Shen Miao was slightly stunned and looked up at Xie Jingxing again. Xie Jingxing moved through Ming Qi as though it were his domain, and he was thoroughly familiar with everything. Naturally, he was well-acquainted with the place, having grown up in the capital of Jing. He likely knew every corner of Jing like the back of his hand. With the Fengxian Pawnshop as his information hub, Xie Jingxing’s intelligence network might even surpass that of Fu Xiuyi.

Whatever he wanted to know, he could easily find out.

“What does this have to do with you?” Shen Miao said irritably. “Does His Highness the Rui Prince have so much free time that he’s concerning himself with other people’s family matters?”

“Family matters?” Xie Jingxing raised an eyebrow, as if he found the phrase rather fitting, and said, “You seem quite wary of that woman surnamed Chang.”

A flash of coldness passed through Shen Miao’s eyes. She replied, “She’s just a relative who has come seeking refuge. What is there to be wary of?”

“That’s not right.” Xie Jingxing stroked his chin as he scanned her with his gaze. Suddenly, he leaned forward, carefully examining Shen Miao’s eyes. He approached so close yet seemed not to find it inappropriate at all. After pondering for a moment, he said, “A woman from Liuzhou—you’ve never been to Liuzhou, so why do you seem to know so much about her?”

Shen Miao abruptly looked up, and as she did, her gaze met Xie Jingxing’s. The young man’s countenance was as captivating as ever, but his peach blossom eyes concealed the sharpest of blades. He said, “It’s the same with Princess Mingan. You’ve never been to Qin Nation yet harbor deep resentment toward her.”

Shen Miao remained silent. Despite their intimate, almost ambiguous posture, her gaze gradually grew colder.

“You’ve lived in Jing since childhood. The furthest place you’ve been to is Xiaochun City, and during those two years there, you never set foot elsewhere. You can’t have gone to Liuzhou, and equally impossible for you to have met the Princess of Qin Nation.” His voice drifted through the night, carrying the faint chill of early winter, almost seeping into one’s heart.

“What are you trying to say?” Shen Miao looked at him.

He spoke softly, his voice elegant and mellow, both alluring and unsettling. He asked, “Are you Shen Miao?”

For an instant, Shen Miao’s entire body broke out in goosebumps. It was as if a fine, piercing wind had poured down from the top of her head, making her suddenly feel ice-cold. She had encountered many people, and with her experience as an Empress in her previous life, those people were merely a series of faces to her—white faces, red faces, all kinds. But only this seemingly frivolous young man in purple robes before her felt like a living, breathing person.

Because she couldn’t discern what kind of face lay beneath the mask.

Shen Miao’s impression of Xie Jingxing from her previous life was merely that of a handsome young man who died prematurely. In this life, she had learned of his unfathomable depth, and now she found him increasingly terrifying. The things she had done were indeed suspicious, but for Xie Jingxing to doubt whether she was Shen Miao…

She wasn’t Shen Miao—she was Empress Shen. Xie Jingxing dared to consider this possibility, and his thinking approached dangerously close to the truth. That uncomfortable feeling of having one’s secrets nearly exposed caused Shen Miao a moment of panic. But she did nothing, only staring at Xie Jingxing’s face, until she finally broke into a gentle smile.

She often smiled—dignified, gentle smiles that seemed unconcerned with anything. But when facing Xie Jingxing, her smiles were usually pointed and cold. Now, this smile was like a magnolia flower blooming in the night, carrying a faint fragrance, completely harmless as it cast its charm.

But the smile lasted only for a brief moment. Very quickly, her expression turned cold again. She said, “Not everyone in the world is like Your Highness the Rui Prince.”

Xie Jingxing’s playful smile faltered slightly.

Whether Shen Miao was truly Shen Miao remained unknown, but Xie Jingxing was certainly no longer just Xie Jingxing. The young master of the Marquis of Lin’an had now become the Rui Prince. Was he the same person? Perhaps others found it strange, after all, Xie Jingxing previously had no connection to Da Liang.

“You never allow yourself to be at a disadvantage,” Xie Jingxing straightened his posture, the deep meaning in his eyes disappearing as he smiled ambiguously. “You must be Shen Miao after all.” It seemed like a self-reflective sigh, yet also as if he were speaking to Shen Miao. He continued, “So many secrets—quite exhausting to investigate.”

“Why is the Rui Prince so fixated on me?” Shen Miao looked at him. “Whether I have secrets or not, they have nothing to do with you, Rui Prince.”

“As it happens, your secrets interest me,” Xie Jingxing replied leisurely. “Besides, I’ve been thinking—in Ming Qi, the only person I can trust seems to be you.”

Shen Miao didn’t get angry but instead laughed. “The Rui Prince is forgetful. Don’t you still have Su Mingfeng and Princess Rongxin?”

Xie Jingxing smiled. “Hasn’t anyone told you not to bring up things from the past?”

For some reason, in the lamplight, the smile lingering on his lips was still elegant and refined, yet it seemed somewhat desolate.

In the blink of an eye, Xie Jingxing looked at her and said, “How do you plan to deal with Chang Zaiqing? If you beg this prince, I might help you.”

Shen Miao replied expressionlessly, “I only ask that the Rui Prince not interfere in this matter.”

“It seems you’ve already figured out what to do,” Xie Jingxing raised an eyebrow. “Impressive.”

Shen Miao lowered her eyes, only to hear Xie Jingxing continue, “The Princess of Qin won’t let the matter rest.”

“I know that without your reminder,” Shen Miao glared at him fiercely. “I still have to thank Your Highness for your assistance today.”

With Princess Mingan’s jealous temperament and her apparent infatuation with Xie Jingxing, seeing him side with Shen Miao would surely cause her to direct all her fury at Shen Miao.

“She is no match for you.” Xie Jingxing naturally reached out and ruffled Shen Miao’s hair, only to have his hand swatted away. He looked at his fingers with apparent regret.

Shen Miao didn’t want to speak. Princess Mingan wasn’t particularly intelligent to begin with, so she wasn’t concerned about her at all. The more important issue was Huangfu Hao of the Qin Nation. This time, Huangfu Hao and Princess Mingan had come to Qin Nation specifically for the alliance with Ming Qi. Ming Qi was eagerly seeking good relations with the Qin Nation due to Da Liang’s covetous gaze.

Regardless, she couldn’t allow Fu Xiuyi and Huangfu Hao to become entangled. Disrupting the tacit alliance between the two nations would naturally require considerable effort. Shen Miao’s gaze involuntarily fell upon Xie Jingxing. In this chess game of vying for the world, she didn’t know what role Da Liang was playing.

She had died too early, and thus didn’t know what had ultimately become of Xie Jingxing in her previous life. It seemed he hadn’t died in battle, but had instead slipped away and returned to Da Liang to resume his position as the Rui Prince.

Xie Jingxing noticed her gaze and smiled. “What are you suspicious of now?”

Shen Miao stared at him steadily. “When does the Rui Prince plan to return to Da Liang?”

“Will you miss me?” Xie Jingxing swept her with a smiling glance, looking out the window. “Don’t worry, I won’t be leaving for now.” He said, “I’d also like to see how the game between Huangfu Hao and the Ding Prince plays out to the end.”

Shen Miao felt a stirring in her heart. Xie Jingxing asked, “Don’t you want to see it too?”

“I don’t understand what Your Highness means,” Shen Miao said, her words contradicting her thoughts.

Xie Jingxing bent down to pick up the black cloak from the ground. The cloak was soaked with pond water, wet and crumpled from being casually tossed aside. His expression momentarily stiffened, but then he spoke with casual indifference: “Shen Miao, you and I are the same kind of person.”

“Your Highness is of noble birth, while this subject is as lowly as dust. I dare not compare myself to you.”

“You underestimate yourself.” The corner of the purple-robed young man’s lips curved upward. “You, like this prince, were born to rule over others.”

Even after the man’s figure had vanished from the room, when the candlelight seemed to have gradually cooled, Shen Miao still sat at the table. Xie Jingxing’s parting words had left her mind unsettled for a long time.

*Like this prince, born to rule over others.*

Could it be that Xie Jingxing had discovered something? But that was impossible. She carefully thought through her interactions with Xie Jingxing in her previous life—there had been virtually none, not even a word exchanged. Shen Miao pondered again and again, suddenly realizing she had wasted too much time on this matter. Thinking about how Xie Jingxing had inexplicably disrupted her life, she felt a surge of anger.

Meanwhile, at the Rui Prince’s residence, Xie Jingxing returned to his quarters, which were almost as exquisite as a royal bedchamber. He carelessly tossed the cloak in his hand aside and wiped his hands with a silk cloth. From a corner, a white object suddenly pounced forth, attacking the black cloak, biting it and shaking its head playfully.

Xie Jingxing coldly watched the ball of fur play with the cloak for a while before lifting it from the ground.

“What manners,” he said with disdain.

The white tiger cub sneezed, its paws clutching Xie Jingxing’s collar before being unceremoniously dropped into its bed near the bedside.

“Tieyi,” Xie Jingxing called.

A black figure slipped in from outside. “What are Master’s orders?”

Xie Jingxing pointed at the cloak on the ground. Tieyi’s mouth twitched. That cloak was made from black lion fur, a rare treasure. The only black lion fur cloak in Da Liang’s treasury had been treated so poorly. Tieyi felt like shedding a tear of sympathy for the Yongle Emperor.

“Take it out and throw it away,” Xie Jingxing began to undress.

Tieyi picked up the cloak woodenly and acknowledged the order. Everyone knew that the Rui Prince was fastidious about cleanliness, not allowing ordinary people to touch his things. With the cloak having been trampled into such a state, Tieyi knew Xie Jingxing would no longer want it. And since no one dared to keep the Rui Prince’s discarded belongings, Tieyi seemed to watch silver coins flowing away.

Just as he reached the door, he heard Xie Jingxing say, “Wait.”

Tieyi turned back. Xie Jingxing hesitated for a moment, then frowned and said, “Never mind, clean it thoroughly and put it away.”

Tieyi was startled, then nodded joyfully and quickly left with the cloak. His face was full of gratification. Good! The master had finally understood the importance of not being extravagant. This was for the best—it would allow him to support the future of all of Da Liang.

Jing City welcomed the first snow of this winter.

Snow grains rustled as they covered the ground, pure white and charming. With winter’s arrival, the women in the streets had begun to switch to embroidered jackets and skirts, wrapped in various fluffy capes and cloaks, creating a most elegant scene. On such a snowy day, walking alone with an oil paper umbrella in hand, a face like a lotus blossom would appear even more refined.

In the western courtyard of the Shen residence, someone was standing at the edge of the courtyard, watching the falling snow outside.

“Miss Qing, why not come inside to sit? Standing out here, be careful of catching a cold. Jing is not as warm as Liuzhou, and the winter wind is very cold.” Someone spoke with a smile, wearing a soft yellow cloud-patterned wide-sleeved robe and a light red “Hundred Birds” skirt, graceful and delicate, with her hair styled in a Chao-Yue bun. From a distance, one might mistake her for a sixteen-year-old girl. This person was Chen Ruoqiu.

The person standing at the edge of the courtyard turned around. Dressed in a simple snow-green silk-embroidered long gown, she looked elegant and attractive. Chang Zaiqing smiled and said, “It rarely snows in Liuzhou, with only a few snowfalls throughout winter. The snow in Jing is so lovely, I just wanted to admire it properly.”

Chen Ruoqiu smiled. “Appreciating snow and discussing wine is a refined pursuit. Miss Qing is truly elegant.” She continued, “If Miss Qing stays in Jing permanently, after seeing it a few times, you’ll find it’s nothing special. It snows every year, and it’s quite cold.”

Chang Zaiqing merely smiled without speaking. Both women were delicate and refined, seemingly daughters from scholarly families, their every movement pleasing to the eye, like a pair of sisters. Chen Ruoqiu took Chang Zaiqing’s hand. “Even if Miss Qing loves this snow, don’t stay in the courtyard too long, lest you catch a chill. There’s a brazier inside, better to sit indoors.”

Chang Zaiqing didn’t refuse, and the two went hand in hand into the room. Once inside, servants brought them hot tea.

Chen Ruoqiu was the first to pick up her tea and take a sip. She smiled at Chang Zaiqing: “I had been thinking that since our Shen family moved here, we lacked a sister with whom I could share the intricacies of the tea ceremony. But I couldn’t find anyone suitable. Now that you’re here, I’m delighted.”

“Third Madam is too kind,” Chang Zaiqing smiled as well.

“Miss Qing has such a pleasing disposition, anyone would like you,” Chen Ruoqiu said. “I felt an instant connection with you, knowing you are both intelligent and refined. You and I have such rapport, but I wonder how your conversation with my elder sister-in-law went the other day?” After a pause, Chen Ruoqiu sighed. “My elder sister-in-law comes from a military family and doesn’t understand tea ceremonies and such, but she’s a straightforward and good person. I hope she didn’t frighten you?”

These words carried a hint of probing. Chang Zaiqing gently caressed the tea lid, lowering her eyes submissively as she answered, “The First Madam is very kind, and she shared many interesting stories I had never heard before. She didn’t avoid any topics due to my status, for which I am grateful in my heart.”

“I knew it,” Chen Ruoqiu nodded. “You are so sensible and well-mannered, and my sister-in-law is outgoing and straightforward. Naturally, you would get along well. Has Miss Qing met my elder brother?”

Chang Zaiqing shook her head. “That day, it was too late, and General Shen had not yet returned to the residence. I came back first, thinking I could visit another day.”

Chen Ruoqiu’s smile deepened. “Visiting another day is good. After all, we’re family, and now that we all live in Jing and are close by, it’s convenient for everything.”

As they were speaking, a maid came in carrying a note. Seeing Chen Ruoqiu present, she first curtseyed to her, then handed the note to Chang Zaiqing, saying, “Miss, this note was delivered from the gatehouse.”

Chen Ruoqiu’s eyes flickered, and she smiled. “Miss Qing has only recently arrived in Jing, yet you’ve already made friends? Who sent this invitation?”

Chang Zaiqing opened the note and looked at it, then smiled. “Third Madam is mistaken. The only people I know in Jing are from the Shen family. How could I have friends? This note is from the First Madam Shen.”

“My sister-in-law?” Chen Ruoqiu was startled, looking at Chang Zaiqing with increased surprise. “It seems my sister-in-law likes you very much. When she used to live in the residence, I rarely saw her send notes to people.” After speaking, she seemed genuinely happy for Chang Zaiqing. “It appears you truly hit it off at the first meeting. I’m even a bit jealous.”

Chang Zaiqing smiled. “Third Madam is teasing me again.”

“The date on this note is today,” Chen Ruoqiu glanced at the note in Chang Zaiqing’s hand and exclaimed. “Isn’t Miss Qing going to visit her now?”

“Right now? I fear it’s a bit too early,” Chang Zaiqing hesitated.

Chen Ruoqiu smiled and patted her hand. “What are you being shy about? You should know we’re all family; just treat it as a casual visit. Besides, with my sister-in-law’s temperament, if you hesitate like this, she might find it insincere and dislike it. Why create unnecessary misunderstandings?”

Chang Zaiqing looked at the note as Chen Ruoqiu continued, “To be honest, I have some personal motives as well. I’m thinking that if you and my sister-in-law become friends, it will be easier to explain misunderstandings to my brother and sister-in-law in the future. This depends on you.” She sighed.

“Third Madam, please don’t say that,” Chang Zaiqing hurriedly replied. “The Shen family has taken in Zaiqing, for which I am grateful. Besides, when I met the First Madam Shen a few days ago, she seemed open-minded. I think it’s just a temporary misunderstanding. I’ll go, and if there’s an opportunity, I’ll certainly help explain. Third Madam, I would do this even without your asking.”

Chen Ruoqiu was very pleased to hear this. “I knew you were reasonable.” As she spoke, she removed a bracelet from her wrist and forcibly put it on Chang Zaiqing’s hand. When Chang Zaiqing tried to refuse, Chen Ruoqiu held her hand firmly and said, “This bracelet isn’t worth much money; its value lies in its delicate craftsmanship. I know you’re not greedy for wealth and wouldn’t accept anything too valuable. Take this bracelet. My brother might be at home today, and it’s never wrong to dress appropriately when meeting my brother and sister-in-law. We can’t let people look down on the Chang family, can we? If not for yourself, think of the Chang family.”

These words came from the heart, every sentence showing consideration for Chang Zaiqing. Chang Zaiqing stopped refusing and only said, “Third Madam’s kindness to Zaiqing, I will remember in my heart.”

“What are you saying? We’re all family,” Chen Ruoqiu stood up and looked outside. “Miss Qing, get ready first. I won’t disturb you any longer. I’ll go out while the snow hasn’t become heavy, so I can return early tonight.” She also carefully instructed the two maids serving Chang Zaiqing on several matters before finally leaving gracefully.

After Chen Ruoqiu left, Mama Zhao put away Chang Zaiqing’s invitation and asked, “Miss, are you going to visit the First Madam Shen at her residence?”

“Yes,” Once Chen Ruoqiu was gone, Chang Zaiqing’s smile faded, though her voice remained gentle and refined, as if she had become a different person, lacking the sincerity of a moment ago.

“That First Madam Shen…” Mama Zhao hesitated.

“Is a good person,” Chang Zaiqing sat at the table, opened a small box of rouge, and applied some to her lips. The color was extremely light, just a faint layer that seemed to reveal a light pink color from within her lips, making her appear even more graceful.

“A good person? Then this old servant can rest easy,” Mama Zhao sighed with relief.

“Yes,” Chang Zaiqing looked at herself in the mirror, but it was unclear whether she was speaking to herself or others. “I can rest easy too.”

Outside, Chen Ruoqiu returned to Autumn Water Pavilion, holding a hand warmer. She turned around to face Shen Yue.

“Mother,” Shen Yue said, “Why have you been going to that Chang Zaiqing’s courtyard so often these past few days? I’ve looked for you several times but couldn’t find you.”

“What did you need me for?” Chen Ruoqiu stroked Shen Yue’s head. Shen Yue was getting older, and although she had grown into a beauty, her expectations were so high that it was becoming a problem. They couldn’t just let her become an old maid. Chen Ruoqiu knew her daughter’s heart yearned for the Ding Prince, but she had no way to arrange for Shen Yue to marry Fu Xiuyi, even as a concubine, which Shen Yue would certainly not accept. Shen Wan had already quarreled with Chen Ruoqiu several times over Shen Yue’s marriage arrangements. Chen Ruoqiu, feeling sorry for her daughter, had found ways to refuse all the eligible young men from good families that Shen Wan had found.

“The embroidery house has new clothing designs,” Shen Yue said. “I wanted you to see which ones look good.”

Looking at her daughter, who was like a flower, Chen Ruoqiu felt a headache coming on. She said, “What use are these patterns? You are already extremely beautiful. Instead of spending time on this, why not learn from the person in the western courtyard?”

“The western courtyard?” Shen Yue was puzzled. “Mother, do you mean that Chang Zaiqing? What is there to learn from her?”

Chen Ruoqiu shook her head. “There’s plenty to learn. If you had a third of her abilities, I would be at ease.”

What kind of person was Luo Xuexue? Although she was warm and friendly, she wasn’t the type to send someone an invitation after meeting them just once. This eagerness to extend an invitation—Chen Ruoqiu had been a sisters-in-law with Luo Xuexue for so many years and had never seen this before. Chen Ruoqiu knew that Chang Zaiqing was the kind of person who made others feel comfortable and not hostile, but for her to win over Luo Xuexue so quickly was truly beyond her expectations.

But this was, after all, a good thing for Chen Ruoqiu.

She tapped Shen Yue on the forehead, exasperated. “In any case, you should learn more from her in the future. It’s much more useful than looking at clothing patterns.”

At the Shen residence, Guyu was combing Shen Miao’s hair while saying, “Miss, to send an invitation to that Chang Miss using Madam’s name—if Madam finds out, won’t there be trouble?”

“What’s the difference between using my mother’s name or my own?” Shen Miao said calmly. “We’re all family anyway.”

“But Miss, why didn’t you use your name?” Jingzhe was cleaning the table nearby and was curious. Shen Miao had stolen Luo Xuexue’s seal to send an invitation to the Shen residence, which shocked all the maids in the room. If she had impersonated Luo Xuexue to do something else, that would be one thing, but impersonating her to invite a Miss whom she wasn’t particularly close to—it felt like using a sledgehammer to crack a nut.

“I have no particular friendship with her. Without any reason, what would I invite her for?”

Jingzhe and Guyu exchanged glances, both unsure how to respond. Indeed, Shen Miao and Chang Zaiqing had no relationship to speak of, so why steal Luo Xuexue’s seal to send her an invitation? When Chang Zaiqing came to visit that day, Shen Miao hadn’t seemed particularly pleased either.

Shen Miao lowered her eyes. Luo Xuexue wasn’t home today, so it was better to send the invitation early. She needed to meet Chang Miss privately, after all. Luo Tan had been sent away early in the morning, leaving Shen Miao as the only person in charge in the entire residence.

Just as she was thinking, a servant came to announce that Miss Chang had arrived.

“So quickly?” Jingzhe was surprised.

Shen Miao smiled slightly. People with ulterior motives could never fully hide their ambition. She couldn’t see before because she was part of the situation and didn’t pay much attention to the Shen family’s affairs. Times had changed, and now she wanted to see just how skillful Chang Zaiqing truly was.

Chang Zaiqing was escorted by a servant to the main hall of the Shen residence to wait. A maid brought hot tea, and she discreetly surveyed the Shen residence.

The Shen residence was different from the Shen manor. The Shen manor, being the old general’s longtime residence, was laid out with careful attention to feng shui, and with Old Madam Shen’s tastes, it was somewhat ornate and gaudy. The Shen residence, perhaps because both Shen Xin and Luo Xuexue were martial artists, had spacious courtyards and a main hall that was arranged neatly and squarely, giving an impression of upright integrity. Although the decorations were simple, for some reason, they conveyed a sense of dignified authority. Chang Zaiqing hadn’t examined it carefully on her first visit, but now, looking around, she found herself inexplicably breaking into a fine sweat, as if merely being in this place made one unconsciously sit up straight.

The maids were all busy with their chores and didn’t speak to her. Chang Zaiqing was always well-mannered and saw no reason to rush them. She waited until the tea had gone cold with no sign of anyone coming. Finally, Chang Zaiqing stopped a maid and asked why Luo Xuexue hadn’t appeared yet and if something had happened.

The maid was also smiling pleasantly, respectful and polite in her manner. She said she would go ask, but turned and disappeared, and it wasn’t clear what happened. After several similar instances, Chang Zaiqing began to feel uncomfortable. When she first met Luo Xuexue, she had gauged the other woman’s temperament fairly well—an outgoing personality who was very warm in her dealings with people. Why would she deliberately embarrass someone this time?

For the first time, Chang Zaiqing felt uncertain. The maids coming and going seemed to be looking at her, yet also seemed not to be. She finally couldn’t sit still and was about to get up to take her leave when she heard someone laugh from behind her: “Auntie Qing has been waiting for a long time, I’m truly sorry. I got my clothes wet in my room earlier and had to change and freshen up, which delayed me for a moment.”

Chang Zaiqing was startled and hurriedly stood up. She saw several maids following as Shen Miao walked in from outside.

The young lady wore a jade-patterned brocade cape. She held a hand warmer, and upon entering the room, presumably feeling warm, she removed her cape to reveal a dark purple plain velvet embroidered long gown underneath. The pattern was extremely magnificent and complex, yet despite using such a heavy purple color, she didn’t look the least bit old-fashioned. Instead, she exuded a compelling nobility. The dark purple color accentuated the young lady’s jade-like skin, and though petite and delicate, she seemed to walk in the imperial court, each step accompanied by a smile, exuding wealth and splendor.

Chang Zaiqing’s mind momentarily reeled.

She had met many people, including women who claimed to possess exceptional grace and bearing, such as Shen Yue, whom Chen Ruoqiu quietly elevated. But only this Shen Miao could give her a feeling of amazement. She had seemed fine when by Luo Xuexue’s side the other day, but today, appearing alone, she directly stole the spotlight, giving people an overwhelming sense of pressure.

“Fifth Miss?” Chang Zaiqing’s gaze darted behind Shen Miao.

“No need to look,” Shen Miao smiled slightly. “I’m the one who sent you the invitation, Auntie Qing.”