On the second day, Shen Miao woke up late.

Xie Jingxing had arrived at the third watch yesterday. After talking with him, she was utterly exhausted and slept dreamlessly through the night. By the time she woke up, it was already quite late.

Shen Miao rarely slept in. Luo Xuenyan assumed she was tired from yesterday’s tribute banquet and had specially instructed the servants to save food for when Shen Miao awoke. Shen Xin and Luo Xuenyan had gone to the Ministry of War early in the morning. Having just been restored to his original position, many old matters needed attention. Shen Qiu and Luo Ling were not at home either. Since Luo Ling was looking for new employment, Shen Xin simply let Luo Ling assist Shen Qiu, which would also prevent others from bullying Luo Ling as a newcomer.

As a result, in this brand new “Shen Residence,” only Luo Tan and Shen Miao remained. Coincidentally, today Feng Anning had sent Shen Miao an invitation to accompany her to pick out some jewelry. Shen Miao sent Luo Tan instead, assigning several guards from the Shen family to accompany her, saying that she felt tired today and wanted to rest at home.

Luo Tan didn’t say anything more, just gave Shen Miao some reminders before leaving. After Luo Tan departed, Shen Miao had Mo Qing deliver a letter to Guangwen Hall. Mo Qing acknowledged with a sound and left.

After two years, the capital had undergone some changes. For instance, Liuying, who was once a popular red-card courtesan at Baoxiang Lou, had finally been redeemed by that devoted Young Master Mo for the high price of a thousand gold pieces. Though Liuying was gone, a long-lost double-sided embroidery technique had quietly appeared in the capital these past few years. A single piece of embroidered silk could sell for a hundred taels of silver. It was said that the embroiderer was not only exceptionally skilled but also beautiful. Consequently, the embroidery shop was earning money by the bushel.

Changing one’s way of life doesn’t necessarily make things worse. No one can know what new hope lies beyond taking that step.

Liuying was living well, so naturally, those who worried about her would be happy. Pei Lang was a man of his word. The moment Shen Miao saw Pei Lang at the tribute banquet, she had made up her mind. Pei Lang had already earned Fu Xiuyi’s trust, which was why Fu Xiuyi kept Pei Lang by his side. Although Fu Xiuyi was suspicious, which had intensified after becoming emperor, to be fair, the current Fu Xiuyi still greatly appreciated and treasured talents. Pei Lang was a man of great depth, and Fu Xiuyi would certainly try everything to keep him close.

Precisely because of this, now that Fu Xiuyi had verified Pei Lang’s talent, it was time to test Pei Lang’s loyalty. She couldn’t rashly go meet Pei Lang and risk Fu Xiuyi’s suspicion.

This pawn hadn’t yet crossed the river.

She said, “Bring out a cloak.”

Bailu and Shuangjiang were tidying the room and asked curiously, “Is Miss going out?”

Shen Miao said, “I have some matters to attend to.”

Bailu and Shuangjiang said nothing more. Guyu silently came forward to comb Shen Miao’s hair, while Jingzhe had already gone to fetch a cloak. Imperceptibly, all of Shen Miao’s maids immediately obeyed her commands. If anyone had observed this, they would certainly have been surprised—even palace-trained maids might not be so efficient and composed.

After leaving the residence, with Mo Qing gone to Guangwen Hall, Shen Miao called for A Zhi. Shen Miao had grown closer to Shen Qiu’s subordinates. Back in the Northwest, she had given Shen Qiu many tactical suggestions, which were ideas she had heard from Fu Xiuyi’s advisors before. She was merely copying others, but in the eyes of others, Shen Miao seemed divinely clever, with the talent of a general. Those rough military men admired Shen Miao’s intelligence and showed her considerable respect.

Shen Miao said to A Zhi, “Don’t tell anyone about today’s outing.”

A Zhi felt a jolt in his heart. His loyalty was originally to Shen Qiu, but now he felt pressured under Shen Miao’s clear gaze. He nodded, “Yes.”

A Zhi found an ordinary carriage for Shen Miao. This carriage wouldn’t attract attention, nor would anyone recognize it as belonging to the Shen family. The reason was simple: yesterday, Shen Miao had offended Princess Mingan from Qin State. Princess Mingan and Huangfu Hao were staying in Yanqing Lane, not far from here. If they happened to meet, and Princess Mingan caused trouble for Shen Miao, it would be disastrous. The princess was extremely arrogant, and Qin State had many guards. If something were to happen, it would be too late by the time Shen Xin and his wife arrived with reinforcements.

However, A Zhi was still puzzled. After leaving the capital for two years, if there was anyone in the capital who had a relationship with Shen Miao, it would be Feng Anning, the daughter of the Feng family. But today, Shen Miao had declined Feng Anning’s invitation, which meant she wasn’t going to see Feng Anning. A Zhi’s mind wandered, recalling the stories that Luo Tan used to tell from Luo Qian’s storybooks. His heart skipped a beat. If this were some romantic rendezvous between a young lady and a gentleman, A Zhi would risk his life to inform Shen Qiu. Their Shen family had finally produced such an accomplished young lady; how could they let her be taken away by some unknown young man?

Yet he never expected that Shen Miao’s destination was the Fengxian Pawnshop.

The Fengxian Pawnshop remained as quiet as it had been two years ago. After all, not everyone had treasures to pawn here.

Shen Miao alighted from the carriage, with A Zhi close behind. Jingzhe and Guyu also jumped down. Before A Zhi could take a good look, he saw that Shen Miao was already walking directly toward the pawnshop.

The shop attendant, who was still wiping dust from the table with a cloth, saw the four people approaching. The person in front wore a cloak, pulled down the hood, revealing a delicate face—clearly a well-bred young lady whose noble bearing was not to be underestimated. He smiled ingratiatingly, “Is the young lady here to pawn something?”

Shen Miao glanced at him. The shop attendant had been replaced. She had heard that after they went to Xiaochun City, the Fengxian Pawnshop had also closed for two years. It had only reopened recently, but she didn’t know if that Red Ling lady and Ji Yushu were still there. She said, “I’m looking for Red Ling.”

The attendant was startled and carefully examined Shen Miao again. Shen Miao looked at him calmly. The attendant hesitated briefly, then quickly said, “Please wait a moment, Miss.” He turned and disappeared into the back hall.

A moment later, a woman in red approached, followed by the previous attendant. Still dressed in red, she was quite charming, even more alluring than two years ago. Upon seeing Shen Miao, her eyes narrowed, and then she smiled, “It’s been a long time. The young lady has grown even more stunning—Red Ling can hardly keep her eyes open.”

These somewhat presumptuous words from Red Ling didn’t seem vulgar; rather, they conveyed a kind of straightforwardness. Shen Miao nodded slightly. Red Ling smiled again and said, “The usual rules. Please follow me, Miss, but…” She pointed at A Zhi with her delicate jade finger and coquettishly laughed, “This big fellow can’t come along.”

A Zhi was lively, unlike the cold Mo Qing. Being pointed at by such a charming proprietress made his face flush. Nevertheless, he insisted, “This subordinate will follow the young lady.”

“Wait here,” Shen Miao said. “I’m going to meet a friend. Jingzhe and Guyu will accompany me.” Her tone was firm, leaving A Zhi with no room to argue.

Red Ling, observing this, showed a trace of surprise in her eyes. She was probably surprised that Shen Miao, appearing so small and delicate, had her guards so well-trained and obedient. Whether it was Mo Qing or A Zhi, they both genuinely respected Shen Miao. A capable subordinate would naturally have some pride, but in front of Shen Miao, these men showed none.

Shen Miao was a capable person.

Red Ling led Shen Miao toward the small building of Linjiang Xian. Jingzhe and Guyu followed behind. Shen Miao asked, “I heard that the Fengxian Pawnshop only reopened recently. Two years ago…”

“Two years ago, the shopkeeper had family changes and closed the shop to return to his hometown. He only returned to the capital recently,” Red Ling smiled as she continued. “Come to think of it, you’re the first returning customer our pawnshop has met.”

Shen Miao considered this and smiled in response. When they arrived at the small building, as before, Red Ling settled her in an elegant room and said, “Red Ling will now call for the shopkeeper. Please sit and rest here, have some tea, and wait a moment.” With that, she left.

On the table were plums and tea, with incense wafting through the air. This elegant room was the same as before. For such a large establishment as the Fengxian Pawnshop to close for two years without renting the space to others truly showed the wealth and extravagance of a rich landlord.

Before Shen Miao could finish her cup of tea, she heard the sound of someone pushing the door open outside. She put down her teacup and saw a man enter, smiling, dressed in a jade-green gold-embroidered robe with birds and flowers, wearing a golden crown.

The man still had a baby face, though the passage of two years had given him some mature qualities of a young man. The mischievous look on his face remained unchanged, but… Shen Miao observed that Ji Yushu could wear such gaudy clothes so comfortably—this man was truly flamboyant to the extreme.

Ji Yushu pushed open the door and saw Shen Miao. His eyes lit up, and he did not attempt to hide his admiration, lavishly praising her: “I originally thought Miss Peony was the most beautiful lady I had ever seen, but now it seems Miss Shen is equally captivating. After not seeing you for two years, Miss Shen has become even more charming. I can’t find words to compliment you adequately.”

Seeing this, Jingzhe and Guyu both showed displeasure on their faces. Ji Yushu’s words were exactly what a lecher would say when trying to seduce a respectable young woman. However, such nonsense, paired with his innocent face, made it confusing whether he was deliberately playing dumb or simply speaking without thinking.

Shen Miao smiled slightly, “Shopkeeper Ji also seems more prosperous than before.” Her gaze swept over Ji Yushu’s gaudy clothes.

Ji Yushu sat down opposite Shen Miao, poured himself a cup of tea, and appeared quite happy, seemingly genuinely pleased with the reunion. He said, “I didn’t expect Miss Shen to still remember this old friend. Hearing that General Shen has just returned to the capital, yet Miss Shen doesn’t rush to see others but comes to the Fengxian Pawnshop—truly treating me as a trusted person. I am deeply moved.”

Shen Miao: “…” Just last night she had dealt with one presumptuous person, and now here came another. Shen Miao felt somewhat of a headache. Moreover, Ji Yushu spoke so earnestly; he truly believed that Shen Miao was this close to him.

Shen Miao cleared her throat lightly, “Actually, I came today to do business with Shopkeeper Ji. Having just returned to the capital, there are many things I’m not clear about, and I need to rely on the ‘All-Knowing One’.”

Ji Yushu was startled at first, then said, “Business? That’s easy. Whatever Miss Shen wants to know, the All-Knowing One will do his utmost. As for money, since Miss Shen and I are friends, I’ll give you a twenty percent discount.”

Jingzhe and Guyu rolled their eyes behind her. Ji Yushu managed such a large business—on the surface a pawnshop but dealing in information, a business that continuously generated silver once successful—and he was so stingy, offering only a twenty percent discount? Truly, there’s no merchant without deceit.

Shen Miao smiled slightly, “The money is no issue, but this information might not be easy to obtain.”

Ji Yushu said, “Miss Shen is truly joking. Back then, even the business of ‘creating’ news was accepted without hesitation by my Fengxian Pawnshop. What wouldn’t we dare to take on now?”

“But Shopkeeper Ji hasn’t been in Ming Qi for two years. The affairs of Ming Qi might be somewhat troublesome to investigate,” she said.

Ji Yushu smiled, his eyes revealing unmistakable pride: “Miss Shen shouldn’t underestimate the Fengxian Pawnshop. Although I haven’t been in the capital for two years, and the shop was closed, business still had to continue. Otherwise, where would the money come from to support a family? The All-Knowing One was still operating. After all, two years of harvest couldn’t be wasted. Please tell me, Miss Shen, what information do you need? My Fengxian Pawnshop will naturally serve you.”

Shen Miao smiled lightly, “Since Shopkeeper Ji says so, I’m reassured. Today, I want to make three business transactions, all buying information. The first… does Shopkeeper Ji know about the news of the young lord of the Lin’an Marquis Xie family dying in battle two years ago?”

Ji Yushu was stunned and looked at Shen Miao, “Why is Miss Shen inquiring about this?”

“The Xie family and my Shen family are both military families of the Ming Qi. Although the Lin’an Marquis and my father have different political views, warriors still respect each other. As the saying goes, ‘when the rabbit dies, the fox mourns.’ Young Lord Xie was a talented man of his generation, yet he died tragically on the battlefield. I feel regretful and want Shopkeeper Ji to help me investigate the traces of Young Lord Xie’s death, including the matter of collecting his remains.”

Ji Yushu took a sip of tea and smiled, “That’s easy, but everyone knows about Xie Jingxing’s death. To find something different won’t be easy. I can’t guarantee I’ll discover anything, as the dead are gone, and it’s been too long.”

“As long as Shopkeeper Ji does his best, it’s fine if you can’t find anything,” Shen Miao picked up the teapot, poured herself another cup of tea, and casually said, “For the second transaction, does Shopkeeper Ji know of an Imperial Physician in the Ming Qi palace called Gao Yang?”

“Pffft!” Ji Yushu spat out his tea. Shen Miao signaled to Jingzhe with her eyes, and Jingzhe quickly handed over a handkerchief.

Ji Yushu took the handkerchief and hurriedly wiped the water stains on his clothes, only to hear Shen Miao ask, “Shopkeeper Ji seems quite surprised?”

“Ahem,” Ji Yushu said, “Indeed, I am a bit surprised. Why would Miss Shen think of looking for an Imperial Physician from the palace?”

“I’m just doing a favor for someone,” Shen Miao said, looking at him. “Hasn’t Shopkeeper Ji heard this name before?”

Gao Yang shook his head, “This is the first time I’ve heard it. His medical skills must not be very distinguished, otherwise, he would already be famous throughout the land.” He looked at Shen Miao, somewhat troubled, “To be honest, how would you have connections with the palace? Although the All-Knowing One is in business, the palace involves too many forces, and we business people don’t like to take risks.”

Shen Miao looked at him without speaking, her calm gaze making Ji Yushu uncomfortable. Ji Yushu cleared his throat twice, and inexplicably, his voice lowered, “It’s not impossible, but it would cost more money…”

“Don’t worry about the money, Shopkeeper Ji,” Shen Miao smiled. “You won’t be short-changed.”

After Shen Miao’s first two business inquiries, Ji Yushu was already feeling nervous and weak. He gave a dry laugh and asked, “May I know what the third piece of information Miss Shen wants to buy?”

“The third transaction is somewhat difficult,” Shen Miao looked at him. “But I believe with Shopkeeper Ji’s abilities, it’s just a matter of time.”

Hearing this, Ji Yushu forced a smile, “Thank you for your confidence, Miss Shen, but… what could be so difficult that even you find it challenging?”

“I want to inquire about someone,” Shen Miao put down her teacup. “His Highness the Rui Prince of Da Liang.”

Ji Yushu’s hand holding the teacup trembled slightly, but his face maintained a profound expression, “Oh? Why would Miss Shen think to inquire about the Rui Prince? To my knowledge, this Rui Prince has just arrived in the capital. Even if there is an acquaintance, at most, Miss Shen could only see him at the tribute banquet. Could it be that Miss Shen, like those noble ladies, has fallen for the Rui Prince’s beauty and so specifically came to inquire?” Toward the end, Ji Yushu’s mood inexplicably improved, his voice changing from his previous low tone to one with rare excitement.

Jingzhe and Guyu were about to burst with anger behind her. If such nonsense from Ji Yushu were heard by outsiders, who knows what they would think of Shen Miao. But as servants couldn’t interrupt their master’s conversation, the two could only suppress their anger and look contemptuously at Ji Yushu.

Shen Miao calmly watched Ji Yushu’s excited, fidgety demeanor, and suddenly smiled, saying, “Yes, I also admire his unparalleled beauty.”

Ji Yushu was stunned. He suddenly opened his mouth wide, as if unable to believe it, pointing at Shen Miao and stammering, “Is-is-is this true?”

Shen Miao nodded and said seriously, “Yes, it’s true.”

Ji Yushu looked as if he had discovered some major secret, unable to contain his excitement. He chuckled a couple of times and said, “In that case, I will thoroughly investigate the Rui Prince’s situation for you… to see if there are any other young ladies around him.”

Shen Miao stood up and nodded to Ji Yushu, “Then thank you, Shopkeeper Ji. If you discover anything, please send a message to my residence, and I will naturally come to the Fengxian Pawnshop to meet with you.” She took out a piece of silver from her sleeve and placed it in front of Ji Yushu, “This is the deposit.”

Ji Yushu smiled, “Miss Shen is too polite. Between us, there’s no need to talk about deposits.” Even as he said this, he tucked the silver into his sleeve, causing Jingzhe and Guyu to roll their eyes at him again.

Shen Miao smiled, “Being paid for work is a natural law. However, Shopkeeper Ji must remember one thing.” Her expression was gentle, but her words carried a hint of sharpness, “The All-Knowing One’s business rule is authenticity. Since I’ve come to Shopkeeper Ji to inquire about news, naturally, I don’t wish to hear false information. The information must be completely true and, preferably, useful to me. Otherwise, if I spend money but get useless intelligence…” Shen Miao lowered her head and smiled, “It would ruin Shopkeeper Ji’s reputation, and business would become impossible, which would be terrible.”

Ji Yushu was stunned. Shen Miao had already called for Jingzhe and Guyu and was pushing open the door to leave. He remained dazed for a moment, hearing Red Ling laughing as she escorted Shen Miao away. He stared at the teacup in front of him and suddenly sneezed.

He rubbed his nose, stood up, walked to the adjacent room, pulled aside a landscape painting in front, behind which was a door. Ji Yushu opened the door, had just walked in when someone kicked him, nearly causing him to fall. He slammed the door shut and angrily shouted at the perpetrator, “Gao Yang!”

The person sitting behind the door was dressed in flowing white clothes, with an immortal-like bearing, waving a folding fan with a refined demeanor. However, his words weren’t so polite: “Ji Yushu, are you sick in the head? If you continue like this, you’ll be sold like a fool without even knowing it.”

Ji Yushu angrily retorted, “You’re so smart, yet you’ve been discovered too. She specifically said she was looking for Imperial Physician Gao!”

“Shut up.” The person in the corner finally couldn’t help but speak. Dressed in a magnificent purple gold robe, who else could it be but Xie Jingxing? He glanced at Ji Yushu, “Noisy.”

Ji Yushu felt wronged and said, “Third Brother, I didn’t know anything. I left the capital with you, and just after returning, someone discovered something was amiss. This is Gao Yang’s fault.” Ji Yushu glared fiercely at Gao Yang, “Tell me! Where did you make a mistake for Shen Miao to notice?”

This elegant room adjoined the previous one, allowing Xie Jingxing and Gao Yang to clearly hear the conversation between Ji Yushu and Shen Miao. The fact that all three people Shen Miao inquired about were here was indeed strange.

“Ji Yushu, are you stupid?” Gao Yang said. “Shen Miao only returned to the capital a few days ago. Unless she has clairvoyant eyes, how would she know what I’m doing in the palace? I suspect you’re the one who made a mistake.”

“What mistake did I make? Miss Shen didn’t inquire about me. Why would she ask about you out of the blue? Unless she has feelings for you, but didn’t Miss Shen say she admires Third Brother’s beauty?” Ji Yushu remembered something and snickered mischievously, “Hehehe, Miss Shen has also been enchanted by Third Brother.”

“Only an idiot like you would believe such nonsense,” Gao Yang coldly looked at him. “Do you think everyone is like you, having their heads turned by beauty?”

Ji Yushu patted his chest, “I can’t argue with you. I won’t talk to you anymore. Third Brother, what do we do now? Should we find what she wants, or make up some information to deceive her?”

“Since Shen Miao is inquiring about these three pieces of information, she must have some understanding. If we lie, she might discover it. What is this Shen Miao really up to? Now, even the stance of the Shen family is unclear. That Pei Lang, who had private connections with Shen Miao these two years, has now become Fu Xiuyi’s confidant. How can a young lady be so complicated?” Gao Yang rambled on, noticing that Xie Jingxing wasn’t listening to him at all, staring at the teapot on the table, lost in thought. He reminded, “Your… Highness, how should we handle this?”

Xie Jingxing came back to his senses and thought for a moment, “No need to handle it.”

“Why?” Before Gao Yang could speak, Ji Yushu spoke first, “We’re not going to earn money? And Miss Shen is clever as ice and snow; if we just refuse her, she’ll suspect something. What if she discovers something amiss about our Fengxian Pawnshop?”

Xie Jingxing smiled faintly, “It’s precisely because she’s clever that we don’t need to handle it.”

“You mean…” Gao Yang frowned.

“She noticed something wrong and came to test us,” Xie Jingxing narrowed his eyes and smiled, “Those words weren’t meant for you; they were meant for me.”

“That comment about unparalleled beauty?” Ji Yushu’s focus was always elsewhere.

Xie Jingxing cast a cool glance at him and said, “That was also meant for me.”

In the carriage outside, Jingzhe and Guyu cautiously observed Shen Miao’s expression. Guyu softly said, “Miss, did that Shopkeeper Ji say something wrong? Miss seems a bit angry.”

Indeed, she was quite angry. Although Shen Miao appeared calm on the surface, the coldness around her was felt by both maids. It seemed like she was stewing in anger, yet also holding it in check. Jingzhe and Guyu were quite confused. They had heard everything Shen Miao and Ji Yushu said in the elegant room. Although Ji Yushu’s words weren’t very pleasant, Shen Miao had been fine just now. Besides, Shen Miao wasn’t one to get angry over words.

Jingzhe and Guyu couldn’t understand, and Shen Miao calmly replied, “It’s nothing.” Yet her tone grew even colder.

Her fingers, hidden in her sleeves, tightened slightly, and she felt an irrepressible frustration growing in her heart. The Fengxian Pawnshop had closed shortly after she left and reopened just before she returned to the capital—how could there be such coincidences in this world? All coincidences in the world can be traced. Shen Miao thought carefully: when the Fengxian Pawnshop closed, besides Shen Xin going to Xiaochun City, another major event occurred—Xie Jingxing petitioning to lead troops into battle. As for the reopening of the Fengxian Pawnshop… apart from her return to the capital, wasn’t it precisely when Ming Qi was paying tribute, with the Qin Crown Prince and the Rui Prince arriving in the capital?

The Shen family had no connection with the Fengxian Pawnshop, so it certainly had nothing to do with them. Huangfu Hao wasn’t in the capital two years ago. Calculating back and forth, both the closing and reopening seemed to have an indelible connection with Xie Jingxing. Today, she came to the Fengxian Pawnshop to test her suspicions.

The result of her test confirmed her suspicions—Ji Yushu and Xie Jingxing were likely old acquaintances, and the same went for Gao Yang. Connecting everything, it seemed that Ji Yushu and Gao Yang were probably Da Liang people who had concealed their identities in the capital. What was infuriating was that when she had done business with Ji Yushu before, she had fully revealed the Yu Prince’s affairs, which Xie Jingxing probably knew all about. She had thought she had the upper hand with Ji Yushu, but Xie Jingxing had been waiting in ambush. Just thinking about how Xie Jingxing had played her for a fool made Shen Miao want to tear him apart.

Feeling frustrated, Jingzhe, seeing her state, thought she was feeling hot and lifted the curtain for some air, but quickly let it down. Shen Miao glanced out casually but unexpectedly caught sight of a familiar face in the crowd on the street.

Jingzhe lowered the curtain but was stopped by Shen Miao’s command to halt the carriage. She pulled the curtain open again to look at the spot from before, but the face she had seen in the crowd was gone.

“Miss?” Jingzhe and Guyu were startled by Shen Miao’s abrupt actions today. They saw Shen Miao carefully examining outside the carriage for a while before lowering the curtain and saying, “It’s nothing. Continue.”

But her brows remained tightly knit, her expression even more solemn than before.