Three days later, the royal family held a return evening banquet, with civil and military officials attending with their wives. Although it was called a celebration for both ruler and officials, everyone knew clearly that this return banquet was merely the Emperor’s victory feast for Shen Xin.

The Shen family wielded great power, with fierce generals like Shen Xin and Shen Qiu. Used well, they were excellent swords protecting Ming Qi. Used poorly, they could threaten whoever sat on that throne. The Ming Qi royal family both relied on and guarded against the Shen family, but for now, while outlying areas remained unsettled, the Shen family was at least safe.

As long as the Shen family didn’t recklessly wade into the murky waters of succession disputes, the royal family wouldn’t move against them for at least ten years. Anyone at court with a brain could see this. However, previously when Shen Miao was infatuated with the Ding Wang, people thought that if Shen Xin married his daughter to Fu Xiuyi, the Shen family’s position at court would become precarious. But later, Shen Miao’s interest in Fu Xiuyi seemed to gradually fade, so the Shen family need not be drawn into the storm of succession, and would naturally remain safe. For the next decade, the title of Mighty General would continue to intimidate many in the capital.

Early in the morning, Luo Xuyan came to see Shen Miao. These past few days, Luo Xuyan and Shen Xin had been investigating what had happened in the Shen mansion over the previous year. However, those matters had always been well-concealed, and when carefully examined, they were all insignificant small issues, so they couldn’t uncover anything. Nevertheless, Shen Xin and his wife still sensed something strange, and in recent days, their attitude toward Old Madam Shen and the other two branches of the family had grown much more distant.

Shen Miao hadn’t told Shen Xin and his wife about Shen Qing losing her virtue. Ren Wanyun and Chen Ruoqiu would certainly never mention it voluntarily. As for Nanny Gui’s death, they had simply made up an excuse, saying she was expelled from the Shen mansion for having sticky fingers. Ren Wanyun had originally thought Shen Miao would reveal the truth, but unexpectedly, Shen Miao had gone along with her excuse. Ren Wanyun was convinced that Shen Miao must have had some concerns to not tell Shen Xin and his wife, which made her even more fearless.

“Miss has too few hairpins in her box,” said Bailu after arranging Shen Miao’s hair into a Changle bun. Shen Miao had grown thinner and gradually developed a young lady’s grace. Childish adornments like before would have seemed inappropriate. Moreover, since they were going to the palace today, she needed to appear dignified and proper. In the past, Shen Miao’s accessories had been managed by Ren Wanyun, mostly gold and silver ornaments. Those ornaments had long been sold for silver notes during Shen Miao’s purchase of Yan Mei Shui Bi from the Three Fortunes, and when she supported Mo Qing to arrange for Doctor Chen. Now her jewelry box was empty.

“Didn’t the master bring back rewards from His Majesty yesterday?” Shuangjiang cleverly suggested. “Why not let Miss choose something from those? Palace rewards must include many fine things.”

“Never mind,” Shen Miao immediately refused. Those palace items, which weren’t stained with blood? Now she didn’t want to wear those things at all, as if touching them would remind her of those tragic years. She thought for a moment, opened a hidden compartment in her jewelry box, and took out a hairpin.

“Oh, what a beautiful hairpin!” Bailu exclaimed in delight. “When did Miss get such a hairpin? Was it a gift from Madam?”

Shen Miao picked up the hairpin and examined it closely. This was the jade begonia that Xie Jingxing had exchanged for the real begonia she had worn in her hair when they met in the plum garden. If Bailu hadn’t mentioned the lack of accessories today, she would have almost forgotten about it.

The hairpin was made entirely of jade, shading from light to deep, with the flower portion being a transparent purplish-red. The craftsmanship was exquisite, with the begonia petals unfurling in full bloom, giving a sense of vast and elegant splendor. It felt cool and smooth to the touch, clearly made from premium jade. Such a begonia hairpin was likely worth thousands of gold. In her previous life, Shen Miao had seen many fine things in the palace and could recognize the extraordinary quality of this hairpin. This made her even more surprised about Xie Jingxing—to be so generous! Even if the Lingan Marquis’s household was wealthy, it couldn’t afford such extravagance.

Seeing Shen Miao lost in thought, Bailu, worried about time, reminded her, “Miss, this hairpin is beautiful. Let me put it in your hair.”

Shen Miao came back to her senses and complied with Bailu’s suggestion.

Finally, Shuangjiang dabbed a bit of rouge on her cheeks, completing the look. Guyu brought over a lotus-green cloak with rabbit fur trim, placed it over her shoulders, and smiled, “Miss looks so beautiful. Madam will surely be pleased.”

Outside, Luo Xuyan and Shen Xin were waiting. Shen Qiu pulled off a leaf and asked, “Mother, why not let Sister choose clothes and accessories from the reward boxes? Wouldn’t that be more convenient?”

“What do you know?” Luo Xuyan said irritably. “When have you ever seen rewards of ready-made clothes? Even if there were ready-made clothes, who knows if they were worn by concubines before? I wouldn’t dare let Jiaojiao wear them. As for accessories, forget it. Let her wear what she likes—better not to interfere.”

Shen Miao had always preferred gaudy clothes, which even troubled Luo Xuyan. No matter how Luo Xuyan advised her, Shen Miao could never give up her love for gold and silver ornaments. So after a while, Luo Xuyan had grown accustomed to it. Appearances are mere red powder surfaces, not to be taken seriously. Luo Xuyan herself came from a military family and, though spirited and beautiful, dressed with a valiant air, giving the impression of a heroic woman.

Shen Qiu stuck out his tongue and whispered, “If sister dresses all glittery gold again this time…” Before he could finish, a creaking sound was heard as the door opened.

“Sister…” Shen Qiu opened his mouth and stared stupidly at Shen Miao without speaking.

The young lady wore a purple silk dress patterned with green, covered by a lotus-green cloak trimmed with rabbit fur. The fluffy rabbit fur at her neck made her small face look even smaller, barely the size of a palm. She was naturally fair-skinned, and the dark lotus-green color didn’t make her look dull at all; instead, it made her appear extremely dignified. Her bright eyes and white teeth revealed a serene and carefree demeanor. The young lady’s appearance was delicate, but what was more attractive was her calm and noble bearing, with a subtle dignity in her every movement.

Luo Xuyan and Shen Xin stared blankly. For an instant, they seemed to see beyond this young girl to the golden phoenix behind the imperial throne and countless palace walls. Even that golden phoenix couldn’t compare.

It was precisely because Shen Miao had always worn gold and silver before that now, the simpler she dressed, the more noble she appeared. And that calm demeanor was something they had never seen before. Luo Xuyan unconsciously touched her chest. Coming from the great northwestern desert, she had often been ridiculed by noble ladies in the capital for being crude and ignorant of etiquette. Luo Xuyan had secretly hired governesses to learn, but even if she could imitate the appearance, she could never truly acquire that refined elegance of aristocratic families, so she had given up.

Now her daughter looked more noble and dignified than any noble lady in the capital—how could she not be delighted!

“Ha ha ha ha!” Shen Xin was the first to break the silence. He threw back his head and laughed heartily. When he looked at Shen Miao again, his eyes were full of pride and joy. “The Shen family’s daughter has grown up! My Jiaojiao is now a great beauty!” His words were very rough, causing Luo Xuyan to glare fiercely at him. But when she turned her head and saw the guards Shen Qiu had brought back from the army staring at Shen Miao with dazed eyes, she couldn’t help feeling a hint of pride. Then she said, “All right, let’s get in the carriage. We mustn’t be late.” With that, she came over to take Shen Miao’s hand, speaking to her affectionately.

Shen Miao wasn’t quite used to being treated like a child, but when she saw the doting looks in Shen Xin and Shen Qiu’s eyes, she hesitated for a moment. In the eyes of her parents and brother, she was still their Shen Jiaojiao.

Ren Wanyun noticed the begonia hairpin on Shen Miao’s head and smiled, “Jiaojiao, that hairpin is beautiful. Did you choose it yourself?”

Shen Miao responded vaguely. When they reached the entrance, they saw that two carriages were already waiting.

Shen Gui and Shen Wan were standing outside. When they saw Shen Miao and her group approaching, their expressions became unnatural. These days, Shen Xin had shown no kindness to the two brothers, ignoring all their explanations. Even the daily greetings to Old Madam Shen had become perfunctory for Luo Xuyan, nearly causing Old Madam Shen to faint from anger.

“Big Brother,” Shen Wan, being more diplomatic, greeted Shen Xin with a smile.

Shen Xin merely grunted in response, then walked to his carriage and said to Shen Miao, “Wife, Jiaojiao, you get in first.” Shen Xin and Shen Qiu, not accustomed to riding in carriages, would ride on horseback alongside.

Being snubbed like this, Shen Gui and Shen Wan lost face. A flash of anger appeared in Shen Gui’s eyes. Just then, the curtain of one of the other carriages lifted, revealing the faces of Shen Yue and Chen Ruoqiu. Shen Yue softly said, “Fifth Sister, would you like to ride with us? There’s plenty of room in this carriage, even with Big Uncle’s wife.”

“That won’t be necessary,” Luo Xuyan said coldly. “We’re more comfortable in our carriage.”

Shen Miao almost wanted to applaud Luo Xuyan in her heart. Previously, Luo Xuyan had no conflicts with the other branches of the family. With her straightforward and warm personality, no one had ever seen her bitter side. It should be known that on the battlefield, Luo Xuyan was even more merciless when facing enemies. The friendly overtures from Chen Ruoqiu and Shen Yue did not affect her whatsoever.

In another carriage, Shen Qing and Ren Wanyun were also listening to the commotion outside. Shen Qing’s face was still pale, but she tightly gripped Ren Wanyun’s hand, unconsciously using such force that it made Ren Wanyun cry out softly. When Shen Qing released her hand, Ren Wanyun’s wrist showed nail marks.

Ren Wanyun had no time to mind her own business. She pulled Shen Qing into her embrace, feeling her body trembling slightly.

“Qing’er…” Ren Wanyun comforted her in a low voice.

“I must kill her…” Shen Qing said through gritted teeth. She had gradually recovered her senses and recalled the terrifying experience at Wolong Temple that night. All this was due to Shen Miao, and more horrifyingly, she was now pregnant. The child in her womb couldn’t be aborted, or she might never be able to become a mother. Thinking of all the suffering she had endured, Shen Qing wished Shen Miao could experience the same pain she had suffered—no, Shen Miao should suffer ten times the pain!

“Mother will avenge you…” Ren Wanyun’s heart felt like it was being cut by a knife. She wished she could turn into a wolf and pounce on Shen Miao to tear her throat. Shen Qing’s sobbing felt like knives stabbing her heart, and facing Shen Qing, she always thought of that night when she had been right next door but chose to stand by and do nothing.

“I will avenge Qing’er…” Ren Wanyun murmured.

In another carriage, Shen Yue and Chen Ruoqiu sat facing each other. Having just been rebuked by Luo Xuyan, Shen Yue was still displeased. She had always looked down on crude warriors like Luo Xuyan, and now being ridiculed by someone she considered crude made her even more resentful.

“Yue’er,” Chen Ruoqiu frowned slightly. “How many times have I told you that you needn’t bother with such people? Why lose your composure because of her?”

“Mother, I just can’t stand it.” Shen Yue looked at her palm. “Shen Miao used to be respectful to us, but now that Big Uncle’s family is back, she also puts on such a haughty air. Isn’t that just showing off with borrowed power? Isn’t she deliberately doing it to spite us?” Her words revealed a jealousy she didn’t even recognize.

This hint of jealousy was caught by Chen Ruoqiu. Looking at her graceful daughter, she sighed, “I’ve taught you to always maintain composure, but it seems you’re still too young to stay calm and are too impulsive.” After a pause, Chen Ruoqiu continued, “You needn’t view Shen Miao as too important. The First and Second Branches are now in a complete deadlock. Shen Miao has offended your Second Aunt, who will certainly seek revenge.”

Hearing this, Shen Yue looked at Chen Ruoqiu and said, “But Second Aunt hasn’t done anything to Shen Miao these past days.”

Chen Ruoqiu was momentarily stunned. Indeed, Ren Wanyun had been targeting Shen Miao for a long time, but in all this time, not only had Ren Wanyun gained no advantage, she had suffered setbacks and made many mistakes. Now she had even allowed Shen Miao to wait for Shen Xin’s return. If it were anyone else, it would be understandable, but Ren Wanyun—who was always shrewd and experienced, who had handled concubines in the inner residence so effectively—couldn’t outmaneuver a young girl. It was truly strange.

A moment later, Chen Ruoqiu put aside her surprise and said, “It’s precisely because your Second Aunt has never succeeded that she’s now approaching a rage. In the future, when dealing with Shen Miao, she will take desperate measures and use all her strength. At that time, even with your Big Uncle’s protection, Shen Miao will find it difficult to escape.”

Shen Yue listened, somewhat confused yet seeming to understand something. She said, “In that case, we just need to sit back and watch.”

“That’s right,” said Chen Ruoqiu. “This is what I want to teach you. In the inner residence, avoid direct action if possible. If you can use other means to achieve your goals, never act personally. If used well, you can gain benefits without any effort.”

“Thank you for your teaching, Mother.” Shen Yue sat up straight. “I understand.”

While they were chatting happily, Luo Xuyan’s carriage had already left them far behind. Shen Qiu and Shen Xin, seated high on horseback, received admiring glances from commoners who recognized them along the way. The fame of the Mighty General was widespread among the common people.

Inside the carriage, Luo Xuyan kept looking at Shen Miao with delight. Even though Shen Miao remained calm and composed, she found Luo Xuyan’s smile somewhat puzzling.

“Jiaojiao looks so beautiful now,” Luo Xuyan said admiringly. “After not seeing you for a year, you’ve grown into a young lady. I fear no one in the capital is as beautiful as you.”

Luo Xuyan had always spoken somewhat forcefully, and these words would likely invite ridicule if heard by others. But parents always see their daughters as the best, and with Luo Xuyan’s fierce temperament, seeing Shen Miao now so calm and dignified, people always appreciate what they don’t have—naturally, Luo Xuyan cherished this daughter who had suddenly become willing to be close to them like a precious jewel.

Shen Miao smiled slightly. Perhaps only her family could be proud of her, the so-called “good-for-nothing.”

“Last night I discussed with your father,” Luo Xuyan changed the subject. “Your previous suggestion that your father stay in the capital for another half year is quite good. Your father and I are rarely at home, so we should spend more time with you. When His Majesty asks today, your father will make the request.”

Hearing this, Shen Miao couldn’t help but be surprised. She had thought Shen Xin would eventually listen to her, but hadn’t expected it to happen so quickly. Before she could react, Luo Xuyan had already embraced her and said with a smile, “This half year will be perfect for me to watch my Jiaojiao grow up.”

Luo Xuyan, whose name struck fear in enemies, was so loving toward Shen Miao that her former opponents would be shocked if they saw her now.

“Thank you, Mother,” Shen Miao leaned against Luo Xuyan and said softly.

This return banquet was no so-called victory feast. It would surely be extremely dangerous, with capable players making their moves. Everyone had laid their traps and were waiting for their opponents to fall into them.

However, for her, what was more important was… the nine-fold palace that had imprisoned her for life in her previous life, that had buried her children and relatives, that was full of enemies and bloodshed—she was finally returning there.

Emperor Wenhui, the Fu family, and those old acquaintances in the deep palace—meeting again, it remained to be seen who would prevail. The corners of her lips curved slightly, and in the depths of her clear eyes, a dark light like a vortex gradually stirred up a black storm.

…

The nine-fold palace was majestic and grand, with glazed tiles, carved vermilion lacquer, golden dragons coiling, and colorful phoenixes dancing. Golden and bright, yet also cold and desolate.

The brightness was only on the surface. Like the fertile soil beneath colorful flowers, deep within this palace lay countless bones. Countless beauties, in the end, were nothing but dried bones. The more beautiful this palace appeared, the more treacherous it was inside.

In the garden, a palace maid and a eunuch were watering flowers. These dull and tedious tasks were assigned to newly arrived eunuchs and maids. Both appeared to be only sixteen or seventeen years old, still quite young.

The young palace maid said, “There are many people in the front hall today. If I hadn’t made a mistake and been demoted, I could have served those nobles in the front hall. You know, at each year’s return banquet, just the tips alone are enough to last a whole year.”

“Return banquet…” The young eunuch had a longing expression. “With so many tips, is it really that impressive?”

“Look at how inexperienced you are,” the palace maid pursed her lips. “You’re isolated and ignorant. The return banquet is a night feast for officials, specially held by His Majesty to honor the Mighty General’s achievements. All the high officials and their wives attend, so of course they’re generous. If you wait a few more years and are lucky, you might see one. Then you’ll know that those nobles give tips in whole taels of silver.”

“A whole tael of silver?” The young eunuch exclaimed, then said enviously, “The Mighty General must have a great face for His Majesty to specially arrange a night feast for him. He must be extremely prominent.”

“What use is prominence?” The palace maid’s tone was quite disdainful. “With such a good-for-nothing daughter, it’s lucky he hasn’t lost all face, let alone being prominent.”

“Good-for-nothing daughter?” The eunuch asked, “The Mighty General’s daughter?”

“This is something you don’t know about,” the palace maid said mysteriously. “General Shen is wise and valiant, Madam Shen is a heroic woman, and young Deputy General Shen is brave and good at fighting, but the Mighty General’s daughter is an undisputed good-for-nothing. She’s completely ignorant of the four arts, and on top of that, she loves to wear gold and silver—very vulgar. Every time General Shen brings her to the return banquet, she embarrasses herself. I was serving at last year’s return banquet; you don’t know, but she didn’t even know basic etiquette and even stepped on her skirt hem and rolled down the steps. Those young ladies and madams love to mock her the most. Even with the Shen family’s protection, everyone looks down on that Shen miss.”

“Is that so…” The young eunuch was also quite taken aback upon hearing this. “She’s truly wasted the Shen family’s reputation.”

“Isn’t that right?” The palace maid continued, “She’s the Shen family’s failure. What’s worse is that her two cousins are both more outstanding than she, so she’s completely humiliated by General Shen. Moreover, this Shen miss was previously infatuated with His Highness the Ding Wang, causing quite a stir that the whole court knew about.”

“Truly a crude girl,” the young eunuch also showed a look of disgust.

The palace maid stayed in the palace every day, unlike those officials’ wives and daughters who could leave the palace, so she only knew what happened inside. Thus, she knew nothing about Shen Miao’s redemption at the testing grounds.

As they were talking, they saw someone coming from the opposite direction. The two quickly lowered their heads and focused on their work, not daring to speak. They heard the person approach and say in a shrill voice, “Newcomers?”

“Yes, Eunuch Gao,” someone nearby responded.

The young eunuch dared to lift his head for a look. He saw three people standing in front of him: one dressed as a chief eunuch and two as second-class eunuchs. The one called Eunuch Gao was the one dressed as a chief.

Eunuch Gao glanced at the two, his gaze falling on the young eunuch, and asked, “What’s your name?”

“This slave is Xiao Li Zi,” the young eunuch was quick-witted and answered respectfully.

“Him, then,” Eunuch Gao said to the person beside him. “The front banquet is short one water-pourer. He looks clever and should please the nobles. Let him take the position.”

“Yes.”

Xiao Li Zi was excited. This meant he could receive the generous silver tips the palace maid had mentioned. If he caught the eye of some master, he might even have a bright future.

In these nine-fold palaces, everyone struggled to climb higher, and even the lowliest servants dreamed of rising overnight.

…

In the front hall, many ladies and young misses had already arrived. Except for those with connections to the palace concubines, who were invited to the back to speak with the imperial consorts, most female relatives sat outside chatting.

“Why haven’t Madam Shen and General Shen arrived yet?” asked a lady with high cheekbones with a smile. “They’re the main characters today. Are they deliberately arriving late?”

“Madam Shen probably wants to hide her daughter from others, deliberately keeping her concealed,” said another round-faced lady with a smile, though her tone was full of mockery.

As a meritorious Mighty General, Shen Xin did not take concubines, was capable, and remained faithful to Luo Xuyan. Which of these noble ladies didn’t have households full of concubines and endless troublesome affairs? They were naturally envious of Luo Xuyan’s good fortune—a loving husband, an outstanding son—and full of jealousy.

Women love to compare, and the happier Luo Xuyan was, the more envious other ladies became, wishing Luo Xuyan would have some shortcomings too. Thus, Shen Miao’s appearance became the only thing they could use to attack Luo Xuyan. Shen Miao was stupid and talentless, unattractive, and could embarrass herself in the palace. Every year at this time was when these ladies were happiest. Being able to see Shen Xin and his wife humiliated because of their daughter seemed to bring them some benefit.

“I wonder what clothes Shen Fifth Miss will wear this year,” Yi Peilan’s face showed a mocking smile. “Last year, her clothes with gold leaves were so beautiful, with her gold accessories looking quite ‘noble.’ Perhaps this year it’ll be silver leaves?”

This immediately drew echoes from the surrounding young ladies, with sarcastic comments unceasing.

Just then, a clear female voice suddenly appeared: “Everyone should not speak like this. Now, Shen Fifth Miss has truly inherited General Shen’s skills. Remember that day at the testing grounds when even young Master Cai was helpless against her archery. If she gets upset and wants to compete with you in archery one day, what then?”

With these words, the crowd instantly fell silent. Many of the ladies and young misses present had been at the testing grounds that day and had witnessed Shen Miao’s fierceness firsthand. These words involuntarily sent a chill through their hearts. If Shen Miao didn’t even care about Cai Lin, what if she got angry and shot an arrow at them?

The speaker was Feng Anning. Just as she said this, she received a disapproving glare from Madam Feng. Offending so many ladies was no joking matter. Feng Anning frowned in displeasure. She couldn’t stand these people speaking ill of others behind their backs. In front of Shen Xin, they wouldn’t dare make a peep and would even curry favor, but speaking ill of his daughter behind his back was hardly honorable.

The awkward atmosphere had not yet dissipated when a eunuch outside announced: “The Mighty General has arrived—”

Everyone looked toward the entrance.

Walking in the lead were Shen Xin and Shen Qiu. Shen Xin strode like a dragon and stepped like a tiger, imposing even without anger, with an iron-blooded military aura that made the women in the hall involuntarily shudder. Shen Qiu stood tall and straight, with a warm smile and two shallow dimples that made him look very approachable, causing many young ladies to blush.

The two men didn’t linger in the front hall but turned and headed toward the main hall where the male guests were staying. Naturally, everyone’s gaze fell on those behind them.

Luo Xuyan wore a sky-blue waist-cinched soft armor robe, with her hair arranged in a neat blade-style bun. Unlike the ladies with elaborate makeup, her attire was extremely fresh and simple, yet because of the superior material and workmanship, it didn’t appear crude. With her beautiful eyes flashing, she had a spirited and valiant beauty, quite different from ordinary ladies.

Closely following her, a slender figure in purple approached gracefully.