. Xie Jingxing smiled. ¡°Come here.¡±


    She was stunned. Seeing that Xie Jingxing was very insistent, she stood up and walked to the bed. She asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Xie Jingxing grabbed her wrist and pulled her into his arms.


    Shen Miao was caught off guard and lay in his arms. She struggled to get up, but Xie Jingxing did not let her move. He rested his chin on her head and said indifferently, ¡°I once asked you if you still want to be the empress. Do you remember?¡±


    ¡°I remember,¡± Shen Miao replied after a pause.


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll ask you again now,¡± he said.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to.¡± Shen Miao said, ¡°My wish is very simple. I want to protect the people I love and live well. It¡¯s good to be the empress, but I don¡¯t like it.¡±


    ¡°Then what should we do?¡± He said in frustration, ¡°I don¡¯t like it either, but I have no choice now.¡±


    ¡°The Gao family¡¯s head said that my brother won¡¯t live for more than half a year. My brother wrote an edict to pass down the throne today.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t believe in fate, but there¡¯s no time.¡± He sighed and placed Shen Miao¡¯s hand in his palm.


    ¡°I know you don¡¯t like it, but can you tolerate it for me? At least I can promise you that I will never make you a deposed empress.¡±


    ¡°You will become the only woman of the Daliang Dynasty¡¯s emperor. The price you have to pay is,¡± he leaned close to Shen Miao¡¯s ear and said, ¡°There¡¯s no way out for you in this life..¡±

 Chapter 1058 - 1058: Jin Xinming (1)

    Chapter 1058: Jin Xinming (1)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    Shen Miao did not speak.


    Xie Jingxing did not let go of her and locked her in his arms.


    After a long time, Shen Miao looked up at him.


    !!


    Xie Jingxing also stared at her. This arrogant man who seemed to not take the world to heart looked at her with nervousness in his eyes at this moment. Shen Miao¡¯s heart skipped a beat. A moment later, she suddenly chuckled.


    She said, ¡°Then what¡¯s in it for me?¡±


    Xie Jingxing was stunned for a moment, and a trace of ecstasy appeared in his eyes. He heaved a sigh of relief and said in disbelief, ¡°I¡¯ll give you whatever you want.¡±


    ¡°What if what I want is also what you want?¡± Shen Miao asked.


    Xie Jingxing raised an eyebrow. ¡°What do you want?¡±


    ¡°Youzhou.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s yours.¡± He waved his hand, as if what Shen Miao asked for was nothing.


    ¡°Dingyuan City.¡± Shen Miao looked at him.


    ¡°It¡¯s yours.¡± Xie Jingxing did not even blink. ¡°Yuzhou State, Ding Xi, Lin¡¯an, and Luoyang.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s all yours!¡±


    Ale JIHgx111g Lepneu Leauny, dlHIUSL WILHUUL Lillilfrlllg. 11 Lillpe10L Le heard this, he would probably choke up with anger. If Emperor Xiaowu was here, he would probably be so angry that he pointed at Xie Jingxing¡¯s nose and cursed him for being a wastrel.


    However, Xie Jingxing was not someone who cared about what others thought. Shen Miao would not really snatch Xie Jingxing¡¯s dynasty. She just felt that Xie Jingxing had too much to shoulder and hoped to help him. sea??h th§× Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°If everything is mine, what do you want?¡± Shen Miao asked.


    Xie Jingxing grabbed Shen Miao, who was about to break free, and said seriously, ¡°I want you to not abandon me.¡±


    Outside, Cong Yang covered his ears and looked like he was in great discomfort. When Jingzhe, who was passing by, saw him like this, she went forward and said kindly, ¡°Cong Yang, why are you trembling so violently? Are you sick?¡± As she spoke, she reached out to touch Cong Yang¡¯s forehead.


    Cong Yang was embarrassed from listening to the conversation in the room. Suddenly, a cold hand covered his forehead and he immediately jumped up from the ground. Jingzhe was shocked. She looked at her hand. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    Cong Yang looked at her as if he had seen a ghost and suddenly scurried away, leaving Jingzhe stunned on the spot.


    Under the tree, Uncle Tang walked past. When he saw the tightly shut door, he smacked his lips in satisfaction and went to instruct the kitchen to make soup.


    In the next few days, Xie Jingxing was really busy. Probably because Emperor Yong Let s condition had worsened, Xie Jingxing had to go and do many things himself.


    Xie Jingxing was busy, and Shen Miao was not free either. What the royal family wanted to do now was to make an example of the Ye family and the Lu family, but the royal family had to make sure they would not leave an impression on the officials as cruel tyrants. Otherwise, it might arouse dissent among the officials. What Shen Miao needed to do was talk to the madams and slowly let them understand that the wise thing to do was follow the royal family so that they could go back and persuade their husband..

 Chapter 1059 - 1059: Jin Xinming (2)

    Chapter 1059: Jin Xinming (2)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    Originally, the madams thought that Shen Miao was from Ming Qi after all. Ming Qi and the Daliang Dynasty were two different countries, and many customs were different. Shen Miao was the daughter of a general, so it was even more impossible for her to have any wisdom. Unexpectedly, after interacting with her, they changed their opinion about Shen Miao drastically. Not only did Shen Miao speak appropriately, but she also seemed to know a lot of things that they did not know. S§×arch* The novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    From fashion, politics, to history, Shen Miao knew more than what someone her age was supposed to know.


    Although her previous life in Ming Qi¡¯s harem was miserable, it still broadened her horizons. She heard many interesting anecdotes from envoys from all around the world. Shen Miao might not be able to do what Xie Jingxing could do, but she was good at persuading people to achieve her goal without losing anything.


    In just a few days, those noble madams were all on good terms with Shen Miao. When they were stumped by something, they would start to ask Shen Miao for advice. Firstly, Shen Miao was Princess Consort Rui and was related to the royal family, so she must know the current attitude of the royal family more than them. Secondly, although Shen Miao was young and was even a few years younger than the daughters of some madams, she had a dignified aura that made people feel that what she said was trustworthy.


    Shen Miao and Xie Jingxing were both working hard for the upcoming storm in Long Ye. Naturally, the Lu family and the Ye family wouldn¡¯t just sit back and do nothing.


    The Lu family had lost a daughter. Seeing that Emperor Yong Le¡¯s attitude was getting worse and worse, they finally started to panic and started to mobilize the army they had distributed everywhere.


    The Ye family had always taken a neutral stance. Now, they suddenly realized that they were forced to make a choice. It was as if they had unknowingly been dragged into the mess by the Lu family.


    Shen Miao asked MO Qing to keep an eye on Ye Mei¡¯s every move. Over the past few days, because of the trouble Ye Mei caused in Long Ye Palace, Ye Maocai had been very angry. What Ye Mei did offended Emperor Yong Le and the Lu family at the same time. The Lu family was fine. Although Lu Zhengchun was arrogant and unrestrained, he was brainless. However, Emperor Yong Le was different. The young emperor already had ruthless methods. It was precisely because he did not blame Ye Mei that Ye Maocai was even more uneasy, feeling that Emperor Yong Le seemed to be planning something.


    Ye Maocai took his anger out on Ye Mei, so he grounded her for many days and was quite cold to her. Ye Mei had been very aggrieved these days, and today, she was finally released. In order to compensate her, Madam Ye brought her to her jewelry shop to choose some jewelry. Unexpectedly, a noble madam suddenly dropped in on the Ye family so Madam Ye had no choice but to go back to entertain her. She asked Ye Mei to go and choose some jewelry for herself.


    The shopkeeper of the jewelry shop looked like he was trying to please Ye Mei. He took out the most expensive things for Ye Mei to choose. Ye Mei looked listless and absent-minded, making the shopkeeper angry.


    She was just a daughter of a merchant. Now that she was acknowledged by the Ye family, she should consider herself very lucky. However, she was still picky and even disdained these expensive jewelry.. Did she think she was a princess?

 Chapter 1060 - 1060: Jin Xinming (3)

    Chapter 1060: Jin Xinming (3)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    Ye Mei did not notice the shopkeeper¡¯s expression. She had been treated coldly by Ye Maocai for the past few days and was extremely agitated. However, she also realized that the Ye family was not a place to stay for long. Ye Maocai was a person who prioritized benefits. For benefits, he could sacrifice her at any time. She originally wanted to use the Ye family to climb up, but she did not expect that she would only be treated as a chess piece. The path that Ye Maocai paved for her was not what Ye Mei wanted.


    Her gaze swept across me aazznng array 01 Jewelry, DUE sne was cmnK1ng about how to escape. If she escaped, where could she escape to?


    Just as she was thinking, two more people came to the jewelry shop. It was a man and a woman. The man was about 30 years old and was dressed richly. He had an ordinary appearance and was slightly chubby. The woman was young and was dressed colorfully. As soon as she entered, she smelled a strong fragrance. It was obvious that she was from a brothel. S§×ar?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The woman said sweetly, ¡°Master, buy a golden bracelet for me.¡±


    The man smiled and said generously, ¡°You can choose whatever you want today. I¡¯m in a good mood.¡±


    Ye Mei thought that it must be a rich young master bringing a girl from the brothel to shop around.


    The shopkeeper was already a little dissatisfied with Ye Mei¡¯s absent-mindedness. Now that there were new customers, he simply ignored Ye Mei and said to the woman. ¡°These are all new. Miss, you can take a look.¡±


    The woman squeezed to Ye Mei¡¯s side. The strong fragrance made Ye Mei a little uncomfortable, so she turned to look at the woman. When she saw the man beside the woman, she was stunned. The man also saw her and was stunned for a moment before saying in surprise, ¡°Mei!¡±


    The woman who was picking jewelry looked up at Ye Mei warily. The shopkeeper also pricked up his ears, thinking to himself that this man must be old friends with Ye Mei. After all, Ye Mei was the daughter of a merchant back then.


    Ye Mei looked away in a hurry and wanted to leave, but she suddenly thought of something and stopped in her tracks. She glanced at the man and suddenly said, ¡°Let¡¯s talk in private.¡±


    The woman beside the man grabbed his arm and said, ¡°Master, you promised me you would pick some jewelry for me.¡±


    That man was impatient. He grabbed a few banknotes from his pocket and threw them to the woman. ¡°Pick for yourself.¡±


    After the woman took the banknote, she stopped pestering him. The man left with Ye Mei. Ye Mei put on a veil and said, ¡°Let¡¯s find a restaurant.¡±


    In a private room in the restaurant, the man looked at Ye Mei and said curiously, ¡°Why do you have so many guards by your side? Back then, you disappeared from Qinzhou without saying a word. I even asked someone to look for you for a long time. I didn¡¯t expect you to be here.¡±


    Ye Mei¡¯s heart was beating fast. This man was none other than her childhood sweetheart. Back then, the Li family was a merchant family in Qinzhou, and this man was the eldest son of the Jin family, Jin Xinming. The Jin family was also a merchant family, and Master Jin and Master Li were quite close. When Ye Mei was little, Jin Xinming was already a young man. Master Jin even proposed to let Ye Mei marry Jin Xinming. Ye Mei had been ambitious since she was young, and marrying a merchant was not her ultimate goal.


    However, although she hated Jin Xinming very much, she was very smart and never showed it to Jin Xinming. Instead, she was very considerate and obedient, making Jin Xinming fall head over heels in love with her.


    Later, after the Li couple passed away, the Jin family was entrusted to take care of a few of the Li family¡¯s shops, so Ye Mei was even more considerate towards Jin Xinming. Master Jin was planning to ask Ye Mei about her marriage. After all, the Li couple was not around, and the only person who could decide on the marriage was Ye Mei.


    Ye Mei was naturally unwilling. In her heart, she would rather be an official¡¯s concubine than a merchant¡¯s wife. At this moment, the Ye family appeared. Ye Mei immediately came to Long Ye with the Ye family. Because she hated the Jin family, she did not even tell the Jin family. Jin Xinming naturally did not know that she had come to Long Ye..

 Chapter 1061 - 1061: Jin Xinming (4)

    Chapter 1061: Jin Xinming (4)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    Ye Mei shook her head and sighed. ¡°Back then, my brother and I were taken care of by the Jin family and we lived a comfortable life. Unexpectedly, someone suddenly came looking for me and said that my biological parents were someone else. I¡¯m actually the daughter of the Prime Minister, the Ye family. I was surprised, but they didn¡¯t give me time to ask and took me away.¡± ¡°Prime Minister Ye?¡± Jin Xinming shouted in surprise. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Ye Mei nodded and said, ¡°But when I arrived, I realized that they had made a mistake. It¡¯s just that there¡¯s only one young master in the Ye family who¡¯s crippled, so they insisted that I be the daughter of the Ye family. I originally thought that it was not a big deal, but who knew that Prime Minister Ye was actually a beastly person? He¡­ he wanted to use me as a bargaining chip in his official career and use my marriage to rope in others!¡±


    Jin Xinming¡¯s heart broke when he saw her crying. Jin Xinming said angrily, ¡°How can he do this! You¡¯re not his daughter. How dare he try to use your marriage? Damn it! Let¡¯s go and report it to the government!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s useless.¡± Ye Mei shook her head. ¡°The officials will protect each other. Moreover, Ye Maocai has the power to do whatever he wants in Long Ye. I once wanted to write a letter to Qinzhou to ask for your help, but I was stopped. Actually, my brother and I have already been grounded by the Ye family. It¡¯s rare for us to go out like this today.¡±


    Jin Xinming was so angry that his expression was extremely ferocious. He had always liked Ye Mei. Back then, after Ye Mei and her brother disappeared,


    Master Jin said that they escaped because Ye Mei did not want to marry Jin Xinming. Jin Xinming was a little angry. Now that his beloved girl was crying, how could he be angry? He was even angry with himself for not appearing early enough to save Ye Mei.


    Ye Mei looked up and said, ¡°Brother Jin, I¡¯ve been missing you all the time. I only hope that one day, I can regain my freedom. Brother Jin, can you help


    Jin Xinming nodded repeatedly. ¡°Yes. What can I do?¡±


    ¡°Brother Jin, I don¡¯t want anything else now. I just want you to help me leave the Ye family.¡± Ye Mei smiled with tears in her eyes and said, ¡°If I can be with Brother Jin, I won¡¯t have to be afraid every day.¡±


    Jin Xinming¡¯s heart was beating fast. It had to be known that in the past, although Ye Mei treated him very gently, it was different from now. She had never made it clear in the past, and her attitude was unclear. However, her words now clearly showed that Ye Mei treated him as a very important person.


    Although he was wild with joy, he did not lose his rationality. The Ye family was not someone like him could offend. He said, ¡°This¡­ the Ye family is very difficult to deal with.


    Ye Mei did not speak and only looked at him with her beautiful eyes. Jin Xinming¡¯s heart skipped a beat and he said, ¡°There¡¯s a way. Mei, do you know why I came to Long Ye?¡±


    Ye Mei shook her head.


    Jin Xinming said proudly, ¡°I have a friend who¡¯s also a merchant. Last year, he went to Ming Qi. I heard that this year, he has established a relationship with the royal merchants in Ming Qi. He might even be able to get an official position. I thought about it. Instead of being an ordinary merchant in Qinzhou for the rest of my life, I might as well go out and make a name for myself. That friend invited me to go with him. I came to Long Ye to discuss this with that friend of mine..

 Chapter 1062 - 1062: Jin Xinming (5)

    Chapter 1062: Jin Xinming (5)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    ¡°I was originally very unwilling.¡± Jin Xinming said, ¡°After all, my parents are both here. However, now that I¡¯ve met you, I have nothing to be afraid of. I¡¯ll definitely go to Ming Qi and settle down there. Even if I can¡¯t be an official, I will definitely make more money.¡± He said, ¡°The Ye family is powerful here, but if we escape to Ming Qi, the Ye family won¡¯t be able to come after us. Mei, what do you think?¡±


    While Jin Xinming was talking, Ye Mei¡¯s mind was racing. Although she had yet to figure out some things, she still smiled and said, ¡°Of course it¡¯s good. Brother Jin, you¡¯re really someone I can rely on. Everyone in this world is unreliable. Fortunately, you¡­


    She was delicate, gentle, and charming. Jin Xinming¡¯s heart skipped a beat when he saw this. He couldn¡¯t help but reach out to touch Ye Mei¡¯s small hand. Ye Mei suppressed her disgust and let Jin Xinming take advantage of her. If it were in the past, she would naturally retract her hand, but now, she had no choice but to compromise.


    Shen Miao came out of a madam¡¯s mansion. Today, she also attended a tea party. Those madams had gradually been influenced by Shen Miao. Xie Jingxing said that the imperial court was much more stable now. She rubbed her neck and was about to get into the carriage when she saw a man and a woman walking out of a restaurant on the other side of the street not far away. The woman was veiled, so her face could not be seen. However, from her figure and posture, Shen Miao could tell that it was Ye Mei.


    The man who spoke to Ye Mei looked to be very close to her, but this man did not look like a child of a noble family. Instead, he exuded the vulgarity of a merchant.


    Shen Miao turned her body to the side. The shadow of the carriage blocked her, so Ye Mei could not see her. The man said a few more words to Ye Mei. Although he did not do anything out of line, the relationship between the two of them looked not simple. Ye Mei soon left in the carriage. The man turned around and walked in another direction.


    Shen Miao thought for a moment and instructed MO Qing, ¡°Follow that man and find out everything about him.¡±


    MO Qing had been secretly monitoring Ye Mei these days. Since this man seemed to be related to Ye Mei, Shen Miao naturally had to ask around. MO Qing accepted the order and left.


    Shen Miao got into the carriage and started to think.


    The man did not look like he came from a rich family. Shen Miao knew Ye Mei very well. She valued social status the most and would not talk to commoners. However, she actually went to the restaurant with this man.


    Ye Mei had always been able to use everyone around her, especially men. Shen Miao thought almost immediately that Ye Mei might want to use this man to achieve something. Otherwise, she would not deign to talk to such a lowly man.


    What did she want to do?


    Ye Mei returned to the Ye mansion in the evening. Ye Maocai, who usually came back very late, was already in the mansion today. Seeing her enter, he stared at her and asked, ¡°Where did you go?¡±


    Perhaps because of the predicament the Ye family had been facing these days, Ye Maocai, who had always been calm, began to lose patience.


    Ye Mei composed herself and said, ¡°Mother asked me to go to the jewelry shop to pick a few pieces of jewelry.¡±


    ¡°Mother?¡± Ye Maocai asked.


    Ye Mei was extremely unhappy with his sarcastic tone. Ye Maocai clearly knew that she was not Madam Ye¡¯s daughter, but in the beginning, he was the one who wanted Ye Mei to pretend to be her daughter. Now, it was as if Ye Mei was begging the Ye family to take her in as their daughter..


    S§×arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 1063 - 1063: Jin Xinming (6)

    Chapter 1063: Jin Xinming (6)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    Seeing that Ye Mei did not speak, Ye Maocai asked again, ¡°Where¡¯s the jewelry?¡±


    Ye Mei said, ¡°There¡¯s nothing I like, so I didn¡¯t pick any.¡±


    ¡°You know your place well. You know that you can¡¯t take anything that¡¯s not yours.¡± Ye Maocai suddenly changed the topic. ¡°Who was the man you met on the street today?¡± S§×ar?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    !!


    Ye Mei was stunned for a moment before anger surged out. Needless to say, it must be the guards who snitched on her. On the surface, those guards looked like they were protecting her, but in fact, they were not. Instead, they were monitoring her and telling Ye Maocai everything. Even so, Ye Mei did not dare to flare up at Ye Maocai. She said, ¡°It¡¯s a Young Master I knew back in Qinzhou.


    Jin Xinming was just a child of a merchant. Even if Ye Maocai went to investigate, he would not be able to find anything. Seeing that she was so calm, Ye Maocai relaxed and said, ¡°It¡¯s not that I want to monitor you. There will be a big move in Long Ye soon. Since you¡¯re the daughter of the Ye family, your every move will be seen by others. If you cause any trouble for the Ye family, you and the Ye family will suffer.¡± He pretended to be gentle and smiled. ¡°Since you¡¯re a smart child, you should know what to do and what not to do. You¡¯re with the Ye family, so we naturally have to help each other.¡±


    After hearing what Ye Maocai said, Ye Mei¡¯s heart sank again. She was more and more certain that Ye Maocai wanted to use her to achieve something. She made up her mind and said a few more words to Ye Maocai before returning to her room.


    When she returned to the room, she found that Ye Ke was already waiting for her. Seeing that she was back, Ye Ke smiled and said, ¡°Sister, where did you go today? Why are you back so late? I¡¯ve been waiting for you for a long time.¡±


    Ye Mei was frustrated and wanted to tell Ye Ke about Jin Xinming. Back in Qinzhou, Ye Ke actually wanted Jin Xinming to be his brother-in-law because the Jin family could take care of the Li family. However, at that time, Ye Mei did not like Jin Xinming. Ye Ke even persuaded her for a long time, telling her that Jin Xinming would treat her well.


    If she wanted to escape to Ming Qi with Jin Xinming, she naturally had to bring Ye Ke along. However, Ye Mei was still a little uncertain about Ye Ke¡¯s attitude.


    ¡°Do you still remember Jin Xinming from the Jin family in Qinzhou?¡± Ye Mei asked.


    ¡°Jin Xinming?¡± Ye Ke looked at her suspiciously. ¡°I remember. Why did you suddenly mention him?¡± Suddenly, he thought of something and was shocked. He stood up and said, ¡°Sister, you are not going to tell me you suddenly decided to marrv him. are vou?¡±


    Ye Mei frowned. ¡°Didn¡¯t you like him back then?¡±


    ¡°Back then, we were merchants, but now, we¡¯re officials.¡± Ye Ke said, ¡°Sister, with your current status, how can Jin Xinming compare to you? If word gets out that you marry him, I¡¯m afraid people will laugh at you.¡±


    He looked very excited. Ye Mei looked at him for a while and asked, ¡°Then who do you think I should marry?¡±


    ¡°Sister, with your status, it¡¯s not an exaggeration to say that you can marry a prince, but Long Ye doesn¡¯t have a prince.¡± He leaned closer and smiled mysteriously. ¡°Actually, Father wants you to enter the palace. I¡¯ve checked it for you. The emperor is young and handsome, and he¡¯s quite cold to the empress. If you enter the palace, with your beauty and talent, you¡¯ll be the head of the harem in no time. At that time, the two of us will be rich.¡± Ye Ke¡¯s eyes lit up as he spoke, as if he yearned for the future he mentioned, like a person who had been digging for a long time had finally seen a treasure.


    ¡°Oh?¡± Ye Mei looked at him. ¡°Do you really think so?¡±


    ¡°Sister, when did you become so unconfident?¡± Ye Ke patted his chest and said,


    ¡°Believe me, you will definitely become the most noble woman in the Daliang Dynasty. So listen to me and go to the palace. I won¡¯t harm you. After you enter the palace, you will have the support of the Ye family. Isn¡¯t this a great thing?¡±


    Ye Mei smiled, but that smile was a little strange. She said, ¡°Brother, you seem to be very busy these days. Can you tell me what you¡¯re busy with?¡±


    ¡°Father plans to find an official position for me in Long Ye.¡± Ye Ke said happily, ¡°He took me to see his colleagues these days!¡± As soon as he finished speaking, he suddenly realized something and stopped. He looked at Ye Mei in panic.


    Ye Mei¡¯s expression did not change. She nodded and said, ¡°I see..¡±

 Chapter 1064 - 1064: To My Countrymen (1)

    Chapter 1064: To My Countrymen (1)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    see.¡±


    Ye Ke carefully glanced at Ye Mei. Seeing that Ye Mei did not seem to have any special reaction, he heaved a sigh of relief and asked tentatively, ¡°Sister, don¡¯t you think it¡¯s a good idea?¡±


    ¡°What do I think?¡± Ye Mei looked at him in surprise, then smiled. ¡°I think it¡¯s quite good. After entering the palace, I¡¯ll live a rich life. Do you think I¡¯m so stupid as to give up the wealth that¡¯s at my tingertips?¡± She said, ¡°I¡¯ve always wanted to marry someone noble. The emperor is the most noble person in the world. There¡¯s naturally nothing wrong with being his woman.¡±


    !!


    As she spoke, Ye Mei returned to her usual charming self, looking like she agreed with Ye Ke very much. When Ye Ke saw this, he clapped his hands with a smile. ¡°I knew it! Father was afraid that you wouldn¡¯t agree and insisted that I persuade you. I knew that it was unnecessary. You are not a fool. Why would you decline?¡±


    He let his guard down and actually told Ye Mei that he was instructed to persuade her by Ye Maocai. Ye Mei¡¯s eyes flashed as she smiled and said, ¡°Father probably doesn¡¯t know me well, but you¡¯re my brother. You naturally know me better than anyone.¡±


    ¡°Sister, if you enter the palace and win the favor of the emperor, don¡¯t forget about me.¡± Ye Ke said, ¡°Now that Father has already brought me into the bureaucracy, with your help in the future, my path will only become smoother and smoother. Perhaps everyone in Long Ye will listen to us. At that time, you will get whatever you want. As for that useless empress, she¡¯s just an ornament. No one in the palace is your match.¡±


    Ye Mei also smiled. ¡°Of course.¡±


    After receiving Ye Mei¡¯s assurance, Ye Ke seemed to be very satisfied. After talking for a while, he excitedly left. After Ye Ke left, Ye Mei¡¯s expression turned cold. S§×ar?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It was not surprising that Ye Maocai managed to bribe Ye Ke so quickly. What


    Ye Ke looked forward to the most in his life was having a lot of power. Ye Maocai made a promise to Ye Ke, and Ye Ke was tempted. This was enough to make Ye Ke sacrifice his sister. Moreover, in Ye Ke¡¯s eyes, entering the palace to be the emperor¡¯s woman was probably a good thing, but he did not know that every step involved in this scheme was dangerous. This was because Emperor Yong Le was too difficult to control, and Prince Rui was even harder to deal with.


    Like Ye Mei, Ye Ke was an extremely selfish person. In the face of his own interests, family was nothing.


    However, how could Ye Mei be willing to pave the way for Ye Ke?


    After Ye Ke left, Ye Mei stood up and paced around the room anxiously.


    She understood that in some ways, Ye Ke was her enemy now.


    She thought for a long time and finally made up her mind. She opened the box placed in the corner of the room. Madam Ye had made dozens of clothes for her to compensate her when she came back. They were all popular styles and the materials were top-notch. Ye Mei squatted down in front of the box and started to choose seriously.


    On the other side, Shen Miao also learned the information she got from MO


    Qing.


    ¡°Tin Xinming?¡± Shen Miao asked with a frown.


    ¡°Other than the identity of the son of a merchant, there¡¯s nothing special about him.¡± MO Qing said, ¡°However, he suddenly came to Long Ye from Qinzhou. He seems to be dealing with a few businesses of the Jin family. After that, it seems like the Jin family doesn¡¯t intend to take on any business in the next few years..¡±

 Chapter 1065 - 1065: To My Countrymen (2)

    Chapter 1065: To My Countrymen (2)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    ¡°Not planning to do any business anymore?¡± Jingzhe couldn¡¯t help but ask,


    ¡°Then how are they going to make a living?¡±


    Shen Miao pondered for a moment. ¡°It seems like he¡¯s preparing to leave.¡±


    !!


    MO Qing was stunned and said, ¡°Madam, you¡¯re right. He even sold some things and turned them into banknotes. He seems to be going on a long trip and prepared a large amount of money.¡±


    Shen Miao understood. ¡°Go and investigate if Jin Xinming has been in contact with anyone recently. Also, find out where he¡¯s going. From the stuff he packed, you can figure out if he¡¯s taking a long or a short journey, and if he¡¯s going north or south. Keep an eye on the people he¡¯s in contact with. Also, don¡¯t let your guard down against Ye Mei and her brother. If Jin Xinming and


    Ye Mei meet in private, you have to follow them.¡±


    MO Qing accepted the order and left.


    As Jingzhe and Gu Yu sewed under the light, Gu Yu said, ¡°Madam, but what does Miss Ye have to do with the son of a merchant? Could it be that she likes Young Master Jin, so she is planning to elope with him?¡±


    Shen Miao smiled and shook her head. ¡°Do you know about vines?¡±


    ¡°I know!¡± When Jingzhe heard that, she quickly said, ¡°When I lived in the countryside, the courtyard was filled with vines. In spring, I had to pull them out one by one. If I don¡¯t pull them out, the vines will strangle the trees to death.¡±


    Shen Miao said, ¡°Ye Mei is very similar to that vine.¡± The vines had extremely strong vitality and were everywhere. Most importantly, any man could become her ¡°tree¡±. She relied on these trees to climb up, absorbing the sunlight and rain, and kept growing until she reached the highest point.


    As she grew, the trees were wrapped by her and depleted of nutrients. In the end thew withered


    Jingzhe and Gu Yu looked at each other. After a while, Jingzhe whispered, ¡°Is she that powerful?¡±


    ¡°This vine looks very strong at first glance, but it also has a fatal weakness.¡± Shen Miao said, ¡°Once her last ¡®tree¡¯ dies and there¡¯s nothing else to provide her with nutrients, she will die.¡±


    Without a doubt, Ye Mei must want something from Jin Xinming. Since the son of a merchant wanted to leave, it was obvious that Ye Mei would embark on this boat with him and leave the abyss of the Ye family.


    However, how could Shen Miao let her have her way?


    This time, Shen Miao would decide Ye Mei¡¯s fate for her.


    For a few days in a row, Xie Jingxing did not return to the mansion. Even Tie Yi was not around. When Shen Miao asked Cong Yang, he did not know anything. She felt that the guards in the mansion were busier than usual.


    Not long after, a piece of news suddenly came that Lu Zhengchun had declared rebellion and stationed his troops in Ruyang City as the base. S§×arch* The ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    This news shocked the people of Long Ye. It was said that Lu Zhengchun had a lot of soldiers under him. In addition, he had been secretly recruiting troops and expanding his military strength for so many years. Ruyang City was huge, so it was a surprise that the city was occupied by him so quickly. The Lu family indeed had the courage to go against the royal family.


    The guards brought by Shen Miao were all a little surprised by this news. On the other hand, Shen Miao was not flustered. This was probably what Xie Jingxing and Emperor Yong Le wanted to see. They wanted to give the Lu family an illusion that they were winning. A brute like Lu Zhengchun would naturally feel that the royal family was afraid of him and lower his guard. This way, the royal family could set up a better trap and wipe out the Lu family..

 Chapter 1066 - 1066: To My Countrymen (3)

    Chapter 1066: To My Countrymen (3)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    Shen Miao was extremely confident in Xie Jingxing and did not think that the Lu family really had the ability to go against the royal family. Shen Miao was worried that there was something else going on. Although the Lu family was rebelling, they were only targeting the royal family after all. In the eyes of the people, the Lu family was just like the Xie family back then, having contributed a lot to the founding of the country. The Lu family even claimed that the royal family forced them to rebel. They said that Emperor Yong Le was involved in the death of Emperor Xiaowu back then, and that Empress Xiao murdered all the other princes just so her son could ascend the throne smoothly.


    The world was in an uproar!


    It was true that when Emperor Xiaowu passed away, Empress Xiao dealt with the other princes one by one without leaving any evidence. However, the people would inevitably find it suspicious, but they did not dare to voice the suspicion. Later, when Empress Dowager Xiao passed away and Emperor Yong Le succeeded the throne, under his governance, the Daliang Dynasty prospered, so everyone gradually forgot about the past.


    !!


    After being shocked by the Lu family¡¯s words, the people of the Daliang Dynasty began to waver. A small portion of the people really believed the Lu family¡¯s words, but most of the people remained suspicious. However, if an emperor could not win the hearts of the people, he was destined to be in for endless trouble.


    Even if Emperor Yong Le used extreme methods to shut the mouths of the people, the rumors would still spread in the markets.


    ¡°The Lu family is too shameless,¡± Jingzhe said. ¡°They actually dare to slander the emperor.¡±


    Gu Yu sighed. ¡°They¡¯re already rebelling and are going to die one way or the other. What¡¯s the point of holding back now?¡± She continued, ¡°The Lu family is really ruthless. They want both sides to suffer a loss and insist on dragging the royal family into it. Even if the royal family wins, they might not win the hearts of the people in the future.¡±


    Shen Miao frowned and thought for a moment before saying, ¡°Get me a pen and paper.¡± She walked to the table.


    Jingzhe was stunned and asked, ¡°Madam, are you going to write a letter to Ming Qi?¡±


    Shen Miao shook her head. ¡°I want a very big piece of paper. It has to be even bigger than the notice of the prisoners at the city gate.¡±


    When she was writing a letter to Ming Qi or to Pei Lang in the past, Shen Miao was calm. However, today, Shen Miao looked different. She was serious, as if she was writing something that weighed more than a ton. She wrote faster and faster, finishing the entire paper almost without stopping.


    Upon finishing, she put down the pen and picked up the huge white paper with both hands.


    Jingzhe and Gu Yu leaned over to take a look at it at the same time and saw black words densely filling the huge piece of white paper. Shen Miao¡¯s writing was sharp like a sword that was about to jump out of the paper and stab people in the heart. S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°What¡­ is this?¡± The two maids could not read, but they vaguely felt that this was something very important.


    ¡°No one cares about the truth.¡± Shen Miao said, ¡°But everyone cares about the outcome.¡± She dried the paper. When the ink on it was about to dry, she said to Jingzhe, ¡°Take this and make 3,000 copies of it. Then get the guards in the mansion to post it around the city at night..¡± Shen Miao said, ¡°Hurry up!¡±

 Chapter 1067 - 1067: To My Countrymen (4)

    Chapter 1067: To My Countrymen (4)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    Gu Yu did not dare to delay and nodded. She carefully carried the paper and left.


    Shen Miao looked at the two of them leave and heaved a sigh of relief.


    In the world, with martial arts, one could conquer the world, and with literature, one could stabilize the world. Now that the world was conquered, it needed to be stabilized. Since the Lu family wanted to use this opportunity to cause trouble, Shen Miao might as well turn the tables and beat the Lu family in their own game. It was uncertain who could stand until the end. Not only did Shen Miao want the Lu family to lose, but she also wanted the Lu family to suffer.


    !!


    That night, Xie Jingxing still did not return.


    Shen Miao managed Prince Rui¡¯s mansion well. From time to time, she would go to the noble madams in the capital to calm them down. Only when she slept at night would she feel a little lonely. As she thought about Xie Jingxing, she closed her eyes and fell asleep.


    The next morning, when the sun shone on every corner of the city, someone noticed something that looked like a piece of white paper stuck to his door. The person was a butcher and did not know how to read. Coincidentally, he saw his neighbor, Scholar Ma, walk past. He said, ¡°Scholar Ma, you¡¯re a scholar. Come and read this for me.¡¯


    Scholar Ma walked to the butcher¡¯s door. When he saw the words on the paper, he first sighed and said, ¡°Good hand-writing!¡± Then, he leaned closer and read word by word, ¡°To my countryman¡­¡±


    In just a few days, the letter ¡°To My Countryman¡± spread throughout the streets and alleys, and everyone in the Daliang Dynasty knew about it. The snow-white paper was everywhere. Most of the scholars kept it well at home and wanted to get to know the person who wrote it.


    The young people in the Hanlin Academy were reading the letter.


    ¡°In the past, the dynasty was poor and weak, but it was peaceful and harmonious. Now that the dynasty is strong and prosperous, rebels wanted to destroy it. Ever since His Majesty ascended the throne, the granaries have been full, and the harvests have been bountiful. Instead of striving for a better world, the traitors wanted to ruin it. Aren¡¯t they ashamed of themselves? Aren¡¯t they embarrassed of themselves? How disloyal, heartless, and unrighteous!¡±


    The people who were reading were surrounded by a large group of students. When they heard this, they all looked indignant. In this letter, it talked about the recent rebellion of the Lu family. First, the letter scolded the Lu family for doing such a treacherous thing, and then it said that the traitor spread a false rumor. This rumor was actually believed by many people, which was really disappointing. When Emperor Yong Le was in power, the people of the Daliang Dynasty lived in peace and harmony. The country was rich, and the people were safe. It was no less than when Emperor Xiaowu was in power. The people did not praise the emperor¡¯s achievements, but instead, they listened to the nonsense of a traitor. Aren¡¯t they ashamed? Aren¡¯t they embarrassed?


    This ¡°To My Countrymen¡± was brilliant and sharp. Putting aside the political opinions, it was well-written. Moreover, what it said made sense. It made people feel ashamed and reflect on themselves.


    Emperor Yong Le was kind to the people and was benevolent to the officials. Since the Lu family rebelled, they were definitely not loyal people. Thinking that they once leaned towards the traitor, the people felt ashamed of themselves.


    Those scholars felt that the person who wrote this letter must be a talented person. They wanted to befriend him, but unfortunately, they could not find the person who wrote it. As for the young students, they were inspired by this letter and wanted to join the army against the Lu family and personally behead the traitors..


    S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 1068 - 1068: To My Countrymen (5)

    Chapter 1068: To My Countrymen (5)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    Therefore, no one suspected that Emperor Yong Le killed his father and usurped the throne.


    Cong Yang spent the entire night posting the letters, but he did not expect so many people to resonate with the letter. He did not expect the rumor to be debunked so easily. He admired Shen Miao even more and said, ¡°Madam, your strategy is brilliant. I¡¯ve never seen these scholars so eager to please someone. If they know your identity, they will definitely be shocked.¡±


    Shen Miao smiled and said, ¡°The Lu family is in Ruyang now. They can¡¯t control what is happening in Long Ye. At most, they can send some spies to spread rumors among the people. However, the people of the Daliang Dynasty are not fools. Between the emperor and the rebel, who do you think the people will side with?¡±


    !!


    Cong Yang was deep in thought.


    ¡°If the Lu family is really in the right and has a justifiable cause to overthrow


    Emperor Yong Le, it¡¯s useless even if I write ten letters.¡±


    Cong Yang scratched his head. ¡°No matter what, Madam, you made a good move. When Master comes back, he will definitely be very happy. People used to think someone born to a general could not be talented, but now, you¡¯ve proven them wrong.¡±


    Shen Miao didn¡¯t comment.


    Was she talented? The letter ¡°To My Countrymen¡± was just a letter meant to deceive the world. The human hearts were fickle. If the Lu family wanted to, they could also do it. Back then, when Fu Xiuyi ascended the throne, there were voices of suspicion. It was Pei Lang who wrote ¡°To My Countrymen¡± that turned black into white and made Fu Xiuyi into a unique wise emperor in Ming Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Now that she had used this trick on the Lu family, it was impossible for the Lu family to ruin the reputation of the royal family anymore.


    At the same time, in a small town in the Daliang Dynasty, a man in green was passing by the street with his hands behind his back. There happened to be a school where he passed by. The teacher of the school was an old man in his sixties. He was reading with emotions, ¡°In the past, the dynasty was poor and weak, but it was peaceful and harmonious. Now that the dynasty is strong and prosperous, rebels wanted to destroy it. Ever since His Majesty ascended the throne, the granaries have been full, and the harvests have been bountiful. Instead of striving for a better world, the traitors wanted to ruin it. Aren¡¯t they ashamed of themselves? Aren¡¯t they embarrassed of themselves? How disloyal, heartless, and unrighteous!¡±


    The green-robed man stopped in his tracks and couldn¡¯t help but look over.


    After the old man finished, he said, ¡°This is the widely circulated ¡®To My


    Countrymen¡¯. I only have one copy. All of you, copy it and hand it in tomorrow.¡±


    Pei Lang was stunned for a moment before he chuckled. After the letter was read, he left.


    In Weiyang Palace, Empress Xiande was also holding a letter and reading it to Emperor Yong Le word by word. Emperor Yong Le sat on a chair. His face was a little pale, but his expression was unprecedentedly gentle.


    ¡°Jingxing has really married a treasure.¡± Empress Xiande smiled and said, ¡°We thought that a girl born to a general must be a heroine, but she¡¯s actually a scholar who can influence people with her words. Now, the academies in Longye are secretly trying to find out who wrote this, but they don¡¯t know that it¡¯s a woman.¡±


    Emperor Yong Le snorted and said, ¡°As cunning as a fox.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s helping you.¡± Empress Xiande said disapprovingly, ¡°Thanks to her, all the rumors outside have died down. Isn¡¯t that good?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t care anyway,¡± Emperor Yong Le said.


    Empress Xiande said, ¡°You don¡¯t care, but you have to plan for Jingxing and the others.

 Chapter 1069 - 1069: To My Countrymen (6)

    Chapter 1069: To My Countrymen (6)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    Emperor Yong Le stopped talking.


    After a while, Emperor Yong Le called out, ¡°Qing Zhen.¡±


    Empress Xiande nodded and was suddenly stunned. She turned to look at Emperor Yong Le. Qing Zhen was her childhood name, but she had not heard anyone call her that for a long time.


    !!


    Emperor Yong Le did not look at her. Instead, he focused on the half of the incense burning in the burner on the table and said, ¡°Do you regret it?¡± Empress Qing Zhen smiled. ¡°I¡¯ve never regretted it.¡±


    ¡°After I die, follow Jingxing. If you meet a good person, remarry.¡± Emperor Yong Le said, ¡°Change your name and identity. You are a good person and will live a good life.¡±


    When Empress Xiande heard this, there were tears in her eyes. She forced the tears down and looked at Emperor Yong Le. ¡°In Your Majesty¡¯s eyes, am I that undevoted?¡± She seemed to have thought of something and smiled sadly. ¡°Perhaps, in your eyes, I¡¯ve never been important.¡± With that, she stood up and said to Emperor Yong Le, ¡°I understand. I¡¯ll do as Your Majesty instructed.¡± Then she left.


    Seeing this, Nanny Tao wanted to persuade her, but in the end, she did not.


    Empress Xiande had a good personality and was rarely angry. After living with Emperor Yong Le for so many years, she had never lost her temper with him. This was the first time she lost her temper.


    Emperor Yong Le looked at the burning incense. Half of the incense had turned to ashes, and the fragrance in the air would dissipate one day.


    Just like human memories and emotions.


    Ye Mei had been dressing up in the room for a long time.


    She was beautiful to begin with. Ever since she arrived at the Ye family, she had been eating well and had become more and more beautiful, but for some reason, she did not look as rosy as before. Instead, she looked tired.


    Today, she spent a long time choosing a peach-pink dress with peach blossoms embroidered on it. After dressing up carefully, she looked like a peerless beauty.


    When she walked out of the door, she happened to meet Ye Ke. Ye Ke looked at her in surprise and asked, ¡°Sister, where are you going?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going to Miss Sun¡¯s house for tea,¡± Ye Mei said with a smile.


    Ye Ke did not suspect anything. Anyway, there were guards of the Ye family following her. Ye Mei brought the guards out. She put on the veil and indeed went to Miss Sun¡¯s mansion. Although the Su family was not a big family, they were not ordinary people either.


    Ye Mei entered the Sun mansion and was led to a small room. When she entered the small room, she saw Jin Xinming, who had been waiting for a long time. When Jin Xinming saw Ye Mei, his eyes immediately lit up, and he said in a daze, ¡°Mei, you¡¯re really getting more and more beautiful.¡±


    The more disgusted Ye Mei was, the sweeter the smile on her face. She said aggrievedly, ¡°It wasn¡¯t easy for me to go out today. I almost thought I wouldn¡¯t be able to see you.¡±


    ¡°If not for the fact that Brother Sun and I are old friends, I¡¯m afraid it wouldn¡¯t be easy to meet you in the name of her sister.¡± Jin Xinming sighed.


    Ye Mei smiled and said, ¡°It¡¯s all thanks to Brother Sun today.¡±


    She had a sweet mouth and a beautiful face, making Jin Xinming wild with joy.


    Just as he was happy, he suddenly heard Ye Mei say, ¡°Brother Jin, when will you take me away from the Ye family? I really don¡¯t want to stay in the Ye family for a moment longer.¡±


    Jin Xinming said, ¡°We have to plan it carefully. After all, the Ye family is not a small family. We have to think of a foolproof plan.¡± sea??h th§× ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Ye Mei sneered in her heart. There was no such thing as a foolproof plan in the world. It was probably because he had investigated the Ye family in private and knew about Ye Maocai¡¯s power that he thought better of it.


    She looked up and said pitifully, ¡°I don¡¯t want anything. I don¡¯t want the wealth of the Ye family either. I just want to live a happy life with Brother Jin¡­¡¯


    Not many men could resist such sweet words, especially when they came out of the mouth of a drop-dead gorgeous. Her eyes were watery, and her voice was soft. Every move she made was seductive. Jin Xinming felt his throat go dry. He saw Ye Mei lick her lips with a pitiful look.


    He couldn¡¯t take it anymore and didn¡¯t continue to hold it in. He held Ye Mei¡¯s hand and said impulsively, ¡°For you, I¡¯m not afraid of anything.¡± Without warning, he hugged Ye Mei tightly, saying, ¡°Mei, if you become my woman, I¡¯ll definitely save you as soon as possible.¡±


    Ye Mei wanted to vomit. Her mind was racing. The next moment, her hands were like snakes as they wrapped around Jin Xinming¡¯s neck. She whispered into his ear, ¡°Sure..¡±

 Chapter 1070 - 1070: The State of Qin and Ming Qj Joining Forces (1)

    Chapter 1070: The State of Qin and Ming Qj Joining Forces (1)


    I ranstator: Henyee Iranstatlons Editor: Henyee Iranstatlons


    As Jin Xinming stroked Ye Mei¡¯s smooth back, he said, ¡°Mei, why don¡¯t you stay with me for a while longer? It¡¯s not dark yet. You don¡¯t have to go back so early. ¡±


    Ye Mei¡¯s back was facing Jin Xinming, and a trace of anger flashed across her eyes. When she turned around, she smiled charmingly and said, ¡°Brother Jin, if you want to be with me so badly, then take me away from the Ye family as soon as possible. Ye Maocai has been keeping a close eye on me. These days, he often urges me to enter the palace. If I enter the palace, it will never be possible between us in this life.¡¯


    When Jin Xinming heard that Ye Mei was going to enter the palace, he immediately sat up straight and said, ¡°No, you can¡¯t!¡±


    !!


    All men wanted in their lives was money, power, and sex. After eating exquisite food, it was difficult to swallow bread. Jin Xinming was unwilling to give up Ye Mei no matter what, so he was naturally anxious.


    Ye Mei leaned into his arms and said softly, ¡°I don¡¯t want to either. I only have Brother Jin in my heart, but I have no choice now, so I want to leave as soon as possible. When Brother Jin and I reach Ming Qi, we can be a happy couple.¡±


    The scene of them living a happy life flashed across Jin Xinming¡¯s mind. He was motivated and immediately said passionately, ¡°You¡¯re right. I¡¯ll start preparing things later today. To be safe, we¡¯ll take a boat. Although it¡¯s dangerous, it¡¯s faster than the other ways.¡± S§×ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Ye Mei nodded. ¡°In order to prevent Ye Maocai from being suspicious, we¡¯ll meet here in five days. Before that, Brother Jin, make arrangements well.¡±


    Jin Xinming nodded, and the two of them were intimate for a while longer. Ye Mei tidied her clothes and walked out of the door as if nothing had happened. After leaving the Sun mansion. She got into the carriage. The guards of the Ye family saw that she was fine, so they did not think too much about it. Ye Mei got into the carriage and lifted her sleeve. Her fair arms were covered in red marks.


    Jin Xinming was rough and could not wait to possess Ye Mei, making her exhausted. She looked at her arm for a while before covering it.


    She had always been conceited and arrogant, but today, she actually submitted to a person like Jin Xinming. All of this was caused by Ye Maocai. If not for the fact that Ye Maocai lied to her and got her on a pirate ship, she wouldn¡¯t have ended up like this. Since she was going to leave the Ye family, the Ye family had to give her something to compensate her. Otherwise, wouldn¡¯t she have wasted her precious time?


    A trace of ruthlessness flashed across her eyes.


    Five days later, Xie Jingxing returned.


    In the battle in Ruyang City, the Lu family was completely defeated.


    For so many years, the Lu family thought that they were recruiting soldiers and accumulating strength in secret, but they did not know that his opponent was doing the same. His opponent was even more diligent than him. From the dav Emoeror Yong Le ascended the throne. he had been Dlanning to take the Lu family down. After so many years of planning, how could the Lu family compare to him?


    The true power Emperor Yong Le revealed shocked some of the officials in the court, as if a bucket of cold water had been poured on them. They finally understood that the young emperor, who was suppressed by Emperor Xiaowu and had to rely on the support of the empress dowager, had grown into a ferocious beast at some point.


    Lu Zhengchun was a lunatic. When Ruyang was taken back, he knew that the situation was irreversible. Helpless, he rushed into the house and killed his wife and daughter, including Lu Wan¡¯er, who he had always doted on. At that time, Gao Yang and Ji Yushu were also present. They watched as Lu Wan¡¯er slowly fell to the ground with her eyes wide open, as if she did not expect to die at the hands of her father..

 Chapter 1071 - 1071: The State of Qin and Ming Qi Joining Forces

    Chapter 1071: The State of Qin and Ming Qi Joining Forces


    (2)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    Xie Jingxing ended Lu Zhengchun¡¯s life.


    When Lu Zhengchun died, he laughed crazily and shouted, ¡°I¡¯ve been invincible all my life, riding the horse through the battlefield and chopping off the heads of the enemy generals, but today, I¡¯m going to die at the hands of a green boy! I¡¯m indignant!¡±


    Xie Jingxing cut off his head and said indifferently, ¡°Ignorant.¡±


    At this point, the Lu family, which had been established in the Daliang Dynasty for a hundred years, disappeared without a trace. The remaining forces of the Lu family fled everywhere and were hunted down by the Black Feather Army one by one.


    When Shen Miao heard this, she sighed. The rise and fall of an aristocratic family came too suddenly, but in fact, the sign of their fall had been perceivable for a long time. The Lu family was arrogant and wanted to rebel, so the royal family spared no effort in killing them.


    Xie Jingxing said, ¡°But when I came back, I heard that there¡¯s a letter called To My Countrymen circulating in the market¡­¡± He glanced at Shen Miao and smiled.¡± All the scholars wanted to get to know the writer. I wonder who the talent is.¡±


    Shen Miao held back her laughter. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±


    ¡°I have to get the Black Feather Army to look for this talent.¡± Xie Jingxing raised an eyebrow. ¡°If it¡¯s a man, I¡¯ll befriend him, but if it¡¯s a woman, then¡­¡±


    ¡°Then what?¡± Shen Miao stared at him coldly, looking like if his answer didn¡¯t satisfy her, she would teach him a lesson.


    Xie Jingxing said seriously, ¡°Then I¡¯ll drag her out and execute her. I don¡¯t allow any woman to be more talented than my wife.¡±


    Shen Miao couldn¡¯t help but laugh.


    Seeing her smile, Xie Jingxing¡¯s heart skipped a beat. He suddenly stood up, picked her up, walked to the bed, and put her down. Shen Miao struggled. ¡°You haven¡¯t showered.¡± S§×arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Don¡¯t move. Let me hug you for a while.¡± He turned around, pressing Shen Miao under him. Xie Jingxing hugged her and buried his face in her shoulder. Shen Miao was a little tickled by his breath, but she heard him say, ¡°Ming Qi might be launching an attack on us.¡±


    Shen Miao was stunned and asked subconsciously, ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Before Lu Zhengchun died, he revealed my brother¡¯s illness.¡± Xie Jingxing¡¯s voice was emotionless. He said, ¡°It seems like Fu Xiuyi also knows about it. Fu Xiuyi won¡¯t miss this opportunity.¡±


    It turned out that before Lu Zhengchun died, he said to Xie Jingxing, ¡°When do you think the emperor of Ming Qi will send troops if he finds out that your short-lived brother won¡¯t live to see the end of the year?¡±


    Shen Miao was surprised. ¡°How did Lu Zhengchun know?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s hard to guard against everyone in the palace. Moreover, the palace is complicated to begin with.¡± Xie Jingxing said, ¡°The Lu family probably wanted to use this secret to threaten my brother, but in the end, they changed their mind and chose to tell Fu Xiuyi.¡±


    ¡°Did he want to cooperate with the enemy country?¡± Shen Miao frowned. ¡°Not really.¡± Xie Jingxing said, ¡°With Lu Zhengchun¡¯s personality, he probably just wanted to take my brother down.¡±


    When Shen Miao heard this, she agreed. Previously, Lu Zhengchun even posted notices everywhere saying that Emperor Yong Le had killed his father to seize the throne. At that time, he did not make the secret of Emperor Yong Le¡¯s illness public. Perhaps he wanted to keep this secret and use it as his trump card.


    Shen Miao said, ¡°That¡¯s right. It¡¯s indeed impossible for Fu Xiuyi to give up this opportunity.¡± Fu Xiuyi was good at seizing things and opportunities that he could use. Perhaps in his opinion, once the emperor was about to die, the Daliang Dynasty would definitely be in chaos. It was best to go to war at this time. She thought for a moment and said, ¡°It¡¯s just that Ming Qi is not qualified to go against the Daliang Dynasty yet. Fu Xiuyi must have done something in secret. He will only take action when he has enough confidence..¡±

 Chapter 1072 - 1072: The State of Qin and Ming Qj Joining Forces

    Chapter 1072: The State of Qin and Ming Qj Joining Forces


    (3)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    Xie Jingxing said, ¡°Before that, let¡¯s deal with the Ye family first.¡±


    ¡°The Ye family?¡± Shen Miao said, ¡°Are you planning to wipe out the entire Ye family?¡±


    Xie Jingxing snapped his fingers. ¡°What¡¯s the use of keeping them? I¡¯ll keep Ye Mei and her brother and give them to you. You can do whatever you want with them.¡±


    Shen Miao took his hand. Xie Jingxing still had her red string around his wrist.


    She said, ¡°You have to be careful.¡±


    Xie Jingxing and Shen Miao¡¯s guess about Fu Xiuyi was confirmed the next day. No one expected Fu Xiuyi to be in such a hurry to make a move.


    Shen Qiu¡¯s letter arrived.


    Previously, the letters were all about Shen Xin and the others¡¯ daily lives. However, this letter looked very disorderly. Clearly, it was written in a hurry. It took a lot of time for this letter to reach Shen Miao.


    Shen Miao and Xie Jingxing read the letter at a glance and were both silent.


    Fu Xiuyi had started to make a move, not on the Daliang Dynasty, but on the Shen family.


    Emperor Wen Hui was seriously ill and asked Fu Xiuyi to supervise everything in the imperial court. Fu Xiuyi fabricated evidence against the Shen family and wanted to annihilate them. When the Shen army was taken back by the Ming Qi royal family last time, it was completely changed. There were many spies planted in the army and it could no longer be used by Shen Xin.


    Fu Xiuyi deceived the people of Ming Qi and attacked the Shen family. This time, Shen Xin was already prepared. He had already started to secretly team up with other court officials who were dissatisfied with the Ming Qi royal family. Although those court officials were insignificant, it was still much better than fighting alone. Secondly, Luo Lianying and Luo Liantai, who were far away in Spring City, also rushed to the capital with the Luo army. The Luo army was raised by the Luo family. In addition, they had been trained by Shen Xin in the past few years, so Shen Xin was quite familiar with the Luo army. Apart from these, there were also the people Xie Jingxing left in the capital.


    At this moment, everyone in the Shen family finally knew Xie Jingxing¡¯s identity.


    Although Xie Jingxing¡¯s men were not many, they were all the best ones and were extremely good at gathering information.


    Fu Xiuyi probably thought that he could take down the Shen family in a short period of time, but he did not expect the Shen family to be well-prepared for this day.


    In the letter, Shen Qiu said that the Shen family was now at odds with the royal family and had left the capital. Although Fu Xiuyi¡¯s men had been pursuing them relentlessly, the Shen family had never let them gain anything. Now, Shen Xin was discussing with the court officials if they should remove this bastard from the throne.


    Shen Qiu did not mention the outcome of this discussion. Shen Miao also knew that the Shen family had been loyal for generations, especially Old General Shen. Now that they had become enemies with the royal family, if they really succeeded, who would be the emperor? The princes of Ming Qi were all not good people, so they might as well make themselves emperor. However, Shen Xin would definitely not have this thought.


    At the end of the letter, Shen Qiu mentioned something.


    The Shen family was not in the capital now, because the capital was filled with Fu Xiuyi¡¯s people. The Shen family would only be at a disadvantage. They retreated to the Hanguan Valley where they found many people from the State of Qin in the villages around it.. S§×arch* The ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 1073 - 1073: The State of Qin and Ming Qi Joining Forces

    Chapter 1073: The State of Qin and Ming Qi Joining Forces


    (4)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    The letter ended here.


    Shen Miao was silent for a long time before saying, ¡°Fu Xiuyi has started to make a move. It¡¯s very likely that he has joined forces with the State of Qin. Even if he hasn¡¯t, Fu Xiuyi must have this idea.¡±


    Xie Jingxing nodded and looked at Shen Miao. ¡°Aren¡¯t you worried about your father?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s useless to worry.¡± Shen Miao said, ¡°Now that I¡¯m thousands of miles away, even if I plan, I can¡¯t control the situation. Moreover, I believe my parents and brother are not ordinary people. As long as they¡¯re not as stupid as before, they have a chance of winning.¡±


    Xie Jingxing smiled. ¡°Actually, it¡¯s all the same.¡±


    Shen Miao looked at him and frowned. ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    Xie Jingxing pinched her face again and said, ¡°If the State of Qin is involved, it can only mean one thing. They will attack the Daliang Dynasty in no time. They will definitely invade from the border. Father-in-law and I are actually on the same side.¡±


    ¡°Father-in-law doesn¡¯t want to support a prince to be the new emperor, nor does he want to be the emperor himself. In that case, we¡¯ll swallow Ming Qi and destroy the State of Qin. The three countries will be unified. That way, he won¡¯t have to make a choice.¡±


    Shen Miao¡¯s heart skipped a beat. She had actually expected this to happen. In her previous life, not only did the Daliang Dynasty destroy the State of Qin, but they also attacked the capital and took down Ming Qi. In the future, when the three countries were unified there would only be one emperor in the world.


    ¡°But can you do it?¡± Shen Miao asked, ¡°Fu Xiuyi already knows your brother¡¯s illness. Without a doubt, he will definitely spread this secret. At that time, Long Ye will be in chaos. Even if Ming Qi and the State of Qin are working together, I believe you can still defeat them, but it will be a long and tiring battle.¡±


    Xie Jingxing glanced at her. ¡°Little girl, are you suspecting your husband¡¯s ability?¡±


    Shen Miao paused. Even at this moment, Xie Jingxing was still in the mood to joke. She was really speechless.


    ¡°Just watch,¡± he said.


    The fall of the Lu family shocked the entire Long Ye. Because of the letter ¡®To My Countrymen¡¯ , people changed sides and clapped their hands in joy at the fall of the Lu family. After all, the Lu family had done such a treacherous thing, so they could not blame the royal family for being heartless. However, because of this, the layout of power had changed. The fence sitters that were once on the Lu family¡¯s side began to make plans for their future.


    Emperor Yong Le was definitely not a magnanimous and benevolent emperor.


    When he struck, like Emperor Xiaowu, he would not show mercy. Back then,


    Consort Jing was the most favored consort in the harem. However, when


    Emperor Yong Le was dealing with the Lu family, he did not care about Consort Jing at all. It was even obvious that Emperor Yong Le had been secretly planning to deal with the Lu family for many years. Sear?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It was really intimidating for an emperor to have such a scheming personality. Because of this, the court officials were even more afraid of him and became much more obedient.


    The Ye family, which was as famous as the Lu family, was also anxious and uneasy.


    No one expected Emperor Yong Le to make such a drastic move, nor did they expect the Lu family to fall so quickly. Even Ye Maocai, who thought that he was smart all his life, suddenly felt that something was wrong. Now, he regretted not surrendering when the royal family wanted to recruit the Ye family back then. Now, he had lost this opportunity for nothing.


    This was because Ye Mao realized that Emperor Yong Le had already started to deal with the Ye family..

 Chapter 1074 - 1074: The State of Qin and Ming Oj Joining Forces

    Chapter 1074: The State of Qin and Ming Oj Joining Forces


    (5)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    The Ye family was different from the Lu family. Lu Zhengchun was a general and had his own soldiers. Ye Maocai was a civil official with wide connections. But now, his connections had all collapsed with the fall of the Lu family. The Lu family had so many soldiers, but they were all wiped out by Emperor Yong Le, let alone the Ye family. He knew that Emperor Yong Le would definitely not be lenient to the Ye family and would definitely kill them all. On one hand, he was angry with the Lu family for being so arrogant back then, and on the other hand, he regretted his decision back then.


    Ye Maocai started to prepare an escape plan. At the very least, he had to send


    Ye Hongguang out. He was not in the mood to care about Ye Mei and Ye Ke, but Ye Hongguang was his only son. He had to leave a descendant for the Ye family.


    While Ye Mao was busy, Ye Mei was also busy.


    Today, she returned from the Sun mansion and had a good time with Jin


    Xinming. Jin Xinming had already promised to take her away in three days.


    Over the past few days, Ye Maocai had been much less strict with Ye Mei, not caring about where she went or who she saw. Not only was Ye Mei not happy because of this, but she also became more and more nervous. This was because Ye Maocai obviously couldn¡¯t even protect himself now, so he did not have time to care about her. The Ye family was probably in for a calamity.


    Although Ye Mei did not know what was going on, she vaguely felt that Ye Maocai was afraid. What could he be afraid of? Naturally, he was afraid of ending up like Lu Zhengchun.


    On this day, she came back a little late. As soon as she entered the house, she saw Ye Ke looking around in her room, as if he was waiting for her.


    Speaking of which, Ye Mei had not seen Ye Ke for a few days. Over the past few days, she had been planning to escape to Ming Qi with Jin Xinming. From the beginning, Ye Mei didn¡¯t include Ye Ke in her escape plan.


    Ye Mei would immediately abandon someone who she felt was useless and would only drag her down.


    When Ye Ke saw her return, he asked, ¡°Sister, where did you go? Why are you only back now?¡± Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Last time, Miss Sun asked me for a handkerchief. I just embroidered it yesterday and sent it to her today.¡±


    Ye Ke complained, ¡°You¡¯re the daughter of the prime minister now. Why should the daughter of the Sun family order you around?¡±


    Ye Mei ignored him and sat down at the side. Seeing that Ye Ke seemed to be anxious, she asked, ¡°How have you been these days? Is Father still bringing you to see his colleagues?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t mention it.¡± When Ye Ke heard this, he immediately said dejectedly, ¡°I don¡¯t know what he¡¯s been busy with these past few days. When I asked him, he said that he had something to do. I¡¯m very bored in the mansion.¡± He looked at Ye Mei. ¡°Sister, when are you going to discuss entering the palace with Father? If you enter the palace and win the favor of the emperor, the emperor will also value me. My official career can also help you, right?¡±


    Ye Mei sneered in her heart, but she did not show it on her face. She smiled and said, ¡°We¡¯re siblings, so I¡¯ll naturally help you.¡± She pondered for a moment and said, ¡°Speaking of which, your relationship with Father is closer than mine. Have you noticed anything special about Father these days?¡±


    ¡°Anything special?¡± Ye Ke was puzzled. ¡°There¡¯s nothing special about him.¡±


    Seeing that he did not understand, Ye Mei put it another. ¡°That¡¯s not what I mean.. For example, do you know if Father has anything precious or secret that he doesn¡¯t want others to know?¡±

 Chapter 1075 - 1075: The State of Qjn and Ming Oj Joining Forces

    Chapter 1075: The State of Qjn and Ming Oj Joining Forces


    (6)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    Ye Ke looked at Ye Mei and was stunned for a moment before saying, ¡°Sister, what do you want to do?¡±


    Ye Ke was ambitious but not smart enough. He was street smart, but he was easily blinded by superficial things and was too greedy.


    She sighed and said, ¡°You also know that the two of us are not really the Ye family¡¯s children after all. I heard that Father has been searching for his child in private for the past few days. It¡¯s fine if he can¡¯t find his child, but if he finds his child, what will happen to the two of us?¡±


    Ye Ke was stunned when he heard that. He immediately fell for her lie and stammered, ¡°Really? Father is really looking for his child?¡±


    Ye Mei nodded.


    Ye Ke¡¯s expression was twisted, mixed with anger and jealousy. He said, ¡°How can Father do this to us? He used us and wanted to kick us away. Why?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯m indignant.¡± Ye Mei said, ¡°I¡¯m a daughter and won¡¯t be qualified to inherit the wealth of the Ye family, but you¡¯re different. That cripple won¡¯t be able to compete with you. The Ye family will be yours in the future. How can I watch your things be taken away?¡±


    Ye Ke was already angry. After hearing what Ye Mei said, he was almost exploding with anger. He said, ¡°That¡¯s right. I won¡¯t allow that to happen!¡±


    ¡°So I thought of a way. I have to find Ye Maocai¡¯s weakness. Since he¡¯s the prime minister, he must have some secrets. If we know these secrets, we can naturally use them to threaten him.¡±


    When Ye Ke heard this, he agreed. He thought for a moment and said in frustration, ¡°Father is usually very careful when he talks to. However¡­¡± His eyes lit up. He suddenly thought of something and said anxiously,¡± Once, I was in his study and saw a painting of a beauty hanging on the wall. I felt that the painting was not bad, so I touched it and was stopped by him. At that time, I guessed that there was something different about this painting.¡±


    Ye Mei asked, ¡°And then?¡±


    ¡°Father told me that there are some things in that painting, but I¡¯m not an official yet, so it¡¯s useless to give them to me. After I become an official, these things will be useful, and he will give them to me.¡± Ye Ke spread his hands. ¡°I can only think of this. He didn¡¯t seem to be lying, so I didn¡¯t ask further. Does this count as a secret?¡±


    A trace of joy flashed across Ye Mei¡¯s eyes as she said, ¡°It does.¡±


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll think of a way to steal it!¡± Ye Ke immediately stood up.


    ¡°No!¡± Ye Mei quickly stopped him. Seeing that Ye Ke was suspicious, she said, ¡°Since I was the one who thought of this idea, I will definitely be the one to threaten him in the end. If you threaten him, he will be dissatisfied with you. Why don¡¯t I steal it and use it to threaten him? This way, in Ye Maocai¡¯s heart, you are innocent and can still be trusted.¡±


    When Ye Ke heard this, he felt that Ye Mei was right. He clapped his hands and said, ¡°Sister, you¡¯re so considerate!¡± Then, he looked at her gratefully. ¡°Sister, you¡¯re so good to me. When I become successful in the future, I will definitely not forget you and will definitely repay you.¡± S§×ar?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Ye Mei smiled and said very amiably, ¡°I¡¯ll wait for you to ¡®repay¡¯ me.¡±


    After Ye Ke left, Ye Mei closed the door and her expression slowly darkened.


    She had always been thinking that during the time she was in the Ye family, she did not get what she wanted. On the contrary, she had been schemed against and used by Ye Maocai. She was even forced to escape from the Ye family and had no choice but to sacrifice herself to a person like Jin Xinming.


    No matter how she looked at it, this deal was not worth it.


    Ye Mei had never been taken advantage of like this in her life.


    Now, the Ye family was in trouble. Before the trouble came knocking at the door, she had to leave and jump on another boat. Otherwise, she would be tied up and sink with the Ye family.


    However, before the Ye family sank, she had to take something from the Ye family to make up for what she had lost.


    Since Jin Xinming was going to Ming Qi, one day, she would be able to climb up the social ladder and reach the peak of power. That was the life she wanted.


    As the prime minister of the Daliang Dynasty, the Ye family must have some secrets hidden in the mansion. These secrets must be closely related to the Daliang Dynasty.


    No country would turn away from the secrets of other countries.


    The secrets were collected painstakingly by Ye Maocai, and the secrets were also the stepping stone for her to become a noble in Ming Qi..

 Chapter 1076 - 1076: Murdering (1)

    Chapter 1076: Murdering (1)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    A few days after Xie Jingxing returned, he had to go to Ruyang again to clean up the mess.


    After Xie Jingxing left, Shen Miao was in charge of everything in Prince Rui¡¯s mansion. Prince Rui was influential in Long Ye and his attitude would have a great impact on the trajectory of the situation. Many court officials were watching everything that was happening in Prince Rui¡¯s mansion. The more critical the situation was, the more Shen Miao had to make sure nothing went wrong.


    The disaster brought by the Lu family was finally over. Because the Lu family started the rebellion in Ruyang, the commoners of Long Ye were not affected.


    The overall situation was stable, and everything began to look no different from before, except for one family, the Ye family.


    Ye Maocai had been in the imperial court for decades. When Emperor Yong Le just ascended the throne, he was still a little boy. Now that this little boy had grown into an unfathomable man, his methods were as heartless as his father¡¯s. The Ye family was cornered and was faced with an imminent doom.


    Ye Maocai was not as stupid as Lu Zhengchun, nor was he as arrogant as Lu Zhengchun. The power Emperor Yong Le displayed made Ye Maocai understand that the current Ye family did not have the ability to compete with the royal family. The damage they dealt to the royal family was like a tickle, but the damage the royal dealt to them was lethal.


    No one wanted to die, and no one could remain calm in the face of imminent death.


    Ye Maocai had to start planning an escape for himself. He hoped to protect his only son, but if necessary, he could abandon him. However, the most important thing was that now that the royal family was watching every move of the Ye family, it was very difficult for him to escape.


    On this day, when Shen Miao returned home from a madam¡¯s house, it was almost evening. The long summer had finally passed, and the early autumn was starting to manifest itself. The flowers and trees in the courtyard began to lose leaves. As soon as the leaves were swept away, when a gust of wind blew over, a few more would fall. Jingzhe had a headache cleaning the courtyard.


    Shen Miao stood at the side of the courtyard. Uncle Tang happened to walk over. When he saw her, he smiled and said, ¡°Madam, the kitchen is making soup. When the soup is ready, I¡¯ll get someone to send it to you. You have been busy these days and must be tired.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± Shen Miao smiled. Thinking of Xie Jingxing, who was still in Ruyang, she couldn¡¯t help but sigh.


    Things were far from over. Even if the Ye family was dealt with, what about Ming Qi, which was thousands of miles away? Now, she was worried about two things. On one hand, she was wary of Ming Qi, and on the other hand, she was worried about the Daliang Dynasty. How Long could Emperor Yong Le live?


    When would Fu Xiuyi and the State of Qin join forces to attack the Daliang Dynasty? If Emperor Yong Le died, in the royal family of the Daliang Dynasty, only Xie Jingxing could take on the responsibility. At the same time, she would also have to face many problems.. S~ea??h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 1077 - 1077: Murdering (2)

    Chapter 1077: Murdering (2)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    Xie Jingxing was right about one thing. Time was running out. They did not have much time left to plan their schemes.


    Just as she was thinking, she saw MO Qing rush in with a strange expression. Over the past few days, Shen Miao had asked MO Qing to monitor the movements of Ye Mei and her brother day and night. Ye Mei had already hooked up with Jin Xinming, and Jin Xinming was about to leave the Daliang Dynasty. Shen Miao could not let Ye Mei succeed. In some ways, Ye Mei was more troublesome than Ye Maocai.


    ¡°The emperor has issued a decree to invite Ye Maocai to the palace,¡± MO Qing said.


    Shen Miao was stunned. ¡°To the palace?¡±


    MO Qing nodded. ¡°That¡¯s right. The Ye family is in chaos now, and the servants are panicking. However, the Ye mansion is tightly surrounded by people from the palace.¡±


    Shen Miao muttered to herself, ¡°Why so quickly¡­¡±


    It was obvious that Emperor Yong Le wanted to deal with the Ye family, so Shen Miao was not surprised. However, now that Xie Jingxing was in Ruyang and Emperor Yong Le was not in good health, it might be safer to carry out the plan after Xie Jingxing returned. However, on second thought. If even Shen Miao felt that Emperor Yong Le¡¯s action was too sudden and swift, it would probably be even more so to Ye Maocai. The Ye family was also a cunning bunch. If they gave the Ye family a chance to catch their breath, Ye Maocai might take advantage of the situation to escape. Now, Ye Maocai was summoned to the palace. Without him, the rest of the Ye family would just be fish on the chopping board.


    She thought for a moment and said, ¡°Go to the Ye mansion immediately with Cong Yang and Tie Yi to keep an eye on Ye Mei and her brother. If they make a move, follow them first. If they want to leave Long Ye, stop them and take them back. If they fight back, kill them.¡±


    ¡°Is it necessary for the three of us to watch those siblings?¡± Cong Yang jumped down from the tree and said, ¡°I heard that Madam Ye is not simple either. Why don¡¯t I go and keep an eye on her?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about her.¡± Shen Miao said, ¡°Although she¡¯s smart, she¡¯s a woman after all. The information I¡¯ve gathered these days is that Ye Maocai won¡¯t let Madam Ye interfere in his matters. The emperor didn¡¯t summon her to the palace because he also knew that she was not a threat. She can¡¯t do anything alone. On the other hand, Ye Mei and her brother are very cunning. I have a feeling that they won¡¯t leave the Ye family without taking something from them. She definitely has a plan. This plan is beneficial to her. This is what you need to pay attention to the most.¡± S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Cong Yang thought for a moment and felt that what she said made sense, so he nodded. Tie Yi had always been obedient, let alone MO Qing. Just as the three of them were about to leave, Shen Miao suddenly stopped them. ¡°By the way, if you meet that crippled young master, don¡¯t hurt him. If anyone wants to hurt him, help him.¡±


    At this moment, the Ye family was in chaos under the dark night.


    No one expected the royal family to suddenly send people to ¡°invite¡± Ye Maocai to the palace. Although the servants did not know what was exactly going on, they had vaguely heard some rumors these days. When Ye Maocai was taken away, he struggled, which proved the rumors the servants heard. Without hesitation, they packed their things and were about to escape. However, the mansion was sealed by imperial guards and no one was allowed to leave. They felt that there was no hope of escaping and broke down, filling the mansion with wails and sobs..

 Chapter 1078 - 1078: Murdering (3)

    Chapter 1078: Murdering (3)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    In the chaos, Madam Ye was already packing up her things.


    She originally had a trace ot hope tor Ye Maocai, but she was disappointed to find that she was not included in his escape plan from the beginning to the end. Husband and wife were on the same boat, but Ye Maocai decided to push her off the boat. Ye Maocai did not care about their relationship as husband and wife, so she would pretend she did not have a husband.


    She searched the room seriously for banknotes and jewelry that she could take away and tried her best to pack up light clothes. She could not sit back and do nothing.


    At this moment, Ye Mei and Ye Ke were the same.


    Ye Ke paced back and forth in the room, his eyes filled with anxiety. From time to time, he asked Ye Mei, ¡°Sister, do you think this is true? Is the Ye family really going to be finished? How is this possible? There were no signs of this happening at all. Perhaps the emperor invited Father to the palace just for some court matters. It¡¯s not what we think.¡±


    Ye Mei packed some banknotes. A few days ago, she had already pawned the jewelry for banknotes that could be exchanged for money in all the banks in the Daliang Dynasty. Banknotes were easy to carry, and they were indispensable. She said, ¡°Are you still deceiving yourself? If the emperor just wanted to talk about the court affairs, why did he send so many guards to take Ye Maocai away?¡±


    ¡°But there was no sign at all!¡± Ye Ke still refused to believe Ye Mei.


    ¡°You just didn¡¯t notice it.¡±


    Ye Ke widened his eyes and stared at Ye Mei in disbelief. ¡°What do you mean, Sister? Did you already know? Since you already knew, why didn¡¯t you tell me?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just guessing. I don¡¯t have any evidence. If I tell you, will you believe me?¡± Ye Mei sneered in her heart, but on the surface, she said gently, ¡°Besides, I¡¯ll plan things well. You¡¯re my brother after all. Now that the Ye family is in trouble, we can¡¯t let them implicate us. We have to find a chance to escape. I¡¯ll bring you along.¡±


    Ye Ke looked indignant. ¡°I originally thought that staying in the Ye family was the best choice, but I didn¡¯t expect that not only would I not get an official position, but I would also have to escape like a stray dog. It might be better If I didn¡¯t follow the Ye family to Long Ye when I was in Qinzhou.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not necessarily the case.¡± Ye Mei put away all the banknotes. Then, she said, ¡°Keeping ourselves alive is the most important thing. Don¡¯t wait here. Go to your room and pack up all your valuable things. These things can be used when we are escaping.¡±


    Ye Ke moved his lips, but in the end, he did not say anything. He lowered his head and walked out of Ye Mei¡¯s room.


    After he left, Ye Mei stood up. A trace of gloom flashed across her eyes. She paused for a moment before quietly leaving the room.


    She walked towards Ye Maocai¡¯s study.


    The door of Ye Maocai¡¯s study was closed. Usually, only Ye Ke and Madam Ye would enter the study. However, Ye Maocai was a cautious person. If he really wanted to hide something, he probably wouldn¡¯t hide it in a place like the study. However, the more dangerous a place was, the safer it was. Ye Maocai might do the opposite and deliberately put it in the study to confuse people.. S§×arch* The ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 1079 - 1079 Murdering (4)

    Chapter 1079 Murdering (4)


    Translator: Henyee Translations


    Editor: Henyee Translations


    However, Ye Mei had already received a hint from Ye Ke. She knew that Ye Maocai had hung a painting of a beauty in the study. There seemed to be something fishy about that painting. There was something ¡°important¡± in the painting. Now that Ye Maocai had just been taken away, Ye Mei was not afraid of being discovered.


    Because everyone in the Ye family was in a panic, there was no one guarding the study. It was easy for Ye Mei to enter. She quickly found the painting. The painting was hung on the wall opposite Ye Maocai¡¯s desk. Ye Mei walked over and touched it with both hands, but she realized that the painting was very flat.


    Ye Mei did not give up. She looked around again, but she still did not find anything. She was a


    little frustrated and suspected that Ye Maocai had moved the thing in the painting to somewhere else. Ye Mei looked at the painting angrily, only to see that there was something wrong with the beauty in the painting.


    The beauty in the painting stood under the peach tree with a faint smile. Her face was rosy, making her look shy. Her eyes were very cold and devoid of smiles, but they were sparkling, giving people the illusion that this painting was lifelike, making people feel a chill run down their spines.


    Ye Mei¡¯s heart skipped a beat. She suddenly reached out to touch the eyes of the beauty in the painting. As expected, where her fingers touched the eyes, there was a hard bulge. She pressed hard, and with a bang, the painting hanging on the wall suddenly caved in. She was excited and reached in to take out a box made of iron.


    The box should be where Ye Maocai kept his secrets. After Ye Mei took it, she turned around and was about to leave.


    At this moment, the study door suddenly creaked open. Ye Mei was stunned and saw Ye Hongguang entering in a wheelchair. Seeing Ye Meit Ye Hongguang was stunned. ¡°Sister?¡±


    Ye Hongguang was very uneasy today,


    All the servants in the mansion were in a panic. He, a crippled young master, did not have a high status in the mansion. Usually, with Ye Maocai protecting him, they would not go too far. However, once Ye Maocai was gone, Madam Ye would not care about him at all, let alone the servants.


    Ye Hongguang was also very worried about Ye Maocai, but no one in the mansion explained the situation to him. Frustrated, he could only go to Ye Maocai¡¯s study. It was as if as long as he was in the study, he could feel Ye Maocai¡¯s presence.


    Unexpectedly, as soon as he entered the study, he saw Ye Mei.


    ¡°Sister, why are you here?¡± Ye Hongguang asked.


    Ye Mei was still holding the box in her hand. When she saw that it was Ye Hongguang, she heaved a sigh of relief and smiled. ¡°Oh, Father asked me to come here to fetch something for him. I saw that the servants in the mansion were busy, so I came to get it myself.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡± Ye Hongguang¡¯s gaze landed on the box in Ye Mei¡¯s arms. ¡°Is it the box you¡¯re holding?¡± S~ea??h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Ye Mei smiled and said, ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± She then said, ¡°Third Brother, are you here to look for something too? Then I won¡¯t disturb you. I¡¯ll leave this room to you. Third Brother, take your time.¡± She was about to leave when she heard him suddenly say, ¡°Sister, don¡¯t you know that Father never lets women into his study?¡±


    Ye Mei paused and stopped in her tracks..

 Chapter 1080 - 1080: Murdering (5)

    Chapter 1080: Murdering (5)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    Ye Hongguang¡¯s eyes were very clear and innocent, but at this moment, they seemed to be very sharp. He said, ¡°Sister, why did you lie? Why did you lie to


    ¡°I didn¡¯t lie to you.¡± Ye Mei composed herself and smiled. ¡°I told you the truth. If you don¡¯t believe me, when Father comes back, go and ask him. You¡¯ll know if I¡¯m telling the truth or not.¡±


    Ye Hongguang continued what he left unfinished, ¡°Is it because of this box in your arms? Is it because you want to steal something from this box? This box belongs to Father, right? Although I don¡¯t know what it is, since you came to steal it in this chaotic time, I think this thing is very important to Father.¡± Ye Mei was stunned.


    !!


    This seemingly weak young master had inherited something from Ye Maocai. Although he was inexperienced, he was undoubtedly very smart.


    Ye Mei gradually clenched her fists.


    ¡°Put down this box. I can pretend that nothing happened, ¡± Ye Hongguang said.


    ¡°Third Brother.¡± Ye Mei tried to coax him. ¡°Father asked me to take this box. I really didn¡¯t steal it.¡± S§×ar?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Since you didn¡¯t steal it and Father asked you to take it, there¡¯s no hurry. When Father comes back, you can give it to him personally.¡± Ye Hongguang was unwilling to back down at all.


    Seeing that the agreed time with Jin Xinming was getting closer and closer, Ye


    Mei panicked and said, ¡°What if I don¡¯t?¡±


    ¡°Why not?¡± Ye Hongguang frowned. ¡°Did you really come to steal it?¡±


    Ye Mei was a little angry. Ye Hongguang¡¯s train of thoughts were different from ordinary people. She didn¡¯t even know how to threaten the young man in front of her. He was smart, but he was also stupid enough to think that Ye Mei would hand over the thing to him. However, he was also smart enough to tell at a glance that this box was important and even stopped Ye Mei at such a critical moment.


    Seeing that Ye Mei did not move for a long time, Ye Hongguang said seriously, ¡°If you insist on taking it away, I can only call Mother over and ask her to stop you.¡±


    Madam Ye?


    Although Madam Ye was not taken seriously by Emperor Yong Le and was just a cunning woman, she was the madam of all the servants in the Ye mansion. All the servants had to listen to Madam Ye¡¯s commands. If Madam Ye found out, she would probably lose this box.


    ¡°No!¡± Ye Mei blurted out.


    ¡°Then put down the box.¡±


    Ye Mei said, ¡°Third Brother, listen to me¡­¡±


    ¡°Guards!¡± Ye Hongguang suddenly shouted, scaring Ye Mei so much that she immediately covered his mouth. Ye Hongguang began to struggle, but he was too weak to fight back and was completely restrained by Ye Mei. As Ye Mei covered his mouth, her gaze landed on the big scissors in the wastebasket not far away.


    A glint flashed across her eyes, and she suddenly had an idea. Without hesitation, she grabbed the scissors and stabbed it at Ye Hongguang¡¯s chest!


    Ye Hongguang was stabbed in the chest. He kicked his legs a few times and stared at Ye Mei with his eyes wide open, as if he did not expect such a vicious woman to exist in the world. However, he no longer had the strength to shout.


    Ye Mei glanced at him coldly and said, ¡°I didn¡¯t want to kill you, but you talk too much.¡± She turned around and left..

 Chapter 1081 - 1081: Murdering (6)

    Chapter 1081: Murdering (6)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    Ye Hongguang fell to the ground, and the wheelchair was overturned. Gradually, the ground was wet with blood. He tried his best to crawl to the door to call for help, but it was easier said than done. The door that was inches away from him seemed to be endless at this moment.


    Tie Yi and the others had just arrived at the Ye mansion, but they did not see Ye Mei. They thought that Ye Mei had escaped. When they arrived at the study, they were shocked. Ye Hongguang was lying in a pool of blood, on the verge of death.


    Cong Yang asked, ¡°What¡¯s going on? What should we do?¡±


    !!


    MO Qing came out of another room and said, ¡°Ye Mei and her brother are planning to escape. Brother Tie Yi, you are swift. You follow them.¡±


    Tie Yi nodded and jumped out of the window, disappearing into the night.


    When MO Qing¡¯s gaze landed on Ye Hongguang, who was on the ground, he was shocked and said, ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Cong Yang scratched his head and squatted beside Ye Hongguang to check his breathing. He said, ¡°He¡¯s still breathing, but I don¡¯t know if he can be saved.¡¯


    ¡°It seems like someone wanted him dead,¡± MO Qing said. ¡°Shout for help to attract people over.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s gonna help.¡± Cong Yang clapped his hands. ¡°The servants in this mansion can¡¯t even take care of themselves now. How can they have the time to care about this young master? Moreover, Madam Ye doesn¡¯t like him very much. Seeing him like this, she will probably clap her hands. It¡¯s unlikely that she will invite a doctor to treat him.¡±


    ¡°Then bring him back.¡± MO Qing walked to Ye Hongguang¡¯s side and picked him up. Ye Hongguang was weak, so it was effortless to pick him up. MO Qing said, ¡°Madam treats this kid differently. I think Madam will make the same choice if she¡¯s present. Take him to Young Master Gao first. Whether he can be saved or not will depend on his fate.¡±


    Cong Yang shrugged. ¡°I¡¯ll listen to you.¡±


    The young man suddenly opened his eyes and squeezed out a few words.


    ¡°Mei¡­ stole¡­ something¡­ and ran¡­¡±


    ¡°What is he talking about?¡± Cong Yang was puzzled.


    Ye Hongguang tilted his head and fainted. sea??h th§× n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. Let¡¯s hurry up and leave. People will be here soon,¡± MO Qing said. The two of them did not dare to delay and quickly left.


    Shen Miao was sitting in the room, waiting for news. Emperor Yong Let s plan was executed so quickly that many things had to be brought forward.


    Tie Yi and the others had been gone for so long, but there was still no news. Her heart sank, and she wondered if Ye Mei had already escaped.


    Just as she was thinking, she saw Jingzhe rush in and shout happily, ¡°They¡¯re back, they¡¯re back!¡±


    Shen Miao stood up. Gu Yu asked outside the door. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±


    ¡°Quick, call Doctor Gao over.¡± It was MO Qing¡¯s voice.


    Right on the heels of that, the door was pushed open and MO Qing and Cong Yang walked in. MO Qing carried someone into the room and placed him on the couch. Shen Miao took a closer look and was stunned. She cried out, ¡°Ye Hongguang!¡±


    ¡°When we went over, we found him lying in the study. He seemed to have been harmed by someone. Ye Mei and her brother are about to escape. Tie Yi has been following them. I¡¯ll rush over to assist him. I¡¯ve already ordered someone to invite Young Master Gao,¡± MO Qing explained.


    ¡°Who in the Ye family is so cruel as to kill child?¡± Seeing Ye Hongguang¡¯s face, which was almost identical to Fu Ming¡¯s, Shen Miao was sad and angry. ¡°Why would they kill a child?¡±


    ¡°Nlayoe was ye wno ma cong yang sama.


    Shen Miao frowned. ¡°Why do you say so?¡±


    ¡°This child woke up once and said a few words. He said that Mei stole something and ran.¡± MO Qing said, ¡°I guess what he wanted to say is that Ye Mei stole something and ran away. Perhaps when she was stealing, she was seen by Ye Hongguang, which was why she wanted to kill him.¡±


    ¡°But what exactly did she steal?¡± Cong Yang said, ¡°Gold, silver, and jewelry? If she attacked a child for these things, then she was really a savage.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not right,¡± Shen Miao suddenly said.


    The two of them were stunned and asked in unison, ¡°What¡¯s not right?¡±


    ¡°This matter is not right.¡± A thought suddenly flashed across Shen Miao¡¯s mind. Without hesitation, she immediately said, ¡°Cong Yang, catch up with Tie Yi immediately. If you see Li Mei leaving Long Ye, don¡¯t stop her. However, you have to stall for time and make them slow down.¡¯


    ¡°Don¡¯t stop them?¡± Cong Yang was stunned.


    ¡°Yes, don¡¯t stop them,¡± Shen Miao said. She looked at Ye Hongguang on the couch and called Jingzhe and Gu Yu in to take care of him.


    In the end, she said to MO Qing, ¡°MO Qing, come with me to the study.¡±


    Although everyone was puzzled, they did not dare to question when they saw her serious expression.


    Shen Miao¡¯s eyes were as cold as a knife.


    Consort Mei stole something and ran away?


    What did she steal? Where could she run to?

 Chapter 1082 - 1082: Swap (1)

    Chapter 1082: Swap (1)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations S§×arch* The ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Ye Mei and Ye Ke jumped into Jin Xinming¡¯s carriage. Speaking of which, Jin Xinming was quite capable. He even bribed the servants of the Ye family. Even so, Ye Mei and Ye Ke were still discovered by the guards outside when they were sneaking out. The carriage galloped through the street, and the guards chased after it.


    Ye Ke leaned against the window of the carriage and looked out. In the dark night, the sound of hooves coming from behind was especially clear, making his heart tighten. He looked at Ye Mei in fear and said, ¡°Sister, what should we do? If they catch up, we¡¯ll be finished.¡± He urged the coachman, ¡°Can you hurry


    The coachman whipped the horse fiercely, causing the horse to giddy up. Ye Ke felt slightly relieved. Suddenly, he thought of something and said, ¡°Sister, when did you prepare this? If not for the fact that you prepared the carriage in advance, I¡¯m afraid we wouldn¡¯t have been able to walk far before being caught up.¡±


    !!


    ¡°I naturally have to plan everything well.¡± Ye Mei would not tell Ye Ke that this carriage was prepared by Jin Xinming, nor would she tell Ye Ke that they were going to escape with Jin Xinming today. Or rather, Ye Mei did not have Ye Ke in her original plan.


    Seeing that the carriage was about to reach a street at the corner, Ye Mei looked outside and said, ¡°The two of us are in the same carriage, so it will definitely be easier for them to chase after us. They might catch up if they speed up. Why don¡¯t we split up and meet up at Ba Jiao Street later?¡±


    ¡°Are we going to split up?¡± Ye Ke was extremely nervous. When he heard that they were going to split up, he immediately panicked. He said, ¡°Let¡¯s go together. We can take care of each other on the way.¡±


    ¡°If we travel together, we¡¯ll be easily caught up by the guards. Don¡¯t worry, you stay in the carriage. I¡¯ll get off first. This coachman will take you to Ba Jiao Street. When the time comes, we¡¯ll meet there. Everything has been arranged for us to leave the city. Nothing will happen.¡±


    Hearing that he did not have to get out of the carriage, Ye Ke was relieved and did not stop Ye Mei. Ye Mei asked the coachman to stop by the street while she grabbed the bamboo hat to hide her face. Only then did she jump off the carriage and disappear into the night.


    The coachman continued driving the carriage.


    Ye Mei looked at the disappearing carriage. The corners of her lips slowly curled up under her veil. She found a small house on the other side and knocked on the door. Not long after, someone came to open the door. Ye Mei quickly rushed in.


    In the darkness, the person asked, ¡°Is everything settled?¡±


    Ye Mei nodded.


    On the other side, Ye Ke sat in the carriage. After Ye Mei got out of the carriage, the speed of the horse became faster and faster. Gradually, the sound of the guards chasing after him gradually became weaker. Ye Ke felt relieved. When he could not hear the sound of the guards chasing after him, the road became bumpy. He felt a little carsick, so he said, ¡°You can slow down.¡±


    The coachman turned a deaf ear and continued to drive the carriage at a high speed. Ye Ke was a little angry. He lifted the curtain of the carriage and looked out, only to be surprised.


    This was not the city anymore. He was in the mountains.


    Ye Ke was shocked. Why did the coachman drive the carriage here? He said,


    ¡°Stop! Go back to Ba Jiao Street!¡±


    The coachman ignored him and continued forward. Ye Ke was furious, but just as he was about to speak, the carriage gradually stopped..

 Chapter 1083 - 1083: Swap (2)

    Chapter 1083: Swap (2)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    Ye Ke lifted the curtain and looked out at the coachman. He scolded, ¡°What did you stop? Hurry up and take me to Ba Jiao Street.¡± S~ea??h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The coachman glanced at him, and only then did Ye Ke see clearly that this coachman was stronger than ordinary people. He felt a little intimidated, so he did not dare to shout. Although he was also a young man, he was not as tall as this person and was not as strong.


    The coachman took out something from his pocket. After fiddling with it for a while, he suddenly stabbed the horse¡¯s butt with it.


    !!


    The horse was startled. It raised its hooves and suddenly ran forward!


    Ye Ke did not expect the coachman to suddenly do this. The horse suddenly began charging forward, and he was sent flying back into the carriage. He was terrified. Ye Ke suddenly realized something and immediately lifted the curtain of the carriage to look out.


    The last thing Ye Ke saw was a bottomless abyss and dense overlapping branches.


    The abyss seemed to reach all the way to hell. Even if the carriage crashed down, one could not hear the sound of it landing in the mountains.


    Shen Miao was writing non-stop in the study.


    She wrote very quickly, her hands moving almost instinctively. Ever since she locked herself in the study, her hand had never stopped.


    MO Qing stood quietly behind her. Not only was Shen Miao writing, but she also seemed to be drawing a map. Although he did not know what she was doing, he did not ask to disturb her. After Shen Miao finished writing one, she asked MO Qing to quickly dry the paper with the residual heat of the lantern. She was wearing a frown from the beginning to end, looking very serious.


    At this moment, someone knocked on the door. MO Qing opened the door and let Cong Yang, who was panting, in.


    Cong Yang said, ¡°Tie Yi and I followed Ye Mei and her brother to the corner of the city. Tie Yi went with Ye Mei, and I followed Ye Ke. Ye Ke¡¯s carriage drove to the depths of the mountain by the cliff. The carriage fell off the cliff, and there is no way Ye Ke could survive it.¡±


    ¡°A cliff?¡± MO Qing was stunned and puzzled. ¡°Who is the coachman? What grudge does he have with Ye Ke?¡±


    Cong Yang rubbed his nose. ¡°I was in a hurry to come back and report, so I didn¡¯t continue to follow the coachman.¡¯


    ¡°There¡¯s no need to follow the coachman. The coachman is Ye Mei¡¯s man,¡± Shen Miao said.


    ¡°Ye Mei?¡± Cong Yang was stunned. ¡°Ye Mei asked the coachman to kill Ye Ke? But Ye Ke is her brother. Moreover, since she wanted to kill him, why did she bring him along when she escaped?¡±


    ¡°She needed a target to attract attention. Ye Ke is her brother, so he¡¯s the most suitable target. I think the coachman didn¡¯t just kill Ye Ke. He also put Ye Mei and Ye Ke¡¯s clothes on the cliff, making people think that the siblings fell off the cliff and died.¡¯


    When MO Qing and Cong Yang heard this, they were stunned at first before coming to a realization.


    Ye Mei did not want to live in the fear of being hunted down, so it was better to let the world think that she was already dead. No one cared about a dead person. Ye Ke was her brother. When the guards saw their clothes on the cliff, they would definitely think that the siblings had accidentally fallen off the cliff and died together..

 Chapter 1084 - 1084: Swap (3)

    Chapter 1084: Swap (3)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    Ye Mei made Ye Ke her scapegoat.


    ¡°That¡¯s her biological brother.¡± Cong Yang sighed. ¡°How can a woman be so ruthless¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid she has long treated Ye Ke as a useless pawn in her heart.¡± Shen Miao said indifferently, ¡°So she decided to squeeze the last bit of value out of Ye Ke.¡± This was Consort Mei. In her previous life, Ye Ke could give her more power in the harem, so she had a deep relationship with him. Now, Ye Ke could not bring her any benefits and would even drag her down, so Ye Mei did not hesitate to kill him.


    !!


    A snow-white pigeon flew in and landed on Cong Yang¡¯s shoulder. Cong Yang took out a slip of paper from the pigeon¡¯s leg and quickly unfolded it. After reading it, he said anxiously, ¡°Tie Yi said that Ye Mei and Jin Xinming have already arrived at the dock and are preparing to take a boat.¡± He glanced at the strong wind outside and said, ¡°If it rains tonight, it will be very difficult for us to catch up with them. Should we go and catch them back now?¡±


    ¡°No.¡± After saying that, Shen Miao finished writing the last piece of paper. She dried the paper above the lantern and put it into an envelope. Then, she said to Cong Yang and MO Qing, ¡°Cong Yang, you¡¯re from the Black Feather Army. Find a few swift people from the Black Feather Army to carry this letter and follow Ye Mei all the way to Ming Qi.¡±


    ¡°Ming Qi?¡± Cong Yang frowned. ¡°Why would they go to Ming Qi?¡±


    ¡°MO Qing found out that Jin Xinming has a friend who is doing business in Ming Qi. They¡¯ve been in contact with each other a lot recently. Clearly, he has the intention of going to Ming Qi. Moreover, only by going to Ming Qi can Ye Mei completely escape.¡± She said, ¡°You two go with them as well. Be careful not to be discovered. Once you find that secret thing Ye Mei stole, swap it with this letter.¡± She handed the letter to MO Qing.


    MO Qing took the letter and nodded.


    ¡°Be quick. Don¡¯t be discovered,¡± Shen Miao instructed.


    ¡°But are we going to let them go to Ming Qi just like that?¡± Cong Yang said, ¡°Madam, don¡¯t you always hate Ye Mei?¡±


    ¡°I naturally won¡¯t let her off.¡± Shen Miao said coldly, ¡°On the contrary, I¡¯m sending her to hell!¡±


    ¡°Go quickly. If possible, swap the things before they board the boat. It¡¯ll be a little troublesome to swap it after they board the boat. Leave two people to continue to follow them and send letters back to keep in contact with us. If there are any other instructions, I¡¯ll tell you.¡± Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Seeing that Shen Miao was serious, MO Qing and Cong Yang did not dare to let their guard down. They took the letter and quickly left. Shen Miao placed one hand on the table and pursed her lips tightly, a trace of killing intent flashing across her eyes.


    Before, she only wanted to take Consort Mei¡¯s life, the sooner the better. However, now, she did not think that way anymore.


    The Daliang Dynasty, the State of Qin, and Ming Qi all wanted to occupy a larger portion of the land in the world.


    Fu Xiuyi would definitely think of a way to join forces with the State of Qin. At that time, if Xie Jingxing went to war, it would be a tough battle.


    She would kill Ye Mei sooner or later.. However, before that, wouldn¡¯t it be good to squeeze some value out of her?

 Chapter 1085 - 1085: Swap (4)

    Chapter 1085: Swap (4)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    No one understood Ye Mei better than Shen Miao. If Ye Mei wanted to get something from the Ye family that was enough to compensate her, gold, silver, and jewelry were far from enough. What she wanted was eternal power. In all the years that Ye Maocai had been in the Daliang Dynasty, apart from the reputation and wealth of the Ye family, the most valuable thing he had was probably some dirty secrets of the Daliang Dynasty¡¯s imperial court. Perhaps there were secrets of the royal family, or perhaps of the court officials. When one had secrets, one had weaknesses. These secrets were probably used by Ye Maocai to control the other officials, or they were evidence that he had carefully collected. However, one thing was certain. The secrets were very important, so important that they could ruin the Daliang Dynasty.


    And this was exactly what Ye Mei wanted.


    Ye Mei could use this as a way for her to enter the upper-class in Ming Qi. However, what Shen Miao designed for her was even better. She was going to send Ye Mei to Fu Xiuyi.


    !!


    If Fu Xiuyi got the things, he would definitely be very happy, and a beautiful woman like Ye Mei would definitely seize this opportunity to win Fu Xiuyi¡¯s heart like in her previous life and then slowly but surely corrupt him.


    However¡­ What if all these things were fake?


    The defense map, the secrets between the court officials, the discord between the royal family, and the defenseless cities that Ming Qi could take effortlessly. All of these seemed to be the key to Ming Qi¡¯s victory over the Daliang Dynasty, but what if they were all fake?


    Ming Qi would make wrong judgments. They would set up their troops in the wrong place and attack the wrong cities. In the end, they would fall apart.


    A nest of ants was enough to destroy an indestructible dam.


    Of course, Ye Mei did not know that she was holding the wrong thing.


    Of course, Fu Xiuyi could also suspect if what Ye Mei offered him was real or fake.


    However, it did not matter. Shen Miao trusted Consort Mei very much. She was a very powerful woman, so in the end, Fu Xiuyi would definitely be convinced by her.


    Therefore, the outcome of this battle was destined.


    It was not that Shen Miao did not want to kill Ye Mei, nor did she deliberately want to let her go.


    However, she wanted to see the woman Fu Xiuyi loved the most in her previous life walk towards him step by step and throw herself into his arms, bringing along with her the demise of a dynasty.


    This was more satisfying than just taking her life.


    Most importantly, this matter was beneficial to Xie Jingxing. Because of this small move, the world changed drastically.


    It was all for the best. S~ea??h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    That night, as Cong Yang had expected, there was really heavy rain. It was not until the next morning that Cong Yang and the other two returned. They were all drenched. Ye Mei and Jin Xinming had already boarded the boat to Ming Qi. Just as Shen Miao had guessed, Ye Mei had a box that she hid very well.


    The people of the Black Feather Army changed the things in the box to the things Shen Miao gave them. Tie Yi took out a stack of things from his pocket and handed it to Shen Miao. Shen Miao flipped through it. It was indeed something that Ye Maocai had collected over the years to threaten and keep other court officials in check. There were even some secrets of the royal family. She thought for a moment and decided to wait for Xie Jingxing to come back to deal with these things.


    The people of the Black Feather Army were following Ye Mei to Ming Qi and keeping an eye on her..

 Chapter 1086 - 1086: Swap (5)

    Chapter 1086: Swap (5)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    Only then did Shen Miao remember Ye Hongguang. She asked MO Qing and the others to rest while she went to the room next door to see Ye Hongguang.


    Gao Yang was still around. He told Shen Miao that Ye Hongguang¡¯s life was saved, but he had yet to wake up. No one knew when he would wake up. After all, he was seriously injured. If not for MO Qing and Cong Yang bringing him back in time, he might be long dead.


    In the end, Gao Yang glanced at Ye Hongguang on the bed and asked, ¡°What are you going to do? The emperor clearly wants to deal with the Ye family, but you brought the young master of the Ye family to your mansion. Are you going to raise him in the future?¡±


    !!


    ¡°What does the emperor plan to do with the Ye family?¡± Shen Miao asked. ¡°Someone as smart as you surely knows.¡± Gao Yang smiled. ¡°Are you taking pity on them?¡±


    ¡°Of course not. The emperor did the right thing. If the Ye family and the Lu family are dealt with cleanly, the throne will be more stable. It¡¯s just that¡­¡± She glanced at Ye Hongguang.¡± This child is not involved in anything Ye Maocai did. The only thing he did wrong was being born in the Ye family. Let¡¯s wait and see. I don¡¯t know if he can survive. If possible, I hope I can ask the empress for a favor to keep him alive.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re really strange.¡± Gao Yang was puzzled. ¡°Why are you so benevolent to this young boy? Back in Ming Qi, I¡¯ve never seen you so kind. What¡¯s so special about this young man that you treat him differently?¡±


    ¡°Because of his face.¡± Shen Miao smiled.


    ¡°Face?¡± Gao Yang looked at Ye Hongguang¡¯s face for a long time but could not see anything special. He waved his fan and said, ¡°I don¡¯t understand.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine if you don¡¯t understand.¡± Shen Miao said, ¡°It¡¯s not something serious anyway.¡± She lowered her voice. ¡°Xie Jingxing is going to launch an attack on Ming Qi, right?¡±


    Gao Yang suddenly turned around and looked at Shen Miao. He opened his mouth and wanted to say something, but in the end, he did not.


    ¡°I knew that this day would eventually come, but I didn¡¯t expect it to come so quickly.¡± Shen Miao sighed. ¡°Is His Majesty¡­ running out of time?¡±


    ¡°Actually, I should lie to you, but I don¡¯t think you are a gullible person. I¡¯m afraid I¡¯ll even make you unhappy.¡± Gao Yang said, ¡°If I make you unhappy, Miss Luo will be angry with me. You¡¯re right. His Majesty¡¯s condition is getting worse. Prince Rui should have already told you about the edict to pass down the throne. Now, His Majesty is picking out some trusted people to go to Ming Qi with Prince Rui.¡± He paused for a moment and said, ¡°The spies in Ming Qi have already sent back news that Fu Xiuyi has already reached an alliance with the emperor of the State of Qin and took the initiative to attack the Daliang Dynasty. If they take down the Daliang Dynasty, the two countries will split it equally.¡±


    ¡°Fu Xiuyi really has a big appetite. Isn¡¯t he afraid of getting choked?¡± Shen Miao sneered. Fu Xiuyi probably became more ambitious and greedy after obtaining tne tnrone. Betore tnat, ne was very respectful to tne people ot tne Danang Dynasty and had a very neutral attitude. Now that he had formed an alliance with the State of Qin, he even dared to strike first.


    ¡°He¡¯s not only driven by arrogance.¡± Gao Yang smiled. However, when one looked at him closely, they would find that his smile was a little solemn. He said, ¡°In the previous battle between the Lu family and the royal family, although the Lu family was wiped out, the royal family also suffered a loss. At this critical juncture, the Daliang Dynasty¡¯s military strength is actually not much different from Qin Ming and the State of Win combined.¡±


    ¡°But most importantly, Fu Xiuyi knows His Majesty¡¯s illness, so he can spread it and destroy our morale at any time. I believe in Prince Rui¡¯s ability, but this battle will definitely not be easy,¡± Gao Yang said. S§×arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°I never thought this war would be easy.¡± Shen Miao said sadly, ¡°Fighting a war is always difficult.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why Prince Rui will personally lead the troops. However, Ming Qi has already made a move. They¡¯re causing trouble at the border. Now, they are just testing the water. Before long, they will officially declare war. Prince Rui doesn¡¯t have much time, so he¡¯s been preparing recently. He doesn¡¯t want to tell you because he¡¯s afraid that you¡¯ll be distracted.¡± Shen Miao was silent for a moment before saying, ¡°I understand.¡± ¡°Then, will you go to Ming Qi with him?¡± Gao Yang asked. Shen Miao turned her head and said in amusement, ¡°Can I?¡±


    ¡°Why not?¡±


    Shen Miao looked ahead and said indifferently, ¡°I don¡¯t know when this war will end. If anything happens to His Majesty, he will definitely step down and let Prince Rui take over the throne.¡±


    ¡°At that time, I¡¯ll be the empress and will be restricted by many rules. I¡¯m not that ambitious, and I don¡¯t want him to be criticized because of me.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll stay and protect the Daliang Dynasty well for him while he¡¯s gone to war..¡±

 Chapter 1087 - 1087: Campaign (1)

    Chapter 1087: Campaign (1)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    Two days after Ye Mei and her brother escaped, Emperor Yong Le convicted the Ye family of colluding with Lu Zhengchun and participating in the rebellion. The entire Ye family was wiped out. It was easier to deal with the Ye family than the Lu family. The Lu family was the Ye family¡¯s backer. If the Lu family fell, the Ye family would not be able to cause any trouble. Even though Ye


    Maocai had many connections and followers when he was alive, with Emperor Yong Let s ruthless methods, everyone was afraid of him and did not dare to be as rude as before.


    Right after conviction, Ye Maocai was pulled out to be executed. Speaking of which, Ye Maocai was not all that innocent. From that stack of things Shen Miao obtained from Ye Mei, she chose something related to the royal family and handed it to Empress Xiande. In order to restrain the royal family, Ye Maocai secretly did a lot of things. This became important evidence to convict the Ye family.


    !!


    After beheading the Ye family in public, the royal family had consolidated its authority.


    The Black Feather Army, which followed Ye Mei and Jin Xinming, sent back news from time to time. Most people believed that the siblings of the Ye family fell to their death.


    In the eyes of the outside world, everyone from the Ye family was dead, but apart from one person, it was Ye Hongguang. Shen Miao asked MO Qing to take care of him. However, Ye Hongguang had yet to wake up. Gao Yang said that whether he could wake up or not was up to fate.


    Xie Jingxing returned on a rainy night.


    The autumn rain caused the temperature to plummet. Shen Miao was reading under the light. The raindrops made a small sound when they hit the window, and the weather was gradually getting cold. The tea on the table quickly turned cold.


    The door creaked open, and the wind blew in. Shen Miao turned around and saw Xie Jingxing closing the door and walking in. His clothes were a little wet from the rain. He took off his outer clothes. Seeing Shen Miao staring at him in a daze, he smiled. He walked to her side and pinched her face.


    Shen Miao pushed his hand away. ¡°Why are you gone for so long? Why didn¡¯t you even send a message?¡±


    Xie Jingxing had been gone for a few days without a word. Even though Shen


    Miao had a calm personality, she was still a little angry. He had to at least send a message back to tell her that he was safe. No one in the mansion knew where he went. It was really infuriating.


    Xie Jingxing coaxed her. ¡°My brother instructed me to do something urgent.¡± He put his arm around Shen Miao¡¯s shoulder and said with a faint smile, ¡°If I had known that my wife missed me so much, I would have come back earlier.¡± ¡°You might as well not come back.¡± Shen Miao was still angry.


    Xie Jingxing thought for a moment and said, ¡°How about this? In order to make it up to you, I¡¯ll be at your mercy tonight and won¡¯t struggle.¡± S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Shen Miao couldn¡¯t help but chuckle and say, ¡°Get lost.¡±


    Seeing her smile, Xie Jingxing said, ¡°Not angry with me anymore? When I came back, I heard something.¡± He looked at Shen Miao. ¡°Did you let Ye Mei escape?¡±


    ¡°Not exactly.¡± Shen Miao said, ¡°She¡¯s going to Ming Qi with the things she stole from Ye Maocai. I think she¡¯s going to rely on it to seek benefits in Ming Qi. I swapped her things with fake secrets and wrong defensive maps. I think they¡¯ll be more useful to her. Who knows. She might even be able to become the empress with what I gave her.¡±


    Xie Jingxing was stunned for a moment before understanding what she meant. He blinked.. ¡°Madam, this move of yours is so vicious!¡±

 Chapter 1088 - 1088: Campaign (2)

    Chapter 1088: Campaign (2)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations S~ea??h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Ye Mei happily brought these ¡°precious¡± things to the officials of Ming Qi. As long as the officials were not stupid, they would present these things to Fu Xiuyi to take the credit. However, no one knew that the defense map was actually drawn by Shen Miao. If Fu Xiuyi followed this map, he would probably lose every single soldier he had.


    Shen Miao raised an eyebrow. ¡°I¡¯m a vicious woman. So what?¡±


    ¡°Very good.¡± Xie Jingxing said leisurely, ¡°I like vicious women.¡±


    ¡°I made a copy of the things I gave Ye Mei.¡± Shen Miao said, ¡°I¡¯ll give it to you later. Ming Qi and the Daliang Dynasty will eventually go to war. At that time, with this, you will always be able to know what Ming Qi is planning.¡± She thought for a moment and added, ¡°It¡¯s best to give Fu Xiuyi some benefits at the beginning to make him think that those things are real. After testing the validity, he will definitely go all in. At that time, it will be more cost-effective.¡±


    Xie Jingxing smiled and said, ¡°You¡¯re quite smart.¡±


    ¡°When are you leaving?¡± Shen Miao asked.


    After a moment of silence, Xie Jingxing said, ¡°You know?¡±


    ¡°Do you think you can hide it forever?¡± Shen Miao sighed. Seeing that Xie Jingxing did not speak, she said with a smile, ¡°Here.¡± She poured a cup of tea and handed it to Xie Jingxing. ¡°I wish you a triumphant return.¡± ,


    Xie Jingxing was stunned for a moment before taking the tea and looking at Shen Miao.


    ¡°If you win, fulfill a wish of mine when you come back,¡± she said.


    ¡°What wish do you want?¡± Xie Jingxing raised his eyebrows, his eyes filled with smiles.


    Shen Miao thought for a moment. ¡°I haven¡¯t thought about it yet. I¡¯ll tell you when I¡¯ve thought about it.¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡± Xie Jingxing snapped his fingers. ¡°I also have a wish. You have to fulfill me now.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    He carried Shen Miao on his shoulder. ¡°Take a shower with me.¡±


    Shen Miao was speechless.


    A lot of the flowers in Weiyang Palace had withered.


    The flowers that were lush in spring and summer withered one by one in autumn, looking especially bleak. However, the palace maids found some chrysanthemums. Large purple, white, and yellow ones were already showing signs of blooming.


    However, the bleakness of autumn could not be covered up by just a few pots of flowers.


    The autumn rain drifted into the room. Nanny Tao closed the window and added some charcoal to the small stove before gently retreating outside.


    Emperor Yong Le leaned against the couch.


    He was actually very handsome, but he usually pulled a long face, so his handsomeness was compromised. What people saw was the coldness of an emperor. As for what the emperor was like after he took off his mask, no one knew.


    Perhaps, there were two exceptions. One was Prince Rui, Xie Jingxing, and the other one was Empress Xiande. In the past, Empress Dowager Xiao was also one of them. However, she had passed away.


    Empress Xiande was making flower tea.


    The sweet fragrance emitted bit by bit from the small pot. Coupled with a stack of osmanthus pastries that had just been made in the royal kitchen, it was warm and sweet.


    Empress Xiande poured a cup of tea and handed it to Emperor Yong Le..

 Chapter 1101 - 1101: The Return of an Old Friend (9)

    Chapter 1101: The Return of an Old Friend (9)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    Because she had become a mother, she was braver and stronger.


    While she was talking to Empress Xiande, Nanny Tao rushed over from outside. She seemed to be a little anxious, but she could not hide the joy on her face. She smiled and said, ¡°Congratulations, Your Majesty. Congratulations,


    Princess Consort. Just now, there was news from the imperial court that Prince Rui won Youzhou!¡±


    !!


    ¡°Really?¡± Empress Xiande stood up immediately. She had always been calm, and at this moment, she lost her composure.


    Nanny Tao nodded vigorously. ¡°His Majesty is very happy. He¡¯s granting amnesty to the world.¡±


    ¡°May the heavens bless us!¡± Luo Tan clasped her hands and muttered.


    What did this victory of Youzhou mean? It meant that this battle that had lasted for more than half a year might be completely over soon. The soldiers could all return home. On the other hand, this chaotic world would eventually be unified, and the great cause might come true soon. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Shen Miao rubbed her stomach, feeling happy. She knew that Xie Jingxing would definitely be able to do it.


    Nanny Tao smiled and looked at Shen Miao. ¡°Princess Consort, don¡¯t be anxious. Prince Rui even got someone to send a letter over. The messenger will send it to you later.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m so envious.¡± Empress Xiande teased Shen Miao. ¡°He only remembers his wife and forgets his brother and me.¡±


    Luo Tan also said, ¡°That¡¯s right, that¡¯s right. He doesn¡¯t consider the feelings of the rest of us.¡±


    ¡°Miss Luo, don¡¯t be disappointed.¡± Nanny Tao continued, ¡°There¡¯s also a letter for you. It seems to be from the young master of the Gao family.¡±


    Luo Tan was puzzled. ¡°Gao Yang? What letter did he send me?¡±


    Shen Miao and Empress Xiande looked at each other and smiled ambiguously.


    The good news from Youzhou made everyone in Long Ye overjoyed. Emperor Yong Le even held a palace banquet that he had not held for a long time. It was extremely lively.


    Shen Miao did not participate in this palace banquet.


    Firstly, she had to keep her pregnancy a secret. She had been living in the palace. Although there had always been speculations outside, Empress Xiande protected her very well. Later, people gradually lost interest in her, and they were no longer curious. Secondly, Shen Miao, who was pregnant, was not suitable to participate in an occasion like the palace banquet.


    Moreover, she wanted to go back and read Xie Jingxing¡¯s ¡°family letter¡± as soon as possible.


    Ever since the situation became tense, Xie Jingxing rarely sent a letter back. It was probably because it was very troublesome to send a letter. He had not written to her for two months.


    Shen Miao opened the letter.


    There was nothing special in the letter. He said that he was doing well and bragged about his achievements. He said that apart from being good at competing for the throne, Fu Xiuyi was really useless when it came to governing the country. The imperial court in Ming Qi was in a mess, so there was no need to worry too much.


    Then, he mentioned Consort Mei.


    It was said that Fu Xiuyi favored Consort Mei very much. The entire imperial court of Ming Qi was displeased. Previously, Consort Mei could only be considered to be unrivaled in the harem. However, in just a few months, she was actually able to enter and leave Fu Xiuyi¡¯s imperial study at any time. Fu Xiuyi seemed to not only treat her as a beautiful woman, but also a general.


    Apart from Fu Xiuyi, Ye Mei really didn¡¯t care about anyone else in the entire


    Ming Qi imperial court..

 Chapter 1102 - 1102: The Return of an Old Friend (10)

    Chapter 1102: The Return of an Old Friend (10)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    However, when Xie Jingxing wrote this, his words were filled with mockery. He simply treated Fu Xiuyi as a fool. After Youzhou was conquered by him, there was no need for him to do anything. Ye Mei would probably be tortured to death by Fu Xiuyi. Fu Xiuyi was not very broad-minded to begin with. Previously, he personally praised Ye Mei as a ¡°blessed general of Ming Qi¡± in front of the court officials. Now that this ¡°blessed general¡± had made him suffer in a critical battle, how could Fu Xiuyi let her off?


    Of course, Xie Jingxing also created some interesting evidence to make people believe that Ye Mei was a spy from the Daliang Dynasty. She came to Ming Qi to get close to Fu Xiuyi to be a chess piece for the Daliang Dynasty. Fu Xiuyi was a person who could not tolerate betrayal, so he naturally would not be merciful.


    Looking at Xie Jingxing¡¯s handwriting, Shen Miao could almost imagine him holding a pen lazily and gloating.


    !!


    She folded the letter, but she felt that there was something else in the envelope. She shook it and turned the envelope upside down. As expected, two red beans rolled out.


    Red bean was a token to express one¡¯s love towards another.


    Instead of writing words of love in his letter, he used two red beans to prove that he had always missed Shen Miao.


    Shen Miao thought for a moment and took out the sachet at the side, putting the two red beans inside.


    ¡°The fifth letter,¡± she said.


    Ming Qi, the capital, the palace. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    In the gloomy dungeon, there was a strong smell everywhere.


    In the innermost part of the dungeon, a woman was sitting on the ground naked. Her hands were shackled to the wall, and her feet were submerged in the cold sewage. From time to time, some fat rats would crawl up and down her feet and bite her toes. Some of her toes had already been badly mangled, but the smell of blood attracted more of those hungry rats and made them bite harder.


    Looking at her body being eaten by rats, not to mention women, even men would be scared out of their wits. However, this woman did not make a sound. Only she knew that it was not that she did not want to scream, but her throat was extremely sore. Screaming would only make her suffer even more.


    This woman was none other than Ye Mei.


    In just a few days, she had fallen from the sky to hell. Ye Mei had never thought that she would suffer so much. She did not expect Fu Xiuyi to be such a heartless person.


    After Youzhou was lost, she had a bad feeling. However, she felt that with her intelligence, she might still be able to turn the situation around. However, Fu Xiuyi did not give her a chance at all. He was terrifyingly ruthless and got someone to capture Ye Mei and throw her into the dungeon in front of all the other consorts.


    Then, he tortured her until today to force her to tell him what other missions the Daliang Dynasty had assigned to her.


    Ye Mei still did not know what had happened, and she hoped that she could explain. However, this time, her beauty was no longer her weapon, because on the first day she entered the dungeon, Fu Xiuyi asked someone to burn her face with a burning iron.


    One of her eyes was even burned and blinded.


    Ye Mei had never been afraid of anything. She was not afraid of despair, nor was she afraid of misery. Even if she was tortured now, she still had hope for the future. The only thing she was afraid of was being disfigured, because her face was her only weapon..

 Chapter 1103 - 1103: The Return of an Old Friend (11)

    Chapter 1103: The Return of an Old Friend (11)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    This weapon had never failed her. With it, she could survive in a desperate environment, turn around the terrible situation, and step on the people who trampled on her. However, once her face was ruined, she would lose the means to manipulate others.


    She indeed felt despair and even lost her fighting spirit. She felt that no struggle could change anything.


    She was blind and her face was disfigured. She could almost imagine how terrifying she looked now. She could tempt people to risk their lives for her. There was no lack of those people in the world who would climb the high mountain just to pick a flower. However, now that the flowers had become weeds, who would still risk their lives to pick them?


    !!


    Fu Xiuyi was really ruthless. He had been with Ye Mei for so many days. Perhaps because he understood Ye Mei¡¯s ability to bewitch people, he decided to destroy it. He directly ruined Ye Mei¡¯s face and made her unable to do anything.


    Ye Mei hated him so much!


    Footsteps came from outside, echoing especially clearly in the empty dungeon.


    She turned her neck with some effort and looked out with her other eye. Fu Xiuyi stood outside.


    He said coldly, ¡°Ye Mei, I¡¯ll give you one last chance. Tell me everything you know.¡±


    ¡°What do I know?¡± Ye Mei asked.


    Fu Xiuyi frowned in disgust, as if he was disgusted by her ugly face. He turned his head away. ¡°I¡¯ve investigated everything. Since you¡¯re a spy from the Daliang Dynasty, you should have a way to communicate with them!¡±


    Ye Mei laughed out loud.


    Her laughter was hoarse, and it was no longer as pleasant as before. Instead, it was very ear-piercing. She did not know why Fu Xiuyi said that she was a spy. Perhaps Fu Xiuyi just wanted to find a reason for his failure and a target to pin the blame on.


    She said, ¡°Your Majesty, you won¡¯t believe in anything I say, so what¡¯s the point of asking me if I have a way to communicate with them? You¡¯ll think I¡¯m lying anyway.¡±


    ¡°Tell me and I¡¯ll grant you an intact corpse,¡± Fu Xiuyi said coldly.


    Ye Mei smiled. When she smiled now, her face was terrifying, like a ghoul. Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    However, she did not realize it and even tried to be flirtatious. She said, ¡°Your Majesty, what kind of condition is that? If you say that you can let me live and think of a way to treat the wound on my face, I can consider it and tell you everything I know.¡±


    Fu Xiuyi smiled instead of being angry. ¡°No one who betrays me can live.¡±


    ¡°Then why don¡¯t you just kill me?¡± Ye Mei said, ¡°I heard that back then, Princess Consort Rui also fell in love with you and pursued you. You treated her coldly, so in the end, nothing happened.¡±


    Now that Fu Xiuyi already knew Xie Jingxing¡¯s identity, he naturally knew Shen Miao¡¯s identity too. At the mention of Shen Miao, Fu Xiuyi¡¯s expression turned even uglier. In his life, he had always been in control of everything. However, Shen Miao was a variable. He thought that he could use Shen Miao¡¯s love for him to take over the Shen family, but it didn¡¯t go smoothly. Now that the Shen family turned around to go against him, it gave him a headache. In addition, Shen Miao gave up on him and found a better-looking person. Fu Xiuyi was extremely angry with Ye Mei for poking at his sore spot..

 Chapter 1104 - 1104: The Return of an Old Friend (12)

    Chapter 1104: The Return of an Old Friend (12)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    ¡°I originally thought that Princess Consort Rui was just lucky and had a good family to support her. That¡¯s why she managed to marry Prince Rui and lived a life everyone envies. Now, it seems that she¡¯s smarter than I thought. Perhaps she already knew that if she stayed by your side, no matter if she was loyal or not, she would end up dead,¡± Ye Mei said.


    ¡°How dare you!¡± Fu Xiuyi said.


    ¡°I lost.¡± Ye Mei continued, ¡°Your Majesty, you were still in love with me not long ago, but now you can torture me like this with your own hands. You know how precious my face is, but you want me to suffer. However, Your Majesty, let me tell you, you¡¯re not much better than me. You pushed all the blame to me.


    !!


    Do you think you can have a good ending?¡±


    Fu Xiuyi¡¯s face was ashen. No one would be happy to be cursed like this. Moreover, he already hated Ye Mei to the core, and now that Ye Mei agitated him, he was even angrier.


    ¡°You won¡¯t have a good ending either. You¡¯re not their match. Back then, Shen Miao didn¡¯t choose you but Xie Jingxing, which proves that in her eyes, you¡¯re not even 1% as good as Xie Jingxing. I have nothing now and have become a prisoner, but your ending will definitely not be better than mine. You¡¯ll also lose. Youzhou is just the beginning. After that, you¡¯ll be completely defeated. Ming Qi will eventually be destroyed. At that time, you¡¯ll just be a ruler of a fallen country! I wish to see that happening with my own eyes.¡±


    Fu Xiuyi stared at her coldly and said, ¡°Are you done? I¡¯ve already given you one last chance.¡±


    Ye Mei heaved a sigh of relief and did not speak.


    She had never hated someone so much. Fu Xiuyi had ruined her face. She knew that there was no hope of making a comeback, so she vented all her anger and hatred before she died. However, after feeling satisfied for a moment, she came back to her senses. She had almost forgotten what kind of person Fu Xiuyi was¡­


    However, it was too late to regret now. Moreover, Fu Xiuyi had never been a person who would give people a chance to regret.


    He said, ¡°Since you care so much about your face, I¡¯ll fulfill your wish.¡±


    He said to the guard beside him, ¡°Cut off her limbs and set up a stage in the east of the city for thousands of people to watch.¡±


    After saying that, he turned around and strode away, ignoring the heart-wrenching cries coming from behind..


    S§×arch* The N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 1105 - 1105: The Return of an Old Friend (13)

    Chapter 1105: The Return of an Old Friend (13)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    Consort Mei, who was once famous and respected by everyone in the harem, was gone just like that. Her appearance, abandonment, and death were all too fast, leaving behind only the reputation of a spy of the Daliang Dynasty.


    But what about Fu Xiuyi?


    Ye Mei¡¯s curse had been coming true.


    !!


    Even if he pushed the blame to Ye Mei, the people of the world still looked at him as if he was a joke. As the emperor, he was obsessed with beauty and could not even identify a spy planted by the enemy country on his side. In the end, he even lost Youzhou because of it. The reputation of being an ¡°incompetent emperor¡± had gradually spread among the people.


    Fu Xiuyi became a complete laughing stock. What was worse was that as everyone had expected, ever since the Daliang Dynasty obtained Youzhou, they became braver and braver. Ming Qi was forced to retreat step by step, and it was a tragic sight. It was as if the previous momentum was all an illusion. The Daliang Dynasty was so powerful that it made people feel terrified.


    At this moment, the State of Qin actually started to take the path of self-preservation and was planning to surrender to the Daliang Dynasty. The Daliang Dynasty was now pointing its arrow straight at Ming Qi, and Fu Xiuyi was overwrought every day. Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It was terrible.


    The situation of the battle was always changing rapidly.


    After obtaining Youzhou, with Youzhou as the base, the Daliang Dynasty started to strike back. They did not choose to fight against the State of Qin first, but Ming Qi.


    As expected, when the Daliang Dynasty launched an attack on Ming Qi, the State of Qin began to choose to protect themselves and even sent an envoy over to try to negotiate. They were willing to compensate with land ceding. The State of Qin was weak in the military aspect to begin with. After such a long time of war, the treasury of the State of Qin was already empty so that they had to put a heavy tax on the people, which caused a lot of public anger.


    The State of Qin realized the seriousness of the situation. Compared to losing their country, ceding land and paying compensation was naturally nothing.


    It was obviously not a good thing for Ming Qi that the State of Qin chose to quit at this time. However, no matter how hard Fu Xiuyi tried, the State of Qin ignored him.


    The Daliang Dynasty¡¯s army quickly reached the capital of Ming Qi.


    Meanwhile, in Long Ye¡¯s Weiyang Palace, Empress Xiande was getting the palace maid to pour wine for the guests.


    This was a ¡°palace banquet¡± , but there were no civil and military officials, no consorts, and only Shen Miao, Luo Tan, Emperor Yong Le, and Empress


    Xiande. Empress Xiande said, ¡°Take it as a family banquet. It¡¯s a celebration for


    Jingxing from thousands of miles away.¡±


    Once Xie Jingxing took down the capital of Ming Qi, Ming Qi would really be finished. Xie Jingxing would naturally not let the State of Qin off. Without Ming Qi¡¯s support, the State of Qin was just a fish on the chopping board. Xie Jingxing had dragged the battle for so long just for this moment.


    It would not be long before this long and cruel war ended. At that time, the world would be at peace.


    ¡°Cousin, drink this.¡± Luo Tan placed the plum juice in front of Shen Miao and looked at her stomach. She said, ¡°The imperial physician said that the child will be born in about two months. I wonder if it¡¯s a nephew or niece..¡±

 Chapter 1106 - 1106: The Return of an Old Friend (14)

    Chapter 1106: The Return of an Old Friend (14)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    Shen Miao lowered her eyes and smiled. ¡°It¡¯s very quiet. It¡¯s probably a little girl. ¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not necessarily the case.¡± Empress Xiande smiled. ¡°There are also boys who are quiet and girls who are naughty. However, when Jingxing comes back, he will realize that he is a father. I wonder how he will react.¡±


    Shen Miao thought of the scene at that time and felt a headache coming on. If Xie Jingxing knew that she had been hiding it from him for so long, he would definitely throw a tantrum.


    !!


    As they spoke, Emperor Yong Le came in from outside.


    Shen Miao and Emperor Yong Le did not meet often. Emperor Yong Le probably still did not like her. Every time he saw her, his attitude was not good.


    However, recently, because of the child in her stomach, he had softened a lot. He would occasionally get someone to send over some herbs to nourish her body.


    Luo Tan was a little afraid of Emperor Yong Le and immediately sat up straight.


    The four of them ate at the same table. Luo Tan was a little embarrassed. Shen


    Miao was fine, but Emperor Yong Le¡¯s expression was cold. Only Empress Xiande was the happiest. She said, ¡°Jingxing has made a great contribution this time. When he returns, he will definitely be rewarded. I think we can confer a title to Princess Consort Rui. Jingxing doesn¡¯t lack anything. It¡¯s not a bad thing to have a title.¡±


    Emperor Yong Le paused for a moment and nodded.


    Empress Xiande asked Shen Miao, ¡°Do you think it¡¯s a good idea?¡±


    Shen Miao didn¡¯t know what to say.


    How was she supposed to answer that? If she said yes, it would clearly make Emperor Yong Le unhappy. If she said no, she would be rude to Empress Xiande. Shen Miao smiled and said, ¡°Let¡¯s talk about this when His Highness comes back.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± Empress Xiande nodded. ¡°Maybe he has other ideas.¡± She looked at Luo Tan. ¡°When Gao Yang comes back, I¡¯ll arrange a marriage for you two.


    How about that?.


    Luo Tan almost choked on the pastry in her mouth. If it were anyone else, she would have talked back immediately. However, she was the empress, so Luo Tan could only look at Shen Miao for help.


    Shen Miao held back her laughter and said, ¡°There¡¯s no hurry. Let¡¯s wait for Young Master Gao to come back. What if he has someone else in his heart?¡±


    When Luo Tan heard Shen Miao speak up for her, she heaved a sigh of relief.


    However, after she thought about it, she felt upset. What did Shen Miao mean? Shen Miao spoke as if Gao Yang didn¡¯t like her. She was a beautiful girl, and she was the daughter of the Luo family in Spring City¡­ No, why did she have to complain? She had no intention of marrying Gao Yang.


    Emperor Yong Le glanced at Empress Xiande and said in a low voice, ¡°Let¡¯s eat.¡±


    Empress Xiande said, ¡°It¡¯s just a family banquet. Eat whenever you want. Why are you so serious?¡±


    Ever since Xie Jingxing repeatedly sent back good news, almost all the officials in the imperial court had become obedient. Although the Xie family only had these two brothers, they were not easy to deal with. One was good at managing the imperial court, and the other was good at expanding the land and fighting. The imperial court was much quieter than before. S§×ar?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Recently, there were very few people who criticized Emperor Yong Le for having no descendants.


    It was rare for Empress Xiande to have such a peaceful life, and her relationship with Emperor Yong Le had changed slightly. They seemed to have gradually become an ordinary couple. Emperor Yong Le was an extremely principled person. In the past, Empress Xiande would always follow the rules. Over the past few days, Empress Xiande would occasionally do something willful, and Emperor Yong Le indulged her..

 Chapter 1107 - 1107: The Return of an Old Friend (15)

    Chapter 1107: The Return of an Old Friend (15)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    Shen Miao was observant and could tell that Emperor Yong Le had a lot of feelings for Empress Xiande. Everything was going well. When Xie Jingxing returned, this peaceful life might continue for a long time.


    Empress Xiande suddenly thought of something and said, ¡°Tomorrow, I¡¯m going to dig up the two jars of snow brew I buried under the plum tree last year. It will probably smell very good after the jar is opened. Your Majesty, go with me. We¡¯ll bury some jars this year too. Your Highness and Miss Luo, come with us. After we dig it out, in the evening, we¡¯ll go to the royal garden to admire the lotus flowers and try the snow brew.¡±


    Luo Tan agreed happily. Shen Miao nodded, but Emperor Yong Le seemed to be a little helpless. Empress Xiande was only interested in making tea and wine.


    When she was happy, she was like a child. However, in the end, he still nodded. Seeing this, Empress Xiande was very satisfied and continued to chat with Shen Miao as she ate.


    The next day happened to be a sunny day, so Shen Miao and Luo Tan went out early. Shen Miao was pregnant and could not dig with Empress Xiande. Luo Tan was reckless and was afraid that she would hit the jar and break it, so Empress Xiande and Nanny Tao were the ones digging.


    Emperor Yong Le said, ¡°Get up. It¡¯s not good if you hurt your hand.¡±


    ¡°All these years, I¡¯ve always done it together with Nanny Tao.¡± Some sweat broke out on Empress Xiande¡¯s forehead, but she still smiled and said, ¡°The trick to make the brew mellow and fragrant is to bury it and dig it out all by yourself. Next time, I¡¯ll let you try, and you¡¯ll know what I mean.¡± As she spoke, she and Nanny Tao dug out another jar.


    Emperor Yong Le suddenly frowned. He paused and quietly pressed his chest.


    Empress Xiande picked up one of the jars. The jar was small and cute, and it was not difficult to hold it. She did not mind the soil dirtying her clothes and raised it in front of Emperor Yong Le as if she was presenting a treasure. She pulled out the stopper of the wine jar and brought it to Emperor Yong Le¡¯s nose, asking, ¡°Your Majesty, come and smell it. Is it very fragrant?¡± ¡°It smells good,¡± Emperor Yong Le said with a frown.


    Empress Xiande looked at him. ¡°Your Majesty, does it not smell good? Otherwise, why do you look like this? Could it be that it¡¯s gone bad?¡± She sniffed the wine suspiciously.


    Emperor Yong Le smiled and was about to speak when he suddenly felt his vision go dark. He staggered and fell to the ground!


    ¡°Your Majesty!¡± Empress Xiande was shocked. The small jar of snow wine in her hand fell to the ground and shattered.


    ¡°Quick, call the imperial physician!¡± Shen Miao quickly instructed, but she suddenly had an ominous feeling. S§×arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Outside the room, the head of the Gao family finally arrived.


    This was Gao Yang¡¯s grandfather, Gao Zhan.


    The Gao family had been practicing medicine for generations and was quite famous in Long Ye. Among the juniors of the Gao family, Gao Yang was the one with the most outstanding medical skills, but he aspired to be an official. As a punishment, the head of the Gao family simply expelled him from the Gao family. Back then, Empress Dowager Xiao valued Gao Yang¡¯s talent. Later, she arranged for him to go to Ming Qi and became good friends with Xie Jingxing to help him.


    If not for Gao Zhan¡¯s brilliant medical skills, Emperor Yong Le would not have lived for so many years. Back then, he suspected that Emperor Yong Le wouldn¡¯t live past the age of 35. However, just when everyone thought that he was wrong, Emperor Yong Le fell seriously ill.


    Gao Zhan shook his head at Empress Xiande.


    Empress Xiande¡¯s tears immediately fell..

 Chapter 1108 - 1108: The Return of an Old Friend (16)

    Chapter 1108: The Return of an Old Friend (16)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    Shen Miao was also present. Looking at Empress Xiande crying, Shen Miao¡¯s heart ached. Anyone with discerning eyes could tell that Empress Xiande was deeply in love with Emperor Yong Le. Emperor Yong Le was not a heartless emperor. These two people loved each other in a reserved manner. Once one of them was dead, it would definitely be a fatal blow to the other.


    ¡°Sir.¡± Empress Xiande held back her sobs and said, ¡°His Majesty¡­ how much longer can he last?¡±


    Gao Zhan glanced inside and sighed deeply. ¡°At most a month.¡±


    ¡°How¡­¡± Shen Miao was surprised.


    ¡°Over the years, the poison has already invaded his organs. He¡¯s strong-willed and was able to fight back the poison. I think His Majesty has suffered a lot of pain, but he¡¯s already at the end of his rope.¡± Gao Zhan said, ¡°I¡¯ve been treating His Majesty since he was young. He is a person with a strong will and has been carrying too many responsibilities on his shoulders. Even now, he¡¯s still hanging in there. Your Majesty, if you can, please advise His Majesty not to overwork himself. Sometimes, he has to be selfish.¡± He bowed solemnly to


    Empress Xiande. ¡°For the next few days, please take good care His Majesty.¡±


    After Gao Zhan left, Shen Miao wanted to comfort Empress Xiande, but she did not know what to say.


    When one was in pain, no matter how much others comforted, it was useless. People always thought that a few comforting words could resolve everything, but it was not that simple.


    Empress Xiande forced a smile and said, ¡°You can go back first. I¡­ I need some time to myself.¡±


    Shen Miao asked Empress Xiande to take good care of herself before leaving.


    When she returned to her room, she couldn¡¯t help but touch her stomach and open a sachet on the table.


    The red beans still looked smooth and intact.


    There were so many separations in this world. One moment, people were laughing, and the next, they would be separated by life and death. The heavens were too cruel. They refused to give people a good time in their lives. People could only rely on themselves.


    She would do all she could to protect her lover and family.


    Empress Xiande sat by the bed in a daze. Emperor Yong Le had already woken up at some point.


    She lowered her head and was deep in thought. The side of her face was beautiful and gentle.


    ¡°Qing Zhen,¡± Emperor Yong Le called out.


    Empress Xiande came back to her senses and looked at him. ¡°Your Majesty, you¡¯re awake. Do you feel unwell?¡± Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°No.¡± Emperor Yong Le shook his head.


    The two of them were silent for a while before Emperor Yong Le said, ¡°Qing Zhen, I don¡¯t have much time left.¡¯


    Empress Xiande looked at him and did not speak.


    ¡°I¡­¡± He paused for a moment before continuing,¡± I don¡¯t think I can bury the wine with you this winter.¡±


    ¡°Although one jar is broken, there¡¯s another one. If you don¡¯t mind, let¡¯s find a cool day to go to the royal garden to drink that wine together. The summer scenery in the garden is very good, and the lotus flowers are blooming very brightly this year¡­¡± Empress Xiande muttered as if she was talking to herself.


    ¡°Qing Zhen.¡± Emperor Yong Le interrupted her. ¡°I can¡¯t accompany you anymore.¡±


    His face was pale, and he was still as handsome as before. However, he no longer had the domineering and cold aura of an emperor.


    Empress Xiande turned her head away. Emperor Yong Le could not see her expression and could only hear her voice. She said, ¡°Your Majesty, you¡¯ve always been very heartless. You don¡¯t even want to tell a white lie to make me happy..¡±

 Chapter 1109 - 1109: The Return of an Old Friend (17)

    Chapter 1109: The Return of an Old Friend (17)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    Emperor Yong Le hesitated for a moment before saying, ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± S§×arch* The novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Your Majesty, you don¡¯t have to apologize to me. There¡¯s nothing to be sorry about.¡± Empress Xiande said, ¡°Just now, Old Master Gao came over and told me that you have been struggling to hold on for more than a year. I want to ask why you are doing this? Why are you enduring the pain silently?¡±


    ¡°For the Daliang Dynasty.¡± Emperor Yong Le said, ¡°I want to see Xie Jingxing conquer the world. I want to see the world unified and the people living a peaceful life. I hope to help my mother fulfill her wish in my lifetime. However¡­ I don¡¯t have much time left. I¡¯m afraid I won¡¯t be able to live to see that day.¡±


    Empress Xiande was silent for a long time before replying, ¡°I understand.¡±


    ¡°Qing Zhen,¡± Emperor Yong Le said, ¡°Plan for yourself.¡±


    ¡°Your Majesty, how do you want me to plan for myself?¡± Empress Xiande suddenly turned around, her eyes flickering with tears. She said, ¡°Do you want me to hide my identity and live an ordinary life? Or do you want me to live a luxurious life in the palace for the rest of my life? Or do you want me to find a good husband to remarry?¡±


    With every word she said, Emperor Yong Le¡¯s heart ached. He quietly grabbed the blanket under his hand and said indifferently, ¡°As long as you¡¯re happy.¡±


    Empress Xiande suddenly turned her head away, but Emperor Yong Le could see a large tear fall on the back of her hand. When she spoke again, her voice was calm. She said, ¡°I understand. Thank you, Your Majesty, for caring about me. I will do just as you said. Your Majesty, you should think about how to make the edict to pass down the throne right now. There are some things that you have to plan early.¡±


    She stood up and said, ¡°I still have something to do, so I¡¯ll take my leave first. Rest well. When you are feeling better, remember to drink with me in the garden.¡±


    She left the room.


    Empress Xiande rarely got angry, especially these days. Emperor Yong Le got along well with her, and they had a smile on their face every day. However, when a calm person flared up, they wouldn¡¯t kick up a fuss. Instead, they would be as stubborn as a mule.


    After Empress Xiande left, Emperor Yong Le coughed violently. He grabbed the handkerchief and wiped his mouth. Eunuch Deng, who was standing at the side, quickly served him water and said, ¡°Your Majesty, be careful.¡±


    ¡°Eunuch Deng.¡± Emperor Yong Le frowned. ¡°Did I do something wrong?¡± A rare look of confusion appeared on his face, making Eunuch Deng feel a lump in his throat.


    Eunuch Deng had been serving Emperor Yong Le for many years. He had watched Emperor Yong Le grow up. Looking at Emperor Yong Le, scenes of the past flashed across his mind. When Empress Dowager Xiao found out from the head of the Gao family that Emperor Yong Le would not live to be 35 years old, she hugged Emperor Yong Le and cried. At that time, Emperor Yong Le, who was still young, comforted Empress Xiao helplessly. He asked Eunuch Deng in confusion, ¡°Eunuch Deng, is my poison very serious?¡±


    The young man grew from a gentle crown prince to an unfathomable emperor, but one day, he would still ask the people around him in confusion if he did anything wrong.


    Before Eunuch Deng could speak, Emperor Yong Le sighed and said, ¡°I¡¯m so envious of Jingxing.¡±


    ¡°Although our lives are both difficult, that kid is a little luckier than me. If I can survive¡­¡± He did not continue.


    But there were no ifs.


    In ten days, Xie Jingxing took down the capital of Ming QI.


    Fu Xiuyi, the emperor of Ming Qi, was shot to death on the city tower..

 Chapter 1110 - 1110: The Return of an Old Friend (18)

    Chapter 1110: The Return of an Old Friend (18)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    Speaking of which, it was really ironic. Fu Xiuyi initially said ambitiously that he wanted to live and die with Ming Qi and would definitely fight alongside his soldiers to the end. As long as the capital was not destroyed, he would still be the emperor of Ming Qi and would not surrender.


    However, at the last moment, for some reason, he changed his mind and wanted to secretly run away. Perhaps he still had the intention of making a comeback one day.


    Little did he know that his trusted aides had seen through the situation in Ming QI betore mm. wnen tney round out tnat Fu Xmuyl wanted to escape, tney were furious.


    Speaking of which, Fu Xiuyi was caught in his own trap. Back then, he had either spent money or used beauty to rope in useful people. Fu Xiuyi only cared about what benefits these people could bring him, and didn¡¯t care about their backgrounds at all. Among these people, there were bandits and pirates. They followed Fu Xiuyi because they wanted to see if Fu Xiuyi could provide them with the treasures and women they wanted and do something great with him.


    Now that Ming Qi was falling, Fu Xiuyi actually wanted to escape. How could they let him do that?


    Among the subordinates, the brave ones thought of a way to kidnap Fu Xiuyi to the city tower and personally shot him to death. In the end, they beheaded Fu Xiuyi to ask Xie Jingxing for credit and hope that they could be spared a life.


    Every step Fu Xiuyi took was carefully planned and filled with schemes, but he had probably never thought that he would end up like this. He didn¡¯t die heroically with his men, and nor did he manage to escape and plan for a comeback. Instead, he was shot to death by the people he had spent a lot of money to rope in.


    The last thing he saw was the young man on the tall horse below the city tower. He held the reins and looked up lazily. As usual, he was cynical, and his eyes were filled with disdain.


    However, before Fu Xiuyi could have a moment to say his last words, his life ended.


    In the face of his demise, he still didn¡¯t understand which wrong step he had taken that led him to this day.


    Below the city tower, Xie Jingxing clicked his tongue and said, ¡°Fu Xiuyi is really something. Even his trusted people betrayed him.¡±


    ¡°People roped in with money and women won¡¯t be loyal for long.¡± Gao Yang smiled disdainfully. ¡°Let¡¯s go into the city!¡±


    ¡°By the way,¡± Ji Yushu said, ¡°Princess Rong Xin and the Su family have been saved. Now¡­¡±


    Xie Jingxing¡¯s expression did not change. ¡°Protect them. As for the rest, let them be.¡±


    When Shen Miao received the news, she was in a daze for a long time.


    She did not expect her enemies in her previous life to die so easily. However, she felt that it was only right.


    Fu Xiuyi was just reaping the fruits of his evil deeds. Consort Mei wanted to use the tiger and was devoured by the tiger. They were always using their money and beauty to exchange for what they wanted. On the surface, they seemed capable, but in the end, they wouldn¡¯t last long.


    That was why Fu Xiuyi was betrayed by his aides in the end, and that was why Consort Mei died at the hands of the man who doted on her.. S§×ar?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 1111 - 1111: The Return of an Old Friend (19)

    Chapter 1111: The Return of an Old Friend (19)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    Shen Miao thought that after knowing the ending of the two of them, she would definitely be overjoyed. However, at this moment, she did not feel much. It was as if she had only done what she should do, and revenge was no longer part of the rest of her life.


    This was because she had a future to look forward to.


    Xie Jingxing and her unborn child helped her get out of the shackles of hatred. She did the last thing she could do for Fu Ming and Wanyu. Now, she had to live a good life for herself.


    Luo Tan was looking at the flowers outside and said, ¡°The lotus is really beautiful. Cousin, let¡¯s go for a walk later.¡±


    Shen Miao nodded.


    The lotus flowers were very good. Empress Xiande liked to see lotus flowers the most.


    Emperor Yong Le¡¯s health was getting worse day by day.


    He had already discussed the edict with his trusted officials in private. Emperor Yong Le did not hide his illness from them. A few officials had already secretly arranged everything. If Emperor Yong Le really did not wake up one day, everything would go according to plan. The edict would be announced to the world. When Xie Jingxing returned, what awaited him would be the responsibility of the entire Daliang Dynasty.


    Naturally, Emperor Yong Let s illness was also hidden from Xie Jingxing.


    At this critical moment, Empress Xiande seemed to be the calmest. Every day, she still made tea, read, played chess, and wrote. She chatted with Emperor Yong Le casually and occasionally checked in on Shen Miao.


    In Weiyang Palace, Empress Xiande looked outside and said, ¡°It just rained today. At night, it will definitely be very cool. Let¡¯s drink the wine tonight, Your Majesty.¡±


    Emneror Yong Le sat on the chair. He glanced at Emnress Xiande and chuckled. ¡°Do you want to get drunk?¡± His words were very gentle.


    ¡°Who wouldn¡¯t want to be drunk and live in oblivion?¡± Empress Xiande muttered to herself. Then, she said, ¡°A jar of wine is not enough to make me drunk. I can hold my liquor very well. When I was young, I often stole wine from my brother.¡±


    When Emperor Yong Le heard that, he looked a little interested and said, ¡°This doesn¡¯t seem like something you would do.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s nothing.¡± When Empress Xiande said this, she was a little smug. ¡°I¡¯ve never lost to my brothers in drinking. At that time, my father even boasted that he would definitely find an old wine that could make me drunk after taking a sip. After that, I entered the palace and didn¡¯t dare to drink much because I was afraid of doing something inappropriate in my drunken state.¡±


    ¡°One moment, it¡¯s tea, and the next, it¡¯s wine.¡± Emperor Yong Le sighed. ¡°Your hobbies are very different.¡±


    ¡°Tea makes you sober while wine makes you forget.¡± Empress Xiande smiled. ¡°So tonight, Your Majesty, let¡¯s forget and indulge ourselves in it. I brewed the wine myself. Although it¡¯s not as good as nectar, it¡¯s very mellow.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Emperor Yong Le said, ¡°I¡¯ll indulge in it with you this time.¡±


    In the late summer, the night wind was cool, and the lake was green.


    In the pavilion in the middle of the lake, there was a small jar of wine, a few pastries, and two wine bowls on the table.


    Emperor Yong Le looked at the round wine bowl in front of him and raised his eyebrows. ¡°With this?¡± He and Xie Jingxing both had the habit of raising eyebrows when asking a question.. sea??h th§× ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 1112 - 1112: The Return of an Old Friend (20)

    Chapter 1112: The Return of an Old Friend (20)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    ¡°If we take small sips, we won¡¯t be able to taste the mallowness of this snow brew.¡± Empress Xiande smiled and said, ¡°You have to drink it in big mouthfuls.¡±


    ¡°Did you drink like this in the past?¡± Emperor Yong Le frowned. ¡°How inappropriate.¡±


    ¡°No one is watching when I drink. Why should I care?¡± Empress Xiande raised the wine jar and poured wine for Emperor Yong Le. Sear?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    !!


    Emperor Yong Le wanted to say something, but he hesitated. He looked at Empress Xiande deeply and fell silent.


    Empress Xiande made snow brew every year, but this was the first time Emperor Yong Le drank it with her. All these years, she had been making tea alone, brewing wine alone, and living cautiously in the harem. She did a good job as the empress, but people almost forgot that she was just a woman and would be lonely. Most of the time, she could only endure the bitterness of a lonely life.


    Nanny Tao and Eunuch Deng stood very far away, as if they wanted to leave this rare time to the emperor and the empress. Empress Xiande handed the wine bowl to Emperor Yong Le and said with a smile, ¡°Every time Jingxing comes to the palace banquet, he likes to drink from a big wine bowl instead of a goblet. You seem to be envious of Jingxing that he can always do whatever he wants without caring about what others think of him. Tonight, you don¡¯t have to care so much about the opinion of others either. Even if you get drunk and lose yourself, I won¡¯t criticize you.¡±


    ¡°What a joke. What¡¯s there to be envious of?¡± After saying that, Emperor Yong Le picked up the wine bowl and took a sip.


    Seeing this, Empress Xiande couldn¡¯t help but smile and say, ¡°Your Majesty, what are you doing? You should drink like this.¡± She picked up the wine bowl and drank it with her head raised.


    Emperor Yong Le chuckled. His gaze was very gentle as he followed suit.


    Empress Xiande poured herself another bowl and said with a smile, ¡°When I was young, I read history books with my father. I was very envious of the heroes in the books. They were carefree and unbridled, eating meat and


    drinking wine in big mouthfuls. I felt that only by living such a lite would my time in the world not be wasted. I thought that I would definitely marry such a hero in the future. I would make tea for him in the day and drink with him at night.¡± As she spoke, her eyes were bright, as if she had returned to the time when she was a girl and was asking her brother for wine.


    ¡°And then?¡± Emperor Yong Le asked.


    ¡°Later, I married Your Majesty. You won¡¯t eat meat and drink wine in big mouthfuls, and you are nothing like the unbridled hero I imagined. Instead, you are very indifferent. I regret it.¡±


    Emperor Yong Le narrowed his eyes at her. Her cheeks gradually turned red. It was unknown if she was drunk or not. Emperor Yong Le thought that she was definitely drunk. When she was sober, Empress Xiande would not say such rude words to him.


    He said, ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that you can hold your liquor very well? Why are you getting drunk so quickly?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not drunk.¡± Empress Xiande said, ¡°I want to be drunk, but unfortunately, after so many years, I have no choice but to be sober.¡±


    Emperor Yong Le couldn¡¯t smile anymore.


    ¡°I¡¯m really unlucky to be married to you. For no reason, I have to share my husband with countless women, and I don¡¯t even have a child of my own. This marriage is really not a good one.¡± Empress Xiande smiled and said, ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯m very envious of Princess Consort Rui. Her life is not easy, and she has a lot of things to worry about. However, she¡¯s luckier than me because she can choose. Jingxing treats her very well. He¡¯s not as heartless as you..¡±

 Chapter 1113 - 1113: The Return of an Old Friend (21)

    Chapter 1113: The Return of an Old Friend (21)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    Emperor Yong Le was silent for a long time, so long that he could almost hear the sound of frogs in the pond and cicadas on the willow tree. He said, ¡°You can also choose. Qing Zhen¡­¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t have a choice from the beginning.¡± Empress Xiande interrupted him. ¡°I¡¯ve invested everything in you. How can you ask me to choose at this moment?¡±


    Emperor Yong Le was stunned. Empress Xiande had already raised her wine bowl and finished the second bowl in one gulp.


    !!


    ¡°Your Majesty, do you think of me any differently from other women?¡±


    Empress Xiande looked at him. ¡°Did you also choose me because you had to?¡±


    Emperor Yong Le paused for a moment before saying, ¡°You¡¯re very good. You¡¯re the best empress in the Daliang Dynasty. No one can do the job better than you.


    Back then, my mother liked you very much, and I liked you very much too. You¡¯re smart, appropriate, generous, and stable. You¡¯ve organized the entire harem very well. There¡¯s nothing wrong with me choosing you.¡±


    Empress Xiande smiled, and as she smiled, she almost burst into tears. She said, ¡°As expected, between Empress Xiande and Qing Zhen, you chose the former. I understand.¡± She looked at the moon in the sky, and the corners of her eyes seemed to be sparkling. When she turned around, she was back to her usual gentle and calm self. She said, ¡°I¡¯ve already thought about what you told me previously. I think you are right. After all, this is my life. I have to plan for my life in the future.¡±


    Emperor Yong Le stared at her and felt a lump in his throat. A moment later, he asked hesitantly, ¡°Did you¡­ already find someone?¡±


    ¡°Not yet.¡± Empress Xiande smiled. ¡°But there¡¯s no hurry. When that day comes, I¡¯ll let nature take its course.¡±


    Emperor Yong Le fell into silence.


    Empress Xiande picked up the wine bowl and said, ¡°Let¡¯s toast to our marriage.


    We¡¯ve been husband and wife for so many years. Over the years, although my life is not especially good, it¡¯s not bad either. Thank you, Your Majesty.¡±


    Emperor Yong Le also raised his wine bowl. If one looked carefully, they would notice that his fingers were trembling slightly, as if he couldn¡¯t hold it steadily. However, he hid it very well and immediately emptied all the wine in the wine bowl.


    As a matter of fact, not only did the wine not taste sweet and mellow in big mouthfuls, but it also burned one¡¯s throat.


    Empress Xiande stood up and said to him with a smile, ¡°Actually, this jar of wine looks like a lot, but after drinking a few bowls, it¡¯s already empty. Without wine, even the moon becomes much duller. I¡¯ll take my leave first. Your Majesty, rest well. It¡¯s dark and cool. Be careful not to catch a cold.¡± She left slowly.


    She left briskly. Now that she had bid farewell and drank the farewell wine, what was left to do was to leave his world step by step and never come back. Emperor Yong Le turned to look at Empress Xiande¡¯s departing figure.


    She disappeared into the long corridor with firm footsteps.


    His heart suddenly ached, and an indescribable pain slowly spread from his heart to his limbs. His heart was beating very fast and was almost twitching. He could not breathe and could not say a word.


    He suddenly fell from the chair!


    Eunuch Deng was waiting at the side. When he saw this, he was shocked and quickly walked over. He helped Emperor Yong Le up, but when he saw that Emperor Yong Le¡¯s face was terrifyingly pale and his lips were trembling, his heart skipped a beat. He immediately called the imperial physician and asked the guards to send Emperor Yong Le back to the Hall of Mental Cultivation.. Sear?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 1114 - 1114: The Return of an Old Friend (22)

    Chapter 1114: The Return of an Old Friend (22)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    Empress Xiande walked in the night. The wind brushed past her face. The short dizziness from the wine was slowly gone, replaced by the annoying soberness.


    She held the railing by the pond and let out a long sigh.


    She knew that the words tonight were said in a fit of anger. However, she was extremely afraid at the thought of Emperor Yong Let s death. She wanted to avoid that outcome and refused to look or listen. However, Emperor Yong Le took the initiative to mention it every time they talked, forcing her to face what she did not want to face.


    Nanny Tao said, ¡°Your Majesty, it¡¯s cold outside. Let¡¯s go back first.¡±


    Empress Xiande shook her head. There was a string of prayer beads on her wrist. Every night, she would hold the prayer beads and chant the Buddhist scriptures, praying that the heavens would take pity on Emperor Yong Le and let a miracle happen.


    She turned around, wanting to walk back. Unexpectedly, she heard a crackling sound. She looked down and saw that the string of the prayer beads had broken at some point. The prayer beads fell to the ground, scattering everywhere.


    Why would the string of the prayer beads break for no reason?


    ¡°Nanny Tao¡­¡± Empress Xiande muttered, feeling inexplicably uneasy and suffocated.


    ¡°Your Majesty!¡± Nanny Tao was shocked and quickly came forward to help her. Empress Xiande waved her hand and squatted down in a panic. ¡°Quick, help me pick it up..


    As soon as Nanny Tao squatted down, she saw a young eunuch run over in a hurry. He looked terrified and said, ¡°His Majesty is not in a critical condition. Please go and take a look!¡±


    Empress Xiande had just picked up a prayer bead. Hearing this, she subconsciously let go of it. The prayer bead rolled on the ground and fell into the pond. It sank into the water and was gone.


    The Hall of Mental Cultivation was filled with the kneeling eunuchs and palace.


    Eunuch Deng stood in a corner of the room with his head lowered, looking very sad.


    When Empress Xiande entered, Gao Zhan had just come out. When he saw her, he shook his head.


    Empress Xiande suddenly staggered. Fortunately, she held Nanny Tao¡¯s hand and did not fall.


    After a while, she said, ¡°All of you, leave.¡±


    Emperor Yong Le, who was on the bed, also waved his hand.


    Everyone in the room left.


    Empress Xiande went forward. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    She walked extremely slowly, as if she was resisting to reach a destination that she did not want to reach. However, she had no choice but to walk forward. When she reached the bed, she half-knelt and looked at the person on it.


    Emperor Yong Le also looked at her. After a while, he smiled and said, ¡°Fortunately, before I go, I finally drank your snow brew.¡±


    ¡°Your Maiestv¡­¡± EmDress Xiande looked at him with tears in her eves..

 Chapter 1115 - 1115: The Return of an Old Friend (23)

    Chapter 1115: The Return of an Old Friend (23)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    ¡°Qing Zhen, I can¡¯t accompany you anymore.¡± Emperor Yong Le said apologetically, ¡°When you married me back then, I thought you would be protected. In fact, after so many years, you didn¡¯t get anything.¡± He said it very slowly. With every word he said, he had to rest for a while, as if speaking was already a very difficult task for him.


    Empress Xiande said, ¡°Stop talking.¡± Sear?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Only at this moment did the two of them talk like a normal couple.


    He said, ¡°Go and live your own life. You¡¯re a good person. You¡¯ll definitely live happily in the future. Marry someone else. Don¡¯t choose a selfish husband like me. Find someone who loves you¡­¡±


    Empress Xiande cried uncontrollably.


    She suddenly felt her hand being grabbed and saw Emperor Yong Le staring at her with bright eyes. He gritted his teeth and said, ¡°But I¡¯m unwilling. I don¡¯t want¡­ I¡¯m very selfish. You¡¯re my woman, so I don¡¯t want you to be with anyone else.¡±


    Empress Xiande was stunned.


    ¡°I¡¯ve tried my best to endure the pain for the past year, hoping to live for a few more days. Actually, it¡¯s not because I want to see Xie Jingxing rule the world.


    The world has already been stabilized. There¡¯s nothing else I need to do. I just¡­ can¡¯t bear to¡­¡± He panted with difficulty. ¡°I can¡¯t bear to leave you¡­ As long as I can be husband and wife with you for half a day, I will try my best.¡±


    ¡°Actually, it wasn¡¯t my mother¡¯s idea back then. It was me from the beginning. I was the one who told my mother that I thought you were good. I said that anyone could be the empress as long as they followed the rules well. Actually, that¡¯s not the case. It has to be you from the beginning. Those hurtful words¡­


    were all lies¡­¡±


    Empress Xiande covered her mouth and said, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me earlier?¡±


    Emperor Yong Le¡¯s face turned even paler. His voice was so low that it was almost inaudible. He said, ¡°Unfortunately, I¡¯m not a long-lived person, and I¡¯m guilty that I¡¯ve made your life difficult¡­¡± He reached out, as if he wanted to help Empress Xiande wipe the tears off her face. However, halfway through, his hand fell weakly.


    He closed his eyes.


    Empress Xiande covered her mouth and buried herself in the blanket, crying in pain.


    After a while, Empress Xiande stood up. She gently tucked Emperor Yong Le in and kissed him. She tidied her hair in front of the mirror, wiped her tears, and slowly opened the door.


    Eunuch Deng bowed and went forward. Empress Xiande said calmly, ¡°His


    Majesty has passed away.¡±


    Eunuch Deng was stunned for a moment before falling on his knees and kowtowing.


    Seeing this, the eunuchs and palace maids outside also knelt down and kowtowed, their wails and sobs echoing throughout the palace..

 Chapter 1116 - 1116: The Return of an Old Friend (24)

    Chapter 1116: The Return of an Old Friend (24)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    Shen Miao looked at Empress Xiande. Empress Xiande was wearing a plain white dress. Her expression was still gentle and calm, as if nothing could move her.


    After a long period of chaos, the palace fell quiet.


    Before Emperor Yong Le died, he prepared everything, including the edict to pass down the throne and the possible unrest in the imperial court. Although some people were tempted to make trouble, they were intimidated by the troops Emperor Yong Le left behind. Moreover, Xie Jingxing had been sending back good news recently. Everyone knew that Emperor Yong Le did not have a son and that his only brother would definitely take over the throne.


    !!


    It was not that there were no dissenters, but the dissenters were dealt with by Emperor Yong Le. With the bravery Xie Jingxing displayed and the ruthless methods Emperor Yong Le used, the throne was surprisingly stable. Perhaps these people also knew that once Prince Rui returned, not only would he bring back victory, but he would also bring back the territory of Ming Qi and the State of Qin. This world would be completely unified, and the throne would no longer be that important.


    It was better to be obedient and wait for this new emperor to return and ascend the throne.


    What about the harem?


    The women in the harem had lost the emperor they relied on, so they were naturally at a loss. Some wanted to kill themselves, but most of them were planning for the rest of their lives. Most of the consorts in the harem were the daughters of the court officials. He never took the initiative to take in any consorts. Moreover, Emperor Yong Le was born with a cold personality. Apart from doting on Lu Jing, he was not lustful. Therefore, he was not in a deep relationship with those consorts. After Emperor Yong Le passed away, these women asked their family for help, hoping that they could leave the palace.


    Empress Xiande handled the funeral calmly. She buried Emperor Yong Le in the imperial mausoleum and didn¡¯t make any consorts to die with him. sea??h th§× N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Shen Miao came to visit Empress Xiande at night. Ever since Emperor Yong Le entered the imperial mausoleum, Empress Xiande had been behaving strangely calmly. Today was the Mid -Autumn Festival, and the full moon was hanging in the sky, but she was listening to a maid play the Guqin in Weiyang Palace.


    Shen Miao asked the maid to stop and leave. Only then did Empress Xiande notice her. She seemed to be extremely tired. She smiled and said, ¡°You¡¯re here.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s getting cold. Your Majesty, you have to put on more clothes,¡± Shen Miao said.


    Empress Xiande smiled faintly and pointed at the mooncakes on the table. ¡°They¡¯re made by the royal kitchen. I wanted to get someone to send them to you, but since you came, you can try it.¡±


    Shen Miao smiled and said, ¡°Your Majesty, eat some too.¡±


    Empress Xiande waved her hand. ¡°I can¡¯t eat.¡±


    The edict had been issued. When Xie Jingxing returned to Long Ye, he would ascend the throne. At that time, Shen Miao would be the empress. Speaking of which, it was actually not appropriate to call her Empress Xiande now. However, the two of them did not mind.


    ¡°These days, I¡¯ve been thinking about the past. I originally thought I would definitely get used to the fact His Majesty is no longer around. However, the longer I live, the more I¡¯m not used to it. Every day, I feel empty, as if something is missing. Princess Consort, after Jingxing left, do you feel this way


    Shen Miao was stunned.


    Did she miss Jingxing? She naturally did. While they were together, they didn¡¯t feel anything. Only when they were separated did she realize how much she missed him. In times of separation, people could probably think more clearly. However¡­ Shen Miao subconsciously touched her stomach. Perhaps because there was a life in her stomach, these long and torturous days were not so boring..

 Chapter 1117 - 1117: The Return of an Old Friend (25)

    Chapter 1117: The Return of an Old Friend (25) S§×ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    ¡°You¡¯re probably different from me.¡± Without waiting for Shen Miao to answer, Empress Xiande continued, ¡°In the past, His Majesty asked people to gather information about you. As I listened to him telling me about you, I knew that you were a smart person. You dealt with the royal family of Ming Qi alone and protected the Shen family. As for meeting Jingxing and marrying him, it was all a coincidence. If you didn¡¯t meet Jingxing, you could also live a life you wanted, because you neve aspired to be someone¡¯s wife.¡±


    ¡°But I¡¯m different.¡± She looked at the ruby on her necklace and said, ¡°When I met His Majesty, I felt that the most important thing in my life was to become his wife and be with him for the rest of my life.¡± She rested her head on her elbow and spoke slowly, as if she was about to fall asleep in the next moment, but she was still talking.


    ¡°Perhaps it¡¯s precisely because my life since I was young was so smooth-sailing that I didn¡¯t know that being a wife was such a difficult thing.¡±


    !!


    Shen Miao did not comment.


    Empress Xiande had been suffering too much. Over the past few days, she had not said anything, but Shen Miao understood that feeling. This was because talking could not change anything, but sometimes, it was always good to be able to speak it. At least it was better for Empress Xiande to say it now than to keep it to herself.


    ¡°With His Majesty gone, I don¡¯t know what to do now. The women in the harem have all been dismissed. The palace was originally noisy, but now it¡¯s cold and desolate, making me feel a little lonely. I thought that if I hadn¡¯t met His Majesty in the beginning, it would probably be better. I would rather fight with the royal family like you and protect my family than throw myself into a marriage I knew would not end well.¡±


    Shen Miao could feel her despair and hopelessness. She comforted her. ¡°It¡¯s the same for me. Ever since I was born, apart from the time when my parents and brother were around, there had never been a moment when life was easy, so I¡¯ve gradually learned to believe in myself. It¡¯s my blessing to meet His Highness, but without His Highness, no matter how difficult my path is, I will continue.¡± After a pause, she said, ¡°It¡¯s the same for you. Even if His Majesty leaves first, you have to think about yourself and live for yourself. No matter how difficult the path is, you have to face it.¡±


    Empress Xiande was silent for a long time. It was so long that Shen Miao thought that she did not hear her at all. Then, she suddenly said, ¡°Princess


    Consort, thank you.¡±


    ¡°I understand what you mean.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just that this is too difficult.¡±


    That night, Shen Miao and Empress Xiande sat for a long time. They didn¡¯t talk much, but they seemed to have said a lot.


    After Shen Miao left, Empress Xiande sat there alone for a long time. It was not until Nanny Tao came to urge her to sleep that Empress Xiande stood up and went to wash up. After Empress Xiande went to bed, Nanny Tao left.


    After the door was closed, the person on the bed sat up again.


    She lit the lamp and rummaged through the cabinets to find clothes. It was not the empress¡¯s court dress, but a moon-white plain dress. She loved such a simple and refreshing color. However, after becoming the empress, she could no longer wear these clothes. If the dress was not exquisite and grand, she would ¡°not be able to suppress¡± the other consorts.


    She looked mature and calm, but in fact, she was just a quiet and reserved girl.


    She put on a simple dress. She sat in front of the mirror and brushed her eyebrows lightly. With light rouge, she looked extremely beautiful..

 Chapter 1118 - 1118: The Return of an Old Friend (26)

    Chapter 1118: The Return of an Old Friend (26)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    She took out a pen and paper from the drawer and started to write. Upon finishing, she put the letter into an envelope.


    In the end, Empress Xiande took out an exquisite jade box from the bottom of the cabinet. The box was covered in a faint dust.


    From the moment she married Emperor Yong Le, she knew about his illness. It took a lot of courage to marry a man who was going to die at any time.


    !!


    However, she was the bravest young lady in her family and looked forward to marrying a hero the most. Emperor Yong Le was probably not a hero. He played with power and was scheming, but Empress Xiande still felt that he was her hero.


    There was a small bottle in the jade box. She took it out and held it in her palm.


    On the day she married Emperor Yong Le, Empress Xiande prepared this medicine bottle for herself.


    If he died one day, she would go with him. S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    For so many years, every year, Empress Xiande would take out the medicine bottle to take a look at it. She would be glad that this medicine bottle didn¡¯t need to be used in the end and hoped that she also didn¡¯t need to use it the next


    year.


    Now, it was time to use it.


    She was very weak, so weak that after Emperor Yong Le left, she did not have the courage to live the rest of her life.


    She was also very brave, so brave that from the beginning, she knew that she might end up like this, but she still went ahead.


    ¡°Your Majesty, I¡¯m coming to see you,¡± she said softly and drank the contents


    of the medicine bottle in one gulp.


    The moon gradually rose from the clouds and hung high above the water, as if it was smiling at the joys and sorrows of the world.


    Shen Miao didn¡¯t sleep very well that night. She had countless dreams, but she couldn¡¯t remember any of them.


    It was not until Jingzhe woke her up that Shen Miao looked at the bright sky outside and got up. She touched her forehead that was covered in cold sweat, feeling a trace of uneasiness.


    Luo Tan ran in from outside. Her eyes were red. She looked at Shen Miao and said in a low voice, ¡°Her Majesty is dead!¡±


    Hearing this, Shen Miao dropped the handkerchief Jingzhe handed to her to the ground.


    In less than a month, Emperor Yong Le and Empress Xiande passed away one after another, and the world was in grief.


    When the consorts who used to scheme against each other heard the news, they rushed over one after another. Empress Xiande was benevolent and kind. In addition, Emperor Yong Le was not close to her, so these consorts did not display much hostility towards her. When they found out about this, they even sighed with emotions.


    From the beginning to the end, Empress Xiande¡¯s father looked very calm.


    Perhaps he had already expected Empress Xiande to make this decision. Although he was sad, he could still accept it.


    Empress Xiande and Emperor Yong Le were buried together in the imperial mausoleum. After this, they would only exist in the history of the Daliang


    Dynasty.


    What followed was many problems.


    After Emperor Yong Le passed away, there was still Empress Xiande who could be in charge of the imperial court. After Empress Xiande passed away, who should be in charge of the imperial court now? Although Emperor Yong Le left an edict to pass down the throne, Xie Jingxing had not ascended the throne yet.


    Speaking of which, it was not appropriate to call Shen Miao the empress now. However, Emperor Yong Le did not have any other siblings. The only one who was related to him by blood was Xie Jingxing..

 Chapter 1119 - 1119: The Return of an Old Friend (27)

    Chapter 1119: The Return of an Old Friend (27)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    NO stability was guaranteed m any dynasty, especially wnen tnere was no leader.


    The imperial court, which had begun to calm down, began to stir again. There were always some restless court officials who wanted to do something. They were ambitious but cowardly. Now that a perfect opportunity had presented itself, how could they not seize it.


    Shen Miao asked Eunuch Deng, ¡°Is the court very unstable now?¡±


    !!


    Eunuch Deng said, ¡°That¡¯s right. Now, the officials want to recommend someone to supervise the imperial court for the time being until Prince Rui returns to Long Ye.¡±


    ¡°How outrageous!¡± Shen Miao flared up. ¡°They really want to steal the country!¡±


    Eunuch Deng fell silent.


    For some reason, he felt that this young Princess Consort Rui had an indescribable aura. This aura was very similar to Empress Xiande, but it was sharper. She usually looked gentle and easy to talk to and was not nosy. Once she pulled a long face, she always made people feel afraid.


    Just like Prince Rui, Xie Jingxing.


    However, before Emperor Yong Le passed away, he also instructed Eunuch Deng to help Xie Jingxing when he returned. Eunuch Deng had been living in the palace since he was young and could help with many things. Now that Xie Jingxing was not back yet, Eunuch Deng naturally had to listen to Shen Miao.


    ¡°Eunuch Deng, get ready. I¡¯ll go to the court,¡± she said.


    Eunuch Deng was stunned and said, ¡°Princess Consort¡­¡±


    ¡°If news that the imperial court is in chaos spreads at this critical moment, people in Long Ye will inevitably panic. We have to keep these restless people in check first.¡±


    ¡°But.¡± Eunuch Deng looked at Shen Miao¡¯s stomach and said, ¡°You¡¯re still pregnant. ¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s precisely because of this child that I can confront them openly.¡± Shen Miao smiled. ¡°My child has the royal bloodline. They won¡¯t dare to be disrespectful to me¡±


    Eunuch Deng thought for a moment and said, ¡°This can indeed keep the situation stable for the time being, but this way, Princess Consort, your pregnancy will be made public.¡±


    ¡°I originally wanted to hide it because I didn¡¯t want His Highness to be distracted on the battlefield. Now that the war is almost over, there¡¯s no need to hide it.¡± She looked at Eunuch Deng, who was still frowning, and smiled.


    ¡°You¡¯re afraid that someone will harm me, right?¡±


    Eunuch Deng quickly rolled up his sleeves. ¡°I will definitely protect you and the young heir with my life!¡± S~ea??h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Shen Miao nodded. ¡°Thank you.¡¯


    After Eunuch Deng left, Shen Miao took a deep breath. She sat on the chair and looked at the fallen leaves outside the window.


    Empress Xiande left too abruptly, and many problems were starting to emerge. The palace was huge and lively in spring, but at this moment, it was cold and cheerless. However, she knew that this matter was far from over. Before Xie Jingxing returned, she had to pacify this chaotic imperial court.


    ¡°Ever since I have you in my stomach, I haven¡¯t had an easy time yet.¡± Shen Miao said softly to her stomach, ¡°However, everything will be fine.¡±


    Five days later, the imperial court was in an uproar when the edict to pass down the throne was announced. Before Emperor Yong Le left, he arranged everything appropriately.


    Some troublemakers said that the imperial court was leaderless now and suggested nominating a few officials to govern it together. However, this suggestion was rejected, because Princess Consort Rui, Shen Miao, took over the imperial court..

 Chapter 1120 - 1120: The Return of an Old Friend (28)

    Chapter 1120: The Return of an Old Friend (28)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    For a moment, rumors spread everywhere. Everyone said that Shen Miao was clearly a spy sent by Ming Qi. Now that the emperor was gone, she wanted to usurp the throne.


    This rumor spread very quickly and subsided very quickly, because Shen Miao appeared in the imperial court with a big stomach. Eunuch Deng, Nanny Tao, and the others also proved that Empress Xiande brought Shen Miao into the palace because she wanted to protect the only royal bloodline.


    With this child, she had the court under control. People feel that if they caused trouble at this time, when Xie Jingxing returned, they would end up miserably.


    !!


    Part of it was because they were afraid of Shen Miao, and the other half was because they were afraid of Xie Jingxing, so this crisis was quickly resolved.


    However, Shen Miao did not have a lot of free time.


    She had been reading the memorials over the past few days. After Emperor


    Yong Le passed away, the memorials submitted to the palace from all over the Daliang Dynasty piled up in the imperial study. She went through the memorials one by one, sometimes until late at night.


    Jingzhe and the others felt bad for her, but they couldn¡¯t persuade her, so they could only stay by her side quietly.


    As Luo Tan dozed off, she asked, ¡°Little Cousin, why do you have to read it yourself? If you don¡¯t trust the officials, you can always trust the trusted aides of the late emperor. Isn¡¯t it good to give these memorials to them and let them handle it? Why do you have to do it yourself? You¡¯re still pregnant.¡±


    Shen Miao shook her head. ¡°People are capricious, and there are many variables. It¡¯s better to read it myself.¡±


    Perhaps Emperor Yong Le originally had trusted aides, but after Emperor Yong Le and Empress Xiande died, no one could tell if these people would have other thoughts. If she was in Ming Qi and knew these people well, she would naturally be at ease to leave the work to these people. However, she was in Long Ye, and she had not been in Long Ye for long. In a short period of time, she was not able to test the loyalty of these people.


    In the end, there was no one she could trust here.


    Fortunately, Shen Miao did a good job. Her handling of some matters could even be considered skillful. Although Eunuch Deng did not know anything about the imperial court, he was best at observing. At first, those court officials were against Shen Miao interfering, but recently, they had become less resistant. This meant that Shen Miao did not do a bad job. Otherwise, it was impossible for these people to not find fault with her from the beginning.


    Eunuch Deng was a little relieved. The quality Shen Miao displayed was inferior to Empress Xiande¡¯s. Perhaps the Daliang Dynasty could really last for a hundred generations as the empress dowager hoped.


    ¡°But you will tire yourself out.¡± Luo Tan said, ¡°Yesterday, I heard them talking about how lucky you are and how the decisions you made all produced good results.¡± Luo Tan said with a snort, ¡°How is that because of luck? It¡¯s clearly your ability. Cousin, how come you know everything? You can even read these complicated memorials.. What do you not know?¡±


    sea??h th§× nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 1121 - 1121: The Return of an Old Friend (29)

    Chapter 1121: The Return of an Old Friend (29)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    Shen Miao rolled her eyes at her. ¡°There are many things I don¡¯t know.¡±


    ¡°For example?¡± Luo Tan asked excitedly.


    ¡°For example, I won¡¯t be as curious about everything as you.¡±


    !!


    Luo Tan said, ¡°In any case¡­ the hard time is about to end. You¡¯re about to give birth, and Brother-in-law is about to win the war. At that time, Uncle, my father, and the others will probably come over to reunite with us. Now looking back, the hardships we went through are nothing.¡±


    Shen Miao smiled. ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±


    The hardships were worth it.


    Xie Jingxing sent back good news not long after. Ming Qi had been destroyed. Seeing that peace was impossible, the emperor of the State of Qin fled north in a panic. Now, the soldiers of the Daliang Dynasty were rushing to the capital of the State of Qin. After occupying it, Xie Jingxing would return to the Daliang Dynasty first.


    In a way, the war was over. Now, what they had to wait for was the triumphant return of the hero.


    This was really the best news Shen Miao had received recently.


    However¡­ Shen Miao sighed. Xie Jingxing probably already knew about


    Emperor Yong Le and Empress Xiande¡¯s death. When he returned to the Daliang Dynasty and went to the imperial mausoleum to see the emperor, she did not know what he would feel. The last person in this world who was related to him by blood had already left. Sear?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    However¡­ he was not alone. At least he still had Shen Miao and his child.


    Nanny Tao smiled and said, ¡°Princess Consort Rui¡¯s pregnancy due date is estimated to be on the first of next month. There are still more than ten days left.


    Luo Tan rubbed her palms together. ¡°I¡¯m really excited. I wonder if it¡¯s a little niece or nephew. I¡¯m so curious. I guess it¡¯s a little niece. She¡¯ll be a beautiful little fairy.¡±


    ¡°Not necessarily.¡± Nanny Tao said, ¡°It looks like a young boy.¡±


    Shen Miao smiled as she listened to their discussion. She had never felt so at ease.


    After giving birth, when Xie Jingxing returned, perhaps the hardships and chaos of the past year would end.


    However, in this world, there was probably nothing perfect. Even if the ending was good, there would definitely be twists and turns in the middle. At the end, there would still be some trouble, as if this was the only way to emphasize how precious and happy the ending was.


    Just as Shen Miao thought that she was walking towards a happy life without a hitch, she encountered a huge problem.


    The autumn day was bright and clear, and the weather was good.


    Shen Miao sat in the courtyard. Today, she finished reading the memorials early. Luo Tan found a kite from somewhere and was playing with the maids in the palace. Even Shen Miao was affected by her laughter and couldn¡¯t help but smile.


    Eunuch Deng quickly walked in with a rare solemn expression. When he saw Shen Miao, he gestured for her to walk into the inner hall.


    Seeing that he seemed to have something important to say, Shen Miao was helped to the inner hall by Jingzhe. As soon as they arrived, Eunuch Deng said, ¡°princess consort, Dao news. ¡®l¡¯ne survivmg members or tne Lu ramuy are attacking the city!¡±


    ¡°The surviving members of the Lu family?¡± Shen Miao frowned. ¡°Wasn¡¯t the entire Lu family wiped out in Ruyang?¡±


    ¡°Among the surviving members of the Lu family, there is Second Miss Lu¡¯s husband. He is a military official and has raised a group of soldiers secretly. At that time, they were not in Long Ye, but in the suburbs outside Long Ye, pretending to be ordinary people. These people have been in contact with the Ye family. Back then, when the Ye family was in trouble, Ye Maocai gave these people a huge sum of money. Now that these people are well-equipped, they already plan to attack the city and are fighting with the city guards,¡± Eunuch


    Deng said..

 Chapter 1122 - 1122: The Return of an Old Friend (30)

    Chapter 1122: The Return of an Old Friend (30)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    Shen Miao frowned. After a while, she said coldly, ¡°They¡¯re coming at me, right?¡±


    Eunuch Deng wiped the sweat off his forehead and said, ¡°Princess Consort¡­¡±


    It was impossible for the remaining members of the Lu family to compete with Xie Jingxing. The reason why they chose this time to attack the city was none other than because they wanted to avenge Ye Maocai and Lu Zhengchun and fight with the royal family to the death. Shen Miao was pregnant with Xie Jingxing¡¯s child. Perhaps in their opinion, if they killed Shen Miao and the child, Xie Jingxing would be in so much pain that he wanted to die.


    !!


    To Xie Jingxing, this was the best retaliation.


    ¡°How many troops are there in the city and how many guards are there in the palace?¡± Shen Miao asked.


    ¡°There are enough imperial guards to protect you, but those people have already started to kill the commoners outside Long Ye. Once they enter the city, they will definitely kill indiscriminately. These people are cruel by nature and are mixed in the crowd. If we want to deal with them, we have to mobilize a large number of imperial guards. This way, there won¡¯t be enough of them in the palace to protect you.¡¯


    Shen Miao frowned. ¡°In other words, it¡¯s either me or the people.¡±


    Eunuch Deng was silent. He did not know how to answer.


    ¡°I understand.¡± Shen Miao nodded. ¡°Send out the imperial guards to protect the people first.¡±


    ¡°Princess Consort!¡± Eunuch Deng was stunned. ¡°You can¡¯t put your life at risk.


    If you¡¯re in any danger, Prince Rui will kill us all.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not that I want to put my life at risk.¡± Shen Miao said, ¡°Do you really think those people are only outside the city? I¡¯m afraid some of them have already sneaked into the city. What they¡¯re doing is nothing more than instigating the fear of the people. If I still keep the imperial guards within the palace, the people will be easily instigated by their words. If the people are wavering, even if this palace is impregnable, it will fall apart. His Highness is coming back. Nothing can go wrong at this point.¡± Seeing that Eunuch Deng still did not agree, Shen Miao said, ¡°Besides, I won¡¯t risk my life. Before His Highness left, he left some people for me. They will protect me.¡±


    Some of the Black Feather Army soldiers who protected Prince Rui¡¯s mansion later followed Shen Miao into the palace. She knew in her heart that she had no choice. Lu Zhengchun and Ye Maocai¡¯s last move was disgusting. If Shen Miao only cared about herself and did not care about the lives of the commoners, after this matter was over, even if Xie Jingxing ascended the throne in the future, he would be called selfish and cold. As an emperor, the most important thing he needed was the support of the people. If he lost the support of the people, his foundation would not be stable in the beginning.


    For the sake of Xie Jingxing, she could not let the imperial guards only protect the palace.


    Seeing that she seemed to have made up her mind, Eunuch Deng did not insist and followed her instructions.


    Shen Miao, on the other hand, was not as calm as she looked. She frowned. If it were in the past, it would have been fine, but at this juncture, she was pregnant and could easily be taken advantage of. Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    No matter what, she had to protect the child in her stomach.


    When Luo Tan received the news and rushed over, she was also worried. She persuaded her, ¡°Cousin, why don¡¯t you find a place to hide now and wait until after the child is born? It¡¯s not safe in the palace now. Everyone knows that you¡¯re in the palace, so the rebels will naturally know. Once the imperial guards are sent out, they will sneak in and attack you..¡±

 Chapter 1123 - 1123: The Return of an Old Friend (31)

    Chapter 1123: The Return of an Old Friend (31)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    Shen Miao shook her head. ¡°If I leave, I¡¯m afraid those rebels will spread rumors that I ran away. This palace is like a battlefield. My decision represents the decision of the royal family. If I retreat, the royal family will lose its prestige.¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡± Luo Tan still wanted to convince her.


    ¡°There¡¯s no buts. Just hold on for a few more days and Xie Jingxing will be back.¡± Shen Miao said, ¡°As long as we can survive these days, everything will be fine.


    As Shen Miao had expected, the next day, rumors began to spread on the streets. It was said that Princess Consort Rui had already escaped with her people and did not care about the lives of the people of Long Ye. Now, there was no one in charge of the Daliang Dynasty. The rebels were fighting with the city guards at the city gate. They might enter the city one day. At that time, blood would definitely flow like a river in Long Ye.


    The people were very simple, and simple people were the easiest to use. They relied on the protection of the emperor. However, now that their protector was gone, they felt as if they were like fish under a knife, waiting to be slaughtered.


    For a moment, they scolded the royal family for being heartless and Shen Miao for escaping. They scolded Xie Jingxing for only caring about conquering the world and not caring about the lives of the people of Long Ye.


    Shen Miao sat at the side of the throne room. She was wearing a purple-gold robe and had her hair combed into a bun. She was young, but she could pull off wearing that robe surprisingly well. She said, ¡°Set out for the palace tower.¡±


    The court officials looked at each other. One of them went forward and said,


    ¡°Princess Consort, isn¡¯t this too risky?¡± Back then, this person objected to Shen Miao supervising the court the most. However, in the past few days, he had become much more obedient.


    ¡°We have to take risks to make the people believe that we won¡¯t abandon them in danger.¡± She stood up, and Jingzhe and Gu Yu quickly helped her up. She was pregnant now, so it was a little inconvenient for her to walk.


    When Shen Miao and the officials reached the palace tower, there were some commoners gathered below. MO Qing led the Black Feather Army, and the palace guards were all ready to attack to prevent assassins from sneaking up on them. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Some of the commoners recognized Shen Miao. Someone immediately exclaimed, ¡°It¡¯s the princess consort!¡±


    In just a moment, below the city tower, it was packed with people. Shen Miao looked down and slowly spoke.


    ¡°People, there have been many rumors recently. The rebels are attacking Long Ye and saying untrue words to instigate unrest.¡±


    In the wind, her voice was neither loud nor soft, as if it had the power to comfort people, but it was also filled with determination.


    ¡°However, everyone, don¡¯t believe them. I swear in the name of the royal family that I¡¯ll be with you and fight with you!¡±


    There was an uproar below the palace tower, but there were people who were suspicious of her words and people who believed her words.


    ¡°The soldiers of the Daliang Dynasty are fighting a war outside. I¡¯m also a member of the Xie family. As long as I¡¯m around, the Xie family will not fall. I¡¯m from a military family, and in a military family, there are no cowards. We can lose, but we can¡¯t escape. Moreover, what a mess can a few rebels cause?


    What a joke!¡±


    Her voice was resounding and firm. Everyone looked up at the woman in the purple-gold robe who had her chin raised lightly. In a daze, people seemed to have seen Prince Rui charging through the battlefield, arrogant and confident.


    ¡°So, don¡¯t believe, don¡¯t fear, don¡¯t panic, and don¡¯t dread.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll stay in the palace and see who dares to come.¡±


    Her purple robe fluttered in the wind, and the flag behind her also fluttered..

 Chapter 1124 - 1124: The Return of an Old Friend (32)

    Chapter 1124: The Return of an Old Friend (32)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    The people below were silent for a moment before bursting into cheers. The cheers were deafening, echoing throughout the capital.


    In times of imminent danger, the people desperately needed someone to tell them that everything would be fine. They were all very supportive of Shen Miao.


    The civil and military officials standing behind her were all moved by this scene.


    Words actually had such power. This woman seemed to be very good at knowing what people wanted the most. In just a while, the city walls of Long Ye were more fortified than it had ever been.


    Shen Miao turned around and left.


    In the next few days, the unrest in Long Ye subsided. Even if some troublemakers tried to sow discord, the commoners would just ignore it.


    Seeing that they couldn¡¯t crumble Long Ye from within, the rebels attacked even more crazily outside the city.


    Everyday, Shen Miao had to handle the state affairs and go to the watchtower to check the situation. With a pregnant body, she was running around and tiring herself out.


    On this day, she woke up early and saw Luo Tan running in. When Luo Tan saw her, she said, ¡°Cousin, someone is here to see you.¡±


    Shen Miao frowned. ¡°Who?¡± Apart from talking to those court officials, no one would specially come to see her. She did not have many friends and family in Long Ye. The best ones were all in the palace. sea??h th§× N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°I¡¯ll help you out,¡± Luo Tan said.


    Luo Tan helped Shen Miao out. When they arrived at the main hall, they saw a person sitting at the table. Jingzhe was pouring tea for that person. The person was dressed in green and was as scholarly as she remembered.


    Shen Miao cried out in surprise, ¡°Mr. Pei?¡±


    Pei Lang turned around.


    Too many things had happened while Pei Lang was gone. Back then, in some ways, Pei Lang¡¯s leaving was the best scenario for the two of them. After all, knowing that they had the memory of their previous life, neither of them knew how to face each other.


    When Pei Lang saw Shen Miao, he smiled. ¡°I heard that Long Ye is in trouble and the palace is in chaos. Although I don¡¯t have any extraordinary ability, I can at least share the burden.¡±


    Shen Miao frowned and did not speak for a moment.


    Pei Lang smiled. ¡°Don¡¯t think too much. We are both from Ming Qi and are considered compatriots. Moreover, I was your teacher back then, so we¡¯re not completely unrelated. This time, take it that I¡¯m here to help my student.¡±


    He was natural and at ease. Seeing that he seemed to have made peace with the past, Shen Miao was relieved and at ease too.


    To Shen Miao, the past was no longer important. She valued the future more. Pei Lang¡¯s appearance could indeed help her solve many problems.


    She said, ¡°I¡¯ll owe you another favor.¡± Last time, it was Pei Lang who took the knife for her.


    Pei Lang muttered to himself, ¡°I owe you so much that I can¡¯t repay in my lifetime.¡± When he looked up at Shen Miao, he said, ¡°Let¡¯s not waste time. Let¡¯s start dealing with the most urgent matter in Long Ye now.¡±


    What was the most urgent thing in Long Ye now? It was naturally to wipe out the rebels and protect the safety of the people in the city. Because of the ongoing war, there were all kinds of memorials from all over the Daliang


    Dynasty. It was very difficult for Shen Miao, who was pregnant, to handle it. Moreover, she was about to give birth, so she really could not take on such a burden alone..

 Chapter 1125 - 1125: The Return of an Old Friend (33)

    Chapter 1125: The Return of an Old Friend (33)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    After Pei Lang came, the take became less onerous. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Pei Lang used to be Fu Xiuyi¡¯s aide, so he naturally knew a thing or two about managing the imperial court. Moreover, he was talented in this aspect.


    However, he was immediately faced with a problem, which was the shortage of soldiers in Long Ye. It was enough to protect the people, but it was far from enough to confront the rebels causing trouble outside the city. The risk of sending the soldiers out was high, but it was not a good idea to continue in this stalemate either.


    ¡°If we stall for a few more months until Xie Jingxing comes back, these rebels will be wiped out.¡± Shen Miao said to Pei Lang, ¡°As long as we can last for that long.¡±


    Pei Lang was helping her read the memorials. None of them mentioned anything about the previous life, as if the two of them had an unspoken mutual understanding not to mention it. Sometimes, pretending to be stupid was the best way to get along.


    When Pei Lang saw Ye Hongguang, he was stunned for a long time. He probably realized that Ye Hongguang and Fu Ming were really too similar, so he treated Ye Hongguang especially gently.


    ¡°Although that¡¯s the case.¡± Pei Lang was a little worried. ¡°The rebels also know this very well. The day before yesterday, the city guard reported that the rebels suddenly stopped the harassment. This is too abnormal. I have a feeling that they¡¯re preparing for something. ¡±


    ¡°No matter what they¡¯re preparing, we just have to keep Long Ye tightly guarded.¡± Shen Miao sighed. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect that the greatest threat to the Daliang Dynasty was not Ming Qi or the State of QIn, but the rebels left behind by the Lu family.¡±


    ¡°The Lu family hates the royal family to the core, so when they knew that they had no hope of winning, they left some people to harass Long Ye.¡±


    ¡°These old foxes deserve to die.¡± Shen Miao held the memorial and looked out of the window. ¡°But we can¡¯t let Long Ye fall, not even a brick.¡±


    Luo Tan walked over with a food basket and said with a smile, ¡°You two have been reading the memorials for so long. It¡¯s time to eat. Little Cousin, you have a baby in your stomach now. If you starve, my nephew will starve with you. She took out the pastries and soup from the basket and said, ¡°Mr. Pei, eat some too. I watched the chefs make these things with my own eyes. I guarantee that they¡¯re very clean!¡±


    Luo Tan had nothing to do and couldn¡¯t leave the palace. Shen Miao and Pei Lang had to handle the state affairs, but she could not help, so she focused all her attention on Shen Miao¡¯s child. It was unknown if there were bad people mixed in with the servants, so she had to pay extra attention to food. Many women in the palace had a miscarriage because they ate something they shouldn¡¯t. Luo Tan brought a stool to the imperial kitchen and watched the chefs make the food closely. Even though Nanny Tao, Jingzhe, and Gu Yu were already there, she still insisted on supervising it personally.


    Shen Miao smiled. ¡°Thank you.¡±


    Pei Lang¡¯s gaze landed on Shen Miao¡¯s protruding stomach. He hesitated for a moment and asked, ¡°It¡¯s¡­ about time, right?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s hard to say.¡± Shen Miao said, ¡°But I think it¡¯s about time.¡± She rubbed her stomach, and a trace of gentleness flashed across her eyes. ¡°It¡¯s really difficult for him to be born in such a chaotic world.¡¯


    ¡°What chaos?¡± Luo Tan said, ¡°Cousin, you¡¯re wrong. You have to know that the world is now peaceful. When Brother-in-law comes back triumphantly, this little fellow will have a heroic father. The world will cheer and bless him. Not everyone can have such an honor.. Why do you think such a good thing is a bad thing?¡±

 Chapter 1126 - 1126: The Return of an Old Friend (34)

    Chapter 1126: The Return of an Old Friend (34)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    Pei Lang smiled. ¡°We¡¯ll be fine after going through this crisis. I just hope that rebels will not do anything extreme at this time.¡±


    The more critical the moment was, the more they could not make any mistakes. As long as they survived these days, Xie Jingxing would return and save Long Ye. Be it rebels or thieves, they would forever disappear from the Daliang Dynasty. From then on, Ming Qi and the State of Qin would be gone, and there would only be the Daliang Dynasty in the world, ruled by Xie Jingxing.


    Even if the rebels fled to the ends of the earth, they would be hunted down like ants and stray dogs.


    The rebels had no intention of leaving alive from the beginning. Otherwise, they wouldn¡¯t have attacked Long Ye. However, before they died, they had to kill Shen Miao and the child in Shen Miao¡¯s stomach. With the passage of every hour, seeing that Long Ye was still stable, the rebels became anxious. They wanted to make the entire Long Ye chaotic so that when Xie Jingxing returned, he would face a mess and the tragic death of his wife and child.


    Therefore, two days later, they launched a crazy attack on Long Ye.


    Just as Pei Lang had guessed, the sudden cessation of their attack was abnormal, and they were indeed planning something big. This plan was originally set up by Lu Maocai to force the emperor to abdicate. Now, this plan was used to deal with the palace that was sparsely guarded.


    The imperial guards had to be mobilized to protect the people, so there would naturally be fewer imperial guards in the palace. Shen Miao was in a very dangerous situation.


    ¡°Princess Consort, why don¡¯t you summon some imperial guards back to the palace?¡± Eunuch Deng said, ¡°I¡¯m afraid it¡¯s safer to have more people in the palace now.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s useless to add one or two more guards. If we call half of the guards back, the people will be at risk. Forget it.¡± Shen Miao said, ¡°Let¡¯s leave it at that. We just have to get through tonight. The rebels also have to rest. If they can¡¯t make it tonight, their morale will naturally decrease. Tonight will be a restless night. After tonight, the rest will be much easier.¡±


    Nanny Tao was a little nervous. ¡°Princess Consort, you are making me worried. Will you and the child in your stomach really be fine?¡±


    Shen Miao subconsciously touched her stomach. These days, she could clearly feel the child kicking in her stomach. However, tonight, it was very calm. She smiled and said, ¡°She¡¯s probably asleep. She knows that she can¡¯t cause trouble at this time, so she¡¯s very obedient.¡±


    Pei Lang said, ¡°Since you¡¯ve made up your mind, let¡¯s stay put. However, we still have to be fully prepared. If anything happens, we¡¯ll get everyone from the Black Feather Army to come over and escort you to a safe place. Although we have to guard this palace, we still have to put safety first. Even if the people find out that you escaped in the end, they will not blame you. After all, you still have to protect the royal bloodline.¡±


    Shen Miao nodded.


    ¡°Then everyone, perk up.¡± Luo Tan said, ¡°This is a critical night. We have to be united. There is nothing we can¡¯t overcome. In the face of war, we are not afraid.. What¡¯s there to be afraid of when facing some small fries?¡± S§×ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 1127 - 1127: The Return of an Old Friend (35)

    Chapter 1127: The Return of an Old Friend (35)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    Luo Tan grew up with the Luo family and had a heroic spirit and courage in her nature. The more dangerous the situation was, the less afraid she was. Her words made everyone in the palace ardor and zeal coursing through their blood. Even the palace maids and eunuchs of Weiyang Palace knelt down and said that they wanted to live and die with the palace.


    As a matter of fact, the situation was not that desperate yet.


    Shen Miao sat in the middle of the hall. The hall was very spacious, making it look a little lonely. Pei Lang sat at the side, deep in thought, while Shen Miao was going through the memorials sent by the court officials at noon. As for Luo Tan, she was fiddling with something uneasily. Nanny Tao and Eunuch Deng stood at the side, warming the tea from time to time. They looked like they were busy with their own things.


    Even the tense atmosphere was lightened a little.


    However, that was just a little, because from time to time, guards would come to report the situation in the city. Those rebels were really cruel. They slaughtered people indiscriminately, causing panic everywhere. Fortunately, Shen Miao sent more than half of the imperial guards and the city guards to fight the rebels. For a moment, it was difficult to tell who had the upper hand.


    These rebels were very cunning. Some of them sneaked into the streets to cause panic and divert the attention of the soldiers, and some of them secretly surrounded the palace, trying to attack it. From afar, Shen Miao could hear the sound of soldiers fighting. No one could face such a situation with perfect composure.


    They felt like they were an arrow on the bow. One moment, the bow was drawn to the max, and the next, it was released, making them unable to calm down.


    When the first ray of the morning sun shone through the horizon, the commotion outside gradually subsided.


    Eunuch Deng and Nanny Tao finally heaved a sigh of relief after feeling tense for an entire night.


    The commander of the imperial guards came in from outside and said to Shen Miao, ¡°Princess Consort, the rebels already retreated outside the city. The ones in the city have been cleared. The city guards are pacifying the people.¡± This meant that the crisis was over.


    Luo Tan stretched and yawned. Although she was excited upon hearing the news, she could not hide the fatigue on her face. She said, ¡°Cousin, I spent the night with you. It can be considered a small contribution, right?¡±


    Shen Miao looked up. She was better than Luo Tan. Apart from feeling a little sleepy, she was not that tired. She smiled and said, ¡°Everyone has worked hard. When His Highness comes back, he¡¯ll reward you accordingly.¡±


    The commander of the imperial guards smiled and said, ¡°Princess Consort, you¡¯ve worked hard too.¡±


    To be able to remain calm at such a critical juncture and even sit through the night with them, she was admirable. Over the days, people gradually got to know Shen Miao better and understood what kind of person she was. If not for her presiding over the imperial court, it would probably be in a mess now.


    Pei Lang also looked up at Shen Miao and smiled, looking relaxed.


    Nanny Tao was the most worried about Shen Miao¡¯s body. She said, ¡°Princess


    Consort, you should rest first. Even normal people like us can¡¯t stand staying


    up all night, let alone you who are pregnant.¡± She came over to help Shen Miao up.


    Shen Miao was helped up by Nanny Tao. Just as she took a step forward, she felt her stomach drop and she froze on the spot.. S§×ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 1128 - 1128: The Return of an Old Friend (36)

    Chapter 1128: The Return of an Old Friend (36)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    Seeing this, Luo Tan said, ¡°Your body must be stiff from sitting for too long. Let me help you massage it. If your legs are numb, it will be difficult for you to walk.¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Shen Miao forced herself to calm down and said, ¡°Get a midwife over first.


    Nanny Tao and Luo Tan were stunned at first. Nanny Tao came back to her senses and immediately shouted, ¡°Quick! Hurry up and invite the two midwives over!¡±


    These two were the best midwives in Yong Le. No matter how difficult the labor was, they had never failed. In order to be safe, Nanny Tao found two midwives long ago.


    Old Madam Li said, ¡°Princess Consort, don¡¯t be nervous. It¡¯s natural for women to be afraid the first time they give birth. After the first time, they won¡¯t be so afraid in the future.


    Old Madam Liu was a little older than Old Madam Li. She looked at Shen Miao and said curiously, ¡°But Princess Consort is quite calm. I¡¯ve helped many women give birth, but this is the first time I¡¯ve seen someone so calm.¡±


    Shen Miao was helped to lie on the bed. Her expression was calm, as if she did not take this matter to heart. From the beginning to the end, she did not look frightened, making people think that this was not the first time she had given birth.


    Shen Miao knew very well that she was not as calm as she looked on the surface. Her memories of giving birth went back a long time. At that time, she spent ten months of her pregnancy without receiving any concerns from Fu Xiuyi.


    Now, this child came to the world with everyone¡¯s expectations. Be it Xie Jingxing, herself, Empress Xiande, Emperor Yong Le, or the entire Shen family, they all treasured this child very much. The more precious something was, the more people were afraid of losing it.


    Shen Miao forced herself to take a deep breath, shook the messy thoughts in her mind, and focused on delivering the child.


    ¡°Princess Consort, get up and eat something first.¡± Old Madam Li picked up the brown sugar egg and brought it to Shen Miao. ¡°You¡¯ll only have strength after eating something. It will take some time to give birth.¡±


    Shen Miao took it. She actually did not have much of an appetite, but she still ate it.


    Old Madam Liu praised, ¡°In the past, the young wives I helped deliver the child were all temperamental. If they were from rich families, they would be even more so. They refused to eat anything, saying that they were not feeling well.


    Later, when they lost the strength to give birth, they would be one suffering. Princess Consort, on the other hand, is very sensible. In this way, the childbirth will definitely go smoothly.¡±


    Shen Miao knew that the two of them were talking to distract her so that time could pass faster. After all, the childbirth had not started yet. sea??h th§× N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Outside, Nanny Tao and the others were waiting. Luo Tan said, ¡°My heart is beating so fast. I wonder if Little Cousin will give birth to a boy or a girl. After being curious for so long, I¡¯m finally going to get an answer.¡±


    ¡°No matter if it¡¯s the young heir or the young princess, Prince Rui will be very happy when he comes back.¡± Nanny Tao smiled and said, ¡°I wonder how long we have to wait until he comes back.¡±


    Eunuch Deng also looked a little nervous. ¡°We¡¯re finally going to welcome the arrival of the first junior of the royal family. Empress Xiande, Emperor Yong Le, and the empress dowager will be happy to see this in heaven..¡±

 Chapter 1129 - 1129: The Return of an Old Friend (37)

    Chapter 1129: The Return of an Old Friend (37)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    People in the palace were nervous, and so were the people in Prince Rui¡¯s mansion.


    Even a person like MO Qing, who had always kept a straight face, looked wild with excitement. Cong Yang jumped up and down non-stop and said, ¡°Before Tie Yi left, I made a bet with him. I betted all my money on the child being a young princess. If I lose money, I can¡¯t forget about marrying a wife.¡± Jingzhe happened to hear it and snorted. ¡°I think it¡¯s a little prince.¡±


    ¡°Heh, what makes you think it¡¯s a young prince?¡± Cong Yang asked, ¡°I think it¡¯s a young princess.¡±


    ¡°Because I said so!¡± Jingzhe was not to be outdone.


    ¡°Stop arguing.¡± Gu Yu tried to smooth things over. ¡°Why are you being so noisy? Where¡¯s Uncle Tang?¡±


    Uncle Tang was in the corner, praying. ¡°Please, let the mother and child be safe¡­


    In the evening, Shen Miao was finally going to give birth.


    The midwife asked the palace maids to prepare water, towels, clean scissors, and a bunch of other things. Luo Tan wanted to go in to take a look, but she was stopped by Nanny Tao. Nanny Tao and a few palace maids went in, and so did Jingzhe and Gu Yu to make sure that no one could harm Shen Miao.


    Shen Miao moaned in pain on the bed.


    She tried her best to endure the pain. The pain was getting worse and worse, and in the end, it was intense. This pain was more painful than any physical pain she had felt since she was reborn. It was almost as if someone was twisting inside her abdomen with scissors.


    ¡°Princess Consort, push harder!¡± Old Madam Li said, ¡°I can almost see the child!¡±


    Outside, seconds felt like years for Pei Lang and the others.


    From time to time, palace maids would come in and out with a basin full of blood. The blood in the basin was shocking. Luo Tan anxiously grabbed the nanny beside her and asked, ¡°What¡¯s going on? Why is there so much blood?¡±


    The nanny comforted her. ¡°It¡¯s fine. Women have to bleed when they give birth.


    Don¡¯t be afraid.¡¯


    Pei Lang¡¯s mind was drifting away.


    In his previous life, when Shen Miao was giving birth to Fu Ming and Wanyu, Fu Xiuyi did not take it to heart at all. At that time, Fu Xiuyi asked him to go and take a look if he happened to pass by. sea??h th§× N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    When Shen Miao was giving birth in her previous life, Pei Lang was beside her. He did not expect that in this life, he would also be beside her while she was giving birth.


    Every moment was especially long. After an unknown period of time, they heard an old woman cry out in the room, ¡°It¡¯s out. It¡¯s a young prince! Eh, there¡¯s another one!¡±


    ¡°Twins! Twins! His Highness is so lucky!¡±


    Right on the heels of that, a baby¡¯s cry came from inside.


    Everyone was overjoyed. Luo Tan was so happy that she almost fainted! However, before they could catch their breath, they heard Old Madam Li exclaim, ¡°Princess Consort, hold on. Don¡¯t sleep! Don¡¯t sleep!¡±


    Pei Lang¡¯s heart tightened. Before he could react, he heard Nanny Tao¡¯s sad voice. ¡°Princess Consort, hang in there!¡±


    Luo Tan was anxious and couldn¡¯t care less. She barged into the room. Pei Lang hesitated for a moment and heard Nanny Tao say, ¡°Mr. Pei! Mr. Pei, come in!¡±


    Pei Lang rushed into the room. Shen Miao was covered in a blanket, and her face was extremely pale. She said to Old Madam Liu and Old Madam Li, ¡°It¡¯s fine as long as the children are safe.¡±


    ¡°Princess Consort¡­¡± Old Madam Liu and Old Madam Li wanted to say something, but they held it back..

 Chapter 1130 - 1130: The Return of an Old Friend (38)

    Chapter 1130: The Return of an Old Friend (38)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    ¡°What exactly is going on?¡± Luo Tan was so anxious that she was about to cry.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on, little cousin? Why are you saying such a thing?¡± S~ea??h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Princess Consort has been exhausting her body lately, and she just gave birth to twins. She¡¯s bleeding too much¡­¡± Old Madam Liu couldn¡¯t continue.


    ¡°1- I¡¯m afraid I can¡¯t make it. Cousin, when you see my parents and brother, tell them that I¡¯m unfilial and can¡¯t serve them in their later years.¡±


    Luo Tan shook her head vigorously and said, ¡°Little Cousin, don¡¯t spout nonsense. You¡¯ll get better and reunite with your parents. You¡¯ll be unfilial if you say such things. Stop talking, stop talking!¡± At the end of her sentence, she was almost on the verge of tears.


    Shen Miao smiled helplessly and looked at Pei Lang.


    Pei Lang looked adrift, and his lips were trembling slightly. He was no longer as calm as before.


    ¡°No, you can¡¯t die. You must hang in,¡± he said. ¡°I haven¡¯t paid you back what I owe you. You have to live a long life and be healthy.¡±


    ¡°Mr. Pei, you don¡¯t owe me anything anymore. If you really want to repay me, promise me that you will protect my children. I hope they can grow up healthy.¡± She panted with difficulty, as if she had used all her strength. ¡°When you see Xie Jingxing, tell him that I¡¯m sorry and that I can¡¯t wait for his return.


    It¡¯s my honor to be his wife¡­¡±


    ¡°Princess Consort!¡± Nanny Tao wailed.


    ¡°Let me see my children¡­¡± she said.


    The two midwives wiped the children dry and wrapped them in swaddling clothes before sending them to Shen Miao¡¯s side. Nanny Tao said with tears in her eyes, ¡°They¡¯re two young princes. They¡¯re very healthy.¡±


    Shen Miao¡¯s gaze landed on the two children. She stretched out her finger with difficulty and traced their eyebrows. She said softly, ¡°When these two children grow up, they will definitely be very good-looking. Xie Jingxing and I have suffered a lot. If the heavens have eyes, they will definitely not give my children a hard life.¡¯


    Nanny Tao had already begun to wipe her tears.


    Luo Tan turned her head away and wiped her tears with the back of her hand.


    ¡°I really want to see you two grow up¡­¡± Her gaze stopped on the two children with deep love, as if she was looking at someone thousands of miles away through the faces of the two babies.


    ¡°I miss you so much¡­¡±


    Her voice gradually trailed off.


    In the tent thousands of miles away, the young general suddenly felt a pain in his heart. The pain spread from his chest to every corner of his body, making him bend down. He held the table and panted heavily.


    Gao Yang lifted the curtain and walked in. When he saw this, he was shocked and quickly reached out to take his pulse. After taking his pulse, he asked curiously, ¡°There¡¯s nothing wrong. What happened?¡±


    Xie Jingxing frowned and suddenly said, ¡°Attack Xun Yang tomorrow.¡± ¡°Why so sudden?¡± Gao Yang was shocked.


    ¡°Let¡¯s end this quickly.¡± Xie Jingxing turned around and walked out.


    The Daliang Dynasty occupied Xun Yang, the capital of the State of Qin. At this point, after more than a hundred years, the three countries were unified by the young general, Prince Rui.


    History would only remember the victors. Although hundreds of thousands of people had lost their country, if the old emperors were cruel, and the new emperor was benevolent, then the people would eventually follow the new emperor..

 Chapter 1131 - 1131: The Return of an Old Friend (39)

    Chapter 1131: The Return of an Old Friend (39)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    The soldiers of the Daliang Dynasty were about to return home.


    It was always a glorious thing to return to the country after winning the war. Those families who had people in the army were naturally proud.


    The people of Long Ye were out and about, celebrating the victory and waiting for the return of the victorious army.


    Compared to the streets, the palace was quiet and almost desolate.


    Luo Tan sat in the courtyard. The rare warm sun in autumn warmed her body. Jingzhe and Gu Yu were taking the books out to dry them.


    Luo Tan smiled with emotions. ¡°In the past, when she was in Spring City, she always took out books to dry. The books won¡¯t go bad. What¡¯s there to dry? I didn¡¯t expect that now, I¡¯ll take the initiative to do these things for her.¡±


    The green-robed man standing beside her did not speak.


    yel Lang seemea to nave agea a 10t overmgnt. Every aay, ne Just reaa DOORS ana could not do anything. Such a meaningless life was unbearable to him.


    There was no joy in the palace at all.


    Nanny Tao walked over carrying two children. Luo Tan quickly stood up and took one.


    ¡°The young princes are all very healthy.¡± Nanny Tao smiled and said, ¡°Nanny said that they were very obedient at night and didn¡¯t make a fuss.¡±


    A smile appeared on Luo Tan¡¯s face. She said, ¡°They are so obedient, just like their mother.¡±


    Pei Lang¡¯s gaze landed on the two children, his eyes moist.


    ¡°I really can¡¯t tell who¡¯s the elder brother and who¡¯s the younger brother.¡± Luo Tan changed the topic. ¡°They¡¯re almost identical.¡±


    Nanny Tao smiled and said, ¡°It¡¯s fine. They can dress differently in the future.


    Moreover, when they grow up, their tempers will be very different.¡±


    ¡°But what should we call them?¡± Luo Tan was troubled. ¡°Cousin hasn¡¯t had time to name them yet¡­¡± She paused for a moment, then sighed in frustration. ¡°I always say not to mention it, but I always mention it. Forget it.¡±


    Seeing this, Nanny Tao wanted to comfort her, but she saw Gu Yu and Jingzhe rush in from outside. Gu Yu shouted excitedly, ¡°Prince Rui is back!¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Pei Lang and Luo Tan were stunned. According to the speed, he was supposed to be back to the capital in a month.


    ¡°Prince Rui rushed back alone.¡± Gu Yu said in a low voice, ¡°But Madam¡­¡¯


    After a pause, Pei Lang said softly, ¡°Let¡¯s go and take a look.¡±


    Xie Jingxing strode into the palace. A year was enough to change many things. After Emperor Yong Le and Empress Xiande both passed away, the huge palace seemed to have become much quieter. S§×ar?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Eunuch Deng smiled and said, ¡°Your Highness, go and see the two young princes first. Nanny Tao and Miss Luo are playing with them.¡±


    Xie Jingxing frowned. ¡°Where¡¯s Shen Miao?¡±


    Before he could finish his sentence, he saw Luo Tan and Nanny Tao walking over with the children in their arms, followed by Pei Lang.


    The children in the swaddling clothes had probably just woken up. They waved their small hands lively, looking especially cute under the sun.


    Xie Jingxing stopped in his tracks.


    ¡°Where¡¯s Shen Miao?¡± he said slowly.


    Pei Lang took a step forward and said softly, ¡°Go and see her..¡±

 Chapter 1132 - 1132: The Return of an Old Friend (40)

    Chapter 1132: The Return of an Old Friend (40)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    Gao Zhan stroked his white beard and shook his head. ¡°I¡¯ve already tried my best to save her life. This body is already at the end of its rope, but she has a strong will to live and is unwilling to take her last breath. I used a golden needle to seal her acupoints and keep the last breath, but I don¡¯t know when she will wake up.¡±


    ¡°Grandpa, what do you mean?¡± Gao Yang asked. He had been away from home for many years. Ever since he started his official career, he had been expelled from the Gao family and had not had any contact with the Gao family for many years.


    ¡°What I mean is that she might sleep forever and never open her eyes again, but,¡± he looked at Gao Yang, ¡°just like the young master of the Ye family you treated. No one knows what she will be like after she wakes up.¡±


    In other words, when Shen Miao woke up, she might become a fool like Ye Hongguang. However, there was a greater possibility that she would continue to be in the sleep state forever.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that¡­¡± Ji Yushu swallowed the words ¡°living dead¡±. However, even if he did not say it, the people around him understood what Gao Zhan meant.


    ¡°In that case,¡± Gao Zhan asked Xie Jingxing, ¡°Your Highness, are you still willing to wait?¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter how long it takes.¡± Xie Jingxing said, ¡°She fulfilled her promise and waited until I came back. I¡¯ll also wait for her to wake up. Without my permission, death can¡¯t take her away.¡± As he spoke, his eyes were cold, and he actually had the coldness of Emperor Yong Le. However, he still carried a wildness that belonged to him.


    Everyone was silent.


    Shen Miao¡¯s eyes were closed and she could not hear these voices. She seemed to be sleeping very soundly. Luo Tan said, ¡°Go out. Let her rest. She hasn¡¯t had a good rest for the past year.¡±


    Xie Jingxing treated the twins very well.


    When his subordinates and good friends, who had been with him for many years, saw the patience he had towards the twins, their jaws almost dropped.


    Xie Jingxing could in no way be described as a gentle and patient person.


    However, he really exceeded everyone¡¯s expectations. He spent time with the two children every day and took care of them with great patience. The two children only had nicknames now, and they were both given by Xie Jingxing. One was called ¡°Chu Yi¡±, and the other was called ¡°Shi Wu¡±.


    Everyone in the court knew about Emperor Yong Let s edict. Now that the world was peaceful and Xie Jingxing was about to ascend the throne, what about the empress? S§×ar?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Who should he choose to be the empress?


    Shen Miao was still unconscious. She might not be able to wake up for the rest of her life. Even if she woke up, she might be a fool. Throughout history, there had never been an empress who was a fool.


    Humans were fickle. Xie Jingxing was loyal to Shen Miao, but who could say for sure in the future?


    When Luo Tan found out about this, she was very indignant. The Shen army had returned with the Daliang Dynasty¡¯s army, but they had yet to reach Long Ye and didn¡¯t know about what happened to Shen Miao. Therefore, as Shen Miao¡¯s only family in Long Ye, Luo Tan did not want to see Shen Miao end up with nothing after doing so much..

 Chapter 1133 - 1133: The Return of an Old Friend (41)

    Chapter 1133: The Return of an Old Friend (41)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    It was not appropriate for her to scold Xie Jingxing, because Xie Jingxing had not done anything wrong. Instead, she told him how much Shen Miao had done over the past year. She said that Shen Miao guarded Long Ye for him while she was pregnant. She protected the palace and the dignity of the Daliang Dynasty¡¯s royal family with her life. She had risked her life many times at the critical moment, and she did not have to do this at all.


    Xie Jingxing listened to Luo Tan in silence and looked at her with a faint smile for a while before saying, ¡°So?¡±


    Luo Tan was speechless. ¡°I told you just so you know.¡± She felt inexplicably suffocated and flustered, but she couldn¡¯t vent her frustration in front of Xie Jingxingf. As she turned around and ran away, she bumped into someone. She looked up and saw that it was Gao Yang.


    Gao Yang asked her what was wrong. Luo Tan glared at him and left.


    Xie Jing walked to the pond. He wanted to drink tea, but in the end, he called Eunuch Deng to take away the tea and bring a pot of wine.


    Beside this pond, under the moonlight, it was once the place where Empress Xiande and Emperor Yong Le drank the snow brew for the last time. Everyone in the world felt sad that the love story between Empress Xiande and Emperor Yong Le ended in such a tragedy. On the surface, Xie Jingxing seemed to be luckier than Emperor Yong Le. At least he was still alive, and as long as he was alive, anything was possible.


    However, what if Shen Miao did not wake up for the rest of her life? What was he going to do with all the time he had in this world? Xie Jingxing was not too enthusiastic about the throne. If he had to lose the people around him in order to get the throne, he¡¯d rather be an ordinary person.


    Footsteps were approaching. Xie Jingxing looked in the direction of the sound and saw that it was Pei Lang.


    Pei Lang was a gentleman who seemed to have never indulged himself in alcohol in his life. A person like him struck people as someone who was otherworldly and lofty and had great self-discipline. However, he sat down opposite Xie Jingxing and poured himself a glass of wine without being asked.


    The wine cup made of jade emitted a faint light under the moonlight.


    Pei Lang said, ¡°You¡¯re going to ascend the throne tomorrow. Congratulations.¡± Xie Jingxing smiled, but he was not very happy.


    ¡°What about her?¡± Pei Lang went straight to the point and asked, ¡°What do you plan to do?¡±


    Xie Jingxing slowly turned around and stared at Pei Lang for a while before saying, ¡°Mr. Pei, are you very concerned?¡±


    ¡°I used to be her teacher.¡± Pei Lang was unmoved and continued, ¡°As well as friends. I won¡¯t blame you if you have a change of heart. I¡¯m just curious.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± Xie Jingxing lowered his head and took a sip of wine. He said indifferently, ¡°What do you think I should do?¡±


    ¡°Princess Consort once mentioned that she was not greedy for the position of the empress or any power and status. However, if this is her responsibility, she will bear it. She¡¯s not a benevolent person, but she¡¯s willing to take on the responsibility for the people she values the most.¡±


    ¡°These people are the Shen family, the child in her stomach, and you.¡±


    Pei Lang said, ¡°Princess Consort said that her life has always been especially bumpy, and the heavens are very strict with her. She¡¯s never had a good life. Therefore, she never expected anything from the heavens. The only wish she had was for the people she loved to be safe and happy.¡±


    Xie Jingxing¡¯s eyes flickered.


    Pei Lang turned to look at him and said with a smile, ¡°She¡¯s never had a good time. She has to spend a lot of effort to get something that others can easily get. Even some small wishes are harder for her than for others. Now, the hard times finally come to an end. Before she could enjoy the good time, she fell unconscious. The heavens are indeed too unfair to her. However, it¡¯s precisely because she has never asked for anything from people that she makes people admire her so much..¡±


    S§×ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 1134 - 1134: The Return of an Old Friend (42)

    Chapter 1134: The Return of an Old Friend (42)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    ¡°Prince Rui.¡± Pei Lang held the wine cup and said with a smile, ¡°Now that you¡¯ve completed the great cause and are about to ascend the throne, you will be surrounded by beauties in the future. However, I still have to remind you not to do anything you would regret.¡± His voice was slightly low. ¡°If you do anything regretful, you won¡¯t have a chance to make up for it in this life. Living in regret every day is the greatest torture one can suffer.¡±


    Xie Jingxing looked at him thoughtfully and asked, ¡°Have you ever done anything you regretted?¡±


    ¡°Once. I spent my entire life trying to salvage the past. Although I managed to salvage some of it, the past can never be fixed.¡± Pei Lang sighed.


    The two of them fell silent. At this moment, Nanny Tao rushed over. When she saw Xie Jingxing and Pei Lang drinking, she said awkwardly, ¡°Your Highness, the two young princes are crying non-stop. There¡¯s nothing the nannies can do. You¡¯d better go and take a look.¡±


    Chu Yi and Shi Wu were used to being put to sleep by Xie Jingxing every day. No matter how others tried to coax them, they couldn¡¯t listen, which was strange because Shen Miao was very calm and wouldn¡¯t cause trouble for anyone. Before Xie Jingxing returned, they were sensible, but as soon as Xie Jingxing returned, they grew temperamental quickly. Fortunately, Xie Jingxing was patient with his children. If it were any other young father, they would probably have long quit.


    Xie Jingxing stood up and said, ¡°I¡¯ll go and take a look.¡± Suddenly, he thought of something and turned to look at Pei Lang. He stared at him and said, ¡°You¡¯re quite an interesting person. Thank you for your reminder.¡± He drank the remaining wine in the wine glass and said, ¡°I would never do anything I would regret. You¡¯re thinking too much.¡±


    Xie Jingxing and Nanny Tao left. Looking at their backs, Pei Lang shook his head and muttered in a low voice, ¡°Am I thinking too much?¡± His expression gradually became sad. ¡°Clearly, you are not giving me any chance to snatch her away¡­¡±


    On the day Xie Jingxing ascended the throne, the sky was bright and the sun was warm. He officially became Emperor Xiao Jing.


    In the throne room decorated with coiling dragons, hundreds of officials were kneeling and the young emperor sat on the throne in a golden dragon robe. The golden robe was carefully embroidered with plates and dragon patterns. The corners of the robe were fine and exquisite, looking majestic and dazzling.


    He was peerlessly handsome and had a lazy smile on his face, looking nothing quite like his brother and father, but when his gaze swept across the thorne room, it sent a chill down everyone¡¯s spine.


    No one dared to underestimate this young emperor. Although he was the youngest person to ascend the throne in the history of the Daliang Dynasty, he had been to the battlefield and slaughtered the generals of the State of Qin and Ming Qi. S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The edict was announced to the world, and the imperial jade seal was passed down to him. From now on, the Daliang Dynasty would welcome a new master.


    After the formality was over, he unexpectedly walked to the side. The officials did not dare to look up until they heard the emperor¡¯s voice. ¡°Crown the empress.¡±


    Everyone knew that Princess Consort Rui was in a deep coma. How could she be crowned? They looked up and saw the young emperor carrying the woman and placing her carefully on the empress¡¯s throne, as it she was a rare treasure.


    Apart from Gao Yang, Ji Yushu, and a few others, the rest of the officials looked shocked. Someone went forward and said, ¡°Your Majesty, you must not!¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± Emperor Xiao Jing turned around and looked at him. He smiled and said,


    ¡°Why not?¡±


    ¡°She hasn¡¯t woken up yet.. How can the empress of a country be unconscious?¡±

 Chapter 1135 - 1135: The Return of an Old Friend (43)

    Chapter 1135: The Return of an Old Friend (43)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    There had never been an empress who was unconscious in history.


    Emperor Xiao Jing seemed to be deliberately teasing him and said, ¡°So what if I insist?¡±


    The official who spoke was an old official. When Emperor Yong Le was alive, he was very respectful to this official, so this official seemed to be extremely fearless. He said, ¡°Could it be that Your Majesty wants to keep the empress¡¯s throne empty for her?¡±


    The officials were in an uproar.


    As long as the empress throne was kept for Shen Miao, no matter how many consorts there were in the harem, they would be lower in status than Shen Miao, and their sons would never surpass Chu Yi and Shi Wu. S~ea??h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Emperor Xiao Jing chuckled, causing the officials to feel uneasy.


    The emperor said, ¡°There is and will only be one woman in my harem. The throne is hers to take no matter when she wakes up.¡± Everyone was shocked!


    ¡°Your Majesty¡­¡± The old official wanted to say something.


    ¡°Lord Xu, I remember that you have two granddaughters who are in their prime,¡± Emperor Xiao Jing said.


    That official was stunned for a moment, but at the same time, he was secretly delighted. He thought that his granddaughters had a chance of entering the harem. However, in the next moment, the joy disappeared. The emperor said, ¡°How about I betroth her to Young General Song?¡±


    That Young General Song was young and promising. Unfortunately, he was blind in one eye on the battlefield and would not go very far in his career.


    Lord Xu immediately turned ashen.


    ¡°I¡¯m not here to listen to your opinions, nor am I here to listen to you reprimand me. I¡¯m just letting you know.¡± He sat on the throne and looked down at the officials. ¡°I¡¯m the emperor and the ruler. If you have any objections to the wav I handle state affairs, feel free to voice them. However, if vou want to interfere in my private matters, I will definitely¡­¡± He thought for a moment and said, ¡°give you a surprise.¡±


    He smiled mischievously. In an instant, he returned to the handsome young man who rode through the streets and alleys of Ming Qi on horseback.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t believe it, feel free to give it a try,¡± he said with a faint smile.


    He really did not look like an emperor. He was not serious enough, and he was not meticulous enough, but he looked even more dangerous than the emperors in the past. He was not inferior to Emperor Yong Le. The more indifferent his attitude, the more nervous people were. Everyone knew that if they were targeted by him, they would not die not knowing how. Most importantly, he completely disregarded etiquette and reputation and was not afraid of anything.


    Everyone decided to let Emperor Xiao Jing do whatever he wanted. Perhaps sooner or later, he would get tired of having only one woman or be infatuated with new beauties.


    At the thought of this, the officials did not say anything else. Some bootlickers even said that Emperor Xiao Jing and Shen Miao were fated to be together..

 Chapter 1136 - 1136: The Return of an Old Friend (44)

    Chapter 1136: The Return of an Old Friend (44)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    Xie Jingxing looked at the faces of the officials coldly before getting down on one knee in front of Shen Miao.


    Everyone was caught off guard as they didn¡¯t expect that the current emperor of the Daliang Dynasty and the ruler of the world would knee in front of a woman almost piously.


    Shen Miao was helped by him to sit on the empress¡¯s throne. She was dressed up elegantly by Nanny Tao and Jingzhe. The corners of her eyes were sprinkled with thin gold powder, making her look very majestic. She was wearing a golden empress court dress and had her eyes closed. Her long eyelashes were lowered, as if she was sleeping.


    She was really a beautiful and tenacious woman. Gao Zhan said that Shen Miao had unfulfilled wishes, so she was unwilling to draw her last breath, which was why Gao Zhan could still keep her alive.


    Then what could be her unfulfilled wishes?


    Did she want to see Xie Jingxing again? Did she want to see Shi Wu and Chu Yi grow up, or did she want to say goodbye to Shen Xin and the others?


    Xie Jingxing leaned over and whispered into her ear, ¡°I¡¯ve made you the empress. Why don¡¯t you open your eyes and take a look?¡±


    Shen Miao could not hear him. She was sleening in her own world. as if she was


    going to sleep like this for the rest of her life. S§×ar?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Xie Jingxing stared at her and said, ¡°I know you¡¯re tired. Wake up when you¡¯re done sleeping. Shi Wu and Chu Yi are looking for their mother.¡± He reached out and held Shen Miao¡¯s cold hand under his sleeve. ¡°I miss you too.¡±


    The officials watched in silence as the young emperor did all of this. They had been in the imperial court for many years. The imperial court was filled with danger, and sincerity was never a quality they sought after. In a long time, they had never felt touched by others. In addition, Prince Rui was really not a good person in the past. Almost all the officials here had been taught a lesson by him. They naturally didn¡¯t like him.


    However, at this moment, they were actually moved by this scene. The love the young emperor displayed was undiluted.


    Everyone would fall in love at some point, but it was too difficult to make this love last for a lifetime. Many people gave up halfway, but those who could make it to the end were few and far between.


    Could Emperor Xiao Jing do it?


    Xie Jingxing adjusted the heavy crown and put it on Shen Miao¡¯s head. His movements were gentle and careful.


    He leaned over slightly and kissed the woman¡¯s eyes.


    Time stopped and quickly flowed backwvards, sending him back to the day when he was still a mischievous young man and she was still carefully planning to deal with the royal family of Ming Qi. He asked her, ¡°Shen Miao, do you want to be the empress?¡±


    No one expected that in the end, he would become the emperor and she would become the empress.


    Behind the throne room, Luo Tan, who was peeping, covered her mouth, as if she was about to cry out. She whispered, ¡°He really made little cousin his empress¡­ Little cousin was right about him¡­¡±


    Behind her, Pei Lang also smiled. His smile was filled with relief, disappointment, and reluctance. He said, ¡°How wonderful.¡±


    In spring, apricot trees were blooming. As the breeze blew past, the petals fluttered down, spreading the fragrance across Long Ye. Birds stood on the branches and chirped, their cries filled with excitement.


    Half a year passed in the blink of an eye, so quick that one felt like it had only been a moment.


    To the people of Long Ye, the past six months had been extremely pleasant. Perhaps it was because they had wiped out Ming Qi, the State of Qin, or perhaps it was because the new emperor had a very different mindset. In short, Emperor Xiao Jing was a very competent emperor..

 Chapter 1137 - 1137: The Return of an Old Friend (45)

    Chapter 1137: The Return of an Old Friend (45)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    He was very generous to the people. Some new reforms made the people in the world clap their hands in joy. There were rumors that because Emperor Xiao Jing liked to travel around the world when he was young, he could always put himself in the shoes of the common people.


    No matter what, Emperor Xiao Jing was very popular among the people.


    However, that was not necessarily the case among the court officials.


    In the past, when Emperor Yong Le was in power, he would more or less show respect to the officials. However, Emperor Xiao Jing was a lawless person. He was generous to the people, but he was strict with the officials. Even those old officials who thought they deserved respect didn¡¯t have a good time.


    What the court officials were most dissatisfied with was that in the past six months, Emperor Xiao Jing had really not taken in a single woman. There was only Empress Shen in the harem who was still unconscious.


    This was really puzzling. At first, some people thought that he just felt sorry for Shen Miao, so he made her the empress. However, even if he had an empress, it was only natural for him to take in some consorts. Half a year had passed and the harem was still as quiet as before.


    Some people thought that Emperor Xiao Jing just didn¡¯t want to take the initiative to take in consorts, so they secretly asked their daughters to approach him, but the next day, their daughters were all betrothed to the son of their sworn enemy by him. This caused the court officials to panic.


    Emperor Xiao Jing¡¯s methods were really vicious. Not only did he get rid of the woman he did not want, but he also kept the power in the imperial court in check and warned the officials¡­ It was killing three birds with one stone.


    Gradually, the court officials did not dare to send women to Emperor Xiao Jing.


    However, rumors started to spread that the reason he didn¡¯t have any other women apart from his unconscious wife was that he was homosexual.


    However, these rumors did not seem to affect anything. So what if the emperor was homosexual? He already had two sons. He did not have to worry about having no one to succeed the throne.


    All in all, the people and officials all submitted to the new emperor.


    The morning sun was especially bright. Nanny Tao carried the two children to Xie Jingxing and said worriedly, ¡°Your Majesty, are you really going to bring the two young princes out¡­ for a jaunt?¡± sea??h th§× N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Xie Jingxing carried the two children with both arms and jumped into the carriage. ¡°Yes.¡±


    In the carriage, Shen Miao was sleeping. Xie Jingxing looked at her with a headache and said, ¡°You¡¯ve been sleeping for half a year. Are you a pig?


    Chu Yi and Shi Wu waved their hands and turned to look at Xie Jingxing curiously. Xie Jingxing said, ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡±


    Tie Yi whipped the horse. After his master became the emperor, he, the leader of the Black Feather Army, actually became a coachman. .


    Xie Jingxing loved to bring the children out for sightseeing. Eunuch Deng and Uncle Tang couldn¡¯t stop him. He always said that he had to let the children see the world at a young age so that they would not be easily bewitched by the glamorous world in the future.


    Actually, it was probably just an excuse. He just wanted to bring Shen Miao out to play.


    The carriage stopped at Sunshade Mountain. The scenery at the foot of the mountain was beautiful.


    MO Qing brought rice paste for the children. Recently, Shi Wu and Chu Yi were learning to eat rice paste. The two children were very picky with food and wouldn¡¯t eat it.


    Tie Yi was carrying Chu Yi, MO Qing was carrying Shi Wu, and Xie Jingxing was feeding the two of them rice paste. The two boys kicked up a fuss and refused to eat it no matter what.


    Xie Jingxing said impatiently, ¡°Give me the children.¡±


    He tied a basket on his back and put Chu Yi in it while hugging Shi Wu in his arms and ¡°forcing¡± him to eat the rice paste.


    When Shi Wu kicked up a fuss, Xie Jingxing asked everyone in the Black Feather Army to stay away and not interfere. He looked he was not going to let the two children have their way with making a fuss


    Shi Wu burst into tears. Chu Yi seemed to have been influenced and started crying too. Not only that, but Xie Jingxing also felt wet on his back.


    He was furious. Just as he was about to teach the two brats a lesson, he suddenly heard Jingzhe exclaim, ¡°Someone laughed!¡±


    Everyone was stunned.


    Jingzhe was so excited that her voice was trembling. She pointed at the carriage. ¡°I heard laughter just now!¡±


    Shen Miao was the only one sleeping in the carriage.


    The surroundings fell silent.


    The breeze in the mountains brushed past everyone¡¯s faces gently, making them feel a little itchy.


    In the silence, they heard the laughter clearly this time. There was indeed someone laughing. It was a gentle and familiar laughter.


    Xie Jingxing was stunned for a while before striding over.


    His hands were trembling slightly, but in the end, he finally made up his mind and lifted the curtain of the carriage.


    The woman¡¯s eyes were gentle and her voice was lazy, as if she had just woken up from a sleep.


    She tilted her head and smiled. ¡°Long time no see, Young Marquis Xie..¡±

 Chapter 1138 - 1138: Side Story, A Million Possibilities (1)

    Chapter 1138: Side Story, A Million Possibilities (1)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    The fact that Shen Miao woke up came as a shock to the entire palace.


    When everyone thought that this sleeping beauty would never wake up again, she woke up on her own.


    When the two of them returned to the palace, everyone who saw them were shocked.


    Shen Xin and his wife came out with Shen Qiu. Seeing that Shen Miao was standing in front of them unscathed, Luo Xueyan immediately hugged Shen Miao and cried. Shen Xin and Shen Qiu were stunned for a long time. Although they did not externalize their emotions like Luo Xueyan, their eyes still turned red.


    Luo Tan clapped her hands and touched Shen Miao¡¯s face. She said, ¡°Are you real? Am I seeing things? Gao Yang, pinch me and see if I¡¯m dreaming.¡±


    Gao Yang was not around, so they invited Gao Zhan over.


    After Gao Zhan came, he took Shen Miao¡¯s pulse. He clicked his tongue and said, ¡°Her Majesty¡¯s pulse is stable. She¡¯s fine.¡±


    Everyone heaved a sigh of relief.


    Not long after Xie Jingxing ascended the throne, everyone in the Shen family arrived in the Daliang Dynasty. When they found out that Shen Miao was in a deep sleep, they couldn¡¯t accept it. They insisted on bringing Shen Miao around the world to look for experts to treat her. They thought that it was impossible for Xie Jingxing to let a person who was in a deep sleep be the empress. Even if she was the empress, he might still take in other women, so they had to take Shen Miao away.


    However, Xie Jingxing protested. He even knelt down and begged Shen Xin not to take Shen Miao away. In the end, he used the Black Feather Army to threaten Shen Xin and almost resorted to arms.


    Shen Xin had no choice but to give in, but he was afraid that someone would harm Shen Miao when she was vulnerable. He handed the Shen army and the Luo army to Luo Ling to manage while he and his family moved to the palace to protect Shen Miao closely.


    This was actually a little against the palace rule, but Xie Jingxing didn¡¯t mind. It was good to have some people to talk to Shen Miao. Over the past half a year,


    Shen Xin and his family had seen with their own eyes that Xie Jingxing treated Shen Miao no differently from before, so they gradually felt relieved.


    Shen Miao had mixed feelings. She did not expect that upon her waking up, she would be united with her family and everyone was fine. This didn¡¯t even dare to dream of this in the past.


    ¡°Sister-in-law.¡± Ji Yushu said, ¡°Now that you¡¯re awake, those court officials can finally shut up. In the past half a year, the officials have been nagging Third Brother.¡±


    Xie Jingxing glanced at him. ¡°Shut up.¡±


    ¡°If you are done, go back.¡± Xie Jingxing looked at everyone coldly and said, ¡°It¡¯s getting late. Don¡¯t disturb my empress¡¯s rest.¡±


    He emphasized ¡°my empress¡±.


    Seeing this, Shen Qiu rolled up his sleeves and was about to fight with Xie Jingxing. In the past half a year, the two of them had often fought behind the scenes. Although they said that they were sparring, they were actually venting their anger on each other. Shen Qiu was angry that Shen Miao fell unconscious because of Xie Jingxing. If she didn¡¯t follow Xie Jingxing back then, she would still be fine. Xie Jingxing was angry that Shen Qiu was a busybody. Why should outsiders interfere in the matters between him and his wife?


    Now that as soon as Shen Miao woke up, Xie Jingxing could wait to have her all to himself, Shen Qiu was unhappy.


    Luo Xueyan said, ¡°That¡¯s right. Jiaojiao just woke up and will inevitably feel dizzy after sleeping for so long. Let her rest. Anyway, there¡¯s plenty of time to catch up..¡± S§×arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 1139 - 1139: Side Story, A Million Possibilities (2)

    Chapter 1139: Side Story, A Million Possibilities (2)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    Shen Miao actually wanted to hear everyone talk about what had happened in the past six months, but since they were together, there was no hurry.


    After everyone dispersed, Shen Miao returned to her bedroom.


    She went to wash up first. Jingzhe and the others helped her bathe. As they served her, they wiped their tears and said with a teary face, ¡°You are finally awake. Previously, we thought that we would never have a chance to help you bathe again. Your Majesty, we will serve you like this every day in the future¡­¡¯


    Shen Miao knew very well that she had been sleeping for half a year, which frightened these girls.


    After wiping her body and drying her hair, Shen Miao put on her clothes and went out, asking the nanny to carry Chu Yi and Shi Wu over. The two children were carried to the bed. In the past, they often slept beside her, so the two children were not unfamiliar with her scent at all. They smiled at her and curiously reached out to hold her hair. S§×ar?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Shen Miao¡¯s heart was about to melt by the two children. She stretched out her finger to play with the children. Because they were twins and were equally lively, the nanny usually couldn¡¯t tell the difference, so she put different clothes on them. Chu Yi was wearing blue clothes, and Shi Wu was wearing red clothes.


    Chu Yi grabbed Shen Miao¡¯s fingers and giggled.


    Shen Miao smiled.


    As soon as Xie Jingxing returned from outside, he saw Shen Miao lying on the bed, looking at the two little fellows and smiling happily.


    He walked over and said, ¡°Have you become stupid after sleeping for half a year? You¡¯re smiling like a fool.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m looking at my sons.¡± Shen Miao rolled her eyes at him. ¡°What does it have to do with you?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re my sons too.¡± Xie Jingxing raised an eyebrow. ¡°Without me, how can you give birth?¡±


    Shen Miao couldn¡¯t be bothered with him and continued to play with Shi Wu and Chu Yi. Xie Jingxing took off his outer robe and walked over. He walked behind her and reached out to hold her waist and pull her into his arms. He said, ¡°Just two silly boys, what¡¯s there to look at?¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you give them a name? The nicknames were too casual.¡± Shen Miao complained.


    Xie Jingxing said, ¡°I was waiting for you to wake up to name them.¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid that I won¡¯t wake up?¡±


    Xie Jingxing said lazily, ¡°Then they will have to make do with the nicknames forever.¡¯


    Shen Miao was speechless.


    It was unknown if the two little fellows on the bed understood Xie Jingxing¡¯s words or not, but they clamored in protest.


    Shen Miao quickly reached out to coax them, but Xie Jingxing grabbed her arm and pulled her back into his arms. He said, ¡°We haven¡¯t seen each other for half a year. Don¡¯t you miss me? Why are you so cold?¡±


    Shen Miao paused for a moment and suddenly turned around. She broke free from Xie Jingxing¡¯s arms and stood up. She crossed her arms and stared at Xie Jingxing with a faint smile.


    Xie Jingxing suddenly felt a chill run down his spine.


    She said, ¡°Young Marquis Xie, do you know what you have done?¡±


    Xie Jingxing was puzzled. ¡°What have I done?¡±


    Shen Miao smiled coldly.


    The flowers in the summer were blooming, and there were birdsong and the fragrance of flowers everywhere. The streets were filled with people, and horses galloped past. The lively shouts of vendors spread from the east to the west of the city, and everywhere was filled with joy..

 Chapter 1140 - 1140: Side Story, A Million Possibilities (3)

    Chapter 1140: Side Story, A Million Possibilities (3)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    Shen Miao was wearing a bright yellow long-sleeved dress with colorful embroidery on it. This dress was bright in color to begin with, and with the complicated embroidery, it was quite unpleasant to look at. Coupled with the gold hairpin and silver jewelry and heavy makeup, she looked especially¡­ uncultured and stupid.


    Occasionally, when the people around passed by, they would look at her as if she was a joke.


    There was confusion on Shen Miao¡¯s face.


    !!


    A moment ago, she was still in the palace of the Daliang Dynasty, on the verge of death because of childbirth, thinking that she would surely be dead. However, the next moment, she was on this lively street. S~ea??h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    She was not at all unfamiliar with this street. This was the capital of Ming Qi.


    What was going on? She couldn¡¯t possibly reach Ming Qi from Long Ye in the blink of an eye. Could it be that she was dreaming?


    However, Shen Miao knew that that was not the case because Jingzhe and Gu Yu followed behind her. Shen Miao looked at her clothes¡­ She seemed to have returned to a long time ago, so long that¡­ she was just starting to fall in love with Fu Xiuyi.


    Could it be that her rebirth was actually a dream, and this was the reality?


    Shen Miao felt a little dizzy. She reached out to hold her forehead. Seeing this,


    Gu Yu was worried and said, ¡°Miss, are you feeling unwell?¡±


    Shen Miao shook her head. Just as she was about to speak, she saw a familiar person walking out from the corner of the street. That person was wearing tattered clothes and holding a horsetail whisk. He was shaking his head and muttering something. Shen Miao¡¯s eyes lit up. Without saying anything, she ran towards that person.


    Jingzhe and Gu Yu couldn¡¯t stop her in time and could only follow. They watched as Shen Miao walked up to that person.


    ¡°Daoist Priest Chi Yan!¡± Shen Miao shouted.


    The strange Daoist priest turned around and smiled. It was indeed Daoist Priest


    Chi Yan.


    When Daoist Priest Chi Yan saw her, he looked very surprised and asked,


    ¡°Madam, why are you here?¡±


    Shen Miao noticed that he said ¡°Madam¡± instead of ¡°Miss¡±.


    Jingzhe said angrily, ¡°Who are you calling Madam? Watch your language. Our Miss is not married yet!¡±


    Shen Miao stopped Jingzhe and said to Daoist Priest Chi Yan, ¡°Daoist priest, let¡¯s talk in private.¡±


    ¡°Miss!¡± Jingzhe and Gu Yu stomped their feet anxiously.


    Shen Miao frowned. ¡°Listen to me!¡±


    The two maids were stunned by her solemn expression and did not dare to speak.


    Shen Miao and Daoist Priest Chi Yan walked to a dilapidated temple. Jingzhe and Gu Yu were guarding outside. Shen Miao looked at Daoist Priest Chi Yan and hesitated for a moment before asking, ¡°Daoist Priest, do you know me?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve been fated to meet you three times.¡± The Daoist priest reached out and made a ¡°three¡± with his fingers.


    Shen Miao hurriedly asked, ¡°Daoist priest, do you know what¡¯s going on? Why am I here?¡±


    Why would she return to the capital of Ming Qi and return to the beginning? Could it be that everything that happened to her and Xie Jingxing was just a dream?


    ¡°Madam, your fate is very strange.¡± The Daoist priest said, ¡°Although you had a chance to relive your life, your fate was greatly disrupted because of it, causing a deadly tribulation to befall you. To overcome this tribulation, you can only rely on yourself.¡±


    Shen Miao frowned. ¡°Daoist priest, what do you mean?¡±


    ¡°In your previous life, someone begged for a chance for you to relive your life. However, there are thousands of possibilities in the world. You met and fell in love with someone after rebirth, but by the same token, you could have fallen in love with someone else. Madam, now you have two choices..¡±

 Chapter 1141 - 1141: Side Story, A Million Possibilities (4)

    Chapter 1141: Side Story, A Million Possibilities (4)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    Shen Miao clenched her fists. ¡°What choices?¡±


    ¡°Now, that body of yours is probably in a deep sleep. You can choose to stay in this dream and look for another possibility. From now on, everything will start all over again and you can choose a brand new life. However, that body won¡¯t be able to wake up.¡±


    ¡°And the other one?¡± Shen Miao asked.


    !!


    ¡°Go and find the man in your life and make the man in your dream believe you. Take him back to the Daliang Dynasty and enter the palace. The moment you step into the palace, your body will wake up.¡±


    Shen Miao was stunned.


    ¡°But that¡¯s very difficult.¡± The Daoist priest stroked his beard. ¡°Now that you are a stranger to him, it¡¯s very difficult to persuade him to go to the Daliang Dynasty with you.¡±


    Shen Miao felt a headache coming on. ¡°This is impossible.¡±


    Xie Jingxing was sensitive and suspicious. He would not trust others easily. After Shen Miao was reborn, it took her a lot of time to win Xie Jingxing¡¯s trust. Now¡­ looking at her current outfit, it would be strange if Xie Jingxing believed her words.


    ¡°Madam, that¡¯s all I have to say.¡± The Daoist priest said, ¡°Madam, you can naturally stay in this dream. This dream is no different from reality. You can stay here to live your life and start over. It¡¯s much simpler. If you pick the second choice, it will be a very difficult path to walk.¡±


    Shen Miao lowered her head. After a while, she said, ¡°Daoist priest, you still have red strings, right? How about giving me two?¡±


    Daoist Priest Chi Yan was stunned for a while and suddenly smiled. ¡°Madam, are you still going to choose to walk down the difficult path?¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡± Shen Miao smiled. ¡°If he doesn¡¯t know me, I¡¯ll go and get to know him first.


    Daoist Priest Chi Yan said, ¡°In that case, I wish you good luck!¡± He took out two red strings from his pocket.


    Shen Miao bowed and turned to leave.


    Jingzhe and Gu Yu found Shen Miao quite strange these days.


    Firstly, Shen Miao no longer liked to wear gold and silver. Instead, she wore dark colors. Secondly, she was no longer as obedient to the second and third branches as before. Most of the time, she even ignored them.


    Thirdly, a few days ago, she had been secretly asking people about Prince Ding, but these days, she did not mention him at all, as if she had erased this person from her mind.


    Lastly, she had been wandering the streets recently.


    On the other hand, Shen Miao was troubled.


    Xie Jingxing was always out and about. Today, he would go to the brothel, and tomorrow, he would attend a banquet. Although she knew that this was just a front he put up to deceive others, seeing Xie Jingxing like this, she still wanted to kick him. S§×arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    After secretly following Xie Jingxing for half a month, she had almost been to every corner of the entire capital.


    This evening, Shen Miao asked Jingzhe and Gu Yu to wait on the other side while she went to the entrance of the Xie mansion to wait.


    She was dressed as a man in a refreshing and neat style. No one would associate her with the fifth miss of the Shen family.


    From afar, she saw Xie Jingxing returning on his horse..

 Chapter 1142 - 1142: Side Story, A Million Possibilities (5)

    Chapter 1142: Side Story, A Million Possibilities (5)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    Beside him were Gao Yang and Ji Yushu.


    As expected of a famous playboy, he could tell at a glance that Shen Miao was disguising as a man. Ji Yushu whistled and smiled. ¡°Third Brother, there¡¯s beauty knocking at your door again.¡±


    Shen Miao was speechless.


    Xie Jingxing got off the horse and glanced at her. He was about to walk into the mansion when Shen Miao grabbed him. ¡°Young Marquis Xie!¡±


    Xie Jingxing stopped.


    ¡°Let¡¯s talk,¡± she said.


    In the room, Xie Jingxing poured her a cup of tea and stared at her lazily. ¡°Shen Miao, Fifth Miss Shen, you¡¯ve been following me for half a month. Are you really infatuated with me?¡±


    He spoke frivolously, but his eyes were sharp. He had long noticed it, but he did not expose her.


    Shen Miao felt a headache coming on.


    If she wanted that body of hers to wake up as soon as possible, she had to lure Xie Jingxing to Long Ye. However, in this dream, Xie Jingxing was still so mischievous and paranoid. What could she say to persuade him?


    Should she tell him that she was his wife and that she had given birth to two children for him? Would Xie Jingxing think that she was crazy? She said, ¡°Young Marquis Xie, can you¡­ accompany me to the Daliang Dynasty?¡±


    Before Shen Miao could finish, her throat was grabbed. His voice was cold and murderous. ¡°What do you know?¡±


    Shen Miao almost suffocated.


    She knew it! With Xie Jingxing¡¯s personality, he would not listen to her. She could not even explain herself! Sear?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Seeing that she was panting hard and did not seem to know martial arts, Xie Jingxing let go slightly. Shen Miao was angry and anxious. She yelled, ¡°You bastard!¡±


    Xie Jingxing¡¯s eyes turned cold. ¡°You¡¯re quite bold.¡±


    ¡°Bastard! Pervert! Shameless! Heartless¡­¡± She cursed non-stop.


    Xie Jingxing was stunned and subconsciously let go of her completely. A moment later, he said with a smile, ¡°Fifth Miss Shen, I don¡¯t think I offended you.¡±


    Shen Miao rubbed her neck and said, ¡°Bring me to the Daliang Dynasty.¡±


    Xie Jingxing was about to make a move again when Shen Miao added, ¡°Bring me to the Daliang Dynasty and I¡¯ll tell you what I know.¡±


    Xie Jingxing crossed his arms and looked at her coldly with a smile. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m not interested in what you know at all.¡± He sat down at the table and drank his tea leisurely. ¡°But I¡¯ll spare your life today. If I find out that you are up to no good¡­ Fifth Miss Shen, you know that I¡¯m not a good person.¡±


    Shen Miao was stunned.


    ¡°Fifth Miss Shen, why aren¡¯t you leaving? Do you want to stay in my mansion for the night?¡± He said with a devilish smile, ¡°I have no problem with that.¡± Shen Miao said, ¡°Shameless!¡± She left angrily.


    After Shen Miao left, Xie Jingxing¡¯s expression suddenly turned cold. He called out, ¡°Tie Yi.¡±


    A man in black appeared in the room.


    ¡°Investigate Shen Miao from the Shen family,¡± he instructed.


    The man in black accepted the order and left.


    It was very difficult for Shen Miao to chase after Xie Jingxing.


    Whether it was Xie Jingxing in reality or in her dream, they were both equally infuriating, especially the one in her dream.


    In this dream, Shen Miao was just a stranger to Xie Jingxing. Before, she was notoriously stupid and even liked Fu Xiuyi. If she changed too drastically, he would only think that she was scheming and might be approaching him with ulterior motives..

 Chapter 1143 - 1143: Side Story, A Million Possibilities (6)

    Chapter 1143: Side Story, A Million Possibilities (6) Sear?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    Xie Jingxing was wary of her, and it was not easy for her to get close to him. Shen Miao could only secretly follow him and find a chance to talk to him.


    Xie Jingxing also knew that she was following him, but he pretended not to know. On the other hand, Gao Yang and Ji Yushu were interested in knowing what Shen Miao was up to.


    On the third day of July, it was Xie Jingxing¡¯s birthday.


    In the real world, on Xie Jingxing¡¯s birthday, she encountered the assassins and ruined the birthday banquet. She thought that she might as well make up for Xie Jingxing¡¯s birthday in her dream.


    She left home early in the morning and went to the Misty Rain Pavilion to book a banquet.


    She pawned all the gold and silver jewelry she had. Holding a banquet in Misty Rain Pavilion cost at least thousands of gold. Jingzhe and Gu Yu were anxious and kept talking Shen Miao out of it, but she did not listen.


    It was just a dream. In reality, gold and silver meant nothing to her, let alone in a dream.


    She thought that in the evening, she would invite Xie Jingxing over. At the table, they might be able to have a good chat. This matter was too complicated. Even if she said it, Xie Jingxing would not understand. He might think that she was spouting nonsense. Therefore, she had to be careful with her wordings.


    She followed Xie Jingxing to the Thousand Gold Restaurant where he would be drinking with a few young masters from noble families when she saw Qin Qing.


    The daughter of the Left Censor-in-Chief, Qin Qjng, had once competed with Shen Miao on painting during the test. Qin Qing was born beautiful and was wearing a green embroidered dress with wide sleeves. There was a light yellow belt at her waist, making her slender waist look even more slender. Her dress fluttered in the wind, making her look like a fairy.


    Qin Qing had always prided herself on looking pretty. She looked down on ordinary people. At this moment, she was sitting with her brother and would throw glances at Xie Jingxing every now and then. She was no longer as arrogant as she usually was, and there was gentleness in her eyes.


    Only a fool would not be able to tell that Qin Qing was interested in Xie


    Jingxing. Her brother also wanted to matchmake them and deliberately let Qin Qing sit close to Xie Jingxing.


    Shen Miao looked over from the other side. She did not know what Qin Qing and Xie Jingxing were talking about. Xie Jingxing smiled flirtatiously while Qin Qing nodded shyly. From afar, they looked really like a couple.


    Shen Miao¡¯s eyes welled up.


    She knew that this was a dream, and she also knew that Xie Jingxing was just putting on a show. However, she was still sad. She wondered if she didn¡¯t wake up, would Xie Jingxing also have beauties surrounding him in the future.


    Among millions of possibilities, it was impossible for him to choose her every time.


    She closed her eyes and felt that the scene of them drinking was very jarring.


    She couldn¡¯t stand it anymore and turned to leave.


    She walked until she arrived at the Misty Rain Pavilion.


    The banquet was held on the top floor. From the window, one could see fireworks and the moon.


    Shen Miao went in alone. She was the only one sitting in the huge room. The table was filled with exquisite dishes, and the room was gorgeously decorated, but a sense of loneliness permeated the air.


    She poured herself a glass of wine.


    The wine was a good wine. It was a strong osmanthus wine that was sweet and lingering.


    She drank slowly, looking at the moon every time she drank.


    The moon in her dream was beautiful.. In the real world, who was Xie Jingxing looking at the moon with?

 Chapter 1144 - 1144: Side Story, A Million Possibilities (7)

    Chapter 1144: Side Story, A Million Possibilities (7)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    She drank a lot and was so drunk that her head was dizzy. She did not even hear the sound of footsteps approaching.


    She heard a teasing voice behind her.


    ¡°Wow, the Shen family is indeed rich. Do you have to be so extravagant as to book a banquet to have dinner alone?¡±


    !!


    Shen Miao turned around and saw Xie Jingxing walking casually in with a smile.


    She frowned.


    Xie Jingxing glanced at the empty wine jars on the table. He teased, ¡°Fifth Miss Shen, are you in a bad mood?¡±


    Shen Miao stared at him.


    Xie Jingxing leaned over slightly and looked at Shen Miao. When he saw her red eyes, he was slightly stunned. Then, he said, ¡°Could it be because of me?¡±


    Shen Miao still did not speak.


    Xie Jingxing pondered for a moment. ¡°Because of Qin Qing?¡±


    Before he could finish his sentence, Shen Miao suddenly threw herself into his arms.


    She hugged Xie Jingxing¡¯s waist tightly and pressed her face against his chest. She still couldn¡¯t get used to him speaking to her in an unfamiliar tone.


    She sobbed and scolded, ¡°You heartless man. Do you want to divorce me? Back then, when you married me, you clearly said that you wouldn¡¯t have another woman in the future and that you would be with me for the rest of your life. Xie Jingxing, you are a liar! You tricked me into marrying you and now you are flirting with other women. My brother and father will definitely beat you up! Bastard, bastard, bastard!¡±


    Xie Jingxing was shocked and said, ¡°When did I say¡­¡±


    However, seeing how sadly Shen Miao was crying, Xie Jingxing swallowed the rest of his words.


    Shen Miao hugged his waist tightly like a child and refused to let go. Xie Jingxing hesitated for a moment before reaching out to pat her shoulder.


    She was the fifth daughter of the Shen family, and everyone knew that she was an idiot. The Shen family had nothing to do with him. Unexpectedly, one day, he would be involved with Shen Miao. Shen Miao spoke as if they had known each other for a long time. Xie Jingxing was inexplicably suspicious, because Shen Miao seemed to know the secret of his real background.


    However, he couldn¡¯t bring himself to be ruthless to her.


    When he heard Tie Yi say that she was drunk in the Misty Rain Pavilion, he came, not knowing why he came.


    Xie Jingxing frowned and stared at the person in his arms. The delicate body in his arms was warm, and even his heart was warmed by it. However, he was struck by a feeling of deja vu, as if this scene had happened to him in the past.


    When was it? And was it In his dream?


    He asked hesitantly, ¡°Shen Miao, have I¡­ hugged you like this before?¡±


    The crying in her arms stopped abruptly. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Shen Miao looked up from his arms and stared at him.


    Under the moonlight, her eyes were red and swollen, but they were sparkling, as if a new hope had emerged from the despair.


    She stood on her tiptoes and reached out to grab Xie Jingxing¡¯s collar. She pulled him closer and suddenly kissed him.


    ¡°And you kissed me like that,¡± she said.


    What happened next was that Shen Miao pestered Xie Jingxing until he finally agreed to bring her to the Daliang Dynasty.


    During the journey to the Daliang Dynasty that would take about half a year, Shen Miao told Xie Jingxing everything, but she did not know if Xie Jingxing believed her or not.


    After hearing the long story, Xie Jingxing did not say anything. One night, he suddenly said to Shen Miao. He said, ¡°That Daoist priest is wrong.¡±


    Shen Miao was puzzled. ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Among thousands of possibilities, I will only choose you.¡± He smiled and tied one of the red strings on Shen Miao¡¯s hand to himself. ¡°Let¡¯s go. Don¡¯t make me wait too long in reality, Shen Jiaojiao.¡±


    Xie Jingxing listened with his mouth agape.


    Shen Miao glanced at him from the corner of her eye. ¡°In the dream, you were flirting with young ladies. You went to the brothel every day and bullied me. You didn¡¯t believe anything I said. You suspected me and threatened me. Xie Jingxing, do you know what you did?¡±


    Xie Jingxing was silent. After a while, he said, ¡°That¡¯s me in the dream, not the real me.¡±


    ¡°Even if it was in the dream, it was still you!¡± Shen Miao said angrily.


    Xie Jingxing quickly hugged her and stroked her hair. He said, ¡°In my dream, I believed you in the end and brought you back to the Daliang Dynasty. It can be seen that you¡¯re the only one in my heart.¡± He rubbed her chin and said unhappily, ¡°But that kid is really lucky. You actually took the initiative to kiss him.¡±


    Shen Miao was speechless.


    In the world, only Xie Jingxing would be jealous of himself.


    ¡°In that case, I have to apologize to you,¡± Xie Jingxing said seriously. Suddenly, he picked Shen Miao up horizontally. ¡°I deserve to die for neglecting you.


    Today, you can do whatever you want.¡±


    Xie Jingxing carried her and turned to walk out, but he couldn¡¯t help but smile and say, ¡°Although the person in the dream is very detestable, there¡¯s one thing he¡¯s not wrong about.¡±


    Shen Miao looked at him. ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°Among thousands of possibilities, you are the only one I will choose,¡± he said..

 Chapter 1145 - 1145: Side Story, Blind Date (1)

    Chapter 1145: Side Story, Blind Date (1)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    Luo Tan had been in a bad mood recently.


    Everyone in the Luo family had moved to Long Ye and decided to settle down here. After Shen Miao became the empress, she was not as free as before. She had to take care of Chu Yi and Shi Wu and manage the harem well. Luo Tan was very puzzled. Shen Miao was the only one in the harem of the Daliang Dynasty. What was there to manage?


    Since Shen Miao was busy, Luo Tan could only find fun for herself.


    !!


    As time went by, her parents were a little dissatisfied with it.


    Madam Ma nagged Luo Tan. ¡°You¡¯re not young anymore. Jiaojiao¡¯s son is more than a year old. No one can stop you from becoming a spinster, but mind your behavior. Don¡¯t go out to cause trouble for us.¡±


    Luo Tan was extremely annoyed. She felt that it was good to be single. She ate, drank, played, and did whatever she liked. Marriage was too much of a hassle for her. She had to manage this and that, and she also had to manage her husband¡¯s heart. Life was short. How could she waste it on such trivial matters? It was better to go out and explode her horizon while she was young.


    In fact, the Luo family was not an old-fashioned family, nor were they in a hurry to marry their daughter off. It was just that growing up, Luo Tan had always been carefree and never liked anyone. If this continued, she might really become a spinster.


    Madam Ma asked, ¡°Tan, tell me the truth. Is there really no man you like?¡±


    Luo Tan was getting impatient from being questioned and said, ¡°Mother, look at the men around me, do you think I¡¯ll like any of them?¡±


    ¡°Qian is younger than you, but he already has a girl he likes.¡± Madam Ma was worried. ¡°There are many good men in this world. Why don¡¯t you find someone to date with?¡±


    Luo Tan forced a smile. ¡°Where are the good men? I haven¡¯t seen any.¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t go on like this.¡± Madam Ma slammed the table. ¡°I can¡¯t let you continue fooling around. Now that Jiaojiao is the empress, she should know a lot of young talents in Long Ye. I have to get her to help you find one.¡± S§×arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Luo Tan looked at her in disbelief. ¡°Mother, are you serious? It¡¯s not like I can¡¯t get married.¡±


    Madam Ma said, ¡°If I set up a blind date for you, you have to go. If you don¡¯t go, I won¡¯t let you go out from now on.¡± With that, she stood up and left without waiting for Luo Tan to retort.


    Madam Ma asked Luo Xueyan to accompany her to the palace and tell Shen Miao about this.


    Although Shen Miao was now the empress, she had not changed her temper. She was as gentle as ever in front of her family. The Luo family and the Shen family still interacted with her like before.


    At the mention of Luo Tan, Madam Ma felt a headache coming on. She asked Shen Miao, ¡°Jiaojiao, you know a lot of nobles. Can you help Tan find a good young man? It doesn¡¯t matter what his family background is. The most important thing is his character. Tan is simple and will definitely suffer in a sophisticated family. It¡¯s best if his family is clean and simple. It¡¯s best if he doesn¡¯t have any bad relatives. Ahem, it¡¯s best if he is good-looking.¡± Madam Ma was a little embarrassed. ¡°Tan likes good-looking things. If he is good-looking, she will be happy..¡±

 Chapter 1146 - 1146: Side Story, Blind Date (2)

    Chapter 1146: Side Story, Blind Date (2)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    Shen Miao glanced at Luo Xueyan. Luo Xueyan said, ¡°That¡¯s right, Jiaojiao. Help


    Tan.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s naturally not a problem, but¡­¡± Shen Miao asked hesitantly, ¡°Are you sure Cousin really has no one she likes?¡±


    ¡°With her personality, it¡¯s impossible for her to take the initiative to like someone.¡± Madam Ma waved her hand, looking like she did not want to talk about Luo Tan anymore. ¡°If Tan was half as sensible as you, I wouldn¡¯t have to worry.¡±


    Shen Miao could single a hero out from the crowd. When she was young, she decided on Xie Jingxing. Apart from the empress, there were no other women in the harem. How many women in the world were envious of Shen Miao? Moreover, Xie Jingxing was so excellent in every aspect.


    On the other hand, after so many years, Luo Tan had never been pursued by men, let alone someone outstanding. Originally, Madam Ma and Luo Liantai thought that when their daughter grew up, the people who came to propose marriage would line up outside the door. How lively would that be? In the end, it was quiet. They did not even see a mosquito.


    ¡°Did Cousin Tan agree to go on a blind date?¡± Shen Miao asked.


    ¡°She wouldn¡¯t dare to disagree!¡± Madam Ma continued, ¡°Jiaojiao, you have a good relationship with her. Please persuade her when you can. No girls in Long Ye know brothels and casinos better than her. How weird is that.¡±


    Luo Tan always liked to join in the fun. She ignored the rules and etiquette and lived a carefree life, but she was also easily criticized.


    Shen Miao replied readily, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll help. However, whether it can work or not depends on Cousin.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Jiaojiao.¡± Madam Ma was overjoyed.


    At night, Shen Miao held a long scroll and looked at it carefully. She was still awake late at night.


    When Xie Jingxing returned to the bedroom after dealing with the memorials, he saw that she was still reading and asked, ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you to sleep first?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s something I haven¡¯t finished reading.¡± Shen Miao did not even look up, her gaze still glued to the scroll.


    Xie Jing walked over and saw that on every page of the scroll, there was a portrait of a man. Beside the portrait was the man¡¯s name, family background, official position, and even his likes and dislikes.


    Xie Jingxing closed the scroll and asked, ¡°Why are you looking at this?¡±


    Shen Miao took the scroll back from him. ¡°Auntie asked me to find some reliable men for Cousin Tan to choose. Don¡¯t interrupt.¡±


    ¡°Luo Tan?¡± Xie Jingxing raised an eyebrow. ¡°She wants to get married?¡±


    ¡°Auntie is very worried.¡± Shen Miao suddenly thought of something and looked at Xie Jingxing. ¡°Speaking of which, what exactly is Gao Yang thinking?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Xie Jingxing was puzzled.


    ¡°His feelings for Cousin Tan.¡± Shen Miao looked at him. ¡°I think he likes Cousin Tan, but he doesn¡¯t express it. If he wants to wait for Cousin Tan to understand his feelings, I¡¯m afraid he won¡¯t be able to wait for that day in this lifetime. Gao Yang is a smart person. What is he dragging it out like this?¡±


    Xie Jingxing frowned and thought for a moment before saying, ¡°Does Gao Yang like Luo Tan?¡±


    Shen Miao nudged him with her arm. ¡°Are you blind?¡± Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°How would I know what Gao Yang is thinking?¡± Xie Jingxing felt aggrieved.


    Shen Miao could tell that Xie Jingxing was also a blockhead, so she couldn¡¯t be bothered to ask him..

 Chapter 1147 - 1147: Side Story, Blind Date (3)

    Chapter 1147: Side Story, Blind Date (3)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    However, at this moment, Xie Jingxing spoke. He said, ¡°Gao Yang is smart, sometimes too smart for his own good.¡±


    Shen Miao immediately understood what he meant. She turned around and looked at Xie Jingxing. ¡°Are you saying that Gao Yang deliberately didn¡¯t say it because he¡¯s waiting for Cousin Tan to speak first?¡±


    ¡°Not everyone is as proactive as your husband.¡± Xie Jingxing smiled.


    ¡°Hehe.¡± Shen Miao glanced at him from the corner of her eye. ¡°Why don¡¯t you say that not everyone is as shameless as you?¡±


    Shen Miao continued, ¡°But you¡¯re right. He¡¯s too smart for his own good. Gao Yang thought he had everything under his control. I¡¯m afraid he¡¯s wrong. It¡¯s impossible for Cousin Tan to figure out his feelings.¡±


    Xie Jingxing was deep in thought. ¡°What do you plan to do?¡±


    Shen Miao stared at him. ¡°Of course helping Cousin Tan.¡± She leaned closer to


    Xie Jingxing and threatened, ¡°Don¡¯t tell Gao Yang!¡±


    Xie Jingxing grabbed her hand and smiled devilly. ¡°That depends on your performance tonight.¡±


    Shen Miao did as she said. She put the information of three young men on a booklet and asked Luo Xueyan to send it to Luo Mansion. Madam Ma was so grateful that she wanted to personally go to the palace to thank Shen Miao. Luo Xueyan said, ¡°It¡¯s unknown if Tan will like any of them. Let¡¯s see what she thinks first.


    Madam Ma trusted the people Shen Miao chose. This time, she even asked Luo Sui and Luo Liantai to come and take a look. The two of them nodded repeatedly. Luo Liantai had entered the Daliang Dynasty¡¯s bureaucracy and knew a little about the officials. The three people Shen Miao chose were all young talents. Moreover, they came from good families and had a clean background. Most importantly, they were definitely upright.


    Luo Tan thought that Madam Ma was just joking. Even if Madam Ma had such intentions, Shen Miao would definitely side with her and would not let her go on blind dates. Unexpectedly, not only did Shen Miao help Madam Ma, but she also compiled a booklet for her. Luo Tan was so angry that she sat in the room and looked at the mirror in a sulk, sighing that her little cousin did not love her


    anymore.


    Although she was unwilling, Luo Tan still had to go and see these three young talents. This was because Luo Liantai had cut down on Luo Tan¡¯s pocket money and did not allow her to go out. If she did not listen, she would be grounded for an unknown period of time, so she agreed to go and see the three of them. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The first was the Young Master of the Grand Scholar of the Cabinet. He was knowledgeable and gentle. However, when he spoke, he made Luo Tan want to sleep. She was dozing off for the entire afternoon and told Madam Ma later that if she lived with him, she would definitely cheat on him out of boredom.


    Madam Ma was so frightened that she immediately arranged for her to meet a second Young Master.


    The second Young Master was a deputy general. He was still young. In a few years, he would definitely become a generale. However, this deputy general was very mature at a young age. Although he was handsome, he looked scary. Luo Tan said that if she married him, she would be worried about being killed by him when he was in a fit of anger.


    Madam Ma thought for a moment and thought that it made sense.


    On the third day, it was time to meet the third one.


    This was the young master of the deputy minister¡¯s family, Young Master He.


    Young Master He was 20 years old. Although his family was a civil servant, he also practiced martial arts. He was considered a talent in both civil and military..

 Chapter 1148 - 1148 Side Story, Blind Date (4)

    Chapter 1148 Side Story, Blind Date (4) sea??h th§× n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    As soon as he saw Luo Tan, he praised the dagger at Luo Tan¡¯s waist.


    It was a dagger that Luo Tan had bought with a lot of money. It did not look eye-catching, but it was a treasure dagger that could cut metal like mud. Ordinary people wouldn¡¯t be able to tell it, but Young Master He could tell at a glance that it was a good dagger. Luo Tan was very happy. Looking at Young Master He¡¯s handsome face and aura, as a person who liked good-looking things, Luo Tan was especially willing to talk to him.


    As she spoke, she realized that Young Master He was indeed a talent. Not only did he know a lot, but he had also been to many places. When he talked about the strange anecdotes in those places, Luo Tan couldn¡¯t take her eyes off him. Although he was also full of knowledge, he never showed off and used those obscure words. Instead, he spoke in a way that Luo Tan could understand.


    The day was unexpectedly pleasant.


    Young Master He seemed to be very satisfied with Luo Tan. The two of them agreed to go out to play tomorrow.


    !!


    After Luo Tan returned to the mansion, Madam Ma asked, ¡°Tan, what do you think of Young Master He?¡±


    Luo Tan said, ¡°Not bad. As a friend, he¡¯s very good.¡±


    Madam Ma and Luo Liantai were about to shed tears of joy.


    The fact that she could be friends with someone meant that there was a hope of this relationship developing. After hearing from Luo Tan¡¯s maid that the two of them chatted very happily, Madam Ma was finally relieved.


    At night, when Madam Ma and Luo Liantai were together, she asked, ¡°Should I invite Mrs. He over for a chat another day?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the hurry?¡± Luo Liantai said, ¡°It hasn¡¯t even begun.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± Madam Ma sighed. ¡°I¡¯m not worried about Qian. What I¡¯m worried about is Tan¡¯s marriage. Speaking of which, back then, I thought that Doctor Gao was not bad. He looked like he liked Tan, but¡­ later on I realized that I might be wrong because he never expressed it.¡±


    Madam Ma liked Gao Yang. He was handsome and did not have a complicated family. However, Gao Yang did not seem to be interested in Luo Tan.


    On the other side, Luo Tan rested her chin on her hand, thinking to herself that she had not seen Gao Yang for a long time.


    In the past, Gao Yang would look for Luo Tan from time to time. Now, he came less often, and the most recent time was a month ago.


    For some reason, Luo Tan was a little disappointed.


    However, on second thought, she probably just needed a playmate. Fortunately, Young Master He was also very interesting. They could hang out together. Madam Ma happened to like him too. In that case, she would just treat him as someone else she could hang out with.


    Luo Tan did not know that someone had seen her drinking tea with Young Master He in the tea shop today.


    At this moment, Ji Yushu was feeding the parrot and saying, ¡°Why hasn¡¯t Luo Tan come to visit us these days?¡±


    Gao Yang was stunned and said, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Something must have happened. Otherwise, Ji Yushu wouldn¡¯t mention Luo Tan for no reason.


    ¡°On the way back today, I saw Luo Tan walking with a man.¡± Ji Yushu pondered and said, ¡°She looked quite happy. Did she find a new playmate?¡±

 Chapter 1149 - 1149 Side Story, Blind Date (5)

    Chapter 1149 Side Story, Blind Date (5)


    Gao Yang was stunned and asked, ¡°What did you say?¡±


    ¡­


    The next day, Luo Tan really went to look for Young Master He again.


    Luo Tan heard that Young Master He was very capable and had a bright future in his official career, but she did not expect him to be so good at finding fun things to do. Luo Tan thought that she had explored the entire Long Ye. However, as someone born and raised in Long Ye, Young Master He knew many small shops and restaurants that others did not know about. They were all eye-opening. Luo Tan liked new things the most.


    The two of them seemed to be the same kind of people. They liked to eat and play and were energetic.


    !!


    On this day, they played until the sun set before separating reluctantly. Young Master He sent Luo Tan back home.


    When Gao Yang arrived at the Luo mansion, he happened to see Luo Qian walking out, probably wanting to go out to do something. He had grown much taller, and his chubby face gradually began to get chiseled.


    However, his lively personality didn¡¯t change just like his sister.


    As soon as he saw Gao Yang, he shouted, ¡°Doctor Gao!¡±


    Gao Yang was speechless.


    The siblings liked to call him ¡°Doctor¡±, but his status was not that of an ordinary doctor. Moreover, he had an important official position.


    Luo Qian asked, ¡°Doctor Gao, are you here to look for my sister? My sister is not at home.¡±


    Gao Yang asked calmly, ¡°Oh? It¡¯s already so late. Isn¡¯t she back yet?¡±


    Luo Qian said with a sigh, ¡°She¡¯s probably gone out with Young Master He to fool around.¡±


    ¡°Young Master He¡­¡± Gao Yang thought about this name. Before he could ask further, he heard Luo Qian say,¡± Eh? They¡¯re back! ¡±


    Gao Yang followed Luo Qian¡¯s gaze and turned around. He saw a handsome young master and Luo Tan walking over. The servant behind him was carrying a pile of things. Luo Tan was saying to him straightforwardly, ¡°In the future, when I travel the world, I¡¯ll count you in! It will definitely be very interesting!¡±


    Young Master He smiled and said, ¡°My pleasure.¡±


    Luo Qian waved at Luo Tan. ¡°Sister! Doctor Gao is here to see you!¡±


    Only then did Luo Tan see Gao Yang. Gao Yang walked over and smiled at Luo Tan before looking at the legendary Young Master He.


    Young Master He looked very handsome and refined. When he saw Gao Yang, he said to Luo Tan, ¡°Since you have a guest, I won¡¯t disturb you anymore.¡± With that, he ordered his servant to take out a small box and said, ¡°On the way back yesterday, I happened to see this and thought you would like it.¡± He scratched his head in embarrassment. ¡°I hope you don¡¯t mind.¡±


    Luo Tan took it and said happily, ¡°Thank you. I believe in your taste.¡±


    Seeing that the two of them were talking happily as if no one was around, Gao Yang felt a little unhappy. After sending Young Master He off, Luo Tan asked Gao Yang, ¡°Why are you here?¡±


    Gao Yang narrowed his eyes at her and said, ¡°Can¡¯t I look for you?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not what I mean.¡± Luo Tan said, ¡°I just feel that you must be very busy.¡± As she spoke, she opened the box Young Master He gave her.


    There was a bracelet in the box. Luo Tan had never liked these jewelry, but the pendant of this bracelet was an exquisite knife the size of a fingernail. It was vivid and cute. Luo Tan immediately played with it lovingly.


    S§×arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 1150 - 1150 Side Story, Blind Date (6)

    Chapter 1150 Side Story, Blind Date (6)


    Seeing this, Gao Yang became even more displeased and said, ¡°If you like to wander outside so much, take a walk with me.¡±


    ¡°Why should I¡­¡± Before Luo Tan could finish speaking, Gao Yang grabbed her arm and walked away. Gao Yang usually looked like a gentleman, but he was not weak. Luo Tan could not break free, so she was dragged away by Gao Yang.


    Luo Qian waved at the two of them from behind and said, ¡°Come back early, Sister!¡±


    Gao Yang brought Luo Tan to an alley before letting go.


    Luo Tan¡¯s wrist hurt from being grabbed. She couldn¡¯t help but shake her hand and complain, ¡°Are you crazy?¡±


    !!


    Gao Yang frowned and said, ¡°I¡¯ve been very busy, and apparently you are also busy.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± Luo Tan was puzzled.


    ¡°Are you having a good time with Young Master He?¡± Gao Yang sized her up, but his tone was a little strange. ¡°You¡¯ve only known him for a few days. Are you very familiar with him? Do you trust him very much?¡±


    Gao Yang was really strange today. Luo Tan did not understand and subconsciously replied, ¡°Are you crazy? Why do I have to tell you who I¡¯m hanging out with? What¡¯s wrong with you today? Did your grandfather scold you?¡±


    Gao Yang took a deep breath and said, ¡°If I didn¡¯t come to look for you, would you really travel around with him?¡±


    Luo Tan was puzzled by Gao Yang¡¯s tone today. She was not a patient person, so she said, ¡°You¡¯re too unreasonable. If you didn¡¯t come to look for me, I naturally had to find someone else to play with. Otherwise, I would be bored out of my mind. There are so many people in the world. Of course I have to make friends with them.¡±


    ¡°Just friends?¡± Gao Yang leaned forward and said, ¡°Aren¡¯t you already looking for your future husband?¡±


    Luo Tan was stunned and asked, ¡°How did you know?¡±


    Gao Yang said, ¡°Then what do you think of him?¡±


    Seeing that his tone had become slightly normal, Luo Tan said, ¡°Not bad. I didn¡¯t expect him to be quite interesting.¡± sea??h th§× NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Gao Yang said, ¡°Don¡¯t see him again.¡±


    Luo Tan was puzzled. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you? Why do you keep saying strange things today? First of all, it was my mother who asked me to go and see him. Second of all, what kind of friends I make and what kind of a husband I choose is my own business, right? Why do you have to stick your nose into my business? Do you have to interfere in everything I do?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Gao Yang interrupted her.


    Luo Tan was stunned.


    ¡°I thought you would understand without me saying it, but you are so stupid that you amazed me.¡±


    Luo Tan did not understand him and immediately flared up when she heard Gao Yang call her stupid. She said, ¡°You¡¯re the stupid one. Not only are you stupid, but you¡¯re also unreasonable. I like to play with Young Master He, but you don¡¯t let me see him. How can you be so unreasonable¡­¡±


    Before she could finish speaking, Gao Yang pulled her into his arms and pressed his lips against hers.


    His kiss was as gentle as himself. However, in the gentleness, there was also a domineeringness that could not be ignored.


    Luo Tan covered her mouth and took two steps back.


    No matter how slow-witted she was, she knew what this meant. She had never thought about her relationship with Gao Yang. In her opinion, Gao Yang was a good friend. Although he liked to tease people, he was a gentleman.


    But now, a gentleman was taking advantage of her openly?


    If it were anyone else, Luo Tan would probably have taken out her dagger. However, when she was kissed by Gao Yang, apart from panicking, she actually did not feel angry.


    It was as if she was already used to being intimate with him.


    Yes, she was already used to it.


    Over the days they lived under the same roof, Gao Yang had been a gentleman to her, but from time to time, he would do something intimate like stroking her hair. Luo Tan was reckless and would not take it to heart, which was why when he kissed her, she felt normal.


    Luo Tan was terrified.


    Seeing her like this, Gao Yang relaxed a little and his tone softened.


    He said, ¡°Don¡¯t see him again.¡±


    Luo Tan was embarrassed. ¡°Why did you¡­¡±


    ¡°If you still can¡¯t understand it at this point, I really doubt if you even have a brain.¡± Gao Yang chuckled.


    Luo Tan¡¯s face turned red and pale. In the end, she suddenly said, ¡°Do you like me?¡±


    Gao Yang cleared his throat and said, ¡°I made it so clear.¡±


    Luo Tan felt aggrieved. In what way did he make it clear? He did not propose marriage, nor did he write love poems. He did not say sweet nothings to her like how Xie Jingxing did to Shen Miao from time to time.


    Gao Yang said, ¡°At first, I just thought that you were fun and wanted to tease you. Later, I found you very interesting. When I saw you getting close to others, I felt uncomfortable. I thought that you would eventually understand my feelings if I let nature take its course, but now I understand. With your brain, if I don¡¯t tell you, you won¡¯t understand for the rest of your life.¡±


    He took a step forward and did not give Luo Tan a chance to escape. ¡°Do you understand my feelings now?¡±


    Luo Tan subconsciously nodded. ¡°Yes¡­¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± Gao Yang held her shoulder. ¡°Then let¡¯s go back now.¡±


    ¡°Back to where?¡± Luo Tan asked.


    ¡°Of course to the Luo mansion.¡± Gao Yang smiled casually. ¡°It¡¯s time to mention our marriage to my mother-in-law.¡±


    A moment later.


    ¡°Gao Yang, you¡¯re courting death!¡±

 Chapter 1151 - 1151 Side Story, Agreed Secretly (1)

    Chapter 1151 Side Story, Agreed Secretly (1)


    Feng Anning always felt that she was very afraid of Shen Qiu.


    Speaking of which, it was strange. She was the daughter of the Feng family and had been pampered since she was young. Mr. and Mrs. Feng doted on her, which made her arrogant.


    However, there were two people, in front of whom she would be humble. S~ea??h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    One was Shen Miao. Feng Anning did not even remember how she became friends with Shen Miao. Shen Miao, who was called stupid and uncultured, suddenly stopped doing ridiculous things like before. Moreover, because they were studying in Guangwen Hall together and were deskmates, Feng Anning gradually realized that Shen Miao was actually quite smart.


    Since Feng Anning was young, she had always admired people who were mysterious. The fact that Shen Miao had changed drastically made her interested in Shen Miao and want to get to know her more.


    !!


    Feng Anning didn¡¯t like the other young ladies in Guangwen Hall, but she liked Shen Miao very much. Shen Miao neither flattered her nor curried favor with her. Feng Anning felt that Shen Miao was more straightforward than those young ladies who often followed her around.


    The second person who she didn¡¯t dare to provoke was Shen Qiu.


    Shen Qiu always had an extremely good reputation among the elders and juniors. Even with such a notoriously stupid sister, it did not affect his reputation at all.


    Feng Anning had seen Shen Qiu once or twice in the past and felt that he was a handsome young man. He looked as warm as the sun and was very easy to talk to.


    Later on, as she gradually became familiar with Shen Miao, she also had more chances to meet Shen Qiu. However, the more often they met, the more she felt inexplicably afraid of him.


    Firstly, Shen Qiu was not as polite to her as those young masters of noble families. Perhaps it was because Shen Qiu was a general to begin with and was rough. Secondly, he did not treat her differently because she was Shen Miao¡¯s good friend.


    Feng Anning, who was proud and arrogant, could not tolerate this.


    However, every time she wanted to lose her temper, she would stop when she looked into Shen Qiu¡¯s sharp eyes.


    Feng Anning did not understand why either. In the capital, it was no exaggeration to say that she was the female version of Xie Jingxing. She was not afraid of anything, but why was she so afraid of this pair of siblings?


    The eldest brother of the Feng family said that she was a tyrant at home and a coward outside.


    Feng Anning was angry. Every time, she would retort that the next time she saw Shen Qiu, she would definitely point a finger at him and scold him. However, when she really saw him, she shrank back.


    Even Shen Miao¡¯s cousin, Luo Tan, felt that something was wrong and said, ¡°Why is it that every time Anning comes to the Shen mansion, she¡¯s quieter than usual?¡±


    Shen Miao said with a faint smile, ¡°It¡¯s more precise to say every time she sees my brother, she is quieter than usual.¡±


    Feng Anning flew into a rage out of humiliation. ¡°What nonsense are you talking about? I have a right to be quiet whenever I wanted.¡±


    Luo Tan shouted behind Feng Anning, ¡°Cousin Qiu, what brought you here?¡±


    Feng Anning froze and was about to run when she saw Luo Tan pointing at her happily. ¡°Cousin Miao is right. Is the pampered girl of the Feng family actually afraid of Cousin Qiu?¡±


    Feng Anning stood up angrily and swore to never speak to Luo Tan again.


    ¡­


    What happened after that was a little beyond Feng Anning¡¯s expectations. She went out with Shen Miao, and because of her negligence, Shen Miao fell into the hands of the kidnappers. Feng Anning naturally blamed herself, and Shen Qiu¡¯s attitude made her even more frightened.

 Chapter 1152 - 1152 Side Story, Agreed Secretly (2)

    Chapter 1152 Side Story, Agreed Secretly (2)


    Shen Qiu questioned her mercilessly.


    Feng Anning felt terrible that Shen Miao was missing. Someone told the Feng brothers what Shen Qiu said to Feng Anning. The brothers felt sorry for their sister and said, ¡°Shen Qiu is really too much. At this point, we should go and find Miss Shen first. What is the point of flaring up at a little girl like you? You already know your mistake. Why is he making things worse?¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Feng Anning covered her face and said, ¡°He¡¯s right. It¡¯s my fault in the first place.¡±


    On the one hand, she was worried about Shen Miao, and on the other hand, she hated herself. She felt that Shen Qiu must also hate her.


    Fortunately, Shen Miao came back unharmed. However, Feng Anning did not dare to set foot in the Shen mansion again. She just felt very ashamed. If not for her, Shen Miao wouldn¡¯t have been kidnapped.


    !!


    In fact, she really wanted to go to the Shen mansion to see Shen Miao and hang out with Luo Tan, but she wouldn¡¯t dare. Even if Luo Tan invited her out, Feng Anning would politely decline it.


    She was stubborn and couldn¡¯t forgive herself, so she punished herself like this.


    Unexpectedly, something happened to Shen Miao and she was forced to marry.


    When Feng Anning heard her father and brother talk about some things in the imperial court, she knew that the Shen family was the target of the royal family. Shen Miao¡¯s marriage had already become a sacrifice of power. What could Shen Miao do?


    Feng Anning thought of her brother.


    Feng Zixian had a gentle personality and good appearance. What was important was that Feng Anning knew her brother well and knew that he was definitely upright. It was much better for Shen Miao to marry him than the crown prince, so she persuaded her brother to go to the Shen family to propose marriage.


    Feng Zixian had heard Feng Anning talk about Shen Miao a lot. He felt that people who Feng Anning thought were good could not be too bad.


    He agreed to go to the Shen family to take a look, but in the end, he was rejected by Shen Miao. S~ea??h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    However, because of this, the relationship between Feng Anning and the Shen family eased a little. When she met Shen Qiu on the way back, Shen Qiu looked at her and thanked her.


    Receiving his forgiveness, Feng Anning bounced up and down with excitement.


    Feng Anning¡¯s personal maid asked her carefully, ¡°Miss, you value Eldest Young Master Shen so much. Do¡­ Do you like Eldest Young Master Shen?¡±


    ¡°What nonsense are you talking about?¡± Feng Anning retorted instinctively. She frowned like a cat whose tail had been stepped on.


    The maid was terrified and quickly knelt down. ¡°Miss, please forgive me.¡±


    Feng Anning did not answer for a long time. Just as the maid was feeling uneasy, she heard a voice above her. ¡°Forget it, get up.¡±


    Feng Anning looked at herself in the mirror and bit her lip.


    Just because she didn¡¯t want to admit it didn¡¯t mean that it didn¡¯t exist. Feng Anning thought that even her maid couldn¡¯t notice it, Shen Miao naturally could notice it too.


    Would Shen Miao tell Shen Qiu that she had taken a liking to him?¡­ then did Shen Qiu already know?


    Feng Anning looked at the mirror in frustration.

 Chapter 1153 - 1153 Side Story, Agreed Secretly (3)

    Chapter 1153 Side Story, Agreed Secretly (3)


    The girl in the mirror had a beautiful face. She had big eyes, a beautiful nose, and the corners of her lips were slightly curled.


    She was not afraid of anyone except the Shen siblings. In everyone¡¯s eyes, Shen Qiu was the kindest person and was the easiest to talk to. What was she afraid of?


    She was actually not afraid of Shen Qiu, but rather, she was afraid of herself. In Shen Qiu¡¯s eyes, she might be arrogant and useless. S§×ar?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    When you fell in love with someone, you would always review yourself in your mind over and over again. If the other party was very outstanding, you would doubt yourself and whether you were worthy of him. You carefully wanted to show the best side of yourself in front of him and work hard, but you still couldn¡¯t help but feel uncertain, afraid that you would make a mistake.


    However, the more nervous you were, the more likely you would make a fool of yourself. She was afraid that Shen Qiu would hate her for what happened to Shen Miao, so when Shen Qiu thanked her, she was immediately filled with joy.


    !!


    However, she felt that it was probably impossible between the two of them because Shen Qiu didn¡¯t find her special.


    Unexpectedly, Shen Miao was suddenly going to get married and was planning to go to the Daliang Dynasty.


    Not only did this mean that she would have one less friend in the capital from now on, but it also meant that she would no longer have a reason to go to the Shen mansion to see Shen Qiu.


    Feng Anning was very sad.


    ¡­


    No one expected the situation in the capital to change so drastically.


    Overnight, Emperor Wen Hui fell seriously ill, and Prince Ding, Fu Xiuyi, seized power. The princes were either dead, convicted, injured, or dead.


    Feng Anning did not know what was going on, but she could see her father¡¯s serious expression and how busy her brothers were every day.


    One day, Mr. Feng called Feng Anning into the study and said to her, ¡°Anning, you¡¯re not young anymore. You¡¯re old enough to get married.¡±


    Feng Anning was sensitive enough to guess what Mr. Feng was going to say next. However, this was too sudden for her. Without thinking, Feng Anning immediately replied, ¡°Father, I don¡¯t want to get married yet. I want to be with Father, Mother, and Brothers.¡±


    This time, Mr. Feng, who had always doted on her, did not go along with her. Instead, he said, ¡°Silly child, what kind of girl stays at home and doesn¡¯t get married? Do you want to be a spinster? When your cousin comes to the capital in a few days, show him around.¡±


    Feng Anning had never been a calm person. She immediately stood up and said excitedly, ¡°Father, what do you mean?¡±


    ¡°Why are you reacting so strongly?¡± Mr. Feng frowned. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you showing your cousin around?¡±


    Feng Anning said, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you ask Eldest Brother and Second Brother to receive him and show him around. I¡¯m not going!¡±

 Chapter 1154 - 1154 Side Story, Agreed Secretly (4)

    Chapter 1154 Side Story, Agreed Secretly (4)


    ¡°You!¡± Mr. Feng¡¯s face turned cold. ¡°You have to go!¡±


    Mr. Feng had never spoken harshly to Feng Anning since she was young, but today, he did not show her any respect in front of the servants. Feng Anning felt sad and aggrieved, so she stood up and said, ¡°Father, our family is not short of money. You don¡¯t have to sell your daughter. I haven¡¯t seen this cousin for many years. If you don¡¯t find it awkward, I do! I¡¯m not going. Whoever wants to go can go.¡±


    After becoming friends with Luo Tan, she was influenced and would speak what was on her mind without giving it a thought.


    Mr. Feng suddenly stood up and slapped Feng Anning¡¯s face.


    Feng Anning was stunned, and her face was burning with pain. She stared at Mr. Feng in disbelief, but Mr. Feng did not even bat an eye. He said, ¡°Go back to your room and reflect on yourself. I don¡¯t want others to know that the Feng family has raised such a shameless daughter!¡±


    The surrounding servants were shocked.


    Mr. Feng had never resorted to violence on Feng Anning. Once, the teacher of Guangwen Hall hit Feng Anning in the palm for not doing her homework. When Mr. Feng saw the mark on Feng Anning¡¯s hand, he went to Guangwen Hall to confront that teacher. Now, he was the one who slapped Feng Anning.


    Feng Anning burst out crying and ran out of the door. She ran back to her room and closed the door. She threw herself on the bed and cried.


    She had only seen that distant cousin once when she was young. That cousin was a little older than her and was good at writing poems. However, Feng Anning saw with her own eyes how he, who was still young, kissed his maid.


    Feng Anning felt extremely disgusted and even told her family about this. However, the Feng family felt that she was wrong and refused to believe her. Feng Anning hated her cousin even more. S~ea??h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Not to mention receiving him, she did not even want to see him. Moreover, Feng Anning was not a three-year-old child, so she naturally understood what his father was up to. Mr. Feng clearly wanted to matchmake her with this ugly cousin.


    The more Feng Anning cried, the sadder she felt. The man she liked did not like her. He probably even felt that she was a burden. On the other hand, her father and brother wanted her to spend the rest of her life with the person she hated. Shen Miao and Luo Tan had both left the capital, and she had no one to talk to. She felt aggrieved. Now that her father hit her, Feng Anning really felt that her life was not worth living.


    However, she was arrogant, willful, and very stubborn. She even started to go on a hunger strike to protest. In short, she refused to give in and see that disgusting cousin.


    If it were in the past, her hunger strike would have made the entire family panic, but this time, it did not work. Mr. Feng even became more determined.


    When Feng Zixian found out about this, he went to comfort her.


    Feng Zixian said, ¡°Sister, don¡¯t blame Father. There¡¯s nothing he can do now. The situation in the capital is unstable, and our family is in danger. Father wants you to get married as soon as possible. Cousin Cao is rich and powerful. If you marry him, you won¡¯t have to worry about food and clothes. Moreover, he¡¯s talented and good-looking. He¡¯s our relative. He won¡¯t treat you badly in the future. I know you feel aggrieved, but now is different from the past. In the past, you could choose someone you like, but now¡­ Anning, bear with it. Father has no choice. Marrying Cousin Cao is better than marrying someone we don¡¯t know.¡±

 Chapter 1155 - 1155 Side Story, Agreed Secretly (5)

    Chapter 1155 Side Story, Agreed Secretly (5)


    Feng Anning was stunned when she heard that. No one had ever told her this. Recently, she saw that everyone in the Feng family was busy and felt that it was strange. However, every time she asked, she was brushed off by Mr. Feng.


    She asked, ¡°Brother, what do you mean? Is the Feng family going to be in danger?¡± Without waiting for Feng Zixian to answer, she continued, ¡°If the Feng family is really in danger, as the daughter of the Feng family, how can I stand by and do nothing? Does Father want to marry me off so that I won¡¯t be implicated? I can¡¯t accept this. Since we¡¯re family, we have to face it together!¡±


    Feng Zixian sighed and said, ¡°Sister, many things are not as simple as you think. It¡¯s naturally good that you want to go through thick and thin with the Feng family, but how can Father and Mother bear to do that? You¡¯ve been pampered since you were young. We don¡¯t want anything to happen to you. Moreover, there are many people with ulterior motives. What if they use you to threaten the Feng family?¡± After a pause, Feng Zixian said with difficulty, ¡°Not only will you not be of any help if you stay in the Feng family, but you will also distract Father and Mother and even become the Feng family¡¯s weakness. If you marry into the Cao family, not only will Father and Mother be at ease, but the Cao family might also be able to help us.¡±


    Feng Anning did not speak for a long time.


    ¡°Anning¡­¡± Seeing that she was silent, Feng Zixian was a little worried.


    ¡°Brother, I¡¯m fine.¡± She took a deep breath and smiled at Feng Zixian. ¡°Let me think about it.¡±


    Seeing that she did not want to say anything, Feng Zixian knew that it was difficult for Feng Anning to accept this sudden change, so he did not say anything and left.


    After Feng Zixian left, Feng Anning looked at the bronze mirror in a daze, her hands trembling.


    Feng Anning never expected this day to come, nor did she expect herself to be a burden to her family. S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    When she was young, she was too naive and did not know that nothing was guaranteed. The blessed life she enjoyed for the first half of her life had to be repaid with an uncertain future.


    She was caught in a dilemma between her happiness and her family.


    Feng Anning thought to herself, back then, when Shen Miao was protecting the Shen family, she was restricted. Did she also face this kind of dilemma?


    She looked at herself in the mirror. Could a young and willful girl like her shoulder such a huge responsibility?


    Feng Anning thought to herself that she could not continue to be willful and let her family protect her.


    Anyway¡­ the person she liked did not like her.


    but when she had to suffer, they hoped that she would suffer as little as possible.


    Feng Anning made up her mind.


    ¡­


    Feng Anning¡¯s change shocked everyone.


    She agreed to Mr. Feng and decided to try to meet Young Master Cao and chat with him. Perhaps she would become his wife in the future.


    The Feng family had no choice. Among the few choices they had, this one seemed to be the only one that could make Feng Anning¡¯s life easier. If possible, they did not want Feng Anning to suffer at all, but when she had to suffer, they hoped that she would suffer as little as possible.


    Feng Anning¡¯s change was not only her attitude towards her cousin, but also her personality. It was as if she had changed into a different person overnight and became a little taciturn. To outsiders, she had become sensible and gentle, but in the eyes of the Feng family, they knew that she was very sad. However, every time they asked Feng Anning, Feng Anning only smiled and said she was fine.

 Chapter 1156 - 1156 Side Story, Agreed Secretly (6)

    Chapter 1156 Side Story, Agreed Secretly (6) S§×ar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Young Master Cao was very satisfied with Feng Anning. After all, Feng Anning was born beautiful. Now that her personality had changed, she was even more likable. He quite liked her.


    In the blink of an eye, it was almost time to discuss marriage.


    Feng Anning sat in the room and looked at the flowers and plants outside in a daze.


    She suddenly heard her personal maid rush over and say, ¡°Not good, not good, Miss!¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡± Feng Anning asked.


    ¡°Young Master Cao was beaten up in the Drunken Immortal Restaurant!¡± The maid said, ¡°He was beaten up by Eldest Young Master Shen.¡±


    Feng Anning originally did not pay attention to what the maid said, but when she heard the latter part of the sentence, she could not help but be shocked and ask, ¡°Who hit him?¡±


    ¡°Eldest Young Master Shen, Fifth Miss Shen¡¯s brother!¡± The maid was so anxious that tears were about to fall. ¡°Young Master Cao is making a fuss in the mansion and saying that he wants to cancel the marriage.¡±


    ¡­


    When Feng Anning arrived at the hall, she saw Mrs. Feng and Mr. Feng persuading Young Master Cao. Young Master Cao looked angry. When he saw Feng Anning, he immediately rushed over.


    Only then did Feng Anning see that Young Master Cao¡¯s face was Seeing this, Young Master Cao flew into a rage out of humiliation. He pointed at her nose and scolded, ¡°Since you¡¯ve already had an bruised, as if he had been beaten up quite badly. Especially the two dark circles under his eyes, she couldn¡¯t help but laugh.


    Seeing this, Young Master Cao flew into a rage out of humiliation. He pointed at her nose and scolded, ¡°Since you¡¯ve already had an affair with Shen Qiu, why did you agree to marry me? Are you trying to make a cuckold of me?¡±


    ¡°Shut up!¡± Mr. Feng¡¯s expression darkened. Young Master Cao¡¯s words were really unpleasant. Although he wanted Feng Anning to marry over, it didn¡¯t mean he was ok with someone humiliating Feng Anning like this.


    Feng Anning stopped smiling and said, ¡°Young Master Cao, be careful with your words. I thought someone raised in a good family will not believe in gossip easily. It turns out that I was wrong.¡±


    Young Master Cao sneered and said, ¡°Why are you acting like you are better than me? If not for the fact that you have an affair with him, why would he stand up for you for no reason?¡±


    Stand up for her?


    Feng Anning frowned. Feng Zixian asked, ¡°Ah Nuo, tell us what exactly happened?¡±


    Ah Nuo was a servant of the Feng family. Because Young Master Cao was temporarily living in the Feng mansion and was not familiar with the capital, Feng Zixian asked Ah Nuo to accompany Young Master Cao.


    Ah Nuo stepped forward and looked at Young Master Cao with fear before slowly recounting what happened.


    It turned out that although Young Master Cao looked like he was a person who adhered to etiquette, he was quite a playboy in private. He wanted to marry Feng Anning because Feng Anning¡¯s family background and appearance were quite compatible. However, although Young Master Cao did not have any concubines, he had slept with many women.


    When he was drinking in the Drunken Immortal Restaurant, a group of friends he knew in the capital asked him, ¡°Young Master Cao, I heard that the daughter of the Feng family is arrogant and willful. Won¡¯t she stop you from going out to have fun in the future?¡±


    ¡°What kind of joke is that?¡± Young Master Cao replied, ¡°It¡¯s only right for a man to socialize outside. Moreover, she should be grateful that I¡¯m willing to marry her. Not every woman can enter the Cao family. If not for the fact that she¡¯s docile and obedient, she wouldn¡¯t have the chance to marry me.¡±


    ¡°Docile and obedient? Didn¡¯t they say that Miss Feng is arrogant and domineering?¡±


    Young Master Cao smiled smugly. ¡°She probably knows that her family is not doing that well now and has been restraining her temper. If she continues to be like this, I will consider giving her more love. Hahaha.¡±

 Chapter 1157 - 1157 Side Story, Agreed Secretly (7)

    Chapter 1157 Side Story, Agreed Secretly (7)


    Young Master Cao was talking happily when he suddenly saw a person striding over from the side. Before he could react, he was punched and knocked to the ground. That person beat Young Master Cao up until he cried for help. He then heard the person say, ¡°The Feng family is really bad at choosing sons-in-law! How can such a weakling like you marry Miss Feng?¡±


    The surrounding people were stunned. Young Master Cao had been humiliated and beaten up. He was furious. When he asked his friends who it was, he found out that it was Eldest Young Master Shen, Shen Qiu. He could not afford to offend Shen Qiu, so he came back to make things difficult for the Feng family.


    When Mr. and Mrs. Feng heard this, they were so angry that their faces turned ashen. They were not angry with Shen Qiu, but with Young Master Cao¡¯s behavior. At first, they thought that he was a decent man. If not for what happened today, they would not have known that Young Master Cao was like this in private. Since he looked down on Feng Anning, why did he come over to propose marriage? If Feng Anning really married him, wouldn¡¯t her life be miserable? How could they expect someone who didn¡¯t even respect Feng Annniang to love and protect her for the rest of her life?


    Mr. Feng was furious. ¡°I think you really deserve a beating. Since you look down on the Feng family so much, get lost!¡±


    Young Master Cao was stunned and said in disbelief, ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear my father? My father told you to get lost,¡± Feng Anning said coldly. She did not hide the disgust in her eyes. Many years ago, she had already seen this maid taking advantage of his maid and no longer had any expectations about him. If not for the fact that she wanted to help the Feng family, she would not compromise. Since they had already fallen out, there was nothing else to say.


    She actually felt a little delighted.


    Young Master Cao wanted to say something, but he was already chased out by Feng Zixian.


    When Mrs. Feng looked at Feng Anning, her heart ached at the thought that she almost pushed her daughter into a fire pit.


    Feng Anning¡¯s marriage was eventually canceled.


    ¡­


    Without having to deal with her disgusting cousin, Feng Anning¡¯s life was much easier. She was no longer as stubborn as before and decided to let nature take its course.


    However, she did not expect to meet Shen Qiu on the street.


    She was a little hesitant and did not know what to say. She was embarrassed, clumsy, and nervous, looking nothing like her usual self.


    Shen Qiu walked over.


    He was tall and well-built. Compared to those soft young masters, he looked like he was made of iron.


    She panicked for a moment and blurted out, ¡°Why did you hit Young Master Cao?¡±


    Shen Qiu frowned and said, ¡°He deserved it.¡±


    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t have hit him.¡± Feng Anning shook her head. ¡°We are living in a time of uncertainty. If he resents us because of this, he might stab us on the back¡­¡± In fact, she did not know why she said this. She was just panicking and wanted to say something to ease it.


    Shen Qiu stared at her. ¡°If I didn¡¯t hit him, would you marry such a person?¡±


    Feng Anning was stunned for a moment before saying softly, ¡°Maybe. There¡¯s nothing wrong with that.¡± S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Nothing wrong?¡± There was a trace of anger in Shen Qiu¡¯s tone. He said, ¡°Are you willing to marry that kind of coward who seeks fun outside and belittles his fiancee?¡±


    Feng Anning looked up at him. ¡°What does this have to do with you, Deputy General Shen?¡±


    ¡°Before Jiaojiao left, she told me to take good care of you. If she finds out that you married such a scum, she will be angry.¡± Shen Qiu said, ¡°Of course it has something to do with me.¡±


    Feng Anning said, ¡°Thank you for your concern, Deputy General Shen, but times are different now. In the capital, there are very few families who dare to marry me at this juncture. I don¡¯t have much of a choice, but thank you for your kindness.¡±


    Shen Qiu was stunned.


    After saying that, Feng Anning bowed to him and turned to leave.


    She had always been buoyant and proud, like a fierce horse galloping through the grassland, but now, her back was hunched, and there was no light in her eyes.


    For some reason, Shen Qiu felt uncomfortable. He felt that the arrogant little girl had grown up at some point. However, her growth was forced and made people feel sorry for her.


    He suddenly strode forward and grabbed Feng Anning¡¯s arm, pulling her back.


    Feng Anning turned around and looked at him in surprise.


    Shen Qiu looked into her eyes. In an instant, he made a decision. A decision that would make him smile when he thought of it for his entire life.


    He said, ¡°Of course you have a choice. What do you think of me?¡±


    Feng Anning¡¯s eyes widened.


    ¡°Do you think I¡¯m better than that Cao guy?¡± he repeated.


    Generals were straightforward, passionate, and sincere.


    Feng Anning immediately blushed.


    She said, ¡°Is this considered a marriage proposal?¡±


    This time, it was Shen Qiu¡¯s turn to be stunned.


    Shen Qiu looked her firmly in the eyes. ¡°Yes.¡±

 Chapter 1158 - 1158: Side Story, A Long Journey (1)

    Chapter 1158: Side Story, A Long Journey (1)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    When Shi Wu and Chu Yi were 18 years old, Emperor Xiao Jing stepped down.


    This was really beyond everyone¡¯s expectations. Emperor Xiao Jing was in his prime and was in good health. He didn¡¯t have to step down so early.


    However, all these years, Emperor Xiao Jing and Empress Shen were really ¡°willful¡±. Throughout history, there was definitely no such a palace where there was no one in the harem except the empress. It was not that the officials had not thought of a way to thrust beauties on Emperor Xiao Jing, but all these beauties, including the ones related to the beauties, were all taught a lesson. S§×arch* The Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Empress Shen¡¯s status remained unshakable


    Chu Yi was called Xie Shu, and Shi Wu was called Xie Wu. Not long after the children turned one year old, just as they were about to give names to the two children, Daoist Priest Chi Yan came out of nowhere and said that the birth of the two children was very difficult. In order to grow up safely, they had to have a girl i s name instead. Therefore, Xie Jingxing gave the two children such names.


    After Xie Shu and Xie Wu grew up and became sensible, they often quarreled with Xie Jingxing for giving them such names. However, even Shen Miao, who was easy to talk to, refused to change their names. Gradually, they got used to it.


    Xie Shu was like Shen Miao. He was steady and sensible. Xie Wu was just like


    Xie Jingxing. Every day, he would wander about the streets and alleys, looking like a playful young master. However, those who were familiar with him knew that Xie Wu was even more scheming than Xie Jingxing.


    However, the two brothers were extremely close. Xie Shu was the crown prince and was about to ascend the throne, while Xie Wu became Prince Dian.


    The officials all submitted memorials, saying that Xie Jingxing should not have stepped down so early. Xie Shu was still young and could not hold the fort.


    However, when did Xie Jingxing ever listen to the officials? He had already made up his mind to step down and wouldn¡¯t change his mind simply because of a few memorials.


    Shen Miao was calm about it. At first, many people wanted to find fault with her. However, after she became the empress, she handled everything flawlessly, as if she had been an empress for many years.


    At this moment, Xie Jingxing was talking to his two sons.


    Heavens seemed to bless him especially generously. Even though his two sons had already grown into handsome young men, he was still as handsome as ever. However, compared to the sharpness he exhibited more than ten years ago, the current Xie Jingxing was more like a sheathed sword, gentle but still dangerous.


    He lectured his two sons casually, ¡°Shu, Wu, I¡¯ll leave this entire country to you. Manage it well. Don¡¯t make me come back to clean up the mess.¡±


    In private, he had never put up the air of an emperor in front of his two sons. Xie Jingxing did not want to be estranged from his sons. Perhaps it was because he had experienced it himself that he was more careful and sensitive about maintaining a close relationship with his sons.


    Xie Shu agreed calmly. On the other hand, Xie Wu said lazily, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, we¡¯re not that stupid.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s easier said than done.¡± Xie Jingxing raised his eyebrows. ¡°Don¡¯t underestimate those old foxes in the imperial court. When I ascended the throne, they kept finding fault with me. Now that you are going to take over my place, they will do it again. You are still too young, but they are all sly. Don¡¯t be too confident..¡±

 Chapter 1159 - 1159: Side Story, A Long Journey (2)

    Chapter 1159: Side Story, A Long Journey (2)


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    ¡°Father, don¡¯t worry.¡± Xie Shu¡¯s expression did not change at all. ¡°I can handle it.


    ¡°After all, a sly old fox is just a fox. Brother is a tiger.¡± Xie Wu snorted. ¡°Besides, if Brother really can¡¯t handle it, I can also help him.¡±


    ¡°You?¡± Xie Jingxing narrowed his eyes. ¡°Shu, keep an eye on this brat! Don¡¯t let him cause trouble.¡±


    Xie Shu had never made his parents worried since he was young. He was very calm and mature. On the other hand, Xie Wu gave people a headache. He had caused countless troubles in Long Ye.


    Fortunately, Xie Shu would always help Xie Wu clean up the mess. However, later on, when Xie Shu became the crown prince, he had to mind his every move, so it was not appropriate for him to help Xie Wu like before. Xie Wu could only rely on himself. What he did every day was get into trouble and make up for it.


    Now that Xie Jingxing was about to go on a long journey with Shen Miao, Xie Jingxing knew what was on Xie Wu¡¯s mind without thinking. Xie Wu was probably thinking, ¡°Alright, I¡¯m almost done dealing with the young ones in Long ye. It¡¯s time to deal with the old fellows.¡±


    Xie Wu said innocently, ¡°Father, how can you not believe me? Am I that kind of person? As the emperor, it will be inconvenient for Brother to deal with people. That¡¯s when I can come in and use ruthless methods to help him get rid of them. Brother, right?¡± He winked at Xie Shu.


    Xie Shu turned his head away expressionlessly.


    Xie Jinp<ing smiled. ¡®I think I should get Tie Yi and MO Qing to keep an eye on you.¡±


    ¡°Father, you cant do that!¡± Xie Wu immediately said. However, after thinking for a moment, he continued indifferently, ¡°But if you want to do this, do it.


    Anyway, MO Qing and Tie Yi combined are not my match.¡±


    Xie Jingxing slammed the table. ¡°Little brat, are you trying to rebel?¡±


    As soon as he finished speaking, he heard someone outside the door say, ¡°Who wants to rebel?¡±


    Shen Miao walked in.


    She really did not look like the mother of two children. Instead, after so many years, she looked like a jade that had been polished and looked even more shining.


    Xie Shu and Xie Wu quickly greeted her.


    Shen Miao walked over and glared at Xie Jingxing. ¡°Are you talking nonsense to your son again?


    ¡°Shu, Wu, at the beginning, there will definitely be many officials going against you. It¡¯s not that theyre bad, but at the beginning, every new emperor will all experience this. Dont mind them. Shu, you just have to do what you have to do. If there are really stubborn people, Wu, you¡¯ve always been smart and know what to do.¡±


    She actually encouraged Xie Wu to use some ¡°special methods¡±. S§×arch* The N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    As expected, Xie Wu became excited. ¡°I knew Mother knows me best!


    ¡°Wife!¡± Xie Jingxing said, ¡°Isn¡¯t this too early?¡±


    ¡°Did you forget how ruthless you were at Wu¡¯s age? Shu, I¡¯m not worried about your ability. I have nothing to remind you of. If you meet a girl you like, don¡¯t hesitate.¡±


    Xie Shu was speechless.


    Xie Wu said, ¡°That¡¯s right. Brother, it¡¯s time for you to find me a sister-in-law!¡±


    ¡°And you.¡± Shen Miao stared at him. ¡°Behave yourself. Don¡¯t think I don¡¯t know how many girls in Long Ye have been teased by you. If you don¡¯t like them, don¡¯t tease them.¡± At the mention of this, Shen Miao was furious. She glared at Xie Jingxing again, like father like son.


    Xie Jingxing rubbed his nose as if he didn¡¯t hear it.


    Seeing that the topic was about him, Xie Wu quickly changed the topic and said, ¡°Mother, by the way, how long are you going to travel for?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll come back when your mother is pregnant with your little sister,¡± Xie Jingxing interrupted.


    ¡°No way.¡± Xie Wu said exaggeratedly, ¡°You¡¯re already so old¡­ 2 ¡® The rest of his words were choked back by Shen Miao¡¯s stern gaze.


    ¡°When I¡¯m done seeing good scenery, I¡¯ll naturally come home,¡± Shen Miao said.


    That was her dream when she was young. In the past, for various reasons, she had no choice but to put it on hold. Fortunately, she still had a chance now. Her life was still very long.


    Xie Shu smiled and said, ¡°Father, Mother, don¡¯t worry. I won¡¯t let you down..¡±

 Chapter 1160 - 1160: Side Story, Making A Scapegoat of His Son

    Chapter 1160: Side Story, Making A Scapegoat of His Son


    Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    When Xie Shu and Xie Wu were ten years old, some of the officials in the court were tempted and submitted a memorial to Emperor Xiao Jing, saying that it was time to add new people to the harem.


    Logically speaking, Xie Jingxing should have been tired of having only one woman by his side after so many years. The officials thought that it was just the right time to add some women to the harem.


    When Luo Tan heard this, she rushed to the palace with Feng Anning angrily and said, ¡°Are these people rebelling? Why do they care so much about other people¡¯s family matters? Dont they have a family of their own to take care of?¡± S§×ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    More than ten years had passed, but Luo Tan¡¯s hot-tempered personality had not changed. This was probably because Gao Yang indulged her. It was rare for people to remain unchanged for many years. Luo Tan also had a son called Gao Zicheng who was two years younger than Xie Shu and Xie Wu. Gao Zicheng resembled Gao Yang both in appearance and personality. He was obedient on the surface, but he loved to do bad things with Xie Wu. Luo Tan said, ¡°Cousin, why dont we get someone to beat up these people so that they wont dare to be nosy in the future?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not that simple.¡± Feng Anning said, ¡°It¡¯s not something Miao can handle alone. In my opinion, Xie Jingxing is to blame. Those officials won¡¯t shut up unless he makes it clear.¡±


    Feng Anning had changed from an arrogant lady to a calm and collected madam. Back then, because of that incident, Feng Anning grew up a lot overnight. After living with Shen Qju for a long time, she was naturally influenced by him.


    She had a daughter who was only six years old now. Her name was Shen Shu.


    She usually followed behind Xie Shu, Xie Wu, and Gao Zicheng and called them ¡°Brother¡± non-stop. Shen Shu t s personality was not like Feng Anning¡¯s, nor was she like Shen Qju¡¯s. She was so sweet that it made people want to dote on her.


    Luo Tan said, ¡°I think Brother-in-law has already done a good job, but those officials feel that their daughter is as beautiful as a fairy. No matter what, they wont give up on the thought of sending their daughter to the palace. Cousin is a virtuous and magnanimous empress, but these people still try to find fault with her. Hey, Cousin, why arent you saying anything? Why are you still in the mood to drink tea?¡±


    Shen Miao¡¯s expression did not change. She held the teacup and took a sip. She said, ¡°When it¡¯s going to rain, it will rain. What can I do?¡±


    She was really not anxious at all.


    After so many years, Shen Miao did not age. Instead, she became even more beautiful. She was like a jade artifact that had been carefully nurtured by someone, becoming more and more lustrous and beautiful. Her personality was also becoming calmer and calmer, and she rarely got angry. It was as if the girl who used to scheme against others had disappeared.


    Seeing her like this, Luo Tan said dejectedly, ¡°You¡¯re really broad-minded. Didn¡¯t you think that if Brother-in-law is bewitched and really takes in a consort, you¡¯ll see him less often in the harem? If Gao Yang dares to do this, I¡¯ll immediately divorce him. But you¡¯re different. You can¡¯t divorce him easily. Are you going to hold your anger in?¡±


    Shen Miao did not take it seriously. She smiled and said, ¡°If he really wants to take beauties into the palace, I¡¯ll go and find gigolos. There are many beautiful men in the world too.¡±


    Luo Tan and Feng Anning were dumbfounded..

 Chapter 1161 - 1161: Side Story, Making A Scapegoat of His Son 2

    Chapter 1161: Side Story, Making A Scapegoat of His Son 2


    Translator: I-lenyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations


    ¡°Cousin!¡± Luo Tan slapped her thigh. ¡°I knew you werent a pushover. I¡¯ll do the same to Gao Yang if he dares to take women back. It¡¯s not like I cant find another man.¡±


    Feng Anning was caught between laughter and tears.


    ¡°Dont worry.¡± Shen Miao comforted them. ¡°I¡¯ll be fine. Those officials have been targeting me for a long time. When have they ever succeeded? Who said that women should be virtuous? It¡¯s just a shackle given to women by the world. If he treats me well, I¡¯ll treat him well with all my heart. If he doesnt treat me well, I won¡¯t hesitate to abandon him.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± Luo Tan nodded.


    The two of them chatted with Shen Miao for a while. Seeing that Shen Miao did not seem to take this matter to heart, they were relieved. After Luo Tan and Feng Anning left, Xie Shu and Xie Wu came to look for Shen Miao.


    ¡°Mother, are aunties looking for you because those officials wanted to send their daughter to the palace?¡± Xie Wu said as soon as he entered the hall. He had a lively personality and had already learned a lot of bad things from Xie Jingxing at a young age.


    Xie Shu reprimanded, ¡°Brother, dont spout nonsense.¡±


    Xie Wu said, ¡®Mother, you can¡¯t agree to let other women enter the harem.¡±


    Shen M_iao was amused by him and asked, ¡°I wonder what your father will feel if he finds out that his son is sticking his nose in his harem.¡±


    ¡°If those strange women enter the palace, I will be worried. Mother is powerful, and those women are not your match. However, if those women use some method to get pregnant with a son, they will probably target Elder Brother. You know that Elder Brother is an upright person and disdains these dirty tricks.


    When the time comes, it wont be a small matter.¡±


    Xie Shu was extremely helpless. ¡°Second Brother, stop spouting nonsense.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re actually thinking ahead for your brother.¡± Shen Miao smiled and said, ¡°Shu hasnt said anything yet.¡±


    ¡°Mother.¡± Xie Shu said, ¡°Although Second Brother is spouting nonsense, I also think that if possible, it¡¯s better not to let any women enter the palace. Back then, in order to be with Father, you suffered a lot. Father also promised you that he would only be with you for the rest of your life. I don¡¯t want you to be sad.¡±


    Shen Miao looked at her two sons and couldnt help but feel sad. Back then, after giving birth to Xie Shu and Xie Wu, she fell into a deep sleep for a year. It was probably because of this that after they grew up, Xie Shu and Xie Wu were especially close to her. No matter what happened, they would always stand on her side.


    ¡°I know. I¡¯ll handle this matter.¡± Shen Miao smiled. ¡°Dont worry. Everything will be fine.¡± sea??h th§× NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°But Father hasnt made it clear yet that he doesnt want to have any other women.¡± Xie Wu said, ¡°Mother, aren¡¯t you worried at all?¡±


    ¡°Wu, if you still question your father¡¯s loyalty, I¡¯ll tell him,¡± Shen Miao replied with a smile.


    Xie Wu cleared his throat. ¡°Well¡­ I naturally believe in Father. Mother, then I wont disturb you anymore¡­ Take your time¡­ If you have any problems that you cant solve, call us.¡± Xie Wu pulled Xie Shu and ran away.


    Shen Miao looked at their backs and couldnt help but rub her forehead. She really didn¡¯t take this matter to heart, but others were worried for her. Over the past few days, Shen Xin, Luo Xueyan, Feng Anning, Luo Tan, and Ji Yushu had all come to look for her and told her seriously that this matter couldn¡¯t be tolerated. As a matter of fact, she couldnt be bothered with these things. If Xie Jingxing really wanted to have other women in the harem, she wouldnt be able to stop him. Of course, although she couldn¡¯t stop him, she wouldnt let it develop either.


    At night, Shen M_iao sat in the Palace of Earthly Tranquility and read. The autumn day was very cool. As she read, she felt that someone was standing behind her. Without looking back, Shen Miao knew who it was. As expected, the next moment, Xie Jingxing¡¯s voice sounded in her ear. ¡°Shen Jiaojiao, it¡¯s already so late.. What are you reading?¡¯

 Chapter 1162 - 1162: Side Story, Making A Scapegoat of His Son 2

    Chapter 1162: Side Story, Making A Scapegoat of His Son 2


    Translator: Henyee Translations  Editor: Henyee Translations


    ¡°Cousin!¡± Luo Tan slapped her thigh. ¡°I knew you weren¡¯t a pushover. I¡¯ll do the same to Gao Yang if he dares to take women back. It¡¯s not like I can¡¯t find another man.¡±


    Feng Anning was caught between laughter and tears.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡± Shen Miao comforted them. ¡°I¡¯ll be fine. Those officials have been targeting me for a long time. When have they ever succeeded? Who said that women should be virtuous? It¡¯s just a shackle given to women by the world. If he treats me well, I¡¯ll treat him well with all my heart. If he doesn¡¯t treat me well, I won¡¯t hesitate to abandon him.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± Luo Tan nodded.


    The two of them chatted with Shen Miao for a while. Seeing that Shen Miao did not seem to take this matter to heart, they were relieved. After Luo Tan and Feng Anning left, Xie Shu and Xie Wu came to look for Shen Miao.


    ¡°Mother, are aunties looking for you because those officials wanted to send their daughter to the palace?¡± Xie Wu said as soon as he entered the hall. He had a lively personality and had already learned a lot of bad things from Xie Jingxing at a young age.


    Xie Shu reprimanded, ¡°Brother, don¡¯t spout nonsense.¡±


    Xie Wu said, ¡°Mother, you can¡¯t agree to let other women enter the harem.¡±


    Shen Miao was amused by him and asked, ¡°I wonder what your father will feel if he finds out that his son is sticking his nose in his harem.¡±


    ¡°If those strange women enter the palace, I will be worried. Mother is powerful, and those women are not your match. However, if those women use some method to get pregnant with a son, they will probably target Elder Brother. You know that Elder Brother is an upright person and disdains these dirty tricks. When the time comes, it won¡¯t be a small matter.¡±


    Xie Shu was extremely helpless. ¡°Second Brother, stop spouting nonsense.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re actually thinking ahead for your brother.¡± Shen Miao smiled and said, ¡°Shu hasn¡¯t said anything yet.¡±


    ¡°Mother.¡± Xie Shu said, ¡°Although Second Brother is spouting nonsense, I also think that if possible, it¡¯s better not to let any women enter the palace. Back then, in order to be with Father, you suffered a lot. Father also promised you that he would only be with you for the rest of your life. I don¡¯t want you to be sad.¡±


    Shen Miao looked at her two sons and couldn¡¯t help but feel sad. Back then, after giving birth to Xie Shu and Xie Wu, she fell into a deep sleep for a year. It was probably because of this that after they grew up, Xie Shu and Xie Wu were especially close to her. No matter what happened, they would always stand on her side.


    ¡°I know. I¡¯ll handle this matter.¡± Shen Miao smiled. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Everything will be fine.¡± S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°But Father hasn¡¯t made it clear yet that he doesn¡¯t want to have any other women.¡± Xie Wu said, ¡°Mother, aren¡¯t you worried at all?¡±


    ¡°Wu, if you still question your father¡¯s loyalty, I¡¯ll tell him,¡± Shen Miao replied with a smile.


    Xie Wu cleared his throat. ¡°Well¡­ I naturally believe in Father. Mother, then I won¡¯t disturb you anymore¡­ Take your time¡­ If you have any problems that you can¡¯t solve, call us.¡± Xie Wu pulled Xie Shu and ran away.


    Shen Miao looked at their backs and couldn¡¯t help but rub her forehead. She really didn¡¯t take this matter to heart, but others were worried for her. Over the past few days, Shen Xin, Luo Xueyan, Feng Anning, Luo Tan, and Ji Yushu had all come to look for her and told her seriously that this matter couldn¡¯t be tolerated. As a matter of fact, she couldn¡¯t be bothered with these things. If Xie


    Jingxing really wanted to have other women in the harem, she wouldn¡¯t be able to stop him. Of course, although she couldn¡¯t stop him, she wouldn¡¯t let it develop either.


    At night, Shen Miao sat in the Palace of Earthly Tranquility and read. The autumn day was very cool. As she read, she felt that someone was standing behind her. Without looking back, Shen Miao knew who it was. As expected, the next moment, Xie Jingxings voice sounded in her ear. ¡°Shen Jiaojiao, it¡¯s already so late.. What are you reading?¡±