After traversing half of the Capital, the bridal sedan chair was finally carried into Prince Yu’s mansion.

Many guests had already arrived at Prince Yu’s mansion. Although Prince Yu was known for his cruelty and brutality in daily life, he was still a member of the imperial family, so the ministers felt obligated to attend. The Emperor and the princes did not come, but the palace had sent people with congratulatory gifts.

In recent days, the Emperor’s attitude had made Prince Yu quite dissatisfied. When the imperial envoys arrived today, he did not even offer them a cup of celebratory wine or express any gratitude. The eunuch sent by the palace witnessed this scene and inwardly sneered. Perhaps to others, they were merely castrated nobodies, but in reality, they were the people closest to the Emperor. Something must have happened between the Emperor and Prince Yu. Prince Yu still acted as before, but the Emperor was no longer as tolerant as he once was. Prince Yu’s behavior today would only further anger the Emperor.

After the palace envoys left, Prince Yu turned to instruct his servants to continue welcoming the guests. Today, Prince Yu wore a bright red wedding robe. The fabric and embroidery were undoubtedly exquisite, but when worn on his body, one empty trouser leg hung loosely, creating an awkward appearance. His naturally fierce countenance, now forced into a smile, was a sight that gave everyone who saw it goosebumps.

The Shen family had also arrived. Shen Gui and Shen Wan had already gone to socialize with familiar colleagues. Shen Gui had adopted a “broken pot, broken pieces” attitude – since Shen Qing’s scandal was already public knowledge, he might as well use her marriage into Prince Yu’s family to advance his career. As for Shen Wan, there was no need to elaborate; both men were ambitious and wouldn’t miss such an opportunity.

Shen Xin and Luo Xueyan sat at one end, at the bride’s family’s place of honor. They disapproved of Shen Gui’s behavior. Ren Wanyun had also come, sitting with Shen Yuan. She had carefully applied makeup to hide her red-rimmed eyes and forced herself to smile, fearing Prince Yu’s anger, though her smile conveyed nothing but fury. Shen Yuan showed no expression, occasionally glancing at Shen Miao with meaningful looks.

Shen Qiu noticed Shen Yuan’s gaze and angrily blocked it each time. Luo Xueyan noticed this and thoughtfully asked, “You brat, what’s going on between you and Shen Yuan?”

Since Shen Xin and his wife didn’t know about the grudge between Shen Qing and Shen Miao, Shen Qiu mumbled, “I just don’t like him, we had some friction.”

“You’re something,” Luo Xueyan glared at him. “Fighting with someone who has no martial arts skills? Shen Qiu, how old are you now?”

Shen Qiu cast a pleading look at Shen Miao, but she pretended not to notice, staring at her teacup without speaking.

Meanwhile, the guests complimented each other, creating a harmonious atmosphere. Soon, it was time for Shen Qing and Prince Yu’s wedding ceremony.

Shen Qing wore a veil over her face, supported by her maids, Chuntao and Xueli. After bowing to Heaven and Earth, when it came time to bow to the parents, Shen Gui’s expression became extremely awkward. Prince Yu’s cold gaze was fixed on him, and the thought of having Prince Yu bow to him and his wife was indeed a terrifying prospect.

Sure enough, Prince Yu’s steward arrogantly announced, “His Highness is physically inconvenienced. Let’s dispense with the ceremony of bowing to the parents.”

His words were met with momentary silence throughout the hall. Ren Wanyun bit her lip, the muscles in her face trembling with anger. They had already bowed to Heaven and Earth, yet Prince Yu suddenly remembered his physical inconvenience when it came time to bow to his parents. This clearly showed that Prince Yu did not acknowledge Shen Qing and deliberately humiliated Shen Gui and Ren Wanyun.

Although Shen Gui also felt his face burning with shame, he had always been one to bully the weak and fear the strong. Afraid of Prince Yu’s blame, he quickly said, “If His Highness is unwell, we can dispense with the ceremony.”

Some younger guests couldn’t help but snicker, barely disguising their laughter, causing Ren Wanyun to nearly rush forward to argue. Just as she couldn’t contain herself, Shen Yuan suddenly reached out to grip her arm, shaking his head slightly. Ren Wanyun calmed down, and Shen Yuan withdrew his hand, his gaze falling on Shen Gui’s fawning smile in the distance, his expression momentarily dark with gloom.

“Second Brother is acting so shamefully,” Luo Xueyan said with contempt. “Just letting someone bully his daughter like this?”

“I thought he was just greedy for wealth and status. I didn’t expect him to be so heartless,” Shen Xin shook his head, disappointment in his voice. “How did Second Brother become like this?”

“We’re perfectly fine, yet we’re being lumped in with him. How unlucky,” Shen Qiu grumbled.

On the other side, Shen Yue’s family also felt embarrassed. Although Shen Wan was also ambitious in his career, he wasn’t as blatant as Shen Gui. Chen Ruoqiu, in particular, maintained her dignity as someone from a scholarly family. Being Shen family members, Shen Gui’s behavior made them feel deeply ashamed.

After humiliating Shen Gui, Prince Yu seemed quite satisfied with the crowd’s contemptuous looks at the Shen family. During the exchange of bows between husband and wife, he deliberately dragged out the time. Shen Miao wasn’t sure if her eyes were playing tricks on her, but as the bride passed by them, her body seemed to be trembling.

For a royal wedding, even the custom of teasing the newlyweds was omitted. Since Shen Qing was pregnant, any mishandling during such festivities could risk harming the royal offspring—a crime no one dared risk. After Shen Qing was escorted to the bridal chamber, Prince Yu remained outside feasting with his guests, drinking and making merry.

“Congratulations, Your Highness,” the ministers came forward to toast.

“The same to you,” Prince Yu replied. On the surface, Prince Yu truly seemed happy today, even joining his ministers in celebration. However, Shen Miao didn’t miss the cold looks he occasionally cast her way.

Having stumbled at her hands, Prince Yu would surely want revenge. As their gazes met across the room, Prince Yu raised his cup to her from afar, suddenly making an obscene gesture and licking his lips.

Shen Miao merely watched this malicious display calmly. Shen Qiu, seeing her staring into the distance, followed her line of sight and asked, “Sister, what are you looking at?”

Prince Yu had already turned away to drink with others, so Shen Qiu saw nothing. Shen Miao stood up and said, “It’s a bit stuffy, I’ll go to the entrance for some fresh air.”

“I’ll go with you,” Shen Qiu quickly offered.

“No need. Mo Qing and the others are guarding outside. I won’t go far, just to the entrance,” Shen Miao declined and left on her own.

Prince Yu’s mansion was large. Outside, Mo Qing stood guard in the garden. Seeing her come out, he immediately followed. Shen Miao didn’t go far, just standing in place, staring thoughtfully at the southwestern corner of Prince Yu’s mansion.

Then a voice came from behind: “Fifth Sister.”

Shen Miao turned around to see Shen Yuan, who had also followed her out, smiling at her.

Shen Yuan’s smile was different from Fu Xiuyi’s cultured warmth, unlike Shen Qiu’s honesty, and not like Ji Yushu’s mischievousness. His smile always seemed to contain other meanings, making people very uncomfortable. When he fixed his eyes on someone, it was like a venomous snake sizing up its prey, with a cold aura that wouldn’t dissipate.

Shen Yuan was the most formidable opponent in the Shen family’s second branch.

“The banquet is only half over, yet Fifth Sister comes out alone. I thought Fifth Sister had some secret and wanted to play without her brothers knowing,” his words carried hidden meanings.

Shen Miao looked at the flower branches in the garden. It was the depth of winter, and the once-flourishing flowers had long withered. The branches were bare with nothing left, only heavy snow weighing them down, creating a cold and desolate feeling. She said, “Then why did Second Brother follow me out? To spy on my secrets?”

“I would indeed like to spy,” Shen Yuan said. “But sister hides things too well, leaving me with no recourse. However, I feel that since we are siblings, I should offer you some advice and instruction if the opportunity arises.”

Shen Miao turned her head and stared at him unblinkingly: “I’d like to hear it.”

“Actually, since my return to the capital, I’ve noticed Fifth Sister has changed quite a bit, as if she’s become a different person. Perhaps Fifth Sister has grown up, or perhaps someone is guiding you. But I’ve walked more paths than Fifth Sister and see some things more clearly than you do.” He paused, glancing toward the banquet hall, where the sounds of clinking cups, congratulations, and flattery seemed audible even from a distance. Shen Yuan asked, “Qing’er is getting married today—does Fifth Sister feel happy about it?”

“To be honest, it’s deeply satisfying,” Shen Miao smiled slightly.

A flash of sharpness crossed Shen Yuan’s eyes, quickly replaced by a smile. “Fifth Sister doesn’t know how to be discreet. The grudge between you and Qing’er has reached the point of no return. Now that you’ve sent Qing’er into the Prince’s mansion, you think this is a victory. This shows Fifth Sister still has a childish mindset.” He patted Shen Miao’s head, as if truly being an affectionate older brother: “But now that Qing’er has entered Prince Yu’s household, she may yet have a chance to turn things around. After weathering this storm, Qing’er’s future remains uncertain, but as for you, Fifth Sister, your path is likely to be fraught with difficulties.”

Shen Miao remained silent as Shen Yuan continued: “If I were Fifth Sister, I wouldn’t have left any chance for Qing’er from the beginning. I would have eliminated my opponent early on and taken her life. All this talk of making her angry or making her suffer more only creates future troubles for oneself.” He looked at Shen Miao and smiled kindly: “I suppose you’re still young and don’t understand the principle of not fostering evil through leniency. When dealing with an enemy, taking their life is the best course of action.”

Shen Miao quietly observed Shen Yuan, feeling slightly moved. Shen Yuan was indeed the smartest person in the second branch. He didn’t care about the process, only the result. If someone offended him, he would directly use the simplest method to take their life. His methods were ruthless and direct, but left no loose ends. Such a person, calm and rational, would not be swayed by external factors or emotions. To deal with this type of person, provoking them would be futile.

She smiled and said, “Second Brother is right. I am young and not as cold-blooded as you.” These sarcastic words fell on Shen Yuan’s ears, but he simply smiled, unbothered. Then, he heard Shen Miao’s calm voice continue: “Although I’m not as cold-blooded as Second Brother, there is one point where we are the same: I don’t like leaving loose ends either. Care to guess whether Elder Sister will be able to turn her fortunes around in the Prince’s mansion?”

Shen Yuan stared at her: “You don’t think she will?”

“Will she?” Shen Miao countered. She had always spoken calmly and obediently, but this “will she?” was filled with intense provocation and mockery. The kind of lofty derision that made the usually expressionless Shen Yuan’s pupils suddenly contract.

After saying this, Shen Miao gave a light laugh, no longer looking at Shen Yuan, and turned to leave the garden, heading back to the banquet hall.

Would Shen Qing be able to turn things around? Her lips curled slightly upward, and the genuine joy emanating from her made Mo Qing, who was following behind, startled. Having been by Shen Miao’s side for so long, Mo Qing had seen her at her most ruthless, but more often she gave commands calmly. She would occasionally smile, but even her smiles seemed to carry a faint authority. Yet now her eyes curved in delight, as if extremely pleased, though he couldn’t guess what had made her so happy. Mo Qing glanced at Shen Yuan, who was still standing in the garden, wondering if a few words with Shen Yuan could make Shen Miao this happy?

Even the grandest feast must eventually end. As the wine flowed and spirits rose, the guests departed in small groups. Shen Miao also boarded the carriage to return home.

In the carriage, Luo Xueyan remained silent. Then, as if something occurred to her, she took Shen Miao’s hand and asked, “Jiaojiao, what kind of man do you admire?”

Such a question from a mother to her unmarried daughter was somewhat inappropriate. But perhaps Shen Qing’s wedding had stirred something in Luo Xueyan’s heart. She had been campaigning on the battlefield for years, and now realized she knew nothing about what Shen Miao was thinking. She only knew that Shen Miao had once admired Prince Ding, whom Luo Xueyan had met. He was indeed outstanding and quite distinguished. However, such a man would surely have great ambitions, and how highly could he regard matters of the heart? Marrying such a man might not guarantee happiness.

Shen Miao was startled, then smiled and looked at Luo Xueyan: “What kind of person does Mother hope I will marry?”

Luo Xueyan hadn’t expected Shen Miao to ask her this question. She momentarily failed to notice that Shen Miao showed no embarrassment at all when faced with this question, treating it as casually as if asking the simplest question. Luo Xueyan thought for a moment, then said, “Mother hopes you can marry a man of upright character. Preferably one whose official position isn’t too high, whose wealth isn’t too great, whose ambition isn’t too strong, and whose household isn’t too complicated. Your father and I will provide you with power and wealth. With less ambition, he will truly cherish and love you. A simple household will allow you to live peacefully after marriage. Most importantly, he should genuinely respect and protect you.”

Shen Miao lowered her eyes and smiled. Luo Xueyan and Shen Xin’s hopes seemed unchanged—they wished for Shen Miao to marry a perfectly ordinary man whose greatest virtue would be to cherish and love her. Unfortunately, in her previous life, her heart had been clouded, and out of countless men in the world, she had chosen the one who loved her least.

“However,” Luo Xueyan continued, smiling herself, “Mother knows that girls your age don’t love such men. You probably prefer those who stand out in a crowd. When Mother was your age, she also admired young, handsome, heroic men. But later I married your father, and I have no regrets.”

“Then I’ll listen to Mother,” Shen Miao said softly.

Luo Xueyan paused: “What?”

Shen Miao looked at her and said deliberately: “To marry an ordinary man who can love and respect me—isn’t that Mother’s wish? When the time comes for me to marry, I’ll find such a man.”

Luo Xueyan held Shen Miao’s hand, feeling strange. The young woman before her looked obedient, with a gentle temperament, completely different from her previously rebellious and arrogant self. Shen Miao agreed with whatever Luo Xueyan said, and having such an obedient daughter should have made her happy. But for some reason, Luo Xueyan couldn’t feel happy at all. It was as if the face before her shouldn’t wear such a submissive expression—she should be a little more arrogant, a little more rebellious, a little more vibrant, not as compliant and calm as she was now, which inexplicably made one feel sad.

Luo Xueyan pulled Shen Miao into her embrace and said softly: “Even so, at your age, it’s not excessive to like any kind of person. Mother knows that whoever our Jiaojiao holds in her heart must be truly excellent. Our Jiaojiao is so wonderful, he must surely protect and respect Jiaojiao. If Jiaojiao likes him, even if he’s not an ordinary man, as long as he treats Jiaojiao well, Mother won’t stand in your way.”

Shen Miao buried her head in Luo Xueyan’s embrace, her voice barely audible: “Thank you, Mother.”

On the evening of the eighth day of the twelfth lunar month, it began to snow again.

The year-end had brought clearer weather, with several consecutive days of sunshine. Who would have thought that on this night, a rare blizzard would occur?

The streets of the capital were almost empty, with merchants’ doors tightly shut. Only the biting north wind carrying large, coarse snowflakes could be seen howling and dancing in the air.

In front of Prince Yu’s mansion, the red lanterns hanging at the gate swayed precariously. The fireworks and colorful fabrics that had been set off earlier at the entrance were already covered by snow. As for the two red “Double Happiness” characters pasted at the door, half had been torn away by the wind, leaving the remaining half pitted and uneven, creating an eerie effect.

The two guards stationed outside had also partaken of the wedding wine and were somewhat drunk. One raised his gourd and laughed: “I never thought our Prince’s mansion would have another Princess. Back then, I couldn’t imagine anyone would marry their daughter into our household.”

“Hey, you’re talking nonsense. How can you call that marrying into the family? It’s being sold in,” the other man looked inside and shook his head. “Princess or not, who knows how long she’ll live?”

“Maybe we could even benefit from it,” the first guard laughed maliciously.

“She’s carrying His Highness’s child. If you don’t value your life, go ahead,” the other replied.

A “swish” sound, somewhat muffled in the blizzard, made the guard with the gourd ask, “Did you hear something just now?”

“What sound?” The other guard waved dismissively, still alcohol-addled. “Just the wind. Don’t be so jumpy.”

“Today is His Highness’s wedding day. We shouldn’t let anything go wrong,” The first guard sobered slightly, straightened up, and looked around, but saw nothing.

“You worry too much,” the other guard laughed. “Where are we? Prince Yu’s mansion! Who would dare cause trouble here? They’d have to be tired of living. Hmm?” He felt something drip onto his face and wiped it, saying, “Why is this snow warm?” When he opened his hand, he could see by the nearby torch that it wasn’t snow at all, but blood!

Warm blood!

The man was startled, quickly looking up to see a guard’s corpse on the eaves, staring at him with wide eyes, blood dripping down from his slit throat.

“Intru—” He barely opened his mouth when a flash of silver crossed his vision. He felt something hot spraying from his throat, then his body lost all strength and collapsed limply.

As he fell to the ground, he saw his companion, who had just been talking to him, lying in the snow, with a crimson patch on his chest, extending into a chilling trail in the snow.

From beneath the eaves, dozens of people jumped down, all dressed in black with covered faces, almost merging with the night. Two more figures jumped from another direction, dragging away the two corpses at the door. Moments later, new “guards” properly stood at the entrance.

The lead assassin made a gesture, and the group silently infiltrated the Prince’s mansion.

In Prince Yu’s mansion, in the Prince’s bedchamber, Shen Qing sat on the edge of the bed, her body trembling.

Prince Yu lay on the couch, with two beautiful naked servant girls timidly massaging his legs and feeding him, occasionally whispering words that made one’s ears burn. Shen Qing bit her lower lip hard, a sense of unspeakable humiliation welling up inside her.

She was supposed to be the daughter of a noble family, meant to marry someone as handsome and gallant as Prince Ding. Who would have thought she would fall into Prince Yu’s hands? Now, as the legal wife, she was being humiliated by these lowly women of unknown origin, forced to watch these scenes of debauchery. Shen Qing felt afraid and angry, but most of all, she hated Shen Miao completely.

“You should be grateful you’re carrying my child,” Prince Yu noticed her expression, and his face darkened. “Otherwise, you wouldn’t get off so easily today.” He savored Shen Qing’s fearful gaze, but his mind recalled another pair of clear, calm eyes, and a surge of rage suddenly filled him. Prince Yu looked at Shen Qing and said slowly: “However, after you give birth to my child, I won’t mistreat you. I have many guards in my mansion who risk their lives for me. Since you are my wife, you should help me comfort them.”

Shen Qing’s mind went blank, and she almost fainted. The horror in Prince Yu’s words made her lose the courage to live on, just thinking about the future.

“Heh, I will certainly treat you well,” Prince Yu’s tone grew gentler, but his eyes became more frenzied, making even the two servant girls before him tremble.

“Why are you shaking?” Prince Yu suddenly frowned in displeasure. Just as he was about to speak, the servant girl on the left suddenly stumbled and fell onto Prince Yu, her jade arms precisely cradling the Prince’s head. Before Prince Yu could react, the other servant girl suddenly pulled a hairpin from her head and stabbed it into Prince Yu’s throat.

Prince Yu screamed, but he was no pushover. With a “boom,” he threw both servant girls to the ground. Having martial arts skills himself, this move was particularly vicious—the two servant girls struggled on the ground for a few moments before going still.

Shen Qing, terrified and stunned, frantically hid under the table. Prince Yu pulled the hairpin from his throat. Though not deeply embedded, it had caused significant bleeding. Prince Yu cursed and then called loudly, “Guards! Guards!”

A guard quickly responded, and Prince Yu kicked one of the corpses on the ground: “What trash. Find out who they are.”

“Yes,” the guard bowed. Just as Prince Yu turned around, there was a “swish” sound, and he looked down to see a silver blade tip covered in blood protruding from his chest.

It had pierced straight through his chest.

The previously meek guard pulled out the knife. Prince Yu staggered, seeming to want to call for help, but after a few steps, he fell with a “thud.”

The knife blade gleamed brightly, reflecting large bloodstains. The execution was performed with extreme skill, like slaughtering livestock—one fatal strike, without any unnecessary movement.

The guard glanced at Prince Yu’s corpse, then looked at Shen Qing trembling under the table: “Are you Shen Qing?”

“Yes… Hero, are you… Did Second Brother send you to rescue me?” Shen Qing’s eyes brightened as she looked at him.

The guard said nothing and simply walked out.

Shen Qing felt confused. She wanted to leave, but dreaded staying in the room with Prince Yu’s corpse. She gathered some valuables from the table, wrapped them in cloth, and headed for the door.

As soon as she opened it, she nearly tripped. In the weak lantern light, the bodies of guards lying across the threshold were particularly horrifying. Shen Qing screamed “Ah!” and looked outside.

In the darkness, solemn figures seemed to move swiftly, followed by heavy thuds. With each sound, one’s heart grew colder. Prince Yu’s mansion resembled a gloomy hell. The blizzard obscured the outside view, but the thick smell of blood was like a large net, completely enveloping everyone.

Even the snow seemed to have turned a vast crimson.

In the Western Garden of the Shen Mansion.

Bailu closed the window again and said, “The wind and snow outside are truly fierce. The window has been blown open several times, it’s quite frightening.”

“Indeed,” Shuangjiang smiled. “The elders say that in weather like this, the Heavens are punishing sinners. It seems the one being punished this time committed a grave error. Such a severe blizzard hasn’t been seen for many years.”

“What are you looking at, Miss?” Jingzhe asked. “Are you still thinking about today’s wedding feast?”

Since returning in the evening, Shen Miao had been sitting at the table, deep in thought, from dusk until dark. For some reason, Jingzhe felt that Shen Miao seemed to be waiting for something.

Waiting for what?

Shen Miao shook her head: “Just watching for a while longer.”

Guyu and Jingzhe exchanged glances. It was pitch-black outside, and nothing could be seen clearly. What could Shen Miao be looking at?

Shen Miao lowered her eyes. Inside the room, the lamps burned peacefully, while outside, wind and snow battled. In one night, how many people would meet their end?

Shen Yuan was right—she never left herself an escape route, so she never left one for others either.

Her slender fingers tapped the edge of the table unhurriedly, creating a melodious rhythm that reminded one of the strange ballads sung by convicted women in the Cold Palace.

What ballad was it?

It sang of good and evil having their rewards, of the Heavenly Way’s perfect cycle.