Shao Shang leaned against the carriage window, one hand lifting the curtain while the other held down her veil, constantly peering outside—this had become her new habit lately. Wherever she went, she always kept her eyes on unfamiliar roads to avoid feeling empty inside.
Fortunately, the customs of the time didn’t restrict women from showing their faces in public. What annoyed her, however, were the poor road conditions: dirt roads were steady, but the wind and dust were unbearable; stone-paved roads were cleaner, but the ride was unbearably bumpy. Ah, how she missed asphalt and concrete.
Across from her, Cheng Yang watched her with a distant expression.
She had heard from Muxu that when the brothers first took Niao Niao out, they didn’t visit the bustling markets or the magnificent imperial palace. Instead, they had the carriage drive closely along the inner side of the city walls, taking several days to complete the circuit. They left at dawn each day and didn’t return until nightfall. By the last day, Madam Xiao nearly lost her temper again but barely managed to restrain herself.
"...Cousin, did you know?" Shao Shang suddenly turned her head back from the window, smiling brightly. "When building a Capital City, three things must be considered: one mountain, two rivers, and three terrain. That means it should be backed by a great mountain, surrounded by abundant waterways, and situated on flat yet commanding land." Ideally, there should also be strategic passes in front and behind for stationing troops, storing supplies, and sustaining the population.
Cheng Yang, amused by her childlike excitement, chuckled. "Not just the Capital City. If you ever go beyond it, you’ll see that the manors built by noble families all follow the same principles."
Shao Shang’s face filled with envy. "Our family doesn’t have a manor. Father only rebuilt our ancestral home in the countryside." So far, the Cheng family was just a well-off landowning family with officials in service. She realized now that her earlier simplistic numerical assessments of other families had been shallow—there were many peripheral factors she hadn’t considered.
She stuck out her tongue playfully at Cheng Yang before leaning out the window again.
From above, the vast and imposing Capital City appeared as a vertical rectangle, its towering walls stretching into the clouds on all four sides, unevenly dotted with over a dozen gates. To this day, she had never stepped outside them.
The Cheng family had risen to prominence late. Like their residence, the most central and bustling spots had already been claimed by others. The Cheng warehouse was practically pressed against the city walls, taking nearly an hour and a half by carriage to reach—mostly over rough roads that were even more exhausting than her earlier wall-circuit journey.
The warehouse had naturally been Madam Xiao’s idea. The Cheng family was small, and many of their spoils and gifts would have gone to waste sitting at home. Better to lease them to shops for profit. Moreover, based on price fluctuations, they could stockpile cloth, firewood, and charcoal in advance. In short, it served as a distribution hub, storage facility, and transit point.
The arrival of the two Young Ladies of the household, especially for inventory checks, naturally earned the warehouse manager’s utmost respect. He opened all four front doors in a row and lined up over a dozen servants to wait on them, making it look like the ribbon-cutting ceremony of that hair-washing shop at the end of town.
Cheng Yang, pale from the bumpy ride, was practically carried out by Muxu, though she refused to undermine Madam Xiao’s dignity and insisted on stepping down herself. After exchanging a few polite words, she steeled herself and followed the manager to the back for inventory. Shao Shang, however, had no such concerns. Her frail body had only just recovered, and she couldn’t afford another mishap. So she let Lian Fang help her sit down in the front hall to catch her breath.
After a few sips of warm clotted milk infused with ginger, Shao Shang finally felt restored enough to look around.In the center of the front hall of this warehouse stood a massive square earthen fire pit, radiating warmth throughout the room. Shao Shang sat alone at the head. Glancing to her left, she saw a row of seven or eight warehouse servants kneeling with eager expressions, and to her right, a line of household attendants kneeling with earnest looks. She was thoroughly delighted—this kind of pomp was something even a student council president wouldn’t trade for!
Just as Shao Shang was about to rise, the sound of horses being reined in suddenly came from outside, followed by the rolling of wheels. A square ammunition wagon, adorned with a splendid canopy and draped in brocade, stopped in front of the warehouse. Two sturdy, high-stepping horses neighed incessantly, their nostrils puffing white mist. Two children in satin jackets leaped down to stand attentively on either side, followed by a tall, elegantly dressed young master descending slowly.
Shao Shang’s eyelids twitched—what was he doing here?
One of the children stepped forward and announced loudly, “My master noticed the emblem from afar. May I ask if this warehouse belongs to the residence of General Cheng, Marquis of Quling? As the journey was long and preparations insufficient, we humbly request some charcoal and firewood.”
Shao Shang’s face darkened, and she remained silent. The deputy steward beside her, assuming the young lady was merely shy, hurried to the door and replied loudly, “Is this the carriage from the residence of Marquis Yuan of Jinyang Lane? The weather is bitterly cold—why not come inside to rest, young master? I’ll prepare what you need at once.” The family emblem on the carriage was unmistakable, and the long-time residents of the capital naturally recognized it.
Yet Yuan Shen neither stepped forward nor spoke, idly lingering by the carriage while his gaze drifted into the hall, deliberately or not, settling on a certain someone. Shao Shang bit her lip—he was here to collect a debt.
Seeing Shao Shang feign ignorance, Yuan Shen arched his delicate brows and made to enter the warehouse. At that moment, Shao Shang abruptly stood up, clasped her hands in a salute, and forced a smile. “Oh… it’s Young Master Yuan. It’s been days since the last family banquet. My elder brother often speaks of you, wondering when you might have another chance to compose poetry together—” Damn it, she couldn’t keep this up!
The deputy steward nodded approvingly, impressed by the young lady’s graceful words, poised posture, and perfectly balanced demeanor—unlike the other young ladies in the capital who turned into bears spotting honey at the sight of Young Master Shanjian.
Yuan Shen smiled warmly. “Young Lady must be mistaken. That day, your esteemed brother mentioned discussing fu next time, not poetry.” He deliberately lingered on the last word, implying something.
Shao Shang suppressed the urge to spit blood—MMP!
Noting her silence, Yuan Shen took another step forward. “I heard from your brother that Young Lady is also quite fond of Kuai Tong’s fu ?”
The deputy steward and the surrounding servants all turned to Shao Shang, their faces filled with admiration.
Everyone thought: Rumors say the youngest daughter of the madam was ruined by Ge Shi—how coarse and unruly she was. Yet here she is, discussing fu with Young Master Shanjian, whose literary talent is renowned throughout the capital. Truly, dragons beget dragons, and phoenixes beget phoenixes—good roots can never truly spoil!
Under the collective gaze, Shao Shang’s face burned. She wished she could grab Yuan Shen and pummel him with Seven Injuries Fist, cursing inwardly: What Kuai Tong? I only know Shentong, Yuantong, Zhongtong, and a whole lot of nonsense… Fine, she got his meaning!
A wise person knows when to yield. She closed her eyes and surrendered: “You’re right, young master. It’s fu , not poetry.” The last few words were practically ground out between her teeth.Yuan Shen knew she had softened, his smile blooming like spring, making his lips redder and teeth whiter, his beauty like flawless jade. This smile was so uncharacteristically genuine that it startled the middle-aged man who had been sitting in the driver's seat all along. Having served his master for so many years, he could easily distinguish between real and fake smiles. He quickly glanced at the Young Lady standing in the hall—indeed, she was a petite beauty, exquisitely carved like fine jade.
At this moment, the assistant manager's dispatched servant returned carrying a large bundle of fine charcoal. The burly middle-aged man leaped down from the carriage, took the sack with a word of thanks, and offered a pouch of gold ingots as payment. The assistant manager waved his hands repeatedly, saying, "Such trifling goods—if we took the young master's money, our master would surely punish this old servant severely. Absolutely not, absolutely not!"
The middle-aged man withdrew the money pouch, but Yuan Shen still did not leave. He tilted his head to gaze into the distance, then paused to glance at Shao Shang before finally cupping his hands in farewell.
Though he had left, the ripples of his presence lingered. The assistant manager couldn't stop praising Yuan Shen's noble demeanor and extraordinary grace, while the other servants whispered among themselves, some in admiration, others in awe.
Shao Shang lowered her head in thought.
She felt she had made a grave mistake that urgently needed correcting. After a moment's consideration, she asked the assistant manager, "Who are our neighbors on either side of this warehouse? Do we usually interact with them?"
The assistant manager replied: To the left was an old shop specializing in orange peel paste, supplying major eateries in the Capital City year-round. To the right was another warehouse, though it stored construction materials like timber and stone. Beyond that was an alley leading straight to the city wall.
Shao Shang understood now and announced her intention to look around.
After wandering briefly, she dismissed the warehouse servants, taking only her maids to the back alley, claiming she wanted to see the surroundings. At the alley's entrance, she left the stronger maids behind and walked another ten yards or so until she spotted an abrupt turn. There, she left Lian Fang and A Mei, instructing them, "If you hear me call, immediately summon everyone to find me."
Rounding the corner, she saw the Yuan family's ornate ammunition wagon parked conspicuously. Yuan Shen stood there, draped in a snow-white fur cloak, his slender jade-like fingers cradling a small white jade warm stove, almost indistinguishable from the vessel itself.
He waited quietly by the carriage with a faint smile, his two attendants and driver nowhere to be seen.
The warehouse was already in a secluded area, and this alley was even more deserted. Shao Shang gave him a cold stare for a while before walking straight over, stopping at least three meters away. "What advice does Young Master Yuan have for me?" she asked.
This time, Yuan Shen didn’t beat around the bush. "Have you relayed my message to Madam Sang?" he asked directly.
"No," Shao Shang said bluntly. "I never intended to deliver it for you."
Yuan Shen, who seldom lost his temper, couldn’t help but feel a flicker of anger. "If that’s the case, why did you agree that day? Young Lady, surely you understand the principle that a promise once made cannot be taken back."
Shao Shang didn’t even bat an eyelash. "I went back on my word. So what?" What could he do—hit her?
Yuan Shen frowned as if seeing the girl for the first time, studying her carefully. Such a delicate, graceful appearance, yet such a defiant and eccentric temperament—he doubted there were many like her in the entire Capital City.
Truthfully, delivering that message wasn’t absolutely necessary. But after waiting days without a response, he had guessed she never intended to keep her promise. The realization irked him, fueling his determination to confront her.The attendant who had been keeping an eye on the Cheng family residence reported back early this morning, and after a bumpy carriage ride, he had followed them all the way. In truth, all he wanted was to confront her face to face. At this point, even he couldn’t tell whether he was merely trying to ease his elder’s worries or simply couldn’t stand this cunning, beautiful little girl. If his peers were to find out about this, they would surely laugh at him from the court all the way to the foot of the imperial throne.
Yuan Shen thought it over carefully and decided that he shouldn’t be the only one feeling aggrieved.
Thus, his expression darkened as he took several steps toward Shao Shang, his voice icy. “In this world, there are only three ways to get things done: earnest requests, coercion, or bribery. Since Young Lady refuses to speak properly, I have other methods at my disposal!”
Shao Shang was startled and took several steps back. She considered herself and Yuan Shen to be of the same age, but whenever they stood close, she immediately felt the oppressive height and presence of this young man. The moment he approached, she caught the faint, soothing scent of pine incense on him and realized she had to tilt her head up just to speak to him directly.
She naturally detected the threat in Yuan Shen’s words, which was precisely what worried her. She was just a young girl with no social resources, while Yuan Shen was already a formidable figure who had navigated the court and palace for years. If she truly angered him and he turned vindictive, what could she do if he sought revenge?
Just as Shao Shang was fretting, Yuan Shen’s expression suddenly shifted, and he smiled again. “Actually, this is all my fault for troubling Young Lady to pass on a message. How about this? I have some modest skills and reputation. If Young Lady delivers my message, I’m willing to do something for you in return.”
Shao Shang’s interest was piqued. “Anything?” Hearing his tone soften, her mind began to stir again. She wasn’t Zhao Min or Guo Xiang—she would definitely make good use of this promise.
Seeing that the fish had taken the bait, Yuan Shen smiled. “Naturally. Except for three things: treason, betrayal, or marrying you—everything else is fair game.”
Shao Shang was about to nod when the last point nearly choked her. “You—!”
Her face flushed crimson as she glared at Yuan Shen fiercely, like a little wolf. She wasn’t some naive girl who couldn’t tell this was pure teasing. Suppressing her anger, she sneered, “Young Master must be used to hearing flattery all the time. When did I ever say I wanted to marry you? I advise you to wake up and not mistake politeness for admiration, as if you were some celestial being descended from the stars…”
Before she could finish, Yuan Shen cut in with a smile. “So Young Lady never had such thoughts? That truly surprises me. Wasn’t today’s meeting arranged by you to lure me here?”
Shao Shang’s face burned as she stomped her feet in frustration, stammering, “Y-you—what nonsense are you spouting? It was clearly you who…”
“If Young Lady had no interest in me, why agree and then break your promise? Wasn’t it just to string me along and lure me here? If you truly wanted nothing to do with me, why not simply deliver that message to Madam Sang and be done with it, leaving us with no further entanglement?”
—He made such a compelling argument that she was left speechless.
Shao Shang froze. If she weren’t the one involved, she might have even thought this was some ploy to ensnare a suitor.
Seeing the girl standing there dumbfounded, no longer wearing her earlier haughty and mocking expression, Yuan Shen felt a sense of vindication. But in the next moment, he noticed her bewildered look and found her pitifully vulnerable.His heart softened, and he spoke gently, "Why exactly are you unwilling to pass a message to Madam Sang? Is there some difficulty? Tell me properly, and let’s see if I can help." He thought of Shao Shang’s difficult childhood—perhaps there were hidden conflicts among the inner household women that he wasn’t aware of.
However, if such considerate words were heard by others, from the Three Dukes and high-ranking officials down to the guests under his roof, they would surely be shocked. Who would have thought Yuan Shanjian could also be tender toward women?
Unexpectedly, this question only made Shao Shang freeze even more.
How could she say: Actually, there’s no real reason—it’s just that she’s had a rotten personality since childhood, never one to help others. Helping an old lady cross the street was as fanciful as a fairy tale to her; even if a chalkboard eraser fell right in front of her, she’d step over it. The one rare time she did act bravely, she ended up dead, transmigrated to this wretched place to relive the hardships of growing up all over again.
"Or perhaps," Yuan Shen continued, his voice even gentler as he noticed the girl lost in thought, "you’re worried that the messenger might bring harm to your uncle and aunt. You needn’t fear—past grievances are long over. The elders are no longer young, and now it’s merely a lingering concern between old acquaintances."
—So that melancholic palace south of Lantai wasn’t about architecture but about emotions? Shao Shang wasn’t just bewildered now; she was downright embarrassed. How she regretted not asking Cheng Yang more about it earlier.
Still, among Shao Shang’s few redeeming qualities, one was commendable—she was reasonable. After hesitating for a moment and organizing her thoughts, she finally spoke: "It was my fault."
She truly had been wrong.
She hadn’t adjusted to her new identity, still thinking of herself as that obscure small-town girl from before. In her past life, she had no parents, and her uncle was just a minor official, so she could act shamelessly, go back on her word, and do all sorts of unscrupulous things.
But now, it was different. Old Man Cheng was at least a mid-to-high-ranking official nationwide. Moreover, this world valued promises over life itself, emphasized filial piety and integrity, and promoted loyalty. In this era without imperial examinations, people of exceptional virtue could even be directly appointed to office—regardless of whether that virtue was genuine or not. The societal norms were clear, yet she had recklessly broken her promise right to his face!
Calming herself, Shao Shang respectfully raised her arms in a salute and said, "Young Master, you are meticulous in your actions and must have heard of my family’s circumstances." As per the old rule, she’d pin it all on Ge Shi.
"Since childhood, I’ve feared trouble—the more one does, the more mistakes one makes; doing nothing avoids errors. I had never met you before, and when we suddenly encountered each other that day, I was terribly nervous. To extricate myself quickly, I carelessly agreed to your request. Looking back, I have regretted it."
Shao Shang’s expression was earnest, every word sincere.
"Just now, Young Master Yuan’s admonition enlightened me. When entrusted with a task, one must see it through faithfully. Very well, I’ll pass your message to Third Aunt today. There’s no need for gratitude, and I beg your forgiveness for my earlier rudeness. Let’s consider this matter settled, shall we?"
Back when she had turned over a new leaf and resolved to study seriously, her former colleagues from her unruly days hadn’t refrained from visiting her at school. Even the school leadership had been moved by her determination to sever ties with her past. If she applied the same resolve now, Yuan Shen might not press the issue further.
Yuan Shen’s expression remained indifferent as he said solemnly, "And if I need you to pass messages in the future, what then?"
Shao Shang’s heartfelt sincerity felt like it had been struck by a sudden blow. This guy wasn’t moved at all?!She suppressed the urge to retort and replied, "If Third Aunt doesn't mind, I naturally won't refuse to relay messages for you in the future. But if Third Aunt disapproves, then..." She put on a solemn expression. "Then I must respect my elders' wishes. In that case, you and I shall part ways and never meet again."
After delivering such a righteous speech, Shao Shang let out a huge sigh of relief, feeling as though her image had grown significantly taller. Without waiting for Yuan Shen's response, she bowed properly, turned on her heel, and strode away.
She walked all the way to the abrupt corner without hearing any movement behind her. Unable to resist, she glanced back and saw Yuan Shen still standing motionless in the same spot. The distance made it impossible to discern his expression, but the cold wind in the alley gently stirred his raven-black hair.
Shao Shang shook her head, deeply convinced that this man was on another level. He appeared refined and gentle, but beneath the surface, he was cunning—his expressions shifting as swiftly as flipping a page. He was truly not someone easy to deal with, so it was best to make an early escape.
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