It had been a long time since the siblings Shen Qiu and Shen Miao had such a heartfelt conversation as today. Guards were stationed outside the Western Garden, specifically men from the military that Shen Qiu had brought back, preventing others from entering. One hour wasn’t particularly long or short, and throughout this time, Shen Miao had been listening to Shen Qiu speak. Shen Qiu, wanting to cheer up Shen Miao, shared amusing stories from the military and indirectly inquired about what Shen Miao had experienced over the past year, but she evaded his questions.

Some things weren’t yet time to reveal. Besides, the current Shen family hadn’t reached the point of harming the First House as they had in her previous life, so even if she spoke of it, it would be difficult to believe. At present, if she were to strike, it must be a fatal blow. Even if it were like a dull knife grinding flesh, she first needed to ensure it could break the skin.

After talking a bit more, signs of fatigue appeared on Shen Miao’s face. Concerned for his sister, Shen Qiu noticed and said, “Sister’s health is still not fully recovered, and I shouldn’t disturb you too much. Rest for a while. Father and Mother will probably return to the mansion around dusk. When they come back, I’ll visit you together with them.”

Shen Miao nodded in agreement.

As Shen Qiu rose to leave, he suddenly remembered something, hesitated, and turned to look at Shen Miao: “Sister, you said Shen Qing’s virtue was defiled, but was the culprit caught? Even to protect Shen Qing’s reputation, the Shen Mansion has guards who should have been ordered to investigate privately.”

Shen Miao looked at him, her eyes curving into a smile: “That scoundrel was very cunning and escaped carelessly.”

“I see.” Shen Qiu lowered his head thoughtfully, then looked at Shen Miao with a candid smile: “In that case, I’ll take my leave.” He strode out of the room. Once outside the door, the sincere smile on his face suddenly vanished, leaving only gloom. The servants who saw this couldn’t help but shudder, as if they finally understood the iron and blood that lay beneath the young general’s warm smile. He instructed the guard beside him: “Send two men to Wolong Temple, and also have the Prefect’s office check for any recent developments.” He glanced at Shen Miao’s closed door, clenched his fists, and whispered, “Sister, what exactly happened this past year?”

Inside the room, Shen Miao said to Guyu, who had entered: “Take some silver to Chuntao, and also find someone to deliver some silver notes to Physician Chen. At this critical time, we must ensure my elder sister’s baby is well nourished.” She stroked the burn scar on her arm, which appeared particularly jarring against her fair skin, like a fine silk spoiled by a burn. Yet she didn’t seem upset at all, and instead looked satisfied as if she had made a profitable deal: “The next act will rely entirely on my unborn nephew.”

“Young Miss,” Jingzhe asked, “Why didn’t you tell the Young Master everything earlier?” The information Shen Miao had given Shen Qiu still concealed certain details, such as the fact that the perpetrator was the Prince of Yu. Jingzhe continued, “If the Young Master were to intervene, at least they wouldn’t dare to act recklessly. Moreover, if the Master and Madam knew, they would also protect you.”

“Even if I don’t say anything, my brother will investigate on his own,” Shen Miao gazed out the window. “He’s probably already inquiring about what happened at Wolong Temple.”

“But can the Young Master discover anything?” Jingzhe asked worriedly. “If he does find out, he’ll know eventually, so what’s the use of concealing it?”

“The Prince of Yu is meticulous in his actions. If I’m not mistaken, the monks at Wolong Temple have likely been completely replaced. Not just my brother, even my father wouldn’t be able to find any clues.”

“Heavens!” Jingzhe covered her mouth. “Does that mean this matter will never be resolved?” She had thought that once Shen Xin and his wife returned, they could stand up for Shen Miao against the malice of the Second House of the Shen family and the shamelessness of the Prince of Yu. But Shen Miao’s words now suggested that everything that happened at Wolong Temple had been deeply buried, with the truth known to no one.

“I never intended to seek justice through such righteous methods,” Shen Miao said calmly. “There are many other ways in this world to achieve one’s goals.”

Justice and fairness were worth less than grass. Justice constrained the weak, while the truly powerful created their justice. During her years in the palace harem, she had understood many principles. The harem wasn’t devoid of kind-hearted women, but those women were like winter flowers—too fragile, unable to withstand even a breeze before being crushed into mud. Since she was walking a dark and bloody path, the methods along the way were destined to be hidden from the light.

“But what can Young Miss do?” Jingzhe asked. “At least the Master and Madam can protect you, and if possible, they could even avenge you. Young Miss is still a maiden in the inner chambers, and there are many inconveniences in seeking revenge.” Jingzhe spoke with single-minded devotion to Shen Miao.

“If Father and Mother are angered, they might directly confront the Prince of Yu’s mansion, or at the very least, protect me to make the Prince of Yu cautious,” Shen Miao said. “But for the Shen family to confront the Prince of Yu’s mansion and emerge unscathed is impossible. And if it’s merely to deter him, that’s not what I want.”

Jingzhe was increasingly puzzled. Shen Miao seemed to be saying: she neither wanted Shen Xin to confront the Prince of Yu for revenge, nor did she want Shen Xin to intimidate the Prince of Yu to prevent him from targeting her. But looking at Shen Miao, it was clear she wouldn’t let this matter go without consequence. So what exactly was Shen Miao planning?

Shen Miao smiled slightly: “Those who harm me, I will exterminate their entire clan.”

Jingzhe was startled and instinctively looked up at Shen Miao, only to see the young girl bathed in the morning sunlight, her smile at the corners of her lips clear and innocent, yet like a young beast in a pitch-black forest, quietly baring its fangs.

She was shocked, feeling a chill in that moment, unable to utter a word of inquiry, and lowered her head in trepidation. She thought that Shen Qiu was right about one thing: how in just a short year, Shen Miao seemed to have completely changed. Not just Shen Qiu, but even they who faced Shen Miao day and night couldn’t trace the transformation.

Shen Miao closed her eyes contentedly. Everyone had returned, and the chess game could now begin. Shen Qing was a pawn, the Prince of Yu was a rook, and the Ming Qi royal family was like the white pieces. When would that rook be captured, disrupting the entire game? Everything depended on fate’s will.

This time, fate would be in her hands.

—

At the Marquis of Lin’an’s mansion.

Even in the bleak winter, the entire marquis’s mansion was still adorned with flowers and brocade. When the late Marquis’s wife, Princess Yuqing, was alive, she loved flowers and plants the most. When she first married the Marquis of Lin’an, they were deeply in love, with harmonious affection. Xie Ding adored Princess Yuqing and renovated the entire mansion to resemble her princess palace in the imperial court. It caused quite a stir at the time—a military officer decorating his residence so exquisitely seemed rather comical.

After Princess Yuqing passed away, Xie Ding still maintained all the scenery from when she was alive. He hired specialists to protect and manage it, so even after so many years, even in winter, this place didn’t feel desolate.

However, while the scenery flourished, what was desolate was not the landscape but the people. The separation of things and people was an inevitable challenge on life’s journey. A surface forcibly maintained could never return to what it once was.

Xie Changwu and Xie Changchao were practicing spear techniques in the courtyard. Since the review incident, the two had rarely left the mansion. Firstly, they had lost face when Xie Jingxing single-handedly defeated them both, making them too embarrassed to go out. Secondly, their injuries hadn’t fully healed, making physical exertion difficult. Though Xie Jingxing seemed to act casually that day, he had struck heavily—injuries to tendons and bones took a hundred days to heal. Even after several months, they still felt some pain. Madam Fang was extremely distressed but didn’t dare to say anything to Xie Ding. Despite this, Xie Ding had still severely scolded the two.

Thinking of this, the two brothers gnashed their teeth in hatred. Xie Changchao shook his arm; that day, Xie Jingxing had stepped on his shoulder, and it still seemed to ache vaguely. He said, “Second Brother, I heard that Shen Xin and his wife entered the palace today. With their military achievements, His Majesty is likely to reward Shen Qiu.”

The Shen and Xie families had long-standing friction, but Xie Changwu and Xie Changchao didn’t view Shen Qiu as a thorn in their side because of the political stances of the two families. They saw all talented young men in the capital as rivals. Shen Qiu was undoubtedly the most outstanding among them. Although Xie Jingxing was also exceptional, he hadn’t taken office, and with Xie Ding’s protection, there was little they could do about him. But Shen Qiu was different. If Xie Changwu and Xie Changchao were to take office, people would inevitably compare them to the eldest son of their arch-enemy, the First House of the Shen family.

And what Xie Changwu and Xie Changchao hated most was being inferior to others.

“What are you afraid of?” Xie Changwu said disdainfully. “He’s just a brute who only knows how to fight. He knows nothing about court affairs. What can the Shen family do? Although Shen Xin has impressive military achievements, what can he accomplish? The Shen family is already a spent force. They may look good, but ultimately—” He suddenly stopped speaking, not continuing further.

“Second Brother is right,” Xie Changchao smiled. “Who told the Shen family to remain neutral? In this world, wanting to stay out of trouble is just a beautiful dream. But thanks to the Shen family’s foolishness, at least in the future, we’ll have one less opponent.”

If others heard their conversation, they would be shocked. After all, Xie Changwu and Xie Changchao appeared noble and upright in public, and the Xie family hadn’t involved themselves in the princes’ struggle for succession. Yet their words just now hinted that they had secretly pledged allegiance to a certain faction without the Xie family’s knowledge.

“Speaking of which, the Shen family is not worth worrying about; we have one in our own family.” Xie Changchao suddenly turned toward another direction—the courtyard where Princess Yuqing had once stayed during her illness, which was now Xie Jingxing’s residence. He remembered how Xie Jingxing had pointed a decorated spear at his head during the review, and a surge of resentment rose in his chest. After a moment, he said, “That bastard is getting more and more arrogant.”

He privately called Xie Jingxing a “bastard,” yet when they met, he was deferential—truly astonishing.

“Indeed,” Xie Changchao followed Xie Changwu’s words. “These days he’s been much more well-behaved, and Father values him even more. Could he have someone guiding him? Is there some conspiracy?”

For many years, Xie Jingxing had been unruly and refused to take office, which troubled people but secretly relieved the two Xie brothers. Yet even so, when people mentioned the young Marquis Xie, besides his recklessness, they praised his heroic bearing on the battlefield. Moreover, no matter how much Xie Jingxing defied Xie Ding, Xie Ding always treated him wholeheartedly, while his attitude toward his two filial sons was lukewarm. As a result, their jealousy of Xie Jingxing had intensified over the decade.

In the past, whenever Xie Jingxing was in the capital, there would be major incidents every few days. But since the review incident, he seemed to have changed his nature, staying home and rarely going out, busy with who-knows-what. Such uncharacteristic quietness pleased Xie Ding, who felt Xie Jingxing had finally put aside his rebelliousness and was ready to do something proper.

Because of this, Xie Changchao and Xie Changwu were even more anxious.

“Whatever high person is guiding him,” Xie Changwu sneered, “One day, he will be crushed under my foot. That woman was a princess, and still didn’t come to a good end, let alone a son.”

“In any case, we still need to strengthen our relationship with His Highness Prince Ding at the court banquet,” Xie Changchao said, then raised his spear and viciously stabbed it into the haystack in front of him.

At this moment, the subject of their discussion was sitting at a table inside the room.

Princess Yuqing’s recovery courtyard was filled with flowers and plants, with some trees remaining lush even in winter. In front of Xie Jingxing’s room, the branches almost blocked the entire window, making the room appear gloomy even during the day.

However, in the gloom, the youth sitting upright was as dazzling and eye-catching as sunlight. A guard handed him a letter which he read carefully, then threw into the room’s brazier. In an instant, a puff of ash flew out, and the letter vanished without a trace.

“What’s the news?” A figure’s shadow came from behind as a white-robed gentleman leisurely poured tea for himself, his manners elegant, as if he had truly come to appreciate tea with someone.

“The situation has changed,” Xie Jingxing said, not turning around, seeming to be pondering something.

“Oh?” The white-robed gentleman paused his movements and looked at him with furrowed brows. “Wasn’t it already—”

“Gaoyang,” Xie Jingxing suddenly said, “To destroy before establishing, to die before giving up—what do you think?”

“That’s not like you,” Gaoyang was first surprised, seeming somewhat unexpected, then shook his head and said, “Haven’t you always preferred to conceal your strength, only making a move when everything is determined? When the outcome isn’t certain, you refrain from action. Your usual preference for careful planning makes today’s words quite surprising.” He asked, “Have you encountered something?”

“I met a madwoman,” Xie Jingxing raised an eyebrow. “She suddenly made me feel that taking a gamble isn’t a bad idea.” He stood up, his purple robe hem embroidered with cloud patterns in gold thread. If not examined carefully, it wouldn’t be noticed, yet in the dim light, it quietly exuded brilliant radiance.

“You can’t be referring to the Shen family’s eldest daughter, can you?” Gaoyang hit the nail on the head. “I heard about that day’s events from Tieyi. Though bold, it was too rash. Now that Shen Xin has returned, I fear that with Shen Xin’s temperament, he’ll cause a big commotion.”

“The item is not with the Shen family,” Xie Jingxing said. “I’ve changed my mind.”

“You’re not planning to use the Shen family anymore?” Gaoyang was somewhat surprised.

“The Shen family has too many variables,” Xie Jingxing shook his head. The youth’s handsome features, once devoid of his usual flippancy, displayed a steadiness beyond his years. His natural grace and noble air enveloped him in a mysterious radiance, more dazzling than the sun in the sky.

“What variables are you referring to?” Gaoyang asked.

Xie Jingxing raised his lips: “Their attitude toward the Fu family. I have a feeling that in the future landscape of Ming Qi, the Shen family will become the greatest variable.”

Gaoyang seemed somewhat disbelieving, but his trust in the youth ultimately overcame the doubt in his heart. He said, “How do you know? What qualifies the Shen family to become a variable? Shen Qiu? Shen Xin? Even if there are internal problems in the Shen family, it doesn’t represent the stance of the entire family.”

“The Shen family has produced a clever person,” Xie Jingxing said lazily. “But fate is too cruel; no matter how much she struggles, what difference will it make?” He said, “In any case, the plan has changed; we’ll use a different method.”

“You’re not thinking of—” Gaoyang was moved.

“All these years, I’ve been patient for too long,” Xie Jingxing said. “I’ve held back because of concerns, but now—” He smiled carelessly, as if dark clouds had suddenly cleared, sunlight flooding the room, making beautiful scenery lose its color, heaven and earth without light. Xie Jingxing stood with his hands behind his back and said lightly, “Gaoyang, I’m tired of lurking. I will take action in the shortest time possible.”

“But can you bear it?” Gaoyang asked.

“There’s nothing I can’t bear.”

Gaoyang sighed, and when he raised his head again, he had become resolute: “If that’s the case, we’ll do as you say. Keep it from them for now, and let’s start with Ming Qi. In the Fu family, who do you think we should begin with?”

“The old rule: throw a ball, and whoever catches it first, we start with them,” he smiled faintly. His fingers, however, touched something in his sleeve. With a twinge in his heart, his fingertips pulled out an exquisite small bottle. It was a medicine bottle given to him by Gaoyang, containing what Gaoyang called a priceless remedy, specifically for treating scars. Gaoyang claimed that with this ointment, even the deepest scars would completely fade.

He held the medicine bottle in his fist, and when he opened his palm, the exquisite small bottle had been crushed to dust.

Just like what Shen Miao had done, a great fire would burn away all false balance, exposing the hideous truth within, which was the true pattern where one could take action. Shen Miao used her scars to eliminate the possibility of reconciliation in the future, so what about him?

His gaze swept lightly toward the window, the dark corners of the sky over the Marquis of Lin’an’s mansion, which he had seen too many times over the years. Because of some warm memories, he was willing to maintain a false balance.

Now, it was time to break this balance.

He closed his eyes, his long eyelashes as beautiful as butterfly wings in spring, but when he opened them, his gaze was sharper than the keenest blade.

On his table at this moment was a map spread out flat. It was none other than a map of Ming Qi’s territory. From the thirteen cities of Youzhou to the northern city of Dingyu, from Yuzhou in the south to the eastern sea in Dingxi, from the ancient city of Lin’an to the ancient city of Luoyang, at the very center of the territory was the most prosperous city of Ding Jing.

As the mountains and rivers surged with change and heroes emerged across the land, he reached out and lightly brushed his finger over the center of the territory map.

As if deciding the rise and fall of a dynasty.