The Jing family finally arrived in the Fixed Capital a few days later.
As a humble family from Suzhou, the Jings had mastered the art of acting like petty upstarts to perfection. Upon learning about the incident between Jing Chuchu and Shen Yuan, the Jing couple first wept bitterly, lamenting their daughter’s misfortune, then clamored to report the matter to the authorities, insisting that Shen Yuan must pay the price—not even an engagement would suffice. Though it appeared this way on the surface, discerning eyes knew the truth: the Jings were merely feigning reluctance while secretly reveling in their advantage, determined to make it seem as though Shen Yuan was desperate to marry Jing Chuchu.
Like attracts like. Old Madam Shen had been tyrannical in the Shen Mansion for years, and her maternal relatives were just as domineering as she was. After several rounds of confrontation, the Shen family found themselves at a disadvantage and had no choice but to agree to a grand eight-bearer sedan wedding for Jing Chuchu, along with a hefty dowry.
Old Madam Shen was forced to swallow her bitterness, unable to voice her grievances. Faced daily with the Jing couple’s greedy expressions, she grew so furious that her face twisted in anger, nearly suffering a stroke. In a fit of rage, she simply retreated to the Hall of Glory and Scenery, refusing to see anyone.
The Jings, seizing the feather as an arrow of command, wasted no time. Within days, the entire Fixed Capital knew that Shen Yuan was set to marry Jing Chuchu from Suzhou. The common folk were unaware of the secret events at the Shen family banquet, and the rumors circulating painted the match as one of genuine affection—Shen Yuan, smitten by Jing Chuchu’s gentle beauty.
The Jings worked hard to portray Jing Chuchu as a captivating beauty. Whether others believed it or not, one could only imagine how stifled Shen Yuan must have felt.
In the Ministry of Personnel’s residence, Sun Cainan stared at the invitation in his hand before crumpling it into a ball and tossing it into the wastebasket.
"That bastard Shen Yuan!" he cursed.
It had been rare for him to take a liking to a woman. Having seen so many ladies of the Fixed Capital, Jing Chuchu, hailing from Suzhou, had stood out as refreshingly different. Women he fancied had never slipped through his fingers before, and this time, he had gone to great lengths to woo her, only for Shen Yuan to swoop in and steal her away.
A servant cautiously ventured, "Miss Jing and Second Young Master Shen were caught in an unavoidable misunderstanding."
While the common folk might believe whatever rumors were spread, aristocratic families knew the truth. Sun Cainan had long since heard about what had transpired at the Shen family banquet. His expression darkened. "That bitch Jing Chuchu—she took my gifts and played me for a fool."
Sun Cainan was deeply displeased. Women like Jing Chuchu were a dime a dozen—easily swayed by money and favors. The incident at the Shen family banquet likely had her fingerprints all over it. How dare she accept his gifts while scheming to marry into the Shen family? To Sun Cainan, being toyed with by a woman was the ultimate humiliation.
"But what does the young master plan to do now?" the servant asked. "Miss Jing’s invitation—should we accept or not?"
Sun Cainan glanced down at the invitation in his hand, its delicate fragrance lingering like a woman’s perfume. Just like Jing Chuchu’s meek and harmless exterior, it concealed a restless heart. Even on the verge of marrying another, she still sought to provoke him one last time.
"Of course we’ll accept," Sun Cainan chuckled darkly. "I’ve given her so much silver, and I haven’t even slept with her yet. Losing her to Shen Yuan is bad enough—if I don’t have her at least once, how can I let this go?" He shot the servant a glare. "Go. Send a reply."
...Shen Yuan had been absent from the mansion these days, rarely showing his face no matter how the Jing family stirred up trouble. This left Chen Ruoqiu in a difficult position, having to both deal with Old Madam Shen's fury and satisfy the insatiable demands of the Jing family. The family funds were dwindling rapidly, with expenses far outpacing income, and it was becoming a growing concern.
"Why have you been so troubled these past few days?" Shen Wan asked upon returning from court, noticing her distress.
Chen Ruoqiu forced a smile, unwilling to discuss the financial matters with Shen Wan, and replied, "The Jing family has been causing chaos in the mansion every day, which is naturally vexing."
Shen Wan also sighed. "Mother has truly lost the battle and the spoils this time, and Yuan'er has been dragged down as well."
The truth behind Shen Yuan and Jing Chuchu's situation was well-known within the Shen Mansion. When everything had unfolded, the third branch had chosen to watch the fight from the sidelines, as the first branch was more intimidating than Shen Yuan. Unfortunately, in the end, the first branch emerged unscathed, while the second branch suffered the consequences, leaving even themselves in a predicament.
"You've had a hard time these days," Chen Ruoqiu said gently. "With the Shen family in such turmoil, you must also be subject to gossip."
The chaos in the mansion had naturally become a source of amusement for the aristocratic families. Shen Xin, being a rough and straightforward man, cared little for others' opinions, but Shen Wan valued his reputation, so these days must not have been easy for him either.
Shen Wan took Chen Ruoqiu's hand and shook his head. "That's not the main issue. It's just that with Yuan'er marrying Jing Chuchu, it will be troublesome for them to support each other in official circles in the future." He sighed. "Yuan'er was originally the most promising one."
Hearing this, Chen Ruoqiu felt a pang of unease. Shen Wan had no sons of his own, so among the next generation of the Shen family, only Shen Yuan could shoulder the responsibility. In official circles, connections were everything. If Shen Yuan had married a daughter from an official family, it would have paved a smoother path for Shen Wan in court. But now, with him marrying Jing Chuchu, it was like cutting off potential future wings.
Chen Ruoqiu lowered her head and said, "Who could have predicted this? Even Fifth Sister has become so formidable now. Eldest Brother and his wife... it's truly troubling."
"Don't worry too much," Shen Wan reassured her, patting her shoulder. "Yuan'er is no ordinary person. If Fifth Sister schemed against him, he will surely retaliate. Eldest Brother and his wife also have their limits."
"What do you mean, husband...?" Chen Ruoqiu's heart stirred.
"Yuan'er has been acting strangely lately," Shen Wan said quietly. "I feel like something is about to happen."
In the West Courtyard, Shen Miao set down the book in her hands and frowned. "What exactly is Shen Yuan planning?"
Mo Qing whispered, "Miss, you've had me guarding Fragrant Treasure Pavilion for quite some time now. Currently..."
"Continue," Shen Miao interrupted, causing Mo Qing's expression to falter. After a moment of thought, he added, "But that Mr. Pei from the Hall of Extensive Learning appeared. Does Miss have any other instructions?"
Mo Qing had never understood why Shen Miao had tasked him with watching Liuying at Fragrant Treasure Pavilion. That day, when he left, he had coincidentally encountered Pei Lang. For some reason, Mo Qing had a feeling that Shen Miao had sent him to watch Liuying precisely because she knew Pei Lang would appear. Every task Shen Miao assigned had its purpose, but this time, upon hearing of Pei Lang's appearance, she had said nothing.
"No," Shen Miao replied. "Just focus on your own tasks.""I never expected Mr. Pei, who appears to be such a gentleman, would actually visit a place like the Fragrant Treasure Pavilion." Gu Yu blinked her eyes. "He really doesn't seem like that kind of person." After a pause, she added, "Neither does Guard Mo."
Mo Qing's face flushed with embarrassment.
"Mo Qing, during these days besides visiting the Fragrant Treasure Pavilion, also keep an eye on Shen Yuan in the east courtyard," Shen Miao instructed. For some reason, Shen Yuan always made her feel uneasy.
Mo Qing acknowledged the order. After he left, Jing Zhe asked, "Miss, what evil schemes could Second Young Master still be plotting?"
"It's strange," Shen Miao replied.
After the incident with the Jing family, Shen Yuan neither investigated why the situation had changed that day nor tried to prevent it. Although Jing Chuchu was bound to marry Shen Yuan, he could have found ways to delay it. But Shen Yuan didn't even attempt to stall, which could only mean he was currently occupied with something more important. Shen Miao couldn't think of anything more crucial than dealing with her.
Shen Yuan was definitely scheming something, but since he spent all his time outside the Shen Mansion, Shen Miao couldn't figure out what it was.
"Miss, don't worry too much. Oh!" Jing Zhe suddenly remembered something. "Taoyuan mentioned that the cousin sent an invitation to that side and has already received a reply. She'll be going to the appointment tomorrow."
Shen Miao's eyes lit up. "Excellent." Shen Yuan's actions made her uneasy, so some matters needed to be handled sooner rather than later.
While they were discussing these matters, similar conversations were taking place in the Riverside Immortal Tower at Fengxian Pawnshop.
"Shen Yuan has gathered all the evidence against Shen Xin and presented it to Fu Xiuyi," Ji Yushu said. "In three days, Fu Xiuyi will organize it and submit a memorial to the emperor. By then, the Shen family will likely face disaster."
"Defying imperial orders and feigning compliance—once such matters are exposed, the lightest punishment would be dismissal from office," Gao Yang remarked. "This Shen Yuan from the Shen family is quite capable to uncover such things."
"Didn't I say it before?" Ji Yushu said impatiently. "Shen Yuan has been plotting against Shen Xin for years, biding his time to use this for promotion and wealth. If not for the urgency now, given another two years of gathering evidence, the entire main branch of the Shen family would have faced execution."
"So Fu Xiuyi does have good judgment," Gao Yang mused. "Shen Xin's power is too great, and too many people want to bring him down. More importantly, the Ming Qi imperial family would be happy to see it happen. If Shen Xin falls, the imperial family would gladly step in to crush him further."
"So what do we do now?" Ji Yushu scratched his head in frustration. "People like Shen Yuan are too good at biding their time, just like that Fu Xiuyi. If the main branch of the Shen family falls, how heartbroken Miss Shen will be."
"You're still thinking about Shen Miao?" Gao Yang rolled his eyes. "If not for Shen Miao instigating the scandal between their cousin and Shen Yuan, he wouldn't have acted so quickly. Given his nature, he would have waited two more years to wipe out the main branch of the Shen family in one fell swoop. His early move now is only because Shen Miao forced his hand." Gao Yang stroked his chin. "Given Shen Yuan's hatred for Shen Miao, he definitely won't let her off easily this time. The rest of the main branch might survive, but Shen Miao's fate will be utterly tragic."
Ji Yushu grew frantic. "Then what should we do? That scoundrel Shen Yuan might use some despicable methods against Miss Shen. If he can scheme against his own uncle, his heart must be utterly black.""Don't worry." Gao Yang said leisurely, "Shen Yuan is utterly black-hearted, but Shen Miao is no pushover either. I'm quite curious this time about what methods Shen Miao will use to turn the tide. Given her nature—annihilating Prince Yu's entire household in one move and walking away unscathed—I doubt she'll just surrender without a fight."
"Miss Shen is resourceful; Shen Yuan is no match for her." Ji Yushu suddenly thought of something and looked at Gao Yang. "Third Brother Xie forbade us from interfering in the Shen family's affairs before he left, so... if she wins, you can't help Shen Yuan either."
"You seem quite confident in her." Gao Yang unfolded his fan and waved it gently. "But I, too, am eager to see what tricks she has up her sleeve." Noticing Ji Yushu's relieved expression, Gao Yang ruthlessly poured cold water on his optimism. "However, don't be too complacent. Since Third Brother Xie's plans were moved up, the situation in Fixed Capital has changed significantly. But one thing remains unchanged: Prince Ding's ambition. With the Shen family offering themselves up as easy prey, he won't pass up the opportunity to exploit them. No matter how capable Shen Miao is, she's still just a woman confined to the inner chambers. Prince Ding is no fool like Prince Yu. A single person can hardly withstand the forces arrayed against them. Shen Xin's official position is nine-tenths lost already, and once he loses it..." His tone was half-sigh, half-lament. "For the eldest branch of the Shen family, it will be a catastrophe. Those he wants to protect—he won't be able to save a single one."
Ji Yushu's expression darkened gradually.
"Third Brother Xie once said that no matter what, the eldest branch of the Shen family is doomed to fall." Gao Yang stopped fanning himself, his eyes flickering slightly. "Just like the Xie family."
...
The next day, the weather was clear and fine. In a side courtyard of the Hall of Glory and Scenery, Taoyuan was laying out several outfits for Jing Chuchu to choose from.
Since the Jing couple had arrived, the courtyard Old Madam Shen had originally assigned to Jing Chuchu and her brother had become rather cramped. The Jing couple had barged in unceremoniously, shamelessly occupying the largest courtyard in the Hall of Glory and Scenery aside from Old Madam Shen's own. Moreover, they bossed around the servants of the Hall of Glory and Scenery as if they owned the place. To an outsider, it might seem that the Hall of Glory and Scenery belonged not to Old Madam Shen but to the Jing couple.
Jing Chuchu sat at the dressing table, carefully outlining her eyebrows in front of a bronze mirror. She applied each stroke with painstaking precision, her lips tinted with faint rouge, her hair impeccably styled—clearly, she had taken great care with her appearance.
"That moon-white one," Jing Chuchu said. The moon-white dress was simple yet elegant, perfectly accentuating her delicate, pitiable charm. Today was the day she was to meet Sun Cainan. Whether she could make him remember her fondly depended entirely on this encounter.
Perhaps it was a woman's vanity at play, or perhaps she had genuinely developed some affection for Sun Cainan. Despite knowing how risky it was to meet him now, she still wanted to try.
Taoyuan put away the other outfits as someone pushed the door open—it was Madam Jing.
Noticing Jing Chuchu's elaborate attire, Madam Jing was puzzled. "Chuchu, are you going out?"
"I wanted to buy some jewelry," Jing Chuchu replied casually. "Since I'm to become the young mistress of the Shen family's second branch, I can't keep wearing my old pieces—people would look down on me."
"That's true." Madam Jing agreed. After all, the money for Jing Chuchu's jewelry would come from the family coffers, and Madam Jing had been skimming plenty off the top these days. "But you shouldn't go alone. I'll come with you.""No!" Jing Chuchu quickly refused.
Lady Jing was puzzled: "Why not?"
"I... I promised to go with Miss Yi," Jing Chuchu shook her mother's hand. "In the future in Fixed Capital, I'll need to build good relations with these young ladies. Mother, you shouldn't come. Miss Yi doesn't like meeting strangers casually—you know how these high-born ladies can be a bit peculiar."
Lady Jing was somewhat displeased: "What's so special about high-born ladies? You'll be an official's wife someday. Fine, if you want to build connections, go ahead. Just take more guards with you."
"No need," Jing Chuchu declined. "The Yi family has plenty of guards. It would look odd if I brought more. Don't worry about it, Mother. I'll buy you some jewelry when I return." With that, she continued applying her makeup.
Lady Jing had no choice but to relent.
Once in the carriage outside the estate, Jing Chuchu felt a bit nervous and asked Taoyuan, "Are you sure the tavern you picked is reliable?"
"Don't worry, Miss," Taoyuan assured. "That tavern is very far and secluded. Few people go there usually. With your hat and veil, no one will recognize you."
Jing Chuchu finally relaxed.
The carriage passed through the southern part of the city and eventually stopped in front of a remote alley. Jing Chuchu adjusted her hat and veil before letting Taoyuan help her toward the tavern.
Though Jing Chuchu had often mingled with young noblemen back in Suzhou, her status was different now. While Ming Qi had open customs, a betrothed woman meeting another man in private was still a serious offense.
The tavern had only two floors and was indeed as secluded and quiet as Taoyuan had described, with sparse and uncrowded patrons. No one paid attention when she entered. Taoyuan handed the innkeeper a silver ingot and smiled, "Innkeeper, where's the room we reserved yesterday?"
The innkeeper promptly instructed a servant to lead Jing Chuchu inside.
The room on the second floor was the last one at the end. The pavilion was entirely wooden. Taoyuan thanked the servant and helped Jing Chuchu inside. The moment she entered, Jing Chuchu impatiently removed her hat and veil, exclaiming, "I was suffocating!"
"Miss, rest a bit and have some tea," Taoyuan suggested. "Young Master Sun should be arriving soon."
"Come here and fix my hair," Jing Chuchu said, fiddling with it in front of the bronze mirror. "Wearing that hat messed it up."
"You look beautiful, Miss," Taoyuan flattered. "Even more so today."
Just then, the door creaked open. Both Jing Chuchu and Taoyuan froze as a familiar voice rang out: "Chuchu, it really is you."
Sun Cainan stood at the doorway, gazing eagerly at Jing Chuchu. Her face flushed instantly, and she shot Taoyuan a reproachful look. "You may leave now."
"Of course," Taoyuan smiled. "Young Master Sun and Miss can talk first. I'll stand guard outside—no one will disturb you."
Her words seemed to hint at something. Jing Chuchu lowered her head. Once Taoyuan left and closed the door, Sun Cainan took two steps forward and called softly, "Chuchu."
Jing Chuchu hesitated before looking up. Her eyes shimmered faintly, a mix of melancholy and longing. Had Shen Miao been present, even she might have admired how convincingly Jing Chuchu played her part.Sun Cainan walked up to Jing Chuchu and asked softly, "Chuchu, is it true that you're engaged to Shen Yuan?"
Jing Chuchu paused before nodding.
"You..." Sun Cainan seemed deeply shocked, taking two steps back. Seeing this, Jing Chuchu's eyes instantly reddened as she timidly asked, "Are you angry with me?"
"No." Sun Cainan hesitated, then suddenly reached out to caress Jing Chuchu's face. "I've heard everything. It was that bastard Shen Yuan who forced you. You had no choice but to marry him. I don't blame you, and I'm not angry."
At these words, Jing Chuchu lowered her head, though no one saw the flash of triumph in her eyes. Sun Cainan must truly adore her—even now that she was to marry Shen Yuan, he couldn't bring himself to resent her.
"Actually..." Jing Chuchu turned her face away. "Second Cousin didn't touch me that day. It was just hard to explain with so many people watching." She bowed her head. "Young Master Sun, the truth is... I'm still pure!"
Nothing had actually happened between Jing Chuchu and Shen Yuan that day. They had merely been seen embracing, making it impossible to clarify the situation. Later, Jing Chuchu had someone check—she was still untouched. Neither Shen Yuan nor Old Madam Shen knew this, and she saw no reason to tell them. Otherwise, they would surely make a big fuss. But telling Sun Cainan was entirely different. Men always wanted their women to be pure. If Jing Chuchu and Shen Yuan had truly been intimate, Sun Cainan would always have that lingering discomfort. But if nothing had happened, he would only cherish her more.
Sure enough, Sun Cainan froze upon hearing this. "What?"
Jing Chuchu looked up, tears in her eyes. "A maiden's purity should belong to the one she loves. What happened with Second Cousin was just a misunderstanding, but now there's no way out. Meeting you, Young Master Sun, was simply too late. Will you... despise me in your heart?"
Sun Cainan pulled Jing Chuchu into his arms, comforting her gently. "How could I despise you? I adore you, I ache for you, I love you!" His eyes flashed with wild joy. He had assumed Jing Chuchu's purity was already given to Shen Yuan, and sleeping with her again would merely reclaim what was his. Never had he imagined she was still untouched—this was an unexpected delight.
Jing Chuchu feigned resistance as Sun Cainan held her, struggling briefly before going still. She allowed him to embrace her, slowly undoing the ties of her skirt...
Meanwhile, downstairs, a man rode up to the tavern and handed his horse to a waiting attendant before entering. He walked straight to the counter, tossed a silver ingot to the innkeeper with practiced ease, and headed upstairs. The attendant, recognizing him, called out, "Young Master!"
The man turned—it was none other than Shen Yuan.
"What is it?" Shen Yuan asked.
The attendant quickly shook his head, a towel slung over his shoulder as he hurried downstairs. As they passed each other, Shen Yuan clearly heard the attendant mutter under his breath, "The whole world knows he's been cuckolded. How pitiful."
Shen Yuan's steps faltered. He glanced down and saw the diners below casting subtle, pointed looks his way, whispering among themselves. His expression darkened.
This tavern was one he frequented, a place where he occasionally exchanged messages with Fu Xiuyi's people. Fixed Capital had nine princes in total, their relationships intricate and complex. As Prince Ding, the most deeply concealed among them, his subordinates had to be cautious in all matters. Shen Yuan was always careful when he came here, sometimes even changing his attire. No one here would recognize him, yet why did things feel off today?
He shook his head and went straight up to the second floor, to the usual spot where he met with Fu Xiuyi's contacts. But when he reached the last guest room, he was astonished to see a familiar face.
Taoyuan jumped at the sight of him, and Shen Yuan's heart sank. Taoyuan was Jing Chuchu's maid—what was she doing here? Unless... He stepped forward to enter, but Taoyuan couldn't dodge in time as Shen Yuan kicked the door open.
Inside the spacious guest room, two figures were entwined on the soft couch, their clothes strewn across the floor, the scene as suggestive as could be. Taoyuan shrieked, "Miss! Second Young Master is here!"
The person on the bed bolted upright, half of her snow-white body exposed—it was Jing Chuchu. She stared at Shen Yuan in panic and stammered, "C-Cousin!"
Shen Yuan glared coldly at her. The other person on the bed, Sun Cainan, slowly roused himself. Having been pampered all his life, he was furious at being interrupted during his intimate moment with Jing Chuchu. "Who the hell are you?" he demanded.
"Cousin!" Jing Chuchu suddenly snapped out of her daze and pointed at Sun Cainan. "Cousin, he forced me! I-I didn’t want this!"
"You bitch!" Sun Cainan sneered and slapped Jing Chuchu across the face. "You were the one begging me to come. What, now you’re denying it?"
"Young Master Sun!" Taoyuan rushed over indignantly. "How could you treat Miss like this? Why would you do this? Was it just to cuckold our Second Young Master? Do you have to oppose him like this?"
In the chaos, no one noticed the oddity in Taoyuan's words. Sun Cainan scoffed, "Second Young Master?" He looked Shen Yuan up and down with a haughty smirk. "That’s right, I cuckolded your Second Young Master. So what? Shen Yuan, you haven’t tasted your fiancée yet, have you? The flavor of a virgin is quite nice."
"You—you’re lying!" Taoyuan froze. "Our Miss..."
"You still don’t know?" Sun Cainan gave Shen Yuan an exaggerated look. "No wonder you’re being played by a woman. But Second Young Master Shen, no matter how powerful you are in court, your woman’s already been slept with by me. And you still have to marry her—how does it feel to pick up someone else’s leftovers?"
Veins bulged on Shen Yuan’s forehead. He finally strode forward and punched Sun Cainan to the ground.
"You dare hit me?" Sun Cainan, spoiled since childhood, scrambled up and lunged at Shen Yuan without another word. Neither of them was trained in martial arts, so they simply traded blows, fist for fist. Sun Cainan was taller and stronger, and Shen Yuan gradually found himself at a disadvantage, pinned down and beaten."Bastard!" Taoyuan rushed over and helped Shen Yuan hold Sun Cainan from behind. Seizing the opportunity, Shen Yuan finally freed his hands, only to feel something icy cold being pressed into his palm. Beaten senseless, he instinctively pushed the object forward without a second thought.
A sharp "shick" sound pierced the air.
The moment stretched endlessly, the world seeming to freeze—until Taoyuan's prolonged scream and Jing Chuchu's panicked face came into view.
Shen Yuan looked down. In his hand, he now clutched a silver knife handle—just the handle. The rest of the blade was buried deep in Sun Cainan's abdomen, invisible beneath the surface.
Vast crimson blossoms of blood unfurled.
Sun Cainan collapsed backward.
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