“As it happens, I want her too.”

The people at the table had been laughing, but gradually their laughter faded. Huangfu Hao stared at the Prince of Rui, Fu Xiuyi also looked at him with surprise, and Princess Mingan’s face stiffened, her expression momentarily distorted.

It was the Crown Prince who smoothed things over with hearty laughter, “A fair maiden attracts gentlemen. Miss Shen is both talented and beautiful; naturally, she would attract countless heroes to bow before her.”

Everyone followed along, nodding in agreement. The Prince of Rui picked up his wine cup with an ambiguous smile, then set it down without speaking further.

Everyone assumed he was merely making a joke in passing. After all, how could the Prince of Rui from Da Liang possibly marry a minister’s daughter from Ming Qi? Not to mention their compatibility, in the current sensitive and tense situation, marrying a woman from another country would be like an unstable trap. Who knew if the lady might be a spy sent by the other country? Even the boldest person wouldn’t dare risk it.

Everyone continued drinking and eating with smiles, except for Princess Mingan, who had been consumed by resentment ever since the Prince of Rui’s statement. Her gaze was filled with hatred, causing Huangfu Hao to repeatedly frown.

Overall, the Crown Prince’s banquet was relatively successful. The Ming Qi princes likely wanted to gauge the current attitudes of the Qin Kingdom and Da Liang toward Ming Qi. The Qin Kingdom had so far shown closeness to Ming Qi, with no indication of hostility. As for the Prince of Rui from Da Liang, he was neither warm nor cold, neither friendly nor hostile, making him difficult to read. Even during the height of the banquet, when everyone was flushed with wine, he remained clearheaded due to his abstinence from alcohol, his words impenetrable, leaving others frustrated.

At the end, the Prince of Rui was the first to leave. Because of his departure, Princess Mingan’s mood worsened considerably. The hot-tempered princess punished several servants on the way back and even berated the subordinates who came to discuss official business with Prince Ding.

These two were none other than Xie Changwu and Xie Changchao. Fu Xiuyi reprimanded them briefly, and only then did Princess Mingan relent. Upon returning to Prince Ding’s residence, Fu Xiuyi informed his advisors about the banquet incident and pondered, “The Prince of Rui from Da Liang seems to harbor some hostility toward me, deliberately suppressing me at the banquet.”

Fu Xiuyi had recruited many capable people. As a prince, his scheming and planning might not be the most sophisticated, but his method and perseverance in recruiting talent surpassed all other princes. He could wait outside someone’s humble gate all night in the bitter cold, or plan a lifetime of security and prosperity for their family. Therefore, his advisors were not only talented but also extremely loyal to him. Whenever a problem arose, he could always get answers from them.

The art of managing people was what an emperor should learn most. In this aspect, Fu Xiuyi was indeed the most excellent emperor.

The advisors were all deep in thought. Fu Xiuyi looked at the man in the green robe at the front and asked, “Does Master Pei have any insights?”

If every advisor here was trusted by Fu Xiuyi, then Pei Lang was his confidant. Pei Lang had been recruited by Fu Xiuyi two years ago. At that time, Fu Xiuyi was impressed by Pei Lang’s talent, but Pei Lang himself wasn’t interested in power. In the end, Fu Xiuyi had to use all his skills and even appeal to principles of justice for the world before Pei Lang was moved. This person, who had been difficult to win over, didn’t disappoint Fu Xiuyi’s expectations. In two years, he had solved many difficult problems for Fu Xiuyi. Now, whenever Fu Xiuyi encountered an unsolvable problem, he would immediately think of Pei Lang.

Pei Lang frowned and asked, “Has Your Highness had any previous interactions with the Prince of Rui elsewhere?”

Fu Xiuyi shook his head.

“That’s strange,” Pei Lang analyzed. “Since the Prince of Rui represents Da Liang, he shouldn’t single out Your Highness. If there were no previous interactions, it’s hard to think of a reason for him to make things difficult for you. Your Highness hasn’t obstructed his path, and if Da Liang wanted to cause trouble for Ming Qi, they should target His Majesty or the Crown Prince.”

Fu Xiuyi nodded, “I thought the same. Perhaps…” He pondered for a moment, “Perhaps it’s because of Shen Miao?”

“What does Your Highness mean by that?” another advisor asked.

“I thought about it, and among all the things the Prince of Rui said that related to me, there was only Shen Miao. At the time, I couldn’t tell if he was joking or being deliberate, and I also felt that Shen Miao had no connection to him. Now that I think about it, it seems strange.”

One advisor suggested, “Could it be that the Prince of Rui and Shen Miao have some secret relationship?”

Pei Lang firmly stated, “That’s impossible.”

Everyone looked at him. Pei Lang’s words carried a lot of weight; his statements or predictions to Fu Xiuyi were always eventually proven correct. Even if others disagreed with his speculations, they had to acknowledge them.

“The Prince of Rui has just arrived in Ming Qi, and Shen Miao has only recently returned to the capital with Shen Xin. They absolutely could not have had contact before this. As for after this,” Pei Lang bowed, “Your Highness has dealt with the Prince of Rui for some time now and should know that he is not an easy person to understand. Since Da Liang sent him as an envoy to Ming Qi, the Prince of Rui must be someone who weighs advantages and disadvantages. In such a short time, becoming hostile toward Your Highness over a woman like Shen Miao doesn’t align with his interests.”

Hearing this, Fu Xiuyi pondered, “You make a good point. In Master Pei’s view, what should be done now?”

“Since Your Highness hasn’t suffered much entanglement today, rash actions might put Prince Zhou and others on alert. Since the tributary banquet, the Prince of Rui hasn’t mentioned leaving, so he must have other business in Jing City. With Qin Kingdom still here, there’s no need to fear. We should observe quietly, see what the Prince of Rui’s intentions are, and then decide. It’s not too late.”

Pei Lang spoke calmly.

Fu Xiuyi nodded, “In that case, we’ll follow Master Pei’s suggestion.” He pressed his temple, “I drank too much today, and there’s a long court session tomorrow. I’ll rest first, and you all may disperse.”

After Fu Xiuyi left, the advisors in the hall gradually dispersed in small groups. No one stayed with Pei Lang because he was a solitary figure, and since he was so trusted by Fu Xiuyi, he inevitably aroused jealousy. In Prince Ding’s residence, no one was on good terms with him.

Pei Lang walked out of the room and gazed at the stars, lost in thought.

Two years, it had been two years. He had followed his agreement with that young girl and finally became Fu Xiuyi’s confidant. Living so comfortably, earning Fu Xiuyi’s trust through his wisdom, everything seemed natural. Sometimes Pei Lang even felt that this was how his life should have been. But Shen Miao’s reappearance shattered this illusion. From the beginning, Pei Lang knew that the deal he made with Shen Miao was like a pact with the devil. From the moment he approached Fu Xiuyi, there would eventually come a day, like now, when he would become a spy—something he had previously despised.

Fu Xiuyi treated him extremely well, yet from the beginning, he had been a traitor.

Pei Lang sighed deeply.

The easy days were over. From now on, the path he would walk would be like today—fearful and trembling. One misstep would lead to an abyss with no chance of redemption.

Shen Miao. The delicate face of the purple-clad young woman appeared before Pei Lang’s eyes.

Even as a man, he found it so difficult. How could the young woman who planned everything from behind the scenes bear it all?

This was a question he would never understand in his lifetime.

Under the oil lamp, Shen Miao was writing carefully. The white paper was spread out, with Guyu grinding ink beside her, while Jingzhe cautiously added oil to the lamp every so often to keep the flame bright.

She wrote with great concentration, occasionally pausing to think before continuing. By the time she had filled the square sheet of paper, all outside was silent. Shen Miao put down her brush, picked up the letter, and blew on it to ensure the ink was completely dry before finding an envelope and sealing the letter. She handed it to Jingzhe.

“Early tomorrow morning, find a reliable person outside to deliver this letter to Chang Zaiqing at the Shen residence. Remember, don’t entrust it to anyone else; it must be delivered directly to Chang Zaiqing,” Shen Miao instructed.

Jingzhe acknowledged this while putting away the letter. Though curious why Shen Miao would be writing to Chang Zaiqing, she didn’t ask.

Guyu cleared the writing implements from the table and smiled, “Young Miss should rest early. It’s late now, and staying up too late isn’t good for your health.”

Shen Miao nodded. After Jingzhe and Guyu left, she brought the oil lamp to the small table by her bed but sat on the edge of the bed, lost in thought.

After having such a dream last night, she couldn’t sleep at all, and had been thinking about it all day. It was as if she had glimpsed a clue about her previous life from that dream. She finally understood why Chang Zaiqing had so easily turned Luo Xuexue into a ghost—she had been complicit. If Chang Zaiqing was the mastermind, then she had been the manipulated executioner.

Thinking of this, hatred surged like a tidal wave. Shen Miao wished she could devour Chang Zaiqing alive.

But simply finding a way to ruin Chang Zaiqing’s reputation now would be too easy. Chang Zaiqing had spent her whole life yearning for inexhaustible wealth and status. Why not let Chang Zaiqing obtain everything she wanted and then watch it all turn to bubbles? It would be more satisfying to let her be ridiculed by everyone. Using Chang Zaiqing to deal with Chen Ruoqiu would also save her effort.

The four words “use everything to its fullest” should be a lesson engraved in bone. This time, it was Shen Miao’s turn to play the game of using others as weapons.

She had thought about it all day and finally came up with something. On that letter, she had densely written all of Shen Wan’s preferences. Having been uncle and niece with Shen Wan for so many years, she had genuinely respected him before and had learned much to please her Third Uncle. Now she was handing over all this knowledge to an ambitious woman. Shen Miao couldn’t believe that with Chang Zaiqing’s skills, a hypocrite like Shen Wan would not take the bait.

When a man has feelings and a woman responds, on the surface, it appears to be a match made in heaven between a talented man and a beautiful woman, but inside, they’re both wolves and tigers—not good people. Won’t it be more interesting when they eventually tear each other apart?

A cold smile flashed in Shen Miao’s eyes. Dog-eat-dog was always entertaining to watch.

She removed her outer garment and got into bed. Just as she was about to lie down, she inexplicably glanced at the window.

The window was tightly closed. Outside, a gentle breeze stirred in the pitch-black night, with no one else around.

Shen Miao paused, silently cursing herself. Why would she suddenly look at the window, as if feeling that Xie Jingxing’s absence was somehow unusual? She shook her head, suppressing that strange feeling, blew out the oil lamp, and finally went to sleep.

In the Prince of Rui’s residence, someone was feeding a tiger in the courtyard.

The white tiger was frolicking happily in the courtyard, nestling at the young man’s feet, occasionally raising its head to beg for food from his hand. Perhaps due to good food and care, the white tiger’s fur gleamed with a healthy sheen. It seemed to have grown plumper, looking more like a beautiful, large cat.

“Stop feeding it. If you keep this up, it will truly become a cat. Look at its current state—where’s the tiger in it?” Gao Yang watched from the side, pouring cold water on the situation.

Xie Jingxing ignored him, continuing to feed the white tiger while nonchalantly saying, “It’s my pet. Do you have a problem with that?”

Gao Yang was taken aback and gestured, “Fine, fine. I don’t care whether you’re feeding a cat or a tiger. What happened at the Eastern Palace today? Why did you suddenly confront Prince Ding? A person like Fu Xiuyi must now be suspicious of you. Alerting him seems unwise. What were you thinking?”

When news from the palace reached Gao Yang’s ears, he initially couldn’t believe it. Xie Jingxing always had his methods, and now was not a good time to confront Fu Xiuyi. Fu Xiuyi also had some tricks up his sleeve; while he might not harm Xie Jingxing, he could certainly cause him trouble, and they couldn’t afford any mistakes now.

Seeing that Xie Jingxing was ignoring him, Gao Yang’s eyes lit up, “It’s not because of Shen Miao, is it?”

Xie Jingxing said, “Are you very idle?”

“What?”

“Have you taken care of the Su family’s matter?” Xie Jingxing asked.

Gao Yang was startled, then replied, “I’ve already arranged for someone to do it. But,” he paused, then continued, “what’s the point of doing this? Although you and Su Mingfeng are good friends, the day he learns of your true identity, he will inevitably become your enemy. At that time, everything you’ve done will seem calculated in his eyes. It might be better not to do anything at all. Why bother?”

Emperor Wenhui intended to suppress the Su family, and even though the Su family had deliberately reduced their influence, there were still some loose ends that could potentially be used to destroy them in the future. What Xie Jingxing had asked Gao Yang to do was to secretly tie up these loose ends for the Su family, ensuring they wouldn’t face any contingencies in the future.

Gao Yang was ambivalent about Xie Jingxing’s approach. Xie Jingxing was currently wearing a mask, so no one knew he was the Prince of Rui. Even if everything was exposed one day, he could deny it to the death, but Su Mingfeng would certainly recognize him. Childhood brothers who knew each other well, yet one was deceiving the other. Moreover, Da Liang and Ming Qi would eventually stand as enemies.

Xie Jingxing could protect the Su family, but couldn’t preserve his past with Su Mingfeng. This was an unavoidable fact.

“Why should I consider his thoughts when I do things?” Xie Jingxing said. “It’s simply because I want to.”

“Is that so?” Gao Yang asked with unusual sharpness. “Perhaps you’ve forgotten that you’re different now from before. This identity dictates that in Ming Qi, there isn’t a single person worth trusting. Take off the mask, and others will look at you with vigilant eyes. As a subject, I can advise you: there’s nothing to hide, Your Highness.”

The night breeze rustled. The white tiger, having eaten its fill, let out a contented burp and playfully tugged at Xie Jingxing’s sleeve. The courtyard was filled with the silent sound of the wind.

After an unknown interval, Xie Jingxing spoke, “No.”

“Not everyone. There’s one different person,” he said. “Someone who can interact with the Prince of Rui from Da Liang.”

“You mean Shen Miao?” Gao Yang reminded him. “Your Highness, don’t forget that Shen Miao’s current interaction with you is because she also wants to deal with Prince Ding, Fu Xiuyi. Your Highness can help her, but when the day finally comes, at the end, she will still stand in opposition to Your Highness. Being despised by the world—didn’t Your Highness prepare for this from the beginning? If you’re just indulging in temporary pleasure, a dream of glory, after waking, it will only add to your sorrow.”

“So what?”

Gao Yang was stunned.

Xie Jingxing asked in return, “So what?”

He lifted the white tiger from the ground into his arms and stood up. His tall, straight figure in the night was as erect as a pine tree.

“Everything in this world comes with a price,” he said. “Whether it’s power or people, it’s all the same. If that day truly comes, this Prince will find a way to take by force.”

“Kingdoms must be taken by force, thrones must be taken by force, women must be taken by force, hearts must be taken by force.”

“This path was predestined from the beginning. What does it matter if the world hates me? If you can’t bear even this much, you might as well return to Da Liang now.”

“This Prince has never forgotten the path he must walk. On the contrary, this Prince is very clear about what he wants. So, don’t question this Prince’s decisions.”

“If everything is just a dream of glory, then let’s turn the dream into reality.”

He spoke calmly but unquestioningly, “This Prince has this confidence, Gao Yang. Do you doubt it?”

Many years later, when Gao Yang recalled this winter night, he could still feel the blood boiling in his bones. He had seen that person’s youthful arrogance and mischief, his young adulthood’s conceit and pride, but in an instant, as if separated by many years, he saw the true imperial family’s inherent domineering nature and dignity.

“If everything is just a dream of glory, then let’s turn the dream into reality.”

How many people in the world would dare to say such words? Yet Xie Jingxing had said it.

Gao Yang paused, and after a moment, he knelt and performed a perfect ritual of subject to ruler.

“Your subject vows to follow Your Highness to the death.”

“Rise,” Xie Jingxing said, playing with the white tiger in his arms.

Gao Yang patted the dust off his knees, thought for a moment, and then solemnly asked, “Then, how does Your Highness plan to take Miss Shen by force?”

Xie Jingxing: “Get lost.”

After entering early winter, days passed particularly quickly. Everyone seemed busy, and nothing new happened in Jing City. If there was anything new, it would be the events within the Shen residence.

After that day’s conversation with Shen Wan, Chen Ruoqiu was determined to marry off Shen Yue. She took Shen Yue daily to socialize with various ladies. Though Shen Yue was a thousand times unwilling, after being confined in the ancestral hall once by Shen Wan, she no longer dared to resist. Being delicate by nature and unable to endure hardship, Shen Yue could only obediently accompany Chen Ruoqiu to meet those ladies.

Although Chen Ruoqiu wanted to marry off Shen Yue, she also cherished her daughter and was careful in her selection. Shen Wan, though a shrewd man, had more humanity than Shen Gui. Shen Yue was his precious pearl, and the families he had selected were not only well-matched in status, ensuring Shen Yue would live in luxury, but the young men were also excellent talents in Jing City, with households free from the complications of numerous concubines. This was also thanks to Shen Yue’s reputation as a talented young woman; a gifted and refined young lady naturally gained others’ favor.

Due to her daily preoccupation with Shen Yue’s affairs, Chen Ruoqiu had somewhat neglected Shen Wan. Unbeknownst to her, Chang Zaiqing had become Shen Wan’s confidante. Previously, when Shen Wan returned from court with worries, he would confide in Chen Ruoqiu. Now that Chen Ruoqiu was too busy, Chang Zaiqing had become his listener. Not only that, but Chang Zaiqing could also occasionally provide clarity for Shen Wan’s concerns.

Somehow, Chang Zaiqing shared many interests and habits with Shen Wan. For instance, Shen Wan disliked sweetness, and the pastries Chang Zaiqing made were coincidentally not too sweet. Shen Wan enjoyed fragrant tea, and the tea Chang Zaiqing brewed was mostly fragrant as well. Even their favorite painters and calligraphers were the same. People naturally feel close to those similar to themselves, and Shen Wan increasingly felt that Chang Zaiqing was compatible with him. Having been accustomed to Chen Ruoqiu’s gentle and aloof temperament, Chang Zaiqing’s cheerful intelligence was like a fresh breeze, stirring ripples in Shen Wan’s heart that had been still for a long time.

But Chen Ruoqiu knew nothing of this.

Chen Ruoqiu certainly didn’t know. Chang Zaiqing’s techniques were superb; she never actively sought out Shen Wan, so it was always Shen Wan who actively sought Chang Zaiqing. When they were together, they kept a respectable distance, appearing perfectly proper, merely exchanging casual words. Even if others saw them, they wouldn’t think much of it, so who would warn Chen Ruoqiu?

While this was happening, another incomprehensible event was occurring: the Shen family’s Third Miss, Shen Dongling, suddenly became close with Shen Yue.

Although there were now only these two young ladies in the Shen residence, Shen Yue, like Chen Ruoqiu, inherently looked down on those of lower status than herself, especially a concubine-born daughter. They had no interactions for so many years, yet inexplicably became intimate sisters, which was indeed suspicious.

In Caiyun Garden of the Shen residence, Shen Dongling pushed the pastries in front of her toward Shen Yue and smiled, “These are newly made pastries from the kitchen, with added milk and osmanthus. Second Sister, please try some.”

Shen Yue glanced at the pastries but didn’t reach for them. Instead, she sighed with frustration, “I have no appetite right now; I’m full of anger.”

Shen Dongling looked at her with concern, “Is Second Sister still troubled about her marriage?”

“You don’t understand,” Shen Yue said irritably. “Yesterday I went to the Bureau Director’s residence, and my mother was extremely satisfied with that Young Master Wang. If I guess correctly, she intends to marry me to Young Master Wang. I can’t eat now; my head aches with anxiety.”

“Bureau Director?” Shen Dongling asked curiously. “Is it that Young Master named Wang Bi?”

“You know about him too?” Shen Yue looked at her suspiciously.

“I once heard Father mention him,” Shen Dongling smiled shyly.

Shen Gui also held a position at court, so he might indeed know about the Wang family. Shen Yue then said, “Yes, that’s him.”

“I’ve heard that Young Master Wang is very knowledgeable and has already entered officialdom. Although he’s not yet flourishing, his success is only a matter of time. Second Sister, this is a good match. Why are you unwilling?” Shen Dongling asked.

“Even if you praise him to the skies, I still don’t like him,” Shen Yue said irritably. “If I’m to marry, I want to marry someone who is already illustrious by birth. What does he amount to?”

Hearing this, Shen Dongling tentatively asked, “Could it be that Second Sister already has someone in her heart?”

Shen Yue was startled, then quickly covered up, “No, what nonsense are you talking about?”

Shen Dongling smiled apologetically, “I thought that since a man like Young Master Wang doesn’t appeal to Second Sister, perhaps it’s because you have someone in your heart, making others seem inferior. It was my misunderstanding. Please don’t be angry with me, Second Sister.”

Shen Yue waved her hand, but her gaze was somewhat distracted. She thought of Fu Xiuyi, and her heart ached. Chen Ruoqiu had told her that Fu Xiuyi would marry someone who could help him; she was just a common civil official’s daughter, and Fu Xiuyi wouldn’t marry her. But Shen Yue couldn’t help wondering if, one day, Fu Xiuyi fell in love with her, would he disregard those external matters and treat her with sincere respect? Being so beautiful and intelligent, with a reputation as a talented woman throughout Jing City, she naturally deserved to marry a man of unparalleled excellence. In Ming Qi, only Fu Xiuyi met her standards.

She had waited for Fu Xiuyi for so long, and now to waste all her efforts by marrying someone else? Shen Yue was extremely unwilling.

Shen Yue heard Shen Dongling speaking softly, “Why doesn’t Second Sister try? Perhaps Young Master Wang isn’t as bad as you think. After all, the Wang family and the Shen family are well-matched. Young Master Wang himself is a good person. If Second Sister marries him, you won’t suffer, and you’ll have a stable life. Isn’t that good?”

The more she spoke this way, the more annoyed Shen Yue became. Shen Yue had never wanted stability but rather glory—the envious gazes of others, which only Fu Xiuyi could give her.

“Second Sister shouldn’t think too much. This kind of fortune, some people can’t even obtain if they begged for it, such as myself,” Shen Dongling said. “If I were in Second Sister’s position, knowing this, I certainly wouldn’t refuse. Instead, I would be delighted. What does a woman seek in this world if not security?”

Shen Yue had been listening with some impatience, but upon hearing the latter part, she couldn’t help but pause. A strange feeling gradually arose in her heart, and she involuntarily looked at Shen Dongling. Shen Dongling’s pointed chin made her entire person appear particularly fragile, as if she would never resist anything, completely submissive. Her expression also showed trust, as if she truly regarded Shen Yue as a close sister.

She seemed like someone extremely easy to manipulate.

A thought gradually formed in Shen Yue’s mind.