In early autumn, wild geese from the north formed a line across the distant sky, flying toward the warm southern lands. The lush summer foliage in the courtyard had begun to wither, and even the colorful fish in the pond seemed colder than usual.

The young girl’s black hair was styled in a delu bun, adorned with an exquisite coral hairpin. She wore a deep red double-patterned cloud and goose outfit with embroidered threads, which outlined her graceful figure.

Bailu gently draped an embroidered cloak over Shen Miao’s shoulders, saying, “Young Lady’s illness hasn’t fully recovered. Be careful not to catch a chill.”

Shen Miao shook her head.

She was still small in stature, not as tall as Shen Yue and Shen Qing. With her round face and typically timid personality, she looked several years younger than her actual age, appearing to be only eleven or twelve.

But today, something was different.

Shuangjiang, watching from the side, felt something unusual.

The young girl’s skin was fair, and she looked small and delicate. Now, without a trace of a smile on her face, she couldn’t be described as cold or foolish—just somewhat detached, yet seemingly gazing at the sky with nostalgia. She stood as before, but with a certain dignity, as if overnight she had acquired a unique temperament, even displaying a touch of grace and majesty.

Shuangjiang shook her head, as if to dispel the absurd thoughts in her mind, and smiled at Shen Miao. “What is Young Lady looking at?”

Since finishing breakfast, Shen Miao had been standing in the courtyard, gazing thoughtfully at the sky.

“I was just wondering if these wild geese, flying from the northern lands to the southern countries, also pass over the northwestern desert,” Shen Miao said softly.

The northwestern desert was where Shen Xin was stationed, along with Madam Shen and the eldest young master. According to the family letter sent last month, while the capital was just beginning to cool, the northwest had already seen withered grass and early snow.

“Young Lady must be missing the Master and Mistress,” Shuangjiang smiled. “When the Master returns at year’s end, he’ll be delighted to see how much Young Lady has grown.”

Shen Miao smiled, with a hint of bitterness at the corners of her mouth.

A general who could return to the capital only once a year would first be faced with the joke of his daughter shamelessly pursuing a husband, even threatening death to force a marriage. How delighted could he be?

Moreover, the man she desperately wanted to marry was merely a schemer who wanted to use the Shen family’s military power in his struggle for succession. The succession fight was chaotic, and the Shen family originally didn’t want to get involved. Yet they were dragged in by her blind love, ultimately resulting in the tragic end of the entire family’s destruction.

Shen Miao closed her eyes briefly.

In just half a year, too many things could happen. Since her coming-of-age ceremony, her marriage had become a handle that the east courtyard could manipulate at any time. It seemed that from this year’s ceremony, the east courtyard had removed its disguise like a beast, step by step forcing her into a dead end with no return.

“Young Lady? Young Lady?” Seeing her mistress’s unusual expression and the whitened knuckles gripping the cloak, Bailu called softly.

Shen Miao came back to her senses as Guyu came running over, saying, “Young Lady, someone from Rongjing Hall has come to hurry us.”

Rongjing Hall was where Old Madam Shen lived. Early in the morning, the Old Madam had sent her maid to check on Shen Miao. Seeing that Shen Miao was well, the maid had said that once she felt better, she should pay respects to the Old Madam. In reality, whether it was paying respects or facing interrogation, everyone knew the truth.

Shen Miao smiled faintly, tightened her cloak, and said, “Let’s go.”

In the Shen mansion, the east and west courtyards were distinctly separated.

When the old General Shen was alive, he often practiced swordplay and martial arts in an empty courtyard in the west. After his death, Shen Gui and Shen Wan both pursued careers as civil officials, with only Shen Xin inheriting the old general’s mantle. That empty courtyard, along with the west wing, was given to Shen Xin. The east courtyard was spacious, housing the first and second branches and Old Madam Shen’s families.

In truth, compared to the east courtyard, the west was more remote, with less sunlight, barely half the size of the east, with nothing particularly praiseworthy. Only Shen Xin was delighted, feeling as if he had gained a great bargain by acquiring that space. Both Shen Xin and his wife came from military families, and their tastes were similarly simple—white walls and black tiles, exceedingly plain, unlike the delicate elegance of the east courtyard.

Shen Miao had once been very dissatisfied with their west courtyard, envying the elegant charm of the east courtyard, and privately blamed Shen Xin for it. Looking back now, she could only laugh at her ignorance.

Her family’s courtyard, though plain, was not crude. It reflected an open-minded spirit everywhere, unlike the east courtyard with its deceptive facade—beautiful on the outside but rotten within.

After turning down a long corridor and passing through an exquisitely trimmed garden, they finally reached the entrance of Rongjing Hall.

Perhaps to showcase a scholarly atmosphere, Rongjing Hall was decorated with great elegance. A plaque bearing the words “Bamboo Heart Elegance” hung at the entrance, with delicate and lively brass handles shaped like pines and cranes.

“Fifth Young Lady has arrived,” announced Xi’er, who served Old Madam Shen.

Shen Miao stepped into Rongjing Hall.

Inside was a scene of harmony, with almost everyone present. The Second Madam of the Shen family, Ren Wanyun, and the Third Madam, Chen Ruoqiu, stood below the Old Madam. Shen Qing sat beside the Old Madam with a plate of desserts, while on the other side sat Shen Yuanbai, the son from the second branch. Only five years old, Shen Yuanbai was randomly grabbing sweets and trying to stuff them into the Old Madam’s mouth, making her laugh uncontrollably.

No one seemed to notice Shen Miao’s arrival until Shen Yue smiled and said, “Why has Fifth Sister only arrived now? Seventh Brother has almost finished all the steamed sweet milk custard.”

Shen Miao nodded slightly. “My body hasn’t fully recovered. Walking a few steps made me dizzy, so I rested along the way. That’s why I’m late.”

Everyone in Rongjing Hall fell momentarily silent.

Shen Yue intended to accuse her of being arrogant by arriving late, but Shen Miao wasn’t afraid to point out the Old Madam’s unreasonable demand for her to come pay respects despite her poor health.

After a moment, Ren Wanyun smiled and said, “I see that Little Five is truly weak. The doctor has been called twice these past few days. Fortunately, she seems fine now.”

“Is your health better?” a hoarse, stern voice sounded, carrying a hint of barely detectable impatience.

Shen Miao looked up at Old Madam Shen.

The Old Madam had already withdrawn her smile, lifting her head somewhat arrogantly. Despite being over seventy, she wore a peach-red narrow-sleeved jacket and skirt with embroidered brocade buttons, with green jade turquoise buttons at the collar and a headband embroidered with white orchids. Her silver hair was styled in an auspicious cloud bun, adorned with jade beads.

She was a woman extremely concerned with appearances. In her previous life, during Shen Miao’s maiden years, she had always thought Old Madam Shen was the most noble woman, with a grace and beauty that remained even old age, which she couldn’t help but admire. Now, looking back, she found it somewhat laughable.

The original wife of General Shen, Shen Xin’s mother, had been born into a noble family—a true daughter of a great house—but unfortunately died of illness in middle age. Later, while on a military campaign, General Shen had rescued a singing girl from local ruffians. With nowhere to go, she had begged to become his concubine and bore him Shen Gui and Shen Wan. Eventually, she was elevated to the position of his official wife.

The singing girl had worked her way up, becoming Madam Shen, and later Old Madam Shen. Her reputation and status had changed, but the petty, vulgar nature from her background in the marketplace remained unchanged. Shen Miao still remembered how, in her previous life, Old Madam Shen had forced her to marry the lame Prince of Yuzhou, merely to pave the way for Shen Qing.

Looking at the woman before her, Shen Miao noted that Old Madam Shen had been beautiful in her youth, with a pointed face and large, bright eyes. In old age, however, she resembled a dry, triangular drum face with two eyes protruding awkwardly. Yet she refused to accept this, insisting on applying bright red lip color.

Truly… not dignified at all, Shen Miao casually assessed with the eyes of someone who had been an Empress in her previous life. She humbly said, “I’ve taken medicine and am much better now. Thank you for your concern, Grandmother.”

The next moment, she heard Old Madam Shen shout, “Unfilial girl, kneel at once!”