The journey by carriage always took a long time, but after three months, they finally arrived in the territory of Great Liang.

Prince Xie Jingxing’s caravan traveled quite swiftly. For ordinary people, such a journey might take half a year. Shen Miao arrived early in Great Liang, with its capital located in Longye.

In both her past and present lives, Shen Miao had never been to Great Liang. In her impression, Great Liang was a prosperous nation, and she had heard that Longye was extremely flourishing. When Fu Ming was studying, he had once told her that someday he wished to see how prosperous Longye was, and whether Great Liang truly lived up to its reputation as a peaceful and thriving empire as described in books.

Now, time had passed irreversibly, Fu Ming and Princess Wanyu had turned to dust, yet she was fulfilling Fu Ming’s wish by setting foot in Longye, the capital of Great Liang.

During these days, Shen Miao had long changed out of her wedding attire. Xie Jingxing had specially prepared clothes for her, seemingly made according to the rank of a Great Liang Prince Consort. When their caravan reached the gates of Longye, the guards at the entrance saw Xie Jingxing and allowed them through without even checking their tokens. The magnificent procession of carriages and horses drew much attention as it passed through the streets of Longye.

The commoners exclaimed loudly: “It’s His Highness the Rui Prince bringing his Princess Consort back!”

Shen Miao’s heart stirred. Xie Jingxing had married her in Ming Qi, yet the commoners here seemed to be fully aware of the situation, showing no surprise at all. It appeared that before their arrival, Xie Jingxing had somehow spread this news throughout Great Liang.

As for Xie Jingxing’s claim that the Yongle Emperor already knew about this matter, Shen Miao no longer believed it.

Just as she was pondering this, the carriage curtain was lifted. Xie Jingxing rode alongside outside and asked, “Would you like to see the sights of Longye?”

By now, he had removed his mask. In Great Liang, he did not need to conceal his identity. His demeanor was different from when he was in Ming Qi—that lazy, cynical attitude had somewhat dissipated, replaced by a sharper, more imposing presence.

Shen Miao looked outside.

Just as the books described, the scenery of Longye was quite different from Ding Jing. Although Ding Jing was also bustling, its liveliness was mainly for the wealthy families. What use were all those taverns if ordinary people couldn’t afford to enter them? In Longye’s streets, however, the commoners always walked with smiles on their faces.

Shen Miao noticed that the fabrics of the clothes worn by these commoners were of good quality, and their appearances and physiques looked healthy—everyone seemed to be living well. Shen Miao thought to herself that the people of Great Liang truly lived peacefully and contentedly; the rumors indeed did not deceive.

Longye was also very large. The buildings in Ding Jing were mostly exquisite and gorgeous, but the shops and taverns in Great Liang were grand and majestic, presenting quite an impressive appearance. Shen Miao had visited the Qin Kingdom before, but even Qin couldn’t compare to the alluring atmosphere of Longye.

Despite her worldliness, she couldn’t help but curiously observe her surroundings.

Seeing her like this, Xie Jingxing raised an eyebrow and said, “There’s no need to rush. In the future, whenever you have time, I’ll take you out to explore. Longye is not small; getting familiar with it takes time.”

He didn’t lower his voice, and some nearby commoners curiously glanced at Shen Miao, saying, “His Highness the Prince treats the Princess Consort very well, so doting on her.”

“No wonder he refused the marriage arrangements from His Majesty before. So he was truly devoted to the Princess Consort.”

“The Princess Consort is also very beautiful. They make a well-matched pair.”

“It won’t be long before they have a little heir.”

Shen Miao overheard these discussions and instantly flushed red. The commoners of Longye seemed very kind-hearted, and their comments were mostly congratulatory or complimentary. Shen Miao felt somewhat dazed. All along, she had believed that human nature was inherently evil, that people always commented on things they knew nothing about, unaware that such comments could ruin someone’s entire life. Coming to Longye and marrying Xie Jingxing, she was, after all, a person from the Ming Qi. She had expected that, just as before, she would face a lot of criticism, but she heard none. She was surprised, yet somehow moved.

At the back of the procession, Ji Yushu said to Gao Yang, “Third Brother has put in a lot of effort. To make the people of Longye accept his sister-in-law, he spread the word early on.”

“A hero can’t overcome a beauty’s charm,” Gao Yang sighed, fanning himself. “But what can one do?”

“But His Majesty must be furious, and those young ladies from various families who had deep feelings for Third Brother—this time, sister-in-law may have quite a bit of trouble ahead.”

“What is there to fear?” Gao Yang said, “Shen Miao is no ordinary person. Who will torment whom remains to be seen.” After saying this, he added wistfully, “Now that we’re returning to our original positions, I miss the days in Ming Qi.”

“Who doesn’t?” Ji Yushu also sighed, patting Gao Yang’s shoulder, with a tone of shared suffering: “Let’s go.”

The palace of Great Liang covered a vast area, with buildings and side halls stretching endlessly, golden glazed tiles, and red pillars. The royal family loved gold and red, giving the entire palace an imposing and magnificent feel.

The stone lions at the entrance were majestic and proud. On the golden throne, a golden dragon coiled, with its head at the backrest, inlaid with two red gemstones. The dragon’s tail wound around to the armrests, with the fine scales at the tip of the tail carved so lifelike that it seemed they might ascend to the heavens on clouds at any moment.

At this moment, the empty grand hall was devoid of people, with only a man sitting on the dragon throne. He sat straight and dignified, but for some reason, at this moment, as the sun was setting and the palace torches had not yet been lit, as light gradually dimmed, that dignified figure seemed particularly lonely and desolate.

The sound of “tap, tap, tap” footsteps echoed in the grand hall. A woman slowly approached, dragging a long train, wearing a nine-phoenix crown, with a gentle smile, walking step by step toward the man seated on the dragon throne.

She said, “Your Majesty is sitting here alone again, without even telling this consort.”

The man finally raised his head, as if just noticing the arrival, and said, “Oh, it’s the Empress.”

The Xiande Empress smiled slightly, “What is troubling Your Majesty?”

“Jingxing returned today,” the Yongle Emperor rubbed his temple, “and brought back that woman from Ming Qi. I’ve told him countless times to break off relations with that woman. Not only did he not listen, he intercepted my troops, acted first and reported later, married that woman, brought her back to Longye, and even made her his official consort.”

“Does Your Majesty dislike Shen Miao?” The Xiande Empress’s voice was soft.

“Those not of our clan must have different intentions.” The Yongle Emperor spoke only these eight words.

Eight words, yet they conveyed his meaning. Not being from Great Liang, one naturally wouldn’t be loyal to Great Liang.

“Your Majesty may dislike Shen Miao, but Jingxing likes her,” the Xiande Empress said. “Otherwise, he wouldn’t have traveled thousands of miles to marry Shen Miao and bring her back to Longye, wouldn’t have sent ninety-nine betrothal gifts, and wouldn’t have paved a good reputation for Shen Miao among the common people.” After a pause, she added, “He certainly wouldn’t have defied Your Majesty.”

“A fox bewitching the ruler,” the Yongle Emperor said in a deep voice, with suppressed anger.

“Perhaps Shen Miao truly has some extraordinary qualities,” the Xiande Empress consoled. “Jingxing has always been a determined child. Your Majesty has selected so many beauties for him, yet he showed no interest in any. Now that he’s willing to go to such lengths for Shen Miao, there must be a reason. Your Majesty, won’t you trust Jingxing just this once?”

“It’s not that I don’t trust him, I don’t trust Shen Miao,” the Yongle Emperor said.

“But Your Majesty has no other option, isn’t that so?”

The Yongle Emperor looked at her with displeasure: “Is the Empress suggesting that I am incompetent?”

“Of course not,” the Xiande Empress smiled. “Your Majesty has never been able to be harsh with Jingxing. That’s why Jingxing acts so unrestrained, doing things without asking permission first. He naturally understands that despite Your Majesty’s anger, you won’t truly punish him.”

“You are right,” the Yongle Emperor replied after a while. “But there’s no more time.”

“Jingxing can marry whoever he wants. I don’t wish to restrict him, but he cannot bring uncertainty back with him. That woman’s identity is too special. If Jingxing listens to her words, it may bring changes to the future situation. I will never allow such a thing to happen.”

“There’s no more time,” the Yongle Emperor’s voice suddenly deepened. “For the sake of the empire, I can sacrifice anything, and there’s nothing I can’t bring myself to do.”

He said, “Tomorrow, summon them both to the palace. I want to see what kind of woman has bewitched his mind, and also remind him not to forget his identity, not to forget his true nature just because he spent two years in Ming Qi.”

The Xiande Empress frowned slightly.

“I let him marry a formal consort, I can also make him take a concubine,” he said, then stood up, descended the long steps, and walked out of the quiet grand hall.

The Xiande Empress remained where she stood, her gaze tinged with sadness. After a moment, she sighed and followed him out.

Great Liang had only one prince, the Rui Prince, who was the Yongle Emperor’s blood brother. This Rui Prince’s identity was very mysterious. It was said that from a young age, he had traveled with a master, so almost no one had ever seen what this Rui Prince looked like. Even the longest-serving Eunuch Deng knew nothing about this Rui Prince.

Until two years ago, when news suddenly came that the Rui Prince had returned to Longye. During a ceremony at the altar, the common people were able to see the true face of this Rui Prince, and indeed he was elegant, handsome, graceful, and noble. The young women and wives of Longye thus set their hearts on this Rui Prince.

However, when a Rui Prince suddenly appeared, people were initially suspicious, wondering if he might be an impostor. But then they thought that the imperial household was so strict and rigorous, they wouldn’t mistake someone’s identity. Moreover, the Rui Prince’s appearance strongly resembled the late Empress Dowager and also had some similarities with the Yongle Emperor. It was an indisputable fact that the Xie family of the Great Liang imperial household was born beautiful—this was beyond doubt.

After returning to Longye, this Rui Prince resumed his princely status and began attending court with the ministers. Some court officials opposed this, arguing that this Rui Prince had not been involved in politics for many years and knew nothing about the situation in Longye and Great Liang, so how could he participate in court affairs? Wasn’t this absurd? The Yongle Emperor was furious and punished several officials who made a commotion about it, but most court officials were against it, and the Yongle Emperor couldn’t punish them all.

Later, the Rui Prince himself took action and successfully resolved several difficult matters that the court had been unable to solve for a long time. Consequently, those opposing voices gradually quieted down. How could they say he knew nothing about court affairs when he clearly understood them very well? Despite being away from Longye for so many years and not participating in governance, he had abilities—how could that not speak for itself? He truly was a genius!

In short, in the eyes of the Great Liang commoners, the Rui Prince was a young man with a good appearance, good temperament, and good abilities. Most importantly, he was also very wealthy.

For instance, the Rui Prince’s mansion was built to rival the palace in splendor.

However, the Yongle Emperor was a wise ruler and very tolerant of his brother, so he didn’t blame the Rui Prince for this. Occasionally, passersby would stare at the main gate of the Rui Prince’s mansion and drool, thinking about which family’s daughter would be fortunate enough to enter this mansion as a princess consort, which would be even more prestigious than becoming a concubine in the palace.

Unexpectedly, after all the speculation, the Rui Prince ended up marrying a lady from Ming Qi.

As Shen Miao stepped through the main gate of the Rui Prince’s mansion, a group of people dressed as guards stood straight and bowed to her: “Welcome, Princess Consort.”

Xie Jingxing put his arm around Shen Miao’s shoulders and walked in, calling out to everyone: “Bring the things inside. Is the new chamber ready?”

“Yes, Your Highness, everything is prepared,” a kindly-looking, honest-faced man in his fifties, resembling a steward, came running from inside. “Please, Princess Consort, come and see.”

“Thank you for your trouble,” Xie Jingxing said.

“No trouble at all,” the old steward smiled. “It’s good to have Your Highness back.” He then curiously examined Shen Miao.

Shen Miao vaguely felt that this steward held a position of some importance; otherwise, someone as difficult as Xie Jingxing wouldn’t speak to him so pleasantly. She raised her head, met his gaze, and smiled slightly.

The steward seemed somewhat flattered and suddenly blushed.

Xie Jingxing pulled Shen Miao forward with dissatisfaction: “Stop looking.”

When Shen Miao arrived at what the steward called the prepared new chamber, she couldn’t help but be dumbfounded.

The bed was large enough to accommodate seven or eight people, covered with soft blankets, and the bedding was all in vibrant red. This would have been acceptable—after all, new chambers should be festive—but what was the meaning of all those spring paintings on the walls?

And various kinds of lamps and incense burners looked very suggestive.

Shen Miao said, “I think I’ll find another place to sleep.”

“What’s wrong, my lady?” the steward asked. “Is there something you’re not satisfied with in this room? Please tell me, and this old servant will have it changed.”

Xie Jingxing glanced at the old steward: “What are all these messy things pasted on the walls? Take them down.”

“That won’t do,” the steward insisted. “These all have significant meaning. After all, this is the wedding ceremony for Your Highness and your wife. I’ve heard you haven’t yet consummated the marriage—it’s a first time, and there might be some confusion. This old servant searched for these for quite a while…”

Shen Miao: “…”

Were the servants of the Rui Prince’s mansion always so straightforward? Even though she wasn’t a shy young girl, hearing such unmasked words still made her blush!

Xie Jingxing put down the dagger in his hand, staring at the old steward with eyes that could almost kill, and said, “Thank you, Uncle Tang.”

“But no instruction is needed,” he added through gritted teeth. “I know what to do.”

Uncle Tang was stunned for a moment, then said, “But one must learn continuously.”

Shen Miao stormed out, unable to bear such a conversation!

The day passed in this chaotic manner. As a newcomer, Shen Miao didn’t display any signs of being pampered or difficult. Moreover, Longye was truly a place of talented people and beautiful scenery, with genuinely nothing to criticize. The servants here treated her with great respect, though being addressed as “Princess Consort” at every turn still made her somewhat uncomfortable.

She simply wasn’t used to hearing it yet.

Even for the evening meal, Uncle Tang specially prepared several light dishes according to the taste of people from Ding Jing in Ming Qi. Xie Jingxing had gone out in the afternoon for a while; he was probably quite busy normally. Unlike in Ming Qi, back in Great Liang, Xie Jingxing was the “Rui Prince” busy with state affairs.

After washing and dressing, the sky had darkened. Shen Miao returned to the new chamber, not because she wanted to be there, but because besides this new chamber, the Rui Prince’s mansion had prepared no other room for her. Jingzhe and Guyu were still serving her, and Bailu and Shuangjiang had also been promoted to senior maids.

While combing Shen Miao’s hair, Jingzhe said, “Before coming to Longye, this servant was worried about being in an unfamiliar place and felt a bit scared. But now that we’re here, I feel relieved. The people in the Prince’s mansion are extremely respectful to you, mistress. This must be due to the master’s good instruction.”

“You shouldn’t call her ‘mistress’ anymore,” Guyu said. “She should be called ‘madam’ now.”

“Yes, yes, she should be called ‘madam,'” Jingzhe quickly corrected herself, then continued, “No wonder everyone says Great Liang is good. Now that I’ve seen it, it truly lives up to its reputation. Not just madam, even this servant loves this place very much.”

“Oh?” Shen Miao teased her. “Wasn’t life in Ding Jing good? Why do you prefer this place more?”

Jingzhe pondered, “It’s not that it wasn’t good there, but I feel people treat madam better here. Madam has arrived in Longye as a Prince Consort—it’s a good beginning. I feel everything will only get better from now on.”

Shen Miao smiled wryly. In Ming Qi, the second and third branches of the Shen family harbored ill intentions, and the Old Madam Shen had no goodwill toward the first branch. Her situation and the Shen family’s position had been precarious. In the eyes of the maids, her life was quite difficult. Moreover, with rumors of her being incompetent, their hearts had grown somewhat estranged.

In Longye, it was different. She had married and come here with the title of Rui Prince Consort, and Xie Jingxing’s attitude toward her made those around her dare not disrespect her. Starting with a good foundation naturally made people happy. People instinctively choose to forget and abandon past unpleasantness and opt for a new beginning.

But would things get better and better? Shen Miao didn’t think so. Not to mention what was happening in Ming Qi, the matters that Xie Jingxing was planning probably wouldn’t be simple either. The dangers in Great Liang might not be fewer than those in Ming Qi. They might be even more dangerous and complex.

Riding a tiger is difficult to dismount; entering a dragon’s pool or tiger’s den—she could only steel herself and forge ahead now.

However, her heart experienced a long-absent lightness.

Just as she was thinking, she heard Jingzhe and Guyu say, “Greetings, Your Highness.”

Shen Miao looked up to see Xie Jingxing enter. He said, “You may leave,” and Jingzhe and Guyu quickly withdrew.

He walked to the table and sat down, waiting for Shen Miao to finish combing her hair while asking, “How are you adjusting?”

“No problems,” Shen Miao replied. “Longye truly lives up to its reputation.”

Xie Jingxing poured himself some tea: “But you need to be prepared.”

Shen Miao was suspicious: “What have you done now?”

“The Emperor has issued an edict for us to enter the palace tomorrow,” he said. “My royal brother is strict and rigid, and he’s very dissatisfied with my marriage. He’ll probably intimidate you a bit.”

Shen Miao glanced at him: “Oh, he’s dissatisfied with your marriage. You were indeed acting behind his back, and you even lied to my parents, saying he had already agreed.”

Xie Jingxing smiled: “It was just an expedient measure. Besides, what if he’s dissatisfied with you? Many people in the world are dissatisfied with you. In Ming Qi, they were as numerous as fish crossing a river, yet didn’t you…” He made a beheading gesture, languidly saying, “…send them on their way?”

Shen Miao also smiled and said, “Are you implying something?”

“Not at all,” Xie Jingxing replied. “We of the Xie family are different from the Fu family. We don’t engage in fratricidal behavior.”

Shen Miao said, “I haven’t noticed that you are people of affection and loyalty.”

“You don’t believe me?” Xie Jingxing asked.

Shen Miao shook her head: “Royal families have been heartless since ancient times. The current closeness is only because you have no conflicts of interest, or you’re on the same side. When the day comes that your positions differ, or you compete for something, you’ll still take action to protect your interests. At that time, there will be no talk of brotherhood.” Although she tried to speak calmly, her words unconsciously revealed a trace of disgust.

Xie Jingxing stared at her keenly for a long while. Shen Miao felt uncomfortable under his gaze and asked, “Why are you looking at me?”

He shook his head, sighed, and smiled: “You seem very distrustful of feelings within royal families.”

Shen Miao pressed her lips together and remained silent. She couldn’t be blamed for not believing. In her past life, deep in the palace, as the mistress of the six palaces, she had seen many unknown things. In this world, women’s suffering mostly stemmed from desire. Even Madam Mei had fought with her for half a lifetime, all to compete for a man’s favor. But the men in the palace were different. She had seen princes who doted on their concubines one day, only to give them to their advisors the next day, just to curry favor. She had also seen those who, for the sake of balancing various factions, made their childhood sweethearts reluctantly accept being a secondary wife, then brought in a minister’s daughter with great ceremony. Men discarded women like worn shoes; men weren’t necessarily noble and pure in their brotherhood either. Cases of brothers or fathers and sons killing each other were not uncommon.

Having seen so much of this, it was hard for Shen Miao to believe in any talk of royal familial affection. Perhaps it existed, but she just couldn’t bring herself to believe it.

“You’ll understand in the future,” Xie Jingxing shook his head, then changed the subject: “My royal brother isn’t a very good person, but he’s a good emperor. However, for you, he’s probably not someone you can befriend.”

Shen Miao thought that perhaps only Xie Jingxing could speak of the Yongle Emperor in such a way.

“When he intimidates you, don’t be afraid. With me around, no one dares harm you in the slightest,” Xie Jingxing continued. “The Empress is a good person and can be befriended. In the future, when you have the opportunity, you can talk with her more.”

Shen Miao’s heart stirred; Xie Jingxing seemed to be explaining some matters to her.

“Won’t you go tomorrow?” she asked.

“What, afraid to go alone?” Xie Jingxing saw her frown and said, “I’ll go with you. But my royal brother will certainly send me away. If he says anything to you, don’t take it to heart—treat it like dog farts.”

Shen Miao remained silent for a while: “I understand.”

Xie Jingxing smiled, resting his chin on his hand as he looked at her: “Shen Spoiled One.”

“What?”

“I feel you’ve become much more docile since coming to Longye,” his eyes brimmed with laughter, clearly up to no good: “Don’t worry, your husband won’t abandon you.”

Shen Miao took a deep breath, placed the comb on the dressing table, stood up, and said, “I’m going to sleep. When are you leaving?”

“Leaving?” Xie Jingxing raised an eyebrow: “This is my new chamber. Why should I leave?”

Shen Miao widened her eyes. Xie Jingxing also stood up and casually lay down on the bed.

Shen Miao: “…”

Shouldn’t this kind of thing be a tacit understanding? In storybooks, weren’t fake couples supposed to sleep separately—one in the study and one in the new chamber? How could Xie Jingxing be like this?

She said, “Then I’ll go sleep elsewhere.”

Before she finished speaking, her arm was suddenly pulled. Shen Miao hadn’t managed to steady herself and fell onto the bed. A pair of strong arms caught her, holding her perfectly in his embrace.

Shen Miao’s nose was filled with the pleasant bamboo fragrance from the man’s body. His chest rose and fell, his breathing intense. For a moment, she dared not look up to see his expression.

After a tense moment, Xie Jingxing’s deep voice sounded from above.

“Two months.”

“What?” She instinctively looked up, meeting a pair of ambiguous, peach-blossom eyes. At this moment, the meaning flowing in those eyes seemed to carry a strong aggressiveness, making Shen Miao’s heart unconsciously beat rapidly.

Xie Jingxing held her and said lazily, “I’m giving you two months. After two months, I won’t hold back anymore.”

Shen Miao was stunned. Xie Jingxing’s lips curved into a smile that was wicked and meaningful. He said, “Being a gentleman isn’t my forte. I’ve never been a good person.”

Shen Miao jumped up suddenly and said, “I’ll go sleep in the study.”

Xie Jingxing grabbed her hand and said, “I’ll go sleep outside.”

Shen Miao didn’t dare look into his eyes.

Previously in Ming Qi, with people from the Shen residence around, Xie Jingxing didn’t dare to be unrestrained. Now in Longye, she had no acquaintances, and most importantly, she had no way to refuse. She and Xie Jingxing were husband and wife; anything they did together seemed appropriate.

Xie Jingxing opened the door and left, seemingly in a very good mood.

Shen Miao touched her chest, where the rapid heartbeat from earlier still lingered. Indeed, Xie Jingxing had become increasingly unrestrained after leaving Ming Qi and returning to Great Liang. It was as if he had been restraining some of his nature while in Ding Jing, but now he was showing his true face to Shen Miao without any reservations.

How did couples in this world get along? Shen Miao wondered. In her past life, she had never known how true couples interacted, so in this life, while she had experience in other matters, in this aspect, she was still as naive as a child.

After a while, Shen Miao came to her senses and simply pulled the blanket over her head and lay down straight.

When the carriage reaches the mountain, there will be a way; when the boat comes to the bridge, it will naturally cross. For other matters, she should follow the path of her past life, but for this matter, she would feel her way through and let nature take its course in this life.