While Princess Ming’an’s incident had certainly caused quite a stir among the commoners of Dingjing, the Court of Justice had yet to produce any results from their investigation. Emperor Wenhui would fly into a rage every few days, implicating several officials, yet the case seemed destined to remain unsolved. Crown Prince Huangfu Hao was naturally dissatisfied, but even the people he sent out could not discover anything unusual. As time gradually passed, the public’s interest in this matter began to fade. After all, people needed to eat and live their lives; a scandalous unsolved case couldn’t shield them from the winter cold.

During the cold winter days in Dingjing, a major event also occurred in the Shen residence.

Shen Yue was betrothed and would soon be married.

The family chosen for Shen Yue was none other than the Wang family, whom Shen Wan and Chen Ruoqiu had greatly favored before. The Wang family had only two sons in total; the younger son was not yet ten years old, while the eldest son, Wang Bi, was the one betrothed to Shen Yue. Wang Bi was twenty-four this year, had already entered government service, and worked in the Scholar’s Office. He was well-educated and showed promising prospects. Additionally, although the position of Outer Court Counselor was not among the top officials in court, colleagues inevitably had frequent dealings with the Outer Court Counselor. Being related to the Wang family would provide considerable support for one’s official career.

The career advantage was naturally from Shen Wan’s perspective. In Chen Ruoqiu’s view, Wang Bi was the eldest son of the Wang family, and there were currently no concubines in the household. Coincidentally, Shen Yue was well-educated and cultured. If she could marry into the family and capture Wang Bi’s heart, she could establish a firm foothold in the Wang family. Then, after bearing a son or daughter, she could live the rest of her life without worry.

The marriage was arranged directly by Chen Ruoqiu and the Wang family. The betrothal cards had already been exchanged. When Shen Yue learned of this, she naturally caused a huge scene. However, the usually gentle Chen Ruoqiu seemed determined to marry her off this time, and even Shen Wan, who had always doted on Shen Yue, did not listen to her pleas. Old Lady Shen was even more pleased with the arrangement—if Shen Yue didn’t marry out of the Shen residence, she would be another mouth to feed, and the Shen household was already struggling.

Shen Yue made such a fuss that even though Shen Wan had never before punished his daughter, this time he felt Shen Yue was going too far. In anger, he confined her to the ancestral hall, demanding that she reflect on her behavior.

That night, Shen Yue sat alone in the ancestral hall, silently weeping.

The ancestral hall bore traces of having been burned by a fire. Ironically, the last person confined here had been Shen Miao, when Ren Wanyun had tried to force her into marriage and switch places with Shen Qing. Somehow, a fire had broken out in the midst of it all, and coincidentally, Shen Xin had left the capital at that time, so Shen Miao had escaped her fate. Looking at the tightly closed doors of the ancestral hall, Shen Yue realized that it was from that moment that everything had started going well for Shen Miao. Because Shen Xin, his wife, and Shen Qiu stood behind Shen Miao to support her, Shen Miao could do whatever she wanted without restraint. Shen Yue believed that if one day Shen Miao wanted to marry Fu Xiuyi, Shen Xin and his wife would never object as Chen Ruoqiu and Shen Wan were doing now.

And Shen Miao had indeed admired Fu Xiuyi before. If one day Shen Miao rekindled her old love, with Shen Xin now returned and holding significant power, would Fu Xiuyi refuse? Besides, Shen Miao was no longer the laughingstock of the entire capital as she had been two years ago.

The mere thought of Shen Miao possibly being with Fu Xiuyi made Shen Yue feel incredibly distressed. She resentfully thought, why hadn’t that fire in the ancestral hall burned Shen Miao to death?

Just as she was thinking this, she heard the sound of the doorknob rattling. Shen Yue thought it was someone Chen Ruoqiu had sent to bring her food, and said defiantly, “I don’t want anything. Go away.”

The sound continued, and Shen Yue angrily said, “I told you to get lost!”

The door creaked open, and a head peeked in—it was Shen Dongling.

Upon seeing Shen Dongling, Shen Yue was momentarily stunned. Shen Dongling glanced outside, quickly closed the door, walked over to Shen Yue, thought for a moment, and then sat down on the floor beside her. She handed Shen Yue the basket she was carrying and said softly, “The old woman guarding the door went off to drink. I snuck in. I knew you hadn’t eaten all day and was afraid you might be hungry, so I brought you something to eat. Second Sister, you must keep your voice down.”

Shen Yue was taken aback, as Shen Dongling had already opened the bamboo basket and was taking out layer after layer of snacks.

Even though Shen Yue had usually only been perfunctory towards Shen Dongling, she now felt a touch of gratitude. Thinking that she hadn’t eaten all day, and neither Chen Ruoqiu nor Shen Wan had shown any concern, it was this half-sister, with whom she wasn’t particularly close, who had thought of her. Immediately, her expression towards Shen Dongling softened. However, she couldn’t bring herself to eat any of the snacks.

She said, “Don’t bother. I really can’t eat.”

Shen Dongling looked at her and asked, “Why doesn’t Second Sister want to marry Wang Bi? He’s a good man, and I’ve heard his family is well-off. If Second Sister marries into his household, you would be the mistress of the house. Is it because you don’t want to leave the Shen family?”

Shen Yue glanced at Shen Dongling. Shen Dongling probably spent all day within the household and rarely went out. Despite being around the same age as Shen Yue, her face still carried the innocence and naivety of a child. Shen Yue both despised and envied her—despised Shen Dongling for being so narrow-minded, not knowing there were better men beyond Wang Bi, but also envied her simple-mindedness, which allowed her to live more carefree and happily. Seeing Shen Dongling’s expression, Shen Yue suddenly felt the urge to vent. She gave a bitter laugh and said, “Whether he’s a good man or not has nothing to do with me. He’s simply not the one in my heart.”

Shen Dongling thought for a while, then realized, “Could it be… Second Sister already has someone she loves?”

“What if I do? What if I don’t?” Shen Yue laughed bitterly. “Who made me be born into the Shen family, where I don’t even have the right to choose my husband? My parents only care about their careers and don’t consider what I want. Sometimes I think it would be better to just die.”

Shen Dongling was startled and quickly shook her head, saying, “Second Sister, don’t think like that. You should know that in this world, death is the easiest thing, but once you die, everything is gone. Second Sister, why not think differently? The Wang family is quite respectable. Third Uncle and Third Aunt surely wouldn’t harm you. Perhaps this Wang Bi is also the dream husband for many young ladies, and perhaps many girls envy your luck. Take me for example—if I could marry into the Wang family, my mother would probably go to the temple every day to thank the Buddha for blessing me with such a good marriage.”

Shen Yue shook her head with a smile, increasingly finding Shen Dongling somewhat foolish. She and Shen Dongling were simply on different wavelengths. Especially seeing Shen Dongling’s envious expression, she felt even more that Shen Dongling was unrefined. After all, as a concubine-born daughter, being able to become a proper wife was already quite good, let alone the proper wife in an Outer Court Counselor’s household.

Seeing that Shen Yue was still gloomy, Shen Dongling’s eyes lit up, and she said, “Every cloud has a silver lining. Second Sister, why be sad and troubled about this now? It’s not worth making yourself ill. Take Fifth Sister, for instance. When they were arranging a marriage for her, I heard she also made a scene. It seemed there was no way out, but then Big Uncle and Big Aunt returned, and eventually, nothing happened to Fifth Sister.”

Shen Dongling’s explanation was a bit muddled, but Shen Yue’s heart stirred as she listened.

Back then, Shen Miao was about to be married off, but she escaped her fate due to the return of Shen Xin and his wife. At the time, Shen Yue had also eavesdropped on Chen Ruoqiu talking to the servants, and she knew that Ren Wanyun had planned to swap Shen Qing and Shen Miao.

If Shen Qing and Shen Miao could be swapped, why couldn’t she?

Shen Yue’s heart began to race, and a long-forgotten idea gradually emerged in her mind. Her gaze shifted to Shen Dongling beside her.

As for the candidate… wasn’t there a perfect one right in front of her?

Shen Dongling was a concubine-born daughter. Shen Dongling thought Wang Bi was excellent. Shen Dongling had a weak, easily deceived personality… No one was more suitable than Shen Dongling before her.

Shen Yue looked at Shen Dongling, suddenly grabbed her hand, and said softly, “Third Sister, how do you think I treat you?”

Shen Dongling was startled, then lowered her head somewhat bashfully and said, “Second Sister doesn’t look down on my birth and treats me very well. Among all the sisters in the Shen residence, only Second Sister is willing to talk to me.” Shen Yue had always maintained an appearance of nobility and generosity. Even if she looked down on Shen Dongling in her heart, she never showed it on her face, and instead seemed to treat Shen Dongling quite well. Especially after the last time, Shen Yue would seek out Shen Dongling to talk every few days. To outsiders, the relationship between these two seemed quite good.

Hearing this, Shen Yue smiled and said, “Then, Third Sister, I’m in trouble now. Are you willing to help me?”

Shen Dongling smiled ingenuously and said, “Of course! As long as it’s something I can do, I will certainly do my utmost for Second Sister.”

Shen Yue smiled and said, “Hearing you say that puts my mind at ease.” She held Shen Dongling’s hand tighter. “Could you… help me marry Wang Bi?”

Upon hearing this, Shen Dongling was immediately dumbfounded. After a moment of shock, she tried to withdraw her hand from Shen Yue’s grip, saying in panic, “That’s impossible, Second Sister. I can help you with anything else… but this, I can’t help with.”

“You can!” Shen Yue wouldn’t let go, and in desperation, she said, “Don’t you also think Wang Bi is excellent? Didn’t you say that if you got this marriage, your mother would be happy? Third Sister, I beg you!”

“That may be true,” Shen Dongling kept backing away, “but this is too risky. If discovered, I would be beaten to death, and you, Second Sister, would also be punished. It’s too dangerous! Besides, Second Sister, you don’t need to take such a risk. Why can’t you marry Wang Bi?”

Shen Yue looked at Shen Dongling, and tears immediately streamed down her face. She was naturally delicate and frail-looking, and her tears made one feel somewhat heartbroken. Her voice was also desperate as she said, “Third Sister, one person’s honey is another’s poison. What’s a good marriage for you isn’t for me. I already have someone I love, and I’m determined to marry only him. If I can’t marry him but have to marry someone else, it’s a dead end for me. I will certainly end my life on my wedding day.” Shen Yue looked at Shen Dongling for a moment, then suddenly stood up and dropped to her knees before Shen Dongling, saying, “If you don’t agree, you’re cutting off my lifeline. Third Sister, for the sake of our sisterhood, for the sake of you saying that I’m the only one in the entire Shen residence who’s good to you, please, save my life!”

Shen Dongling was shocked the moment she saw Shen Yue kneel. Hearing Shen Yue’s plea, she was so flustered she didn’t know what to do. She quickly pulled Shen Yue up, saying, “Second Sister, don’t do this! Don’t scare me!”

Shen Yue held Shen Dongling’s hand. “Third Sister, your Second Sister is begging you just this once. Just this once. Do you want to see me become a pile of dry bones?”

Shen Dongling bit her lip as she looked at her. Shen Yue, with disheveled hair and tear-filled eyes, truly appeared to be at the end of her rope. With great reluctance, Shen Dongling nodded slightly and said, “I agree, Second Sister. Please get up first.”

Shen Yue’s eyes lit up, and she threw herself at Shen Dongling, repeatedly thanking her, seemingly grateful to the core. However, on her face that was turned away from Shen Dongling, a somewhat triumphant smile appeared.

“But Second Sister, it’s best to plan this carefully,” Shen Dongling said. “After all, a bride swap is no small matter. If it’s discovered, neither of us will fare well, and Third Uncle and Third Aunt will surely be watching. We need to discuss this in detail.”

Shen Yue released Shen Dongling, excitedly saying, “Of course.” She looked at Shen Dongling, holding her hands, and said, “Don’t worry, Third Sister. Since you’re doing this for me, I will certainly explain clearly that I forced you to do this. I won’t let my parents blame you or let you suffer any consequences.”

Shen Dongling smiled slightly. “Mm, I believe Second Sister.”

The night was as dark as ink. When Shen Dongling returned to her chamber in Caiyun Court, Concubine Wan had already gone to bed. Shen Dongling had snuck out behind Concubine Wan’s back, who thought Shen Dongling had already retired for the night.

Shen Dongling’s maid, Xinghua, asked, “Miss, are you going to help Second Miss with the bride swap?”

“Marry? Why wouldn’t I marry?” Shen Dongling watched as Xinghua closed the door. She sat on the couch, picked up the teacup in front of her, and took a leisurely sip, revealing a smile completely different from before. She said, “The Wang family is official. Wang Bi’s future in the officialdom is boundless, and his household is peaceful. With my birth, I could never marry into the Wang family in this lifetime. If I have this opportunity and don’t firmly grasp it, I’d be a fool.”

“In that case,” Xinghua smiled, “Second Miss has done a good deed.”

“A good deed?” Shen Dongling laughed somewhat mockingly. “Don’t tell me you believe there are people in this Shen residence who are as kind and good as celestial maidens?”

The maid was taken aback, somewhat confused, and asked, “What does Miss mean…?”

“I help her so unreservedly, but you should know that once the bride swap takes place and is discovered, the first thing Shen Yue will do is throw all the blame on me. It will surely be me who schemed to steal her marriage, and she will be the one who is wronged beyond measure. Even if the second branch knows the truth, to avoid making enemies with the Wang family, they will still say it’s my fault. As for the Old Lady,” Shen Dongling laughed coldly, “a concubine-born daughter is naturally not as important as a legitimate daughter in her eyes. No matter what, I will be the one sacrificed.”

Xinghua’s face showed disbelief as she said, “But earlier, Second Miss said she would clarify things for you and not let you bear the blame…”

“Is Shen Yue such a kind-hearted person?” Shen Dongling shook her head and smiled. “In this household, everyone is selfish. What makes you think Shen Yue is the type to sacrifice herself for others? If she were truly so selfless, she wouldn’t have asked me to marry in her place.”

“If that’s the case,” Xinghua asked, “is Miss still going to go through with the substitution? If in the end, all the blame falls on you, what will you do?”

Shen Dongling smiled carelessly and said, “Don’t worry. If I can marry in her place, I have certainly made thorough preparations. Xinghua, remember this: the people in this Shen residence are all wolves and tigers. If you want to do something, it’s better to rely on yourself than on others. Fifth Sister has done very well in this regard. So, once there’s an opportunity to leave the Shen residence, I won’t hesitate.”

Xinghua nodded as if she understood, then suddenly remembered something and asked, “Should we tell your mother about this?”

“No need,” Shen Dongling firmly rejected. “My mother is timid and would certainly not agree to me substituting for Shen Yue. I’ll explain it to her after it’s done.”

Xinghua then withdrew.

Coincidentally, in Qiushui Court of the Shen residence, someone was also discussing Shen Yue’s marriage.

“Yue’er hasn’t eaten all day. Her body won’t hold up,” said Shen Wan. He had doted on Shen Yue for so many years; if not for Shen Yue’s constant fixation on someone she shouldn’t be thinking about, Shen Wan wouldn’t have punished her so severely.

“She won’t eat what I sent,” Chen Ruoqiu sighed. “So I had the third daughter take some food to her. She’s probably eaten by now.”

“The third daughter?” Shen Wan frowned slightly. “Since when did Yue’er become so close with her?” In Shen Wan’s eyes, Shen Dongling was still a concubine-born daughter, and Shen Yue, being close to Shen Dongling, was lowering herself. Therefore, he wasn’t particularly pleased to hear this.

Chen Ruoqiu smiled and said, “They’ve only grown close in recent days. Originally, the oldest daughter would talk with Yue’er, but now that she’s gone, and there aren’t many sisters in the household, Yue’er feels lonely. I see that the third daughter is honest, and if Yue’er likes her, let them play together. It’s not worth making a fuss about.”

Shen Wan didn’t say anything more. Then Chen Ruoqiu continued, “I’m just worried that if Yue’er keeps causing a scene like this, what if she still makes a fuss on her wedding day?”

“Just confine her for a few days. You’re her mother; when the time comes, say a few gentle words to Yue’er,” Shen Wan said. “If that doesn’t work, if she still makes a fuss on the wedding day, we’ll think of something.”

Chen Ruoqiu’s heart skipped a beat when she heard this. Shen Wan had always been gentle with her, rarely so firm. Chen Ruoqiu, being a woman, sensed a hint of impatience in Shen Wan’s words. Thinking of how Old Lady Shen had been frequently suggesting that Shen Wan take a concubine lately, she felt even more uneasy. She hugged Shen Wan from behind and said, “After Yue’er is married off, my lord, let’s take some time to relax. These days, I feel you’ve been troubled by matters in the officialdom, and you hardly speak to me anymore. I feel quite anxious.”

Although Chen Ruoqiu was no longer young, due to her good care and understanding of what men truly want, she knew how to act coquettishly, which Shen Wan usually responded well to. However, today, Shen Wan merely patted her hand and said with a smile, “Let’s wait until Yue’er’s marriage is settled.”

His tone carried a hint of perfunctoriness.

Chen Ruoqiu’s heart gradually sank, and the arms around Shen Wan’s waist slowly tightened.

…

Shen Miao received Pei Lang’s letter.

By the lamplight, Shen Miao finished reading the letter. It stated that Fu Xiuyi seemed to have discovered some connection between Shen Miao and Rui Wang. To test this, he had deliberately implicated Shen Miao in Princess Ming’an’s matter in front of the Qin Crown Prince, aiming to probe the relationship between Shen Miao and Rui Wang. If Huangfu Hao were to move against Shen Miao in the future, Rui Wang’s actions would reveal clues.

Shen Miao hadn’t expected Fu Xiuyi to figure this out so quickly, but upon reflection, she realized it made sense. Having been married to Fu Xiuyi for so many years, she knew it wasn’t the first time he had excelled at finding evidence in small details. Besides, if Fu Xiuyi were truly incapable of investigating anything, he wouldn’t have made it to the final stages of the princes’ struggle for the throne.

However, Shen Miao herself wasn’t particularly concerned, as Huangfu Hao wasn’t impulsive by nature. Moreover, given the involvement of the Shen family, Huangfu Hao wouldn’t act rashly; he would at least thoroughly investigate first.

The letter concluded by saying that if Shen Miao truly had connections with Da Liang’s Rui Wang and encountered trouble, she could seek help from Rui Wang, who had many capable people under him, which would make things much easier.

Shen Miao found the last paragraph somewhat strange. Pei Lang had no connection with Xie Jingxing, and more importantly, given Pei Lang’s cautious nature, it was odd for him to suggest seeking help from others. However, there was no doubt this was Pei Lang’s letter. Shen Miao thought about it but couldn’t come up with any other explanation, so she didn’t take those words seriously. She threw the letter into the brazier, where the flames licked the paper, instantly turning it to ashes.

On the table lay a red wooden invitation—it was an invitation from the Shen residence. Shen Yue was to marry Wang Bi, the son of the Outer Court Counselor. For some reason, the Shen family had also sent this invitation to the Shen household. Shen Xin and Luo Xueyan had glanced at it and then ignored it, and Shen Miao naturally wouldn’t actively involve herself. However, Shen Miao didn’t think Shen Yue would end up marrying Wang Bi.

In her previous life, Shen Yue’s obsession with Fu Xiuyi had been so deep that she had endured for so many years. In this life, how could Shen Yue willingly marry someone else?

As she was thinking, she heard someone knocking on the window. Looking back, she saw that Xie Jingxing had already arrived uninvited.

He languidly looked at the red invitation in Shen Miao’s hand and raised an eyebrow, asking, “Are you going?”

It seemed Xie Jingxing also knew about Shen Yue’s betrothal to Wang Bi. This wasn’t surprising; Chen Ruoqiu and Shen Wan would certainly do things thoroughly. To prove that their daughter was precious, they would certainly host a grand banquet for Mingqi’s guests. Plus, the Outer Court Counselor knew many court officials and was on good terms with many of them, so it was only natural to send out more invitations. Perhaps the entire Dingjing capital already knew.

“No,” Shen Miao casually tossed the red invitation onto the table.

Xie Jingxing seemed to have anticipated her answer, and in a flash, he was inside the room. Shen Miao sat down at the table, while Xie Jingxing stood with his arms crossed and said, “Shen Yue has been confined to the ancestral hall. Shen Dongling just visited her.”

Shen Miao glanced at Xie Jingxing in surprise, hesitated for a moment, and asked, “You went to the Shen residence?” Xie Jingxing, the dignified Rui Wang of Da Liang, seemed to be constantly doing these uninvited, thief-like things. It was one thing to frequently stroll around the Shen household, but was he secretly observing the activities of the people in the Shen residence?

Xie Jingxing was caught off guard by Shen Miao’s words and said, “Of course not me.”

Shen Miao understood—it was probably Xie Jingxing’s subordinates who went. But she found it strange: the people in the Shen residence had no connection whatsoever with Xie Jingxing, so why would Xie Jingxing have people monitoring the Shen residence? Could it be for her sake?

“Shen Yue is getting married. Aren’t you happy?” Xie Jingxing asked.

“The people in the Shen residence have nothing to do with me. Am I supposed to rejoice for her?” Shen Miao said. “Besides, whether this marriage goes through is still uncertain. What’s there to be happy about?”

Xie Jingxing curved his lips and sat down across from Shen Miao, looking at her and saying, “You seem to understand quite well?”

“You specifically came to tell me that Shen Dongling and Shen Yue are together, isn’t that to tell me about this?” Shen Miao smiled nonchalantly. “Shen Dongling and Shen Yue will eventually swap places. Fortunately, Shen Yue found Shen Dongling. With Shen Dongling involved, this bride swap won’t go wrong.”

In the Shen residence, Shen Miao had never understood what role Shen Dongling played. In her previous life, she hadn’t paid much attention to this half-sister. Since her rebirth, she had seen many things more clearly. Shen Dongling was very similar to one person—Fu Xiuyi. Both had a great capacity for endurance. Shen Dongling had endured for so many years. Now, when people in the Shen residence mentioned Shen Dongling, everyone would think of her as an easily manipulated concubine-born daughter with no particular qualities, seemingly with a good temperament. Yet this same person had survived unscathed under Ren Wanyun’s balance of power until now. Looking at it now, in the entire second branch, it seemed only Shen Dongling and Concubine Wan were the winners.

Shen Miao wouldn’t underestimate such a person.

Xie Jingxing smiled, “How do you know they’re going to swap places?”

“Because Shen Yue is unwilling,” Shen Miao said. “Shen Yue doesn’t want to marry Wang Bi, but unfortunately, Chen Ruoqiu and Shen Wan have already exchanged the betrothal cards, and the marriage has been set. For someone like Shen Yue, this is a forced marriage. Shen Yue has always been proud and has had everything go her way for so many years. How could she accept such an arrangement? Shen Dongling’s appearance here is not entirely coincidental. Probably one wants to escape, and one wants to substitute—it’s a perfect trade.”

Xie Jingxing listened to Shen Miao with a lazy smile. He seemed to enjoy watching Shen Miao analyze her opponents, finding her serious demeanor somewhat interesting.

He said, “Forced marriage? Wang Bi is a good match for Shen Yue.”

“Unfortunately, he’s not the one in Shen Yue’s heart,” Shen Miao smiled coldly. “Shen Yue is stubborn and won’t change her mind. To marry the one she loves and avoid a forced marriage, she’ll certainly find a way.”

“What about you?” Xie Jingxing suddenly asked.

Shen Miao frowned.

Xie Jingxing asked carelessly, “If one day you were forced into marriage, what would you do?”