Imperial Noble Consort Jing had always been tyrannical in the palace. Though arrogant and brainless, no one dared to cross her. Even Empress Xiande couldn’t be bothered to argue with her on normal days. Today, however, she hadn’t expected to stumble at Shen Miao’s hands, or rather, at the Prince of Rui’s hands.

No matter how sharp-tongued Shen Miao might be, Imperial Noble Consort Jing had the power to punish her, even if she had to fabricate some crime. But the Prince of Rui was someone she couldn’t afford to offend.

When the Prince of Rui first arrived in Longye, court officials unanimously opposed him, setting up obstacles both openly and in secret. Everyone thought he was just a dissolute playboy based on his frivolous and lazy appearance. Who knew that in just two years, he would make those court officials avoid him like mice fleeing from cats, not daring to provoke him. Imperial Noble Consort Jing’s father had also warned her not to antagonize the Prince of Rui.

No matter how arrogant Imperial Noble Consort Jing was, she didn’t dare to go against the Prince of Rui. Even Emperor Yongle couldn’t do anything about the Prince of Rui, let alone a mere consort.

She forced a smile and said, “How could His Highness the Prince of Rui, busy as he is, have time to listen to Fourth Sister play music?” She cast a pleading glance at Emperor Yongle and continued, “This concubine will guide Fourth Sister in the future. Prince of Rui, please don’t take offense.”

“This prince has no time to take offense,” Xie Jingxing smiled, putting his arm around Shen Miao’s shoulders. “The Princess Consort is also too busy. Since Imperial Noble Consort Jing has free time, she should focus more on helping Imperial Brother with his worries.”

Imperial Noble Consort Jing bit her lip, looking awkwardly toward Emperor Yongle.

Emperor Yongle’s face darkened. After all, Xie Jingxing repeatedly humiliating his consort did make him unhappy. Perhaps he wouldn’t have minded before, but now he didn’t want Xie Jingxing standing up for Shen Miao, spoiling her like this. He coldly asked Shen Miao, “Princess Consort of Rui, is this your intention as well?”

Shen Miao lowered her head obediently and replied, “A wife follows her husband’s lead.”

Empress Xiande looked at Shen Miao with some surprise, seemingly not expecting Shen Miao to be so resolute even in the face of Emperor Yongle. Then, as if suddenly realizing something, she smiled and shook her head.

Upon hearing this, Emperor Yongle silently stared at Shen Miao for a long time. His gaze was somewhat fierce, but Shen Miao kept her head lowered, either pretending not to notice or truly not seeing, maintaining a gentle demeanor and ignoring his glare.

Xie Jingxing directly pulled Shen Miao up and said, “If Imperial Brother has no other instructions, this subject will take his leave.” He added, “Being newlyweds, my wife and I have many things to attend to.”

Shen Miao: “…”

Emperor Yongle said, “Remember what I told you.”

Xie Jingxing replied with a half-smile, “Oh.”

That “oh,” however, didn’t sound like he was taking Emperor Yongle’s words to heart at all.

After Shen Miao and Xie Jingxing left, Emperor Yongle seemed extremely displeased. He flicked his sleeve and departed without acknowledging either Empress Xiande or Imperial Noble Consort Jing. Both women realized Emperor Yongle was angry and didn’t follow him immediately.

Imperial Noble Consort Jing looked at Empress Xiande and said, “Sister seems to have quite a good relationship with the Princess Consort of Rui, constantly speaking up for her earlier. Those who don’t know might think you two have known each other for a long time.”

“The Princess Consort of Rui is cultured and intelligent, wise and virtuous—naturally likable,” Empress Xiande smiled.

“But Sister shouldn’t forget, she’s from Ming Qi,” Imperial Noble Consort Jing said viciously. “Who knows what intentions people from Ming Qi have in coming to Da Liang? If Sister helps her, you might get dragged down too. If His Majesty finds fault, he might blame Sister as well.”

“Once married into Da Liang, she is a person of Da Liang. Is Imperial Noble Consort Jing suggesting we should suspect the entire Prince of Rui’s household? The Princess Consort and the Prince are a married couple, they are one.” When it came to verbal sparring, how could Imperial Noble Consort Jing be a match for Empress Xiande?

Imperial Noble Consort Jing sneered, “Sister is still so eloquent and seems to trust the Princess Consort of Rui completely. It appears you’re determined to stand on her side.”

Empress Xiande neither confirmed nor denied.

“But what can be done?” Imperial Noble Consort Jing suddenly smiled. “Sister can help her temporarily, but not forever. The Prince of Rui’s household won’t have just one woman. Even if my Fourth Sister doesn’t have a chance, someone else will.” Looking at Empress Xiande’s face, Imperial Noble Consort Jing said, “His Majesty seems quite displeased with that Princess Consort of Rui.”

Empress Xiande replied, “The affairs of the Prince of Rui’s household are not for us to meddle in. The Prince of Rui has his ideas.”

“This sister wouldn’t dare volunteer herself,” Imperial Noble Consort Jing smiled. “I just want to advise Sister that you’re not a bodhisattva. Even if you’re kind enough to want to help everyone, you must consider whether you have the ability. Sister’s situation today may be the Princess Consort of Rui’s tomorrow.” With that, she seemed to have regained her earlier confidence, proudly raising her head as she left with her maids.

The gentle smile on Empress Xiande’s lips gradually faded, and a hint of worry flashed in her eyes.

In the carriage, Shen Miao asked, “What did His Majesty say to you?”

“Some trivial matters of the court,” Xie Jingxing replied.

Shen Miao knew that if they were truly trivial, Emperor Yongle wouldn’t have specifically called Xie Jingxing over to talk. Without having to guess, she could tell it must be related to her. Emperor Yongle’s attitude today had already made it clear that he disliked Shen Miao and didn’t like Xie Jingxing valuing her. Perhaps it was because Shen Miao’s identity was too sensitive, or perhaps… Emperor Yongle had better options in mind.

Seeing Shen Miao silent, Xie Jingxing turned his head and pinched her cheek, saying, “But you impressed me today. I haven’t seen such a fierce side of you in a long time.”

“Fierce?” Shen Miao questioned.

“What else?” Xie Jingxing sighed, as if reminiscing, “Back in Ming Qi, when I saw you at Wolong Temple, I thought, ‘The Shen family’s daughter is fierce. I wonder which unfortunate young master will end up marrying this tigress.”

Shen Miao looked at him calmly and asked, “Are you trying to pick a fight?”

Xie Jingxing’s lips curved upward as he said, “That’s more like it. This is how a member of my Xie family should be.”

With this diversion, Shen Miao’s displeasure at Xie Jingxing concealing Emperor Yongle’s words vanished like smoke. She said, “It’s fine if you don’t tell me what His Majesty said to you, but who is Imperial Noble Consort Jing? His Majesty seems to favor her greatly, yet…” she carefully chose her words, “she doesn’t seem particularly special to me.”

Xie Jingxing nearly laughed out loud. Earlier, Imperial Noble Consort Jing had said Shen Miao “didn’t seem particularly special,” and now she was returning the same words. She did hold grudges. He said, “Imperial Noble Consort Jing is the eldest legitimate daughter of General Lu. General Lu… holds a position equivalent to your Shen family’s in Ming Qi.”

Shen Miao raised an eyebrow. So she came from a family controlling military power—no wonder Emperor Yongle was especially tolerant of her.

“Da Liang is different from Ming Qi. Ming Qi has very few military generals left, with the Shen and Xie families each controlling half the territory. In Da Liang, civil and military officials are equally valued, without deliberate bias, so there are many military generals, making it difficult to concentrate power. General Lu is one of those with a large number of troops, and because of this… he has become somewhat presumptuous.” At this point, a flash of coldness passed through Xie Jingxing’s eyes.

“Judging from Imperial Noble Consort Jing’s attitude in the palace, we can tell what the Lu family’s attitude is in Longye,” Shen Miao said. The women in the palace often represented more than just themselves; they also carried the reputation and strength of their families. The more powerful the family backing, the more fearless they became. Favor alone was not enough. Just as in her previous life, if not for the Shen family behind her, Fu Xiuyi probably wouldn’t have even looked at her. The reason Madam Mei was able to secure Fu Sheng’s position, nearly rivaling the Crown Prince’s, was not only due to her capabilities but also because of her brilliant brother, who had carved out his achievements.

Thinking of Madam Mei, Shen Miao suddenly froze. In her previous life, Madam Mei appeared in Qin country after Fu Xiuyi ascended the throne several years later. In this life, although Fu Xiuyi might not launch an eastern campaign, Shen Miao had already come to Da Liang—would Madam Mei still appear?

Xie Jingxing didn’t notice Shen Miao’s distraction and praised her, “Correct. Imperial Noble Consort Jing is arrogant, and the Lu family is presumptuous. Imperial Brother intends to suppress them, but he must proceed gradually.”

“Can’t they be kept in check?” Shen Miao asked.

Xie Jingxing shook his head. The Lu family was the late Emperor’s people. Imperial Brother has already cleared out most of the people left by the late Emperor, except for two families: the military Lu family and the civil Ye family. The Lu and Ye families have deep roots and numerous allies. Uprooting them completely would only harm the imperial family’s foundation. Imperial Brother can’t act too hastily, and they know this, which is why they dare to be so fearless.”

Shen Miao frowned. Xie Jingxing and Emperor Yongle were blood brothers, and the late Emperor was their biological father. Why did Xie Jingxing call him “the late Emperor” rather than “Imperial Father”? Moreover, according to Xie Jingxing, both the Lu and Ye families were the late Emperor’s people. Although there’s a saying that each emperor has his court, Emperor Yongle had legitimately inherited the throne, so these officials who had served two emperors should have been supporting him wholeheartedly. Yet the Lu and Ye families seemed ambitious, and Emperor Yongle was trying to suppress their wolfish ambitions.

Was the late Emperor unwilling to see Emperor Yongle rule the country? Or had the Lu and Ye families developed disloyalty after the late Emperor’s death?

Shen Miao sensed some hidden matters.

Suddenly, she found it somewhat ridiculous. In Ming Qi, the Shen and Xie families were dutiful and honest, yet the imperial family was suspicious and suppressed them even though neither family had daughters in the palace. In Da Liang, the situation was completely reversed: treacherous officials were arrogant, while the imperial family had to compromise and proceed cautiously. Indeed, perhaps because Da Liang was a larger country, the ambitions of those below were correspondingly greater.

“Which family does the Empress come from?” Shen Miao asked.

“She’s from the Ke family,” Xie Jingxing replied. “The Ke family comes from a line of imperial historians.”

Shen Miao was startled: “Imperial historians have little power and no real authority. For His Majesty to marry a daughter from an imperial historian’s family and make her Empress shows he must truly love her.”

Xie Jingxing neither confirmed nor denied.

“But…” she continued, “if he holds the Empress in his heart, why does he allow Imperial Noble Consort Jing to disrespect her? Since Imperial Noble Consort Jing dares to disrespect the Empress, she’s influenced by His Majesty.” If Emperor Yongle cherished the Empress, then no matter how arrogant Imperial Noble Consort Jing was, she wouldn’t dare show disrespect to the Empress out of fear of the Emperor’s love for her. But since Imperial Noble Consort Jing dared to speak so disrespectfully to the Empress, she knew Emperor Yongle wouldn’t blame her for it.

If he was willing to marry her not for power, why couldn’t he even provide the most basic protection?

Xie Jingxing smiled faintly and said, “Imperial Brother is different from me.” He then patted her head and added, “The Empress is also different from you.”

Shen Miao brushed his hand away and asked, “So the Fourth Miss of the Lu family admires you, is that it?”

Xie Jingxing was stunned, then laughed, “Are you still jealous?”

“But there’s something strange,” Shen Miao continued on her own. “If the Lu family wants to control the court or show ambition, they’ve already sent one daughter into the palace and achieved their goal. Why would they send another girl? And,” Shen Miao looked at him, “even if they did, why send her to you? You’re just the Prince of Rui, not the Emperor. Surely the Lu family doesn’t want to control all the imperial brothers in their grasp.”

She looked up and was startled. Xie Jingxing was staring at her deeply, with an expression she couldn’t understand. Before she could ask, Xie Jingxing pulled her close, wrapped his arms around her waist, and buried his head in her shoulder, half-embracing her.

His deep, smiling voice of complaint came from beside her ear: “If this continues, I’ll soon have no secrets from you.”

Secrets? Shen Miao’s heart skipped a beat. Had she said something right?

“You have secrets from me?” she deliberately asked.

“Don’t you have secrets from me too?” Xie Jingxing replied.

She paused. Xie Jingxing released her and stared into her eyes, his lips curving upward, but his gaze locked onto her so intensely that she felt breathless.

He said, “Why don’t we exchange? My secret for your secret?”

Shen Miao’s heart jolted violently, but she quickly recovered, turning her head away to hide her reaction. “I don’t want to know your secrets.”

Xie Jingxing said, “Oh,” and smiled. “Anyway, you can find out on your own, right?”

Shen Miao turned back to look at him silently.

Xie Jingxing said lazily, “My secrets—you can discover them yourself. Your secrets… do you think I know them or not?”

Shen Miao suddenly felt a moment of panic.

She did have secrets—secrets from her previous life. But she didn’t dare to tell anyone, not even Shen Qiu, Shen Xin, or Luo Xueyan. She remained silent, not daring to reveal even the slightest hint.

Leaving aside whether people would think she was crazy for talking about such supernatural things, she was afraid nobody would believe her, and even more afraid that people would look at her differently.

Too foolish and cowardly, causing the deaths of her children and family—would they blame her? Shen Miao didn’t dare to find out.

Then, if Xie Jingxing knew she had been married before, had been Fu Xiuyi’s wife, and had contributed to Fu Xiuyi’s imperial ambitions, how would he view her?

Shen Miao had once thought she didn’t care how others saw her. But at this moment, she suddenly became fearful. She didn’t want Xie Jingxing to look at her the way he looked at enemies.

Her unusual expression was completely captured by Xie Jingxing. His gaze deepened, but he sighed softly and embraced her again.

“I don’t like to force people. If you don’t want others to know, I won’t ask,” he said.

“But don’t make me wait too long.”

…

After returning to the Prince of Rui’s mansion, Xie Jingxing soon went out again. He always had many matters to attend to, and Shen Miao didn’t press him for details. Currently, she wasn’t even clear about Da Liang’s political landscape. Xie Jingxing’s explanation about the Lu and Ye families in the carriage had made her realize that fundamentally, Da Liang was not much different from Ming Qi. Although on the surface it appeared to be a wealthy and powerful nation in an era of peace, the undercurrents hidden beneath that peace were probably no less turbulent. Precisely because Da Liang was a larger country, the ambitions of those beneath were correspondingly greater.

After all, the attitude of Emperor Yongle and Xie Jingxing toward their father was quite strange. It seemed to contain quite a lot of history. Shen Miao recalled that when she first met Xie Jingxing in Ming Qi, he seemed to be searching for something several times. This was true at the General’s Mansion, where he had coincidentally witnessed her starting a fire in the ancestral hall. In the secret chamber of the Prince of Yu’s mansion, Xie Jingxing and Gao Yang also seemed to have obtained something.

But what exactly was it?

Shen Miao initially thought it might be military defense maps or something similar, but upon reflection, such maps wouldn’t likely be kept in the General’s Mansion or the Prince of Yu’s secret chamber. As for what it was, she currently had no way of knowing.

As she pondered this, another matter came to mind.

Pei Lang had traveled to Da Liang with Xie Jingxing’s troops. The main purpose of bringing him to Da Liang was to help him escape Fu Xiuyi’s pursuit. They had also brought Liu Ying along. Liu Ying was easy to settle, but Pei Lang, who appeared humble yet was actually proud, had initially worked for her only because of Liu Ying. After being suspected by Fu Xiuyi, he had risked his life to protect her, leaving Shen Miao with no other reason to ask Pei Lang to do anything more for her.

Finally, Shen Miao stood up and walked out of the room, deciding to speak with Pei Lang face-to-face.

Pei Lang’s quarters were arranged in the last room on the eastern side of the Prince of Rui’s mansion. The environment was quite good; the Prince of Rui’s mansion was very large, so setting aside a courtyard or two was no difficulty, and Pei Lang’s accommodations were decent. However, whether intentionally or unintentionally, his quarters were diagonally opposite from where Shen Miao lived, creating the longest possible distance within the entire mansion.

When Shen Miao arrived at Pei Lang’s courtyard, he was sitting in the yard playing chess. Two blue-robed maidservants stood beside him, both beautiful. They occasionally poured tea for him, and though they tried to control themselves, their gazes upon Pei Lang often carried undisguised meaning.

This scene struck Shen Miao as quite strange. She stopped her steps, watching from a distance, recalling events from her previous life.

In her previous life, Pei Lang had boundless learning, and after Fu Xiuyi ascended the throne, he was elevated to the position of Imperial Preceptor. Pei Lang himself was handsome and proud; whenever he wore his blue robes, his humble yet aloof manner truly gave him the air of an immortal. Court officials knew he was deeply trusted by Fu Xiuyi and didn’t dare oppose him. Pei Lang was quite famous throughout the Ming Qi.

But he was also very young and good-looking. Fu Xiuyi had once tried to bestow the daughter of a high official upon him as a wife, but Pei Lang had politely declined. Such a genius probably had his temperament and was a man of character. Fu Xiuyi thought Pei Lang might dislike having his marriage arranged, so he let him be. Before Shen Miao went to Qin as a hostage, she had a decent relationship with Pei Lang and had once asked him if he had any girl he admired.

How had Pei Lang answered then?

Shen Miao’s expression became somewhat dazed.

Pei Lang had said: “Your Highness, my ambitions lie elsewhere.” Those four words—”ambitions lie elsewhere”—are seemingly irrelevant, yet revealing something of Pei Lang’s attitude. Pei Lang’s character was very rational, rational to the point that when helping Fu Xiuyi make decisions, he would eliminate any possibility that might involve emotions to ensure there would be no unexpected outcome.

Come to think of it, until Shen Miao died in her previous life, Pei Lang had remained single, with no rumored love interest.

Now, seeing Pei Lang standing with two women, Shen Miao felt somewhat disoriented. Even at the Guangwen Hall, Pei Lang had attracted many female students with his demeanor. He was now at the right age, which made her wonder.

As Shen Miao was thinking this, the maidservant who was fanning Pei Lang to drive away butterflies and insects noticed her. First startled, she quickly bowed and said, “This servant greets the Princess Consort.”

The other blue-robed maidservant also hurriedly bowed.

Pei Lang looked up and finally saw Shen Miao. Shen Miao smiled and walked over, saying to the two maidservants, “You may leave.”

The maidservants looked at Pei Lang somewhat reluctantly. Pei Lang waved his hand, and only then did they obey and withdraw. Watching their graceful retreating figures, Shen Miao felt an unusual teasing impulse toward Pei Lang and asked, “It’s rare to see Mr. Pei so romantic, with beauties to add fragrance to your ink.”

The way the two maidservants looked at Pei Lang showed undisguised admiration.

Pei Lang shook his head with a bitter smile but didn’t defend himself. When under someone else’s roof, one must bow one’s head. These two maidservants had been assigned to him by the Prince of Rui’s household. In the past, encountering such undisguised servants, Pei Lang would certainly have found a way to send them away rather than keep them by his side. But this wasn’t Ming Qi, and they weren’t his servants. He didn’t know if this was Xie Jingxing’s idea, but no matter how much he disliked it, Pei Lang could only endure.

Yet seeing Shen Miao seemingly unaffected, Pei Lang couldn’t help feeling a twinge of bitterness in his heart.

“Sir came with me to Da Liang out of necessity,” Shen Miao said. “Now we find ourselves in an awkward position. Do you have any plans for the future?” She paused, then continued, “The Liu Ying affair was something I forced you to do. You had no choice, and I’ve caused you to leave your homeland, which makes me feel truly guilty. If you wish to leave, that would be acceptable.”

Hearing this, Pei Lang gave Shen Miao a surprised look.

All along, when facing him, Shen Miao had always carried a sense of righteousness, from the very beginning when she used Liu Ying to threaten Pei Lang. Pei Lang had vaguely sensed Shen Miao’s subtle emotion toward him, seemingly hostile, yet not merely hostile. Pei Lang had been puzzled and had carefully investigated, but in the end, he still knew nothing.

And now, as Shen Miao faced him, that hostility was gone. As if she had let go of something, she was very peaceful, leaving Pei Lang feeling somewhat lost. It was as if something special had vanished along with Shen Miao’s release of that emotion.

Shen Miao looked at Pei Lang, feeling somewhat emotional.

She had always defined Pei Lang as “someone who owed her a great deal,” but when Xie Jingxing told her that Pei Lang had been imprisoned in Fu Xiuyi’s dungeon, enduring torture without revealing she was behind it all, some things took on a different perspective. Shen Miao knew Fu Xiuyi’s methods of punishing traitors. Under such circumstances, Pei Lang still hadn’t revealed her identity, and Shen Miao couldn’t articulate what she felt.

Thinking about it now, the reason she hated Pei Lang and harbored so much resentment toward him was because Pei Lang had always stood on Fu Xiuyi’s side. When Fu Xiuyi was dealing with the Shen family, Pei Lang had chosen to stand by and do nothing. Even when the Crown Prince was deposed, he hadn’t spoken a word for Fu Ming. When Princess Wanyu was sent in a diplomatic marriage, he hadn’t tried to stop it either.

But in this world, helping someone is a favor; not helping is one’s prerogative. Pei Lang’s relationship with her had never reached the point of “must help.”

As for this life, Pei Lang was no longer Fu Xiuyi’s man; he had even become Fu Xiuyi’s enemy, with no reason to go back to him. So there was no need to hold onto those grievances.

Revenge, after all, was something one had to achieve on one’s own. Simply hating or resenting served no purpose.

Pei Lang suppressed the disappointment in his heart and asked, “What are your plans for the future?”

Shen Miao was startled: “Mine?”

Pei Lang’s gaze became clear again, as if returning to that vigilant Imperial Preceptor. He said, “The position of the Prince of Rui’s household doesn’t seem as invincible as it appears on the surface. It seems there are some variables within the Da Liang imperial family.”

He looked at Shen Miao and continued, “Even if the Da Liang imperial family doesn’t concern me, and the Prince of Rui’s household has ways to protect itself, your path may not be smooth sailing.”

Shen Miao frowned slightly: “Indeed. Sir, why do you mention this…?”

“I can lend you a hand,” Pei Lang said.

Shen Miao: “Sir?”

“Though I may not be a great talent for managing state affairs, I can still contribute my modest efforts. Liu Ying and I now depend on you to establish ourselves in Da Liang. Only if you do well and stand firmly can we live well. Even for my own sake, I must help you. I want to stay in the Prince of Rui’s household.” He paused, then added, “If I could participate in Da Liang court affairs, or help strategize for some of your matters, it might be better.”

After a moment of silence, Shen Miao finally said, “Mr. Pei, think carefully. You don’t owe me anything; there’s no need to tie your life to mine. You don’t need to rely on me. With your abilities, you could live very well on your own. Those excuses are unnecessary; you’re not someone who pursues fame and fortune.”

Pei Lang laughed bitterly to himself. Shen Miao seemed to understand him better than he understood himself. Even he didn’t know when he had developed such a strange obsession, but he stubbornly didn’t want to sever ties with her.

He said, “This is my choice.”

Shen Miao took a deep breath and was about to speak when she saw Jingzhe walking in from outside, carrying an elaborately decorated invitation card that he had obtained from somewhere. He said, “Madam, the invitation for the Caixia Banquet has been delivered. It’s addressed to the Princess Consort of Rui. I accepted it, Please take a look.”

Having just arrived in Da Liang, Shen Miao was already receiving invitation cards. This would be her first appearance in Longye’s circle of noble ladies, and the sender had ulterior motives.

She asked, “Who sent the invitation?”

“The General’s Mansion in Longye, delivered by Madam Lu.”

Shen Miao paused.

The civil Ye family and the military Lu family—Da Liang’s two great families, seemingly having an extremely subtle relationship with the imperial family.

Truly, no visitor comes with good intentions.