In a mansion not far from the capital, Yuan Chuan stood with his hands behind his back, watching the signal sent by his subordinates. He shook his head with a sigh and said, "Exposed."
"My lord, what has been exposed?" asked a puzzled subordinate beside him. This subordinate was likely one of Yuan Chuan's trusted aides, hence the bold question. Yuan Chuan's lips still curled slightly, but his tone was far from pleased as he replied, "The Holy Maiden has been exposed."
The subordinate was shocked. The Holy Maiden's presence in the capital was known only to them privately. Everything had been proceeding smoothly, and Yuan Chuan had been executing his plans step by step without a hitch. How could the Holy Maiden have been exposed? Not only was the subordinate astonished, but Yuan Chuan, hidden behind his mask, also concealed his own considerable surprise. The Holy Maiden's entry into the capital had been extremely covert—even he hadn't known initially. Replacing Yao Niannian had been a masterstroke. Everyone knew the Emperor intended to betroth Yao Niannian to Xiao Shao. Had Jiang Ruan not intervened, Yao Niannian would likely be the Princess of Brocade Glory now. Yao Niannian's identity was naturally fitting, especially since Governor Yao was a pivotal figure in the court of the Brocade Dynasty. Every aspect had seemed flawless—who could have imagined this seamless plan would now collapse, with the Holy Maiden exposed?
Exposure of identity, especially to someone like Jiang Ruan, who excelled at seizing opportunities—what would she do next? If she confronted them with this, it might very well give her the opening she needed. The more Yuan Chuan thought, the more alarmed he became. After a moment of contemplation, he suddenly ordered his subordinate, "Go to the warehouse and retrieve the corpse of the woman who died recently. Tonight, when no one is around, find a way to leave it at the Yao family's doorstep."
"The Yao family's doorstep?" Though bewildered, the subordinate immediately rose to carry out the order. Yuan Chuan stood by the window, his brow tightly furrowed. The real Yao Niannian had long been dead—the current Yao Niannian was merely the Holy Maiden in disguise. The Holy Maiden had already expressed her intention to leave the Yao residence, but if Yao Niannian suddenly disappeared, the Yao family would surely not let it go. They would turn the entire capital upside down searching, which would be highly disadvantageous for their plans. Now, the only solution was to confirm Yao Niannian's death. Earlier, the Holy Maiden had instructed him to dispose of Yao Niannian's body, but Yuan Chuan had been cautious, using Southern Border Secret Arts to temporarily preserve the corpse. Now, it could serve as a timely solution.
By confirming Yao Niannian's death and causing chaos in the Yao family, they would be too preoccupied to interfere with other matters, making it easier for Yuan Chuan's side to proceed with their plans.
The night passed seemingly in peace. The next morning, as the gatekeeper of the Yao residence rose to inspect the premises, he suddenly spotted a figure hanging from the pillar at the entrance. With a terrified scream, he alerted the other servants, who rushed over to see a lifeless body dangling from a rope tied to the beam above the gate, its neck noosed, and an overturned stool beneath its feet—clearly, the person had hanged themselves. After the initial shock, the servants felt a wave of unease and cursed, "Who would choose to hang themselves right at someone's doorstep? Who is this person?"A servant circled around to the front of the corpse, and at the sight, let out another scream—this one even more bloodcurdling than the last. The sound sent a chill through everyone’s hearts, leaving them wondering what could have happened. The servant pointed a trembling finger at the faintly swaying figure above, his mouth agape as he stammered, “M-Miss…!”
The other servants were dumbstruck at his words.
The Yao family’s young lady, Yao Niannian, had hanged herself at the entrance of her own residence.
The news spread like wildfire through the capital that very day. After all, the Yao family was well-known in the capital, and their daughter was one of the most outstanding among the noble young ladies. No one could fathom why she would take her own life, and suspicions of foul play immediately arose. The Yao family summoned the most renowned coroner in the capital, but the examination confirmed that Yao Niannian had indeed died by suicide. This silenced the rumors, leaving no room for further speculation.
Despite the lack of evidence, the Yao household was plunged into mourning. The Governor, who had only been blessed with this daughter in his middle age, had always doted on her as his precious jewel. To lose her now, in the prime of her life, was a devastating blow. He even withdrew from the court’s succession struggles, his heart too heavy with grief to care for politics. Yao Niannian had always been gentle, dignified, and generous in her conduct—for her to take her own life, something must have gone terribly wrong. Yet, no matter how they investigated, nothing came to light. When questioned, her personal maid mentioned that Yao Niannian had been acting strangely lately, unlike her usual self, and occasionally seemed preoccupied. This only strengthened the belief that she had taken her own life due to some hidden distress, deepening the household’s anguish.
When the news reached Jiang Ruan, she was in the study with Xiao Shao as he attended to official business. While he reviewed intelligence reports from the Brocade-clad Guards, Jiang Ruan nestled in his arms. Though she was tall by most standards, she appeared petite against Xiao Shao’s frame. The arrangement kept her warm while allowing her to read the reports alongside him. Xiao Shao didn’t stop her, letting her peruse the documents freely. As she read, Jiang Ruan suddenly remarked, “Huh? Yao Niannian is dead?”
Her tone held not a trace of surprise, as if she had anticipated this outcome. Xiao Shao showed no reaction either, merely responding with a noncommittal “Mm.”
“How efficient,” Jiang Ruan mused. “Let’s see… Hanged herself at the Yao residence’s entrance? That’s an odd choice. Who would hang themselves at their own doorstep, especially a noble lady? What were the Southern Borderlanders thinking?” Any woman, even one resolved to die, would avoid letting others witness her final, undignified moments—especially death by hanging, which was far from graceful. As a noblewoman, Yao Niannian would have chosen a secluded room if she truly intended to end her life. Why would she hang herself so brazenly at her own gate, allowing so many to see her in such a state? Clearly, the Southern Borderlanders hadn’t thought this through.
“Hmm, perhaps their customs differ,” Xiao Shao said with mock seriousness. “The Southern Borderlands are quite liberal.” When Jiang Ruan glared at him, he amended, “The Yao residence is heavily guarded. They likely didn’t want to risk alerting anyone.”"That makes sense." Jiang Ruan pondered and agreed with Xiao Shao's words. After all, the Yao residence was the home of a first-rank court official, and Governor Yao himself came from a martial background, with numerous skilled fighters in his household. It seemed Yao Niannian had already died, and outside the residence at that. The perpetrator likely feared complications if they entered the premises, opting instead for the safer, albeit cruder, method of leaving Yao Niannian at the doorstep.
"Still, to make even the coroner unable to detect anything—the Southern Borderlanders have some tricks up their sleeves," Jiang Ruan mused. "You’ve fought them before. They don’t use any dark sorcery, do you?" She still remembered Jiang Susu’s seductive arts, and the Southern Borderlanders seemed adept at such sinister methods involving witchcraft and poison.
"Petty tricks," Xiao Shao scoffed. "Xia Qing is far more skilled than them." As the Golden Mausoleum Master Hand, Xia Qing naturally had ways to counteract poisons. "But the Yao family has already encoffined Yao Niannian. Without seeing the poison, Xia Qing can’t devise an antidote." The Yao family’s treasured daughter had died, so they naturally wanted her buried quickly. If Xia Qing were to interfere now, who knew what suspicions might arise? Yet medical diagnosis relied on observation, listening, questioning, and pulse-taking—even a coroner needed to examine the body first. Without seeing Yao Niannian’s corpse, Xia Qing likely couldn’t counter the Southern Borderlanders' methods.
"No matter," Jiang Ruan said with a sly smile. "I came prepared."
Xiao Shao glanced at her, seemingly unsurprised. Jiang Ruan frowned. "Aren’t you going to act surprised?"
"My wife is so clever—of course she has a plan," Xiao Shao replied helplessly. "I suppose I can retire from the matter."
His sweet talk was getting smoother by the day. Jiang Ruan shot him a glare. "Even if we can’t catch him, the Southern Borderlanders didn’t come unprepared, so this won’t end so simply. But the world doesn’t abide by the rule of scheming against someone and then walking away unscathed. That Miss Yao was, after all, a rival in love. I rather liked her—at the very least, I should avenge her. This time, we’ll at least make things difficult for the Southern Borderlanders. Since they made Miss Yao’s death so wretched, why not return the favor?"
Xiao Shao: "..."
Jiang Ruan’s words sounded noble, but anyone hearing her claim she "rather liked Yao Niannian and wanted to avenge her" would find it hard to believe. Everyone knew Jiang Ruan was cool and detached—outwardly gentle, but indifferent to most matters and certainly no benevolent saint. Her actions were merely venting her own displeasure. Seeing Xiao Shao’s speechless expression, she threatened, "You don’t agree?"
"...Wouldn’t dare," Xiao Shao replied.
...
Yao Niannian’s death sent shockwaves through the capital. The once-elegant and intelligent noble lady had met an inexplicable fate, hanged right at her own doorstep—an incident ripe for speculation. Everyone suspected hidden motives, and the public’s gossip only fueled more theories. But the matter didn’t end there. The day after Yao Niannian’s burial, shocking news broke in the capital: Miss Yao had hanged herself, but she had been forced into it—and the ones who drove her to death were none other than the Southern Borderlanders, who had infiltrated the capital!This shocking news seemed to have emerged from nowhere, yet it spread like wildfire, growing increasingly rampant until it nearly reached the Emperor's ears. Unlike previous rumors full of loopholes and lacking coherence, this one provided a detailed account of how Yao Niannian had been threatened. It was said that the Southern Borderlanders had exploited the Yao family's vulnerabilities, pressuring Yao Niannian to shift the entire family's political stance and collaborate with them as internal agents within the Da Jin Dynasty's court. However, Yao Niannian, being fiercely loyal and fearing the Southern Borderlanders would plunge the Yao residence into peril, chose to hang herself in a desperate bid to protect her family.
Once this rumor surfaced, the entire capital was thrown into an uproar. The common folk were well aware of the war between the Southern Borderlands and the Da Jin Dynasty years ago. Though the Da Jin Dynasty had crushed the Southern Borderlands, their ambitions remained unextinguished, making a resurgence entirely plausible. Thus, the tragic suicide of the Yao family's young mistress at her residence's gates under such circumstances seemed tragically justified.
Governor Yao was furious. The grief and anger he had harbored over his daughter's death finally found an outlet. Previously, with no clear reason for Yao Niannian's death, Governor Yao had been heartbroken yet resentful that she hadn't confided in her family about her struggles. Now, with this rumor painting her as a loyal martyr who sacrificed herself to protect her household and avoid betraying her country, his last traces of displeasure toward her vanished, replaced by boundless guilt and anguish over his own helplessness and her sacrifice. His earlier thoughts of retiring from court to live out his days in peace were abruptly overturned—now, his sole desire was to exact bloody vengeance on those who had driven Yao Niannian to her death.
Governor Yao held considerable influence in the capital. He immediately ordered his subordinates to coordinate with the Capital Prefecture to increase patrols and petitioned the Emperor for an Imperial Edict to seal off the entire city, conducting door-to-door searches for suspicious individuals. He was determined to root out the Southern Borderlander responsible for Yao Niannian's death. For a time, the streets buzzed daily with soldiers interrogating passersby, inadvertently improving the city's security. But the Yao family didn't stop there. Somehow, Governor Yao had learned that the Southern Borderlanders sought to meddle in the current succession struggle, backing none other than Xuan Li as their chosen ruler. Perhaps their infiltration of the capital was even part of Xuan Li's schemes.
Governor Yao had once trained troops along the coast. Though years in the political arena had dulled much of his edge, his innate fierceness hadn't been entirely extinguished. Yao Niannian's death struck him hard. Xuan Li had previously tried to recruit him, but Governor Yao, ever shrewd, had remained neutral. Now, upon hearing of Xuan Li's possible ties to the Southern Borderlanders, his hatred extended even to the prince. That very night, he sent a secret message to Xuan Pei in the palace, declaring the Yao family's allegiance to the Thirteenth Prince.
Amidst the capital's turmoil, Xiao Shao found himself with unexpected leisure, often spending his days reading and drinking tea with Jiang Ruan. When Jin San reported these developments, Jiang Ruan couldn't suppress the amusement gleaming in her eyes.The news that the Southern Borderlander had forced Yao Niannian to hang herself was spread by her. The Brocade-clad Guards could gather intelligence, and naturally, they could also fabricate it. By deliberately guiding some people to spread these rumors, significant effects could be achieved. However, Jin San, who reported back, was somewhat surprised: "How could Governor Yao believe it so easily? He didn’t even use the backup plan we prepared. Could he really be so grief-stricken by Miss Yao’s death that he lost his mind?" Achieving the goal so smoothly left Jin San feeling somewhat frustrated.
"Do you really think he lost his mind out of grief for Yao Niannian’s death?" Jiang Ruan retorted. Tianzhu was puzzled and looked at Jiang Ruan in confusion, while Xiao Shao silently sipped his tea, not intending to interject. Jiang Ruan shook her head and explained, "Governor Yao is naturally grieving, but he is a smart man. Yao Niannian’s death was suspicious from the start, inevitably sparking rumors in the capital. Now, with a new narrative emerging—one that elevates Yao Niannian to the status of a heroic woman who sacrificed herself for her country and family—it benefits both the Yao household and himself. Even if the news were false, Governor Yao would turn it into truth."
A woman who hanged herself for unknown reasons versus one who was forced to do so by enemies for the sake of her country and family—the latter clearly held more value. Jin San was taken aback and said, "So that’s how it is. I never thought Governor Yao, who seemed to dote on his daughter so much, would still end up using her. It seems his affection wasn’t all that sincere."
"That’s not the case," Jiang Ruan smiled faintly. "For Yao Niannian, securing a good reputation after death is the last thing Governor Yao can do for her now. So his actions aren’t wrong—he is still thinking of Yao Niannian. He’s just more composed about it." After speaking, Jiang Ruan turned to Xiao Shao, who had been standing silently like a wooden post: "But it was you who leaked the connection between the Southern Borderlands and Xuan Li, wasn’t it?"
She had only instructed people to spread the cause of Yao Niannian’s death, not the relationship between Xuan Li and the Southern Borderlanders. Yet now, the Yao family had already pledged their support to Xuan Pei, and Xuan Pei’s letter had expressed surprise at this turn of events. After much thought, Jiang Ruan concluded that Xiao Shao must have been behind it. Such a move that killed two birds with one stone could only have come from him.
Xiao Shao looked at her and asked innocently, "Did I say something wrong?"
Jiang Ruan: "..."
Indeed, he hadn’t. The collusion between the Southern Borderlanders and Xuan Li was a fact. Xiao Shao had merely stated the truth—he hadn’t even exaggerated it. But revealing it at this critical moment felt... strange. It somehow seemed... shameless? Jiang Ruan fell silent. She hadn’t noticed it before, but the more she got to know Xiao Shao, the more she realized that aside from his swift and ruthless decisiveness in eliminating opponents, some of his decisions were made to exploit every possible opportunity. Before his enemies were destroyed, he would squeeze every last drop of advantage from them.
Seeing her silence, Xiao Shao said, "The Yao family now shares a blood feud with Xuan Li. Xuan Pei and Xuan Li will inevitably clash sooner or later, and the Yao family holds significant weight in the Emperor’s eyes. Winning them over not only benefits us directly but also influences the Emperor’s stance."
Jiang Ruan was stunned for a moment before grasping the meaning behind Xiao Shao’s words. She said, "You did all this for Pei Er."
"Not for him—for you," Xiao Shao corrected her.Jiang Ruan was momentarily speechless. Considering Jin San was still present, she feared that following Xiao Shao's lead might lead to more awkward situations, so she changed the subject. "Alright, now that Xuan Li has lost the Yao family, as for his allies—those from the Southern Borderlands—they must be scurrying around the capital in panic. It's about time they experience what it's like to be hunted like rats on the street. Governor Yao has received the Imperial Edict this time, and even the Capital Magistrate wouldn't dare take it lightly. The entire city is on high alert. Under such strict conditions, the Southern Borderlanders must be feeling quite miserable right now." Jiang Ruan smiled faintly. "Just thinking about it is rather delightful."
...
As Jiang Ruan had predicted, the capital had been conducting door-to-door searches these past few days, leaving no stone unturned for even the slightest suspicion. As a result, the Southern Borderlanders scattered throughout the city were under unprecedented pressure. They had always operated in the shadows while others were exposed, but now that the tables had turned, they found themselves at a loss for the first time. The more they thought about it, the more resentful they became. The Yao family had grown far too arrogant, openly obstructing people without a second thought—yet they seemed to have forgotten they were foreign spies themselves.
Meanwhile, in a secluded residence within the capital, Yuan Chuan was now accompanied by a young woman. She appeared quite youthful, with ethereal, luminous eyes and snow-white skin. Dressed only in a crimson gauze dress, she showed no sign of feeling cold despite the lingering chill of early spring. A matching red veil covered the lower half of her face, revealing only her upper features. Even so, it was clear she was a stunning beauty—her allure stemming from her otherworldly aura, as if she were untouched by mortal concerns.
"Holy Maiden, we've lost two more of our men. The officials captured them," Yuan Chuan said quietly.
"Follow them on the road. If they can't take their own lives, find a way to kill them," the woman replied. Her voice was as melodious and ethereal as her gaze, yet the words she spoke sent chills down the spine. These men were zealots, and in the midst of such thorough searches, it was inevitable that some would be caught. Those who could commit suicide were fortunate, but for those disarmed and deprived of poison, they had to be eliminated by other means.
"This can't go on," Yuan Chuan said. Every day brought new losses—these men were invaluable resources, spies embedded in the capital to gather intelligence. Normally indistinguishable among the populace, they had no means to prove their identities once scrutinized, making them quick targets. The Capital Magistrate was resolute this time, leaving no room for escape. If this continued, most of their spies would be captured. Once their network was dismantled, they would be left blind and deaf in the capital of the Da Jin Dynasty, forever at a disadvantage.
"Do you think I don't know that?" the woman said coldly. "Acting recklessly would only expose both of us."
"This time, I underestimated Jiang Ruan," Yuan Chuan admitted. "I never expected her to strike so ruthlessly, exploiting even this." Nor had he anticipated her crude methods—directly turning them into hunted prey like festival rats.
"It's not your fault," the woman said after a moment of silence. "Find a way to inform Xuan Li."Seeking Xuan Li's help to escape this predicament seemed like the best solution at hand. There must be people loyal to Xuan Li in the Capital Administration Office. It was impossible to rescue everyone individually, but at least they could be freed from their current embarrassing situation. Running around like headless flies was utterly humiliating.
However, Yuan Chuan and the others hadn't anticipated that Xuan Li himself was currently overwhelmed with his own troubles. At the Eighth Prince's residence, Xuan Li stared at the letter in his hand, his smiling expression freezing before turning ashen with rage. Though his voice remained measured, it carried deep fury as he said, "How could the Yao family defect to Xuan Pei? What is the meaning of this?"
The subordinates and advisors dared not utter a word. At that moment, someone hurried in from outside and handed Xuan Li a letter. No one knew what the letter contained, but after Xuan Li quickly read it, his expression changed several times before he suddenly let out a cold laugh and tore the letter to shreds. "So that's how it is!" he exclaimed.
"Your Highness, should we send someone..." the messenger guard began.
"No need!" Xuan Li gritted his teeth.
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