“Shen family girl, does Jing Dianshi have a grudge against you?”

Shen Miao quietly looked at the youth before her.

His features were handsome yet emanated a powerful aura. Though his expression was carefree, he possessed a maturity beyond his years. It wasn’t displayed in his outward appearance, but rather gave one the feeling that if the sky were to fall, he would be there to shoulder it. Even in her previous life, whether in Qin country or the imperial palace, she had never seen such a transparent person. With just one sentence, he could penetrate to the very core of all matters.

Such an extraordinarily talented person had died prematurely—truly heaven’s envy of talent.

A flash of regret passed through her eyes, but when she spoke again, her tone was calm and even: “Yes.”

“Your chess game is quite circuitous.” Xie Jingxing’s gaze was scrutinizing. “Taking such a roundabout path just to usher Gao Yan into officialdom. Could it be that you want to disrupt Ming Qi’s official circles?”

Even though Shen Miao had lived two lifetimes, she couldn’t help but be inwardly startled. If previously Xie Jingxing had merely seemed excessively intelligent to her, quickly grasping a point, now this person seemed somewhat frightening.

Ordinary people see one step at a time, clever people see ten steps ahead, but Xie Jingxing’s seemingly ordinary question suggested he could see a thousand miles ahead with just one step. Such unmasked directness left her uncertain how to respond.

After a moment, she answered: “What concern is this to the young marquis?”

“This marquis doesn’t care about Ming Qi’s official circles, but Lin’an Marquis cannot be touched.” His tone contained a warning: “If you set your sights on the Lin’an Marquis household, don’t blame this marquis for being impolite.”

Shen Miao glanced at him. Xie Jingxing seemed to always display extreme disgust toward the Lin’an Marquis household, greatly enjoying opposing his father. Now it appeared he wasn’t completely disgusted; he likely still held the Lin’an Marquis household in his heart. Otherwise, in her previous life, he wouldn’t have ended up with a body pierced by countless arrows just to preserve the Lin’an Marquis household’s reputation.

That Xie Jingxing suspected she might target the Xie family was understandable. The Shen and Xie families had always been at odds, and moreover, her actions lately were incomprehensible to others. From an outsider’s perspective, it was indeed possible that the Shen family might trip up the Xie family.

“Marquis Xie can rest assured,” she spoke calmly, her tone as casual as if discussing the day’s weather. “The Xie and Shen families won’t interfere with each other, so naturally no incidents will arise. What Marquis Xie fears won’t happen. Life is but a few short decades, and fortunes rise and fall. The Xie family now views the Shen family as enemies, little knowing that in the future, they might share the same boat in storms, united against a common enemy.”

“Are you trying to curry favor with me?” Xie Jingxing raised an eyebrow.

“Yes,” Shen Miao said calmly.

Xie Jingxing examined the young lady before him. Since his birth, he had encountered countless women. When he was young, those women wanted to get close to his father; later, they started approaching him. Among these women, there were those as delicate as flowers, those of incomparable beauty, those skilled with swords, and those adept at strategy.

Xie Jingxing had met thousands of intelligent people, yet none had surprised him like the person before him.

Perhaps it was the intuition of someone who had experienced the clash of swords on the battlefield, but Xie Jingxing could smell the scent of blood from this young lady. Like a deep, still pool of water with a huge, ferocious beast lurking beneath. Though the surface was calm now, it was merely waiting for the right moment—when that day came to break through, there would surely be a bloody storm.

Although this seemed rather laughable—how much of a storm could a secluded daughter raise? But Xie Jingxing never underestimated his intuition.

The young lady was shrouded in a lotus-green brocade cloak, her pretty face frosted with coldness. Even in this lush plum forest, she stood with the presence of a nine-story palace. Noble, solitary, decisive, and unfathomably deep.

“So the Shen family has a clever person after all.” His words were quite sarcastic, but he still seriously said: “Since that’s the case, go ahead with your plans. Consider today’s encounter as watching a good show—don’t disappoint this marquis.” He straightened up and was about to turn and leave.

“Marquis Xie,” Shen Miao called after him.

“What else?” he stopped, asking without turning his head.

“The two concubine-born brothers of the Xie family will also participate in today’s examination,” Shen Miao said calmly. “Will Marquis Xie just let them be?”

The two concubine-born sons of the Xie family, Xie Changwu and Xie Changchao, born to Concubine Fang, were both second-year national school students. Xie Jingxing was also a third-year student at Guangwen Hall, though he naturally acted freely and casually—Guangwen Hall couldn’t constrain him, so they let him be. Otherwise, Xie Jingxing should have been participating in the examination today along with his two concubine-born brothers.

In her previous life, Xie Jingxing certainly hadn’t participated in the examination but had allowed his two concubine-born brothers to steal the limelight. To be fair, Xie Changwu and Xie Changchao were quite capable, ranking at the top in martial arts. Because of this, they caught the Emperor’s eye and were later deliberately promoted by Fu Xiuyi, serving by Fu Xiuyi’s side.

Shen Miao had always felt that both the Lin’an Marquis and his son were intelligent people, yet in her previous life, they had ended up with such a fate. Although the imperial family had provided posthumous compensation, the benefits had gone to Concubine Fang and her three sons. Thinking carefully, there were suspicious points. For instance, the downfall of the Shen family in her previous life was partly due to the Second and Third branches playing a role. Viewed this way, could it be that the Xie family also had internal problems?

“You don’t expect this marquis to go up and compete with them, do you?” Xie Jingxing turned his head, somewhat surprised: “Just as you competed with your sister?”

“Isn’t Marquis Xie’s situation the same as mine?” Shen Miao ignored the mockery in his words and said: “The deepest stabs come from those closest to you. I naturally understand that someone of Marquis Xie’s noble status wouldn’t deign to quibble with concubine-born sons. But a thousand-mile dike can collapse from an ant’s hole—seemingly insignificant things can be like venomous snakes lurking in the dark.” Her words were clear and deliberate, her tone clearly warning, though her eyes remained as clear as a child’s: “They must be cut off at the bud. They must never be allowed to sprout.”

“Compared to letting them shine with someone powerful supporting them, forever pretending to be brotherly and respectful, wouldn’t it be more satisfying to knock them down one by one, embarrass them in public, and not have to put on an act at home?”

Xie Jingxing’s heart stirred.

His mother was the noble Princess Yuqing. He didn’t want to quibble with the concubine-born sons, as people would not only say he lacked magnanimity but would also bring up his birth mother’s jealous nature, which had allegedly contributed to her death. He might not care about his reputation, but he would always protect Princess Yuqing’s name.

In the Lin’an Marquis household, he faced those three with cold eyes daily. Though the Lin’an Marquis favored him, it inevitably led to gossip from outsiders. Yet those three insisted on putting on a show of respectful submission and loving kindness, which disgusted him. He only wanted to watch these three acts from the sidelines, but Shen Miao’s words had stirred something within him.

If he extinguished their hopes, wouldn’t that be more satisfying? Openly tearing off their masks, making them too embarrassed to continue their annoying pretense of brotherly respect?

Shen Miao’s voice seemed to carry an enchantment. She said: “It’s been too long. Don’t endure it anymore.”

Don’t endure it anymore.

He looked down at the person just inches away. A faint fragrance emanated from the young lady, like her person, seemingly pure yet cold and heartless. Though he knew she was making this suggestion with ulterior motives, he couldn’t refuse.

He smiled, flicked his sleeve, and the begonia flower from her hair fell into his palm. In the next moment, where the begonia had been was now a small jade begonia.

He held the flower with a half-smile, his tone ambiguous: “You’re quite interesting. This flower is a reward for you. Your suggestion isn’t bad—thank you.”