On the second day, Shen Miao received an invitation card. It wasn’t from just anyone—it was from Princess Mingan of Qin, inviting her to gather at the mansion in Yanqing Lane.

The invitation was delivered by a servant from the gatehouse. Guyu took it and gave it to Shen Miao, initially thinking it was from Feng Anning, inviting her to go out. Unexpectedly, upon opening it, they discovered it was from Princess Mingan. Jingzhe worriedly said, “This must be fake, right? How could it be Princess Mingan’s invitation? The princess has no relationship with our Young Lady. Could someone be impersonating her?”

Guyu shook her head: “There’s the princess’s seal on it, so it can’t be fake.” She looked at Shen Miao and said, “This Princess Mingan was previously humiliated because of our Young Lady at the tributary banquet. She must be seeking an opportunity for revenge. Young Lady should decline. If the princess has any ill intentions, it could be troublesome.”

Jingzhe also nodded repeatedly: “That’s right, that’s right. Why not inform the Master and Madam and let them decide?”

Shen Miao pondered for a moment before shaking her head: “Don’t tell anyone about this. With Father and Mother’s temperament, they would certainly use forceful measures. The relationship between Qin and Ming Qi is already sensitive. If it’s just a dispute between Princess Mingan and me, that’s one thing, but if it involves my parents, it might affect state affairs, which would be counterproductive.”

“Not telling the Master and Madam,” Jingzhe asked, “Does that mean Young Lady intends to accept this invitation?” Deep down, Jingzhe was unwilling. Meeting with an ill-intentioned princess on someone else’s territory—if Shen Miao were to suffer any disadvantage, it would be too late to rescue her.

“It’s fine,” Shen Miao said. “Since Princess Mingan has sent me an invitation, and it’s in my hands, inviting me to her residence—if anything were to happen to me, Princess Mingan couldn’t escape responsibility. The Qin Crown Prince would know and intervene. She wouldn’t dare do anything to me; at most, she’d use some petty tricks, which I don’t fear.”

“But…” Guyu was still worried.

“No more ‘buts.’ This is what we’ll do. The invitation is for two days from now. I’ll go then, but don’t let outsiders know.” After a pause, she added, “I’ll have Mo Qing follow along. Keep the invitation here, and if something truly happens, have Bailu and Shuangjiang take the invitation to find my elder brother.”

Jingzhe and Guyu were extremely reluctant but could only helplessly agree to Shen Miao’s words.

Coincidentally, at the outermost mansion in Yanqing Lane, where the Qin royal family was temporarily residing, Princess Mingan received a reply from the servant. She opened it and examined it carefully, suddenly becoming angry. She threw the reply onto the table with a “bang” and said coldly, “How bold!”

“What are you angry about now?” A man pushed open the door from behind, saw Princess Mingan’s expression, and frowned, asking.

Seeing the newcomer, Princess Mingan stood up, walked over, handed him the note from the table, and said coquettishly, “Crown Prince Brother, look at that Shen Miao. I sent her an invitation, and she responded, agreeing to come. She truly isn’t afraid of death!”

“If she hadn’t accepted your invitation, that would have been bold. Now she has accepted, and you’re still unhappy—don’t be so unreasonable.” Knowing Princess Mingan’s temperament well, Huangfu Hao didn’t go along with her words but instead poured cold water on her.

“Crown Prince Brother!” Princess Mingan stamped her foot. “Whose side are you on, hers or mine? That day at the tributary banquet, she made me look foolish and deliberately made me bite an apple. She was intentionally humiliating me, causing our Qin to lose face. Now you not only fail to help Qin regain face but also blame me instead. What kind of reasoning is that? Even if we return to Qin and see Father Emperor, this won’t make sense!”

Huangfu Hao coldly glanced at Princess Mingan, recalling the events at the tributary banquet, his expression immediately darkening. Although Princess Mingan’s words weren’t entirely factual—after all, the step-shooting competition was initiated by Princess Mingan herself—Shen Miao’s subsequent challenge, making Princess Mingan bite an apple, did seem somewhat aggressive. Even her final casual remarks carried a hint of mockery. He wasn’t sure if Shen Miao had done it deliberately, but once this matter was reported back to Qin, the Qin Emperor would certainly blame him. For some reason, Huangfu Hao felt that Shen Miao was quite unusual. The bow that Princess Mingan used would normally require others several days to become familiar with, yet she handled it as if she’d drawn it a thousand times before. Occasionally, when she glanced his way, her gaze seemed to carry a faint hostility.

Ming Qi and Qin were not yet enemies, so why would Shen Miao harbor hostility toward him and Princess Mingan? They hadn’t known each other before, and if it was merely because of Princess Mingan’s provocation, then Shen Miao’s desire for revenge seemed excessive.

Seeing Huangfu Hao silent and deep in thought, Princess Mingan suddenly widened her eyes in shock: “Crown Prince Brother, don’t tell me you’ve been captivated by her? What’s so good about that little tramp? Don’t forget, it’s common knowledge that she was infatuated with Ming Qi’s Prince Ding before, and she’s an absolute good-for-nothing. Her current composure and confidence are merely due to someone else’s guidance. Don’t let her bewitch your mind!”

Huangfu Hao waved his hand impatiently: “Where are you going with this? As for you, during this visit to Qin, don’t forget the task Father Emperor entrusted to you. I don’t care what you do to Shen Miao, but you can’t use force within this mansion. You can do as you please elsewhere, just don’t leave any evidence. Shen Miao herself isn’t important, but currently, Ming Qi’s emperor relies on Shen Xin. If you harm Shen Miao, Shen Xin will certainly retaliate, and the alliance with Ming Qi will be ruined. You’d better prioritize the bigger picture.”

After being reprimanded so severely, Princess Mingan’s expression softened, though looking closely, the anger in her eyes had intensified. She smiled: “Don’t worry, Crown Prince Brother. I won’t cause any trouble for us. I’ve invited her over just to see what kind of person this Shen Miao is. If I were to take action, I wouldn’t do it in the name of our Qin. Remember what we loved to do as children? Watching dogs bite dogs. Ming Qi has many dogs; finding one to do our bidding wouldn’t be difficult.”

Huangfu Hao also smiled: “As long as you have a sense of propriety.”

The sky gradually darkened. In the Western Courtyard of the Shen Manor in Dingjing City, small lamps were lit, and Chen Ruoqiu was conversing with Chang Zaiqing.

Chen Ruoqiu smiled and said, “This handkerchief embroidered with poetry is truly beautiful. Miss Chen’s poems surpass even those of the young ladies from the Scholar’s Mansion. Previously, I didn’t understand what it meant to have a clever mind and skillful hands, but now, looking at Miss Chen, I thoroughly understand.”

Chang Zaiqing smiled gently: “Madam flatters me. Since I can’t be of much help here and feel guilty about freeloading, I can only embroider some handkerchiefs. They’re not worth much; I hope Madam doesn’t mind.”

“Not at all.” Chen Ruoqiu looked at the handkerchief, carefully folded it, and tucked it into her sleeve, smiling. “Such a fine item, I must hide it. Otherwise, if Yue’er sees it, she’ll take it from me. She always pesters me for anything she fancies. This handkerchief is so exquisite; I can’t bear to give it to her.”

Chang Zaiqing laughed: “I’m glad Madam doesn’t mind. If the Second Young Lady likes it, I can embroider another one for her.”

“That would be wonderful,” Chen Ruoqiu also smiled. “Then I won’t have to worry about Yue’er taking my precious item.” She smiled at Chang Zaiqing and asked, “Speaking of which, what do you think about what I discussed with you earlier, Miss Chen?”

When Chen Ruoqiu had been chatting with Chang Zaiqing previously, she had mentioned Shen Xin. By now, Chang Zaiqing had met everyone in the Shen Manor except for the First Branch, who had moved out. Chen Ruoqiu suggested that since she was the daughter of Old General Shen’s former subordinate, and Chang Hu had saved Old General Shen’s life, naturally, Shen Xin would not reject Chang Zaiqing. Since Shen Xin was Old General Shen’s eldest legitimate son, it would be proper for Chang Zaiqing to visit him.

Hearing this, Chang Zaiqing hesitated for a moment, then smiled and shook her head: “I’m already imposing on Madam, which makes me feel uncomfortable. How could I dare to trouble General Shen as well? Besides, I’ve come to Dingjing City merely to avoid that official’s son. Once this matter passes, I will leave. It wouldn’t be right to let General Shen know about this.”

“I’ll say one thing about Miss Chen—everything about you is good except that you’re too polite,” Chen Ruoqiu pretended to be upset. “The relationship between the Chang family and the Shen family is so close; you and I are one family. What do you mean by ‘imposing’? I heard that when you were young, my elder brother met you—you’re like his little sister. How could he feel troubled? If you’re truly in Dingjing City and don’t go see him, he might be angry when he finds out.”

Chang Zaiqing remained silent. Chen Ruoqiu patted her hand: “Moreover, since you’re trying to avoid those people from Liuzhou, my elder brother’s place would be more convenient. They have many soldiers, and the guards are vigilant. Even if those from Liuzhou pursued you to Dingjing City, they wouldn’t dare act rashly out of respect for my elder brother. Since I consider you one of us, I’ll tell you frankly: my elder brother’s place is where you can truly find protection.”

At the mention of the people from Liuzhou, Chang Zaiqing’s expression changed, revealing hesitation. Chen Ruoqiu said, “Miss Chen, what is there to worry about in visiting your elder brother’s mansion for a while?”

“The Third Madam doesn’t know,” Chang Zaiqing forced a smile. “After all, too much time has passed; I don’t know if General Shen still remembers me. Moreover, there’s also Madam Shen, the Fifth Young Lady, and the Young Master. Having someone move in unexpectedly would likely be disruptive.”

“You can rest assured about that,” Chen Ruoqiu smiled. “My sister-in-law has the best temperament. Being a heroine from a military family, she’s straightforward and honest, without much cunning. She’s also kind-hearted. Upon hearing your story, she’d be eager to sympathize. Besides, my elder brother doesn’t have other women in his household, and my sister-in-law often finds it difficult to find someone to talk to. Seeing you, she’d certainly treat you well. As for my nephew and niece, they’re both sensible children and wouldn’t possibly quarrel with you.”

Seeing Chang Zaiqing’s somewhat wavering expression, Chen Ruoqiu smiled: “How about this? If Miss Chen thinks it’s fine, I’ll have someone write an invitation card for you to send over. We won’t mention our Shen Manor; it will be in your name, to avoid misunderstandings. Miss Chen can first visit my elder brother and see his attitude. If it doesn’t seem appropriate, you needn’t go again.”

Chang Zaiqing thought for a long time and finally nodded determinedly, smiling gratefully at Chen Ruoqiu: “The Third Madam considers everything thoughtfully for me. I am deeply grateful to the Third Madam.”

“Look how increasingly formal you’ve become,” Chen Ruoqiu stood up, smiling. “It’s getting late; I won’t disturb your rest. Tomorrow, I’ll have the invitation written and sent over. Miss Chen doesn’t need to worry about anything. Someone as insightful and intelligent as you—no one could dislike you. I’m sure my elder brother and sister-in-law will be delighted to have such a sister.”

Chang Zaiqing again smiled and said she wouldn’t dare presume. After seeing Chen Ruoqiu off, Nanny Zhao came to clear the table. She had overheard everything Chen Ruoqiu and Chang Zaiqing had discussed. Nanny Zhao asked, “Young Miss, why would the Third Madam suddenly bring up General Shen? Could she be trying to drive you out of the manor?”

Chang Zaiqing gave a derisive laugh: “Initially, I didn’t understand what the Third Madam wanted me to do, but now I do. The Third Madam has calculated very cleverly; she wants to use me against others.”

Nanny Zhao was startled: “Young Miss, what does the Third Madam want you to do?”

Chang Zaiqing sat down at the table, her expression unpredictable. She wasn’t foolish; she could discern the implications in Chen Ruoqiu’s words. Saying that only Shen Xin could protect her safety, that if she could enter the Shen household permanently, she wouldn’t have to worry about those people from Liuzhou finding her ever again. Saying Luo Xueyan came from a military family with a straightforward and honest personality, without much cunning, implies that Luo Xueyan was simple-minded and easy to deal with. As for the lack of women in Shen Xin’s rear courtyard, the implication was even more obvious—if Chang Zaiqing could enter, aside from dealing with a not-so-intelligent Luo Xueyan, there would be no other concerns.

She said, “Since the Third Madam values me so highly, I should go and see what this is all about.”

“Young Miss, are you going to General Shen’s residence?” Nanny Zhao was surprised. “Knowing the Third Madam has ill intentions, you’re still going?”

“If used well, it’s not a bad intention,” Chang Zaiqing waved her hand. “Staying at the Shen Manor isn’t a long-term solution. I need to plan for my future. It’s fine; I’m just going to take a look. If there’s anything unsuitable, I certainly won’t jump in.”

“And if…” Nanny Zhao looked at her carefully.

“If it seems acceptable,” Chang Zaiqing smiled faintly, “then the Third Madam will have fulfilled my wishes.”

Night spread across Dingjing City, with households lighting lamps, creating a scene of brilliant prosperity. However, apart from the palace, the most prosperous area was undoubtedly in the southern part of the city. Taverns everywhere were filled with singing and dancing, the sounds of dining, men and women laughing, and various musical instruments intertwining chaotically, yet sounding particularly enchanting.

At Prince Rui’s mansion, the lanterns were exceptionally well-made, with edges embroidered in gold thread. Once lit at night, they dazzled the eye. Passersby would covet them, thinking to steal one and strip it of its gold thread for money, but upon seeing the fierce and intimidating guards at the door, they would suppress their thievish intentions and slink away.

Who would dare steal from Da Liang’s Prince Rui’s mansion?

The mansion was quiet, as if no one was there. At the far end was a huge courtyard containing an exquisitely constructed pavilion adjacent to a clear pond. The water appeared emerald, and the moonlight was alluring. In summer, this place would likely hold the unique charm of lotus blooms, but the weather was approaching early winter, and sitting in the pavilion brought a chilling breeze.

At present, someone was sitting in the pavilion, his flowing golden-purple robe nearly covering the entire bench. He was an extremely handsome young man. Under the gentle moonlight, his usual martial bearing softened, and his striking features appeared gentler. He was bowed over, playing with the tiger cub in his arms.

The cub was forcibly held against its chest, uncomfortably twisting its head, trying to turn around to bite the hand scratching its head. Unfortunately, whether due to its short neck or the firm grip holding it down, its attempts were unsuccessful. However, the cub didn’t become discouraged and continued trying to catch the purple-robed youth’s sleeve.

Xie Jinghang pulled his sleeve from the cub’s mouth, staring at the spot now half-soaked with the cub’s saliva. After gazing at it for a while, he flicked the cub’s head. The cub let out a soft “roar,” finally managing to turn around, its paws playing with Xie Jinghang’s fingers.

From the distant bushes, two heads suddenly popped up. Yeyuan stared foolishly at the man and tiger in the pavilion, her expression incredulous. It was well-known that Xie Jinghang had severe mysophobia and didn’t particularly like animals. Even those close to him shouldn’t touch his belongings. Now, with his sleeve soaked with an animal’s saliva, he remained remarkably calm. She said, “Has the Master gone mad recently? Why does he keep holding a tiger all day? He eats with it, sleeps with it, and I heard he even bathes with it. He can’t seriously be planning to take this tiger back to Da Liang as Prince Rui’s consort, can he?” Noticing no response from beside her, Yeyuan turned her head: “Huolong, say something too!”

Huolong cupped her face in her hands, watching the figure in the pavilion: “The Master is so good to that tiger cub. Look how tenderly he gazes at it. With the Master being so extraordinarily handsome, if it were me, I’d rather turn into a tiger so I could sleep and bathe with him.” Huolong spoke of these things frankly, without any shame, finally sighing and shaking her head: “Alas, humans are not as good as tigers.”

“I think you’ve lost your mind,” Yeyuan despised her.

In the pavilion, Xie Jinghang was rubbing the cub’s head so hard it was almost pressed against his chest. The cub struggled desperately, accidentally pouncing onto Xie Jinghang’s neck and licking his face.

“You’re stealing kisses now,” Xie Jinghang chuckled softly, his hands gripping the cub’s neck to lift it, mischievously watching the cub struggle in mid-air. He raised an eyebrow and said, “Humans and tigers are the same.”

The cub looked at him, baring its teeth and waving its claws. Xie Jinghang kissed its head and said, “Good girl.”

In the bushes, Yeyuan flopped forward: “The Master has gone mad.”

“I want to kill that tiger,” Huolong said, brimming with murderous intent.

Just then, Iron Shirt’s figure suddenly appeared in the pavilion. Xie Jinghang placed the cub back in his arms and asked, “What is it?”

“Master, today Princess Mingan sent an invitation to the Shen Fifth Young Lady.”

“Oh?” Xie Jinghang’s finger, scratching the cub, paused slightly.

“Princess Mingan has invited the Shen Fifth Young Lady to her residence. The Shen Fifth Young Lady has accepted the invitation, which is for two days from now.” Iron Shirt bowed and answered.

“I see.” Xie Jinghang waved his hand. Iron Shirt glanced at the cub in Xie Jinghang’s arms, his mouth twitching slightly, before turning and withdrawing into the night.

“Quite brave,” Xie Jinghang placed his finger in the cub’s mouth. Having eaten, bathed, and slept together with Xie Jinghang, the cub had grown somewhat familiar with him. It held his finger in its mouth but didn’t actually bite, just playing with it.

“Shall we go?” Xie Jinghang asked.

The white tiger cub gave a “roar,” its eyes bright as it looked at him.

“You want to?” Xie Jinghang raised an eyebrow. “I’ll follow your lead.”

Two days passed in the blink of an eye.

Early that morning, Shen Miao had also risen early. Jingzhe and Guyu were finding clothes for her to wear. The weather was moving into early winter, and Ming Qi’s winters always came particularly early and cold. The recent continuous rain had dampened Shen Miao’s heavier clothes, and they couldn’t find them. Guyu pulled out a cloak from the bottom of a chest and said, “This one is still quite dry. Although it’s somewhat thick, today is very cold, so it won’t look out of place if Young Lady wears it.”

Shen Miao looked at the cloak in Guyu’s hands. It was a snow-white cloak made entirely of fox fur—a rare white fox fur without a single colored hair. Even after several years, it still looked as good as new, clearly made from quality material.

This cloak was from two years ago, when Shen Miao left Dingjing with Shen Xin and stayed temporarily at a farmer’s house. The next morning, a cloak mysteriously appeared in the room. The farmer’s family didn’t own such a cloak, and Shen Miao didn’t know where it had come from. She had previously planned to pawn it for money, but Shen Qiu had strongly objected, saying that white fox fur was worth a thousand pieces of gold and better kept for herself.

Although she kept it, the cloak was too large for Shen Miao, so it had remained at the bottom of the chest, never worn. If Guyu hadn’t pulled it out today, Shen Miao would have almost forgotten about it.

Looking at the cloak, she recalled something. Previously, Xie Jinghang had sneaked into her bedroom at night and mentioned meeting her at the farmer’s house two years ago, though she had been drunk and didn’t remember. Thinking about it now, this cloak must have been left by Xie Jinghang. She couldn’t remember anything about that night, only recalling Xie Jinghang’s nonsensical words, which brought a slight blush to her face.

Jingzhe and Guyu noticed Shen Miao’s somewhat uncomfortable expression and exchanged glances, not understanding what was wrong with Shen Miao. Jingzhe spoke up: “Young Lady?”

Shen Miao came back to her senses, looked at the cloak in Guyu’s hands, and said irritably, “Find an opportunity to pawn it.”

“But the Young Master said this fur is excellent and didn’t want the Young Lady to pawn it.” Guyu was confused.

“No matter how excellent the fur is, I don’t want it,” Shen Miao said. “Whenever you pack it up, send it to the Fengxian Pawnshop. Fengxian Pawnshop collects treasures all day; Shopkeeper Ji will surely like this item.”

Seeing Shen Miao’s demeanor, Guyu and Jingzhe dared not say more. They shrugged and continued searching for another cloak.

In the end, they chose a lilac-colored brocade cloak trimmed with rabbit fur. After grooming Shen Miao, they found an excuse to leave. Luo Tan was easy to deceive. Shen Xin and the others usually returned from the Ministry of War in the evening. Without the eyes and ears of the original Shen family members, there was now much more freedom.

Mo Qing once again acted as the carriage driver. Although Mo Qing was now Shen Qiu’s man, he still frequently helped Shen Miao. Often, Shen Miao wouldn’t even let Mo Qing tell others about her affairs. Mo Qing appeared more like Shen Miao’s confidant. However, Mo Qing seemed accustomed to this role; whenever Shen Miao went out and needed him to follow, Mo Qing took it as a matter of course.

But today, even knowing where Shen Miao was going, Mo Qing was shocked—it was the Qin Crown Prince’s residence. Shen Miao’s actions at the tributary banquet had spread throughout Dingjing City the next day, and Mo Qing naturally knew about it. Princess Mingan had ill intentions, and Mo Qing was quite worried. However, Shen Miao appeared confident, so Mo Qing couldn’t say much.

Upon reaching the Qin Crown Prince’s residence, the guards at the entrance saw the invitation in Shen Miao’s hand and asked her to wait outside, saying they would take the invitation to inform their master, then disappeared without returning.

After a long while, Jingzhe couldn’t contain herself and said, “It’s been almost half an hour. These people still haven’t informed their master that Qin princess is deliberately making things difficult for our Young Lady. Even with a warming stove in the carriage, waiting outside is very cold. If the Young Lady falls ill from the cold, what will this princess say?”

Guyu also said, “This is too outrageous! Since she actively invited us, what does it mean to leave someone outside the mansion gate?”

Normally, when someone came with an invitation, they would at least be welcomed into the mansion to wait. Even aristocratic families with many rules shouldn’t leave a guest waiting for half an hour. Moreover, during this half hour, not a single person had come forward to greet them.

Mo Qing said, “Young Lady, why don’t we go back?”

Shen Miao shook her head: “Since we’ve already come, let’s wait. We must maintain our dignity and not let others have the upper hand in etiquette.”

During her time in Qin, Princess Mingan had liked to treat people this way. In the dead of winter, early in the morning, using conversation as an excuse to make people wait in a freezing garden, sometimes for hours. Sometimes people would wait all day without seeing her, only to have a maid come over saying, “Something came up; she can’t come.” It was a wasted day. Princess Mingan’s tactics remained consistent, all superficial and short-sighted. Having endured it in her previous life, what was half an hour in this life?

In the Qin Crown Prince’s mansion, Princess Mingan was sitting in a room while a maid added silver-thread charcoal to the fire basin. Princess Mingan took a sip of tea from the table, her expression somewhat pleased.

She asked the servant outside: “Has that tramp left yet?”

“Your Highness,” the servant replied, “The Shen Fifth Young Lady’s carriage is still at the gate; she hasn’t left.”

Princess Mingan’s face flashed with displeasure: “She’s surprisingly patient.” She had thought that by keeping Shen Miao waiting, the proud young lady from a minister’s family would eventually return home in anger, which would give her an excuse to accuse Shen Miao of disrespect.

Unexpectedly, Shen Miao was so composed. Nevertheless, she smiled: “After waiting so long, her patience must be wearing thin. It’s not bad to try a different approach. Somebody, transmit my order: invite Shen Miao in.”