On the second day, Shen Miao received an invitation. It wasn’t from anyone else but the Qin State’s Ming An Princess, inviting her to gather at a residence in Yanqing Lane.
The invitation was delivered by the gatekeeper and handed to Shen Miao by Gu Yu. At first, they thought it was from Feng Anning, asking Shen Miao to join her for some fun. But upon opening it, they realized it was from Ming An Princess. Jing Zhe worried, “Could this be fake? Why would Ming An Princess send an invitation out of the blue? There’s no friendship between her and you, Miss. Maybe someone is impersonating her.”
Gu Yu shook her head. “It bears the princess’s seal—it’s likely genuine.” She looked at Shen Miao and said, “That Ming An Princess was humiliated because of you during the tribute banquet. She’s probably looking for a chance to retaliate. You should decline, Miss. If she has some wicked scheme, it’ll be disastrous.”
Jing Zhe also nodded repeatedly. “Yes, yes! Why not inform the master and mistress and let them decide?”
Shen Miao thought for a moment, then shook her head. “Don’t tell anyone else. Given my parents’ temper, they’d resort to forceful measures. The relationship between Qin State and Ming Qi is already delicate. If it’s just a conflict between me and Ming An Princess, it’s manageable. But if my parents get involved, it might escalate to court affairs, and we’d only make things worse.”
“Not telling the master and mistress?” Jing Zhe asked. “Does that mean you’re accepting the invitation?” Naturally, Jing Zhe was unwilling. Ming An Princess harbored ill intentions, and it wasn’t even their own territory. If Shen Miao suffered any harm, there’d be no time to rescue her.
“It’s fine,” Shen Miao said. “Since Ming An Princess sent me this invitation, and it’s now in my hands, she invited me to her residence. If anything happens to me, she won’t be able to escape blame. The Qin Crown Prince would also intervene if he found out. She wouldn’t dare do anything drastic—just petty tricks, and I’m not afraid of those.”
“But…” Gu Yu was still uneasy.
“No more ‘buts.’ That’s how it’ll be. The gathering is two days from now. I’ll go then, but make sure no outsiders know.” After a pause, she added, “I’ll have Mo Qing accompany me. Keep the invitation in the manor. If anything really happens, Bailu and Shuangjiang can take it to my eldest brother.”
Though Jing Zhe and Gu Yu were reluctant, they had no choice but to agree.
Coincidentally, in the outermost mansion of Yanqing Lane—the temporary residence of the Qin State’s royal family—Ming An Princess received the reply from her servant. She opened it and scrutinized it, then suddenly flew into a rage. She slammed the letter onto the table and said coldly, “How bold!”
“What’s got you so angry now?” A man entered from behind, frowning at Ming An Princess’s demeanor.
Seeing him, Ming An Princess stood up and walked over, handing him the letter. “Crown Prince Brother, look at this! I sent Shen Miao an invitation, and she actually replied, agreeing to come. She really has no fear of death!”
“You sent her an invitation. If she refused, you’d call her bold. Now that she accepted, you’re unhappy. Don’t be so unreasonable.” Huangfu Hao, well aware of Ming An Princess’s temperament, didn’t indulge her. Instead, he poured cold water on her temper."Crown Prince Brother," Princess Ming An stamped her foot, "Is she helping me or herself? At the tribute banquet, she humiliated me and deliberately made me bite an apple, clearly intending to embarrass me and disgrace our Qin State. Now, instead of helping Qin regain its dignity, you blame me. What kind of reasoning is that? Even if we return to Qin and face Father Emperor, this won’t make sense."
Huangfu Hao gave Princess Ming An a cold glance, recalling the events at the tribute banquet, his expression darkening. Although the princess’s words weren’t entirely accurate—after all, it was she who had challenged Shen Miao to the mounted archery contest—Shen Miao’s insistence on making her bite an apple during the competition had seemed overly aggressive. Even her light, casual remarks at the end carried a hint of mockery. He wasn’t sure if Shen Miao had done it intentionally, but once this matter reached the Emperor of Qin, he would surely be reprimanded. For some reason, Huangfu Hao found Shen Miao particularly striking. The bow Princess Ming An used took others days to master, yet Shen Miao handled it as if she had drawn it a thousand times before. Occasionally, when their eyes met, her gaze seemed to carry a faint hostility.
Ming Qi and Qin were not yet enemies. Why would Shen Miao harbor animosity toward him and Princess Ming An? They had never met before. If it was merely retaliation for Princess Ming An’s provocation, then Shen Miao’s vindictiveness was excessive.
Seeing Huangfu Hao lost in thought instead of responding, Princess Ming An widened her eyes in shock. "Crown Prince Brother, don’t tell me you’re enchanted by her! What’s so good about that little wretch? Don’t forget, before this, her obsession with Prince Ding of Ming Qi was common knowledge, and she was an outright Incompetent. Acting so composed and dignified—it’s only because someone’s guiding her from behind. Don’t let her cloud your judgment!"
Huangfu Hao waved his hand impatiently. "What nonsense are you spouting? More importantly, don’t forget the tasks Father Emperor assigned for this trip to Qin. Do whatever you want with Shen Miao—I won’t interfere—but don’t act within this mansion. Anywhere else is fine, just don’t leave any evidence. Shen Miao herself is insignificant, but the Emperor of Ming Qi currently relies on Shen Xin. If you harm Shen Miao, Shen Xin will turn against us, and the alliance with Ming Qi will collapse. You’d better prioritize the bigger picture."
Princess Ming An’s expression softened under this stern warning, but upon closer inspection, the fury in her eyes burned even brighter. She smiled. "Don’t worry, Crown Prince Brother. I won’t cause trouble for us. I invited her here merely to see what kind of person Shen Miao is. If I really want to act, I won’t do it under Qin’s name. Have you forgotten our favorite pastime as children—watching dogs fight? Ming Qi has plenty of dogs. Finding one to do our bidding won’t be hard."
Huangfu Hao also smiled. "As long as you know your limits."
As dusk gradually fell over Fixed Capital, a small lamp flickered in the West Courtyard of Shen Mansion, where Chen Ruoqiu and Chang Zaiqing were conversing.
Chen Ruoqiu smiled. "This handkerchief embroidered with poetry is truly exquisite. Miss Qing’s verses surpass even those of the scholars’ ladies. I never fully understood the phrase ‘clever and deft’ until I saw you—now it makes perfect sense."Chang Zaiqing smiled modestly, "You flatter me, Madam. I feel rather guilty staying here without contributing anything, just eating and living freely. These embroidered handkerchiefs are but small tokens—hardly worth anything—I only hope Madam won't disdain them."
"Disdain them? Never," Chen Ruoqiu replied, carefully folding the handkerchief and tucking it into her sleeve with a smile. "Such fine work must be kept hidden, or else Yue'er will surely snatch it from me. Whenever she takes a fancy to something in my possession, she'll pester me until I give in. This handkerchief is too exquisite—I can't bear to part with it."
Chang Zaiqing laughed softly. "As long as Madam doesn't mind them. If the Second Young Miss likes it, I can embroider another for her."
"That would be wonderful," Chen Ruoqiu agreed cheerfully. "Then I won't have to worry about Yue'er making off with my treasure." She then turned her gaze to Chang Zaiqing and asked, "Speaking of which, have you given any thought to what we discussed earlier?"
During their previous conversation, Chen Ruoqiu had mentioned Shen Xin. Now that Chang Zaiqing had met everyone else in the Shen Mansion except for the eldest branch who had moved out, Chen Ruoqiu suggested that as the daughter of Old General Shen's former subordinate—and with Chang Hu being Old General Shen's life-saving benefactor—it was only natural that Shen Xin would welcome Chang Zaiqing. Moreover, as Old General Shen's legitimate eldest son, it was proper etiquette for Chang Zaiqing to pay him a visit.
Hearing this, Chang Zaiqing hesitated briefly before shaking her head with a smile. "I already feel terribly intrusive disturbing Madam like this—how could I possibly impose on General Shen as well? Besides, my visit to the Fixed Capital is merely to evade that official's son. Once the matter blows over, I'll be on my way. It wouldn't be appropriate to involve General Shen in this affair."
"My dear, your only flaw is being too polite," Chen Ruoqiu feigned annoyance. "The Chang and Shen families share such close ties—you're practically family to us. There's no need to speak of imposition. I've heard that Elder Brother met you when you were young—you're like a sister to him. Why would he find it troublesome? If he later learns you were in the Fixed Capital without visiting him, he might actually be upset."
Chang Zaiqing remained silent. Chen Ruoqiu patted her hand reassuringly. "Moreover, since you're avoiding that family from Liuzhou, Elder Brother's residence would be far more secure. His household has numerous soldiers and tight security. Even if that Liuzhou family pursued you to the Fixed Capital, they wouldn't dare act rashly out of respect for Elder Brother. As I consider you one of our own, I'll speak plainly—Elder Brother's place is where you'll find true protection."
At the mention of the Liuzhou family, Chang Zaiqing's expression shifted, her face clouding with uncertainty again. Chen Ruoqiu pressed on, "Miss Chang, just treat it as paying a visit to your elder brother's home for a while. What is there to worry about?"
"Third Madam may not realize," Chang Zaiqing forced a smile, "but it's been so long—there's no telling whether General Shen even remembers me. And then there's Madam Shen, the Fifth Young Miss, and the Eldest Young Master. For an outsider to suddenly move in would surely cause inconvenience.""Don't worry about that." Chen Ruoqiu smiled upon hearing this. "My sister-in-law has the best temperament. Coming from a military family, she's a heroic woman—straightforward, sincere, and kind-hearted. Knowing your situation, she would only feel sympathy for you. Besides, there are no other women in my brother-in-law's household, so my sister-in-law often finds it hard to have someone to talk to. Seeing you, she would surely treat you very well. As for the eldest son and fifth daughter, they are both sensible children and wouldn’t cause any conflicts with you."
Noticing Chang Zaiqing's wavering expression, Chen Ruoqiu added with a smile, "How about this? If you think it’s a good idea, I’ll have someone draft an invitation in your name and send it over later. We won’t mention the Shen Mansion to avoid misunderstandings. You can visit my brother-in-law’s place once to see his attitude. If you feel it’s inappropriate, you can simply choose not to go again."
After a long contemplation, Chang Zaiqing finally nodded as if making up her mind and gave Chen Ruoqiu a grateful smile. "Third Madam has considered everything so thoughtfully for me. I truly thank you."
"You’re becoming too polite." Chen Ruoqiu stood up with a smile. "It’s getting late, so I won’t disturb your rest. Tomorrow, I’ll have the invitation written and sent over. You don’t need to worry about anything. Someone as intelligent and perceptive as you will surely be liked by everyone. My brother-in-law and sister-in-law might even be delighted to have you as a younger sister."
Chang Zaiqing modestly declined the compliment. After seeing Chen Ruoqiu off, Zhao Momo came in to clear the table, having overheard their conversation. She asked, "Miss, why would Third Madam Shen suddenly bring up General Shen’s affairs? Does she want to drive you out of the mansion?"
Chang Zaiqing chuckled coldly. "At first, I didn’t understand what Third Madam Shen wanted from me, but now it’s clear. She’s playing a clever game, trying to use me against someone else."
Zhao Momo was startled. "Miss, what does Third Madam Shen want you to do?"
Chang Zaiqing sat down at the table, her expression unreadable. She wasn’t foolish—Chen Ruoqiu’s hints were obvious. She had implied that only Shen Xin could ensure her safety, and if she could enter the Shen Mansion permanently, she would never have to worry about those from Liuzhou coming after her. She had described Luo Xueyan as coming from an aristocratic military family, straightforward and simple-minded, implying she would be easy to handle. As for the lack of women in Shen Xin’s household, the suggestion was even clearer: if Chang Zaiqing entered, she would only need to deal with a not-so-clever Luo Xueyan, with no other obstacles.
"I should go and see for myself what this is all about, since Third Madam Shen thinks so highly of me," she said.
"Miss, are you really going to General Shen’s residence?" Zhao Momo hesitated. "Even knowing Third Madam Shen’s ulterior motives?"
"A well-played scheme isn’t necessarily a bad one." Chang Zaiqing waved her hand. "Staying in the Shen Mansion isn’t a long-term solution. I must plan for my future. It’s fine—I’ll just take a look. If anything seems amiss, I won’t step into it."
"And if...?" Zhao Momo studied her carefully.
"If it seems acceptable," Chang Zaiqing replied with a faint smile, "then Third Madam Shen would have inadvertently fulfilled my wishes."The night stretched over the city of Fixed Capital, where every household had lit their lamps, creating a scene of bustling prosperity under the glow. Yet, aside from the palace, the liveliest area was undoubtedly the southern part of the city. Taverns and pleasure houses were alive with music and laughter—the sounds of drinking, men and women bantering, and the melodies of strings and pipes blending together in a strangely captivating harmony.
At Prince Rui's Residence, the lighting was exceptionally well done. Even the lanterns were embroidered with gold thread, shimmering brilliantly in the night and drawing envious glances from passersby. Some even harbored the greedy thought of stealing one to strip the gold thread for profit. But upon spotting the stern, intimidating guards at the gate, they quickly suppressed their thieving impulses and slunk away.
After all, who would dare steal from the residence of Prince Rui of Great Coolness?
Inside, the mansion was eerily quiet, as if devoid of people. At the far end lay a vast courtyard, where an exquisitely crafted pavilion stood beside a crystal-clear pond. The water shimmered emerald under the enchanting moonlight. In summer, this place would have been a picturesque retreat with lotus flowers swaying in the breeze. But now, as early winter approached, a chilly draft swept through the pavilion.
Seated within the pavilion was a strikingly handsome young man, his flowing purple robes nearly covering the entire bench. Under the soft moonlight, his usually sharp and valiant features took on a gentler hue, his striking beauty softened into something almost tender. He sat with his head bowed, teasing a young tiger nestled in his arms.
The cub, pressed uncomfortably against his chest, twisted its head in an attempt to bite the hand that scratched its head. Whether due to its short neck or the firm grip of the man, its efforts were in vain. Yet, undeterred, the cub continued its playful assault, gnawing at the sleeve of the purple-robed youth.
Xie Jingxing pulled his sleeve free from the cub’s mouth, eyeing the large damp patch left by its drool. After a moment’s pause, he flicked the cub’s head lightly. The tiger let out a tiny "aowu" and finally managed to twist around, its paws now playfully batting at Xie Jingxing’s fingers.
From the distant bushes, two heads suddenly popped up. Nightingale stared dumbfounded at the scene in the pavilion, disbelief written all over her face. Xie Jingxing was notoriously fastidious—he disliked animals and even those close to him were forbidden from touching his belongings. Yet here he was, calmly enduring a sleeve soaked in tiger drool. "Has our master lost his mind lately?" she muttered. "Why is he carrying that tiger around all day? Eating with it, sleeping with it—I even heard he bathed with it today. Does he really intend to take this beast back to Great Coolness as his Royal Consort?" When her companion remained silent, Nightingale turned. "Fire Dragon, say something."
Fire Dragon cupped her cheeks in her hands, gazing dreamily at the figure in the pavilion. "The master is so gentle with that cub. Look at how tenderly he watches it. If I could, I’d turn into a tiger just to sleep and bathe with him." She spoke without a hint of shame, sighing wistfully before shaking her head. "Alas, humans can’t compare to tigers."
"You’re absolutely bewitched," Nightingale scoffed.In the pavilion, Xie Jingxing was rubbing the young tiger's head so vigorously it was almost pressed against his chest. The little tiger struggled desperately, and in its flailing, it accidentally pounced onto Xie Jingxing's neck, licking his face in the process.
"You even dare to steal a kiss," Xie Jingxing chuckled lowly, gripping the tiger's neck with both hands and lifting it up. With a mischievous glint in his eyes, he watched as the tiger flailed in mid-air and raised an eyebrow. "Humans and tigers—same nature."
The little tiger bared its claws at him, but Xie Jingxing planted a kiss on its head. "Good boy."
In the grass, Nightingale flopped forward. "Our master has lost his mind."
"I'm going to kill that tiger," Huo Long declared with murderous intent.
Just then, Tie Yi suddenly appeared in the pavilion. Xie Jingxing tucked the young tiger back into his arms and asked, "What is it?"
"Reporting to the master, today Ming An Princess sent an invitation to Fifth Miss Shen."
"Oh?" Xie Jingxing's fingers, which had been scratching the tiger, paused slightly.
"Ming An Princess has invited Fifth Miss Shen to her residence for a visit. Fifth Miss Shen accepted the invitation—it's set for two days from now," Tie Yi replied with a bow.
"Understood." Xie Jingxing waved his hand dismissively. Tie Yi glanced at the tiger in his master's arms, his lips twitching slightly, before retreating into the night.
"Quite bold," Xie Jingxing murmured, slipping a finger into the tiger's mouth. Having spent time eating, bathing, and sleeping together, the little tiger had grown somewhat familiar with him. It gnawed playfully on his finger without actually biting down.
"Should we go?" Xie Jingxing asked.
The white cub let out an "aowu," its eyes sparkling as it gazed at him.
"You want to?" Xie Jingxing raised an eyebrow. "Fine, we'll go with your decision."
In the blink of an eye, two days passed.
That morning, Shen Miao rose early. Jing Zhe and Gu Yu were busy selecting clothes for her. Winter was gradually setting in, and in Ming Qi, the cold always arrived early and fiercely. The recent days of rain had left most of Shen Miao's heavier garments damp, and they couldn't find anything suitable. Gu Yu rummaged through the chest and pulled out a cloak.
"This one is still dry. Though it's a bit thick, it's very cold today, so it won't look out of place if you wear it."
Shen Miao examined the cloak in Gu Yu's hands. It was pure white, made entirely of rare white fox fur, without a single strand of stray color. Even after years, it remained pristine, clearly crafted from high-quality material.
This cloak had appeared mysteriously two years ago when Shen Miao and Shen Xin had left Fixed Capital and stayed temporarily at a farmer's house. The next morning, the cloak had inexplicably appeared in their room. The farmer's family didn't own such a cloak, and Shen Miao had no idea where it came from. She had once considered selling it for money, but Shen Qiu had vehemently opposed the idea, insisting that such a white fox fur coat was priceless and should be kept for herself.
Though she kept it, the cloak was far too large for her, so it had remained buried at the bottom of the chest, never worn. If Gu Yu hadn't dug it out today, Shen Miao might have completely forgotten about it.
Looking at the cloak, she recalled something. Xie Jingxing had once sneaked into her chambers at night and mentioned meeting her at the farmer's house two years ago—though she had been drunk and remembered nothing. Now, it seemed this cloak must have been left by him. She couldn't recall anything from that night except the nonsense Xie Jingxing had spouted, but the memory brought a faint flush to her cheeks.Jing Zhe and Gu Yu exchanged puzzled glances as they noticed Shen Miao's discomfort, unsure of what was troubling her. Jing Zhe spoke up to remind her, "Miss..."
Shen Miao snapped out of her thoughts and, eyeing the cloak in Gu Yu's hands, said irritably, "Find a chance to pawn it at the pawnshop."
"But the young master said the fur was of excellent quality and told you not to pawn it," Gu Yu replied in confusion.
"No matter how fine the fur is, I don't want it," Shen Miao said. "Once you've finished assembling it, deliver it to Fengxian Pawnshop. Fengxian Pawnshop deals in treasures all day long—Shopkeeper Ji will surely take a liking to this item."
Seeing Shen Miao's resolute demeanor, Gu Yu and Jing Zhe dared not say anything more. They shrugged and continued searching for another cloak for her.
In the end, they chose a lilac brocade cloak trimmed with rabbit fur. After helping Shen Miao freshen up, they found an excuse to step out. Luo Tan was easy to handle, and since Shen Xin and the others usually didn’t return from the Ministry of War until evening, and with the absence of the Shen family’s usual spies, they now had much more freedom.
Mo Qing once again took on the role of carriage driver. Though Mo Qing was now Shen Qiu’s subordinate, he often still carried out tasks for Shen Miao. In fact, more often than not, Shen Miao didn’t allow Mo Qing to report her affairs to others. Mo Qing seemed more like Shen Miao’s personal confidant. However, Mo Qing had likely grown accustomed to this role, and whenever Shen Miao needed him to accompany her on outings, he took it in stride without question.
But today, even Mo Qing was startled when he learned where Shen Miao was headed—the residence of the Crown Prince of Qin. News of Shen Miao’s actions during the tribute banquet had spread throughout Fixed Capital the very next day, and Mo Qing naturally knew about it. It was clear that Ming An Princess had come with ill intentions, and Mo Qing was deeply concerned. Yet Shen Miao appeared utterly confident, so Mo Qing refrained from voicing his worries.
When they arrived at the Crown Prince of Qin’s residence, the guards outside saw the invitation in Shen Miao’s hand and told her to wait while they took it inside to inform their master. But once they went in, they never returned.
After a long while, Jing Zhe couldn’t hold back any longer. "It’s been nearly half an hour. Clearly, the Qin princess is deliberately making things difficult for you. Even with the warm stove in the carriage, it’s freezing out here. If you catch a cold, how will that princess explain herself?"
Gu Yu also chimed in, "This is truly outrageous. If she invited you, how can she leave you waiting outside the gates like this?"
Normally, when someone sent an invitation, the guest would at least be welcomed inside to wait. Even if the imperial family had strict rules, leaving someone unattended for over half an hour was unacceptable. And throughout this entire time, not a single person had come to check on them.
Mo Qing suggested, "Miss, perhaps we should return."
Shen Miao shook her head. "Since we’ve come this far, we’ll wait. We must maintain appearances—we can’t let them claim we were the ones who breached etiquette."
Back in Qin State, Ming An Princess had always treated people this way. In the dead of winter, she would summon someone to wait in the freezing garden early in the morning under the pretense of a chat, only to leave them waiting for hours—sometimes even an entire day—before sending a maid to say, "Something came up, she can’t make it." And so, the wait would have been for nothing. Ming An Princess’s methods were as shallow as ever, all surface and no depth. If Shen Miao had endured it in her past life, what was half an hour now?
Inside the Crown Prince of Qin’s residence, Ming An Princess sat in her chambers as a maid added silver filament charcoal to the brazier. She took a sip of tea from the table, her expression one of smug satisfaction.
She asked the servant outside, "Has that wretch left yet?"
"Your Highness," the servant replied, "Fifth Miss Shen’s carriage is still at the gates. She hasn’t left."
A flicker of displeasure crossed Ming An Princess’s face. "How unexpectedly patient." She had assumed that leaving Shen Miao waiting would provoke the proud daughter of a minister into storming off in anger, giving her grounds to accuse Shen Miao of disrespect.
But Shen Miao’s composure was unshaken. Still, Ming An Princess smiled. "After waiting this long, her patience must be wearing thin. Perhaps it’s time for a change of tactics. Someone, relay my orders—invite Shen Miao inside."
－－－－－－Author’s Note－－－－－－
Tonight, we are all tigresses :3
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