The New Year at the Shen Mansion was celebrated with great fanfare.
Originally, due to the incidents involving Ren Wanyun and Shen Qing, the atmosphere in the General’s Mansion had been subdued. However, with the arrival of Jing Chuchu and Jing Guansheng, Old Madam Shen displayed exceptional enthusiasm. She often allowed the siblings to move freely within the General’s Mansion. Shen Yue, being naturally sociable, soon began referring to Jing Chuchu as her good sister, though whether this sentiment was genuine or false, no one could tell.
Although Shen Yue treated the Jing siblings well, these two siblings’ favorite place to visit was the West Courtyard of the Shen Mansion. Especially Jing Chuchu, who frequently brought snacks and food for those practicing swordsmanship. Having learned from previous lessons, whenever she came later, she brought enough portions for everyone. However, compared to the soup Shen Miao had made before, the taste was far inferior. Those soldiers were straightforward people who still yearned for Shen Miao’s soup, and showed little gratitude for Jing Chuchu’s attentions.
Today was no different. After Jing Chuchu delivered the food, Shen Qiu did not speak much with her and was about to continue his sword practice when Jing Chuchu called out to him, “Cousin…”
“Cousin, you should head back early,” Shen Qiu said with a hearty laugh. “These people practicing swordsmanship are rough men. Blades and swords have no eyes; it would be terrible if you were accidentally injured. Besides, you come here every day, and as a young lady, watching us men practice swordplay isn’t proper.”
He was politely asking her to leave.
Jing Chuchu’s face suddenly turned crimson, looking at Shen Qiu in disbelief. Her eyes rippled with tears, as if she might cry at any moment. Most men, upon seeing her like this, would have felt sympathy for such a delicate beauty. However, Shen Qiu had never been one to appreciate beauties; he simply stood there, not making any move to comfort her.
Seeing Shen Qiu’s reaction, Jing Chuchu’s previously flushed face suddenly paled. She hurriedly lowered her head, picked up her basket, and said, “Chuchu understands.” She lifted the hem of her skirt and ran off. To an outsider, it might have seemed as if Shen Qiu had done something to her.
After Jing Chuchu left, a figure emerged from behind a pillar. Shen Miao said, “Big Brother, you don’t know how to cherish a flower.”
“Hehe,” Shen Qiu scratched his head. “I was afraid you’d be angry, little sister.”
“Why would I be angry?” Shen Miao asked lightly.
Shen Qiu immediately felt a cold wind pass by. He said, “Little sister doesn’t like our cousin, right?”
“Cousin and I have no issues between us, why wouldn’t I like her?” Shen Miao countered.
“Jiaojiao, has that girl been bullying you behind our backs?” Shen Xin, who had just finished sword practice, walked over. Having overheard Shen Qiu and Shen Miao’s conversation, he said, “If she’s bullied you, don’t say a word, just beat her up!”
“What nonsense are you talking?” Luo Xueyan, seeing them chatting animatedly, had also walked over. Upon hearing this, she glared at Shen Xin. “Jiaojiao, don’t listen to your father’s nonsense. How can young ladies casually raise their hands against others? If she bullies you, tell Mother, and Mother will beat her up for you.”
“That’s still beating someone up,” Shen Qiu mumbled. “Let me do it instead. I’m young and strong.”
Shen Miao said, “She hasn’t bullied me.”
“Then why don’t you like her, Jiaojiao?” Luo Xueyan asked. Shen Miao’s dislike for Jing Chuchu was evident even to the most oblivious person. Whenever Jing Chuchu came by, Shen Miao would have Shen Qiu demonstrate dart throwing in the courtyard. Dart throwing was somewhat cruel; Shen Xin and his group usually avoided doing it within the mansion to prevent frightening the maids and servants. It involved using live, jumping small animals as moving targets, and the bloodiness was not pleasant to see. Yet every time Jing Chuchu came, Shen Miao would say: “Father, Big Brother, I want to see dart throwing.”
Jing Chuchu would be frightened to the point of losing color in her face, yet she would still stand firmly on the side. Often, after watching, she would feel nauseous, while Shen Miao seemed to take endless pleasure in this, as if making Jing Chuchu uncomfortable brought her satisfaction. Over time, everyone in the courtyard noticed that Shen Miao was deliberately troubling Jing Chuchu.
Shen Xin and the others didn’t quite understand, but seeing Shen Miao’s temper, they assumed it was just a quarrel between young girls. As grown men, they didn’t want to interfere directly in young ladies’ affairs, so they let Shen Miao have her way. Today, they were probably extremely curious, which was why they couldn’t help but ask.
“I don’t dislike her,” Shen Miao said. As soon as she finished speaking, Jingzhe spoke up from the side: “Miss prefers quiet. That cousin and her brother often come to chat with Miss, especially the young master who insists on idle conversation. Miss doesn’t like talking to strangers, so she’s probably a bit annoyed.”
Jingzhe spoke with such a straight face that Shen Miao couldn’t help but turn to look at her. Shen Xin and Luo Xueyan’s expressions changed drastically. On the surface, Jingzhe was simply saying that Shen Miao was annoyed by the Jing siblings, but the underlying implications were significant. A male cousin, frequently seeking out his female cousin for conversation, suggested a certain persistence. Luo Xueyan angrily asked, “What exactly is your nephew trying to do?”
“Madam, please calm down,” Shen Xin quickly comforted her, then turned to Shen Qiu and said, “You fool, with all these guards you’ve arranged in the courtyard, you didn’t notice your sister being harassed by those cats and dogs every day?”
Shen Qiu looked aggrieved: “I didn’t notice…”
Of course, Shen Qiu wouldn’t have noticed, because Jing Guansheng chose places to “accidentally” meet Shen Miao that were not in the courtyard—sometimes at the mansion gate, sometimes in the garden, or the corridors. In short, he could “accidentally” encounter her anywhere at any time.
“Go, guard the courtyard gate properly. If you see those two siblings again, tell them the courtyard is closed for sword practice and don’t let them in!” Shen Xin shouted.
Shen Qiu immediately went to select men for the task.
Luo Xueyan stroked Shen Miao’s head. “Jiaojiao, if that person comes to bother you again, don’t be polite with them. Just hit him.”
Shen Xin: “…”
After Luo Xueyan and Shen Xin returned to the practice field, Shen Miao cast a light glance at Jingzhe: “You talk too much.”
“This servant knows her mistake, but Miss,” Jingzhe lowered her head, “the young master has ill intentions toward you. You’ve already noticed, so why not tell the master and madam?”
“Jing Guansheng is quite a shrewd person,” Shen Miao smiled slightly. “It would be a waste to ruin such a shrewd person so easily. Using force against force, I still have use for this person. However,” she changed her tone, “after what you said today, some things will probably accelerate. Let’s wait and see.”
…
Since Shen Qiu had stationed guards at the West Courtyard entrance—strictly guarding against the Jing siblings—the West Courtyard became much quieter. Without the disturbance of the two siblings, Shen Miao lived more freely. However, while they were at peace, someone else became anxious.
In Rongjing Hall, Old Madam Shen fixed her sharp gaze on Jing Chuchu, as if her previous affection had been an illusion. She said, “Chuchu, what exactly have you been doing? How is it that you can’t even enter Old First’s courtyard now?”
Jing Chuchu lowered her head in annoyance, whispering, “I don’t know why, but Fifth Sister seems to guard against me very strictly. Cousin is quite nice to me, but Fifth Sister always makes him distance himself from me. Those guards at the courtyard entrance were also stationed by Fifth Sister.”
“That fifth girl again!” Old Madam Shen’s face turned ashen with anger. Zhang Mama, beside her, quickly patted her chest, comforting her, “Old Madam, please calm down.”
“That girl is too cunning! Your brother is one thing, but now she’s even guarding against you like this. It’s driving me to death!” Old Madam Shen’s original intention was to have Jing Guansheng and Jing Chuchu deal with Shen Miao and Shen Qiu, respectively. But Shen Miao was a woman after all, and in matters between men and women, once something happened, it was always the woman who suffered. With Shen Xin and Luo Xueyan’s volatile tempers, there was no telling what they might do. With Shen Qiu, however, it would be Jing Chuchu who suffered, and reason would be on their side. Previously, the people in the West Courtyard had been carefree—they were people who had fought on battlefields and never bothered with trivial matters. How could people used to wielding weapons pay attention to needle-point sized trifles? Who would have thought that this time the West Courtyard would drastically change its style and directly lock the courtyard gate?
“Old Madam,” Zhang Mama pondered, “Given Fifth Miss’s behavior, she’s probably already suspicious of Miss Jing. Trying to proceed gradually now might be difficult.”
Hearing this, Jing Chuchu felt even more humiliated. She considered herself beautiful and clever, and back in Suzhou, even the sons of nobles and officials fell for her delicate and fragile demeanor. Who would have thought she’d hit a wall with Shen Qiu? The frustration she felt was indescribable.
“What do you suggest…?” Old Madam Shen frowned.
“Strong medicine for a serious illness,” Zhang Mama reminded her. “If we keep dragging this out, by the time Master arranges a marriage for the Young Master with some daughter from a noble family, it will be too late.”
Old Madam Shen started, then said, “You’re right. By that time, it would be too late.” She looked at Jing Chuchu, her face once again wearing a loving smile, though to others it appeared utterly false. She asked, “Chuchu, do you want to marry Qiu’er?”
Jing Chuchu kept her head down and replied, “I do.”
“To marry Qiu’er, are you willing to do anything?”
Jing Chuchu froze, vaguely guessing what this meant, and her heart began to race wildly. She had been adept at navigating between men, with her pitiful demeanor easily capturing the hearts of rich young masters in Suzhou. But the Shen family was the mansion of the mighty General, and Shen Qiu was the legitimate son of the mighty General, incomparable in wealth and status. Naturally, she was tempted. Although she had never done such a thing before, upon hearing Old Madam Shen’s words, she seemed to envision piles of glittering gold and silver. She clenched her fists and whispered, “Chuchu… is willing.”
Old Madam Shen smiled with satisfaction.
…
For several consecutive days, the Shen Mansion was quite peaceful. The Jing siblings stayed in the courtyard behind Rongjing Hall, busy with something in their rooms and not going out.
One day, as Shen Miao was walking along the corridor, she happened to meet Jing Chuchu. Jing Chuchu was wearing a moon-white padded jacket and a jade-green skirt, looking every bit like a refined young lady. In the capital, such a young lady from Suzhou had a distinctive charm, enough to make passersby stop and look.
“Fifth Sister,” Jing Chuchu curtsied to her.
Shen Miao smiled slightly. “Where is Cousin going?”
Shen Miao rarely spoke to Jing Chuchu, so Jing Chuchu was startled before replying, “Back to my room to do some embroidery.” she lowered her head shyly. “I have nothing else to do anyway.”
“Since you have nothing to do, why not come out with me?” Shen Miao said. “I was just about to go to a jewelry shop to pick out some accessories. If you don’t mind, you can come along and choose some too.”
Jing Chuchu was truly stunned this time. Shen Miao had always been neither cold nor warm toward her, no matter how friendly or kind she tried to be. Today, it was unprecedented that she was willing to take Jing Chuchu out with her. Coming from a household where concubines and chambermaids openly and secretly fought, Jing Chuchu’s first reaction was caution. But when she heard that Shen Miao was going to a jewelry shop, her eyes immediately brightened.
She carefully examined Shen Miao, who was wearing a snow-blue elastic-ink crane-patterned brocade skirt with an Xiang-colored single gauze jacket. She always wore deep colors, but they didn’t make her look old at all. Instead, they complemented her jade-like complexion and exuded nobility. Jing Chuchu secretly envied her. She had thought her appearance was not inferior to Shen Miao’s, but standing next to her, she couldn’t help feeling inadequate. Shen Miao had an innate nobility, while she was visibly from a small household.
The more one envies, the more one desires. Jing Chuchu’s gaze fell on the lotus pearl hairpin on Shen Miao’s head. The pearls were large and round, and their slightly shimmering luster almost dazzled Jing Chuchu’s eyes. She quickly lowered her head to hide her greedy gaze from being fully observed. Jing Chuchu said, “Since Fifth Sister has no one to accompany her, I’ll go along.”
Bailu and Shuangjiang, walking behind, simultaneously flashed a look of contempt in their eyes. Indeed, coming from a small household, her vision was so shallow—easily led by the nose with just a few pieces of jewelry. No wonder Shen Miao had said Jing Chuchu was not to be feared.
The two left the mansion and took a carriage to the capital. Shen Qiu naturally had a group of guards follow them, which was quite impressive. When they arrived at the Treasure Pavilion, Shen Miao casually picked a few pieces of jewelry, while Jing Chuchu held this, touched that, with a look of loving attachment that made even the shopkeeper glance at her curiously. To be fair, Jing Chuchu was quite pretty, especially with the natural watery softness of Suzhou women that differed from the capital’s ladies. But this small household demeanor greatly diminished her beauty, for in the capital, a pretty face alone was not enough to get by.
Seeing Jing Chuchu like this, Shen Miao was not stingy. She paid for all the pieces she had selected. Jing Chuchu felt she had grown much closer to Shen Miao. As noon approached, Shen Miao said, “Let’s eat out today. After shopping all morning, I’m a bit hungry. You probably haven’t been to the Happy Tower in the capital before; ordinary families don’t have such good fortune.”
Jing Chuchu looked at the magnificent restaurant before her with a hint of longing in her eyes. Today, Shen Miao had been picking out jewelry and buying fabrics—Jing Chuchu had never seen such extravagant spending before and felt somewhat dizzy. This further affirmed the Shen family’s wealth in her mind, strengthening her determination to become part of the Shen household.
After they were seated on the second floor by a window at the restaurant, the waiter listed some dishes, and Shen Miao selected a few. She chose several of Happy Tower’s specialties, which left Jing Chuchu stunned. After the waiter left, Shen Miao said to Jing Chuchu, “The people who dine here are all either wealthy or noble; many are high officials from the capital. Don’t underestimate them.”
Jing Chuchu nodded repeatedly.
Shen Miao smiled slightly and picked up her tea to drink, but her hand shook, and the teacup overturned, spilling most of the tea on her skirt. Jing Chuchu was startled, “Fifth Sister?”
“It’s nothing,” Shen Miao waved her hand and stood up. “There should be a place to change clothes here, and I have some clothes in the carriage. I’ll go change now.” She then called Bailu and Shuangjiang, “Let’s go.”
As she left, the Shen Mansion guards also prepared to follow. Jing Chuchu quickly called out, “Fifth Sister, these guards…”—she was a bit afraid.
“Don’t worry. In broad daylight, no one would dare to trouble you,” Shen Miao said. “Besides, the guests here are all people of status; they won’t do anything.” Her expression was gentle, but her tone was firm, leaving Jing Chuchu no room to object. By the time she came to her senses, Shen Miao had already left with all the guards.
Jing Chuchu’s expression darkened. Shen Miao always had a superior attitude in front of her, an attitude that made Jing Chuchu keenly aware of the gap between them, which only made her more resentful. Moreover, she had heard from people in the Shen Mansion that Shen Miao had once been a stupid and ignorant good-for-nothing. Why should such a person, incapable in music, chess, calligraphy, and painting, occupy the position of the eldest legitimate daughter of the Shen family’s main branch? And Shen Xin and his wife indulged her in everything, even letting her choose first from the Emperor’s rewards without a second thought. People always become more envious because of comparison, and Jing Chuchu now looked at Shen Miao with a jealousy that had driven her mad.
She picked up the teacup in front of her and, mimicking Shen Miao’s manner from earlier, sipped it in small mouthfuls, as if doing so would allow her to absorb one or two points of Shen Miao’s noble aura.
Just then, a group of people walked past her and sat down at the table next to hers. The leader was a young man who appeared cultured and refined, dressed in fine clothes, and even the servants behind him wore garments made of exquisite fabrics.
Remembering what Shen Miao had just said about “the people who come here are all either wealthy or noble,” Jing Chuchu suddenly felt a stirring in her heart.
The young man seemed to notice her as well, his gaze turning in her direction. When he saw Jing Chuchu’s appearance, he couldn’t help but be captivated.
Jing Chuchu in her moon-white jacket and jade-green skirt, with her snow-white skin and flower-like appearance, and most importantly, that gentle and timid demeanor—she would glance at the young man but then quickly lower her head as if frightened. In the capital, most women were poised and proper due to their proximity to the imperial palace, and such shy and lovable Southern young ladies were extremely rare. The young man stared at her with fixated eyes, and the more intense his gaze became, the lower Jing Chuchu’s head went.
Time slowly passed, and all the dishes had been served, but Shen Miao still hadn’t returned. Only Jing Chuchu sat alone at the table. Not feeling comfortable eating by herself, she just held her teacup and sipped small mouthfuls, appearing somewhat lost and confused.
Finally, the richly dressed young gentleman at the neighboring table couldn’t resist anymore. Under everyone’s gaze, he walked over and sat opposite Jing Chuchu, asking softly, “I see the young lady has been waiting here alone for a long time. Who are you waiting for?”
Jing Chuchu was startled, raised her head, and upon seeing him, immediately blushed. Looking down, she said softly, “I-I’m waiting for my cousin.”
The young man asked with concern, “Why hasn’t your cousin arrived yet? How could they leave a young lady alone like this?”
Jing Chuchu shook her head, blushing, seemingly wanting to say something but not daring to. This demeanor, in others’ eyes, suggested she had been wronged. The young man made up his mind and said, “How about this, since I have nothing to do, why don’t I keep the young lady company while waiting?”
“No-no need to trouble yourself,” Jing Chuchu quickly said. “Why should the young master…”
“It’s no trouble,” the man smiled. “If you sit here alone and someone with ill intentions approaches, it could cause problems. It’s better if I keep you company.”
His words were gentle, and his face wore a cultured smile, making it easy for people to feel favorably toward him. Jing Chuchu lowered her head and said, “Then thank you, young master.”
“The young lady doesn’t seem to be from the capital,” he inquired.
“I-I am from Suzhou,” Jing Chuchu replied. The two continued conversing, with the young man being exceptionally good at conversation. A few sentences were enough to make Jing Chuchu smile. Although she appeared shy, her attitude toward him gradually became more friendly. The young man shared interesting stories about himself and, in conversation, seemed to have traveled to many places and come from a wealthy background. With this, Jing Chuchu’s smile deepened.
In another private room at Happy Tower, through the carved flower window, they could see Jing Chuchu’s table clearly from a distance. Bailu said, “The young cousin lady can talk so long with a strange man she doesn’t know.” Her tone was disdainful.
“That’s no ordinary man,” Shen Miao said calmly, resting her chin on her hand.
“Does Miss know that gentleman?” Shuangjiang asked in surprise. The guards in the room were also puzzled. Shen Miao had left Jing Chuchu alone, changing her location to sit by herself, seemingly to allow Jing Chuchu and that man to talk. Now, from Shen Miao’s words, it seemed she knew the man as well.
Shen Miao smiled slightly but didn’t speak.
“I say,” in another room at Happy Tower, Ji Yushu’s eyes were about to pop out, “She doesn’t know Sun Cainan, does she?”
“Although Sun Cainan is Sun Tianzheng’s only legitimate son, he has never entered official service and is just a profligate son raised at home who only knows how to eat, drink, and play. He hasn’t even attended the Imperial Academy. How would Shen Miao know him?” Gao Yang glanced over.
“Do you believe this is a coincidence?” Ji Yushu said excitedly. “How could this be a coincidence? Even a fool can see that Miss Shen is deliberately letting Sun Cainan meet this cousin of hers who appeared out of nowhere.”
“When did I say this was a coincidence?” Gao Yang snapped open his folding fan, pretentiously waving it. “But I think she not only knows Sun Cainan but probably also knew in advance which seat Sun Cainan likes to sit in. Don’t you find it strange?” Gao Yang stroked his chin. “Shen Miao, a young lady from a secluded household, how does she seem to know more than you, the ‘know-it-all’? She knows things both known and unknown to us. I seriously wonder if she knows things we don’t know.”
“Stop defaming the ‘know-it-all,'” Ji Yushu retorted. “Miss Shen was never an ordinary person. You and I spend all day monitoring Miss Shen’s whereabouts; if Third Brother Xie finds out, he’ll scold us for having too much free time.”
“Monitoring her is much more interesting than doing other things,” Gao Yang, watching Jing Chuchu happily conversing with Sun Cainan outside, asked, “Why don’t you guess what her purpose is in doing this?”
Ji Yushu thought seriously for a moment: “She wants to matchmake between Sun Cainan and her cousin?”
“When have you ever seen Shen Miao be so kind?” Gao Yang unhesitatingly poured cold water on his theory.
“Then what do you think is going on?” Ji Yushu was discouraged.
“The Minister of Personnel… has there been any interaction with the Shen family recently?” Gao Yang placed his fan against his chin, deep in thought.
At Happy Tower, Jing Chuchu and Sun Cainan had been talking for a long time and were getting along increasingly well. To onlookers, they appeared to be a perfect couple. After a while, several Shen Mansion guards approached Jing Chuchu and said, “Young Lady, Miss’s clothes did not fit well. She lost interest and has already paid the bill to the shopkeeper and left on her own. We have been ordered to protect the Young Lady. After you finish eating, we will escort you back to the mansion.”
Jing Chuchu was surprised: “Fifth Sister has gone back already?”
The guard nodded.
“How could the fifth Miss of the Shen family leave you alone like this?” Sun Cainan complained on her behalf. He had already learned from Jing Chuchu that the cousin she was waiting for was the fifth Miss of the Shen family, Shen Miao. Sun Cainan didn’t know much about Shen Miao, only that she was a fool who ran after Prince Ding. Now it seemed that Shen Miao was not only foolish but also liked to bully others with her position.
He wanted to be the gallant protector, and Jing Chuchu would not waste his kindness. She immediately lowered her head and said uneasily, “Then I should go back now.”
“Ah, how can that be?” Sun Cainan said immediately. “If you go back now, wouldn’t it waste this table full of good food? No one has ever just abandoned food like this at Happy Tower.” He looked at the confused Jing Chuchu and smiled. “How about this, if the young lady doesn’t mind, I’m willing to accompany you for the meal. With all these guards around, they can escort you back after you’re done, alright?”
“This…” Jing Chuchu was a bit bewildered.
“Since we’ve met, the two of us must be destined. And since destiny has brought us together, we shouldn’t waste the fate Heaven has given us,” Sun Cainan spoke with a silver tongue. “As soon as I saw the young lady today, I felt like I was meeting an old friend, which is why I started talking to you. I wonder if the young lady would be kind enough to accept my proposal?”
After hesitating for a long time, Jing Chuchu finally nodded tentatively: “Then… let’s do as the young master says.”
The two then began to truly dine and converse together. From a distance in the secluded room, Shen Miao looked at the pair, and a cold smile slowly crept onto her lips.
She was familiar with Sun Cainan. In her previous life, it was this man who had put a massive green hat on Shen Qiu’s head. Shen Qiu, young and impulsive, had dragged his crippled leg to kill this man in one go, only to find out later that Sun Cainan was the only son of the Minister of Personnel. Because Sun Cainan was uneducated and unlearned, usually just using his mouth and good looks to seduce women all around—both young girls and married women alike—Sun Tianzheng feared being reported by the imperial censors and usually did not allow Sun Cainan to go out, so few people knew him.
But in this life, she would recognize Sun Cainan even if he were reduced to ashes.
Sun Cainan particularly liked gentle and weak Southern women; otherwise, he wouldn’t have dared to sleep with Shen Qiu’s woman in the previous life.
Shen Miao lowered her gaze and murmured in a voice only she could hear, “Sun Cainan, Jing Chuchu, this karmic connection from the previous life that This Palace has personally arranged for you, don’t disappoint me.”